The Best Remedies for the Worst of Maladies, Receipt 7
The Seventh Spiritual Receipt.
7ly. The ſeventh and laſt Soveraign Receipt, for the prevention or curing of this Peſtilential diſeaſe; Is an Evangelical univerſal obedience to the Goſpel of Chriſt: Called by the Apoſtle in Rom. 16.26. The obedience of Faith, conſiſting in a readineſs to do the Will of God, in things commanded or forbidden, be they never ſo troubleſome or contrary to our reaſon or liking. I call it Evangelical, to diſtinguiſh it from that which is Legal; which required an abſolute univerſal conformity, not of our actions only, but of our affections alſo to the will of God, exactly in every point and title thereof, upon pain of Eternal Damnation, Gal. 3.10, 13. And therefore by the Apoſtle called, The miniſtration of death and condemnation, 2 Cor. 3.7, 9. This Evangelical Obedience, conſiſts in beleiving the Goſpel, and ſubjecting our ſelves thereunto; whence it is, that it is put for faith or the receiving of the Goſpel, Rom. 1.8. Comp. with Chap. 16.19. and to obey Chriſt, for beleiving in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10.5. and to obey the truth for beleiving the Doctrine of the Goſpel, Rom. 6.17. 1 Pet. 1.22. Which evangelical or Goſpel obedience is to be performed unto God, in and through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who as he is held forth to be the pattern of our obedience, 1 Cor. 11.1. So is he the Author of eternal ſalvation unto all them that obey him, Heb. 5.9. And through his obedience onelyonly it is that we are made righteous, Rom. 5.19. This I ſay does conſiſt in a readineſs and chearfulneſs to do the will of God. Lo I come (ſaith Chriſt) to do thy Will O God, Heb. 10.7. My meat is to do the will of him that ſent me, and to finiſh his work, Joh. 4.34. And it muſt be performed from the heart, out of love unto Chriſt, Rom. 6.17. Upon this hing all Goſpel obedience hangs, Rom. 13.10. This is the ſpring from whence it originally flows, 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us; The force and efficacy of which will make difficult things eaſie; The Saints loved not their lives unto the death, for the love they bore unto Chriſt, Rev. 12.11. Jacob ſerved ſeven years for Rachel, and (ſaith the Text) they ſeemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had unto her, Gen. 29.20. Charity ſuffereth long and is kind, it beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.4, 7. Much water cannot quench it, neither can the floods drown it, Cant. 8.7. When the ſoul is mounted upon the wings of faith and charity, it makes it like the Chariots of Aminadib, Cant. 6.12. It will make the ſoul cleave unto Chriſt, as Ruth unto Naomi her Mother-in-law, not to leave him, nor return from following after him. It will ſay then unto Chriſt, Whither thou goeſt I will go; and where thou lodgeſt, I will lodge; thy people, ſhall be my people; and thy God, my God; where thou dieſt, will I dye; and there will I be buried; the Lord do ſo to me, and more alſo, if ought but death part thee and me, Ruth 1.16, 17. Lord if thou goeſt into a Priſon, ſaith the gratious, loving beleiving, obeying ſoul, I will go with thee; if thou lodgeſt there in a Dungeon, I will lodge with thee; I am reſolved in thy ſtrength not to leave thee, go where thou wilt; It will ſay as Paul, None of theſe things ſhall move me, nor ſhall I count my life dear unto my ſelf, ſo that I may but finiſh my courſe with joy; and the miniſtery which I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to teſtifie the Goſpel of the grace of God, Act. 20.24. Mount-Sion Saints will follow the Lamb whither-ſoever he goeth, Rev. 14.4. They have an inſeperable communion, an individual ſociety with the Lamb, which referred to the ſtate of their warfare, notes the ſincerity and conſtancy of their faith and obedience under Anti-chriſts perſecution; they follow not the Beaſt, but the Lamb, whereſoever he goeth, that is, they exactly walk in the precepts and ſteps of the lamb, whereſoever he leadeth them, & he leadeth them to the Fountains of living waters, Chap. 7.17. Theſe ſuffers not the decres and Idols of the Beaſt to be obtruded upon them, but wholly cleave to Chriſt their guide, and like Caleb & Joſhua, they will follow him fully, Numb. 14.24. This indeed is very difficult in it ſelf, and in our ſtrength ſo to do. Our own experience tells us, that Goſpel obedience is an up-hill way, and its hard to get a great waight up an hill; therefore when the Apoſtle preſſeth Goſpel-obedience, he bids us lay aſide every weight, that we may run with patience, Heb. 12.1. The old Adam is a clogg to our obedience, and weights eaſily pull us down; and if down, to riſe again, it is up-hill work.
