This it is which our Saviour meaneth in Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst So again Joh. 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shal never thirst that is he shal find a full satisfaction in me as that he shal not hunger and thirst after other things as somtimes he did his soul shal not run out inordinately after creature-comforts to seek for happinesse and contentment in them Thus doth the life of this new-creature carry with it in measure a conformity to the life of Jesus Christ after his Resurrection being as his was a spirituall life 2. An immortall life 2. And secondly an immortall life Thus was Christ raised never to die again And so is the Christian raised So the Apostle himselfe maketh out this Resemblance ver 9 10 11 12. of this Chapter Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him c Likewise reckon ye your selves also dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall bodies c. Christ being raised from the grave he returns no more to his old lodging to his former state He never came under the power and dominion of death again Even so the Believer being once raised up from the grave of sin he dieth no more Expresse to this purpose is that of our Saviour John 11.25 26. He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die This are we to understand not only of the second Resurrection as Arminians would have it who that they might decline the evidence of this Text make use of that subterfuge but also and most properly of the first Resurrection the raising up of the soul to a spirituall life Of such a life speaketh our Saviour in Joh. 5.25 The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they which hear it shall live Understand it not only of a corporall Resurrection as Grotius would have it in which sense yet it is true which is there said but of a spiritual Resurrection The Dead such as are spiritually dead dead in sin They shall hear the voice of the Son of God They shall hear Christ speaking to them in the Ministery of his word And they which hear this word hear it with faith They shall live live a spirituall life the life of grace here and glory hereafter And in a like sense are we to understand this passage in this 11th Chapter wherein our Saviour as Diodate observeth upon it according to his usuall custome taketh occasion from the corporall Resurrection before spoken of to instruct Martha in the doctrine of the spirituall Resurrection And speaking of this Resurrection he saith He that believeth on me though he were dead dead in trespasses and sins yet shall he live live a spirituall life And whosoever so liveth and believeth on me shall never die never die a spirituall death again never come under the power and dominion of sin again never totally fall from the grace which he hath received That incorruptible seed by which he is regenerated shal abide in him that Spirit of grace which he hath received shall maintain this spirituall life in him True indeed the body is still subject unto death but not so the soul If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 that is as Diodate and Beza and others expound it the body is yet subject to corporall death through the remainders of sin that are in all regenerate persons but The spirit is life even that little spark of the Spirit o grace that is still life unto the soul here and shall be both to soul and body hereafter through the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto them Their bodies they are daily decaying daily dying as Paul saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15.31 but not so their souls Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 And as for the second death that shall have no power over them Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death shal have no power Rev. 20.6 The second death is eternall death so expounded chap. 2. ver 8. And from this death are they freed who have their part in this first Resurrection The Believer an immortall creature O the blessed condition of a Believer The very day that he is raised up from the death of sin to the life of grace he is made an immortall creature That grace of God which bringeth this life bringeth immortality with it as the Apostle puts them together 2 Tim. 2.10 The believer dieth no more As for the death of nature it is not worth the name of death to him being only an entrance and passage into life and the poison and bitternesse of it being taken away As for those true and terrible deaths spirituall death the death of the soule eternall death the death both of soul and body these the believer is no more subject to Or though subject to them as in himself he is yet he shall be so kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation as he shall never actually come under the power of them He that will make a believer being once risen with Christ raised from the grave of sin subject to die again subject to fall away from the grace of God totally and finally and so to be brought under the power of the second death may as well make Christ subject to death after his Resurrection Christ being risen from the dead he dieth no more All the men and divels in the world could not drag him to the grave again being once risen from it The soul that is once risen with Christ quickned by his Spirit it is not all the power of hell that can bring it to the grave of sin again that can bring it under the power of a spirituall and eternall death Herein the Christian 's first Resurrection his soul-Resurrection answers the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ He is raised as Christ was in the generall to a new life in the particular to a spirituall to an immortall life Generall 2. The believer raised to the glory of God his Father And thus also is he raised as Christ was To the Glory of God the Fahter There is the second Generall Thus was Christ raised To the Glory of his Father and that both actively and passively Actively to the glorifying of him Thus was Christ raised 1. Actively to glorifie him Passively to be glorified with him 1. To glorifie him Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee So our Saviour begins his prayer John 17.1 This Jesus
Elies sonnes were a break-neck to their father 1 Sam. cap. 3 and 4. Sometimes upon the account of a voluntary relation Thus Sureties suffer for their Principals And upon the like threefold account Christ may be conceived to suffer for us Upon that threefold account Christ suffered for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propinquus Redimens Montanus Numb 58. Ruth 3.9 1 Upon the account of a naturall Relation Being our kinsman he is also our Redeemer So it was under the Law the next of kin was to redeem the inheritance Lev. 25.25 whence it was that one the same word Goel signifieth both a kinsman and a Redeemer Thus is Christ our Goel Isa 59.20 Being our kinsman he is also our Redeemer 2. Upon the account of a mystical Relation Thus as our head he suffers for his members As our King he suffers for his Subjects As a Husband he is responsall for the debts of his Wife 3. Upon the account of a voluntary Relation Thus as a Surety he suffers for those for whom he hath ingaged To let passe the other two It is the third and last of these that I shall take hold of Which we shal find sufficient to free this Act from all imputation of injustice What Christ herein did or suffered he did it freely and voluntarily as our Surety undertaking this satisfaction for our sakes Now we say volenti non fit injuria Where the person is willing withall there is no wrong done Amongst men what more ordinary then for the Surety to make satisfaction for that debt which he hath voluntarily ingaged for And who is there that chargeth that with injustice Alleg. True it may be said In pecuniarie Mony-matters as Debts and Fines it may be so But not so in Corporall punishment Especially for one to suffer death for another Whether one may lay down his life for another Ans To this it is answered that even in these cases it is no unusuall thing for some kind of Sureties as those whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as ingage Body for Body life for life to suffer death for others Instances thereof amongst all Nations are rife Valerius de Amicitia Cicero de offic lib. 3. That of Damon and Pithias is obious The one of them being condemned to death by the Tyrant Dionysius and desirous to visit his friends before he dyed the other ingageth for him tody in his room in case he returned not by the day appointed Which sheweth that such ingagements in those times were not unusuall So much is not obscurely insinuated in that of the Apostle Rom. 5.7 Peradventure for a good man some would even dare to dye This some have done and Heathens never made any scruple about the lawfulnesse the Justice of it And surely were it so that men were Lords of their lives as well as of their estates that they might as freely dispose of the one as of the other as Heathens apprehended they might then could there nothing be said against it This it is as Grotius Grotius de satisfact cap. 4. well notes which maketh the difference betwixt these two the laying down ones Money and his life for another The one a man hath a more absolute power and dominion over then the other over his money then over his life And upon that account he may ingage and alienate the one where he may not the other Were it so that a man had as much power over his life as over his money there could be no more question about laying down the one then the other Now this is it in the case we have now in hand This was Christ's priviledg He being an absolute Lord he had also power over himself over his own life Christ a Lord over his own life so as he might lay it down at his pleasure which others may not do This we may take from his own mouth John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life Power not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ability but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority Right This he had by concession and grant from God his Father who had given him power over all flesh John 17.2 And this he had in and from himselfe Being God he had power over himself as Man to dispose of his Manhood as pleased him Now the case being so that which is questionable in others is out of question in him He might do what he did ingage and lay down his life for others as a Surety in their stead 2. To this add what is very considerable His ingagement not of private but publick concernment that this engagement of his was not for one or yet a few but for many He gave his life a Ransome for many Matthew 20.28 Now however such a private engagement for one to lay down his life for another in an ordinary way may be looked upon as not warrantable not allowable Yet in a case of publick concernment to do it for a mans Country this hath ever been looked upon not onely as lawfull but laudable And so in the case of Hostages given in war where some particular persons ingage their lives for performances of promises and conditions agreed upon by the party which they ingage for This in all ages hath been and still is an ordinary practice and who ever questioned the lawfulnesse of it And Such a Surety was our Mediatour not in a private but in a publick way not for one or a few but for many Yea for a world So the Elect are called God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 that is the Elect world for no other are reconciled unto God but they For this world Christ laid down his life And that to free them from Eternall death Who can charge this Act with any imputation of injustice Thus have I vindicated this second Attribute also the Justice of God Now passe wee to the third Object 3 How can this stand with the Grace and Mercy of God his Grace towards us his Mercy towards his Son 1. How this standeth with Grace Allegat 1. For his Grace towards us This it is which is every where held forth and cryed up as that which hath the main stroake in the businesse of Mans Salvation By Grace ye are saved Eph. 2.8 The Grace of God which bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 Now how can this stand with satisfaction required and received Ans To this it is answered that were it so that this satisfaction were required and received from us now it were inconsistent with Grace But not so being received from another Gods grace and Christs satisfaction are no waies repugnant Gods Grace Christs satisfaction no waies repugnant The one doth not so much as cloude or darken the other Nay herein in putting our salvation upon this way the grace of God is gloriously exercised and manifested In no way so much So much will appear in diverse particulars Gods grace in
the State which he negotiates for And so doth Jesus Christ of all his Elect. For their sakes it was that he sanctified himselfe when he was upon Earth John 17.19 In all the services which here he undertook he had an eye unto them seeking their welfare more then his own And the like he doth now in Heaven He sitteth at the right hand of God as their Agents interceding for them This was shadowed out in the High Priest under the Law who when he went into the Holy Place there to appear before the Lord he had the Names of the twelve Tribes of Israel ingraven in stones first upon his Humerall then upon his Pectorall bearing them both upon his shoulders and upon his heart as you shall finde it Exod. 28.12 29. in both shewing that he entred into that place not onely or principally in his own behalfe but in the behalfe of the Tribes whom he represented and presented before the Lord to the end that they might be had in continuall remembrance with him as the 29th verse there explains it A lively Type of Christ's Intercession who being entred into the Heavens he there appeareth before God in the behalfe of his Elect whom he beareth as it were upon his shoulders and upon his Heart sustaining their persons and presenting their condition unto God his Father so causing them to be had in perpetuall memory And thus presenting them unto God he procureth their welfare by commending their estate and condition unto God Expressing his constant will and desire for their good that they may be delivered from evill that they may enjoy all the benefits whch he hath merited for them by his death And thus is he said most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intercede for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat Interpellationem quae fit cum postulatione Estius Com. in Heb. 7.25 viz. by making requests on their behalfe This saith Estius is the most proper signification of the word therein following Augustine with whom the Apostles Interpellare is the same with Postulare To Intercede is to make Request So our former Translation renders it in that place fore-named Rom. 8.34 Estius in Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 Who also maketh request for us This Jesus Christ doth though not vivâ voce Orally and vocally by word of mouth as the same Jesuit would willingly have it drawing in Thomas though without any just ground to be of the same mind with him yet really and effectually viz. by the presenting of his merit and expressing his will and desire on the behalfe of his people in such a way as is congruous and sutable to that glorified state Thus doth he intercede make requests for them thereby impetrating and obtaining for them such things as they stand in need of and he hath merited for them As viz. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paul speaketh of Phil. 1.19 a continuall supply of the Spirit whereby they are strengthened and assisted against all Tentations comforted in all Tribulations delivered from every evill work inabled to the performance of every duty and finally preserved unto his heavenly Kingdom All which are fruits of Christ's Intercession though merited by his death upon the Cross yet impetrated and obtained by his Intercession in Heaven And thus we see how Jesus Christ this our Mediatour appeareth before God on the behalfe of his people as an Agent conserving their Peace maintaining their Intercourse and Communion with God reconciling their emergent differences and procuring their welfare Secondly He appeareth before God as an Advocate 2 As an Advocate being So Saint John calleth him 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall A word generally and properly signifying any one that is invited and called in to the help and assistance of another That is also the proper meaning of the word Advocatus In Scripture we find it attributed sometimes to the Holy Ghost and sometimes to Christ To the Holy Ghost Then it is fitly rendred a Comforter So you find it Joh. 14.16 15.26 16.17 In this place and only this of St John it is attributed unto Christ and here it is most fitly rendred an Advocate An Advocate we know what he is One that is of counsel with another and pleadeth his cause in open Court at the Bar of Justice And such an Advocate is Jesus Christ unto his people 1. He is of Counsel with them 2 of Counsell with them That is one of the Titles given to him by the Prophet Isai Isai 9.6 Wounderfull Counsellour So Christ is to his people counselling them in the midst of all their straits and difficulties which he doth by his Word and Spirit 2. And as of Counsell with them so pleading for them 2 Pleading for them This he doth in the High Court of Heaven at the Bar of God's Justice In which respect he may be fitly said to appear for them Even as an Advocate appeareth for his Client and pleadeth his cause answering all Accusations and Allegations which are made against him vindicating his right So doth the Lord Jesus appearing before God he pleadeth the cause of his people answering what ever Accusations or Allegations are brought in against them by Satan or their own Consciences vindicating their right to Heaven and Eternall Life All which he doth by the continuall presentation of his Merit unto God his Father the Merit of his Death and Passion whereby he hath made a full satisfaction unto his Justice for all their sins This it is which pleadeth for them even the Blood of Christ which as the Authour to the Hebrews saith of it Heb. 12.24 Speaketh better things then the Blood of Abel Abel's blood pleaded against Cain crying for vengeance Gen. 4.10 But the Blood of Christ pleadeth for his Elect crying for mercy pardon for them even for all that shall believe on him For them the Blood of Christ speaketh a good word pleading the generall plea a Plenè satisfecit a full satisfaction made unto the Justice of God for them So as by this meanes they are freed from the Accusation and Condemnation of the Law wherunto otherwise every day by reason of their renewed transgressions they become obnoxious This is the ground of Paul's Triumph Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen who is he that condemneth c It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us This hee doth as an Advocate there pleading the cause of his Elect 3ly As he is an Advocate so also an Attourney 3. As an Attourny An Attourney wee know what in Law it means One that is authorized to appear for or to act in the name of another And such an Attourney is the Lord Jesus on the behalf of his elect people 1. Appearing before
terrible to nature much more the second But this grace of God in Christ in this Mediatour may support the soul against both This was Job's consolation Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth or as some others read it shall stand the last upon the ground like a Triumphant Conquerour which having vanquished all his enemies put them either to the sword or to flight keeps the field standeth his ground Thus shall the Lord Jesus at the last day having vanquished all his enemies put them all under his feet even the last enemy amongst the rest Death as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 15.25 26. then shall he stand upon the earth And what followeth Then though after my skin worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God Such was Job's hope and confidence in this his Mediatour his Redeemer that however death might for a time bring and keep him under the power of it not only consuming his skin but his flesh yet he should be raised again by his power and vertue at the last day and made partakers of a blessed and glorious Resurrection so that he should both in soul and body enjoy that beatificall vision the presence of his God for evermore This benefit shall all those have by this their Mediatour who are given to him He will be to them the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11 25. Resurrection to their Bodies and Life eternall Life both to Souls and Bodies So it there followeth He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die No living the life of grace here he shall live the life of glory hereafter Over such a one though the first death for a time may yet the second death shall never have any power This benefit shall all believers have by and through this their Mediatour to whom God the Father hath committed this dispensation that he should bestow eternall life upon them Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Joh. 17.2 6. Comfort against the last Judgement Sixthly and lastly Here is comfort against the terrors of that last and dreadful Judgment Such shall that day be when all men shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of what they have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil a dreadful Tribunall So the Apostle looked upon it 2 Cor. 5.10 where speaking of it he infers Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord c meaning the terrour of that day the last and universall Judgment which shal be a day full of terrours to all wicked ungodly men all misbelievers such as have rejected the yoak Government of Jesus Christ would not stand to the Covenant which he had made would not have Christ to reign over them Then shall the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Then shall they bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle thunders it out 2 Thessalonians 1.7 8 9. To them shall that day be a terrible day when they shall looke upon him whom they would not owne as their Mediatour and behold him sitting as a Judge to passe sentence upon them But so shall it not be to Beleevers those who have an interest in this blessed Mediatour let them know that his second appearing shall be to their salvation They being reconciled unto God by him here shall be saved by him there He will not undoe what he hath done Having satisfied for their sins and absolved them in the Court of their own consciences here he will then declare that satisfaction and publish that Absolution before the whole world Then shall they reape the full crop of those Benefits by this their Mediatour whereof they have here received only the first fruits Then shall the Lord Jesus perform the last Act of his Mediatorship on their behalf bringing them into the presence of God his Father presenting them faultlesse before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy as the Apostle hath it Jude 24. These are some of those streames of Consolation which flow from this spiritual Rock this our blessed Mediatour The third and last head of Application is yet behind which is Vse 3 Exhortation Let not this grace of God be in vain A word of Exhortation Take it briefly Let not this Grace of God bee in vain to any of us This is Pauls obtestation to his Corinthians 2. Cor. 1.6 We then as workers together with Christ beseech you also that ye receive not this Grace of God in vain What Grace Why the grace of the Gospel The grace of God in Jesus Christ in giving him to be a Mediatour Of this grace he had spoken in the close of the chapter foregoing God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himselfe verse 19. This he there holdeth forth as the summe and substance of all his preaching He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation And concerning this grace he beseecheth them that they should not receive it in vain And let me in the name of God presse the same upon every soul that heareth me this day You have heard of the grace of God manifested unto Mankind in giving his Son to be a Mediatour betwixt him and them O let not this Grace of God be in vain to any of you So it is and so it shall be to many This grace of God is in vain to them So it is to 1 Ignorant persons 1. So it is in the first place to Ignorant persons Such as live under the sound of the Gospel where they hear the name of a Mediatour rung in their ears but yet they regard not to know him to have any acquaintance with him to know who he was what he was what he hath done how and in what way he hath discharged this office of his Mediatorship 2. And secondly all persons openly profane Such as cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ 1. Profane persons such as refuse to come into the Bond of the Covenant refuse to stand to the Covenant which Jesus Christ as Mediatour hath drawn up betwixt God and man which on man's part requireth faith and obedience Evangelicall Obedience for the conditions of it This they reject saying in their hearts with those rebellious ones in the Psalm Psal 2.3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us As for such better they had never heard of the name of a Mediatour yea better for them there never had been a Mediatour This is and will be no small aggravation of their guilt that they should thus trample the Blood
entred those lists But there is a fatal yet Providential necessitie in it There must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.16 such is Satan's malice and Man's corruption that in an ordinary way it cannot be expected that God's Field should be free from these tares And such is Gods just and wise dispensation to permit it to be so knowing how to extract good out of evill And seeing it must be so there is a like necessity incumbent upon the Ministers of God servants of that great Husbandman that they should have John 15.1 1 Cor. 3.9 an eye to them that they do not over-grow the good corn Upon this account it is that I have as occasion hath been offered underta-that work which our great Apostle the Dr. of the Gentiles reckons amongst those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those good works 2 Tim. 3.17 unto which the man of God should be throughly furnished Applying my self sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Reproof Engl. new Annot ver 16. viz. of Errors and false Doctrines which the Verse foregoing reckoneth as one of those four Cardinal uses for which the Scripture is profitable yet so as I have ever mainly intended those other Ministeriall services there mentioned of Doctrine Correction Instruction in Righteousnesse And to that end I have made choice of such portions of Scripture as I apprehended properly usefull for those purposes Among other I have singled out and now through a divine manuduction almost passed thorow this Chapter wherof the Text is a part with that fore-going Rom. 5. 6. The one of which professedly handles the Doctrine of Justification the other of Sanctification two main Pillars in the House of the Lord not unlike those in the Temple of Dagon Judg. 19.26 whereon the whole building stands The sum of the later of these you meet with in the Text held forth under a familiar but apt and elegant Metaphor serving as a vehiculum to convey this divine Mystery into the soul with greater both facility perspicuity In prosecuting of this Allegory I have endeavoured to follow it home to the head yet so as not willing to do what in like cases too often done viz. to overdo by extorting that from the Metaphor which it would not genuinely and naturally yeeld My service which I have herein desired to do to God and his Church as I wish it may so I hope it shall be accepted of the Saints and of You in speciall over whom God hath made me though most unworthy an Overseeer To his grace and blessing I coÌ„mend it and you resting Yours in the service of Christ desirous to be found faithful JOHN BRINSLEY Yarmouth Sept. 8. 1651. An Alphabetical Table of the chiefe Points handled in this TREATISE A AArons Rod blossoming miraculous p. 26 Adoption a benefit flowing from mysticall Insition 37. Agonies in the Christians death to sin both before conversion and after 111 The least Agony in true conversion 116. Apostates to be suspected their condition dangerous 55. 240. Why men are called upon to Arise from the Dead 158. Augmentation a benefit flowing from union with Christ 51. Augmentation an evidence of Mysticall Implantation 54. B BArren Christians no true Mysticall Branches 74 The same body shall be raised again 181. 182 Bodies glorified spirituall Bodies 184. Mysticall Branches Beleevers 15. C CAll of God not to be put off 121 Cessation from sin evidencing true Mortification 137 Christ Mysticall 33. Communion Mysticall betwixt Christ and the Beleever 35 Conformity of Christians to Christ in his Death 90 Conformity of Christians to Christ in his Resurrection 146 In the first act of Conversion man a meer Patient 28 Conversion more then a morall swasion 158 D BEleevers Dead unto sin three wayes 125. 127 Death of Christ a violent death 99 Death of Christ a painfull death 108 Death of Christ a lingring death 118 Death unto sin a dying a continued act 121 Death unto sin what 126 Death of Christ the cause of the Christians death unto sin 130 Death unto sin how evidenced 135 E ETernall life a spirituall life 184 Eternal life a glorious life 186 F FAith without works dead 73 Christ a Foundation how 82 Fructification a benefit issuing from union with Christ 68. 72 Gospel Fruits good works 70 Fruitfulness an evidence of Mysticall Implantation 75 Fruitfulnesse in good works why requisite 76 Directions for Fruitfulnesse 78 Fulnesse of Christ the beleevers 40 G. GOspel preached the meanes of Mysticall Insition 24 Grafting naturall and mysticall unlike in three particulars 18 Grafting naturall and mysticall alike in ten particulars 22 Growth a property of all mysticall branches 52 Growth in grace to be endeavoured after 57 Growth in grace the honour of Christ and glory of Christianity 59 Growth in the Christian continuall ibid. Doubts about spirituall growth cleered 60 Hinderances of spirituall growth six 63 Means of growth 67 I. THe Christian an immortall creature 175 Insition mysticall what 13 Insition mysticrll how tryed 24 Joseph's brethren coming to him a pattern of the Christians coming to Christ 47 Judas never given to Christ as the other Apostles 85 Justification a benefit flowing from union with Christ 36 L. THe Law a Grafting knife 23 The beleever living and dying with Christ 12 No spiritual life out of Christ 25 The Christians life a new life in four particulars 165 Life of the Regenerate a spiritual life 171 An immortal life 173 Life of Saints in heaven spirituall glorious eternall 184 186 Beleevers live the life of Christ 209 Life of Christ after his Resurrection a pattern for Christians to live by 236 Lusts being dead alone what to do to them 102 Reprieving of lusts dangerous 107 M. MOrtification resembleth the death of Christ in five particulars 91 Mortification counterfeit discovered 93 Mortification a voluntary act 97 Mortification a violent death 100 Mortification a painful work 110 Mortification a lingring death 118 Mortification how the beleevers work 133 Mortification twofold Habituall Actuall 134 Mortification in what way to be sought and endeavoured 140 N Name of Christ put upon Christians 33. Nourishment beleevers receive from Christ 11. Christ perfect Nourishment to the beleever 44. Nourishment how conveyed to the soul from Christ 45. Nourishment to be drawn from Christ 47 Nutrition a benefit flowing from Vnion with Christ 43. O OLd age the unfittest time for the work of Regeneration 219. Old age renders conversion difficult and suspicious 220. Repentance in Olde age difficult to man not to God 224. P Pelagian doctrine confuted 29 Beleevers planted together in Christ 3 Beleevers planted together with Christ 5. Plantation mystycall by way of Adhesion and Insition 6. Mysticall Implantation how effected 16. â—â—â—ll Implantation the work of free grace 31. 〈◊〉 spiritvall Pride 7 Q 〈…〉 a Quickning spirit 200 〈…〉 discerned 202 R CHrist Raised to the glory of God his father how 176. Beleevers raised to the glory of God Actively and Passively 177 Resurrection Corporall and Spiritual 146
