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A present from a farr Country, [...] People of New England.

I. A Great Voice from Heaven, to [...] Part of the Earth: In an Excellent LETTER FULL OF Divine Rarities. Lately Written from a Terrible PRISON in FRANCE; By a Pious CONFESSOR of the Reformed Religion, Once an Inhabitant of this Countrey. [With some late Remarkables, of the PERSECUTION, upon the REFORMED in that Kingdom.]

II. The Golden Bells of the Great High Priest, heard from Heaven, through the Land. OR, Meditations upon the Methods of Grace, wherein a Few Faithful Persons may be the Happy Instruments of Delivering a LAND, from all its Iniquities & Calamities.

BOSTON, Printed by B Green, and J. Allen, for Michael Perry, at his Shop, under [...] West End of the Town-House. 1698.

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A Short Account OF THE PERSECUTION Lately Harassing the French Protestants. Introducing, An Excellent LETTER, newly, Received from one of them, at this Time a Prisoner in France: but formerly an Inhabi­tant of New-England.

FRANCE having had the Rayes of Evan­gelical Truth shot from Heaven into it, the Professors of the Truth have all a­long there Suffered a wonderful Perse­cution from its Popish Enemies. None but the Books, to be shortly Opened, at the Coming of our Lord, can contain the Terrible and Barba­rous Things, which His Confessors, in that King­dom, have Suffered from the Spirit of Antichrist working in Idolaters. One single Church of Protestants there, within a little while, afforded Sixteen Thousand Martyrs for the Protestant [Page 4] Religion, and many afforded Five Thousand Seven, Eight, Nine, Twelve, Thirteen Thou­sand a piece. However, in the midst of these Martyrdoms, the Almighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, so disposed the Hearts of men to Serve Him, that above Two Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Churches were Gathered; in many of which, there were above Ten Thousand Communicants; yea, persons of the Highest Quality Espoused their Cause; Princes did submit unto the Golden Scepter of the Messiah, in their Holy Discipline; and Nobles became the Pastors and Elders of their Churches.

But God granting a Time of Rest, unto those his Flocks, they soon Degenerated. Such a Dege­neracy, and such a Dissolution quickly broke in upon them, that the Last of their National Sy­nods, held at Loudun, 1659 in an Act, called for an Extraordinary Humiliation, to Wrestle with God, for the Bowels of His Compassions, which had been forfeited, by Aggravated Sins, and beseech Him, to extinguish the Fire of His Indignation, which menaced His poor Churches, with the severest Chastisement: for they saw with Horror, all sorts of Sins against the Divine Law, daily multi­plied, so that they had cause to fear, Left God should pour out the [...] of His Fury upon the Land with­out sparing His poor Church, [...] separated from the World, by the [...] is too often plunged in the Corruptions of that Age in [Page 5] which it liveth. Behold! now, those Threatned Vials of the Wrath of God, poured out!

It was by the Loyalty of the Protestants, that the present French King, obtained the Quier Possession of his Crown; and their Adversaries at the Court, made the very Services of the Pro­testants unto their King an Argument & Occa­sion for their Destruction. The Popish Clergy suggested, That if the Protestants were to con­siderable, as to Save the State from Ruine, they might as easily Ruine the State at another Time, in siding with its Enemies. An Extirpation of the Reformed Religion in France, was hereupon Resolved; and the most horrible and barbarous things that can be imagined, wore after the year 1660. done, in pursuance of this Resolution. All the Cruelties and Butcheries perpetrated by the Children of Cain, in former Ages, hardly equal, the Persecution, which now sell upon the Reformed, like an irresistible Tempest: The Characters of such a Persecution, animated by the most Exalted Spirit of Hell, are too terrible to be described, otherwise, than as the Painter Portray'd the Spanish Inquisition, besmearing his whole Table with Blood.

The Reformed saw, their great Idol, breaking the publick Faith unto them, in all possible In­stances; Their Temple one after another De­molish'd; Their Pastors Banish'd; every Office Tendred inaccessible to them; and Justice de­nied [Page 6] 'em, even in all the common Rights of Humanity it self. When the project was grown ripe for it, the Leviathan at the Louvre, Turn'd loose a vast Army of Dragoons, upon those Flocks of the Reformed, whom the Foregoing Temptations had not conquered. The Leaders of those New Apostles, first Summoned the In­habitants of the several Towns together, to let 'em know, 'Twas the Kings pleasure, they should all Turn Roman Catholicks. The poor people Humbly Replied, They would gladly Sa­crifice their Lives and Estates in the Service of their King, but their Consciences could be at the Dispose of none but the Great God alone. These Dragons then furiously possessed themselves of the several Towns, and were every where Quartered in the Houses of the Reformed, like Locusts devour­ing all before them. When these Devourers, had first wasted the Estates of this Distressed people of God, they then fell upon their Per­sons. After the most Bitter Execrations, these direful Tormentors, would multiply Torments upon the Martyrs now in their fierce Hands, whereof, even the General Kinds, could not in many pages be Enumerated. They would hang up the good people, by their Feet, and making of great Smokes under them, almost choak them: If then the Sufferers would not sign an abjuration, they toss'd them to and fro into great Fires, till they were nigh Roasted; and [Page 7] somesimes plunge them down into deep Wells, till they were half Drowned there. Others they stript Naked, and prick'd 'em with pins, and Nails, and Bodkins, till they could endure no more; and others they drag'd about, by the Noses, with Pincers holding of them. Some they kept Waking, by cruel Pinches, and Noises, for many Dayes and Nights together, till they utterly thereby lost their Wits; and others that were sick, they intollerably vexed, with Drums continually Beating in their Chambers. They bound the men in some Houses, and Ravished their Wives, and their Daughters, before their Eyes: In others, they pull'd off the Nails, and scorched and scalded the Feet, of the Saints of God; and used a Thousand other Cruelties, which none but the Wit of Devils could have Invented for them. So dismal was the success of this Draconick Persecution, that in a little while, the Great Scourge who did all this, coin'd Medals, whereon he brag'd, That he had Reduced no less than Twenty Hundred Thousand Calvinists from the Protestant Religion. If none of these Cruelties, could conquer the minds of the Faith­ful, they were cast into hideous Dungeons, where they pined away to Death. If any did conti­nue Faithful to the Death, their Dead Bodies, be their Port, or Sex, what it would, were Drag'd naked thro' the Streets, and after a thousand Indignities, thrown upon the Dunghils. But [Page 8] if any were caught Flying away, there were all possible Additions made unto the Cruelties em­ploy'd upon them.

Nevertheless, many Thousands of Protestants flying away, found a merciful Providence assist­ing of their Escape: and some of the Escaped, got over to New-England, where before they came, there were Prayers made with many Solemn Fastings for them; and after they came, they met with further Kindnesses, from our Churches.

Among these Refugees, there was one, who became an Inhabitant of Boston in New-England. His Employment was that of a Sailor; but Sailing from hence, about four or five years a­go he fell into the Hands of his Idolatrous Country men. Those Persecuting Idolaters, immediately required him, to Go to Mass; but for his constant Refusal of that Impietie, he hath ever since been undergoing many Martyr­domes. From the midst of his Miseries, he writes an Excellent Letter, unto his Wife, in these parts of the World; a Letter breathing such an Excellent Spirit, that many serious Chri­stians here, who have heard it Read unto them, have judged it would be a general Advantage unto the Interests of Religion among us, to Translate and Publish it. What I now do in publishing it, I do but as the Incomparable Jurien, has done, who very often does insert in his Pastoral Letters to the French Churches, a Copy [Page 9] of such Things as these, newly written by some of their Sufferers, without any fear of adding to their Sufferings; I do it also with the Leave of the Consistory of Elders in the French Church in Boston: And I do it, with all due caution and concealment, of any circumstances, that may procure any damage to the poor Prisoner of the Lord: There having been a greater ha­zard unto his concerns in his own Writing, and Sending the Letter, than in our thus Publishing of it.