What a do have we to get up our hearts unto true Goſpel-ſorrow for our ſins? Oh, what a hard work it is to bring our hearts up to a beleif of the promiſes? to truſt God in difficulties, &c. Oh, how difficult to get up the hill of Goſpel-obedience? what pains muſt we take to get to communion with God in the Spirit? Gods call for our obedience, is like his command to Moſes, Deut. 32.49, 50. Go up to Mount Nebo, and dye there. So, go up into thy Cloſet, and kill thy corruptions there, let thy deareſt luſts dye there, pluck out thy right eye there, and cut off thy right hand there; and we had as live dy, as do ſuch a thing, ſuch verily is our natural ſtubbornneſs againſt God.
When God bids us up and do this, or that; oh, how irkſome and unpleaſing is it to fleſh and blood. When the Goſpel bids us look above all things; Father, Mother, Wife, Children, Lands, Houſes, Life; and and leave, forſake and hate them all, and then thou ſhalt be a Diſciple of Chriſt, upon the account of Goſpel-obedience. Are we not ready to ſay with thoſe Diſciples of Chriſt, This is a hard ſaying, who can bear it? Joh. 6.60. Yet I ſay, the ſoul that is carried upon the wings of faith and love, and ſtrengthened with might by the Spirit of the Lord in the inward man, can chearfully and willingly conform to ſuch harſh, difficult and unpleaſing commands, conſidered as to fleſh and blood.
But I ſhall come a little cloſer as to the thing in hand, to excite thee to this evangelical obedience.
Conſider firſt, how acceptable and well-pleaſing a thing it is unto the Lord, in that he prefers it above legal Sacrifices whatſoever. As Sumuel ſaid to Saul, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and Sacrifices, as in obeying the voyce of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better then Sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the ſin of witch-craft, and ſtubbornneſs is as iniquity and Idolatry, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23. Hoſ. 6.6. So Jer. 7.22, 23. For I ſpake not unto your Fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and ſacrifices; But this thing commanded I them, ſaying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye ſhall be my people, and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counſels and imaginations of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward, &c. And becauſe they rejected the Lords Prophets, he ſent among them, and would not hearken unto the Lord, nor incline their ear, but hardned their neck, and did worſe then their Fathers; Therefore the Prophet Jeremy was to ſay unto them, This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction, truth is periſhed, and is cut off from their mouth.
Object. But did not the Lord command their Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices after he had brought them out of the Land of Egypt? were they not things of his own appointment?
Anſw. Yea, Surely the Lord did command and injoyn their ſacrifices, and it was their ſin to omit them; but the meaning is this, as if the Lord had ſaid, This was not the chiefeſt thing that I commanded them, as ye Hypocrites do conceive and imagine, but it was their ſincere obedience, which they have not yeilded unto me, and you have yeilded me leſs then they; I did expect that your forefathers ſhould have obeyed my voice in all other things that I had enjoyned and commanded them to do, as well as in matters of burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, but ſeeing they diſobeyed my voice, and yet would come and ſacrifice unto me with impure hands, and unclean hearts, rebellious and diſobedient ſpirits, their Sacrifices and Offerings to me were as if I had not commanded them at all, my ſoul did loath them and abominate them, and ſo they do yours, ſo long as you hearken not to my voice, but walk in the counſells and imaginations of your own evil hearts. The Prophet Hoſea gives much light into this underſtanding of the mind of God, in Hoſea 6.6. and ſo doe; our bleſſed Saviour, referring his ſpeech thereunto; For I deſire mercy, and not ſacrifice, and the knowledge of God, more then burnt-offerings, See Mat. 9.13. and 12.7. that is, I preferred works of mercy, before Sacrifice, and the knowledge of God, as it is joyned with obedience to the will of God, before burnt-offering. The outward bare offering; conſidered in it ſelf, without faith and repentance, the Lord highly reproved and rejected; See to this purpoſe, Pſa. 50.12, to 17. So Iſa. 1.11, to 15. See there how the Lord did abominate their offerings, notwithſtanding he had inſtituted and appointed them. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your ſacrifices unto me? ſaith the Lord, I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams, &c. bring no more vain oblations, incenſe is an abomination unto me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of Aſſemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even your ſolemn meeting, your new Moons, and your appointed feaſts, my ſoul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them. And when ye ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear: And why? Your bands are full of blood, will ye kill and murder my ſervants the Prophets, and ſhed the blood of mine innocent ones? and come and think to appeaſe my wrath with your hypocritical offerings? And therefore he exhorts them to repentance; Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſeek judgment, releive the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſs, plead for the widow; Come now and let us reaſon togeather, ſaith the Lord; when theſe things are done, then come unto me, then bring your offerings unto me, then ſhall they be accepted by me, then we will reaſon together, then I will hear your prayers, and pardon your ſins, and not before.
