said to purchase the Church with his blood because that Person which was God had blood to shed according to his human Nature though it was sanguis humanus yet it was sanguis Dei It was human blood yet the blood of that Person which was God as well as Man Now the ground of all this is that personall union The Word being made flesh Divines have laboured much to make this clear therefore have invented divers Comparisons I shall tell you of one or two of them They suppose a flaming fiery Sword here is a union of the metal and of the fire that are met together in this sword and therefore there may be a communication of the properties This fiery thing may be said to cut and this sharp thing may be said to burn because they are so united in one sword Or thus They suppose a man under two capacities one and the same man that hath skill in two Sciences suppose he is both a good Physitian and a good Lawyer Now one may in propriety of speech say This Physitian is a Lawyer and this Lawyer is a Physitian because both meet in one man A man may say This Physitian is a diligent follower of his Clyent 's businesse and this Lawyer is very good at curing his Patients Or thus A branch of a Vine is graffed into the stock of an Olive-tree and that so as it takes of each tree both the Vine-branch and the Olive bear according to their severall natures yet are in the union both of one tree but both Grapes and Olives grow upon it One may say This Vine beareth good Olives and this Olive-tree beareth good Grapes because united in one tree So it is in respect of the Manhood united to the Godhead This Son of Mary made the world and this Son of God shed his blood upon the Crosse But no more of this The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth I now go on to what remaineth And dwelt amongst us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth properly Dwelling as in a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Tent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to dwell in a Tent or Tabernacle Then this Clause Dwelt amongst us is capable of a three-fold sense though as I suppose but one is here intended There is a Mysticall sense of these words a Spirituall sense a Civill sense First A Mysticall sense and according to that this 1. The Divinity of Christ dwelt in the human Nature phrase Dwelt amongst us is an amplification of the former The Word was made flesh and implyeth this That the Divinity of Christ dwelleth in the human Nature as in a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us the plurall number noteth the human Nature and implieth as diverse go this way especially the Greek Fathers and the Arabick and Syriack all give this sense of this place to intimate That the habitation or dwelling that Christ assumed to himself was not the Person of man but the Nature of man and therefore dwelt in us There is a place of Scripture that seemeth to favour this sense Col. 2. 9. where ye find it thus said In him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily As if so be he should have said The Godhead dwelt in the body of Christ as in a tabernacle or tent which it had erected for its own habitation Dwelt and dwelt bodily Secondly There is a Spirituall sense of this Clause and 2. Christ dwelleth in us by his Spirit according to that the meaning is this Dwelt in us namely by his Spirit by influence from heaven and this way Cajetan goeth Lest men should suspect saith he because of what was said before The Word was made flesh that now we are to have none but fleshly communion with the Son of God Though It was made flesh yet he dwelt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us by his Spirit and conversed with us in that respect and this is implyed in the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We say not inter nos but in nobis If he had meant it of Christ's dwelling in the world he would have said Inter nos but he saith In nobis that implyeth a communication of himself to our inward man according to that sense which other Scriptures hold forth That Christ-Man dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Thirdly There is a third sense of these words that is a 3. By his conversing amongst us Civill sense Dwelt amongst us that is Conversed amongst us as one man converseth with another He took upon him the form of a servant and was in the likenesse of man and carried himself for about 33 years upon earth as a man This is his dwelling amongst us and that is the most proper sense in this place though there be a truth in all the former yet neither of them is here intended not the First which I call the Mysticall sense because the human Nature of Christ was not assumed like as a Tabernacle or Tent which is pitched for a while and then removed but as a Mansion The Divinity took up his habitation forever in the human Nature Christ now continueth and shall for ever as true Man as he was when he was born of the Virgin Mary In that place Col. 2. 9. the Apostle useth another word where he saith that all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a Tabernacle but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a Mansion and abiding place He so took the human Nature as never to lay it down again Therefore not as in a Tabernacle As for the Spirituall sense that cannot well be the meaning here Though it be true that Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his Saints and converseth with their spirits yet the Evangelist speaketh of some kind of habitation amongst men but this kind of habitation dwelling in our hearts was that which was usually in the Word from the beginning of the world so he dwelt amongst the Jewes for they were his beloved people long before he was Incarnate Besides this was ceased when the Evangelist wrote The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habitavit in the Praeterperfect Tense If ye take it of Christ's conversing amongst men upon the face of the earth he did dwell amongst them so but he did not dwell amongst them at this time that was past but his dwelling in his Spirit amongst us that is not past Joh. 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him It remaineth therefore that the sense of this place is plainly thus not to seek into abstruse senses The
