his Disciples Matth. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear for verily I say unto you that many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them It was meet that the glory of a clearer discovery of eternal life should be reserved to Christ himself Now the veil is done away 3. A less forcible influence and efficacy accompanied the old administration than doth the new The spirit of Christ is now poured forth more abundantly since his Ascension and a more mighty operation of the Spirit accompanies the ministry of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 4. A more servile spirit acted in those who were under the old Administration they being drawn generally more by the terrors of the Law than by the promises of Grace 5. In respect of extent they much differ For the old was revealed but to few in comparison viz. to the Jews and their Proselytes whereas the grace of the Gospel is held forth to all Nations 6. The old Covenant was to last but for a time viz. till the time of reformation Heb. 9.10 but the new is to last unto the end of the world and shall never wax old or wear away 7. They differ in respect of their Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeover which were the chief Sacraments under the old Administration were bloody Sacraments for Christs blood was then to be shed But under the new our Sacraments are unbloody for Christs blood is shed 8. They differ as to the manner of their ratification The old was ratified by the blood of the Levitical Sacrifices the new by the blood of the Son of God Having thus spoken of the Covenant of Grace in the general and of the old and new dispensation thereof in particular let us now consider what use we are to make of this Doctrine 1. Let us bless God for making this Covenant with faln Man Let us consider the freeness of it There was nothing in us but our misery to move him to it And he made no such Covenant with the Angels that fell 2. Let us consider the sureness of it God hath confirmed it 1. by his word and promise 2. by his oath 3. by his sea 'T is indeed called sometimes a Covenant and sometimes a Testament A Covenant with reference to God the Father who hath made this gracious Covenant with the children of men and in it hath promised many great priviledges and blessings unto them that perform the conditions therein required He promises in this Covenant 1. That He will be our God Heb. 8.10 And that is a very large and comprehensive promise 2. That He will forgive all our sins And therefore when God shewed mercy to his people of Israel He is said to have remembred his Covenant Exod. 2.24 And the Saints of old did use in their approaches to God to plead this Covenant and to ground their Faith and Hope on it Psal 74.20 Jer. 14.21 3. That He will renew and sanctify our natures and write his Law upon our hearts 4. That He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 and so will preserve us by his grace and power from total and final Apostacy 5. That no outward thing that He sees good for us shall be wanting to us 6. That He will give us Eternal glory in the other life And as it is called a Covenant with reference to â—od so 't is called a Testament with reference to Christ who by his blood and death confirmed it and as a Testator bequeathed life and salvation to all penitent Believers He having all power and authâ—rity given him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 2. Let us bless God that we were born under the best dispensation of the Covenant of Grace 'T is an unvaluable mercy to be born under the new Covenant or Gospel dispensation This is called a bettter Covenant as being established on better promises Heb. 8.6 viz. more spiritual more clear and more extensive The old was a ministration of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. It literally declared what was to be done but comparatively there was little spiritual ability afforded for the performing of the things injoyned I say comparatively the old had but a weak operation in respect of the new Not that the old had no Spiritual efficacy For many under it were eminent in Grace as Abraham Moses Josiah Hezekiah c. but the more plentiful effusion of the Spirit was reserved till Christs Ascension 3. As ever we expect to injoy the priviledges and benefits of the Covenant of Grace let us make conscience to perform the conditions therein required which are these 1. Repentance which is a Grace necessary to prepare us to receive Christ 2. Faith in Christ We cannot become the Children of God but by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 3. Obedience which is a grace necessary to inable us to walk answerably to this holy Covenant Deut. 10.12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul To keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good CHAP. III. Of the Mediator between God and Man SECT I. Of the Titles of the Mediator I believe in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. JEsus Christ the only Son of God is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace Concerning whom we shall inquire 1. What his Titles are by which he is called The Titles given him in the ancient Creed are four Jesus Christ the only Son of God our Lord of all which I shall speak in order 1. Jesus Jesus which signifies a Saviour God by an Angel gave him that name Matth. 1.21 He was designed by God the Father to perform for the Children of Men whatsoever is implied in his name Jesus denotes the work and business for which he came into the World The Angel told the Shepherds Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord so 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and here let us consider how Jesus is a Saviour and why truly and properly so called This will more particularly appear if we consider the great evils he saves us from and the great benefits he hath purchased for us 1. He saves us from the guilt of sin By his exact Obedience to the Law and by his Sufferings and Passion he hath made satisfaction to the Justice of God for our sins He hath trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath for us Rev. 19.15 He hath born our sins in his