Hence it is, that Solomon ſaies, The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15.8. So Prov. 21.27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. It is always evil, but how much more abominable is it, when he brings it with a wicked mind? or with a wicked intent, expreſly intending to effect or accompliſh ſome wicked act or enterpriſe thereby; and as it were calling upon God to be an help to advance and ſet forward, their villanous and miſchievous deſignes; As Balaam and Balaack did, Numb. 23. Will ye ſteal murder, and commit adultery, and ſwear falſly, and burn incenſe unto Baal, and walk after other Gods whom ye know not, (ſaith the Lord) And come and ſtand before me in this houſe, which is called by my name, and ſay, we are delivered to do all theſe abominations, Jer. 7.9, 10. As if the Lord had ſaid, are ye not aſhamed to deal ſo hypocritically and wickedly. I do as much eſteem of ſuch ſervices and ſacrifices, as the cutting off of a Dogs neck, or the offering of Swinesblood: as his expreſſion is, in Iſa. 66.3. I accept not of ſuch offerings; Take away from me the noyſe of thy ſongs, for I will not hear the melady of thy Violls; But let judgment run down as waters, and righteouſneſs as a mighty ſtream, Amos 5.22, 23, 24. Their vocal and inſtrumental muſick, was at that time a part of Gods inſtituted outward worſhip, but by them corrupted together with the reſt, through their hipocriſie and wickedneſs, and eſpecially through their heinous Idolatry, whereunto they abuſed their Muſick, Amos 8.3. The ſongs of the Temple ſhall be howling in that day; I wiſh theſe things might be rightly conſidered, and applyed in this day; I am afraid; there is ſuch kind of ſervice and worſhip performed now adays, which will come under the ſharp rebuke and reprehenſion of the Lord; ſuch as God will abominate, and eſpecially if the ſame be offered with a wicked mind. To cry up the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Church of God, the Houſe of God, &c. Will be but a truſting in lying words, if the men of this generation do not throughly amend their ways and their doings. This will not priviledge them, nor deliver them to do all thoſe dreadful abominations, as are perpetrated and acted in theſe times. God will ſay, take from me the noyſe of your Songs, or Singing-men, & I will not hear the melady of your Organs. They are to me but as the howling of a Dog; So on the other hand, for ſuch as are in a congregational way, & have ſeperated from the publique national worſhip. Let them take heed that they reſt not in the external part of Gods worſhip in outward ordinances, and Church-fellowſhips, and ſo grow ſecure, and formal and carnal, heartleſs and ſpiritleſs, and think they have a diſpenſation hereby for any cloſe hypocriſie or iniquity. I would let ſuch know, that if they are not in the life and ſpirit of ordinances, in the ſpirit of faith and prayer, and a holy communion of Saints, beautified with a practical, holy, humble, heavenly, fruitful Goſpel converſation, that they ſin againſt the Lord, and be ſure their ſin will find them out, as Moſes ſaid to the Reubenites, and Gadites, Numb. 32.23. I ſay it is Goſpel Obedience that is ſo acceptable unto him. As obedient children, not faſhioning your ſelves according to the former luſts in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation, 1 Pet. 1.14, 15. And that it is ſo well pleaſing a thing unto the Lord, and of ſuch ſpecial efficacy and force, to ſtay or divert the Judgments of God from falling upon a Nation or people; that pathetical, or rather paternal wiſh of the Lord, ſeems to imply ſo much, Pſa. 81.13, to the end. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my ways; What then? I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries; The haters of the Lord ſhould have ſubmitted themſelves unto him; but their time ſhould have endured for ever. He ſhould have fed them alſo with the fineſt of the Wheat, and with honey out of the rock ſhould I have ſatisfied thee. What an ardent deſire of the Lord was here, as to his peoples hearkening unto him, and walking in his ways, and ſee what the Lord would have done for them thereupon; He would have ſubdued their enemies, and ſo conſequently procured their peace; As Nathan told David, that they ſhould dwell in a place of their own, and move no more, and that the children of wickedneſs ſhould