A Dissuasive from Conformity to the World, Treatise 2
GODS severity against MAN for Iniquity.
Ezek. 24. 13, 14.
In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it, &c.
HAth he said it, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numb. 23. 19.
Did he not make it good against the Jews, his own peculiar people? 2 King. 25. begin. Jer. 39. 1, &c. Jer. 52. 4,
And if God spared not them, the natural branches, Rom. 11. 21. will he spare us? Take heed England, Take heed London, lest he also spare not thee: If God have brought evil upon the City, which was called by his name, should ye be utterly unpunished? ye shall not be unpunished: See Jer. 25. 29.
If they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup, who might rather have expected favour, then you. If these have assuredly drunk, are you those that shall go altogether unpunished? you shall not go unpunished, but shall surely drink: See Jer. 49. 12.
Nay if God spared not the Angels, nor a whole world, will he spare us, 2 Pet. 2. 4.
I would hope, that God will not make a full end of us, but will correct us in measure, yet sure he will not leave us wholly unpunished, Jer. 46. 28. But if there be lewdness in our filthiness, and we will not be purged, God will cause his fury not only to creep, but to rest upon us as it has done upon others.
In these two verses (not to speak of the context, for time will not give leave) we have a heavy judgment threatned, with the cause and certainty of it.
1. The judgment threatned, Thou shalt not be purged, &c. Till, &c.
2. The cause of it, In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I would have purged thee, and thou wast not purged.
3. The certainty of it, I the Lord have spoken it, &c.
In thy filthiness, In thy sin which is filthiness: Sin so called, 2 Cor. 7. 1. In thy Idolatry, Covetousness, Pride, Prophaneness, Hypocrisie, Oppression.
Is lewdness, obstinacy (for she would not be purged from it) and rejoycing, Jer. 11. 15.
Because I have purged thee, I have sought to purge thee, by
Admonitions.
Exhortations.
Counsels.
Threatnings.
Reproofs.
Corrections.
And thou wast not …urged, All labour was in vain and fruitless: As for the word of the Lord they would not hearken to it, Jer. 44. 16. Zech. 7. 12.
Thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more: Thou shalt be Warned, Exhorted, Counselled, Threatned, Reproved no more; but shall be left to perish in thy sins, as desperate and incurable.
Till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee: Till I have satiated, satisfied my wrath, and eased my self of my adversaries, and avenged me of mine enemies, Isa. 1. 24. Till I have purged them in Hell fire sayes one, which will be ever doing, but never be done.
Doct. God will at last cause his fury to rest upon a people that will not be purged from their filthiness.
God will, and this will of his is, 1. Most just; Because God has offered them mercy and they would none of it. Thus,
A Subject commits high Treason against his Prince, for which he is condemned: His Prince out of pitty sends him a pardon, which he rejects, tears and tramples under foot. If the Prince resolve this man shall dye for it, is not his resolution just? See Ezra 9. 33. Dan. 9. 14. Lam. 1. 18.
2. Most unchangeable, for Numb. 23. 19.
At last; He is not hasty, but slow to anger.
He being God and not man, Hos. 11. 9. can bear long, and does, yet will not alwayes, but at last will punish, Isa. 42. 14. & 65. 6. and here in the Text.
Cause his Fury, Anger, Indignation, Wrath. Fury is an anger never at rest till it has taken revenge.
To Rest, to Abide; Fury has come and gone, judgments have come and gone, have been sent and called back again, laid on and taken off, for a considerable time; but at last they shall rest.
Upon a people, though professing, and called by the name of the Lord; though known and formerly saved by the Lord.
That will not; I say, will not, because the Highest does so often lay the blame there, Jer. 6. 16.
Their will was against purging, they loved their filthiness: They loved to wander, Jer. 14 10. & 5. 31. & 11. 15. When thou doest evil then thou rejoycest. See Jer. 18. 12.
Be purged from their filthiness. By any means, whether fair or foul, whether Warnings, Exhortations, Counsells, Threats, Reproofs, Sabbaths, Sacrifices, Mercies, Judgments.
