First Of the Socinians Secondly Of the Quakers who betwixt them both deny the pure Water in the earthen Vessel and the earthen Vessel in which the pure Water is First of all The Socinians who deny the God head of Christ Secondly The Quakers who deny the Manhood of Christ in Being for if Christ be not God and of the same essential Nature with the Father as the Socinians affirm and on the other hand if Christ retain not his Humane Body now in Heaven as the Quakers affirm then is he neither God nor Man and consequently he is nothing at all who thereby make good what the Apostle said of old speaking of a sort of Men which should spring up in the latter Ages of the World that should deny the Lord that bought them bringing thereby swift Destructioâ—â—pon themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. with Jude 4 Ver. PART IV. Thus you see the Mistery of the earthen Vessel with the runâ—â—ing pure Water in it opened to you we next come to speak of the rest of the Things which the Priest was to use in the Cleansing of the Leper which was the Scarlet the Câ—daâ—-wood and the Hyssop THe Assemblies Annotations speak to this purpose That the Sâ—arlet Cedar-wood and the Hyssop these three things together made up the Brush wherewith the Loper was to be sprinkled in order to his Cleansing the Cedar-wood made up the Handle of the Brush the Hyssop made up the Brush itself and the Scarlet which was a Scarlet Thread with this Thread the Hyssop was bound fast to the Cedar-handle Now the Mystery of which I conceive to be this The Handle of the Brush which was made of Cedar-wood may signifie the Word of God the instrumental Means of our spiritual Cleansing for as Cedar is sweet and durable so is the Word of God First of all The Word of God is like Cedar for sweetness Psal 19. 10. The Word is more to be desired than Gold yea sweeter than the Hony-comb thus you see how sweet the Word is to the Pallate for Taste and it is no less sweet in the Nostrils for smell Cant. 1. 2. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth that is the Name of Christ published or poured out in the Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Word of God may be compared to Cedar for the durableness of it 1 Pet. 1. 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you 2dly By the Hyssop-brush we may understand the Grace of Faith another instrumental Means of our Cleansing from our spiritual Leprosie For as Hyssop is sweet and not so subject to corrupt and wither so soon as other Herbs are so the Grace of Faith is a most sweet and precious Grace it is called precious Faith for the sweetness and uncorruptibleness of it 2 Pet. 1. 1. Good Education natural Parts and moral Gifts may wither and come to nothing but true Faith is a â—race that never loseth its Life Sap or Savour 3dly And by the Scarlet Thread we may understand the Purchasing-bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of that Vertue and Healing-property which we find and feel in the Word and Faith in order to our spiritual Cleansing Now the Sprinkling-brush being thus finished the Scarlet Thread binding the Hyssop to the Cedar-handle with this Brush the Priest was to sprinkle the Leper seven times the Sum of which holds out to us our Justification and Sanctification which is procured for us by our High-Priest Jesus Christ From all which we may observe this Point of Doctrine Doct. That who-ever intends to be Justified from the Guilt of Sin and Sanctified from the Filth of Sin must get himself sprinkled with the Bloud of Christ through the Word of God by the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Hence the Scripture attributes both our Justification and Sanctification to the Bloud of Christ as the meritorious and Procuring-cause of it First For our Justification Rom. 5. 9. Much more then being now Justified by his Bloud 2dly Our Sanctification is meritoriously procured by the same Means Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Bloud of Christ purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God 2. As the Scriptures do direct us to the Bloud of Christ alone as the meritorious Cause of our Justification and Sanctification so doth it direct to Faith as the Means which only can make the Application of both to the Soul Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not that Faith can Justifie of itself a part from the Object of it which is Jesus Christ but only as Faith apprehends and applies the Bloud and Obedience of Christ to the Soul which is the alone Matter of our Justification and as Faith is the Instrument of our Justification so it is of our Sanctification also Acts 15. 9. And put no difference betweeen them and us purifying their Hearts by Faith Reason Now the Reason why the Soul is to make use of Faith in his Justification from the Guilt of Sin and in his Cleansing from the Filth of Sin is because God hath ordered Faith to be the Grace which must deal with the Bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of both For as nothing can Justifie or Cleanse the Soul if applied but the Bloud of Christ so there is nothing which can apply the Bloud of Christ to the Soul but the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impessible to Please him And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This should teach us all to look after Faith yea above all things to labour for this Grace of Believing if ever we mean to be healed of our sinful Leprosie and Uncleanness Oh Friends this is the Means that can only do your Souls good slight this and you slight your greatest Mercy under Heaven because you thereby slight that very Means which God hath appointed for a Soul-cure Neglect this saith Christ and you die in your Sins John 8. 24. This was Israel's Sin and that which kept them in their Sins as the Apostle speaks Rom. 10. 3. They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God which is else-where called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 13. It was not enough for the Jewish Leper only to use the Bloud of the Bird for his Cleansing no but he must dip the Hyssop-brush into the Bloud also he must keep to the Means and the whole Means which God instituted and appointed for his Cleansing Deut. 12. 32. What tâ—â—ng soever I have commanded you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it If the Priest had used the Hyssop-brush without the Bloud of the Bird or if he had dipt the Hyssop-brush in any other Liquor as Water Milk or Wine this would not have been Cleansing to the Leper or if he had made use of the Bloud of the Bird without
as soon as the Priest could apply each one after the other the Bloud applied first and then the Oil next From hence we may observe this Point of Doctrine Doct. That when Christ doth Justifie a Soul by his Bloud the same doth he Sanctifie by the Oil of his Grace Look through the whole Book of God and you will find nothing more a truth than this nor can you read of one Person therein who is recorded for a justified Man by the Bloud of Christ but you shall find it affirmed of him that he was a sanctified Man by the Oil of Christ's Grace besides How fully doth the Word speak out the Truth of the thing itself Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also Called 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the Fore-knowledge of God through the Sanctification of the Spirit 1 John 5. 6 7 8. This is he that came by Water and Bloud even Jesus Christ not by Water only but by Water and Bloud for there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three that bear Witness in Earth the Spirit the Water and Bloud and these three agree in one 2 Thess 2. 13. Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation thro Sanctification and Belief of the Truth And so we come to the Reason of the Point Reason Now the Reason why where Christ Justifies by his Bloud there he Sanctifies by his Spirit is that the Justified might be made meet and fit Temples for himself to live in here and also that they may be filled and made meet to dwell with him hereafter First Christ must dwell in his People here in this Life Ephes 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own Thus as Christ fits the Souls of his People by Grace and Sanctification as Temples for himself to dwell in here so also by the same means doth he prepare them that they may be Company meet to dwell with him in Glory hereafter 2 Thess 2. 14. Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 1. 12. Who hath made you meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Now it 's only Sanctification that can fit prepare and qualifie the Soul as a Habitation fit for Christ to take up his Residence in while in this Life and it is nothing short of true Sanctification which can prepare the Soul to live in Glory with Christ when this Life is over Acts 15. 9. Purifying their Hearts by Faith And without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. The second Reason of the Point is this because all those which are Christ's justified Ones are ordained thereby to bring forth Fruit to God this is what our Saviour told his Disciples That the reason why his Father elected them by his Grace and why himself redeemed them by his Bloud and justified them by his Obedience all this was that they might bring forth holy Fruit to God Ephes 2. 10. For ye are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should Walk in them Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love John 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth Fruit and your Fruit should remain Now this Fruitfulness can never be brought forth without Grace and Sanctification be first poured forth upon the Heart for whatever the Fruit be that is brought forth it can be of no other kind than the Root is from whence it springs if the Root be but Nature's Qualification take it in its highest Flourish yet the Fruit which springs from it is but Rottenness and Hypocrisie in the sight of God The best that is spoken of the Fruit which the Children of Nature do bring forth in the Eyes of God is what you have recorded in Deut. 32. 32 33. For their Vine is as the Vine of Sodom and of the Fields of Gamorrah their Grapes are Grapes of Gallâ— their Clusters are bitter their Wine is the Poison of Dragons and the cruel Venome of Asps So that where the Oil of Grace is not the Root there the best of our Obedience will not pass for Fruit in God's Eyes Matt. 7. 18. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit. Therefore the Root must be Grace and Sanctification or the Fruit will meet with no less than final Rejection Let it be the greatest of Self-denial Patience Temperance Self-mortification Meekness Works of Charity Prayer with the performance of any other Duties done in the Worship of God if it flows not from the Root of true Grace and Sanctification in the Heart all is abominable in the Sight of God Prov. 21. 27. The Sacrifices of the Wicked is Abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked Mind Vse This shews us then how much they are mistaken about their eternal State who think they are Justified by Christ's Bloud and yet were never Sanctified by his Spirit How many Thousands are there of these living in a Gospel-professing Kingdom which are held under the Power of this Soul-damning Delusion who will not believe but they are Justified in the sight of God though they were never yet Sanctified in the fight of Men They are just like a company of Drunkards who dreamed that they were all Feasting in a Royal Palace but when they awoke they found themselves made fast with their Feet in the Stocks Of such a sort of Dreamers James speaks Jam. 2. 18. Yea a Man may say Thou hast Faith and I have Works shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works Thou believest there is one God thou doest well the Devils also believe and tremble But wilt thou know O vain Man that Faith without Works is dead Oh never think that the Bloud of Atonement hath been shed for thee if the Oil of Sanctification hath not been poured forth upon thee The second Use is to instruct us how to attain to some hopeful Assurance of our Justification which is by a Trial made of our Sanctification I know that it is much a Query amongst the doubting part of Christians Oh How shall we do to know whether we be in a Justified State and Condition Answ Look into your Hearts and search whether the Oil of Grace be infused into it Grace changeth the Heart Ezek. 36. 26. Grace reneweth the Heart Titus 3. 5. Grace regenerateth the Heart John 3. 3. Grace turns
his Justification yet he deeply complains of his readiness and proneness Rom. 7. 21. I find a Law in my Members that when I would do Good Evil is present with me There is this difference bewixt a Justified and an Unjustified Man's Inclination to Sin a Justified Man always Sins with Reluctancy but the other with Allowance the Justified Man is ever renewing his State by Repentance Psal 51. 1 2 3 4. And the other is adding of Sin to Sin without Repentance Jer. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no Man repented him of his Wickedness saying What have I done Every one turned to his Course as the Horse rusheth into the Battle Sin is squeezed forth from a Justified Man but it comes freely without let or hindrance from the other Now look into thy Heart though thy sinful Nature works in thee yet is it with Regret Is it with due Repentance Doth it not come freely from thee Is it the Evil thou wouldst not do as Paul speaks and doth it oftentimes make thee to cry out as he did in Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Then doubt not because thou hast no more reason to question thy Justification than David Heman Paul or Peter had The third Ground of a Christian's doubting about his Justified Condition ariseth from his want of Skill to distinguish betwixt the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of his own Conscience It is just with such Christians as it is with some ignorant Servant who is sent to a Shop-keeper to buy such and such Commodities the Shop-keeper sets it all down in his Shop-book the next Week the Servant comes and dischargeth the Debt the Week following the same Servant comes again for new Commodities the Shop-keeper books down all again as before but as the Shop-keeper is writing down of the new Debt the Servant looking over his shoulder espies the Items of the old Reckoning upon the Book which was discharged before this sends the Servant away with a Heart loaded with Grief and Trouble fearing that the Debt which he had discharged will be demanded again It 's true he saw some strokes crost over the Particulars upon the Book but being wholly ignorant that the crossing of the Book was a full Discharge of the Debt in Law this keeps the poor Servant under his Fear and Trouble still Thus stands the Matter with many a doubting Christian about their Justification though the Book of Accounts in Heaven be discharged and crost above with the red strokes of the Bloud of Christ the Vertue of which dischargeth the whole in Law 1 John 1. 