Let the Churches of New England then Re­ceive this letter, as written by one that was himself become a New England man: a Dweller in our Neighbourhood, a Sharer in our Charity. Let them admire the Glorious Operations of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, Enabling a poor man, of a mean Education and Occupation, thus to Glorify Him. Let them adore the Distin­guishing Benignity of Heaven, in our preservation from having yet fallen under the Fury of Gal­lick Oppressors. Let them consider with Astonish­ment, how few among us, are able to Deny our­selves of all things, like that Confessor, whose rare Example is here set before us. Let them cry mightily unto God, for such Overturning Dis­pensations, as may Restore Liberty, not on­ly to this our Brother in Adversity, but also to all the French Flocks, that are groaning under their Bondage. Let them Entertain the Holy [Page 10] Counsels here offered, with a due Regard unto the Emphasis of the Person who writes them, and of the Prison where he writes them. Syrs, 'Tis not without a special Providence of God, that you are thus Addressed.

But while I thus Tender unto the Churches of New-England, the Rich Monument of Christia­nity, here faithfully Translated, by Mr. Nehemi­ah Walter, the worthy Minister of Roxbury, I have doubtless herein merited a Leave to Ex­press, unto the French Protestants among us, our Concern, that there may not be found among Them, any thing, that shall be Contrary to, and Condemned by, that Spirit, by which one of these Number has been thus Inspired. I take Leave then, to say,

Mes Freres,

L'Esprit du Christianisme, Exprime par La Let­tre de nostre Ami, est fort Eclatant, et glorieux.

Par la Publication de cette Lettre, traduite en la Langue Angloise, nos Anglois verront parmi vous, une tres grande Demonstration, de la Religion Chre­tienne.

Et nous prions, que cette Demonstration soit bien Fortisie, par vestre Diligence et Vigilance, que Com­me Celui, qui vous a appellez, est Saint, vous aussi Pareillement Soyez Saints en toute vostre Conversa­tion; [...] que vous rendiez honorable en toutes [...] Doctrine de Dieu nostre Sauveur. Et Cela deplus [Page 11] Premierement; Par une zele fort Exemplair' a Sanctifier Le Your de Dimanche. Par ce moyan vostre Profession de Foy, sera bien test, comme une Arbre [...] pres des [...] d'eaux courantes qui rend Son fruict en sa Saison, et le [...] du­quel ne flestrit point.

Monsieur Mestrezat, Le sameux Ministre de Charenton, se plaignit de son Temps, que Le Di­manche, de deux Assemblees, L' une Estoit de­laissee de la plus part, et Cela seulement, pour diner en Leurs Maisons, avee plus de Commodi­te, ou pour aller, passer Leur Temps en Jeux, ou Oisivite. Au sujet dequoy cet Homme de Dieu clairvoyant, S' Exprime ainsi; Certes, mes Freres, nous donnons grand sujet au Seigneur, de les nous ofter totalement, [...] nous priver d' une Grace si grande et si precieuse, puisque nous en abusons tant. L'Evenement, n' a que trop accorde avec ses Sentimens si Justes et Saints. It est a es­perer, qu' apres une providence si Demonstrative et parlante, vous cherirez de plus tendres Esgards a cette Journee Sainte, [...] ces Exercises Divines.

Secondement; Par une vie reglee selon les Loix de la Sobrieta Chretienne. Le bean predicateur, Monsieur Du Bole, a plus d une fois decrie la vie Dissolue, Libertine, et debauchee des plusieurs Prote­stans de vostre patrie: Mais nous nous [...] per­suadez, quant a vous, bien aimez, de [...] et Convenables a Saint.

En Troisieme Lieu; Par one vie Tranquille, [Page 12] it paisible. Des Brebis, chassez dans les Deserts, comme vous, se doivent revetir d' un Esprit, de Paix et douceur: et par cela, tous Con­noistront, que vous estes les Disciples de Jesus Christ, si vous avez de L'amour L'un pour L'autre.

En Fin; par une soin fort raisonnable, de faire maintenant ce que vous voudriez avoir eu faite a Pheure de la mort, et de prendre a present Cousil de la mort, qui ne vous trompera pas.

On a raison, mes Freres, d' attendre, ces choses, des gens que se sont declarez, des persecutex, et qui ont pour la Religion Laisses Leur patrie, Leurs Biens, et rout, ce qu'ils avoient de plus cher au monde.

C'est pourquoy Mon dessein, en donnant au public cette Lettre de nostre Frere; n'est pas Seulement pour vostre Defense, mais aussi pour vostre avertise­ment.

Voici, vostre Compagnon de Guerre, qui Endure Les Travaux comme un bon Soldat de Jesus Christ, vous Exhorte, de Combattre le bon combat, et d' estre fidelles jusques a la mort: et vous Censure, si vous ne perseverez point jusques a la Fin.

Or, Le Dieu de paix, vous rende accomplis en toute bonne oeuvre, pour faire sa volonte, faisant en­vous ce qui est agreable devant Lui, par Jesus Christ, auquel soit glorie aux Siecles de Siecles. Amen.

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The Letter.

My Dear Wife.

THis is the sixth time that I write to you, since the Lord has changed my condition of a Gally Slave into that of a Prisoner, without having received any of your Answers. I am ready to believe that 'tis not your fault, and that you have written as many to me, as I have done to you, without having received mine. The Di­stance and Difficulties are so great, that we can have no mutual Communications by Writing: and the Devil and men are so animated against me, that they employ all their power and in­dustry to hinder me from receiving any Exter­nal Consolations; and to speak the truth, experi­ence shews me that herein they succeed; and if they could oblige God to deprive me of Internal Consolation they would do it with pleasure; but God is Righteous in all his ways, and full of Good­ness in all his works: as he sees me deprived of all humane relief, he gives in unto me of Di­vine; if his Goodness and Justice will not permit him to leave the young Ravens without their food, will his Love and Mercy abandon a Soul, which he had so often hindred from falling into Hell? especially after he has made him taste the First Fruits and fore-tasts of Soveraign Bles­sedness? [Page 14] no, God forsakes not the works of his hands; he is faithful and just to accomplish his Promises. Therefore I will say, that in vain they strive to destroy the work of the Holy Ghost. The Almighty Power of God is too much inter­ested therein, to suffer them to attain the end which they propose, they labour more and more to surmount my patience, and conquer my perseverance, to the end they might triumph over my Faith; but alas! I look upon my ene­mies with grief of heart, and my Faith which is sustained by the hope of Love, despises generously the assaults which they make upon it. Nay, My Dear Wife, they at present attack me more ardently than ever; the Eternal God exercises me as an Old Souldier, altho I am but a little while since Listed into his Company. I intend to continue to you the Journal of my Persecuti­ons since the last March, I mean the abridgment thereof; for to tell you the whole, I neither can, nor may do, for many reasons. I liv'd pritty quiet in my Prison at the Cittadelle, during twenty three, months, wherein I have been alone in a little Chamber. There was under me a poor Believer in a Dungeon, with two chains, be­cause he Sang Psalms too loud. It was not per­ceived that I spake to him; for our Persecutors were not willing that we should hold communi­on together. I did however speak to him; but very seldom; for he is a man whom God has [Page 15] afflicted to the Loss of common sense. They came to understand that I spake to him, which obliged my Overseers to change my place; but I abode but a little while in this Second Lodging; for they perceived that I Sang also, and commanded me many times, to be silent, on pain of being put into the Dungeon; but I could not obey them. However I Sang very low; but the Cittadelle be­ing countermined, and a great Cistern in the middle of the Armoury, the least noise that can be made is heard every where in the Officers Chambers. They then caused me to be put into the Dungeon; but I abode there only thirty five days; for the great Provost came to the Cittadelle, with two Guards to fetch me and the fore-mentioned poor afflicted person, and brought us hither.