Christ's death The death of Christ being applied unto the soul by faith there issueth a vertue from him a mortifying vertue causing such a death unto sin in the believer Thus are they ingrafted in the likenesse of his death Q. but how then is this work attributed unto them How believers are said themselves to mortifie sin If it be wrought in them by a forreign power by a vertue flowing from Christ's death how then are they said to mortifie and crucifie sin Mortifie yee your members which are on the earth Col. 3.5 If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh Gal. 5.24 So that it seemeth there is some power in a man's self to effect this work Answ For answer hereunto They co-operate with grace received the Solution will be easie if we do but take notice who and what manner of persons they are of whom and to whom the Apostle there speaketh They were not meer carnall men men dead in sins but they were Christians such as he presumed to be already dead to sin as he saith of his Colossians Col. 3 3. such as were already made partakers of the grace and spirit of God now being such he speaketh of them and to them as men who through the assistance and inablement of the Spirit that grace received were inabled to do what he there speaketh of But so are not others Meer carnall men being destitute of the Spirit of Christ however they may out of morall Principles do somwhat to the restraining of sin yet to the mortifying of it they can do nothing No this is the work of that Spirit which worketh all the works of regenerate persons in them and for them Not that we are sufficient of our selves saith the Apostle to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Without mee or severed from mee yee can do nothing saith our Saviour to his Apostles John 15.5 nothing which belongeth to true Piety It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Mortification is a supernaturall work the work of an almighty Power wherein men are but Instruments the Spirit of Christ the principall Agent If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 A twofold Mortification 1 Habitual 2 Actuall For further Resolution I might yet minde you of an usefull Distinction There is a two-fold Mortification the one Habituall the other Practical The former habituall and inward consisting in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of it from and against all sin Now this is the immediate and onely work of the Spirit of grace breathing and working where it will The later is practicall or outward or rather actual mortification viz. the exercise or putting forth of that inward grace the acting of that principle in resisting of Temptations in suppressing and subduing bringing under and keeping under inordinate lusts watching against sinfull and inordinate acts Now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating working together with the Spirit of God as a Rational Instrument with the principal Agent acting out of that supernaturall principle of grace which he hath received so shewing forth the vertue of Christ even that vertue which is derived from the death of Christ So as still this Truth remaineth unshaken that Mortificatoin or this death unto sin is wrought in the Beleever by a vertue flowing from Christ and his Death as from the stock to the graft implanted in it And thus have I with as much brevity as might be passed thorow the Doctrinall part of these two Propositions That which remains is the Application wherein I will not be long Examine whether we be dead unto sin Applic. In the first place Every of us bring it home to our selves enquiring concerning this Conformity whether we be thus planted together with Christ in his death made thus conformable to him in his death or no Are we thus dead to sin or no It is a Question of high concernment Great are the things which depend upon this Qualification no less then life it self If we be dead with Christ wee shall also live with him so you have it in the 8th verse of this Chapt. This our dying to sin insures our resurrection to life eternall life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shal be also in the likness of his resurrection Every of us then enquire as concerning this Death whether we be made partakers of it whether we be thus dead unto sin or no Qu. But how shall we know it Answ Evidence of it A freedome from the service of it Here I shall not trouble you with many Evidences In the verse next but one after the Text ver 7. you shall meet with one which may serve in stead of many He that is dead saith the Apostle is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Mark it He that is dead to sin is freed from sin How freed from it Why not onely in respect of guilt justified from it as the Margin in our Translation readeth it according to the proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also in respect of service This it is which the Apostle there principally aims at as appeareth from the words foregoing where he tels us that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed Ver. 6. that henceforth we should not serve sin For he that is dead is freed from sin viz. from the service of it He ceaseth from sin so S. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that is he which is crucified with Christ dead with him for that is there meant by suffering in the flesh he hath ceased from sin How ceased from it What wholly from the committing of it Not so through infirmitie he falls into sin now and then aye but he doth not make a practice of it he doth not live in it as the verse following explains it He that is dead is freed from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh in this mortal life to the lusts of men Thus the mortified person ceaseth from sin though through the infirmity of the flesh he may fall into it yet he doth not live in it make a practice of it devote himself to the service of it so as to make it his businesse Now do we find such a cessation from sin in our selves Q. But may there not be a Cessation where there is no Mortification True cessation from sin is may there not be a cessation from sin where there is no mortification of sin A. Yes there may Let me therfore in a few words shew you what kind of cessation that must be which giveth evidence to the
How he being the Eternal Son of God drank the Cup of his Father's wrath and that for the sins of the World to the end that he might free and deliver sinners from sin not onely from the guilt but also from the power of it He died unto sin once as the Apostle speaketh in ver 10. of this Chapt for the expiating for the abolishing of sin And shall we live in that for which he died What were this but in as much as in us lyeth to make the death of Christ of none effect This Meditation being seriously wrought upon the heart wil be of speciall force to cause it to rise against sin What did sin cost the Lord of life so deer Was the nature of sin so heinous that nothing but the blood of the Son of God could expiate it Did sin cast him into such a bloody agony such a hell of sorrowes What was he made a curse for sin and shall we yet live in it Did he die for sin and shall not we die to it Suffer we this Mediation to sit upon our hearts untill it hath made an impression upon them 2. By way of Application 2. To Meditation joyn Application Generalities do not affect And therefore bring we this generall truth home to our selves by a particular Application Thus Christ died for the sins of the world and for my sins Who gave himselfe for our sins Gal. 1.4 that he might deliver us from this present evill world Who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2.20 Thus bring we home the death of Jesus Christ by faith Applying first the merit of it unto our selves By the eye of faith behold we all our sins fastned to the Crosse of Jesus Christ and our selves discharged from the guilt of them by that plenary satisfaction imputed unto us through faith Then hang upon the Crosse of Christ by faith sucking vertue from it as the Graft sucketh juice from the Stock wherein it is engrafted so suck we vertue from Christ and his death for the mortifying of sin by faith depending upon him for a continued influence of his grace and Spirit that so he may work that in us which he hath merited from us freeing us from the power as well as for the guilt of sin 3. By way of Imitation 3. To Application in the third place now add Imitation which now cometh in the right place We have seen how Christ died what kind of death his was His death was a true death a voluntary death a violent death a painfull death a lingring death Propound we this as a pattern for our Imitation writing after this Copie indeavouring to find the like death in our selves in respect of sin A true death a true separation of our souls from the body of sin A voluntary death that we may willingly die unto sin in obedience to the Will and Command of our heavenly Father A violent death that we mortifie sin whilest it might yet live A painfull death that we affect and afflict our own hearts with godly sorrow for those sins whereby we have offended so gracious a God A lingring death that we die daily every day indeavouring to weaken the body of sin more and more So dying we shall live live the life of Grace here and Glory hereafter So much the later part of the Text assures us to which I now come If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death We shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection The second Part of the Text. Here have we the second Part of the Text and therein the Apostles Position or Inference deduced from and built upon his former Supposition If we have been c we shall be also c. The words explained Vide Bezam Gr. Annot. We shall be also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall which the Vulgar Latine by a small mistake as may be supposed reading for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renders Simul etiam Together also but more properly Erasmus and after him Beza Nimirùm etiam Even so so also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall be in the likenesse of his Resurrection In the Originall the sentence is Elleipticall and imperfect the words running thus We shall be of his Resurrection Now what word or words shall be called in for the making up this defect and completing of the sense is a question Erasmus supplies it by Participes erimus Even so we shall be partakers of his Resurrection that is we shall be in the number of those to whom the Resurrection of Christ the benefit thereof doth appertain But as Beza notes upon it the Phrase in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of his Resurrection will hardly admit that sense Others more fitly make up the defect by calling in those words in the former part of the verse the Antecedent part of the Proposition which are to be repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in common viz. We shall be planted together in the likenesse If we be planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also planted together in the likenesse of his resurrection The like defective expression as Beza parallels it we meet with John 5.36 I have a Testimony saith our Saviour greater then of John So the Originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 majus Johannis greater then of John viz. then that Testimony of John So here If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death even so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall be also planted together in the likenesse of his Resurrection The words being thus rendred and opened they hold forth unto us two main Doctrinall Propositions answerable to those in the former part 1. Two Doctrinall Propositions That all true believers being made conformable to Christ in his death they shall be also in his Resurrection 2. This their conformity with Christ in his Resurrection is wrought in them by a vertue flowing from Christ and his Resurrection Thus is it betwixt the Graft and the Stock The Graft being dead with the Stock seeming so to be in the winter it reviveth with it in the Spring After the Winters death it partakes of the Springs Resurrection And this it obtains by a vertue issuing from the Stock transfusing sap and juice into it Even thus is it betwixt Christ and the believer The beleiever being dead with Christ here dead to sin as he died for sin he shall be raised with him Being conformed to him in his death he shall be also in his Resurrection And that by a vertue flowing from him and his Resurrection Both comprehended under this phrase of being engrafted in the likenesse of his Resurrection I shall insist upon them severally Begin with the former Believers being made conformable to Christ in his death Proposit 1. Believers conformable to Christ in his Resurrection they shall be also in his Resurrection Being engrafted in