7. The Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Yet the Soul being unaquainted with this Mystery he beholding the Items standing yet upon his own Conscience thinks that the whole Debt is still to be exacted from him as if there had never been any Satisfaction made for his Debt at all But O doubting Soul if thou wouldst have Peace in thy Soul thy Work must be to acquaint thy self with the nature of a Believer's Discharge as to his Debt in the Court of Heaven above Labour by an Eye of Faith to see the red Strokes of Christ's Bloud with which the grand Book above is crost for thee for ever and then whatever the Items are which stands upon the Book of thy Conscience yet they can do thee no hurt because now they signifie nothing against thee in Law Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall condemn It is God that Justifies Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is Christ that Died. So that you plainly see that God justifieth a Believer upon the account of Christ's Death the Bloud of whose Death dischargeth his Debt and gives such a Satisfaction to the Law of God that nothing can condemn the Soul for ever thus you see what these Doubts are which do darken a Christian's Interest in his Justification and also the Grounds and Reasons from whence these Doubts and Fears do arise But here lieth thy Comfort Christ thy High-Priest hath compleated this Work for thee though thou canst not apprehend thy Interest in it by a clear sight of Faith yet he by one Offering hath perfected this Work for thee and that for ever if thou be truly Sanctified Heb. 10. 14. 2dly This affords â—â—mfort to Believers against their Doubts arising from the littleness of their Sanctification Oh saith a doubting Soul who is sensible of the weakness and littleness of his Grace Oh! if I have any Grace at all yet it is so little I fear it will never last long and so I shall never be able to hold out Oh! my Faith in God my Love to God my Zeal for God my Sincerity before God my Patience under Trials my Self-denial and Holiness is so little that I fear all my Religion will end in meer Formality and my Profession conclude in Hypocrisie when all is done Ans Oh! Soul against all these Fears thy Duty is to look up to Jesus Christ who is thy mystical Head and in him thou shalt see thy Soul compleatly Sanctified as well as compleatly Justified I do not say that Christ hath compleated the Work of Sanctification in a Believer's own Person while in this Life No no while a Believer is in the Body the Flesh will be lusting against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and Believers again through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. which is one special part of Sanctification And further I do not say that the Spirit in his working of Mortification doth so kill and subdue Sin in Believers as that it shall never trouble grieve or defile them more No that Freedom belongs to the perfect State in Heaven but though Christ hath not perfected this Work in a Believer yet Christ hath perfected Sanctification in himself for the Believer Doth not the Apostle say 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption First It must be acknowledged that by Nature thou art in thy self a Fool Luke 24. 25. O Fools and slow of heart to believe Secondly It is as true that thou hast no Righteousness of thy own Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean Thing our Righteousness is as filthy Rags Thirdly Thou art by Nature a perfect Slave and Vassel to Sin and the Devil therefore is Christ said to proclaim Liberty to the Captives even to such as thou art Isa 61. 1. Fourthly And it is as true that thou art as void of Sanctification Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thy own Bloud But now thou seest that Christ is made over to thee by God the Father to be Wisdom for thy Foolishness Righteousness for thy
dipping of the Hyssop-brush into it this would all as little have wrought the Cure because this would have been a Contradiction to God s Institut on but both of the Means must be used together the Bloud of the Bird with the Hyssop-brush bound fast to the Cedar-wood these three things together would be Healing to the Leper because it was the Means of God's Appointment The Mystery of which when opened shews us thus much That the Bloud of Christ handed out to us by the Word of God and applied to our Souls by Faith it being the Institution of God for our Soul-cure this and only this will Cleanse our Souls of the foulest Leprofie that ever hapned to a Sinner in this Life for we find that it was this which David desired might be applied to him in a time of Soul-defilement and Pollution Psal 51. 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be Clean Wash one and I shall be whiter than the Snow Shall we think that David in this Cleansing-work did look no farther than the bare Hyssop and the typocal Sprinkling there-with for the cleansing of his Soul from the guilt and filth of Sin â—o no doubtless it was the spiritual Hyssop of Faith dipt in the Bloud of Christ which was the chief thing in his Request and the principal thing which his Eye was fixt upon So Soul this is thy great Duty also to pour out thy Soul in Prayer to God as David did for this Grace of Believing Oh! spread thy Leprosie before him open the Plague-sore of thy Heart in his sight take off thy gouty Clouts and lay open thy Wounds and Unclers in his sight and beg him to cast his merciful Eyes towards thee who is the only Physician of Value that can heal thee of thy soul Disease which neither Men nor Angels can Cure besides himself Oh! wrestle with him as Jacob did Gen. 32. 24 25 26. Cease not give him no rest until he hath sent down the Hyssop-brush of Believing into thy Heart that by it thy Heart may be purified from thy Soul-pollution according to Acts 15. 9. A sight of Misery does sometimes in a tender-hearted Physician stir up Bowels of Mercy to a ready Helping of the Distressed but much more in God the greatest Healer and Helper that is in Heaven or Earth and for thy Encouragement to make to him for Healing read often that Text Jam. 1. 5. If any Man lack Wisdom let him ask of God that giveth liberally to all Men and upbraideth not and it shall be given him 2. Lay thyself in the Ways and Walks of God even in those Places where he â—seth to dispense this precious Grace of Faith the Ways and Walks of God are in his Ordinances and amongst his golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 13. which golden Candlesticks are his Gospel-churches the Places where his Worship and Ordinances are as Prayer preaching of the Word with the Sacraments and Seals of the New-covenant in these things he meets with the Souls of Men Isa 64. 5. He meeteth him which works Righteousness and those that remember him in his Ways Here it is that God maketh the Sorrowful to rejoyce and maketh glad the Hearts of the Righteous here it is in these things that he giveth out the Sense of his Love Grace and Favour in Christ Jesus here it is that he poureth forth the rich Anointings even the Graces of his holy Spirit and amongst them this Grace of Faith Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Oh! then be admonished to be a constant and diligent Waiter upon these Ordinances of the Gospel neglect no Opportunity of doing thy Soul good this way for thou dost not know how soon God may meet thee with healing and cleansing Grace in these Ways and Walks of his PART V. Thus having finished the Work about the Sprinkling-brush which was made up of Scarlet Cedar-wood and Hyssop we next come to speak of some other things which were used in the Cleansing of the Leper THe Particulars you may read at your leisure as they are noted in Lev. 14. 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 Verses where first of all the Priest was to kill the Lamb in the holy Place then was he to take some of the Bloud of the Lamb and put it upon the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe of the right Foot of him that was to be cleansed then was the Priest to take some of a Log of Oil and pour it into the Palm of his own left Hand then was he to sprinkle the Oil with his Finger seven times before the Lord. This Work was done by a Synecdochy tipping some parts of the Body for the whole which vertually comprehends the several Parts of the Whole Man which Mistery shadows out these two things to us namely Our Justification and Sanctification by Jesus Christ First The Lamb that was to be killed was a Type of Christ dying for Sinners as the Bird was before the Bloud of both being of one and the same Signification typing out the Bloud of Christ as the meritorious Cause of our being washed and cleansed from the Guilt of all our Sins 1 John 1. 