It is meet that I excite you to bless God with me, my Dear Heart: for in the midst of all my troubles the Eternal Exercises an admirable care about all that concerns me. You may under­stand that when I was Aboard the Gally, I employed my self in Copying out some good Sermons, which my Friends gave me. I had about twenty of them, one half whereof I left in an house Ashore, that if they came to search me I might not lose them all at once. In go­ing into the Cittadelle, they took from me seven of the Sermons, with an English Bible, and an Exposition of the Fifty First Psalm in English, [Page 16] and another little English Book, all which re­mained at the Majors till I came out. As I came out, I asked for them, they gave them to the Provost: God touched his heart; for when I was in the Boat, he gave them to me, and as I went into the Fort, no one took them from me, tho' they saw them; only they kick'd them with their feet; and so they are still with me, by the same goodness of my God. Sing there­fore to him, My dear Wife, a Song of Praise and Acknowledgment; for our enemies are not willing that we should have either Book or Inkborn.

But, to continue the Story of my Persecution. They brought me hither, and put me into a little hole on the top of a Tower of the Dun­geon, where there is a Guard; the window they had plaistred up, that there was only an hole of four Inches to let in the Light to see to eat. I was very ill in that place, but the Devil thought I was too well of it: and indeed I was magnificently accommodated, to what I am at present. I abode there only fifty one days; the twentieth day of August, on Mon­day about ten a Clock in the morning, the Commander came himself, to fetch me out, with my Cloaths. Here I willingly confess my weakness, for I wept. The Commander ordered them to search my poor Straw Bed; they did it, but without success for the Eter­nal [Page 17] hid all that was therein, namely, an English Bible, a Quire of Large Paper, whereof this is some, a Bag, wherein was my Pocket Bock, and Inkborn; and now, my Dear Wife, will you not praise the King of our Souls, who does such strange things? I publish them, to the end God may be blessed for them: for if they had found the fore mentioned things, they would have overwhelmed us with cruel Afflictions: the Commander is a man without pitty, who will let us Blood, with a Pistol Shot, when we are Sick. They made me come down from the Tower wherein I was, and go out of the Dun­geon: this Dangeon is encompassed with a Dry Ditch; the Gases of it are a Draw-Bridge; there are two great Towers at the Entry. After I had passed this Bridge, they made me go down by a Ladder into the Ditch, where they threw all my poor Cloaths. The Six Souldiers that conducted me with their Arms, took the Ladder and set it up against a Tower, wherein is an hole like a little Port hole. This done, they bid me go up thither; and the Officers who were upon the Bridge, and Spectators of this Tragedy, told me, that I must go in, my feet foremost; so that I was fain to crawl in at the hole, the Wall being about eight foot thick. I entred into that charm­ing Habitation; I found my self envelop'd with profound Darkness; but the Eternal Created that, as well as the Light, so that I little matter [Page 18] it. Now comes a Second Alarm for me: my Straw Bed could not come in at the hole; the Straw was fain to be taken out by little and little, in the presence of the fore mentioned Gentlemen, who look'd down into the Ditch. Ah! Eternal God, said I, thou art my All; as thou art wont to do Wonders, conduct me still, that I may still prosper. I address'd my self to the Officer who Led me; I declared to him all that was in my Straw-Bed; I pray'd him to save all that was there; promising to recompence him; he accepted the Offer: he himself empty'd the bed before the Gentlemen; and caus'd it, to be carried up to me by little and little; but he kept a little of the Straw, with all my concerns, in my Straw Bed, and brought them to me himself Admire here the Protection of the King of Kings! A man I am unknown to him, and besides poor, and in Chains; judge if any other than God could make such a charge in the heart all at once? therefore give Praises to God for it; but Praises of Obedience as well as or A­doration. O, My dear Heart, how many testimonies do I receive of the powerful protection of my God! 'tis this that swallows up my Soul in a River of chaste delight in the midst of all the evil they make me suffer; the thought of His Goodness is so much the more sweet, in that he causes it to be frequent and sensible, to the forcing my very flesh to glorify him with joy. This is what cannot be comprehended, unless experienced!

[Page 19] Here I am then, without Light, in a place full of stinking ordure. But I undergo a double Martyrdom, in having this poor distracted Belie­ver with me; for this two years he has not comb'd himself: his hair is clotted together, full of ordure; he won't change his Linnen which the King allows him: so that he stinks enough to make a man cast up his heart; those that bring us our meat, abhor the smelt which is here. I do all that I can to make him shift himself, but he won't be perswaded, nor suffer his hair to be cut; notwithstanding they make me eat with him, to aggravate my Servitude. I confess, I suffer more with this man, and be­cause of him, than by all that my Enemies can do unto me; his stink is such as cannot be ex­pressed; but besides this, he now speaks not at all, and 'tis now a long while since he has spo­ken to any body; this is the Sorrowful Society which the Eternal now gives me, after a soli­tude of two years and three months; this man had a good Wit, and as is said, was a Schollar: but alas! he has only the Shape of a man; at the Cittadelle, he spake very little, and that which he said, shew'd him to be crazed; the Almighty God give us humble hearts, that his Grace make us not proud; for this is the last Sin that we have to combat with: Pride sometimes rises from vertue it self.

Thus you see where I am in the Story of my [Page 20] Sufferings at this day. Now, My dear Wife, I pray you to let me know the State of my dear Children, if they be yet alive, and what Disposi­tions to vertue are found in them; for tho' they be yet young, we may however judge of them by their inclination; and the Countenance, which is the mirrour of the Soul, oftentimes discovers what we are. I know this rule is not always general, nor do I give it to you as infallible. I exhort you to be very careful to give them a Christian Education: You should use all diligence to learn them to read and write, to pray to God, and Sing his Praises. O the charming Employment for an heart enamoured with God, to be Singing his Praises! Therefore my dear Heart, neglect not this; labour to be their mother a second time, by endeavouring with all your might, that they may be Born again by grace: All the world talk of Regeneration, but there are only few that know it by experience. Men know how to say that Nicodemus was gross in his conceptions of it, tho a Doctor of the Law; but it often happens that those who thus speak, feel the efficacy thereof no better than he. Know then, that it is not the corporal or animal life which is renewed, but that of the Soul; the affections, desires & thoughts are sanctified. When a person is Regenerate, he aims only at the Glory of Christ; the sentiments of the heart are conformed to the light of the Spirit, that is to say, the love of our heart is con­formed [Page 21] to the Law of God in spight of all the re­mainders of our Corruption, which abide in the inferiour part of our Soul, which the Scripture calls the Flesh: Endeavour then to obtain this New-birth for your self, and your Children, without which you can never see God: that you may suc­cessfully labour herein, I pray Mr. M. your dear Cousin to send you Mr. Placette's Moral of the Gospel, which will much help you herein; this Book is a Glass in which you should behold your self. I know that you do as the greatest part of your Sex, I mean, seldom read; as if women had not a Soul to instruct and save as well as men. I there­fore exhort you to read that Book with attention. You never have seen it, for which reason you should be more ambitious to read it speedily & attentively. If you love me, give me this testimony of your amity in obey­ing me herein. I sincerely aim at your, & your Chil­drens Salvation. I Recommend my self unto the Prayers of your Faithful Pastor, as well in Private, as in Publick. I salute the whole Congregation, and every one in particular. Pray always, Mr. Dear Heart, for my [...], That God would give me the Grace, to suffer, the Breaking of my Bones, the Roasting of my Flesh at the Fire, and my Marrow on the Live-coals, and to be cast into a Burning Furnace, rather than to commit any this unworthy of His Glorious Presence. Know, that will never forget you, as long as I Live; I pray God for the progress of Sanctification, in you, and our Little children. I am, Your Faithful Husband.