Rocks 4. The graves were opened The Centurion and people return to the City much affected Towards the evening the Jews besought Pilate that the legs of the Crucified persons might be broken to hasten their death that so they might be removed which being granted the leggs of the two Thieves were broken but not of Jesus being already dead yet a Soldier with a Spear pierced his side out of which came blood and water Mat. 27. from 31. to 57. Mark 15. from 20. to 42. Luke 23. from 29. to 50. John 19. from 16. to 38. 17. Joseph of Arimathea begs his body of Pilate and he and Nicodemus wrap it in fine linnen with spices and lay it in Josephs new Sepulchre hewn out of a Rock in a Garden They roll a stone to the door of the Sepulchre Mary Magdalen and other Religious women observed where his body was laid and went and prepared Spices and Oyntments purposing more exactly to embalm him when the Sabbath was over The Chief Priest desired Pilate that the Sepulchre may be secured Hereupon a Guard is set upon it and the Stone sealed with the publick Seal Mat. 27. from 57. to the end Mark 15. from 42. to the end Luke 23. from 50. to the end John 19. from 38. to the end SECT V. Of our Saviours Death and Burial WE have now presented you with a short view of our Saviours Life as also with the History of his Death Touching which these things are further to be taken notice of 1. That the promised Messias was to suffer according to the predictions that went before of him Esay 53.4 5. Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Mark 9.12 And he answered and told them how it is written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things and be set at naught 1 Pet. 1.11 Searching what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testistified beforehand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory verse 46. Thus it is written and thus it behoveth Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Acts 26.22 23. Having obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light unto the People and to the Gentiles 2. As his Sufferings in the general were foretold so that he should Suffer Death was also particularly determined God had in his all-wise Council determined that his Son should die for the sins of men The Serpent was to bruise the heel of the Womans Seed and the same seed viz. Christ to bruise his head Gen. 3.15 And Acts 4.27 28. For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the People of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy Council had determined before to be done 3. His suffering Death was typified 1. By the Paschal Lamb slain 2. By the brazen Serpent lifted up John 3.14 3. By the daily Sacrifices which intimated that without the shedding the blood of the Messias there could be no remission of sins Let us now consider in the next place how our Saviour Suffered The ancient Creed sayes He suffered under Pontius Pilate Suffered under Pontius Pilate But who was this Pilate Pilate was a Roman sent by Tiberius the Emperor to be Governor of Judea About sixty years before our Saviours birth the Jews by Pompey the Great were made tributary to the Romans For though during the life of Hircanus the High Priest and the Reign of Herod and his Son Archilaus the Roman State suffered the Jews to be Governed by their own Laws and Governors yet when Archilaus was banished by Augustus they received their Governors from the Roman Emperors being made a part of the province of Syria Pilate therefore was Procurator of Judea at this time and under the President of Syria was furnished with power of Life and Death The Chief Priests and Elders though they condemned our Saviour in their own Council as guilty of death yet could not put him to death the power of Life and Death being at this time out of their hands Therefore they bring him before Pilate and vehemently accuse him before him Pilate saw plainly that it was for envy that they thus accused him Mat. 27.18 For when he had examined him he found no fault in him touching those things whereof they accused him Three times did he challenge the Jews to shew what evil he had done Three times did he profess that he found no cause of death in him His own wife sent to him this Message Have thou nothing to do with that Just Man And when he heard that our Saviour declared himself to be the Son of God He was then more afraid Yet at last through the vehement clamor and importunity of the Jews who told him if he spared him he was not Caesars friend He was prevailed upon even against the light of his own Conscience to condemn him to be