Whose Filth, Scum, Rust, remains.
Their Filth, notwithstanding all the Floods they have been in.
Their S…um and Dross notwithstanding all the Fires they have been in.
Their Rust notwithstanding all the Filings they have had.
I might heap Scriptures for proof hereof, but I shall confine my self to this Prophet, Ez…k. 5. 13. & 9. 8, 9, 10. & 16. 42, 43. & 21. 17.
You may read, Deut. 29. 20. 2 Chron. 36. 15, with 17. Jer. 7. 20. & 11. 14▪ & 13. 14. & 14. 12. & 18. 11, 12. Psal. 7. 12. & 50. 21, 22. & 68. 21.
Reason. Gods Honour, Holiness, Justice and Truth, requires it.
1. Gods Honour, If God spare such, it will be thought that he favours them, Psalm 50. 21. Mat. 2. 17.
2. His Holiness, Habak. 1. 13.
3. His Justice, Zeph. 3. 5. Psal. 11, ult. Justice must render to every one according to &c.
4. His Truth. See Jer. 4. 28.
Use 1. Sad then is the case of such as will not be purged from their filthiness.
Is it not sad when God will cause his fury to rest upon them, when he is so resolved as you see, v. 14.
This People, in the Text, might think, and so possibly may you, God would not be so severe, as the Prophet had told them; They might say or think, Jeremiah this is but your saying, and you may speak it out of Humor and Discontent.
Nay sayes God, I the Lord have spoken it; I Jehovah who can and will give being and life to my threats, to what I have spoken.
They might say, but saying and doing are two things, It may never come to pass though God has spoken it.
Nay sayes God, it shall come to pass, as certainly as I have spoken it.
They might say, you threaten us with Nebuchadnezar; but Nebuchadnezar and his Forces are but men, and may fail, and never be able to perform their enterprize.
But sayes God, I will do it, and I am not Man, but God.
They might say, but sure God will not lay waste Hierusalem his own City, where his Temple and Worship is.
To this God answers, True. But thy scum is in thee, and thy filthiness, and in thy filthiness is lewdness, obstinacy, therefore I will not go back from my word of threatening.
Thou doest not retract, and therefore I will not.
Thou hast gone backward, Jer. 15. 6▪ therefore I will not go back. See also Jer▪ 4. 28.
They might say, but God is pittiful, and his compassions fail not.
But sayes God, I will not pitty, n… spare, nor have mercy, Jer. 13. 14.
They might say, but God will repent of the evil threatned; according to Jer. 18
8. Ezek. 20. 8. 9, 13, 14, 17, 22.
No sayes God, neither will I repen…; you repent not, therefore I will not repent: See Jer. 15. 6.
They might say then, surely God will deal hardly with us.
No sayes God, I deal justly, according to thy wayes I will judge thee.
What then is there no avoiding of this fury?
No; They shall not be able to escape, Jer. 11. 11.
Evil shall hunt you, Psal. 140. 11.
And find you out, Numb. 32. 23.
As the blood hound the Thief, as sure as he sets his foot on the ground.
Nor no resisting?
No; Can stubble resist fire.
Why then, I hope, I shall be able to bear it.
No, It will be intollerable, Ezek. 22. 14. Can thy heart endure? No.
Why then, I hope, it will have an end.
No neither, if you dye in your filthiness, it shall rest upon you; 'Twill be everlasting fire and burning, Isa. 33. 14.
Why then, I hope, if it will have no end, it will be long before it have a beginning.
No, It may have a beginning before you are aware.
'Tis to be feared that your iniquities are near full and ripe, for we are come to that pass now,
1. That, I think, we are shameless in sinning; and if so, see Jer. 3. 3. & 6. 15.
2. Graceless in Profession, and Lukewarm in Religion; and if so, see 2 Tim. 3. 1, to 6. Rev. 3. 15, 16. & 2. 4, 5. Amos 8. 5, 11, 12.