in consideration of this it may be of Use to us diverse waies as First Take it to pieces again In him was life as in the 1. In Christ is Life as in the Subject therefore fear and tremble before him Subject This should serve as a Canon to fear which we find called for in Daniel in this respect Dan. 6 26. I make a decree saith Darius that in every dominion of my kingdome men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God Let all fear and tremble before Christ for in him is life he is the living God What saith Paul Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God O therefore tremble before him There are hands of God into which it is a comfortable thing to fall There are mercifull hands of Christ which he stretcheth forth to poor sinners to invite them and call them in to himself but if we refuse the Call which he now maketh to us if all the benefits which those bountifull hands of his spread out amongst us scattered in our Congregations and in our Houses if all these allure us not then remember what followeth It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God one will follow upon the other If this mercifull hand cannot win us this destroying hand will be sure to reach us This maketh it fearfull because His is the living God Every death is the more fearfull by how much the more terrible the immediate Executioner of it is For a man to be drowned is more gentle than to be burnt Why Because Water is not so operative and active and quick as Fire Fire is a more raging element The wrath of God is the immediate Executioner of damned souls And what so terrible as that is If God live such souls must die And because God liveth for ever such souls must die for ever as fall into his revengefull hands Fear and tremble to offend Christ because such as fall into the hands of the living God must be miserable as long as he is happy and die as long as he liveth Secondly The consideration of this truth That in Christ is life as in a Fountain from whence all sorts of life are He is Life as in the Fountain therefore trust him seek him and depend upon him derived to the creatures according to their severall kinds may serve as a ground of faith First to put us upon trusting in Christ and seeking to him and depending upon him for all kinds of life Psal 36. 7th and 9th verses compared together The children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings vers 7. and the reason is rendred vers 9. For with thee is the fountain of life Therefore our trust should be in him because life is in him as in the Fountain Whither should he that wanteth water go but to the Fountain Carry Faith as the Bucket and then according to the bignesse of thy bucket shall be the proportion of thy water thou drawest from thence Life commeth in as Faith draweth from Christ Trust him for temporall life when we are sick and in dangers though means may be used and ought to be used there is no relying upon Physick Our utmost confidence must be in him from whom all life commeth Deut. 32. 39. I even I am he and there is no god with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal there is none that can deliver out of my hand And so for spirituall life when the pulse of Grace beateth slowly and unevenly Who shall we then depend upon for life but upon him that is the fountain of it the second Adam whom God hath made a quickning Spirit Secondly as it may be a ground of Faith at all times so 2. Therefore a ground of Martyrdom a ground of Martyrdom at any time when a man is called to seal the truth of his profession with his blood Now this being considered that life is in Christ as in the Fountain and derived from him to us this is a speciall ground to prevail with the soul to suffer it self even to be laid down for Christ Now he calleth for that life which he himself first gave we had it from him and now we are called to restore it to him the best husbandry that can be But to be provident of our lives in this case and to be over-thrifty is the way never to thrive as Christ saith Mar. 8. 35. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it Whosoever will lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's the same shall save it It is no such great matter Life is as common to brute beasts as to men and therefore when Christ calleth for it there is reason to part from it because he gave it It must be given up as a tribute to Nature What is it to part with it a little sooner as a sacrifice to Christ as a seal of our profession and as a pledge of our thankfulnesse It is not so much parting with it as restoring it to the Owner Thirdly it may serve as a ground of Encouragement Life 3. Therefore a ground of Encouragement is in Christ as in the Fountain therefore let all that wait upon Christ be encourag'd to expect life in abundance A great deal of complaining there is of dead hearts and dull spirits no life in the soul in duty or service Exercise Faith go to the Fountain for all and you shall have life and have it in abundance Christ doth not use to give niggardly when he is sued to It is said of Araunah All thâ—se things Araâ—nah gave as a King Christ giveth as a Saviour in this very particular Joh. 10. 10. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly He giveth so as to give it in abundance It will not be amisse to spend some time in clearing of that that Christians may go away with encouragement Whether we speak of the severall sorts of life of Spirituall life for I will not speak of Naturall or to the severall blessings that accompany every sort of spirituall life which is all derived from one fountain I take them together that I may speak the more briefly of them There are five sorts of Spirituall life which are proper to Saints besides a Naturall life which is common to all Five sorts of Spiritual life men First There is a life of Reconciliation which standeth in 1. A life of Reconciliation opposition to the wrath of God The wrath of God that killeth but in the favour of God there is life saith the Psalmist Psal 30. 5. Thy anger endureth but for a moment but in thy favour is life This life is from Christ because it is he in whom he is well-pleased and through whom he is well pleased with us God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself If any Reconciliation it is in
Christ who is the heir of all things The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son And our errand is to beseech you to go over and leave your own father's house and forsake all your lusts and worldly Correspondencies and be married to this Jesus This is the end of our Ministry to perswade men to believe in Christ because we know there is no other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other No there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men must be saved We might tell you as they do in the Church of Rome Popery a foppery of Pardons Indulgences and Pilgrimages but this is but to still Children with rattles We might tell you of your own works of praying and reading and giving of Alms but this is but to send you to Hopâ—er and Arpad the Rivers of Damascus for there is no salvation to be had but by Him Therefore the end of our Ministry is that all might believe in him because As there is no other Name but his by which we must be saved So no other way to lay hold upon him but by believing The just they live by faith The Righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith Ye know how it was with the Woman in the Gospell that came to Christ in the crowd and got healing from him No question in such a crowd many touched Christ for He was in the midst of the throng as well as that Woman But none received healing but that woman because she believed that if she could but touch him she should be healed So it is here There is a crowd of Professors that seem to come to and follow after Christ but none receive healing but those that believe indeed and to them cometh a healing vertue Well then if this be the end of all Ministers witnesse-bearing that through them their hearers might believe in Christ First learn from hence to look at these Ministers as Ministers to be accompted publick blessings publick blessings here is one John the Baptist A man sent from God that all through him might believe All that were within the compasse and reach of his Ministry if they were not wanting to themselves might be the better for him That all through him might believe It is no small matter this whatsoever people may make of it the Apostle happily setteth a high price upon it All are yours who in the first place whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas He reckoneth up the Minister as a great part of their goods there Ephes 4. 11 12. speaking of the Ascension of Jesus Christ and setting Him forth as a great Prince he telleth you what gifts He gave Princes are wont in the dayes of their Coronation to give largely to their Subjects Christ was Ascended and Crowned with Glory He led Captivity Captive and was in his Triumph He ascended up on high and gave gifts to men what gifts He gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists these were gifts indeed They were men of infallible spirits But he gave Pastors and Teachers and Ministers for the edifying of the Body of Christ Secondly seeing this is the end of their witnesse-bearing learn to give heed to their Testimony because they are Their Testimony to be received sent by God on purpose that you through them might believe They are Instruments as of your faith so of your happinesse Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 14. The Philosophers make hearing the sense of Discipline The Apostles make it the sense of faith Faith cometh by Hearing Those that cry out of too much preaching are as if they were afraid of too much faith Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God It is the great ordinance that God hath appointed to beget faith in the hearts of men Unbelief came by hearing by Eve's harkening to the Serpent So God will have faith come by hearing that we might beat the Devil at his owne weapon Eve heard the serpent and was drawn aside from God We by hearing of the Ministry of the Gospell are brought home to God As Calvin saith sweetly That we who were deceived by the subtilty of the serpent might be saved by the foolishnesse of God so the Scripture calleth the preaching of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe This is not an arbitrary businesse that ye may take or leave without danger or losse to them that teach you rightly It must cost you dear For out of the witnesses mouths cometh fire to devour their Enemies Revel 11. 