of our Saviour Mat. 22.30 In the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Not standing in need of any natural much lesse carnal comforts or contentments such as the flesh was here delighted in In which respect also the body may be said then to be a spiritual body in as much as it shall then be freed from all carnal desires being wholly subject to and ruled by the Spirit Thus shall Believers be raised to a spirituall life 3. A glorious life 3. And that in the third place a glorious life Such was the life of Jesus Christ to which he was raised A Praeludium whereof he shewed unto some of his Disciples in that his Transfiguration upon the Mount Mat. 17.2 He was transfigured before them saith the Text and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment white was as the light A dark Representation of that transcendent light of glory whereinto he was to enter and whereof he was to be swallowed up after his Resurrection Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory saith he to his Disciples Luke 24.26 This he did upon his Ascension into heaven From thenceforth he enjoyed a glorious life even his body being made a glorious body as the Apostle calls it Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body of glory Such was his Resurrection And herein shall the Believer's Resurrection answer his It shall be a Resurrection unto Glory It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory saith the Apostle of the body of a believer 1 Cor. 15.43 To which that of the same Apostle answers Phil. 3. last He shall change our vile bodie that it may be like unto his glorious body The bodies of God's Saints whilest they live are vile bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodies of abasement vilenesse as the Originall there hath it subject to manifold infirmities diseases some of which are so loathsome as may well denominate them vile bodies much more when they are dead The soul being departed which was as salt to them whilest it dwelt in them now they become putrifying stinking carcasses fit for nothing but to be removed out of sight Thus are they sown in dishonour buried out of sight that they may not be noisome and offensive to the living But they shall be raised in glory glorious bodies made in their measure conformable to the glorious body of Jesus Christ partaking with him in the same glory the same for kind though not for degree A representation hereof we see in Moses who having been with God for a time in the Mount he came down with his face shining Exod. 34.30 Behold the skin of his face shone By the reflex of the divine Glory which he there beheld his face became glorious as the Greek there translates it and the Apostle alledgeth it 2 Cor. 3.7 Even so shall the bodies of God's Saints when they shall come to stand in the presence of their glorified Saviour beholding his glory which they shall do Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me John 17.24 they shall be transformed into it We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him saith Saint John for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 Like him in glory When Christ who is our life shal appear then shal we also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 4. An Eternal life 4. Lastly This life being a glorious life it shall also be an eternall life Such was the life of Jesus Christ as I shewed you Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more And such shall the Resurrection of all that are Christs be This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 As the death of the wicked to which they shall be raised shall be eternall Their worm dieth not and their fire goeth not out Mar. 9.44 So shall the life of the righteous These shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Mat. 25. last In this respect also they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto or equall to the Angels Luke 20.35 36. They which shal be accounted worthy to obtain this world and the Resurrection from the dead viz. this Resurrection of life They neither marry nor are given in marriage there is no need of generation in heaven where there is no corruption neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the children of God being the children of the Resurrection viz. of this blessed Resurrection the Resurrection of the just which carrieth with it a resemblance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ And thus I have dispatched the Doctrinal Part of this first Proposition here held forth unto us viz. That Believers are and shall be made conformable to Christ in his Resurrection They are so here in their first they shall be hereafter in the second Resurrection And this Conformity of theirs floweth from Christ and his resurrection Propos 2. This Conformity floweth from Christ and his Resurrection There is the secon Proposition which I shall dispatch with all possible brevity and so come to the Application of both together The Beleevers conformity to Christ in his resurrection floweth from Christ and his resurrection So much is insinuated in the phrase in the Text as I shewed you To be Ingrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his resurrection is to be made partaker of such a resurrection as resembles his and that by a vertue flowing from him and his resurrection Thus doth the Graft revive with the Stock in the Spring time and that by a vertue which it receiveth from the Stock And thus is the Christian raised by a vertue flowing from Christ into whom hee is ingraffed Christ himself being the principal Efficient cause of this resurrection That he is so wee shall need no other testimony then that of his own John 11.25 Christ the principal Efficient of this resurrection in the believer I am the Resurrection and the Life that is the author and worker of the resurrection so he is both of the first and second resurrection The Author both of spirituall and eternall life to the Beleever In him was life saith St John speaking of Christ Joh. 1.4 It was so and is so and that originally as water in the fountain Thus was natural life in the Father thus is spiritual and eternal life in the Son As the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to the Son to have life in himself John 5.26 God the Father being himself the originall and beginning of natural subsistencie and life in all the creatures be hath given to his Son Christ as Mediator that he should be the Author of spirituall and eternal life to all that are given to
him to all his Elect quickning whom he pleaseth As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom hee will so you have it ver 21. of that 5th chap. And hence is it that he is called a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ being the Head and Stock of all his Elect is appointed by God to be the author and procurer and conveyer of spirituall and eternall life to all his off-spring by the communication of his spirit to them which both restoreth life unto the dead and preserveth it in them perpetually Neither of which the first Adam could do He indeed lived a naturall life himself and did in a naturall way by way of propagation convey a naturall life to his Posterity but he could not preserve that life much lesse restore it to himself or them He was onely a living soul But Christ is a quickning spirit quickning dead souls and quickning dead bodies the Author both of the first and second resurrection Christ the author of the first Resurrection 1. Of the first resurrection the resurrection of the Soul This beleevers obtain from by and through Jesus Christ So much our Apostle willeth them to take notice of and acknowledg ver 11 of this Rom. 6. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That beleevers are alive unto God that they live a spirituall life this they owe unto Jesus Christ and are to attribute to him as being the root of their life So much the phrase in the Originall there imports which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Jesus Christ Even as the Graft liveth in the Stock so is the beleever alive unto God in Jesus Christ receiving from him that vertue whereby this life is begun maintained perfected in him This it is to be quickned with Christ Col. 2.13 and to be risen with Christ Col. 3.1 viz. not onely to be quickned and raised as Christ was but to be quickned and raised by a power and vertue flowing from him and his resurrection This is that vertue which Paul so earnestly desired to be made partaker of Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that power and vertue whereby Christ himself was raised from the dead or a power and vertue flowing from his resurrection working the like effect in himself in raising him to the life of grace here and glory hereafter This spiritual life is the fruit of Christs resurrection so may we understand that place of the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1.4 where he saith of beleevers that They are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ So they are not onely in respect of assurance of their Resurrection unto eternal life whereof the Resurrection of Christ is the pledge but also in regard of their New-birth it self which is a fruit of Christ's Resurrection wrought in them by a vertue flowing from Christ being risen from the dead Of the second Resurrection 2. And as their first so their second Resurrection Hereof the Resurrection of Christ is not only the Pattern and Pledge but also the Cause So the Apostle sets it forth 1 Cor. 15.21 Since by man came death by man also came the Resurrection of the dead Adam being the Head and Root of all mankind he transmitted his sin and death unto all his Off-spring all that were in him when he so sinned and died Even so Christ the Head and Root of all his Elect he communicates his righteousnesse and life to all that are in him This he merited for them by his death and this he applieth and conveyeth to them through his Resurrection As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive so the Apostle goeth on ver 22. All viz. that are in Christ As for others it is true they shall be raised again and that by Christ viz. by the power of Christ as a Judge The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shal hear his voice and shal come forth John 5.28 29. But those which are Christs shall all be raised up in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being in him they shall be raised up in him by a vertue flowing from him as from the Head to the members as from the root to the branches Hereby shall their dead bodies be quickned raised changed He shal change our vile body saith the Apostle Phil. 3. last This is the work of Jesus Christ which he shall effect According to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that efficacious working of a mighty power A power not unlike that which the story tells us went forth from him upon the womans touching his garment Mark 5.30 Jesus knowing that vertue had gone out of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an Adventitious vertue such as God was pleased to put forth at the request of his Prophets but it was a power residing in Christ and so issuing from him in an efficacious way for the healing of her infirmity Even such a power such a vertue shall go forth from Jesus Christ at the last day for the quickning and raising up all those who have here touched him by a true and lively faith Such as are buried with him shall be raised up by him Even as the story tels us of that dead man who was cast into the Prophet Elisha's Sepulchre 2 King 13.21 upon the touch of his bones he revived and stood upon his feet Even so shall all those who are here buried with Christ by mortification they shall be raised up unto a spiritual life here and to an eternal life hereafter and all this by a vertue flowing from him Being engrafted in the likenesse of his death they shal be also in the likenesse of his resurrection And thus I passed through the Doctrinal Part of these two Propositions or Conclusions The Practical Part is yet behind wherein I shall desire you to go along with me with your best attentions lending me not onely your ears but your hearts Applic. Enquire whether we be made partakers of this Resurrection Vse 1. What hath been spoken in the first place I shall bring it home by way of Enquiry We have heard what ones all true believers all that have union with Jesus Christ all that are truely engrafted into him are How they are made conformable to him as in his death so in his resurrection As in the one by mortification dying unto sin so in the other by vivification rising to newnesse of life Now every of us put the question to our selves Numnam ego talis Am I such a one Am I thus engrafted with Christ in the
incitement to all kindes of publick prayer I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made But for whom should they be made why generally for All men i. e. All sorts and conditions of men For so must we understand that universall Particle Particula universalis semper ad hominum genera referri debet non ad personas Calv. ad Textum both there and where else we meet with it in this chapter as Calvin noteth it upon this text as relating not unto all particular individuall persons for there are some for whom Christ would not pray I pray not for the world Joh. 17.9 viz. the Reprobate world that mundus damnandorum as Augustine calleth it such as in Gods eternall purpose and decree were passed by and ordained to just condemnation for sin And there are some for whom Christians may not pray viz. Malicious apostates such as have sinned that sin unto death the sin against the Holy Ghost 1 John 5.16 I do not say saith Saint John that a man should pray for it pray for pardon for any that have committed that sin which in it self is irremissable unpardonable but to the severall species the severall kinds and conditions of men not only Jews but Gentiles not only Christians but Infidels not onely friends but enemies Thus in generall Pray for all men More particularly for Publick persons Magistrates Rulers So it followeth For Kings and all that are in Authority Magistrates whether supreme or subordinate All that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eminent place the Higher Powers Rom. 13.1 as the Apostle elsewhere calleth them Such must be remembred by Timothy and others and that in the first place But how so what were not the Magistrates and Rulers of those times generally if not universally professed Enemies to the Truth and Church of God persecutors of the Saints True such they were And in that regard possibly some might make it a question whether they ought to be prayed for or rather prayed against To take off that scruple and to set on the general duty the Apostle subjoyns three or four Arguments or Reasons in the verses following 1. The first whereof peculiarly concerneth them And it is fetched from that Head which swaieth most with Flesh and Blood ab utili from the profit and advantage that might accrue from this Duty In so doing Timothy and others might reap no small benefit By this means through the blessing of God upon the government of superiors they might injoy a Civil peace That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty ver 2. 2. But however in the 2d place in praying for them and others they should performe a service acceptable unto God For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ver 3. 3. A 3d Argument is taken from Gods gracious purpose revealed in the Gospel which extendeth it selfe indefinitely and indifferently to all sorts of persons Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth ver 4. 