3. Regardless of Christ, nay abusive of Christs Gospel and Ministers; and if so, see Matth. 21. 35, 36, 38, 41. Luke 13. 34, 35. 2 Chron. 36. 16. 1 King. 18. 4. with 19. 14. 2 Chron. 11. 14.
4. Fruitless under the means of grace; and if so, see Matth. 21. 43. Luke 13. 6, to 10. Act. 13. 45, 46. Isa. 5. begin. Heb. 6. 6.
5. Incorrigible under the rod; and if so, see Isa. 9. 13, 14. Amos 4. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
6. Fearless of punishment; as they, Jer. 17. 15. that said, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
And as they that said, Isa. 5. 19. Let him make speed and hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it.
And this is but according to what was foretold by our Saviour, Luke 17. 26, 27. And as it was in the dayes of Noe; so shall it be also in the dayes of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, &c. till the flood came.
And by St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3. 3. There shall come in the last dayes scoffers, walking after their own lusts (and sure they are come) Saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Things continue as they were.
But when we put far away the evil day, Amos 6. 3. and say peace and safety, Then sudden destruction cometh, as Travel upon a woman with child, and we shall not escape, 1 Thes. 5. 3. God will punish the men that are setled upon the Lees, That say in their Hearts, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil; Zeph. 1. 12.
God grant our goods may not become a booty; God grant our houses may not become a desolation; God grant that they who have built houses, may inhabit them; and that they who have planted vi…eyards, may drink the wine thereof
But sure if in our filthiness there shall be lewdness, if we shall continue unpurged, notwithstanding all the means used for our purging:
The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voyce of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly: That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness; A day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fenced Cities, and against the high Towers God will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall be poured out as the dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their Silve nor their Gold shall be able to deliver them is the day of Gods wrath; but the whole La… shall be devoured, by the fire of his jealous… for he shall make even a speedy riddance of a… them that dwell in the Land, Zeph. 1. 13, 14▪ 15, 16, 17, 18.
This is the rejoycing City that dwelt carelesly, that said in her heart, I am, a… there is none beside me: how is she become … desolation, a place for beasts to lye down in… every one that passeth by her, shall hiss an… wag the hand; Zeph. 2. 15. This is spoken of Nineveh, ver. 13. And if we sin as Nineveh did, may not we expect to suffer as she suffered. Yet I fear we have many that say as Babilon, I shall be a Lady for ever, Isa. 47. 7.
Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelesly, that sayest in thy heart, I am, and none else besides me, I shall not sit as a widdow, neither shall I know the loss of Children.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee, thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee, thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly which thou shalt not know, Isa. 47. 11.
Rise up ye woman that are at ease: hear my voice ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech. Many dayes and years shall ye be troubled ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. Tremble ye women that are at ease: be troubled ye careless ones, strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth on your loins. Because the Palaces shall be for saken, the multitude of the City shall be left, the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild Asses, a pasture of flocks; Isa. 32. 9, 10, 11, 14. See also Jer. 5. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
These are terrible threats, but who trembles at the reading or hearing of them? The people in Ezra's time trembled at the words of the God of Israel, Ezra 9. 4.
Josiah when he heard the words of the Law against Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof, rent his cloathes and wept, 2 Chron. 34. 19, 27.
Habakkuk hears Gods speech and is afraid, chap. 3. 2. Yea, his belly trembled; his lips quivered; rottenness entred into his bones. chap. 3. 16. variety of expressions are used by him, to shew how sensible he was of Gods threatned judgments. But oh I fear we are past feeling.
Jeremy also cries out, Jer. 4. 19. M… bowels; Nay B…ls…zz…r Trembled D… 5. 5. 6. when he saw the hand writing … the wall; but we see and read what … written against us, and ne…er Tremble.
And Felix trembled when he heard Pa… reasoning of righteousness, temperance, a… …udgment to come, Act. 25. 24. But ho… often are you reasoned with about the… things, and never tremble?