Crucified The Historians of those times acquaint us that this Pilate was a very vile Person That he was a man of a high rough and untractable Spirit that he brought the Bucklers stamped with the picture of Caesar into Jerusalem which was an abomination to the Jews and would not for all their intreaties remove them till commanded by Caesar After that he Seized on the Corban or Sacred Treasury and spent it upon an Aquaeduct nor could all their importunate Petitions divert his intentions When the Galileans came up to Jerusalem to worship God at his own Temple he mingled their blood with their Sacrifies as we read Luke 13.1 And being a notorious wretch he was afraid of being accused at Rome for the insolencies and rapines of his Government and therefore to content the people he released Barabbas unto them and delivered Jesus to be Crucified But though herein he acted against all principles of Honesty and Justice yet he was an instrument of fulfilling the determinate Council of God For the promised Messias who was to die for our sins was to be crucified and to suffer upon the cross This was typified by the brasen Serpent was Crucified Numb 21.9 and Joh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up This also was Prophesied of our Saviour Psal 22.16 They pierced my hands and feet And Zech. 12 10. They shall look on me whom they have
mutable Creature that he should fall It was most congruous that God having made such a Creature as Man furnished with such powers and capable of being governed by a Law and of being moved by promises and threats should for some time hold him in a state of tryal unconfirmed that it might be seen how he would behave himself towards his Creator and that he should be rewardable or punishable accordingly in a state that should be everlasting and unchangeable But if any shall further inquire into the manner of this first defection 't is most probable there was in the instant of temptation a suspension of the understanding's Act not only as previous to the sin but as a part of it and thereupon a suddain precipitation of Will as Estius determins But let us not too curiously inquire into this matter 'T is wholsom counsel that one gives that we should labour rather to get sin out of our Souls than trouble our selves how it came in For as a man that falls into a deep Ditch or Pond 't is Austin's similitude does not lie there considering how he fell in but labours speedily to get out so it should be with us in this case 4. Let us consider what were the sad effects and consequents of this sin and breach of Gods Covenant First Upon our first Parents Secondly Upon us their Posterity 1. Our First Parents were hereby deprived of their Original Righteousness and Communion with God 2. They became depraved and corrupted inclin'd to evil and indisposed to good 3. They brought themselves under an estate of wrath were driven out of Paradise and were made liable to death both Temporal and Eternal And though they were reprived for the present from suffering the penalty the Law requires yet 1. Sorrows were inflicted on the Woman in Child-bearing Under which we may comprehend her sorrows in breeding bearing bringing-forth and bringing up her Children 2. Sorrow also was inflicted upon the Man Gen. 3.17.18 Cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life Thorns and Thistles shall it bring forth In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread c. 3. His Dominion over the Creatures was much impaired 4. He was rendred utterly unable to help out of this miserable estate 2. Let us consider the sad effects of Adams fall in reference to us 1. We were involved in the guilt of his first transgression For the Covenant was not made with Adam only but with all mankind who where seminally or radically in him We were not indeed then personally in him for we were not then Natural Persons but we were in him seminally and virtually And God may justly reckâ—n us to have been seminally in him because our Essence was to be derivâ—d from him And as when a man is guilty no part of him is innocent so we were guilty of â—dams first sin so far forth as we were parts of him and in him As Levi is said to have payed Tythes in Abraham because he was in the Loins of his Father Abraham when Melchizedech met him Heb. 7.9 10. though he was born some Generations after him on the same grounâ— it may well be inferred that all Adams posterity did eat of the forbidden fruit in him because they were all at that time in his Loins And the Apostle speaks to the same purpose Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the World c. In whom * Eâ—â— in qâ—â— hâ—â— viro non muâ—ieâ—e qâ—â—d vir sit praecipuuâ— aâ—â—â—or posteritatis tam â—si mâ—lio pâ—iâ—â—est laâ—sa â—raim all have sinned If a Father by Treason forfeit his Estate no wonder if his Children de deprived of it 2. We were hereby dâ—prived of Original Righteousness Rom. 3.23 All have sinned that is in Adam and so come short of the glory of God that is are depriv'd of his glorious Image which in mans first creation was stamped upon him By reason of that first sin of Adams whereof all are guilty want of Original righteousness and depravation of Nature are come upon us as a just punishment of Adams transgression and are the sad consequents of it Therefore some say that God now deprives Souls of Original Righteousness Non qua Creator sed