7. 2. The Oyl used in this cleansing-Cleansing-work typed forth to us the Graces of the Spirit of God in our Sanctification of which the Apostle speaks in 1 John 2. 27. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you all things and is Truth New we need not question but that John the Divine hath referrence to the Anointing-oyl which was poured forth upon the Head of the levitical High-Priest who was a Type of Jesus Christ Lev. 8. 30. of which David speaks more at large in Psalm 133. Ver. 2. which the Apostle applies to Christ Heb. 1. 9. Thus hast loved Rightousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows And one reason that 's given of Christ's being anointed you have in John John 1. 16. That of his Fulness we might all receive and Grace for Grace For as Oyl is beautifying to the Countenance mollifying to the Flesh and cheering to the Heart so is the Oyl of Grace and Sanctification it s beautifying to the Soul Ezek. 16. 14. Thou art Perfect through my Comeliness put upon thee saith the Lord. 2dly It 's softning to the Heart Job 23. 16. For God maketh my Heart soft 3dly And it is comforting and cheering to the Whole Man Psal 4. 7. Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine increased One thing more to be observed in the Cleansing the Jewish Leper is this namely That the Priest was to make an Application both of the Bloud and Oil to the Leper not the Bloud without the Oil nor the Oil without the Bloud but both of them together
in holy Ministrations as also in miraculous Operations 2 Kings 5. 10 14. and also it had a sound of Perfection in it as witnessing the Perfection of the Creatures made in six Days before so that there was no need of any more to be done See the Assemblies Annotations upon the place So then by the Priest's sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord denoted that the Work was perfectly done which Action of the Priest teacheth us thus much if we consider him as a Type of Christ in the Cleansing of his spiritual Lepers That as Jesus Christ hath undertook to go thorow with the Work of the Elects Justification and Sanctification so by his sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord which he did in the Person of the Levitical Priest it was to assure his Father for his Satisfaction and to assure his People for their Consolation that the Work of their Justification and Sanctification is compleat and perfectly done according to his last Words when he suffered upon the Cross John 19. 30. then he said It is finished From whence we may observe this Note of Observation Doct. That Jesus Christ a Believer's High-Priest hath perfectly finished and compleated the Work of their Justification and Sanctification before the Lord. The Truth of this Observation is attested both by himself and his Father also First By Christ himself John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Now the great Work which the Father gave his Son to do and finish was the Work of the Justification and Sanctification of the Elect Isa 42. 1 2 3. Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and he shâ—â—â— bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles 2dly This Truth is also witnessed unto by the Father as well as by the Son Isa 53. 10 11. He shall prolong his Days and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands he shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That is the Father shall see his Son's Work finished to his full Contentment Reason Now the Reason of the Point is this Because Christ was God as well as Man and because he is so therefore he wanteth no Sufficiency to accomplish whatever he takes in hand nor never yet did he begin any Work but he always finish'd it before he left it He made the Heavens and the Earth and he did it compleatly he made Man upon the Earth and made a perfect Piece of him and when he had finished his whole Work he beheld it and it was very good good for Matter and good for the Form of it and the ending of it was a glorious Work Psal 19. 1. hence saith Moses Deut. 32. 4. His Work is perfect So that this is the Reason that a Believer's Justification and Sanctification is so compleat and perfect it is because it was carried on by Jesus Christ who is very God as well as very Man and there is nothing too hard for the Lord. And so we come to Application Vse Let this serve for Comfort to the doubting People of God who are very apt to be dejected and cast down in their Spirits their Doubt is not so much whether Christ were able to finish the Work of Justification and Sanctification for them that 's put beyond Question with them but their Trouble ariseth from their Darkness as to their Interest in this Justification and the Littleness if they have any at all of the Grace of Sanctification First As to their Darkness about their Interest in this Justification many there are because they cannot read the Lines of their Justification upon the Book of their own Consciences are apt to fear whether it were ever written for them upon the Book of Christ's Records in Heaven There be three things which makes some Christians to doubt about their Interest in their Justification 1st A sight of old Sins upon the Book of their Consciences 2dly A natural Proneness to commit new Sins 3dly A want of Skill to distinguish between the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Memory and Conscience of the Soul First of all The sight of old Sins as they stand upon the Book of their Consciences They think because the sense of Sin remains upon their Consciences uncancelled therefore the guilt of Sin must needs remain upon the Book of God above unpardoned Ans But this doth not always follow but rather the contrary For where Sin is unpardoned there the Heart as to the sense of it is mostly hardned Look over all the Justified Men which you can find in Scripture and you will find none more under the Conscience of Sin than those who were truly Pardoned and Justified from their Sins as David though Nathan told him that his Sin was pardoned yet how did the sense of it bleed in his Conscience Psal 51. 2 3. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin for I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me The like we find in Job though God himself testified of him that he was a pardoned Man one that feared God and eschewed Evil yet how did Job charge home the Guilt of Sin upon his own Conscience Job 13. 23. How many are my Iniquities and Sins make me to know my Transgression and my Sin So good Heman Psal 88. 15. I am afflicted and ready to Die while I suffer thy Terrours I am Distracted So that this should rather be thy Cordial than a Corrosive to thee that with those good Men the sense of Sin is made to visit thy Conscience A sense of Sin is necessary to help on Repentance Repentance is the Fruit of a justified State Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also Called that is by Repentance and whom he Called them he also Justified Secondly A second Ground of doubting in Christians about their Justification ariseth from their Proneness in Nature to commit new Sins Certainly saith a doubting Soul if I were ever Justified from the Guilt of my Sins I should never be so apt to commit Sin as I do Ans It is one thing to have the guilt of Sin acquitted to the Soul and another thing to have the filth of Sin removed out of the Soul the one belongs to Christ's Justifying and the latter to Christ's Sanctifying Grace the Act of Christ's Justifying of the Soul is done at once upon the very Act of the Soul 's believing Acts 13. 39. By him all that do Believe are Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses But the Act of Christ's Sanctifying a Soul is done by degrees and is a Work of Time so that a Soul may be fully Justified from all his Sins and yet the Nature very prone to commit it Paul had no cause to doubt of