4. A 4th and last being near a kin to the former is taken from that common Interest which all sorts of persons have or may have in the same God and in the same Christ For there is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men the Man Christ Jesus One God both to Jews and Gentiles Is hee the God of the Jews only saith the Apostle Rom. 3.29 Is he not also of the Gentiles Rom. 3.29 30. Yea of the Gentiles also It is one God that justifeth the Circumcision the Jews by faith and the Vncircumcision the Gentiles through faith And as one God so one Mediatour As one God the Creatour and Father of all so one Lord Jesus Christ by and through whom all may have access unto that God And thus have I brought you to the words of the Text. Out of which I shall onely single forth the later clause A clause which holdeth forth unto us that great Gospel-foundation upon which the whole work of mans salvation resteth the very summe and substance of all Christian Religion There is one Mediatour betwixt God and men the Man Christ Jesus General Proposition For the better handling of which Proposition that I may not graspe too much at once I shall divide it and draw it forth into two 1. Jesus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and men 2. He is the one and only Mediatour Divided into two Doctrines In the former we have the generall office of Christ he is a Mediatour In the later we have the peculiar Appropriation of this office unto him with an Exclusion of all others from having any share in it He is the one and Only Mediatour Upon these two I shall insist severally craving your best Attentions to go along with me this being a subject of high consequence and concernment Begin with the former Doct. 1. Jesus Christ is Mediatour betwixt God and men Confirmat Jesus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and men So we find him elsewhere stiled Gal. 3.19 The Apostle speaking of the Law given upon Mount Sinai he saith it was ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour Who was that Mediatour Moses says some whom God made use of as an Internuncius an Agent or Interpreter between him and his people Vide Bezam Gr. Annot. So Beza earnestly contends that the word there must be understood Ex Graecis Chrysostomus Theophilactus Occumenius Ex Latinis Ambrosius Augustinus Hieronimus Primasius citati per Cl. Espencaeum de Mediatore Cap. 4. giving diverse Reasons for it Others amongst whom judicious Calvin is one understand it of Christ of whom Moses was a figure Moses was a Typicall Christ is the true Mediatour More clearly and expresly in that Epistle to the Hebrews the Authour speaking of Christ he calleth him the Mediatour of a better Covenant Chapt. 8.6 id est the new Covenant So he else-where explaines it The Mediatour of the new Testament Chap. 9.15 Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant Chap. 12.24 Not to spend time in exhorting or confirming a granted truth Our main businesse will lie in Explication Illustration Application Explicat By way of Explication we shall look first upon the Word then upon the Thing 1. Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. For the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original A word which Erasmus looketh upon as peculiar to the sacred Scriptures not to be found amongst profane Authours In the translating of it I find some slight difference Tertullian sometimes and after him Catellio renders it Sequester an Vmpire or Arbitratour one that standeth indifferently disposed betwixt two parties Others Interventor Internuncius one that cometh betwixt two parties as an Agent a Messenger Others Interpres an Interpreter one that imparts the mind of one to another Others Intercessor one that intercedes steppeth in betwixt two
and of signification The Vulger Latine renders it Redemptionem Redemption Beza Redemptionis precium a price of Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vicissim datum Redemptionis precium Scapul◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est tale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo Liberator simile quiddam subit ei malo quod ei imminebat qui liberatur Grot. de Satisfact c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat propriè precium quo redimuntur captivi ab hostibus eámque commutationem quâ capite caput vita redimitur vitâ Leigh Critic ex Hyperio ad loc But neither of them fully expressing the force of the word which properly signifieth a Counterprice When one doth or undergoeth in the room of another that which hee should have done in his own person As when one yeilds himself a Captive for the redeeming of another out of Captivity or giveth his owne life for the saving of anothers Such Sureties amongst the Greeks were commonly and properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as gave Life for life Bodie for Bodie And in this sense saith our Apostle here of this our Mediator that he gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransome a Counterprice Paying a price for his people Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle to his Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.20 and 7.23 So are all beleevers they are bought They are Gods Redeemed ones Isa 51.11 And who bought who redeemed them That did Jesus Christ Denying the Lord that bought them saith Saint Peter speaking of those Apostates who professed that they were redeemed by Christ 2 Peter 2.1 And how hath he bought them Why by paying a price for them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price of Redemption And what price was this why his own blood Yee are redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ saith Saint Peter 1 Peter 1.18 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Rev. 5.9 In whom we have Redemption through his blood Eph. 1.7 id est his death and passion which was the principall piece of his obedience This was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Saviour himselfe calleth it that price of Redemption which he gave for his Elect. The Sonne of Man came to give his life a Ransome for many Mat. 20.28 A Ransome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptorium a price of Redemption that by his death he might free and deliver them from death And thus saith our Apostle here in this verse after the Text that Christ gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Counterprice a Ransome submitting himselfe to the like punishment that his redeemed ones should have undergone So the Apostle fully expresseth it Galat. 3.13 Which place we may well look upon as a Periphrasis an Exposition of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewing us how Christ is said to have given himselfe a Ransome for us Christ saith he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Subjecting himself to that same curse of the Law under which all mankind lay and that for the delivering his Elect from it To the same purpose are those other Texts which for substance speaketh the same thing John 6.51 Christ a true Suretie where Christ saith that he gave his flesh for the life of the world Titus 2.14 He gave himselfe for us that he might redeem us Thus was Jesus Christ a true Surety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that gave his life for the life of others as the Poet saith of Castor and Pollux Si fratrem Pollux alternâ morte redemit Virgil. Aeneid 6. that the one redeemed the others life with his own death So did the Lord Jesus this our Mediatour he became such a Surety for his Elect giving himselfe an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransome for them Alleg. Now The Socinian Doctrine Vide Grotium de satisfact cap. 1. cap. 8. how will the Adversary evade this why it is true saith Socinus This Christ hath done to deliver us from the punishment of sin But how not in way of satisfaction to God by procuring from him a discharge of our debt How then why only in reference to us that by this means we being induced to believe the truth of his Doctrine thus confirmed and sealed by his death and yeilding obedience unto God according to the pattern that he had set before us we might obtain Remission of sins and Eternall life which upon our repentance and new obedience God hath promised to give This is the summe as Grotius hath cast it up of what Socinus hath to say in this businesse Reply But how unsatisfactory is this Reply what is all this to the Texts alledged which assert a Redemption properly so called The death of Christ properly a Price affirming that we are bought bought with a price a Counter-price redeemed by a Ransome Now a Price a Ransome is somewhat that is tendred and given to the Deliverer for the redeemed not to the redeemed themselves And such was the death of Jesus Christ a Price and that properly so called So much may be collected from that place of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1.18 19. where he telleth the believers to whom he writes Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ So comparing one price with another silver and gold with the blood of Christ Now the former silver and gold given in way of Redemption is a true price and so is the later the Blood of Jesus Christ a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true and proper price of Redemption given unto God as a valuable consideration for the satisfaction of his Justice Away then with all those mysts or fogs which are or may be raised by any for the obscuring and darkning of this Truth of God which shineth so clearly through these emphaticall phrases and expressions of Scripture alledged as surely that eye must either be weak or wilful that doth not or will not see and acknowledge it Socinus propriè dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu precium definit id quod à detinente accipitur Vide Grot. de Satisf cap. 8. Alleg. As for that which Socinus alledgeth that a Price must be somewhat that is given to and received by one that setteth another free it is not worth the answering Reply For such was the death of Christ It was such a price as God the Father received accepted by way of satisfaction for those for whom it was tendred Accepted of God by way of satisfaction being contented with it As it was under tht Law what was there which any wayes accrued unto God from any of those Sacrifices what did he receive from them which might any wayes turn to his account in way of advantage Onely this was enough they were accepted of him as you have it Lev. 20.27 And so was it with this Sacrifice of the death of Christ which was prefigured
God interceding for his people in as much as there is one continually interceding against them even that Accuser of the Brethren of whom I made mention even now who accuseth them before God night and day Satan is a Lidger ever at hand to make Intercession against us Great need that Jesus Christ whose designe it is to dissolve and destroy the works of the Divell 1 John 3.8 should be a Lidger also ever at hand at the right hand of God his Father to make Intercession for us Such is Christ's Agency in Heaven a Continuall Intercession which should it cease but for a moment Millenaries confuted what should become of all his people here upon Earth Should Christ cease to appear in Heaven for us as he must do if he shall come and abide here upon earth for a thousand years together as some imagine for he cannot in his Humane Nature appear both in Heaven and Earth at the same time all that time Heaven must be without an Agent without an Intercessour Which of what consequence it would be let it be considerd by those who are wedded to that opinion To go on Christ performeth the offices of a Lidger Ambassador in Heaven for his people on earth Christ appeareth in the presence of God interceding for us as an Agent as a Lidger-Ambassadour And very fitly may he be so called in as much as he performeth the like offices for us in Heaven that a Lidger-Ambassadour doth for those whom he represents upon Earth Of those offices I might reckon up divers I shall only single out three or four of them and those of the most obvious ones The chiefe worke and service of a State-Agent or Lidger-Ambassadour is as I apprehend it 1. To continue Peace and Unity 2dly To maintain Intercourse and Correspondency 3dly To reconcile and compose Emergent Differences And 4thly To procure the welfare of the State which he negotiates for And all these doth Jesus Christ our Mediatour performe on the behalfe of those for whom he appeareth in Heaven 1. Maintaining their peace 1. He continueth their Peace This do Lidgers So long as they continue and keep residence in a Kingdom and appear as Agents in the presence of the Prince with whom they negotiate so long the Confederation the League standeth firm and sure Like benefit have all beleevers by Christs appearing in the presence of God for them Thereby the League and Covenant betwixt God and them is continued and their Peace maintained So much the Apostle insinuateth Ephes 2.14 where speaking of Christ he saith he is our Peace id est the Authour of it of our Peace with God and that as the Purchaser and procurer so the Maintainer of it The one by his Death the other by his Intercession To the same purpose is that of the same Apostle Rom. 5.1 where he saith that Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Christ sitting at the right hand of God his Father as God and Man he maintaineth the Union betwixt God and Man So long as Christ appeareth in heaven there shall be peace for all beleevers upon Earth 2. As he preserveth Peace so he maintaineth intercourse betwixt God and them 2 Maintaining intercourse betwixt God and them This doth a State Agent so long as he resides in a Kingdome and appeareth before the Prince he keepeth Trade and Traffick open and free Like benefit have beleevers upon the Earth by Christs residing and appearing in heaven Hereby they have Intercourse and Communion with God So the Apostle setteth it down Romans 5.2 By whom also we have accesse in to this grace wherein we stand So againe Ephes 2.18 By him we both Jewes and Gentiles have an accesse unto the Father And again Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldnesse or Liberty and Accesse with confidence by the faith of him In all which three places the word rendred Accesse is one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it properly signifieth a Manuduction or leading by the hand Alluding saith Estius to the Custome in Princes Courts where none may come into the Presence Chamber unlesse they be led and brought in by some Favorite or Courtier Thus none have accesse into the presence of God unlesse they be brought in by this Favorite of Heaven the Lord Jesus whose office it is to bring men unto God as S. Peter hath it 1. Pet. 3.18 where stil the word is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might lead or conduct us to God This benefit have all beleevers by and through Christ They have a free intercourse in Heaven so as they may come into the presence of God upon all occasions They come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 They have liberty or Boldnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus By that new and living way which he hath consecrated for them Hebrews 10.19 20. Hither may they come and that boldly Seeing then that we have an High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God c. Let us therfore come with boldnesse to the throne of Grace that we may obtaine Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4.14 16. Thus Jesus Christ appearing in the presence of God for us not only continueth our peace but maintaines our intercourse and Communion with God 3. And 3ly he reconcileth and taketh up Emergent differences 3 Taking up emergent differences Such differences frequently arise betwixt confederate Princes and States In which case the Agents interpose for the composing of them that so they may not tend to a breach of the League betwixt them And the like office doth Jesus Christ our Agent in Heaven performe for his people upon Earth They through weaknesse and infirmity are subject to manifold failings and Errours which render them obnoxious to Gods just displeasure Which if not looked to might tend to the breach of the Covenant betwixt him and them But here Jesus Christ interposeth making intercessions for the Transgressours as you have it in that place forealledged Isaiah 53. last This did the High-Priest under the Law as the Apostle informes us Heb. 9.7 He went into the second tabernacle the Holy of Holies once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the Errours of the people A type of Christ and his Intercession He being entred into the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens there presenting his blood the merit of his death unto God his Father he maketh Intercession for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Errours of his people Those sins which they are daily subject to fall into through the infirmity of the Flesh so taking up the difference which they make betwixt God and them so as they do not proceed to a Breach of Covenant Fourthly and lastly He procureth their welfare 4. Procuring their welfare So doth a faithfull Agent of the people of