qua Judex 3. Instead of Original Righteousness a corrupt disposition and vitiosity of Nature was imparted to all their Posterity descending from them by ordinary Generation The Soul is now propense to evil because it wants that rectitude that should regulate it As sickness besides the depriving us of health affects our bodies with corrupt humors Mr. Cotton on Eccles 11 Vers 5 holds that God forms the Soul of man of the Spirituous part of the seed of the Parents and so Original corruption is naturally propagated from the Parents to the Children This corrupt disposition is called The old Man Rom. 6.6 The sin dwelling with us Rom. 7.17 It is called Flesh as opposite to grace Rom. 7.18 The Law of the Members Rom. 7.23 Body of sin Rom. 6.6 The body of death Rom. 7.24 Lastly A mans own lust James 1.14 In which place by the next words following 't is plainly distinguiâ—hed from actual sin as being exprâ—sly affirmed to be the procreant cause of it So that by this Original corruption all our Faculties are depraved 1. Our Minds blinded 2. Our Wills rendred averse to that which is good 3. Our Memories unfaithful to retain what is good but too tenacious of evil 4. Our Consciences defiled 5. Our Affections disordered These are some of the sad Consequents of Adams First transgression 4. We are cast under the wrath and curse of God Besides the effects of this wrath and curse upon our Souls of which before our bodies are now liable to diseases and deformities and all our enjoyments and every condition of our lives is subjâ—ct to a curse And which is most deplorable we are liable by reason of our sins to Eternal wrath and misery 5. We are hereby rendred utter unable to help our selves Rom. 5.6 The Law exacts perfect and perpetual obedience under a curse Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Now here observe Two things 1. What the Scripture speaks concerning mans Impotency and inability to help himself out of this miserable condition wherein he is by Nature 1. He is said to be meer darkness Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes darkness sayes the Apostle to the Converted Ephesians but now ye are light in the Lord And 1 Cor. 2.14 But the Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God For they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 2. To have a heart of stone Ezek. 36.26 3. To be enthralled under the Dominion of sin and Satan Acts 26.18 4. To be dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1.5 5. To be without strength in Spiritual things Rom.
made namely that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 And therefore Christ is said Rev. 13.8 to be a Lamb slain from the beginning that is in Gods Decree So that the Fathers that lived before he was offered injoyed the benefit of his Death and Sufferings They were saved merito pretii praestandi as we are saved merito pretii praestiti And of this Priesthood of our Saviour there is no end in regard of the virtue and efficacy of it And thus we see how Christ was our Priest and how he made atonement for our sins by his perfect obedience and sufferings His Person God-man was the Priest The Sacrifice was his humanity the Lamb of God without blemish The Altar which consecrated this Sacrifice and added merit to the sufferings of his humanity was his God-head And thus he made himself a Sacrifice for our sins Three things Christ hath done for us as our Priest 1. He hath obeyed the Law perfectly 2. He hath offered up himself a Sacrifice for our sins 3. He now lives to make intercession for us From all that hath been said we should learn these lessons 1. That Christs active and passive obedience is of sufficient value worth and merit to satisfie Gods Justice for all our sins For in that he voluntarily took on him our humane nature and so voluntarily put himself under the obligation of the Law his very active obedience becomes meritorious 2. That Christ did intend his obedience and sufferings for this end and purpose 3. That God has accepted of what Christ has done and suffered as a sufficient price for our Redemption 4. We should learn from hence highly to prize Christs Sacrifice 'T is the great relief we have against sin He has made satisfaction to Divine Justice so that God is now reconcilable to fallen Man in and through him 5. This should teach us to have a great care of our precious souls The great price paid to ransom them should teach us their worth We are wont to be exceeding careful to keep things that cost dear Never any thing cost more than the soul 6. Seeing Christ was Crucified for our sins we should learn from him to crucifie sin in our selves Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts 7. Seeing Christ suffered so much for us we should be content yea ready to suffer for him when ever he calls us to it 8. From the consideration of Christs intercession and the constancy and prevalency of it we should encourage our selves to go to God in and through him for help in all our needs He is a powerful advocate 9. The Consideration of Christs oblation of himself once for us and his continual intercession still performed in heaven for us should inflame our hearts with intire love to him He deserves our best our most inlarged affections We can never love him enough I come now to Christs third Office 3. Christ was a King Christ was a King God speaking of his Son Psal 2.6 says I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Zech. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the fole of an Asse This is applied to our Saviour Mat. 21.5 The Prophet Isaiah fully attests this Isa 9.6 7. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and of his Kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And Luke 1.33 'T is said of Him He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end To which we may add Rev. 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Now there is a twofold Kingdom belonging to Christ 1. Regnum Essentiale an essential Kingdom which belongs to him as God 2. Regnum Vicarium or a deputatory Kingdom and dominion which God gave him as Mediator This Kingdom Christ administers and his Kingly Office he executes several ways and by several royal Acts. 1. By gathering to himself a People out of the several Kingdoms and Nations of the Earth and making them willing by infusing his grace into their hearts to submit unto him 2. By giving them Laws by which they are to walk 3. By appointing to them Officers and Censures Eph. 4.11 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers V. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ And so for censures and discipline he has appointed how an offending Brother should be dealt with 1. He should be privately admonished then in the presence of two or three And if he shall neglect to hear them then they must tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church then he must be unto them as an Heathen man and a Publican Mat. 18.15 16 17. 4. By restraining and curbing and subduing His and His Churches enemies Particularly 1. Sin that it shall not have dominion over those that are His. 2. The World with its baits and allurements 3. Satan delivering them from his temptations and wiles 4. Wicked and ungodly men Thus he executed his Kingly power in bringing destruction upon the Jews by the Roman Armies and that destruction is called his coming in his Kingdom Mat. 16.28 Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom 5. Death it self 1 Cor. 15. He will despoil the Grave and make it give up all its Captives By judging the quick and dead at the last day And then this his Mediatory Kingdom He will render up to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power 6. By supporting those that truly believe in him in all their afflictions here 7. By rewarding them in a most royal manner hereafter And thus much of the several ways whereby our Saviour executes his Kingly Office Now as to the quality of his Kingdom we are to know it is not of this World it is a Spiritual Kingdom John 18.36 Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered
pierced Now our Saviour was actually condemned and delivered up to that kind of death by Pilate who gave sentence it should be as the Jews required and they required he should be Crucified There are three things observable concerning Crucifixion 1. 'T was a painful death The hands and feet which of all parts of the body are most nervous and consequently most sensible were pierced through with nailes which caused a lingring and tormenting death 2. 'T was an ignominious * 'T was servile supplicium Thieves and Robbers were usually by the Romans punished with this kind of death death and therefore among the Romans inflicted upon their Slaves and fugitives 3. A cursed death as 't is written Deut. 21.13 Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Having premised these things let us now consider what are the instructions we should learn from this Article that our Saviour was Crucified 1. Christ hath hereby redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 that is he hath indured that most shameful death of the Cross which was accounted accursed and inglorious 2. Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and taken it out of the way nailing it to his Cross One ancient custome as they tell us of Cancelling Bonds was by striking a nail through the writing Our Saviours Crucifixion hath done this for us 3. Seeing Christ was Crucified for us we should in imitation thereof labour to Crucifie sin in our selves Our old man must be Crucified that the body of sin may be destroyed We must remember that those that are Christs must crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 4. We should often meditate on the bitter Cup our Saviour drank and on those nails that pierced his hands and feet that so we may be the more ready and willing to suffer for him We should consider how he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross teaching us thereby to humble our selves and with patience to bear the lowest condition for his sake and to imitate him who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame We come now to the next word in the Creed viz. He Dyed Our Saviour was not only nailed to the Cross but died thereon He suffered upon the Cross a dissolution and died a true and proper death Dead He died for our sins according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.3 He was cut off from the Land of the Living Isa 53.7 8 10. and made his Soul that is his life an offering for sin He said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said so he gave up the ghost Luke 23.26 'T is true Christ did voluntarily die for he saith no man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self John 10.18 