The Devils tremble, Jam. 2. 19. an… cannot we? Oh our Atheism and infidelity! our not fearing Gods threatning in his word, is a manifest token of it.
The God of glory thundereth in the Heavens, and thou tremblest; but when … thunders in the Scripture, thou tremble… not: Hear how he thunders, Nahum 1▪ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. Pray take your Bible and read this Scripture before yo… read any further.
The Lion roars and the Beasts tremble▪ But God roars, threatens most terribly Amos 3. 8. but who fears?
A storm, a tempest, will make yo… tremble; and will not that storm, th… tempest threatned, Psal. 11. 6. make thee …remble? Upon the wicked (and art n… thou wicked) he shall rain snares, fire and brimsto…e, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cu….
Well, Sirs, God would have purged us, and we would not be purged; what then remains, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries, H b. 10. 27.
1. Hath not God warned and told thee of the evil and danger of thy sinful course? thou canst not say as Paul, Act. 23. 5. I wist not. I wist not that sin was so great an evil, that it had so much filth and fire in it. You cannot say I did not know that sin, that pride, worldliness, rioting, drunkenness, chambering, wantonness, str…fe, envying, were transgressions of the holy, just, and good Law of God, and provocations of him to your own and others hurt: you cannot say you knew not this.
2. Hath not God begged and beseeched you to abstain from these fleshly lusts which war against your souls, 1 Pet. 2. 11.
3. Hath not God reproved you, and said to you, as to them, Judg. 2. 2. Why have you done this?
4. Hath not God threatned you, That except you repent you shall perish, Luke 13. 3, 5.
And told you, That if you live after the flesh you shall dye, Rom. 8. 13.
5. Hath not God corrected and afflicted you, and may we not complain as the Prophet, Jer. 5. 3. O Lord, thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved: thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder then a rock, they have refused to return. See also, Dan. 9. 13, 14.
6. Hath not God said to you as to him, Joh. 5. 14. Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you. And told you, That if ye will not be reformed by those things, that have come upon you, but will walk contrary to him; that he will then walk contrary to you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins; Levit. 26. 23, 24.
7. Hath not God after all this said, Return unto me, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, and will not keep anger for ever; Jer. 3. 1, 7, 12.
Hath he not said, W…sh ye, make ye …an, &c. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as s…ow, Isa. 1 16, 18.
8. Hath not God sworn that he desires not your death; Saying, As I live, I have …o pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live, Ezek. 33. 11.
9. Hath not God after this expostulated with you, and said, Turn ye, Turn ye, why will ye dye? Ezek. 33. 11. and Jer. 13. 27. Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
10. Hath he not waited to be gracious to thee, Isa. 13. 18. Hath he not been longsuffering to you ward, not willing that you should perish, but that you should come to repentance, 2 Pet. 3. 9.
And now sinner, tell me, would not God have purged thee: and if thou wouldest not, If thou wouldest not take warning, when warning was given thee; nor be prevailed with to abstain from fleshly lusts, when thou wast beseeched; nor be reformed when thou wast reproved; nor return when thou wast smitten; nor regard when expostulated with; nor come to repentance when so long waited for: May not God say to thee, as to the woman, Gen. 3. 13. What is this that thou hast done? and as to Adam, Gen. 3. 11. Hast thou …aten of the Tree, whereof I commanded that thou shouldst not eat? So, sinner what is this that thou hast done? Hast thou set at nought all my counsel, and wouldst thou none of my reproof? Prov. 1. 25. Oh what is this that thou hast done? Doest thou know what thou hast done? Canst thou conceive the dishonour thou hast brought to God, and the misery thou hast brought upon thy self, and the hurt thou hast done to Church and State? Art thou not in danger of the resting of Gods fury upon thee; when Gods anger is kindled but a lit…le, you are in danger of perishing, Psal. 2. 12. In what case then will you be, when his fury shall rest upon you.
And God will watch to bring it upon you, Jer. 44. 27. Behold I will watch over them for evil, and not for good; as one that purposly watcheth and lieth in wait to do mischief, Psal. 56 6.