5. If any man would hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devoureth them These Sermons which are so sleighted at present may be as fire in your consciences another day It was the manner under the Law for the Witnesses before a Malefactor was stoned to lay their hands upon his head they were the first men that stoned him Levit. 34. 34. Bring forth him that is to be stoned without the camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and then let all the congregation stone him This the Witnesses did to make it appear that they translated all the guilt from off themselves and laid it where it ought upon the head of the Malefactor So may Ministers do that come to be Witnesses to the Light they may say as Paul did I have declared to you the whole counsell of God I am free from the blood of all men They that have faithfully preached Christ in any place may safely say We have delivered our own souls and done what in us lyeth to deliver yours if you would believe We come to bear witness to the truth that all men through us might believe So I have done with his Office as it is directly laid down Secondly It is laid down in opposition to a false conceit The Jews falsly conceit John the Messias that the Jews had of John as if he had been the Messias To meet with this He was not that light saith the Evangelist here This conceit of theirs ye shall find Luk. 3. 15. As the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or no. Now to meet with this and to clear it saith the Evangelist here He was not that light He was a light indeed but not that light He was as Christ himself saith a burning and a shining light he said so of John the Baptist Joh. 5. 35. He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light There may be a Candle that is not lighted a Candle may be lighted and burn and yet give but a small light But here John was a burning light and a shining light too Therefore the greater wonder perhaps why it is said here He was not
it was the first so it is the most Excellent of the visible Creatures and putteth an excellency into other things What is it that maketh pretious stones and Jewells of so much value but because Christ the true light they are so light-some above other things The Sun Moon and Stars differ one from another in glory but all are glorious because all Lightsome Therefore light is fit to set forth Christ by who is Excellently super-Eminent He delighteth to compare himself to such things as to the Sun to the bright Morning-star to pretious stones and is often called the Light in scripture Only in this place there is an Epithite given to the Light That is The true Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The true Light in four respects First because Undeceiving Light Secondly because Reall Thirdly because Underived Fourthly because Supereminent First The true light because undeceiving in opposition 1. The undeceiving Light in opposition to false light to false and deceitfull In that sense ye find the word used by Joseph's brethren when they came into Egypt and were taken for spies Gen. 42. 11. Joseph had said ye are spies to see the nakednesse of the Land ye are come No say they we are all one Man's sons we are true men thy servants are no spies True in opposition to deceitfull So Christ is called the true light in opposition to all the false lights of the Gentiles They had their Idols and Balaams And so all naturall men to this day have their Lights but they be false ones The naturall man's light is the Ignis fatuus It is lightsome indeed but he that followeth the light of it is lead into ditches and boggs such is false light which the Creatures afford it leadeth to sorrow Man may hope for cheering but he shall lye down in sorrow for all that Isaiah 5. ult Behold all ye that kindle a fire and compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire but ye shall lye down in sorrow because these are deceitfull lights But Christ is the true Light because whosoever followeth him is lead to everlasting happinesse Joh. 8. 12. I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of Life Secondly True light because a Reall light True in 2. Reall in opposition to Ceremoniall types and shadowes opposition to Ceremoniall types and shadowes As true that is undeceiving in opposition to the false light of the Gentiles So true that is reall in opposition to the Ceremonies of the Jews So it is opposed to Ceremonies 1 Joh. 17. The law came by Moses grace and truth by Jesus Christ Where it is commonly thought that Grace is opposed to the Morall Law and Truth to the Ceremoniall The Jews had their light much light shined in Ceremonies and Types of old But Christ was the true light because he was the Substance of all these Col. 2. 17. which are all shadows of things to come but the body is Christ Thirdly The true light because underived True is 3. Underived in opposition to borrowed c. sometimes opposed to Borrowed Communicated Participated from another Thus Christ is called The true God and so God The true God in opposition not onely to Idols that have no Deity in them but to Magistrates who are called gods by derivation of their Authority from another 1 Joh 5. 