this his imbracing Christ in the armes of his faith 1. Sustentation and Support Resemb 3. 1. Sustentation This benefit hath the Ivie from the Oake Though weak in it self not able to stand alone yet being joyned to the Oake now it stands sure bids defiance to all stormes and tempests As long as the Oak standeth that cannot fall The like benefit hath the christian from his Christ Though weak in himself not able to stand by himself not able to resist the least blast of Tentation yet being united unto Christ he is now supported in all estates borne up in all Conditions made able both to do and to suffer I am able to do all things saith this Apostle but how Through Christ that strengthneth mee Phil. 4 13. Here was Pauls strength not in himselfe but in Christ So much some conceive that Enigmaticall expression of his to import 2 Corinthians 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong When weak in himselfe then strong in Christ He it was that strengthned him The Lord stood by me and strengthned me so he tels Timothy 2 Tim. 4.17 And the like will he do to every soul that cleaveth to him and rests upon him Applic. Applic. Which speaks abundant consolation to all selfe-despairing souls Consolation to self-despairing souls which are made apprehensive of their own impotency their own inability to stand of themselves Let them know that being made one with Jesus Christ he is able to support them to make them stand As the Apostle saith of the weak brother Rom. 14.4 He shall be holden up or established for God is able to make him stand So say I of and to the weak Christian who despairing of his own strength relyeth wholly upon Jesus Christ he shall be holden up for Christ is able to make him stand Of all plants none weaker then the Ivie yet being joyned to the Oak none stand surer The Christian is weak in himselfe of himselfe subject every day to fall from the grace of God but being once united unto Christ Rom. 5.2 he standeth sure An Arminian Cavill refuted Object True may the Arminian say so long as that union continues he doth so But what if that be dissolved So long as the Ivie holdeth close to the Oak it is sure but what if it be separated severed from it Ans To this let the Apostle himselfe return the answer Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. No separation of the Believer from Christ Death it selfe which maketh a separation betwixt the soule and the body yet cannot make a separation betwixt Christ and the believer If the Ivie may be plucked and parted from the Oake there I leave the Similitude Sure I am the believer cannot be separated from Christ and consequently not fall away finally or totally from the grace of God And therefore how weak so ever in our selves yet be we strong in the Lord. So the Apostle expresseth it Ephes 6.10 Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might The Ivie is weak but the Oak is strong We are weak but Christ is strong El Gibbor the Mighty God Isai 9.7 Be we strong in the power of his might so shall his might be our might 2 Cor. 12.9 His power shall be made perfect in our weaknesse supporting sustaining strengthening us 2. And as supporting so nourishing 4. Resemb 2. Nutrition There is the fourth Resemblance The Ivie clasping about the Oak it receiveth nourishment from it which it sucketh and draweth from it after a secret and hidden manner And the like benefit doth Christ afford unto the believer The believer being united unto Christ he now liveth upon him as the Ivie upon the Oak The life which I now live in the flesh saith the Apostle I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 From him the believer by the power of his faith an attractive grace sucketh and draweth a spirituall vertue after an hidden manner Even as that poor woman in the Gospel by the touch of her finger or rather her faith drew from him a sanative vertue for the cure of her bodily infirmitie So doth the believer by the like touch of faith draw from him a nutritive vertue for the nourishing up of his soul unto eternall life Of which vertue all true believers are in their measure made partakers Being made one with Christ they live upon him His flesh is to them meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed John 6.55 He giveth unto them that water of life John 4.14 which whosoever drinketh shal never thirst any more viz. Siti totalis Indigentiae with a thrift of totall indigencie such a thirst as ariseth from a totall privation of God's grace thus is nourishment conveyed from Christ unto all true believers But of this I shall have occasion to insist more largely and fully when I come to handle the other similitude of Ingrafting where it will fall in more properly and naturally 5. Resemb 5. To this I might add in the fifth place that which followeth from the two former put together Living and dying with Christ viz. that which the Apostle himselfe here specifieth and instanceth in The Ivie being supported and nourished by the Oak now it liveth and dieth with it Thus the believer that is united unto Jesus Christ he partaketh with him both in his death and life In his death dying in him in regard of the merit of his death which redoundeth unto the believer no lesse then if he himselfe had died dying with him dying unto sin as he died for sin and that by a vertue issuing from his death In his life quickned and raised up by him and with him quickned from the death of sin raised from the grave of sin to a new spirituall and heavenly life the life of grace here and glory hereafter But both these I shall have occasion to deal with more fully in opening the Sequell of the Text to which place I shall refer them Thus you see the former of these Allegories in measure made out Come we to the later which my eye is principally upon as conceiving it here more properly intended by the Apostle Believers are planted together with Christ by way of Insition not only Complantati Similit 2. Believers planted with Christ by way of Insition but Implantati not only planted together with him but in him Even as the graft and the stock are planted together so is Christ and the believer they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insititii as Erasmus renders it Grafted with him Grafted with him as the former Translation hath it A Metaphor which this Apostle seemeth to be much delighted in and taken with In that 11th Chap. to the Romans we may see him prosecuting it at large where speaking of the bringing in
the sins of his youth and that whilest they are vigorous and strong not when they are pined and starved with age or sicknesse Be not therefore over pitifull or mercifull to your sins lest you be cruell and mercilesse to your own souls As long as they live you cannot be in safety And therefore forthwith bring them forth sacrificing them to the Lord now they are fat and flourishing The fat and young beasts under the Law were fittest for sacrifice The younger and more flourishing your sins are the more acceptable will the oblation be True mortification of sin is one of those sacrifices of righteousnesse which the Prophet David speaketh of Psal 51.19 which the Lord will accept Herein the sin is the sacrifice and every Christian must be a Priest to slay this sacrifice Sacrifices under the Law must not die alone No more must it be in this Evangelicall Sacrifice Sins must not die alone It was a Leviticall Prohibition Deut. 14.21 The people must not eat any thing that died alone Such a Mortification where sins die alone shall never find acceptance with God I beseech you think upon this a little To reprieve lusts dangerous you that willingly reprieve your lusts spare them suffer them to live and rule and reign in you now hoping and resolving to take a course with them hereafter you will repent in your age How can you expect that God should ever accept of such a dead sacrifice that ever he should smell a sweet savour from such a Mortification such a Carion a sacrifice that died alone And therefore that you may find acceptance with him sacrifice your sins now now before they be a day older let them not live till to morrow for fear they should die alone or your selves die before them Now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God Arraign condemne crucifie mortifie them whilest they might yet live This is true Mortification when the body of sin dieth as Christ died a violent death 4. Resemb A painfull Death Such was the death of Christ Painfull to his body Rabbini aiunt Non fuit mos in Israele ut clavos figerent in pedibus aut manibus hominum qui lapidati aut suspensi fuissent Martinius in Symbolum Dolorous to his soul In the fourth place it is also a painfull death Such was the death of Jesus Christ a dolorous and painfull death Painfull in his body The Jewes and Romanes had many kinds of death Amongst all none more painfull then crucifying specially after the Roman manner where the malefactour was fastned alive to the Crosse his hands and feet being nailed thereunto and so bearing the whole bulk of his body distended after that manner Such was the death of Jesus Christ being put to death under a Roman Power he was crucified after the Roman manner a painfull death And as painfull so dolorous It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief saith the Prophet Isaiah Isai 53.10 As painfull to his body so dolorous to his soul attended with Agonies both antecedent and concomitant before it and in it Before it What an agony do we find him in in the Garden In the Garden Luke 22.44 Being in an agony saith the Text his sweat was it were great drops of blood Whether a bloody sweat or no cannot from thence certainly be concluded as Grotius notes it out of Theophylact and Euthimius The Text saith onely It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were drops of blood But however Sudor vix solet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grotius ad loc a strange and extraordinary kind of sweat it was arguing a vehement conflict of soul caused by a deep apprehension and sense of his Fathers wrath due unto sin and sinners whose Surety he then was And as before his death so in it Upon the Crosse As in the Garden so upon the Crosse There also Christ had his agonies his soul-conflicts These were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those pains or pangs of death from which Saint Peter tels us Christ was loosed Acts 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word properly signifies the pains of a woman in travell Such were the pains of Jesus Christ in his death Gravissimi dolores quales esse solent mulierum in partu morientium Grotius ad Act. 2.44 which the Prophet calleth the travell of his soul Isai 53.11 like the pains of a woman dying in travell which the Psalmist calleth the pains of hell So he speaketh of himselfe being a Type of Christ Psal 116.3 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell gat hold upon me Not onely the sorrows or cords of death Kebli Maveth the Cables of death as our English word answers the Hebrew both in sound and sense but the pains of hell took hold upon him The one upon his body as malefactours who are pinioned with cords when they are led to execution Vide Diodat in Psal 18.5 or as dead bodies that lie bound in the grave as the story tels us of Lazarus John 11.44 The other upon his soul And such were the pains which took hold upon our blessed Saviour in his Passion which extorted from him that passionate expostulation My God my God Mat. 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me complaining of that which was more grievous to him then a thousand deaths his Fathers present dereliction withdrawing his wonted presence from him Such was the death of Jesus Christ A pattern of Mortification which is a painful work And herein again behold it a true pattern of the Christian's Mortification his death unto sin which is also a painfull death Mortification is a painfull work The very word imports no lesse To kill a man or mortifie a member will not be without pain And so much is insinuated in those other expressions which the Spirit of God maketh use of to set forth the nature of this work as where it is called a Circumcision Be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts saith the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 4.4 By that allusive Periphrasis setting forth the nature of true Mortification which is a spiritual Circumcision a cutting off of the superfluitie of sinfull and inordinate lusts Now Circumcision was a painfull work specially to aged persons so the Shechemites found it of whom the story tels us Gen. 34.25 that being circumcised they were so soar the third day after as that they were not able to stir to defend themselves Such is the spirituall Circumcision a painfull work specially in aged confirmed sinners causing a soarnesse in the soul Elsewhere it is called a Suffering in the flesh So Saint Peter phraseth it 1 Pet. 4.1 Hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Meaning thereby the Christians Mortification which is a suffering in the flesh an irksom and painfull work to flesh and blood And as a suffering in the flesh so a Crucifying of the flesh Gal. 5.24