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A Brief DISCOURSE, Made unto the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, New England, 21 d. 8 m. 1697.
Behold, I bring you Good News of Great Joy, for all the People of New England.

You have it in LEV. IV. 21.‘A Sin-Offering for the Congregation.’

I Behold no less than a Congregation of our whole Province, met at this Time, in one GREAT AND GENERAL AS­SEMBLY. The most Happy and Joy­ful Tidings, that ever were uttered in any Assembly are now to be brought unto YOU, O Congregation of the Lord.

Never did any Sinful congregation more want a Sacrifice, to Appease the Exasperated. In­dignation of Heaven: Our multiplied So have so provoked the God of Heaven, that we are [Page 23] Consumed by his Anger, and by His Wrath we are Troubled: The offended Majesty of Heaven, is every day Siezing on our Friends, and Siezing on our Fields, and Siezing on our Ships, and Siezing on our Stores, and Siezing on our very Lives, for Sacrifices. But you are now Enter­tained, with the Advice, of a Sacrifice for the Congregation; a Sacrifice, whereto if we do in a right manner Apply our selves, out God will call for no further Sacrifices from among us, to Atone His Incensed Majesty: Our Adversity will soon be turned into Prosperity; and we shall Sing that Song, O Lord, I will praise thee, for tho' thou wast Angry with me, thine Anger is turned a­way, and thou wilt comfort me.

Wherefore I ask your Attention to a Dis­course, on that very Important

CASE.

What is the Sacrifice provided by God for His People, Collected and Considered in a whole Con­gregation; and how may a Congregation obtain the Benefit of that Sacrifice?

Methinks, one may see a peculiar circum­stance in our New-English Congregation, to Invite our most affectionate and Importunate Applica­tion unto such a Sacrifice! The Sin Offering for the Congregation, was to be, Burnt without the Camp: With regard whereto, the Apostle said, in Heb. 13. 13. Let us go forth unto Jesus without [Page 24] the Camp, bearing His Reproach. Syrs, The First Planters of New England were driven forth without the Camp; we arrive to this Plantation, Bearing the Reproach of our zeal for our JESUS, in all His Offices. What shall we now do with­out the Camp? What, but Fly to the Sin Offering for the Congregation, which without the Camp we are Entertained withal?

Our Discourse on this CASE, will come to a comfortable Issue, in these Conclusions.

Conclusion I.

We have Sinned against the God that made us, and our Sin loudly and sadly calls for a Sacrifice unto the God against whom we have Sinned.

The Blessed God hath given a Law to His Creatures; and a Law Arm'd with a Penalty. Without a Law, we cannot suppose a Sin com­mitted; and without a Penalty, we cannot sup­pose a Law significant. If this Law be violated, the Just God has obliged Himself, that the Penalty of it shall be Executed. The Punishment of Sin is upon this presupposal, become a Necessary Thing; 'Tis Necessarily expected from that Ho­ly God, who, as we read in Exod. 34. 7 Will by no means clear the Guilty; and who, as we read, Psal. 5. 4. Is not a God that hath Pleasure in wickedness. The Natural Conscience of man there­fore Terrifies him, with such an Expectation; [Page 25] God has written it upon the Souls of men, with a Pen of Iron, and a point of a Diamond; Men that are never so Barbarous, are smitten with Apprehensions of a VENGEANCE, that Sin must be followed withal.

But now, the Subject, which undergoes the Punishment of Sin, is therein made a Sacrifice for Sin. God becomes not Favourable unto the Sin­ner, until His Glories, which have been Denyed by Sin, be Displai'd in such a Punishment of Sin, as His Threatnings have denounced. Now the Punishment of Sin, infers and inflicts DEATH, on the miserable Subject which it falls upon. The Punishment of Sin, is nothing less than that, in Gen. 2. 17. Thou shalt surely Dy: Nothing less than that in Ezek. 18. 4. The Soul that Sinnneth shall Dy: Nothing less than that in Rom. 6. 23. The Wages of Sin is Death (just contrary unto E­ternal Life.) Such is the Dignity of the Object who is by Sin Reproached, Affronted, and Op­posed, and such is the Reproach and Affront, by Sin cast upon that Infinite Object, that nothing less than Destruction can be a due Punishment for it. But This makes a Sacrifice! It belongs unto an Expiatory Sacrifice, to be Destroy'd: Such a Sacrifice is nothing else but, Oblatio rite Consumpta. A Thing Suffering Destruction for Sin, to Demon­strate the Holiness of God, which by Sin ha's been wronged, is therein made a Sacrifice.

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Conclusion. II.

There were many Sacrifices Appointed and Accepted by the Great God, before the coming of the Messiah; but they were of no Account any further, than as they respected the Great Sacrifice of the Messiah to come.

Sacrifices were made unto God by the Saints of the Old Testament; but still they were Sacri­fices that God Himself had Instituted. The Custome of Sacrificing was practised, by the First Men that ever were; and thence Derived unto all Nations of men. Our First Parents had their First Gar­ments of Skins; and there is no doubt, that the Beasts from whom the Skins were taken, had been Slain for Sacrifices. Now, as tis said, in Gen. 3. 21. The Lord God made Coats of Skins, and Cloathed them: So tis plain, that the Lord God Ap­proved, and therefore He Appointed, the Sacri­ficing of the Things thus despoiled of their Skins. And among all the Sons of these our First Parents, the Rite of Sacrificing hath been mentained every where, but where the Preaching of the Gospel hath Abolish'd it. Had it been a Dictate of the Law of Nature, the Gospel would not have Abo­lish'd it, but Continued it, but Confirmed it, but [...] it. No, It was God Himself, who Appointed the Sacrifices, which Repenting Sin­ners then brought unto Him. Tis said of Abel, in Heb. 11. 4. By Faith be effered unto God, a more Excellent Sacrifice. Had Sacrifices been only Hu­mane [Page 27] Inventions, they could not have been offered in Faith, nor would God have call'd 'em Excellent. It may seem an Harsh Doctrine, which the Churches of New England have hitherto owned, and the Lord Jesus Christ will Spue them out of His Mouth, when they shall cease to own it! But it was the Doctrine of the Blessed Martyrs, in the Dayes of the Marian Persecution, and of the First and Best Reformers of the Church of England: They are the very words of the Re­verend Hooper, in his Confession of the Christian Faith; They are not only Idolaters, which Worship and Serve Idols and Strange Gods, but also all those which Worship and Serve the True God of Heaven, after their own Fantasie, or after the Traditions of men, without Faith, without the Word of God, and otherwise than God hath commanded them. On this Principle [And it is a sound one!] I say, That Sacrifices must need be no Humane Inventi­ons; no, they were Divine Institutions. How un­safely so ever many of the Fathers have Expres­sed themselves on this point, Eusebius of Coesarea, seems to have better determined it, That the ancient Sacrifices were not Humanely Invented, but KATA THEIAN EPINOIAN. According­ly, When God was Recovering the Nation of Israel, from the Degeneracy, wherein the other Nations of the World had wofully depraved themselves, He Renewed the command of Sacri­ficing, with Supernumeracy and Innumerable [Page 28] Ceremonies. Indeed, by the Edicts of God unto the Nation of Israel, Corporal Death was to Ensue upon every Act of Disobedience. Now the Lord, who was the Law giver of Israel, Re­laxed that Extremity as to many Offences, and for the Corporal Death of the Offender, He ad­mitted the Death of the Sacrifice.