not afflict them any more, as before time, 2 Sam. 7.10. He would have turned his hand againſt their Adverſaries; What's that? the hand of his Plagues and puniſhments; he would have taken off his Plagues and Puniſhments from them, and laid them upon his adverſaries; ſo ſaid Job, Withdraw thine hand from me, and let not thy dread make me afraid, Job 13.21. that is, put thy Plague and viſitation far from me, So Judges 2.15. It is thus rendred. Whither-ſoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was againſt them for evil, as the Lord had ſaid, and as the Lord had ſworn unto them, and they were greatly diſtreſſed, and what hand was this, but his ſore judgments, and among the reſt, this of the deſtroying Peſtilence, Lev. 26.25. which he threatned ſhould cleave unto them, until he had conſumed them, Deut. 28.21. So in 1 Sam. 5.6, 11. It is ſaid, the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the men of Aſhdod, and he deſtroyed them, and ſmote them with Emerods, See alſo, Ruth 1.13. Lam. 2.8, 9. and Act. 13.11. The haters of the Lord ſhould have ſubmitted themſelves, thoſe that oppreſſed them, ſhould have ſubjected unto them, either willingly, or conſtrainedly, chooſe them whether. But their time ſhould have endured for ever; his peoples time, the time of their proſperity and flouriſhing eſtate ſhould have endured for ever; The meaning is, they ſhould have had and enjoyed a long bleſſed and happy life. He would have fed them alſo with the fineſt of the Wheat, with the fat of the Wheat, the Flower of it, or the beſt and chiefeſt Corn, they ſhould have had whatever was beſt for the maintenance of their life, as Numb. 18.12. Deut. 32.14. and Pſa. 147.14. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleſt thee with the fineſt of the wheat; And what more? With honey out of the Rock ſhould I have ſatisfied thee, Deut. 32.13. The Bees in the Land of Canaan uſed much to harbour in the rocks. But ſpiritually this rock doth ſignifie Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.4. and the honey, that ſweetneſs of ſpeech, and thoſe ſavoury and gracious words, which did iſſue from his mouth, being ſweetneſs to the ſoul, and health to the bones, Pſa. 19.10. Prov. 16.24. Cant. 4.11. Noting by this manner of ſpeech, that they ſhould have had all things, both pleaſant and profitable for the maintenance of their life, if their wickedneſs and diſobedience had not ſtopped the courſe of his goodneſs and mercy. Take that concurrent place alſo, in Iſa. 48.18, 19. O that thou hadſt hearkened to my Commandements, then had thy peace been as a River, and thy righteouſneſs as the waves of the Sea; thy ſeed alſo had been as the ſand, and the off-ſpring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof, his name ſhould not have been cut off, nor deſtroyed from before me. What a promiſe was here alſo upon the account of their obedience? their peace or proſperity rather ſhould have been as a River, that is abounding and always laſting, as a River floweth continually and ſtoppeth not; And their righteouſneſs as the waves of the Sea; that is, the bleſſed and happy eſtate of their Government; as the fruit of their righteouſneſs; ſhould as the Waves of the Sea, been exceeding abundant, flowing and flouriſhing; and their ſeed ſhould have been as the Sand of the Sea for multitude; So Iſa. 1.12. If ye be willing and obedient, ye ſhall eat the good of the Land; But if ye refuſe and rebel, ye ſhall be devoured with the ſword; If ye obey my commandements, ye ſhall eat the beſt things of the Land, Job 21.25 So Elihu in his ſpeech to Job, If they obey and ſerve him, they ſhall ſpend their days in proſperity, and their years in pleaſures; But if they obey not, they ſhall periſh by the ſword, and they ſhall dye without knowledge, Job 36.11, 12. See alſo, Lev. 26.13. Deut. 6.3. and 11.22. and 26.27. and 28.15. What promiſes the Lord made upon the account of their obedience. More particularly to the thing in hand, that in Deut. 7.12, 13, 14, 15. Is worthy of our beſt obſervation, where among many other things which the Lord promiſed as great and ſingular bleſſings upon that ſcore, this is not the leaſt nor meaneſt; The Lord will take away from thee all ſickneſs, and will put none of the evil diſeaſes of Egypt upon thee, but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. What the evil diſeaſes of Egypt were, is well known