They that are Christs have crucified the flesh Now crucifying as I shewed you is a painfull death Elsewhere we finde it compared to a Plucking out the right eye a Cutting off the right hand Matth. 29.30 Such is the mortifying of the members of the Body of sin inordinate lusts some of which may be as near and dear to a man as his right eye or hand A painfull work Thus doth this death unto sin carry with it a likenesse to the death of Christ Attended with Agonies it is attended with agonies and soul-conflicts Agonies before conversion and after Before it Before Conversion Ordinarily this work is not wrought without some compunction of spirit some pricking of the heart so were the Jews affected at the hearing of Peter's Sermon Acts 2.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked at their hearts They were inwardly touched and deeply affected with the apprehension of the hainousnesse of that sin of theirs in crucifying the Lord of life and of the wrath of God hanging over their heads for it In like manner the Jaylor in that known place Acts 16.30 What an agonie do we there find him in when he came trembling and fell down at the Apostles feet crying out Sirs what shall I do to be saved Such agonies the beginning of Conversion is ordinarily attended with True indeed it must be acknowledged Which are not alike in all that these Agonies are not alike in all whether for degree and measure or continuance of them yet in an ordinary way true and sound conversion is not without some of them As in the naturall birth so in this new birth all have not the like pains and throws yet none but are in some degree sensible of some of them some soul-conflicts some remorse of conscience for sin whereby the heart is pricked nay rent and broken So it is in true Repentance Rent your hearts and not your garments Joel 2.13 A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 viz. a heart broken and rent with a kindly apprehension of sin and of Gods just displeasure against it such agonies is the soul subject to in the beginning of Conversion And the like afterwards As in the naturall Agonies after Conversion so in this new birth there are after-pains after-throws The Christian though the main work be done though he be delivered of sin in respect of the guilt and reigning power of it yet he hath still some remainders of sinfull corruption left in him which draw many a groane many a sigh from his heart Wee also which have the first fruits of the Spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.23 even wee our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption c. We we beleevers which have the first fruits of the Spirit the first degree of Regeneration conferred upon us here as a pledg and assurance of the full crop of perfect Glorification hereafter even wee our selves groane within our selves That which the frame of heaven and earth do by a kind of secret sympathy and instinct we do out of a certain knowledge and well grounded judgement sighing and groaning under the burden of sin which lieth upon us earnestly desiring a full and finall deliverance with a fruition of that glorious inheritance which is entailed upon us in and by our Adoption Such are the groans of mortified Saints Saints dying unto sin like the groans of dying men whose souls being weary of their bodies earnestly desire a dissolution Thus do God's Saints groan within themselves or rather his Spirit within them earnestly desiring to be freed from the body of sin O wretched man that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Thus doth he crie out being wearied by continuall conflicts with the remainders of sinfull corruption that body of sin Rom. 6.6 as he calleth it ver 6. of the Chapter foregoing This he there calleth the body of death Corpus mortis i.e. Corpus mortiferum because it was as a death to him to be so infested with it like a living man tied to a dead threatning him with spirituall and eternall death And therefore he earnestly desireth to be freed from it accounting himselfe a wretched and unhappy man so long as he was in any degree so molested by it Thus doth this death unto sin carry with it a conformity to the death of Jesus Christ being as his was a dolorous and painfull death Applic. Which may serve us yet as another touch-stone to discover a great deal of counterfeit Mortification by Counterfeit Mortification discovered Many think they are dead unto sin who are in truth nothinglesse It may be sin is asleep in them It may be it is dead to them but they are not dead to it So much appeareth in that there were no pangs in this death It is a difference betwixt death and sleep There are pangs in the one not so in the other And the like difference there is betwixt a naturall and a violent death In the former when a man dieth according to the course of nature the light of life going out like a lamp when the oile is spent there is no great pain As David speaking of wicked men who sometimes live in pleasure and die with ease he saith they have no bands in their death Psal 73.4 But violent Deaths they have their bands and their pangs And so hath this spirituall death this death unto sin being as I showed you in the last resemblance a violent death it will not be without some pangs or other Sin hath a strong heart and so there will be pangs in this death Examine what Agonies we have felt for or about sin I beseech you bring it home to your selves you that suppose your selves to be thus dead unto sin Examine your own hearts what pangs were there in this death what agonies what soul-conflicts have you at any time felt what compunction of heart what affliction of spirit have you suffered for sin And that not only for the guilt of it That may and often is to be found in a Reprobate we see it in Judas When he had betrayed his Lord and Master what a compunction of spirit did the apprehension of the guilt of that sin work in him But for the power of it This it was that troubled Paul to find the body of sin so vigorous and active in him to find such a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin Rom. 7 23. And this it is that troubles the Christian Though the guilt of sin be taken away yet is he not wholly freed from the power of it Though it do not rule in him as a Prince yet it tyrannizeth over him oft-times carrying him contrary to the bent of his regenerate mind to the omitting of what he would do the committing of what he would not And this to him is
deadly wound and it begins to die It hath already lost much of that power and strength which it had And in this respect it may be said to be dead to him and he to it Even as a man that is in a consumption having lost his bodily strength and his radicall moisture being in great measure exhausted and spent such a one may be said to be a dead man dead whilest he liveth So though sin do still live in a regenerate person yet in as much as it is in a consumption the power and strength of it gone it may be said to be dead It lieth a dying Now we say of a man in that case a man that is drawing home that he is a dead man He hath begun to die 3. In respect of Assurance 3. In respect of Assurance Sin in a regenerate person having begun to die it shall certainly die it shall speedily die Certainly The wound which it hath received is incurable a deadly wound so as though it may live for a time yet it shall languish and decay more and more till it be utterly extinct which it shall be and that speedily The death of sin is not far off to such a one The story in the Gospel tels us of a certain Disciple who asked leave of his Master Christ that before such time as he followed him he might first go and bury his Father Mat. 8.21 Now here some move the question What was his Father dead that he would go bury him Most probably he was not onely he was very aged having one foot in the grave so as in course of nature he could not live long and in that regard he looketh upon him and speaketh of him as a dead man ready for the grave So is it with the body of sin in a regenerate person It is dying and cannot live long It is much infeebled already and by death which is not far off from any it shall utterly be extinguished and abolished Death separating the soul from the body shall separate sin from both He that is dead is freed from sin saith the Apostle ver 7. of this Chapter which is true as to the regenerate in a literall as well as a mysticall sense Thus you see the former of these Propositions briefly opened and cleared All that are Christs are dead to sin as he died for sin As briefly of the later Doct. 3. The Believer death to sin is from the death of Christ D. 3. This their death to sin is from the death of Christ for sin So much the Metaphor in the Text imports Believers are planted together with Christ in the likenesse of his death that is they are made conformable to Christ in his death and that by a vertue flowing from his death Thus the Graft dieth with the Stock it dieth in it and by it The death of the one is the cause of death in the other Thus is the believer said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death he dieth with Christ and the death of Christ is the cause of that death in him This is that which the Apostle saith of himselfe Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world Paul was a mortified man dead to the world and dead to sin But how came he so to be why this he attributes to the Crosse of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom or by which it may be referred to either The death of Christ the cause of this death It was the Crosse of Christ the Death of Jesus Christ which was the cause of this death in him And so is it in all other believers The Cause of it And that not only Not onely 1. Meritorious 1. The Meritorious Cause True so it is This is one of the benefits which Jesus Christ merited and purchased for his Elect by his death that they might die unto sin He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ by his death merited for his people not only a deliverance from the guilt but also from the power of sin But not only so 2. Nor yet onely the Exemplsry 2. Exemplary Cause of it as Pelagians of old and Socinians at this day would have it True it is so also Christ was a pattern and example to the Christian as in his life so in his death He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 He died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin But this is not all 3. In the third place then 3. But also Efficient it is the Efficient Cause working this death in the believer by a secret vertue issuing from it Thus are Christians here said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death Non tantùm imitatione Beza Gr. Annot in Text. sed virtute as Beza rightly not only by way of Imitation conforming themselves unto his death as the pattern of their Mortification but also by way of Efficacy being conformed thereunto by a vertue flowing from Christ and his death And so much the word in the Text as Beza notes upon it doth here insinuate which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. a word saith he of passive signification importing not barely a conformity Conformatione mortis ejus Beza but a conformation as he renders it not only a being like but being made like and that by a power and vertue out of themselves viz. the power and vertue of Christ and his death working an answerable death in them And so much that word used by the Apostle to the same purpose Phil. 3.10 implies Being made conformable unto his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conformis factus or configuratus not conforming my selfe viz. by way of Imitation but being made conformable viz. by a power out of my selfe the power and vertue of Christ's death And this is that which the Authour to the Hebrews plainely asserts Heb. 9.14 where he layeth down this as one of the fruits of Christ's death The blood of Jesus Christ purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Dead works So he calleth sinfull lusts not formally as if they had no life no activity in them but effectively because they are deadly works bringing death upon the sinner that liveth in them Now from these saith the Apostle the Blood of Christ cleanseth the conscience of the sinner and so it doth not only in respect of the guilt of sin in Justification but also the power of it in Sanctification from which it so freeth the sinner as that he may now serve the living God The former of these is done by the merit the later by the vertue of
part to make use of in the working of this first Resurrection Not that hee is tyed to an uniformity in his way of working alwaies to work after the same manner No his dispensations as in other of his works so in this are various But ordinarily so it is Before dead soules arise and come out of the grave of sin there is a shaking and an Earthquake and a rending of the Rocks God prepares the hearts of his people for this blessed work by some degree of a Legall contrition and compunction giving the soul to feel somewhat of the spirit of Bondage letting into it some sense and apprehension of sin and the wrath of God due unto sin After this cometh the still voice In the Gospel As it was in Eliahs vision at Mount Horeb 1 Kin. 19.11 12. After the whirlewind and the Earthquake and the fire came the still small voyce Thus fareth it ordinarily in the work of Conversion After the Whirlewind and the Earthquake and the fire of the Law cometh the still voyce of the Gospell quieting the soul with the offers of grace and mercy letting into it some comfortable apprehension of Reconciliation with God through Christ withall exciting it to lay hold upon that mercy and to indeavour to walk answerably to it in newnesse of life Now have we heard this voice of the Son of God Have we heard Christ thus speaking to our souls making his word effectuall unto us in this way If so here is an hopefull evidence that this blessed change is begun and that we have a part in this first Resurrection Whereas otherwise are we strangers to this voice never felt any such power in the word We may justly conclude our selves strangers to this blessed work surely we are as yet in our graves under the power of a spirituall death Enquiry 2. Have we received the spirit of Christ 2. Let a second enquiry be Have we received the spirit of Christ we know by what meanes it is that the dead body is raised by putting a spirit into it Thus we read of Jairus his daughter Luk. 8.55 After that Christ had called upon her saying Maid arise her spirit came again saith the Text and shee arose straightway By a like meanes doth Jeses Christ effect this Resurrection of the soule by putting his spirit into it By this meanes was his own Body raised Hee was put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 viz. that divine and eternall spirit which dwelt in his humane nature And by the same meanes are dead soules quickned By this means were those dry bones made to live again Ezek. 37.5 Behold saith the Lord I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Now what were those dry bones and what was this Breath you may see the Interpretation of both in the sequels These bones are the whole house of Israel ver 11. And yee shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves and shall put my spirit in you and yee shall live ver 13 14. This is the Breath put into these dry bones even the spirit of God put upon his people being then in Babylon causing them to live again restoring them to a flourishing condition By the same meanes doth Christ cause dead soules being Captives unto sin to live by putting his Spirit into them Hence is it that he is called a Quickning spirit 1 Corin. 