That is He laid not down his life by a necessary compulsion but by a voluntary election He took upon him a necessity of dying for our benefit But the Jews were the causes of his death and by wicked bands crucified him Acts 2.23 and slew him and hanged him on a tree Acts 5.30 They are truly said to have done it because by their incessant importunity they prevailed with Pilate to do it Our Saviour therefore being truly put to death and suffering a real dissolution let us consider what union was dissolved by his death and what continued In Christ there were two different substantial unions One of the parts of his humane nature each to other in which his humanity consisted and by which he was truly man the other of his natures divine and humane by which it came to pass that he was both God and Man in the same person Now the union of the parts of his humane nature was dissolved on the Cross and a real separation made between his Soul and Body But yet there was no disunion of either of them from his Deity The union of the natures remained still nor was the Soul or Body though separated one from the other separated from the Divinity but still remained united unto it When he cried out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me it intimates no more but that he was bereft of those joys and comforts from the Deity which were necessary to asswage the bitterness of his present Agony Having thus shewed that our Saviour did really die Let us now inquire why it was needful he should die 'T was requisite for these reasons 1. That the new Covenant or Testament might be ratified by his blood Where a Testament is there must needs be the death of the Testator Heb. 9.16 2. That he might perform that part of his Priestly Office which required the shedding of his blood For without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Therefore Christ our Passeover must be Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 3. If he would redeem us he must give himself a ransom for us 1 Pet. 1.18 19. For we being enemies could not be reconciled to God but by the death of his Son Col. 1.21 And by his death he hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.15 By his death was our redemption wrought as by the price that was paid as by the atonement which was made as by the full satisfaction that was given that God might be reconciled to us who was before offended with us and Buried Thus we have seen what our Saviour died on the Cross And as he really died by the separation of his Soul from his Body so his body was carried and laid up in a Sepulchre hewn out of the Rock in which never man was before laid This the Evangelists do sufficiently testify Now that the Messias was to be buried was typified by Jonas who was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly And accordingly the Son of Man was to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth * He is said to be three dayes and three nights in the Grave the whole time or space of three dayes being put for a part of it by a synecdoche see my Harm Ch. 6. pag. 266. Mat. 12.40 The Psalmist intimates as much Psal 16.9 My flesh shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell (a) My Soul In Hell that is my dead body in the Grave see the next §. nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Isay 53.9 He was cut off out of the land of the living He made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Christ being put to death his body was by Joseph of Arimathea begged of Pilate and by him and Nicodemus one of their great Council taken down and wound in fine linnen with spices as the manner of the Jews was to bury and laid in a new Sepulchre in a Garden nigh the place of his execution and a great
given because that Jesus was not yet glorified 6. He ascended that he might prepare a place for his members John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you Heb. 6.20 Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 5. We come to consider the time when he ascended viz. forty dayes after his Resurrection Acts 1.3 The reasons why he continued so long we may suppose to be these two 1. to confirm unto his Disciples his Resurrection and assure them of the truth of it and 2. To instruct them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 6. Let us consider the place from whence he ascended viz. Bethany that part of Mount Oliveâ— which was near Bethany 7. Let us consider how he ascended viz. while he blessed his Disciples he was parted from them And while they beheld a Cloud received him out of their sight We come now to consider what improvement we ought to make of this Doctrine 1. Christs ascension confutes the Popish Doctrine of transubstantiation He is not really and corporally present in the Sacrament He is not there for he is ascended into Heaven 2. It makes for our consolation It may serve to encourage us to go to God in all our necessities seeing we have so powerful an advocate at Gods right hand 3. Seeing Christ is ascended it may assure us that if we be his members we shall ascend also The head being ascended the members must likewise in due time ascend John 17.24 Father I will that those also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The Apostle speaks of the ascension of true Believers as a thing already effected by Christs ascension Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that