20. We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God but Magistrates they are gods but gods by derivation and so not true gods But Jesus Christ is the true light in this respect because he borroweth not his light Some of authority they say are light Ye are the light of the world Joh. 5. Ephes 5. Ye were darknesse but now are ye light How Light in the Lord. Christ hath light in him You are a borrowed light he is an underived light and so The true light Fourthly True because super-eminently true in opposition 4. Super-eminently true in opposition to Common and Ordinary to ordinary and common So he saith Joh. 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly meat and my blood is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly drink that is not ordinary not common but super-eminently meat and drink Joh. 15. 1. I am the true Vine not an ordinary common Vine but a super-eminent one because his Blood is more cherishing than Wine And so The true Light a super-eminent light more excellent than the naturall light in many respects If the naturall light be cheering why Christ is so much more light refresheth the eye Christ refresheth the soul more abundantly Doth the naturall light penetrate and search into the most secret corners Christ doth more search into the heart and spirits of men to discover what is hidden there The hidden things of darknesse are made manifest by light The hidden things of God are manifested by Christ even the great mysteries of the Gospel Is the light of the Sun able to shine upon dunghills and not receive defilement from them Christ doth so much more He searcheth into filthy hearts and receiveth no defilement from them Therefore the true Light because not ordinary What shall we learn from hence Why to make out after Christ and that upon this ground because he is the true light Who is there that is not desirous of light Truly saith Solomon Eccles 11. 17. the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for men to behold the Sun Christ is light true light Christ is sweet truly sweet A pleasant thing it is for men to lay hold upon the Sun of righteousness no true pleasure can be had any where else If we find a dark room in a house we say This is a melancholly room It is the saddest condition in the world for The saddest misery to lose our Communion with Christ Exod. 10. 21 22. Act. 27. 20. men to want this light nothing is worth the grieving for in comparison of this being out of Christ or having lost fellowship with Christ A sad condition it was for the Egyptians to be three daies in a palpable darkness and for Paul and his fellowes to be diverse daies and nights without the light of the Sun and Moon and Stars What is it for men and women to continue for many years without God and Christ in the World Suppose a room were never so full of the most curious Pictures if there be not windowes to let in light the Pictures lose their lustre So let men have beauty strength and never so good parts all these without the light of Christ in their souls are neither beautifull nor lovely nor of any worth at all Ye should therefore learn to thank God for this great Gift that he hath bestowed his Son upon us that
would have their voices to resound will make choice of Rocky places which send forth the best Eccho This Rock the Lord Jesus Christ is he that maketh our prayers to return with a blessing into our own bosoms You shall have many men that go to devotion and leave Christ behind them What a poor devotion is here The spirit of prayer is alwaies accompanied with Evangelicall humility with a mourning that floweth from our looking to Christ I know there is a great deal of legall sorrow in formall professors Men may go blubbering to hell without true repentance But here is a mourning that floweth from a looking up to Christ Where there is a spirit of Adoption men will speak from feeling which floweth from the apprehension of Christ and the certainty of God's grace in him Now this spirit of Adoption argueth Sonship But then commeth in the poor weak Believer and saith Object I am undone The other plead for themselves without a cause and he pleadeth as much against himself without a cause I cannot find such enlargement in prayer Surely the Spirit of Adoption is not in me if it were I should cry Abba Father with more importunity All Believers are not alike gifted there may be a gift of Answ prayer where there is not a spirit of prayer and a spirit of prayer where there are but poor gifts Haply thou canst onely chatter with Hezekiah like a Crane and Swallow yet consider whilst thou canst not speak there are two Spokes-men for thee the consideration whereof may render A Believer hath two Spokesmen to stand for him thee confident of success even in thy devotions how weak soever they be The lispings and stammerings of a child God liketh better then all the Oratory in the world The Spirit of God is in thee and the Blood of Christ is for thee The Spirit and We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession in us And God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit and heareth the least whispers of his own Spirit in the soul of a poor Believer And then The Blood of Christ that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel the Blood of of Christ As Christ saith of himself it may be said of this Blood Father I know thou hearest me alwaies But I pass now from matter of Triall and I come now to matter of Exhortation All Dignity ye Use 2 know calleth for Duty Such as are partakers of this Priviledge To exhort to Duties of being the children of God they are obliged to