as the People cometh and sit before thee as my People and they hear thy Words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Hearts goeth after their Covetousness Not to answer the end of Hearing which is Obedience is as bad if not worse than not to hear at all Jam. 1. 22. But be ye Doers of the Word and not Hearers only We use to say when Men give little Attention to our Words of Discourse to them That they turn the deaf Ear to us and when we observe not what God speaks to us then do we give the deaf and left Ear unto him 2. But when may we be said to give left-handed Service to God Ans First When we give him only partial Obedience when we do but a part and not the whole of his revealed Will this kind of Service Saul and Jehu gave to God which was as unacceptable to God as it was unprofitable to themselves as you may read first in King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 11. It reponteth me that I have set up Saul for he is turned back from following me and hath not performed my Commandments and it grieved Samuel and he cried to the Lord all night The Case was this King Saul had a strict Command given to him from the Lord to destroy the Amalekites not to spare Man Woman Child nor Cattle Ver. 3. It 's true that Saul destroyed many Men Women and Children and some of the Cattle but he spared Agag and the best of the Sheep and Oxen with the Farlings and Lambs but every thing that was vile and refuse that he destroyed utterly Ver. 9 Here was Obedience such as it was but it was only left handed Obedience because it was but partial and not universal Obedience and as Saul's Covetousness was the cause of this so it is Men's unmortified Lusts which proves the cause of the like partial Obedience in every Man else 2 Pet. 2. 15. Balaam loved the Wages of Vnrighteousness A second Instance which the Scripture gives us of this left-handed Obedience is that of Johu 2 Kings 9. 6 7 8 9. ver where you find that he was anointed King to destroy the whole House of wicked Ahab and all his wicked Idolatry and in pursuance of his Commission he cuts off Ahab's Famâ—ly roots out his Idolatry overthrows the House of Baal cuâ—s off all his Idolatrous Priests and Worshippers in Baal's House but yet still he must be partial in his Service as Saul was in his being under the power of the like unmortified Lust which held him back from doing the whole Will of God prescribed to him in his Commission 2 Kings 10. 31. But Jehu took no heed to Walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart for he departed not from the Sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to Sin Secondly We may be said to give the Lord left-handed Obedience when we give him only bodily Service without the Heart Will and Affections and saith Paul this-will not profit 1 Tim. 4. 8. This kind of Service the Israelites gave to God in the Wilderness Psal 78. 36 37. they flattered God with their Mouths and dealt deceitfully with him in their Hearts neither were they steadfast in his Covenant Yet how do the most of Men take up and rest in a little bare out-side Work in external Performances and quiet themselves with a few Names and empty Titles So they have a Name to live and are called Christians and give unto God a little bodily Exercise they are well contented when all this is but left-handed Service and no more Alas these Christian-names and Titles separated from the power of Godliness they signifie no more than a parcel of fine sweet smelling Flowers deckt about the Body of a dead Corpse which though they help to Garnish the Dead yet cannot they make a dead Body to live O trust not to these things nor rest in them because they are no more in the sight of God than a dead Body without a Soul is in our sight James 2. 26. For as the Body without the Soul is dead so Faith without Works is dead also For Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. Thridly and lastly When may we be said to give unto God left-foot Obedience I answer first When we walk not steadfastly with him when we are sometimes for him and sometimes for Baal sometimes in his Worship and sometimes in the contrary like those spoken of in Zeph. â— If you read the fifth Verse it 's said There they Worshipped or Swore by the Lord and Worshipped and did Swear by Malcham In the ninth Verse it 's said That they leapt on the Threshold as Men divided in their Thoughts when they come to enter a House â—hey put one Foot over the Threshold with a purpose to go into the House but then they draw it back again not knowing whether it be best to enter in This is the Disease of many Lepers about the Matters of God's Worship especially when Religion is in danger they are usually at such times unresolved what to do or which way to take whether it be best to stick wholy to the Worship of Christ or the Worship of Malcham a worldly Interest calls upon them to leap over Malcham's Threshold and so into her Temple but Conscience from the Light of Scripture calls them back again thus they dance to and fro in their divided Purposes and Resolutions because they are not able to bring Conscience and Interest to run in one Chanel together but at length Carnal-prudence steps in and compounds the Difference by advising Conscience and Interest to divide Cuts betwixt them to Swear sometimes by Malcham and sometimes by Christ but however Prudence may Judge of this kind of Work yet the Word of God doth judge it to be but left-handed Service 1 Kings 18. 21. If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God follow him How long will ye halt betwixt two Opinions 2dly We give unto God left-foot Obedience when we walk at Random and not by Rule when we cease making the Scriptures our Guide and instead thereof we make the Traditions and Humane Inventions of Men in the Matters of Faith our Rule and Guide to walk by Matt. 15. 9. In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. And here I shall acquaint you with five corrupt Rules which the most of Men propose to themselves as their Guides to walk by in the Matters of their Faith and Conversation in opposition to the Word of God which indeed is the only Rule which all Men ought to Walk by according to Isa 8. 20. First of all Some walk by the rule of Custom which in Ephes 2. 2. the Apostle calls a walking after the Course of this World many there are that do think because the most of Men do do so and so therefore
there are which walk by the Rule of enthusiastical Inspirations Visions and pretended Revelations casting off the written Word of God which was formerly their Rule and Guide and now account themselves more happy in walking by these Guides though this latter Age have abounded with but too many of these filthy Dreamers as St. Jude stiles them Jude 8. Verse yet it is no new thing but a thing as ancient as the Prophet Jeremiah's Days Jer. 23. 32. I am against them that Prophesie false Dreams saith the Lord and do tell them and cause my People to Err by their Lies and by their Lightness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this People at all It appears that the Design of these ancient enthusiastical Dreamers and Pretenders to Divine Revelations was on purpose to weaken the Authority of the Word of God in the Mouths of the Prophets of the Lord inasmuch as God doth plead the Efficacy of his Word in opposition to these chaffy Dreams and pretended Revelations so much cried up by these ancient Deluders Jer. 23. 28 29. The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like as Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock to pieces It is a very dangerous thing when Persons through their slighting of the written Word shall thereby provoke God to give them over to wander after these satanical Delusions because many times what Ways Men do sinfully chuse to walk in and deluded Rules to walk by the same Ways and Rules God will judicially chuse for them 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the Truth in the Love of it that they might be saved for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions to believe Lies that they might be damned Therefore have we that Rule given us in Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if any Man speak not according to this Rule it 's because there is no Light in him and saith Peter 2 Epist 1. 