But of what Account were the Sacrifices thus Instituted? Alas, Tho they were thus instituted, yet they were all Insufficient. Consult the Be­ginning of the Tenth Chapter to the Hebrews, and you'l see a considerable paragraph in the Word of God, written on purpose to prove them so. Indeed, it was not consistent with the Honour of GOD, for Him to be contented with the Blood of a Beast, as a sufficient Expiati­on for the Sin of a Man. The Exact Righteous­ness, the Spotless Purity, the Infinite Grace of God, are to be manifested, in a Sacrifice for our Sin. Was the Blood of an abject Bull or Goat, any a­greeable manifestation of the Infinite Perfections of God? God published His Will, in Thunders and Lightnings and Earthquakes, and with mil­lions or Angels which attended the giving of His Fiery Law. Shall the Death of a sorry Brute, be enough to make amends, for the Rebellion of the Soul of Man against that Soveraign Will? No man in his wits, can think so despicably of the Divine Majesty. What proportion is there, between the Sin of a Rational Soul, and the Blood [Page 29] of an Irrational Machin? How can the Butcher­ing of contemptible Cattle be a compensation, for the Disparagement, that Sin has done to the Almighty GOD, who crtated all the Cattel upon a thousand Hills? The most High often Expres­sed His contempt of the Sacrifices in themselves; The people that abounded in Sacrifices, but look'd not beyond the Surface of them, He Rebuked for their Vain Oblations. [Consider Isa. 1. 11. & Psal. 40. 6.]

And I pray, What then were the Sacrifices for? Our Great Lord-Redeemer, was to be made a Sacrifice: And All the Sacrifices were Nothing, any further than they were Figures of that Great Sacrifice. In the Ancient Sacrifices, God would have a Representation of the Sacrifice, where with our Lord Redeemer would, in the Fulness of Time, Reconcile Him unto us. This was the use and scope of the Sacrifices; They were but Christ in a Cloud, when the Smoke of them went up in a Cloud before the Lord.

Conclusion III.

Our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who Knew no Sin, hath been made a Sacrifice; a Real, Pro­per, Erpiatory Sacrifice to God, for our Sin.

There have been two sorts of Sacrifices; Ex­charistical, and Expiatory. None ever Dream't that our Lord was an Eucharistical Sacrifice: That and How, He was an Expiatory Sacrifice, is now [Page 30] to be Declared. If you pursue the Hebrew word, Phadah, To Redeem, as far as the Arabic, Fadah, You'l find, it signifies, To Devote ones self to Death. Truly, Twas by Devoting Himself to Death, as a Sacrifice for us, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath Redeemed us, For,

First; All that belonged unto a Real and Proper Sacrifice, was done to and found in our Lord Jesus Christ, when He Suffered for us. Particularly; Our Lord Jesus Christ, as God and Man in One Person, as our Immanuel, as our Mediator, is a Glorious Priest. It is our well-grounded Belief, in Heb. 8. 1. We have such an High Priest, who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens.

Now, this Illustrious Priest, hath presented un­to God, an Offering for us. This Offering was, His Manhood; An Humane Body; as tis said in Heb. 10. 5. Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not, but a Body: And an Humane Soul; as tis said in Isa. 53. 10. His Soul, a Trespass Offering. Yea, & this was an Offering of Gods own Prescribing too. An Offering that God Himself hath not Prescribed, is as a Dogs Neck, and a Swines Blood unto Him; whereas the Offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, is that whereof He could say, as, Thou, O God, hast prepared it, so, Thou, O God, hast prescribed it.

But then, there most be an Altar, whereon our Priest presented this Offering. That Altar is His Godhead. It is the Altar, which Dignifies and [Page 31] Sanctifies the Offering. The Humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, being taken up into One Person, with the Second Person in God, the Worth of the Offer­ing, by its Intimate Relation to that Person, is no less than Infinite. The Blood that ha's been Of­fered, is, as in Act. 20. 28. The Blood of God. The Life that ha's been Offered, is, as in 1 Joh. 3. 16. The Life of God. The Offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, is therefore enough to purchase for us, all the Blessings of God: It may be said of all the most Invaluable Blessings, Their Full Value ha's been Offered for them!

Christians; You see a Priest, an Offering and an Altar, in our Lord JESUS CHRIST, Yea, Behold, the Mystery; ONE CHRIST is All! And what is wanting to make up a Sa­crifice? One Thing more; A Sacrifice must be Cutt Off. And so was our Lord JESUS CHRIST. It is said, in Dan. 9. 26, 27, The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and he shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease. All Fulfill'd in our JESUS, most Punctually, and Gloriously! Was there not a Sacrifice, when His Blood was poured out, when the Flames of Hell took Hold of Him, when He was horribly Burnt in the Fire of the Wrath of God?

Secondly; Our Lord Jesus Christ, being thus Offered a Real and Proper Sacrifice, did by His Deadly Sufferings make an Expiation for our Sins. The Sorrows of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Page 32] when He became a Man of Sorrows, fully an­swered the Intentions of an Expiatory Sacrifice.

As now;

Did an Expiatory Sacrifice Bear the Sins of the People? This was the meaning of that U­sage, in Lev. 1.4. He shall put his Hand on the Head of the Burnt Offering, and it shall be Accepted for Him. Thus, as the Hebrew Doctors tell us, they Transferred their Guilt from Themselves to their Victim. Well,; Such a Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ, as to Bear the Sins of His Elect. It is said, in 1 Pet. 2. 24. He, His own self, Bare our sins, on the Tree. Though our Lord Jesus Christ was not Culpably Guilty, yet He was Penalty Guilty, of our Sins. It is a Rude and a Crude Speech, to say, That Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World; For, Christ never was a Sinner; If He had been a Sinner He could not have been a Saviour. But He became a Surety for Sinners, and therein He became Responsible for all our Sins: All our Debts, He took upon Himself.

Again; Was the Misery due to the Sinner, laid upon the Expiatory Sacrifice? The Order for the Sacrifices was, to Wound it, Stab it, Kill it, Flay it, Pull it a Pieces, Wring off the Neck of it, Burn it unto Ashes. Why? The Sinner must say, All of this, have I, by my sins deserved! Well; Such a Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ, as to Encounter that very Misery, which belonged unto us. It is said, in lsa. 53. 4, 5. Surely, He [Page 33] hath born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows, the Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him. Whate­ver was Essential unto the Death, which we were to undergo for our Sinning against God, was all undergone by our Sinless Jesus. Tis true, There are many particular miseries, which come upon these and those Individual men for their Sins, that yet our Lord Jesus Christ must not under­goe, but then He did undergo what was Equiva­lent thereunto: Yea, What He underwent was Equal to what all we have Deserved. Indeed a world of Penal Evil does besal the Reprobate Sinner, which is not Simply from the Curse, but from the Disposition of the Sinner under the Curse. A total Separation from God; Blindness of mind, Hardness of Heart, Eternity of Wretch­edness, are Circumstantials, & Accidentals of the misery due for Sin, which the Condition of the Sinner as Personally defiled with Sin, and unable to help himself, does Expose him unto; our Lord underwent not these unhappy circumstances: His condition rendred them not Necessary for Him. Yet, all the Essentials of our Death He submitted unto; all the Death which the Law imposed on Him.

Once more; Was the Expiatory Sacrifice of old Substituted in the Room of the Sinner? That so the Sinner might Escape, the Sacrifice must Supply his place; Nephesh tachath Nephesh, as they Expressed it; Life must go for Life, and Soul must, [Page 34] go for Soul. Well; Such a Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ, as to be Substituted for Us, and to Dy in our Stead, as well as for our Good. It was, as in Math. 20. 28. To give His Life, a Rensome for many. When our Lords Dying For us, is affirmed, the preposition, ANTI, is often Im­proved; a preposition, that implies a Commuta­tion. Yea, the Phrases for it, all over the New Testament are such, that, until all the Greek Books under Heaven, are annihilated, the Notion of our Lords Dying in our Place, cannot be Refused.