certain Duties that flow from hence First Obedience The sons of Jonadab they were obedient 1. To Obedience to the commandment of their father Jer. 35. I set before the sons of the family of the Rechabites pots ful of wine and cups and I said unto them Drink wine But they said We must drink no wine for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father hath forbid us saying Drink no wine you nor your sons for ever Neither build houses nor sow seed nor plant ye vineyards but dwell in tents all your daies that ye may live all your daies upon the face of the earth where ye are inhabitants So we have hearkned to the voyce of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he commanded us So we drank no wine all our daies we nor our wives nor our sons nor our daughters When God hath said Drink not of the world's cup taste not of the world's dainties lest you surfeit on them it becommeth an obedint child to say My Father hath commanded me I dare not drink when he is tempted to the enjoyment of any unlawfull pleasures Mal. 3. 17. Ye read there of a son that serveth Indeed the best service God hath done him is by his sons all other services are little worth in comparison I will spare him as a man spareth his own son that serveth him The son goeth naturally and ingenuously about his father's work he doth it kindly much more kindly than a servant will that doth it onely for his wages Therefore of old they were wont to set their children to the work The chief work lay in husbandry We read of Rachel's keeping her father's sheep Gen 29. 6. and so of Jacob keeping his father in law's sheep Would we approve our selves children of God we must do the works of God Our Saviour beateth off the Pharisees from their plea upon this ground We are the children of Abraham say they If ye were saith Christ then would you do the works of Abraham Abraham believed in me No man can ever approve himself the child of God that doth not abound in the work of the Lord. The second Lesson is for Imitation Ephes 5. 1. Be ye 2. For Imitation followers of God as dear children It is naturall to children to imitate their parents look what the father doth the child is apt to learn the same If we be dear children we must be followers of God and walk in love as Christ hath loved us Blessed are the mercifull they shall be called the children of God Why Because that maketh it appear they follow God And so Be ye holy saith Peter 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Thirdly We should learn from hence this Lesson that is 3. Learn Dependency upon God of Dependency Children hang upon their parents so should we upon God if we will carry our selves as becommeth sons This Argument Christ useth Matth. 6. 22. Take no thought saying What shall we eat and drink and be cloathed with for your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things Leave the care of all these to your Father If ye were Orphans and had no father or if your father were not willing or not able to supply your wants then ye might be carefull but seeing you have an heavenly Father that knoweth all these things cast all your care upon him for He careth for you Doth not he tell us That he that provideth not for his owne family is the worst of Infidells Ye are of Gods family therefore be sure He will provide for you if ye trust Him Fourthly It teacheth us a lesson of Patience Hebr. 12. 4. It teacheth us to be patient 5. Forget not the exhortation which speaketh to you as Children My son despise not thou the Chastisements of the Lord For whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth Faint not under the correction of a Father and because it is from a Father that will lay on no more no longer than the Child standeth in need of it Herein that of our Saviour should be often in our thoughts Joh. 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Why every affliction that befalleth me is a Cup out of my Fathers hand and from Him I should
Faith and Love and Zeal The former are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter Charites the former gifts the latter graces in a strict sense Thirdly There is grace bestowed upon the whole Person that is Acceptation Ye may call the first Gracefulnesse 3. Upon the whole Person in the body the second Grace in the soul and the third Gracefulnesse in the person As when we say Such a one is gratious at the Court when he partaketh of the grace and favour of the King Now Christ was full of grace in all these senses First If ye speak of active grace giving grace there 1. A fulness of active grace in Christ was a fulnesse of that in Christ a fulnesse of good-will out of which flowed so many accommodations to the sons of men both for soul and body Therefore at his birth the Angels sung Good-will towards men Whether ye look to his words or to his deeds ye shall find him full of grace in this sense If to his words ye know what the Evangelist saith Luk. 4. 42. They all bare witnesse and wondred at the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth Gratious words It is prophecied of him and accordingly he made it good that he should not cry nor his voice be heard in the streets His cry should not be like that of Jonah in Niniveh Jon. 3. 4. a voice of destruction or of terrour but if he did cry it should be of mercy If any man thirst let him come and Isa 55. 1. drink If his voice be heard it is a voice of grace inviting sinners to come to him Ye that be heavy laden c. Grace Matth. 11. 