15.45 Because by this meanes hee shal quicken the dead Bodies of his Saints at the last day Hee shall quicken your mortall Bodies by his spirit which dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 And by the same meanes hee now quickneth dead soules by communicating his Spirit unto them Which in this respect the Apostle calleth The Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Now then have we received this Spirit It was Pauls question to those new Converts Act. 19.2 Have ye received the Holy Ghost This he spake concerning the Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which flourished in the Church at that time Let me propound the same question in a more ordinary sense Have we received the Holy Ghost Have we received the Spirit of Christ As it was Pauls question to his Galatians Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Taking it for granted that they had received the Spirit And so have all those who have any true union with Jesus Christ If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Now have wee received this spirit by the hearing of faith Have we so heard the voice of Christ in the doctrine of faith the Gospell as that wee have received the spirit of Christ If so questionlesse this Spirit will have the same operation and effect in our soules that it had in the Body of Christ As it raised up the one so it will raise up the other Whereas otherwise being voyd and destitute of this Spirit of Christ we may like dreaming men fancy and imagine our selves to be risen but we are yet in the grave This Quickning spirit how discerned Question But the Question here will run on How shall we know whether we have received this Quickning Spirit or no. A Question that will be very usefull in the resolution of it The rather because there are so many who pretend to this spirit never more then at this day who yet are meere strangers to it By the fruits and effects of it Answer For your satisfaction know that this Quickning spirit where it is discovers it selfe by the fruits and effects of it Of these fruits and effects I might name many I shall only single out three of the Principall which will be properly usefull to our present purpose This Quickning Spirit where it dwelleth in the soul Which in working this Resurrection are three it is to it a Spirit of Illumination a Spirit of Faith a Spirit of sanctification A threefold work whereby the Spirit effecteth this first Resurrection in the soul being to it first a Spirit of Illumination secondly of Faith thirdly Of Holinesse 1. A Spirit of Illumination 1. It is a Spirit of Illumination Here is the beginning of this work it beginneth in Light Even as in the first Creation the first born of Gods works was Light God said Let there be Light Gen. 1.3 So is it in this new Creation the first work is Light The Light shineth in darknesse John 1.4 a new light shining into the soul of man which since the fall is become a dungeon of darkenesse As it was with Peter when God sent his Angell to fetch him out of Prison Acts 12.7 he caused a light to shine in the prison So is it with dead souls when God sendeth his Angells his Ministers to fetch them out of the prison the dungeon of the grave he causeth a light to shine forth unto them
of spiritual union or Communion with Jesus Christ under an impossibility of ever being renewed of ever partaking in a second spiritual Resurrection Answ Answ Still this makes the case more difficult yet despaire not Surely Lazarus died again after his first resurrection yet shall his body be raised again at the last day Believe it Christ is able to do as much for thy Soul as he will do for his Body And this if thou beest not stil wanting to his grace he will do Restore thee from thine Apostacy Quest Quest But what then shall I do that I may be made partaker of this grace that I may have my part in this first resurrection What to be done to attain this Resurrection nay being a dead man what can I do A dead man is a meer patient in the work of his own resurrection Ans Answ True and so is a sinner in the first act of his own Conversion as I have before shewed you In thine own strength without Christ thou canst do nothing in this way as our Saviour tels his Disciples John 15.5 what Paul saith of a dead Body 1 Cor. 15.43 we may say of a dead Soul It is sown in weaknesse Being dead in sin it is in a state of impotency not able to raise it self or to contribute ought toward it own resurrection But yet this thou mayst doe and this be thou directed to do 1. Wait and attend upon God in the use of Direct 1 those means whereby he ordinarily effecteth this Resurrection This could that poor Waite upon God in the use of means impotent bed-rid man in the Gospel do John 5. Though he could not put himselfe into the waters yet he could lye at the pool And the like maist thou doe Though thou canst not quicken and raise up thy self yet thou maist attend upon those means whereby God is wont to convey that grace whereby he effecteth this work which is the Ministry of the word By this means it was that those dead bones were quickned Ezek. 37. viz. by the Prophets prophecying upon them verse 4. Hee said unto mee Prophecie upon those bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. And by this means it is that dead souls are quickned by the Ministry of the word This is the Trumpet of Jesus Christ Here is the voyce of Christ to be heard whereby he quickneth the dead And therefore with care diligence conscience attend upon this Ordinance hearkning and listning to hear the voyce of Jesus Christ 2. Direct 2 Not hardening our hearts Not hardening the heart Let that be a second direction To day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 This men of themselves can do Though they cannot soften their own hearts yet they can harden them and that by resisting the motions of the spirit of grace Now would you have your part in this first Resurrection take heed of thus hardning your hearts take heed of resisting quenching the first Motions of this spirit but give way to them let in the voyce of Christ into your soules Let in the voyce both of the Law and Gospel Let in the voice of the Law The voyce of the Law for the awakening of you This is the first use of the Law to rouse and awaken dead souls to convince poor sinners of the sinfulnesse and misery of their Naturall Condition Let it bee usefull to you in this way Give way to the spirit of conviction for the awakening of you Were it possible that a dead man could be awakened and made apprehensive and sensible of that state wherein he is being under the power of death to see how he hath the grave for his house and maketh his Bed in the darkness where corruption and the worme claime kindred of him being his onely Companions as Job describeth that state Job 17.14 he should not need to be perswaded to arise and come forth and to accept of a Resurrection being tendred to him Surely so would it bee with poor sinners Were their consciences but once thoroughly awakened and themselves made apprehensive of the misery of their naturall condition how their soules ly putrifying and stinking in the grave of sin they should need no other argument to induce them to come out from thence and to accept of this new life offered and tendred unto them Suffer your selves therefore to be thus awakened Give way to the discoveries of the Law bringing them home to your selves in your own particular that so you may see and feel your selves in a state of sin and death under the power of a spirituall death bound over unto Eternall death Let in the voice of the Gospel Answering it Being thus awakened by the Law now hearken to the sweet voice of Christ in the Gospel calling upon you and commanding you to arise and stand up from the dead Lending not only your ears but your hearts to this call closing with it returning answer to it as old Elie adviseth young Samuel to do in a like case 1 Sam. 3.9 speak Lord for thy servant heareth Thus when Christ shall be pleased to call upon you outwardly in the Ministry of his word inwardly by the motions of his spirit inviting perswading requiring you to arise from sin to Righteousnesse give entertainment to this call of his accepting this offer of grace by faith receiving Christ himselfe into your hearts yeelding up your selves unto him to be framed and fashioned according to his will So doing he wil communicate himself unto you in this blessed way being unto you Resurrection and life For this you have his expresse promise with an Ecce a Behold before it that you may take the better notice of it Revelation 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me The Doore there spoken of is the doore of mens Consciences At this door Jesus Christ standeth attending and waiting with much patience upon poor sinners Thus standing at this Doore he knocketh this hee doth by outward means and inward Motions as one desirous of admittance Now saith he If any one hear my voyce not only giveth me the bare hearing but hearkneth attendeth to what I say And openeth the door thereupon letting me into his heart receiving me by faith accepting me as a Saviour and a Lord I will come and sup with him c. I wil now communicate my self unto him in the most intimate way letting into his soul the sweetest and most efficacious influences of my grace and spirit for the carrying on and perfecting that blessed work which is there begun This will Jesus Christ doe to the soul that thus hearkneth to his voyce to his Admonitions Exhortations Offers Promises receiving him by faith cleaving to him by Love submitting to him by Obedience he will be to it Resurrection and Life The
main work is to close with Jesus Christ And therefore let your first and main work be thus to close with Jesus Christ thus to let him into your souls thus to receive him that so you may come to have union with him From that union wil flow this blessed Communion Having union with his Person you shall have Communion in his Resurrection So hath the Graft with the Stock Having union with it it hath also communion with it in the springs Resurrection and that by participating in that sap and juice which is in it Thus being made one with Christ by faith ye shall be made partakers of that same spirit whereby Christ himself was raised from the dead which wil have the same effect in you that it had in him And therefore again and again be perswaded to close with the Lord Jesus Not thinking it enough that you are put into him by a Sacramentall Insition as all persons Baptized are or that you cleave unto him by an outward visible profession as all Hypocrites and carnal Gospellers do but that you may have a true spirituall coalition a reall Mysticall union with him Being thus ingrafted into him you shall be made conformable to him in his Resurrection you shall bee raised from this death of sinne to this Life of grace as he was from the death of nature to the life of Glory But all this while I must remember I have been speaking to dead men Without his concurrence all motions or endeavours this way are in vain and consequently that unlesse Jesus Christ himselfe shall please to second this word with his own spirit all that I have said or can say in this case will prove but lost labour As it was in the raising of the Shunamites son 2 Kings 4.31 Gehezi Elisha's servant hee cometh first and layeth his Masters staffe upon the face of the Child and this he did by his Masters direction and appointment verse 29. but all in vain Til Elisha himself come and stretch himselfe upon the child putting his face to his face c. there was no awakening no reviving verse 31. Thus have I as a poore servant a Minister of Jesus Christ laid a Gospell command upon you requiring you in his name to awake and arise but unlesse my Master himselfe the Lord Jesus the true Elisha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salus the Health of God as the word signifieth unlesse hee come and make an effectuall Application of himselfe unto your souls breathing into the face of them the breath of a new life all my endeavours will be to no purpose And therefore let me in the close of this Point direct and desire you to look up unto him who is the Resurrection and life earnestly imploring this grace and favour from him that he himselfe would be pleased to undertake this work communicating unto you that Quickning spirit whereby your hearts may be inclined and your selves inabled to arise and stand up from the dead to awake and arise from sin unto Righteousness which of your selves you are not able to do I have done with the former sort such as are as yet strangers to this first Resurrection Application to such as are thus risen with Christ Come we now to the later Such as are in their measure made partakers of it As for Exhort 1 you Let me in the first place excite you to a thankefull acknowledgment of this so great a mercy Bee thankfull for this Mercy This is the end of all that Grace which God is pleased to exercise upon his people viz. that They should be to the praise of his Glory Eph. 1.12 14. That they should shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darknes into a marvellous light So our new Translation readeth that of St Peter 1 Pet. 2.9 And the Originall wil bear it The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying both vertues and Praises And this be you excited to do you that are made partakers of this so peculiar a favour Which whether it be a mercy worth the acknowledgment The first Resurrection a mercy worth the acknowledging do but consider the greatness of the work the Freeness of the Agent and the Indisposition of the subject and then give sentence For the greatnesse of the work it is a Resurrection For the freenesse of the Agent it is a Resurrection For the Indisposition of the subject stil I say no more it is a Resurrection Resurrection is a great work It is so to raise up a dead body It is no lesse to raise up a dead soul A work of a mighty almighty power even of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that exceeding greatness of power as the Apostle calleth it Eph. 1.19 No lesse then that effectuall working of that mighty power of God which hee wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead And what is it that should move God to exercise this power upon you rather then upon others surely not any thing in your selves Dead bodies are all alike indisposed to a Resurrection And so are dead souls That God hath made you the objects of this power it is only his free grace that moved him to it All the sons of Adam by nature are like so many carcasses buried together in the same Church-yard or lying together in the same Golgotha or Calvery the same Charnell-house You that are now made alive unto God time was when you were in the same condition with the rest of the world Dead in trespasses and sins even as others Eph. 2.1 3. Now how is it that Christ hath been pleased to sound the Trumpet as it were upon your graves to pick and single you out from the common heap to make you the objects of his power and mercy whilest in the mean time he hath suffered so many millions of souls on each side of you to sleep in eternall death Surely this is no other but that which the same Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.7 the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards you in Christ Jesus Who but will acknowledge it a speciall favour a singular kindnesse which Christ shewed unto Lazarus in coming unto him and that before he was sent for to raise him up from the dead He might have had far more noble Patients to have done so miraculous a cure upon He might have manifested this his power upon the Kings and Princes and Potentates of the earth from whom he might have expected a better recompence then he could from Lazarus yet he neglects them and singles out him Here you will say as the Jews did when they saw Christ weeping for this his deceased friend Behold how he loved him John 11.36 This was a declaration of singular affection unto Lazarus no lesse is that affection which he hath manifested unto you you were as truely dead as ever Lazarus was you in