19. But we have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts Thus you see what the false Rules are which the most of Men do propound to themselves as their Guides to walk by which will appear at length to be nothing else but left-footed Obedience in the Eyes of God and Jesus Christ 3dly We give unto God left-footed Service when we walk not constantly with him when we are off and on with God when we play fast and loose with God some there are when affrighted by strong Convictions and grieved by and with sore Afflictions will then for a fit be Religious then they will Pray and Read good Books and frequent the Worship of God and set about the Practice of religious Duties in their Families but when the sense of the Conviction is abated and the smart of their Affliction a little worn off then like Ephraim all their Righteousness appears like the morning Cloud and all their Goodness like the early Rain that passeth away This kind of inconstant Obedience the Israelites gave unto God in the Wilderness Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they flattered him with their Mouth and lied unto him with their Tongues for their Hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant This inconstant Service was never yet acceptable Service with God nor will it ever be esteemed otherwise than left-footed Service offered unto him 4thly When we walk not sincerely with God then we give him left and not right-footed Service this was the Service Amazia gave to the Lord 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of God but not with a perfect Heart All the Ways of God saith David are Mercy and Truth Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners his Ways Psal 25. 8. So that you see there is Truth and Uprightness in the Lord towards us and he expects to find the same in us towards himself again Truth is the Nature of God and he cannot but hate the contrary where-ever he sees it let Men clothe themselves with never so much out-side Holiness yet if Truth and Sincerity be found wanting all is but glittering Hypocrisie in the Eyes of God Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a Name to live and art dead The Scribes and Pharisees had as much of an outward Holiness upon them as most Men living but their want of Sincerity turned all their painted shew of Holiness into perfect Rottenness in the Eyes of Christ Matt. 23. 27. It 's not the Matter of our Services only which commends us to God but the Manner of our performing of them If our Ends and Aims 〈◊〉 more for our own Praise Honour and Profit than for the Honour and Glory of God we shall never hear more of it unless it be to our Shame and Sorrow David was well instructed in this therefore prays he that God would make his Heart sound in his Statutes Psal 119. 80. Thus you have seen the Reasons why the Priest was to tip not the left but the right Ear right Thumb and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and Log of Oil the Bloud to purchase the Leper for the Work and Service of the Purchaser and the Oil of Grace to make him fit for it and willing to set about it Now Soul if thou wouldst hear the Voice of Christ in a saving manner if thou wouldst hear when he speaks to thy Soul in his Works Word Ordinances and Providences if thou wouldst work the Works of Righteousness as the Work of Repentance before God Faith in God Love to God with the Works of Holiness in his sight together with the Works of Justice and Mercy towards Men and if thou wouldst Walk with God as Enoch did walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God Blameless and without Rebuke as did Zacharias and Elizabeth then be not satisfied until thou hast gotten thy right Ear thy right Thumb and the right Foot of thy Soul tipt with the Bloud and Oil which drops out of the Palm of the Hand of the High-Priest Jesus Christ Who is willing to save to the uttermost them which come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. PART VI. Thus after the Priest had tipt the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Cleansed Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and the Log of Oil then as in Levit. 14. 16. the Priest was to dip his right Finger in the Oil that is in his left Hand and sprinkle of the Oil with his Finger seven times before the Lord. THis number Seven was of a sacred Use amongst the Hebrews is was used
Raggedness Sanctification for thy Pollutedness and Redemption for thy Slavery he is all this in the sight of God for thee and he looks upon thee as if thou wert all this in thy self for his Son's sake unto whom thou art united by Faith What if thou feelest in thy self but thy right Ear thy right Thumb and Toe of thy right Foot tipt with the Oil of Sanctification yet be not discouraged it is enough that the Perfection of it is in Christ thy Head for thee and in God's Account This is as well as if it were in thy self and better too and God accounts it as thine and imputes it to thee for thy own upon thy believing and would have thee to reckon it so for thy Comfort and Consolation Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mark To be Dead unto Sin is a part of the Perfection of our Sanctification Object But can a Man be Dead unto Sin in this Life Ans It 's true no Man is so himself yet in his Head Christ he is so therefore would God have a Believer to reckon it as if he were so in himself for so much seems to me to be manifestly handed out to us in Lev. 14. about Cleansing the Leper if we compare the 14 with the 18 Verse of that Chapter for in Ver. 14. there you have our Saviour in the Person of the High-Priest or any other of the levitical Priests Sanctifying of the spiritual Leper which was shadowed out in the Person of the corporal Leper and in the 18 Ver. there you have Christ in the Person of the Priest Sanctifying of himself for the spiritual Leper who Believes in him Mark the Words Ver. 18. And the remnant of the Oil that is in the Priest's Hand he shall pour it out upon the Head of him that is to be Cleansed But first let us see what light the 14 Ver. will afford us in this Matter for in this Verse you have Christ in the the Person of the Priest Sanctifying of the believing Leper and in that Act you may see that the Work was very imperfectly done only the Tip or Lap of the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe and that done too but with the tip of his Finger dipt in Oil which could not carry home much of the Oil to either part yet the Priest was to sprinkle the rest of the Oil which was upon the top of his Finger seven times before the Lord which number amongst the Hebrews as we have told you before was accounted a number of Perfection the meaning of the sprinkling seven times before the Lord was as much as to say O Lord the Work which is done upon the Leper is perfect Work it is a Work compleatly done So that though there be no more than an Ear Thumb and Toe of the spiritual Leper tipt with the Oil of Grace and Sanctification yet it being true Grace therefore the Work is perfect Work perfect for Parts though not for Degrees So that in a sense as low and little as the Grace and Sanctification seems to be in thy Soul yet it may be said to be Perfect and that in this double respect First With respect to the Parts of the Work Secondly With respect to the Quality of it First For thy low Measure of Sanctification as low and little as it seems to be yet it is Perfect with respect to the Parts of it A Child which is but a Day old may be said to be a perfect Man for his Parts though yet he is not so for Degrees for he hath all the Parts and Members of a Man the Father that begat him who far exceeds it for quantity yet hath he not one Limb more in his Body than the Child hath So it is as true in this spiritual Case the strongest Believer under Heaven who hath made the greatest Improvement of his Grace hath not one Grace more than the least Saint on Earth In a word Christ himself hath not one Grace in him more than the weakest Believer on Earth this we grant That he hath more Grace than the greatest Believer ever had or all the Saints and Angels in Heaven have put them all together for Grace was poured into him without measure but for the number of Graces there are no more in Christ than in the weakest Saint for you read in John 1. 