24. in all his words And so grace in all his Actions He went about as the Scripture telleth us Act. 10. doing good And so ye know the Evangelicall History I do not think ye can give me an instance of any man that Christ sent away in the daies of his flesh that came to him for mercy without mercy He healed them all Luk. 9. 11. And the people when they knew it followed him and he received them and spake unto them of the kingdom of God and healed them that had need of healing So here is active grace in Christ Secondly If ye look to Passive grace to grace given 2. Fulnesse of Passive grace in Christ upon his Body first there was grace given that fell upon his body which certainly was of excellent frame full of beauty Therefore it is said Thou art fairer than the sons of men grace is poured upon thy lips Psal 45. 2. This is not spoken of the Divinity of Christ for in that respect he was fairer than the Angels but of his Humanity and so he was fairer than the children of men There was indeed a time wherein no beauty was to be seen in him but he speaketh of him then as upon the Crosse when the ploughers made long furrowes upon his back and digged deep holes in his sides as he was besmeared with blood so no beauty in him And secondly upon his Soul Secondly Passive grace upon his soul grace given to that Whatsoever Indowment was requisite to fit him for a Mediator that he had some understand by Grace all the perfections of the Will and by Truth all the perfections of the Understanding Surely nothing was wanting either in will or understandingâ— or affectionâ— that might render the soul of Christ fully gratious It is prophecied in Isaiah 11. 2. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him He spake before of a rod of Jesse and a branch growing out of his root So now What grace was upon his soul Why The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and the spirit of Wisdome and Understanding and of Counsell and Might and of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. Thirdly Grace given such as filleth up the whole person 3. Grace given filleth up the whole person grace of Acceptation In that sense it is said Luk. 2. 40. speaking of Christ The Child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdome and the grace of God was upon him that is the favour of God So he interpreteth it in the last verse of that Chapter Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and favour with God and men We needs must grant it to be so because Quod efficit tale magis est tale That which maketh another so is much more so it selfe Christ is he that procureth acceptation both of our persons and our services and therefore he himselfe is much more acceptable with God Our persons have no acceptation but through him We are said to be accepted through the beloved Ephes 1. 6. Our services have no acceptation but through him In that place of Peter we are a spirituall priest-hood 1 Pet. 2. 5 6. Offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ So as He himselfe is much more accepted Thus you see how he is full of grace Let us see now how Christ is likewise full of Truth Christ in the truth and the truth in Him The truth is said to be in Jesus and Jesus is said to be in the truth Truth is said to be in him Ephes 4. 21. If so be ye have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus He is said to be The truth John 14. 6. I am the way the Truth and the Life More distinctly Take truth in what notion you will it will appear Christ was full of truth Truth is sometimes opposed to Hypocrisie sometimes to Error sometimes to Lying sometimes to Shadowes Christ was full of truth in all these senses First If ye take Truth as opposed to Hypocrisie and as 1. Christ is full of Truth as opposed to Hypocrisie equipollent with sincerity not with the levened bread of malice but with the unlevened bread of sincerity and truth saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. So Christ was full of Truth sincere in all When he lifted up his eyes he lifted up his heart to God When he bowed his knee he bowed his soul When he opened his mouth he opened his heart to his hearers Therefore he is said to be girt about the loins with faithfulnesse and truth Righteousnesse and truth shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reins As the girdle girts a man in so sincerity and truth girt in all the actions and speeches of Jesus Christ Secondly If ye take Truth as it standeth in opposition 2. As opposed to Error to Error thus Christ was full of truth because all Treasures both of wisdome and knowledge being hid in him it was impossible for him to have any misapprehension He conceived rightly of all things and spake truly of all even his enemies being witnesses Hear what they say Matth. 20. 16. They sent out to him their Disciples with the Hâ—rodians saying Master we know thou art true and teachest the way of God in
Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us that is Conversed amongst men as a man And therefore that of Cajetan hath no validity in it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie on as well as in Act. 18. 11. He continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so our Translators well have it here Dwelt not in but amongst us Well then The word made flesh pitched his Tent upon earth and dwelt amongst men If ye will have it in a way of Observation that must be so Ye have the Emphasis of the originall words For the explication of this Three sorts of men were wont to dwell in Tents And the allusion here may be to all three Shepherds Sojourners Souldiers Shepherds First Isaiah 38. 12. Mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherd's Tent. Sojourners Secondly as the Israelites in the wildernesse they dwelt in Tents and in memory of that they after kept the feast of Tabernacles Psal 120. 5. Wee is me that I sojourn in Mesheck that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Souldiers Thirdly And David said to him Go home unto thine owne house But Vriah said to David Is the arke of Israel and Judah abiding in Tents And my Lord abiding in the open field And shall I go home to my house Now Christ was all these three a Shepherd a Sojourner and a Souldier and therefore is said to dwell in these three respects as in a Tabernacle First As the great and good Shepherd for both these 1. Christ the good Shepherd terms are given to him Joh 10. 11. I am the good shepherd saith he the good shepherd giveth his Life for his sheep That is a good shepherd indeed Other shepherds they provide food for their sheep but they cannot give them a fleece Christ provideth both food and fleece for his sheep And whereas other shepherds sell their sheep to the slaughter that they themselves may be maintained by them here is a shepherd slaughtered for his sheep I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his Life for the sheep Some other good shepherds may venture their life for their sheep As David run a hazard to venture his Life to rescue the sheep from the Lion But Christ did more than run a hazard for He gave his Life Then Christ dwelt in Tents as a Sojourner Ye have a 2. Christ a Sojourner distinction of Viatores and Comp chenso es amongst Divines They say that all the people of God in their Pilgrimage towards Heaven are Viatores and the Saints above in the state of Glory are Comprehensores in that they are at home now the Lord Jesus Christ he is both There is that difference between a Saint in Heaven and a Saint on this side Heaven Christ in the dayes of his flesh was at once a Traveller and a Comprehensor For he alwayes had the fruition of God in that respect he was a Comprehensor and yet in the 33 years of his abode in the flesh he was a Viator and a Traveller in the way therefore he is said to have drunk of the brook in the way He speaks of a sojourner as one going to and fro Joh. 16. 8. I came forth from the Father and am come into the World and again I leave the World and go to the Father Here is his Jistes as it were severall journies that Christ took in the dayes of his Pilgrimage as a Sojourner Thirdly He pitcht his Tents here amongst men as a 3. Christ a Souldier Souldier for indeed so he is Ever since the fall the World hath been divided into two parts all shall be united then but now the Devill goeth away with the greatest part as the Prince of this World and the Lord Jesus appeared on the other side as the Captain of our salvation Ye have him under that notion Hebr. 2. 10. It became him from whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Accordingly he appeared to Josuah Jos 5. 13. with a sword in his hand as the Captain of the Lord's hosts Therefore it is that when a man is excommunicated the Apostle's phrase is That he may be delivered up to Satan because he is now cast our of the visible Church and so deduced again unto Satan's government In all these respects ye see both as a Shepherd a Sojourner and a Souldier Christ is properly said to pitch his Tents amongst us which is the importance of the Greek word in the Text. I shall not passe this over without some Application Vse 1 The consideration of Christ's dwelling amongst us may be of use to let us see the Faithfullnesse of God for our Incouragement and the Condescention of Christ for our Imitation First The faithfullnesse of God for our incouragement 1. Gods faithfulness for our incouragement Be pleased to look into Exodus and Leviticus you shall find an old promise that God would come and dwell amongst his people It is said in Exodus 12. 43. I will dwell amongst the Children of Israel and will be their God It is said Leviticus 26. 12. I will walk amongst you and will be your God and ye shall be my people Now this promise is of the nature of diverse in the Scripture that have their graduall accomplishments and are fulfilled by piece-meal by degrees I will dwell amongst you saith God He promised then when the people of Israel were in the wildernesse The first fulfilling of this promise was when the Tabernacle was made in the wildernesse that was a Testimony of the presence of God A further fulfilling of this promise was when Solomon built the Temple 2 Chron. 6. 2. I have built an house and habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever But when Christ came in the flesh here was a farther fulfilling of that promise Then came He of whose Body the Tabernacle and Temple were but types Destroy this Temple saith he and I will build it up in three daies speaking of his body now here is the promise fulfilled in a remarkable way and yet there is to be a farther fulfilling of the same promise still That ye may see that God maketh good the same promise many times diverse times over Revel 21. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God There is a farther state of happinesse yet to come wherein this promise is to be made good That God will dwell amongst men Secondly see the Condescension of Jesus Christ 2. Christ's Condescension to dwell amongst men though He was the delight of his Father from all Eternity Prov. 8. Yet to shew his delight to the sons of men he will come and dwell amongst them Prov. 8. 31. I