is having by that power by which he raised Christ from the grave quickned us and bestowed a new spiritual life upon us he hath also in assured hope raised us up from the dead in Christ our Head and hath set us with him in Heaven For He sitting there who is our Head we who are his members may at present not unfitly be said to fit there also in him and shall infallibly come thither in due time 4. It may take away the fear of death yea make it desirable to us if we be members of Christ seeing it will but carry us thither whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us Therefore the Apostle sayes Phil. 1.23 that though he was in a strait betwixt two whether he should desire to die or live considering the need the Philippians and others had of his Ministry yet as for himself he had a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better than to continue in this World Having thus spoken of Christs ascension to Heaven sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty it remaineth that I speak of the other part of the Article viz. his sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty Concerning this Article we shall shew these things 1. That the promised Messiah was to sit on the right hand of the Father 2. That our Messiah did after his ascension sit on the right hand of God 3. We shall shew the importance of this phrase 4. What improvement we are to make of this Article 1. The promised Messias was to sit on the right hand of the Father This was foretold Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool That those words were spoken concerning the Messiah may appear from Mat. 22.44 and Acts 2.34 35. 2. Our Messias after his ascension did sit at the right hand of God Mark 16.19 He was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God This was an honour never promised never given to any but the Messias Heb. 1.13 To which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand The Angels indeed stand about the Throne of God but never any of them sate down on his right hand But our Saviour was so assured of this honour that before the Chief Priest and Elders when he saw his death contrived and his Cross prepared he expressed his assurance of it Luke 22.69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God And the Apostle Peter speaking of him after his Ascension 1 Pet. 3.22 sayes Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him 3. Let us inquire what is the importance of this phrase sitting at the right hand The intent of the Holy Ghost is not to shew what bodily posture Christ is in but what dignity he is in therefore in Scripture Christ is sometimes said to be at Gods right hand Rom. 8.34 1 Pet. 3.22 sometimes to sit on Gods right hand as Mark 16.19 sometimes to stand * Sedere judicantis est stare vero adjuvantis G egor at Gods right hand and thus he appeared to Stephen Acts 7.55 56. as ready to assist him as ready to plead for him as ready to receive him 'T is true God being a Spirit hath no material parts no right hand or left hand but he is pleased to condescend to our capacities and to speak to us after the manner of men among whom the right hand is the most honourable place Thus 1 Kings 2.19 Bathsheba was placed on Solomons right hand The right hand of God must therefore be taken here metaphorically not properly And so it signifies 1. The great honour given to Christ 2. The great Power and Dominion he hath obtained in Heaven It imports his Kingly Power and it was his solemn entry upon his Regal office as to the execution of that full dominion which was due unto him For worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 Therefore he said after his Resurrection all power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 And the Apostle tells us Phil. 2.8 9. To him every knee shall bow that is that all should be subject to him The principal end of this Regal Office of Christ is the effectual Redemption and actual Salvation of all those whom God hath given him And whosoever or whatsoever opposeth their Salvation is by that opposition become his enemy And seeing the Promise of God cannot be evacuated our Saviour must exercise this his Regal Power at the right hand of God till all such enemies be subdued 1 Cor. 15.25 For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet And when the whole Office of the Mediator shall be compleated and fulfilled
up again So a dying Saint may say to his body fear not to go down into the grave into the dark and dismal vault my dear Redeemer will bring thee up again Death to the Righteous is but like the pulling down of an old ruinous house to build it again in a more excellent and glorious manner 5. If God can and will raise the dead it should strengthen our Faith in Gods power that he can raise us up out of any affliction into which we are at any time fallen and that he can raise up his own interest in the World or in any Nation though it be never so low See Rom. 4.17 21. What cannot that God do who quickneth the dead 6. It should teach us not to set too high a price or value upon our own lives when we are called to expose them for the cause of Christ or for our Countreys good Every faithful servant of Christ that so loses his bodily life takes the best course to have it restored to him with advantage And in this sense our Saviour sayes he that loseth his life shall save it that is shall not only recover it again at the Resurrection but shall over and above also be rewarded with eternal life in glory John 12.