16. That of his Fulness we all received and Grace for Grace Secondly Sanctification in Believers may be said to be Perfect for the quality of it as little as thy Grace in thee seems to be yet for what there is of it it is as perfect as is the greatest Measure of Grace in the tallest Saint in the World as a spark of Fire is as true Fire for the quality of it as that is which makes the greatest Blaze a drop of Water is as perfect Water as is the whole Ocean or Sea a little piece of Gold though but to the value of Six-pence in Silver yet for the quality of it it is as perfect Gold as a quantity which amounts to a Talent in weight so the least degree of Grace is as perfect for the quality of it as where there is the greatest quantity So that by this you may perceive that in this sense the Work of Sanctification may be said to be Perfect in the weakest Believers who are therefore counted perfect Men though otherwise made up of their Failings and great Infirmities as you read of Noah Gen. 6. 9. compared with Gen. 9. 21. So Job 1. 1. compared with the third Chapter So David Acts 13. 22. compared with 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 9. So Hezekiah 2 Kings 20. 3. compared with 2 Chron 32. 25. And in this sense our Saviour is to be understood in Matt. 5. 48. Be ye therefore Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect who means by Perfectness in this place a labouring after Grace in the Sincerity and Reality of it in opposition to Hypocrifie So then if thy Grace be but true Grace and thy Sanctification be real and not fained though it be but as a grain of Mustard-seed as in Luke 17. 6. this declares thee in a Gospel Sense to be a perfect Believer Thus we have dispatch'd the first Particular which relates to Christ's Sanctifying the spiritual Leper which he shadowed out to us in the Person of the Levitical Priest's Cleansing of the corporal Leper Secondly We next come to speak of Christ's Sanctifying of himself for the spiritual cleansed Leper The Light we have into it springs out of the 18 Verse And the remnant of the Oil that is in the Priest's Hand he shall pour upon the Head of him that is to be Cleansed Suitable to this is that Passage of our Saviour John 17. 19. For their sakes I Sanctifie my self that they also may be Sanctified through the Truth Saith the Assemblies Annotations upon it Christ
did it by a voluntary Dedication and Consecration of himself as an unblemished Sacrifice for his People But the Scripture further tells us That Christ's being Sanctified for his People is meant his receiving a Fulness of Grace for them that with that Fulness they might be made Gracious also John 1. 14 with 16 Ver. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth that of his Fulness we might receive and Grace for Grace Now who is it that the Scripture calls the Head of every spiritual cleansed Leper Is it not Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11. 3. The Head of every Man is Christ. Col. 1. 18. And he is the Head of the Body the Church Ephes 5. 23. Even as Christ is the Head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the Body Now the Oil which was to be applied to the Head of the cleansed Leper that was not to be given out in a few Drops with the tip of the Priest's Finger as it was to the Leper's Ear Thumb and great Toe as before no but when the Oil comes to be applied unto the Head of him that was to be Cleansed here it was to be poured out without measure And the Remnant of the Oil in the Priest's Hand he shall pour it upon the Head of him that is to be Cleansed Ver. 18. Hence the Scripture speaking of Christ the Head of his cleansed Lepers tells you That he received not the Spirit by Measure John 3. 34. And that it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Col. 1. 19. And that he was full of Grace and Truth John 1. 14. And he was anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows Psal 45. 7. And that Grace was poured into his Lips Ver. 2. So that this Fulness of the Oil of Grace which was poured out upon Christ the Head of Believers this dwells in Christ for them upon a double account First That the Fruit of it which was his Obedience might be imputed to them for their Justification Secondly That the Grace of it might be imparted to them for their Sanctification as far as they need it and he sees good to impart it First of all That Christ's Obedience unto Righteousness which was the Fruit of his Anointing might be imputed to Believers for their Justification Rom. 5. 18. Even so by the Righteousness of one the Free-gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life Secondly That it might be imparted unto Believers for their Sanctification John 1. 16. Of his Fulness we have all received and Grace for Grace Both of these two Benefits Paul sums up together in one Verse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And Paul supposing that the Colossians were invested with these two saving Benefits now saith Paul Ye are Compleat in him Col. 2. 10. Thus you see where a Believer's Perfection lieth as to his Sanctification it lieth and liveth in Christ their Head hence then when Satan shall raise Objections against thee labouring thereby to discourage thy Soul from the lowness and littleness of thy Sanctification then reply to him as a Man would do to those who upbraid him with the course Clothes which he wears on his Back he is ready to answer them O ye Despisers did you know the rich and costly Rayment which I have at Home you would never despise me as you do for the Clothes I now wear So poor drooping Soul reply to Satan in like manner What though the Sanctification which dwells in me be both low and little yet I have better Clothes than these laid up in Christ for me Look not so much upon the Habit which I wear my self but look upon the glorious Robes of Christ my Head and behold the rich Clothing he appears in at the Father's right hand for me all this is mine and for my Use to be put on by me when the fulness of Time is come for then Phil. 3. 21. He changes our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself This was it which caused the Spouse to hold up Heart and Head above Water in opposition to all the Discouragements that the Malice of Hell could cast into her about the littleness of her Sanctification Cant 1. 5. Though I am black yet comely O ye Daughters of Jerusalem as the Tents of Kedar and the Curtains of Solomon That is though she were black with Affliction and Persecution for which the World derided her and though she were black in her self with Corruption for which the Devil objected against her yet she still comforted her self with what she was in Christ there she was more comely than the Curtains of Solomon And the same Testimony Christ gives of all his cleansed Lepers Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all Fair my Love there is no Spot in thee In a word as little as that Grace is which seems to be in thee yet the Scripture calls it glorious Grace Psal 45. 