God has been wo… when provoked, to watch over people, to pluck up and break down, Jer. 31. 28.
And Daniel, chap. 9. 13, 14▪ confesses, that because God had p…shed them, and they had not made their prayer before the Lord their God, that they might …urn from their iniquities and understand the truth; therefore the Lord … watched upon the evil, and brought it upon them. And he gives the reason, For the Lord our God is righteous in all his works, for we obeyed not his voice.
Use 2. If all this be so, then consider we▪ our selves, Are we purged from our filthiness?
Is England?
Is London?
Are we?
Is our s…um gone out?
Our rust gotten off?
Our filth done away?
Our dross separated from us?
Our chaffe scattered and burnt?
2. Let me ask you a few Questions.
1. Have you been con…inced of your natural and contracted filthiness? Si…s were you clean born, shaped in holiness? Read, Ioh 14. 4. Psal. 51. 5. and see whether you were or no.
Have you lived wi…hout defiling your selves? See Psal. 14. 3. Mark 7. 23.
What were your Hearts, and Hands? If you cannot tell, See Jer. 4. 14. Jam. …. 8. Mark 7. 21, 22, 23.
What were your Heads, Ears, Eyes, and Tongues? If you be ignorant, s… John 13. 9. Act. 7. 51. Jer. 6. 10. 2 Pe…. 2. 14. Matth. 5. 28. James 3. 6. Ephes 4. 29.
I fear many are not yet convinced of their filthiness; and if so, sure not yet purged from it.
Some will not believe that to be filthiness which Ged sayes is so; All that is in the world is either the lust of the eye, &c. 1 John 2. 16▪ and these are not of the pure and holy God, but of the dirty sinful world which lies in wickedness.
1. The lust of the Eye; covetousness, which you call by another name▪ viz. Good Hu…bandry, is …lthine…s, 1 Peter …. 2.
2. The lust of the Flesh; rio…ing, drunkenn… ▪ chambering, wantonness; which you call Good Fellowship, Courtship, Courteousness: This is filthiness, but you …o not know it, or will not know it; for your better information, see 1 Thes. 4. 7. Ephes. 5. 3, 4. Ro…. 13. 13.
3. Pride of Life; this also is filthiness, though you call it fineness, neatness, …omliness: But see what God calls it, Isa. 4. 4. He calls it filth, ordure, or excrements, the word imports all; all such filth, or excrement, as come… forth from the body, either upward, as Isa. 28. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 22. or downward, as Deut. 23. 14. Ezek 4. 12.
The filth of the Daughters of Zion; whose pride, vanity, wantonness, and other excesses, had no small hand in pulling down Gods judgments. See Isa. 3. 16, 17. had it been the Daughters of Moab, Numb. 25. 1. or the Daughters of the Philistines, Judg. 14. 1, 2. that had been so filthy it would not have provoked so much; their filth would not have stunk so bad, nor have been so loathsom in the sight of God. But for the Daughters of Zion, and the Daughters of Jerusalem, and the Daughters of Israel and Judah, of Professors, to be so filthily proud, provoked greatly. Had it been only the Daughters of men, Gen. 6. 2. or the Daughters of a strange god, Mal. 2. 11. or the Daughters of the uncircumcised, 2 San. 1. 20. it had not been so much; but for the Daughters of God, Deut 32. 19. to go thus, and do thus, and … thus, he could not bear it.
Their gates, and garbs, and courses, and carriages, that they prided themselves in, and accounted their bravery, Isa. 3. 18. were filth; and such as made them odious, loathsom, and abominable in Gods eye; saith one whose Judgment; I think, is not to be contemned, …ataker in loc.
And see, saith he, the contrary required, 1 Tim. 2. 9, 10. 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4.
So that I believe, that which you call fineness now, will be found to be filthiness another day; that which you call … nery, will be found to be fil…hery.
