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3 So when I thirst, or faint I grow,
From these five caves five rivers flow
Of water and of wine;

Of this I taste, and 'tis so good,
I strait have help, it drinks like blood,
And stays this soul of mine.

4 Within this Rock my soul descries A thousand sacred rarities,

The cleft where Moses was, When he the Father's glory view'd, The back-part of the unseen God, As thro' transparent glass.

5 On this eternal Rock is grav'n
The names of all who go to heav'n;
Here one may see his name
So deep inlaid with sweat and blood,
That whoso sees it cries, 'twas hew'd
By my beloved Lamb.

6 Who curious is, and wants to be
A witness of these truths like me,
Let him the Lamb believe;
And trust his soul upon the blood
That trickled from the Son of God,
When late he ceas'd to live.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE XXII.

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY.

HEB. V. 12.

Ye have need that one teach you which be the principles of the oracles of God.

WHOEVER is acquainted with this epistle to the

Hebrews will easily observe, that all said there of Jesus Christ's eternal Godhead, of his being the creator, the upholder, and heir of all things, and his being above all angels, heavens, prophets, &c. is to magnify the doctrine of his atonement, which is throughout treated of in such a manner as is not beside in any part of the Bible.

The author makes all the priests, laws, sacrifices, the temple, and even the sacerdotal vestments and ceremonies to be shadows only of the Redeemer and his offering himself up like a lamb, by which he makes perfect all them that are sanctified. Hence it is that he esteems all the other doctrines only as the first principles of Christianity, and little in comparison of this which he calls perfection; because this made perfect the salvation, and finished iniquity, made an end of sin, brought in everlasting righteousness, blotted out the curse and its cause, opened the gate of heaven, reconciled the world to God, destroyed death, spoiled him that had the power of it, that is the devil, and obtained eternal redemption

for

for us; so that properly, above all other doctrines, this deserves to be termed the doctrine of perfection, as it is many times called by the apostle in this epistle, but particularly when he says, "therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, namely, the laying the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptism, of laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment, let us go on unto perfection;" from which time he goes on to speak of the new covenant in the blood of Christ, of his priesthood and sacrifice, when he offered up his own body once for all, by which, he saith, "we are sanctified and perfected." Also, in the course of his doctrines, he shews how little effect the daily sacrifices, sprinkling of the blood of bulls and goats, &c. had on those who attended on such a worship, seeing they did not make them perfect; for, he says, "If perfection was by that priesthood, then there would have been no need of another priest to come after the order of Melchisedech;" but he concludes, "the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did,” and that Christ crucified is the true doctrine of perfection.

We must not, however, despise the first principles of Christ; they are sacred truths, and lead and point to his atonement, as the steps led up to the temple. Of these, as they are mentioned in this epistle, I will speak in a particular manner, and begin with the doctrine of repentance from dead works.

All works done without a living faith in Christ must be reckoned dead, for they are so in the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Chiefly all the works of the flesh are dead, namely, idolatries, blasphemies, swearing, idle jesting, and songs of the drunkard, lies, uncleanness, whoredoms, mur

ders,

ders, thefts, banquetings, pleasures, covetousness, anger, revenge, envy, railing, injustice, cruelty, &c. These are all dead works, and are the fruits of dead men who have never been quickened by Christ Jesus. These have sprung out of a dead and unbelieving nature; and those who do such things, all lovers of the world, and the things of the world, are dead to God while they live..

This is easily consented to by the serious and more devout part of mankind, and since they avoid the danger of running into these, think themselves safe; and especially if, on the other side, they are exercised in works of piety, fasting, alms, prayer, reading the scriptures, going to church, &c. but herein is also danger; for till we are made alive by the Holy Spirit, and adopted into God's family, we also are dead, and our works dead works, and must be repented of as well as our known sins. Whoever is not born again, is at best but a servant in God's house, and a servant abideth not in the house always, but a son abideth always; let him value his work as much as he pleases, and let it be highly esteemed among men, yet where they have not been done out of a heart wherein the love of God is shed abroad by the Holy Ghost, they are not good works, and are only set up in the room of Christ; and because of this, they are in the sight of God an abomination. There are many serious and sober people in the world who are quite ignorant of the righteousness of God revealed by faith, and who cannot trust the blood and obedience, and tender mercy of Jesus Christ, and therefore try to make a righteousness of their own works, and comfort themselves that they are better than others, setting up this for the cause of their acceptance above, and so run into gross idolatry, and depend and trust the works of their hands," which is the abomination which makes desolate," standing in the stead of Christ,

where

where it ought not. All this is building upon sand, and what must fall before the throne in the day of trial; they are dead works, and not built upon the Rock. However such people may think well of their lives and works now, yet when our Saviour shines upon them and enlightens their eyes to see and judge righteous judgment, they will find so much pride, wandering, ostentation, selfishness, and sin mingled in their holiest deeds, that they will be ashamed of all they have done, and loath and abhor themselves for esteeming the best work or most commendable action they ever did better than dross or dung, and repent heartily of their pride and self

conceit.

The Prince of this world has found means to deceive in every thing, and in nothing more than in the doctrine of repentance; for generally no more is meant by it by people of our time, than leaving gross sins, and changing a wild and wicked behaviour into a life of sobriety and religion. There are indeed a few who carry the matter farther, and allow of no sound conversion unless the sinner has been first awakened and alarmed with the terrors and thunders of the law, under which he cries out and is affrighted exceedingly, so that he does not only leave off his sin, but trembles day and night for fear of God's judgment; and this is called by divines legal repentance, and often wears off entirely, as in the case of Esau, Pharaoh, and others, who for a while were very penitent, but afterwards grew worse than ever. In this manner drunkards, whoremongers, rioters, and sensualists of all kinds, repent. When they have gone further than ordinary in sin, or fallen worse than usual, for awhile they cannot speak for tears, are ashamed to lift up their heads; they make vow's to be better, and tremble, like Balaam when the angel met him with his sword drawn in his hand; but, in

a day

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