13. The King's Daughter is all glorious within her Clothing is of wrought Gold PART VII Lastly when all the foregoing Particulars were applied to the Leper in order to his Cleansing then was the Lâ—per by orders from the Priest to shave off the Hair of his Head Beard and Eye-brows Levit. 14. 9. because in the Hair of the Head Beard and Eye-brows might much of the Filth and Scurf of the Distemper lie and might prove Hiding-places to the same whcih might much anticipate and hinder the Cure and grèatly hazard the breaking out of the old Distemper upon the Leper again THerefore the Leper was to shave the Hair wholly off from his Head Beard and Eye-brows Ver. 9. the Mystery of which is to shew us what his Duty is who is Cleansed from the Guilt and Filth of Sin by Jesus Christ namely to endeavour ever afterward the Mortification of the same which is called the Cutting off or Circumcising the Fore-skin of your Hearts Deut. 30. 6. which the Apostle makes to agree with the Work of mortifying the Lusts of the Flesh Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry The Words thus opened afford us this profitable Observation Doct. That as Jesus Christ in love to the Souls of his People hath washed them in his own Bloud from the Guilt of Sin and by the Oil of his Grace removed the dominion of Sin from them so it is the Duty of every Christian to endeavour ever afterwards the Mortification of the remains of Sin in their Hearts and Lives continually This is so clear a Truth that nothing shines with more brightness in all the Scripture Rom. 8. 13. If ye Sin after the Flesh ye shall Die but
and that he may harden his Children in their Sins and damp the Resolutions of weak Christians in Godliness Oh! how should this stir up the Hearts and Hands of all that have any Love to Christ to be pressing on so much the more in the Practice of true Godliness redeeming the Time because the Days are evil that the World may see that Christ hath yet a few Names in Sardis that do walk with him in white and have not defiled their Garments as the most have done Have other Churches their Spots upon them How should you get your Garments washed in the Bloud of the Lamb Are other Churches publickly Scandalous Earthly-minded walking with a proud and haughty Spirit Oh! how should you labour to regain the lost Honour of Christ again in labouring after a more heavenly frame of Spirit in being meek holy and humble in the sight of all Men Oh! that you would consider this that Jesus Christ was never more wounded in the House of his Friends than at this Day Oh! if you have any Love for Christ labour to heal these Wounds again by adorning the Doctrine of God and your Saviour with your holy Conversations Oh! forget not what a large Portion he hath given you in his Bloud and what a good Inheritance he hath purchased for you by his Bloud let him have the Fruit of it which is a holy Conversation John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much Fruit. 2d Vse Have the Houses of Christ been hitherto subject to their Defilements and Pollutions Learn hence then by Faith and Prayer to hasten on those happy Times which the Word of Prophesie faith are yet to come upon the Churches of Christ in this Life when these spiritual Habitations of his shall no more be troubled with these leprous Defilements and Pollutions in this World There is one Prophesie which I shall mention for all the rest Psal 102. 13. with 16 Ver. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set-time is come When the Lord shall build up Zion he will appear in his Glory I grant that this Prophesie partly had its fulfilling in the Jews Redemption out of their seventy Years Captivity by Cyrus and in the building of the second Temple by Nehemiah but this was not the utmost extent of the Prophesie which clearly points to the latter times of the Gospel-churches even when as in Ver. 22 of this Psal The People are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Which time John the Divine placeth after the great Rent that shall be made in Antichrist's Kingdom Rev. 11. 13. and then he tells you in Ver. 15. that the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever so that then and not till then may we expect the full Accomplishment of this Prophesie in this 102 Psal Ver. 13 with 16. Certainly this must needs be a glorious Work and a very glorious Day when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself but although it be said that God will build Zion himself we are not to understand it in opposition to the use of outward Means or humane Instruments which God hath formerly used in this Work no but comparatively such will the marvelous Presence of his Glory be which he will then attend those withal which he will employ in this Work of building his Zion as if God had never had a Hand in the Work before which will make the Work exceeding excellent and glorious in four Respects beyond whatever the Churches were adorned with before First For Beauty and Glory in the Eyes of the World Isa 54. 11 12. Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy Stones with fair Colours and lay thy Foundations with Saphires I will make thy Windows of Agates and thy Gates â—f Carbuncles and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones Secondly This Work of building Zion will be marvelous for Light and Knowledge in Mysteries of Faith about our Redemption and Justification by Jesus Christ together with those lesser Points about which the Churches heretofore have been so apt to disagree Isa 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall the Moon give Light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light So Isa 29. 18. And in that Day shall the Deaf hear the Words of the Book and the Blind shall see out of Obscurity and out of Darkness Thirdly This Work will be as marvelous for Peace and Quietness to the Churches who have enjoyed very little of this in the Ages of the World heretofore indeed for a spurt or a short space of time we have found that the Churches of Christ have had sâ—me silence in their heavenly Places for the space of half an Hour Rev. 8. 1. some short breathing some little freedom from Persecution but their Clouds have soon returned upon them again after the Rain Oh! but when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself then Violence shall no more be heard in their Land nor Wasting and Destruction within their Borders but they shall call their Walls Salvation and the Gates Praise Isa 60. 18. Fourthly When the Lord shall arise to build Zion the Work will be firmly and lastingly done tho' the former Builders were gracious and godly Men yet how quickly have their Work tumbled down again David and Solomon which builded the Temple and City of Zion at first and though they were holy and wise Men yet their Building stood not long after them And the like we read of Nehemiah Ezra and Zerubbabel Men of great Wisdom and Integrity who were Builders of the City and Temple of Zion a second time but alas how soon did the Romans demolish their Work again But when God shall arise to build Zion himself the Work shall surely stand for ever as that no Sanballet or Tobiah shall be able to obstruct it nor no Nebuchadnezzar or Roman Titus shall ever be able to pull down this Work to the World's end Isa 4. 5. And the Lord will create upon every Dwelling-place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and a Smoak by Day and the Shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a Defence Oh that we could get such a sight of this glorious Work by Faith as might put us upon the hastning of it into the World by Prayer Last Vse In the mean time until this glorious Work comes into the World let what hath been said about iâ— serve to make us who may never live to see this glorious Day but must yet remain amongst the Churches of Christ so subject yet to their Defilements and Pollutions let the Thoughts of it make Heaven the more desirable to us Oh! think often upon the Purity of that new Jerusalem which is above and comfort your selves