Those fine Heads,
Fine Faces,
Fine Necks,
Fine Back and Breast,
Fine Armes and Shoulders,
Will be found, I believe, to be Filthy, Heads, Faces, Necks, Backs and Breasts, Armes and Shoulders.
Wherefore let me be speak you, as Daniel did N…buchadnezar, Dan. 4. 27.
Wherefore O fine Dames, let my counsel be acceptable to you; Break off your pride by humility, and your shamelesness by shamefastness. And get ye quickly to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, Zech. 13. 1. and wash your selves. Say to Christ, as Peter, when Christ told him, If he washt not his feet he should have no part in me: O Lord, said he, not my feet onelyonly, but my hands and head also. You have need to say, not my feet onelyonly, but my face, neck, back, breast, armes and shoulders also.
Quest. 2. Has the Word, the pure Word of God, (so called, Psal. 12. 6. Psalm 119. 140.) been instrumental in your purging, Psal. 119. 9. Psal. 17. 4. Joh. 17. 17.
Quest. 3. Has time been spent about it? Have you had your washing, scowring and purging days for your Souls, as you-have had for the cleaning of your Cloathes, Brass and Pew…er, and for preservation of the health of your Bodies. Some wash their Linnen once a month, and scowr their Vessels once a quarter, and purge their Bodies Spring and Fall. Deal truly, what time have you set a part for the washing and purging of your Heads, Hearts, and Hands? Have you your monthly, quarterly, and half-yearly washing and purging dayes for your Souls? Will not Linnen, Brass and Pewter Vessels be made clean, nor Bodies be purged without allowing time? And will Hearts and Souls be purged from their filthiness without allowing time?
Quest. 4. Has pains been taken about it? Has this purging of your selves cost you Prayers and Tears before 'twas done? That which is foul will not be made clean without pains-taking. Naaman was at the pains of taking a long journey, to be cleansed from his Leprosie, 2 King. 5.
Quest. 5. Have you made your applica…ion to Christ about your cleansing and purging, as once Naaman did to the Prophet, 2 King. 5.
1. Naaman knew himself to be a Leper.
2. Naaman hearing of a Prophet that could cure him, comes to him, 2 King. 5. 3, 9. to his door.
3. Receives direction what to do for his Cure, and though averse at first to use that means, yet upon his servants entreaties, resolves to make trial of the means, 2 King. 5. 13, 14.
4. He does and practices accordingly, goes down into the River and dips himself seven times therein, 2 King. 5. 14.
5. He returns, being Cured, to shew his thankfulness, 2 King. 5. 15. and to testifie his great respect to the Prophet, as the instrument of his Cure; as did the tenth Leper, Luke 17. 15.
6. He acknowledges the God of Israel to be the only true God, and his cure to be wrought by him, 2 King. 5. 15.
7. He resolves upon the worshipping and serving of the true God, renouncing all other gods, 2 King. 5. 17.
In like manner,
1. Have you known your selves to be leprous and unclean; and said as Isaiah, chap. 6. 5.
2. Having heard of Christ, and the efficacy of his blood to cleanse you, have you come to his door and waited for direction, what to do that you might be cleansed? Have you waited dayly at the posts of his doors? Prov. 8. 34. Have you sate at Jesus's feet, and heard his word, Luke 10. 39. as Mary did?
3. Having heard counsel and direction what to do to be Cured, viz. To go into the Jordan of Christs blood, and to bathe your selves therein; Have you resolved, upon the entreaties of Gods Ministers, who are are your servants, 2 Cor. 4. 5. to make trial of this Jordan? and with Esther, to go into King Jesus, come of it what will: Saying, I will go in, and if I perish, I perish, Esth. 4. 16.
And have you resolved with the prodigal, Luke 15. To go unto Christ the everlasting father, Isa. 9.
4. Have you done accordingly? Have you dipped your selves in this bloody Jordan seven times? Have you-gone into King Jesus, as Esther into King Ahasueru…? And as the Prodigal, to his Father? Have you been at the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness? Zech. 13. 1. Have you rested upon this blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin, 1 Joh. 1. 7. for your cleansing, and expected it according to the promise? Ez…k 36. 25.