Finally; Was God Atoned upon an Expiatory Sacrifice? and the Criminal Released from the Confusion that belong'd unto him, and Restored unto the Compassion of Heaven? Yes. Well; Such a Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ; that our Peace with God, is thereby obtained. We read in Rom. 5 9, 10. We are Reconciled unto God, by the Death of His Son. So, Now we are not under a Sentence of Everlasting Death, as we were before our Believing on that Sacrifice. Now we draw near to God, whom we see sitting on a Mercy Seat. Now we have a claim to all that the Good Will of God ha's promised for the Heirs of Glory.

But is it not an Unjust Thing?—Thirdly; No; Tis no Unjust Thing, that our Innocent Lord Jesus Christ, should be made an Expiatory Sacrifice, for the Sins of His Poor, Guilty, Con­demned, Ungodly and Unworthy People. In­deed, [Page 35] A Translation of the Punishment of Sin, by the Dispensation of God, is the very Foundation, of the Christian, and all Revealed, Religion. And that such a Translation may be without Iniquity in the Great God, is evident from the Instances actually given of it, by that God who can do no Iniquity. [See Exod. 20. 5. & Lam. 5. 11. & 2 King. 23. 26, 27. and Gen. 9. 25. and 2 Sam. 21. 8, 14.] But, this Administration of Justice, is not Promiscuous. There are Two Things Especially, that render it, a Just Thing, that here the Just Suffer for the Unjust.

First; Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Eternal Covenant of Redemption, freely offered, Sub­mitted, and Engaged, for to become our Sacrifice. Our Lord says, in Psal. 40. 7. Sacrifice and Of­fering thou didst not desire;—then said I, Lo, I come; in the Roll of thy Book, it is written of me. The Hebrews wrote their Contracts, Agreements, Indentures, in Rolls; The meaning of this passage may be, that there was a Contract, or Covenant, between God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, for His becoming a Sacrifice. The Decree of our Salva­tion, by the Sacrifice of the Messiah, was the De­cree of God the Son, as well as God the Father. He was not Compelled unto the Undertaking of Redeeming us, by the Sacrifice of Himself. Now, Volenti non sit Injuria.

Secondly; Our Lord Jesus Christ, that He might become our sacrifice, became nearly sic­lated [Page 36] unto us. The Legal Relation between the Debtor, and the Surety, He took on Himself. Now, as his Legal, according to the Sentence of the Wise man, in Prov. 11. 15. He that is surety for a Stranger, shall smart for it; So, our Lord Jesus Christ, became a Surety for a Sinner & then, Lo, He Smarts, He Bleeds, He Dies for it. Hostages may be made a Sacrifice, for them, whom they are given for. Our Lord Jesus Christ, gave Himself up, as a Pledge to the Justice of God for us. Husbands and Wives are sometimes made Sacrifices, one for another. Our Lord Jesus Christ is that One Husband, whom His Church is [...] unto. Parents and their Children, and sometimes made Sacrifices, one for an another. Our Lord Jesus Christ [...] our E­verlasting Father. Rulers and their Subjects, are sometimes made Sacrifices, one for another. Our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Ruler in Israel.

Conclusion. IV.

Our Lord JESUS CHRIST, is the Illustrious Antitype of the Sacrifices used in Israel, and particularly of that which was Commanded for the whole Congregation of Israel.

The very Affection, That our Lord Jesus Christ has been made a Sacrifice, proves Him to be the Antitype of all the foregoing Sacrifices. If the former Sacrifices could have made Satis­faction to God for our Sin, He would never have put His own, His only Begotten, His Dear­ly [Page 37] Beloved, SON unto the horrible Grief, of being made a Sacrifice. Much more than the Epistle, to the Hebrews, must be curt out of our Bibles, before we foregoe this Glorious Truth. And indeed, All the True Believers, before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, had an Eve to the Messiah, in the Sacrifices; their Sacrifices were but so many Remembrances of the Mes­siah, who was promised, one day to be Bruised, for our Deliverances from the old Serpent. Hence we read, in Psal. 51. 16, 17. Thou desirest not Sacrifice, thou delightest not in Burnt offering: The Sacrifices of God are a Broken Spirit; a Broken and a Contrite Heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. The special Character, which the Spirit of God put on the Messiah, coming to be a Sacrifice for Sin, was that of, The Bruised one: Yea, the very First Time that ever the Messiah was men­tioned in the World, His being Bruised, was the Thing propos'd concerning Him. The Messiah, was to be, A Broken and Contrite one: There never were such Heart breaking Things Encountred by any Living, as what very felt by our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Rich Bay, when Earth and Hell joyned for the Afflicting of Him, and His Father also treated Him, as one made a Curse for Sin. In the Agonies which then came upon Him, He cryed out, My Heart is Broken! This, This was the Sacrifice, which thou, O David, still didst six [Page 38] the Eye of thine Hope upon. Yea, and all the Faithful People of God, then knew no other Hope. Thus we read, in Psal. 130. 6. My Soul waits for the Lord, more than they that watch for the Morning. The Messiah is undoubtedly, The Lord, there waited for. In the Morning, the Priests that Watched in the Temple, had their Daily Sacrifices. Yea, but the Faithful People of God, when they brought their Sacrifices unto Him, had their Faith Waiting for the Messiah, who was to bring a Plenteous Redemption with Him. Thus we read, in Heb. 6. 1, 2. Repentance from Dead Works, and Faith towards God, the Doctrine of Bap­tisms, and of Laying on of Hands. As Repentance, was the Thing Taught by the Baptisms, or Wash­ings used among the Faithful People of God; So, Faith in the Messiah, was Taught by the Laying on of Hands. When they brought their Sacrifices, they were to Lean with their Hands there upon; and hereby their Faith, which is a Leaning, a Staying, a Resting, on the Christ, intended by the Sacrifices, was intimated.

Now, if you Consult the Book Leviticus, you will find Six kinds of Propitiatory Sacrifices, among the Jews; all of them, the Types of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is a Propitiation for the Sins, not only of the Jewish, but also of the Gentile World. There was, (I) The Burnt-Offering. (II) The Meat Offering. (III) The Peace Offering. (IV) The Sin Offering. (V) The [Page 39] Trespass-Offering. (VI) The Offering of Consecra­tions. All these were Offerings at the Brazen-Altar; All these were Offerings made by Fire; All these were Offerings designed for Propiti­ation.

Among these, one is a Sin-Offering. The Difference between the Sin-Offering, and the Trespass Offering, Lay in this: The Sin Offering was for Sins of Ignorance, of Infirmity, of Greater Surprisal by Temptation: The Trespass-Offering was for Sins against Knowledge, and Crimes of a more grievous and heinous Nature.

Now the Law of the Sin-Offering, distinctly directed it for Four sorts of Sub­jects: (I) The Priest. (II) The Body of the People. (III) The Ruler of the People. (IV) Any Private Person among the People.

Behold, among these, A Sin-Offering for the Congregation; A Young Bullock, made a Sin Offering for the Congregation. And the Gospel of that Sin Offering, we will Endeavour now to set before you, O Congregation of our New English Israel, in the Ensuing Admonitions.

1. Let us, with a most Affectionate Con­templation, Behold the Circumstances of the Sin-Offering for the Congregation, won­derfully answered in the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, by being made a Sin Offer­ing, did Condemn Sin in the Flesh. As now:

[Page 40] Was the Sin Offering for the Congregation, to be a Young Bullock, without Blemish? Truly, Our Lord Jesus Christ Suffered for us, even in His Youth; The Ancient of Dayes in­deed Suffered for us, before He was an Old Man. He Suffered, because We must say, Lord, I have been as Bullock unaccustomed unto thy Yoke! And when He Suffered, He was al­together free from any Blemish upon Him: His Perfection was Absolute.