to moſt; This of the noyſom deſtroying Peſtilence being one, Amos 4.10. Let me add two or three places more in the New Teſtament, and then I ſhall draw to a Conciuſion; John 8.12. I am the light of the World, ſaith Chriſt, he that followeth me, ſhall not walk in darkneſs, but ſhall have the light of life; He that embraceth my Doctrine with a true faith, and obeyeth the ſame, ſhall not walk in the darkneſs of error and ſin, but ſhall have the light of life to bring him to everlaſting life; So John 12.26. If any man ſerve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there ſhall alſo my ſervant be; if any man ſerve me, him will my Father honour; Can that man be in a miſerable or uncomfortable condition to be where Chriſt ſhall be? and what honour can be comparable to that which God the Father ſhall confer upon thoſe who ſerve the Lord Chriſt? I ſhall only add, Rev. 22.14. Bleſſed are they that do his commandements, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the City, to wit, of the new and Heavenly Jeruſalem, which deſcendeth out of Heaven from God, and commeth down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband, Rev. 21.2. Whereof ſee the deſcription, verſ. 10. And what this Tree of life is, See Rev. 22.2. By this Tree of life is meant the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Fitly called the Tree of life, in reſpect of his vivifying, conferring, and preſerving life unto them that eat thereof, which is but one; though he is ſaid to ſtand in the midſt of the ſtreet, and of either ſide of the River, that is, his leaves and roots, is on both ſides of the River, ſo that there is no want on either ſide. Hence Chriſt ſaid, to him that overcometh, I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God. This I ſay is Chriſt himſelf, the Fountain and Author of our life; The Bread of Life, Joh. 6.51. The Water of Life, Joh. 4.7. The Reſurrection and Life it ſelf, Joh. 11.25. And he ſtands by the River, becauſe he never withereth, or is fruitleſs. A Tree planted by the Rivers of waters, is always green and fruitful; Chriſt alone is ſufficient for life unto all, and to quicken all his elect for ever and ever. This Tree hath twelve manner of fruits, and yeildeth her fruit every monethmonth, and the leaves of the Tree are for the healing of the Nations; What does this hold forth, but the quickening vertue of Chriſts merits and ſpirit, which is vigorous and efficatious throughout the whole year; that is, for ever and ever, to preſerve always this ſpiritual life, and this bleſſed refreſhing, for the Iſrael of God, without any weakening or enſeebling, Joh. 15.16. And mark in the cloſe of this diſcourſe, that the leaves of this Tree have a medicinal uſe for to preſerve the health of the Nations; Not that there ſhall be any infirmities any more in the New Jeruſalem, but that the healing of all infirmities which was wrought here by the merits and ſpirit of Chriſt, ſhall be thereby the ſame power for ever kept and preſerved inviolate for all beleivers. See Ezek. 47.12.
Now bleſſed are they that do his commandements, as touching, the not worſhipping of the Beaſt and his Image, the forſaking of Babylon, and the faithful following of the Lamb, ſubjecting and ſubmitting to all his holy, heavenly, pure, evangelical inſtitutions, appointments, and commands, patiently and chearfully ſuffering for his ſake, in bearing witneſs unto the truth, if called thereunto, perſevering in the grace of Chriſt; doing juſtly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, ſuch ſhall have right to this Tree of Life, and enter in through the gates into the City. They ſhall have a right of enjoying Chriſt and his unſpeakable benefits, and be perpetual and moſt happy Inhabitants of the heavenly Jeruſalem; And he that ſitteth on the throne ſhall dwell among them. They ſhall hunger no more, neither thirſt any more, neither ſhall the Sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midſt of the throne ſhall feed them, and ſhall lead them unto living fountains of water; and God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev. 7.15, 16, 17. I ſhall add no more, but that of Paul to Timothy, Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord give thee underſtanding in all things, 2 Tim. 2.7.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Alleine, The Best Remedies for the Worst of Maladies (1667)