5. Do you find your hearts stirred up to be thankful, for this Jordan of Chri…ts blood, and the blessings we have thereby? Can you do as Peter and Paul? as Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 3. as Paul, Ephes. 1. 3.
6. Do you give Christ the glory of being the alone fountain for cleansing, and acknowledge all your cleansing to be from him; There being no salvation from the filthiness of sin in any other? Act. 4. 12.
7. Do you resolve upon serving God in righteousness and holiness all your days, As they that are delivered from their filthiness are bound to do? Luke 1. 74, 75.
Quest. 6. Are you careful to keep your selves clean? Do you shun all defilements by persons or things? Is it your care to keep your self unspotted, as pure Religion binds you to do? Jam. 1. 27. Do you hate the garment spotted by the flesh? Jude 23. And abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thes. 5. 22.
Quest. 7. Are you companions of those that are purged? David, Psal. 119. 63. was a companion of all them that feared God, and of them that kept his precepts. Are you so too? Davids delight was in them, Psal. 16. 3. Is your delight in them too? Birds of a Feather will flock together.
Use 3. Of Exhortation,
If it be so as you have heard, then continue no longer in your filthiness.
Wash ye, make ye clean, lay a part all filthiness and supersiuity of naughtiness, James 1. 21.
Cleanse your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1.
Cast it away, and say unto it, get thee hence, Isa. 30. 2.
Motives.
1. 'Tis filthiness; Will a man continue in filth, in dirt and mire: In the filth of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life?
2. God would that you should be purged; for,
First, He calls upon you, wash, as you have heard.
Secondly, God has prepared a fountain to wash in, Zech. 13. 1.
Thirdly, God expostulates with you about it, Jer. 13. 27. Wilt thou not be made clean?
Fourthly, God thinks it long, till you be purged, Jer. 4. 14. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within th…e? And Jerem. 13. 27. When shall it once be?
3. When you are purged, washed, God will take delight in you, and have fellowship with you, Isa. 1. 16, 18.
Means.
1. Take the glass of the Law, and view your selves therein, that will shew you your filthiness: I had not known sin but by the Law, said Paul, Rom. 7. 7.
2. Know the power of Gods anger, Psal. 90. 11. you may see it in his terrible threats, and the judgments which he executeth, Psal. 9. 16.
3. Assent to the truths of Gods threatnings. Say often to thy own soul, it will be as God hath said: Fury will rest, settle upon me, if I continue unpurged from my filthiness.
4. Confess your natural and contracted filthiness, as did David, Psal. 51. 5. and then see, 1. John 1. 9.
5. Pray, purge me, wash me, cleanse me, Create in me a clean heart, as David did Psal. 51.
6. Above all getting, get faith, for 'tis faith that purifies the heart, Act. 15. 9.
First, Hear for it, for it comes by hearing, Rom. 10.
Secondly, Give God no rest till he has given it you.
7. Act faith in the cleansing blood of Christ: It cleanseth away all sin, being sprinkled and applied, 1 John 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Go to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, Zech. 13. 1.
Say to thine own soul.
1. I am filthy, even filthiness; My mind and conscience is d filed, Tit. 1. 15. I am a person of u clean lips, Isa. 6. 5. for how can he be clean who is born of a woman? Job 25. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Job 14. 4. Behold I am shapen in iniquity, and in sia did my mother conceive me, Psal. 51. 5. Besides, How aboninable and filthy am I, who have drank iniquity like water? Job 15. 16. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom. 7. 24.
1. The body of sin, Rom. 6. 6. called a body, because it hath many members, Col. 3. 5.
A body of death, because it tends to death, and threaten▪ death.
2. Say to thy own soul, Christs blood was shed to cleanse from this filthiness of sin. And that,
First, By Gods own appointment, Act. 2. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 20.
Secondly, For this very purpose,
Zech. 13. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 5, 8. Isa. 53. 5.