Again. Was the Sin Offering for the Congre­gation, to be Slain? Truly, Our Lord Jesus Christ, felt nothing less than the very pains of Death for our Sin; Death, very Death, is the Doom of Sin. Tis therefore said of our Lord Jesus Christ; He became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross. The Almigh­ty God said unto our Lord Jesus Christ, as A­braham said unto his only Isaac, My Son, Go Dy! He Dyed most Obediently. The Legacies of Bles­sedness, ordered for us, in the Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, could not have come unto us, but by the Death of the Testator.

Furthermore. Was the Blood of the Sin Offer­ing for the Congregation, to be Sprinkled Se­ven Times before the Vail or the Sanctuary, towards the Holy of Holies? Truly, Heaven, the Holy of Holies, is, A purchased Possession: And so is that Heavenly State of Holiness, which the Church on Earth, must in the Seventh [Page 41] Age of the World, arrive unto: Tis the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ha's made a Pur­chase of it. We read, That we Enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus: Oh! we shall ne­ver, never, never come there, but by the Blood of Jesus!

Moreover. Was part of the Blood, of the Sin Offering for the Congregation, to be put upon the Horns, of the Golden Altar of Incense? Truly, The Intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ, is founded in His Blood: Our Lord Jesus Christ Above, with the Incense of His Intercession con­cerned for us, ha's carried the mention and the merit of His Blood thither with Him. We are told, By His own Blood. He Entred in once into the Holy place, having obtained Eternal Redemgtion The Salvations, which our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Place is demanding for us, He demands up­on this Consideration, Oh! my God, and my Fa­ther; my Blood ha's bought all that I callenge!

Once more. Was the rest of the Blood of Sin Offering for the Congregation, to be Parish forth at the Bottom of the Altar of Burnt-Offering? Truly The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, ha's been Poured forth: Tis said, He hath poured out His Soul unto Death. When Circumcised, when Buffeted in His Agony when Scourged with Thongs, when Crowned with Thom. when Fastned with Iron unto a Tree, (for our Lord, becoming the Servant of God, must have [Page 42] his Ear-Bored, and a Body fastned with Iron, unto a post of Wood!) When Pierced with a Spear, in all these, His precious Blood was poured forth. But the Efficacy of this Blood, that which renders if so Precious, is, Its Nearness to the Altar. Our Lords Deity, is that Altar, from which the vertue of His Blood arises: Were not the Blood our Lord Jesus Christ, at the Bottom of that Altar, it would have no vertue, and small value in it.

To Conclude; Was the Sin Offering for the Congregation, to be Burned; the Inwards of it, on the Altar; all the whole Carcase beside, in a clean place without the Camp, or without the City-Gates? Truly, The Wrath of God, like a Formidable Fire, Seized on our Lord Jesus Christ: It was a Fiery Trial That came upon Him: His very Inwards were all on a Light Fire under the Wrath of the Most High. This horrid Fire, cast all His Inwards into such an Anguish, as caused a Bloody Sweat upon Him. Then was our Lord carried forth, with­out the Gates of the City: 'Tis said, They carried Him out of Jerusalem, to Golgotha. So says our Apostle, in Heb. 13. 11, 12. The Bodies of those Beasts whose Blood is brought into the Sanctuary, by the High Priest, for Sin, are Burnt without the Camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might San­ctify the People with His own Blood, Suffered with­out the Gate.

[Page 43] Now, Let this Contemplation be your Prepara­tion, for some Actions, that may Save the whole Congregation from the Wrath of God.

II. Let us Humbly Plead with God, the Sa­crifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only for our own Souls, but let every Soul do it, for this whole Congregation. The Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not only, pleadable for Persons, but also for Peoples, that belong unto Him. Alas, my Friends; 'Tis utterly a Fault a­mong us, That we make too little use of our Lord Jesus Christ. Particularly, In our Prayers and our Cares, for the welfare of our whole Congregation, we make too little Use of this Alsufficient Sacrifice. We read in I Sam. 7. 9, 10. Samuel offered a Burnt Offering wholly unto the Lord, and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him: And as Samuel was of­fering up the Burnt Offering, the Lord Thundered with a great Thunder on that day upon the Phili­stines, and discomfited them. It may be, if we had more pleaded the Sacrifice of our Lord Je­sus Christ, that Lamb of God, for our Israel, the Lord would have long e're now, heard our Cries, and Thundered with a great Thunder on our Philistean Adversaries. I may tell you, Syrs; We are not less Accommodated with a Sacrifice for our Land, than the Old Church of Israel was for Theirs!

[Page 44] Attend, I beseech you, to this GRAND METHOD, of Deliverances!

There are Three or Four Things, which we are to Plead, with a Lively Faith before the Lord.

Let our first plea be This: That our Lord Jesus Christ, hath Endured those very Judg­ments of God, whereto our Sins have made us obnoxious. Do the Judgments of God, Impove­rish us? They did as much Impoverish our Lord Jesus Christ, when He had not an House where to lay His Head, when He had not Money e­nough upon Earth to pay His Tax, when He wanted Bread, and had nothing but a Stone, to feed upon, and when His very Garments were violently taken from Him. Do the Judgments of God Commission Enemies, to vex us with all Adversity? They Let Loose as many Enemies on our Lord Jesus Christ, when Earth and Hell combined for His Ruine Do the Judgments of God, fill us with Animosities one against another? They turn'd the like Animosities on our Lord Jesus Christ, when His own Country-men made continual Clamours against Him. Are we kill'd by the Judgments of God? They were Killing Judgments that fell upon our Lord Jesus Christ, when He cried out, My Soul is Exceeding Sorrow­ful, even unto Death.

Let our Second Plea be This; That God had more Glory from His Judgments on our Lord [Page 45] Jesus Christ, than if our people should perish un­der the Ireful Direful Plagues of His Indignati­on. In the Calamities of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Perfections of God slash'd out, unto the view of men and Angels, with a Brightness more dazling, than that of the Brightest Lightning. The Holiness of God was never so glorified, as when He Spared not His own Son, but gave Him up to Death for us. The Wisdom of God, was never so Glorified, as when He cured the despe­rate Wounds of the Patient, by wounding the Physician. The Power of God was never so Glorified, as when He upheld a man in that con­flict, which would have made an Arch Angel saint. The Goodness of God, was never so Glo­rified, as when He made His only Son, to feel and quench His Burning Displeasure against His Enemies. The Truth of God was never so Glori­fied, as when He Inflicted upon our Lord, all that He had Threatened unto us. If all the Trees of the Woods in this Countrey were laid in one pile, and all the Men Laid on that pile, and the Breath of the Lord, like a Stream of Brimstone, should kindle it, there would not be such a Discovery of the Greatness and the Glory of God, as there ha's been, in the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. That Cry, in the Mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, Oh! my God! Why hast thou forsaken me? ha's proclamed the Glory of God, infinitely more than if our Houses were [Page 46] all fill'd with the Cryes, of Murdered infants and Ravished Women, and Men Massacred by Indian Salvages.

Let our Third Plea be This; That if God will Deliver us from His Judgments, the Oblation of our Lord Jesus Christ shall have the Glory of it all; We are as an Unfruitful Figtree before the Lord; that old Picture of the Jew­ish Nation, is Ours; We Deserve Cutting down: Our Lord Jesus Christ sees the Axe of Divine Vengeance ready to strike the fatal Blow; He takes the Blow upon Himself, and is Cut off out of the Land of the Living. If we then are Saved from Desolating Blows, laid at the Root of the Tree, we will say, Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ for This! He warded off the Blow: For the Transgression of my People, was He Stricken. Sirs, You cannot Imagine, how Delightful it will be unto the God of Heaven, to hear us Pleading of these Arguments?