3. Say to thy own soul, Jesus Christ in the Ministry and preaching of the Gospel, has been evidently set forth crucified before mine eyes, Gal. 3. 1. God has set him forth to be a propitiation threugh …ith in his blood, Rom. 3. 25. Not only in his eternal counsel, and afterward in the execution of the same in the fullness of time, but by the preaching of the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10, 11. & 1 Pet. 1. 20. He was manifested in these last times for us, not only in respect of his incarnation, but in respect of the Revelation of him in the preaching of the Gospel, since his Incarnation: So also God hath set him forth to be a Bath to wash us from our filthiness, Rev. 1. 5.
4. Say to thy soul, This blood of Christ is precious blood. 1 Pet. 1. 19. powerful and effcacious to effect that for which 'twas shed, viz. The cleansing away of sin. Though the blood of Bulls and Goats could not take away sin, yet this precious blood of the Lamb of God can; See Heb. 10. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
5. Say to thy self, This blood of Christ is the only Bath, for the soul; There's no other fountain, no other name, no way else to be cleansed, Act. 4. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 5.
6. Say to thy own soul, I must wash in this Bath or else be for ever unclean, and unpurged, and so never enter into Heaven; F…r there shall in no wise enter in any thing that defileth, Rev. 21. 27. But Gods wrath and fury will rest and abid… upon me for ever, Joh. 3. 36.
7. Say to thy own soul, I am invited to Bathe in this blood of Christ, to apply it by faith, for my cleansing: 'Tis offered to me, Isa. 55. 1. Act. 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins: And Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will, let him take of this water of life freely.
8. Say to thy own soul, I am commanded to accept of the offer, to Bathe in this fountain, to rest on Christ for cleansing; To look unto him to be saved from my filthiness, Isa. 45 22. So that, as soul as I am, it will be no presumption in me to come and wash in this Jordan: Christ calls me, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden with dirt and filth.
Say to thy own soul, I am promised by him who is true and faithful; Even the true God, and eternal life, 1 John 5. 20. That if I come to him for cleansing, I shall in no wise be cast out, refused, John 6. 37. Why then should I not obey this command, and believe and rest on Christ for my cleansing?
10. Yet once more, that you may act faith in the blood of Christ for cleansing; say to thy own soul, was not I baptized for the remission of sins, Act. 2. 38. Repent and be baptized, in the name of Christ, for the remission of sins: 1. For assurance that your sins are forgiven you for Christs sake: So Act. 22. 16. Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins (according to the Du…ch Annotations) For a sign And seal that thy sins are washed away, by the blood and spirit of Christ.
To improve thy Baptism in order to thy cleansing,
1. Say to thy self, Does not water in Baptism signifie and seal by Divine Institution? Is it not an ordinance of Jesus Christ? Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20.
2. Say to thy self, Does not water in Baptism signifie and seal the cleansing blood of Christ, and our justification and sanctification thereby? Knowest then not O my soul, that they who are baptized into Jesus Christ, are baptized into his death? Rom. 6. 3. 1. To partake of the benefits of his death.
3. Say to thy self, was not this water applied to me? and that, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
4. Was it not applied to me in a solem… way, in the presence of the holy Trinity, with a declaration of the institution of Baptism by Christ, and with prayer to God in the name of Christ, that his blood represented by the water might cleanse me.
5. Say to thy self, Is not my Baptism my bond, obliging me to apply that blood of Christ to my soul, which was represented by the water which was applied to my body?
6. Say again Have I applied it, and am I cleanfed from my filthiness?
7. If not, say to thy soul, Is not my case as bad as the case of unbaptized Infidels? See Jer. 9. 25, 26.
8. And if so, say to thy soul, How can my conscience be quiet, and let me alone in such a case?
Wherefore lay a charge upon thy self, to believe, to receive, and rest upon Christ for cleansing, as he is offered in the Gospel. Say, Believe O my soul, go to the fountain, wilt thou dye in thy filth, and under the fury of the Almighty God?