But Add one more unto them. Let our fourth Plea be, That our Lord Jesus Christ, hath been made a Sacrifice for Sins, which had no Sin Offering allow'd unto them. Atrocious and Flagitious, and Prodigious Impieties, for which the Sin Offering was never directed; no, nor the Trespass-Offering neither; even for Those, is our Lord Christ a Sacrifice. There was a [Page 47] chief man in Israel, who could say, Thou de­sirest not Sacrifice: The Jewish Commentators give This, as the Sense of it; That his Crimes were such as had no Sacrifice in the Law of Moses provided for them. Yea, but for such is the Sacrifice of the Messiah provided. Hence the Apostle says, in Act. 13. 39. By Him, all that Believe▪ are Justified from all Things, from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses. E­ven Blasphemy it self, which had no Sacrifice in the Law of Moses, may find one, in the Lord Jesus Christ: Says Paul, I was a Blasphemer, but I obtained mercy! The Law of Moses tells us, Num. 15. 25, 30. The Priest shall make Atonement, for all the Congregation, and it shall be Forgiven them, for it is Ignorance: But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously, shall be cut off. Yea, but in our Lord Jesus Christ we have a Sacrifice, for which our Presumptions also may be Forgiven unto us! Oh! plead it; plead it, with the God who for­gives Iniquity, Transgression and Sin.

But will it not be a presumptuous Thing to do so? or, will it not Encourage and Embolden the Congregation to Go on still in their Trespasses, if we venture to plead the Great Sacrifice for the Congregation, before we see a General Reformation of our Trespasses?

I Answer; God Forbid! Methinks, there is little Evangelical in this Objection. For,

[Page 48] First; Nothing will have such a Tendency to a General Reformation, as to fly more generally to the Great Sacrifice for the Congregation than we do. It may be, the General Reformation so much desired and required, hitherto sticks at This; the Great Sacrifice for the Congregation is not first of all enough Recognized: Our Attempts about a General Reformation prove abortive, be­cause we Attempt it, with too much of the Spirit of the Old Covenant Prevailing in us. Mark What I say; A Sin will never be thorowly Re­formed, until it be Pardoned.

Secondly; We are to plead the Great Sacrifice for the Congregation, that so we may obtain from God, the Grace for a General Reformation. God must be petitioned, for a General Reformation, as purchase by the Great Sacrifice for the Congrega­tion: The Spirit which is to Dispose us, and Assist us, unto a General Reformation is the pur­chase of the Blood of our Lord. Our Lord Je­sus Christ hath been made a Sacrifice, to obtain the Reformation of His People, and purify us to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of Good works.

III. Let us, with much Abhorrence of our Sins, and of our Selves for our Sins, Confess over the Sacrifice of our Lord Je­sus Christ, the many Sins, by which we have, as a Congregation exposed our selves unto the Displeasure of God. As in one peculiar Sin Of­fering [Page 49] for the People, there was the practice En­joined; in Lev. 16. 21. He shall confess over it, all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel, and all their Transgressions in all their Sins: Thus, Let us take a Catalogue of the Iniquities, and the Trans­gressions, wherewith our Congregation hath Sinned against God. [Alas, We have many a sad Ca­talogue, published among us!] And Let us, with all sincere Impartiality, with all humble Sincerity, Confess them all. Confess all our Sins against the Rulers of Piety, and of Charity; all our Sins against the Profession that we have made; all our Sirs against the Covenant that we have own'd. Yea, tho' we have Sinned Igno­rantly, when we have Sinned, yet, as 'tis here said, When the Sin which they have Sinned, is known, Then the Sin-Offering must be, with all suitable Confessions applied unto.

Syrs, We cannot be too Exact, in these Con­fessions of our Sins, and in Enquiries after the sad Occasions for these Confessions. Our Land may be more Denied with Sin, than we are well a­ware; for sometimes the miscarriages of One man, may be equivalent unto those of the Whole Congregation. It is Remarkable; If a Priest Sinned, there must be as Great an Offer­ing for him, as for the Whole Congregation besides. Why, what would become of us, if the Whole Congregation should fall into filthy Wantonness, or, [Page 50] if the Whole Congregation should fall into beastly Drunkenness, or, if the Whole Congregation should fall into Scandalous Coveteousness? Alas, if any in Chief Place among us, do Sin at that rate, on those doleful occasions, we are to Abase our selves, as if the Whole Congregation were become Abominable before the Lord. But how much then ought they themselves, who have brought the Whole Congregation Lo; for ever Ly Low before the Lord and cry out unto His Whole Congregation, Calcate me, Insipidum Salem, Calcate me!

W. Tho' All the People are to Act Faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Sacrifice for the Peo­ple, yet the Elders of the People are most of all to do it with a most singular Application.

Let All men fly to the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, first for themselves: Thou, O man, must thy self becoming a Sacrifice to the Burn­ing Revenges of God, and Suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire, if thou do it not! Now, if every man in the Land, would thus assure his own In­terest in the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, there would be None in the Land, under the offence of Heaven But, until Then, [and therefore, Alwayes!] a few must Act Faith for all the rest. And there is not any One Christian among all this people, but what may and should [Page 51] put in suit, the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, for all the people. As the Sin of some ONE person, may go a great way, to pull down the Wrath of Heaven, upon the Whole Congregation: ONE Achan, Did not that ONE MAN Sin, and the Lord was wroth with the Whole Congregation! So, who can tell, how far the Faith of ONE Person, in the Sacrifice for the Congregation, may go to avert the Wrath of Heaven from us all? ONE Amos, (and so, ONE poor, obscure, De­vout Husbandman, or Mechanick!) may be Instrumental to Save a Congregation from Deso­lation!

But, O you that are the Elders of our Israel 'Tis YOU, that are concerned above others, to present before the Lord, the Great Sacrifice for the Congregation. Of the Sin Offering, 'tis here said, The Elders of the Congregation shall Lay their Hands upon the Head of it, before the Lord. Out magistrates, our Ministers, are by the Ordi­nation of God, the Elders of our Congregation; 'Tis on YOU, My Fathers, that this thing is most of all Incumbent: YOU, YOU, are They that must Believe in the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only for your sake, but also for all the Congregation. My Fathers; You see, that we are a very Faulty, yea, and a very Froward, Congregation, and a Generation of sinful men. Do YOU, by Faith Lay before the Righ­teous [Page 52] and Jealous God, the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, on our behalf, and beg of Him, to Spare the Whole People for the Sake of that Sacrifice. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thou dost Enjoy Elders, that will be thus concerned for thee!

Do This, when you are Asunder, in dayly, frequent, solemn Supplications. But especially when you are Together, Then, Then, is a spe­ciall Opportunity, for this your Faith, to be Exercised. Can a General Assembly of the Representatives of a Province, do a better thing than This; To, Joyn as one man in Solemn Devotions, with Fasting and Prayer, and Laying their Hands more Explicitly than ever on the Head of our Great Sacrifice?

Oh! were this Thing in a due manner done, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would Earnestly Remember us: My Bowels would be Troubled for them. I would surely have Mercy on them, saith the Lord. The Great God would say to the Destroying Angel, Put up thy Sword; I will require no further Sacrifice for the Congre­gation; Through the Sacrifice if my Son, I am well pleased, and Atoned. Then, as after the Sin Offering for the People, in Lev. 9. 15, 23. He brought the Peoples Offering,—And Moses and Aaron came put, and Blessed the People, and the [Page 53] Glory of the Lord appeared unto all the [...]. So, the Blessing of God would now rest our People; Salvation would be Nigh unto and Glory dwell in our Land.

My Fathers, and Brethren, How can we stir from the Place where we are, until this Exhortation be put up in [...]? Star up, Sirs, and with Raised Hearts, and Har [...]. Let us now Express our Faith in our [...] Sacrifice, before the Lord!

FINIS.

ERRATUM.

PAge 12. line 8 read Conseil [And let the French Reader, Excuse our Presses wanting of pointed e's.]

[Page]

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