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this World shall keep it unto life eternal If God therefore call thee to expose thy body to death for him fear not to do it He will raise it up again in a more glorious manner 'T is said of those Worthies Heb. 11.35 that were wracked and tormented for professing the truth that they refused to be delivered viz. to the prejudice of their Consciences expecting a better Resurrection than that now offered them viz. to be delivered or raised up from their present pains and sufferings They expected a Resurrection of their bodies to eternal glory 7. This should deterr us from sinning with our bodies which must be raised again and if we die in our sins must suffer with our souls everlasting punishment Let us take heed of imploying our bodies as instruments of sin Remember O sinner that wretched body of thine which thou hast so often debauched by drunkenness and polluted and defiled by uncleanness it must rise again to damnation except thou repent that tongue of thine with which thou hast so often lyed cheated scoffed at serious piety and dishonoured God by swearing cursing ribbaldry backbiting c. shall be tormented in that same flame that Dives was tormented in Luke 16. As Christ said of Judas it had been better for him he had never been born so we may say of some men It were better for them they might not rise again But as the Soul and Body sinned together so they must suffer together And as they inticed one another to sin so they must be together for ever miserable 8. And lastly Let us labour to be united unto Christ by a lively faith that he may raise us up as our Head He will raise the wicked as their Judge He is Lord both of dead and living and so hath right by that dominion to raise the dead Rom. 14.9 and will accordingly do it And some he will raise to suffer everlasting punishment and others to a glorious everlasting life And of such as these the Apostle speaks John 11.25 Whoso believeth on him shall never die that is eternally so as to suffer everlasting punishment It now only remains that I should answer three questions and then I shall shut up this discourse 1. Seeing men return to the earth at several ages the Infant at one age and the man at another it may be questioned whether they shall arise in the same age and disproportions of age and stature which they had whilst they lived Answer Augustine * Restat ergo ut quisque suâ—m habeat mensuram vel quam habuit in juventute vel quam haiturus esset si vixisset August de civ lib 22. c. 13. resolves it negatively and determines it thus That we shall all of us be raised in that proportion of strength which men attain to commonly at their best estate And this resolution of the case the Apostle doth seem to favour when he saith that though the body be sown in weakness in the weakness of old age or infancy yet it shall be raised in power All imperfections and deformities shall be taken away For neither is it likely that Infancy being imperfection and old age being corruption can stand with the estate of a glorified body Quest 2. How can there be a Resurrection seeing the Apostle tells us that flesh and blood shall not enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 Answ Our Bodies shall be fitted for that glorious state by the mutation of their qualities See Apost Hist pag. 183 and 184. Our bodies shall not enter into Heaven vile * The Apostle tells us the body shall be raised a Spiritual body that is a body endued with Spiritual qualities free from carnal desires and wholly subject to the Spirit as now they are but shall be changed As mens hearts are changed here by regeneration so their bodies shall be changed in the Resurrection changed in qualities not in substance As a corn of grain that is sown is raised in substance and kind the same but divers in qualities rising up with blade and ear and corn in it It doth not rise in just the same figure in which it was sown but with advantage So it will be in the Resurrection Quest 3. What shall become of them that shall be found alive at Christs coming Answ They shall not dye but shall be changed suddenly from a mortal into an immortal state See 1 Cor. 15.51 52. 1 Thes 4.15 17. SECT VI. Of Life everlasting And the life everlasting IN treating of this Article which the Nicene Creed calls the life of the World to come I shall first shew that both the old and new Testament bear witness to it and give us sufficient ground to believe it Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt God plainly shewed to those who lived under the old Testament that there is an everlasting life in the world to come by the examples of some whom he took and translated out of this world into the other without death intervening Enoch who lived before the giving of the Law and Elijah who lived after are both instances of this Gen. 5.24 Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him Heb. 11.5 By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him And so Elijah was carried up in a fiery Chariot and by a whirlwind into Heaven 2 Kings 2.11 After Abraham Isaac and Jacob were dead God stiled himself their God Exod. 3.6 Moreover he said I am the God
their Fathers were all servants in Egypt and as that night God delivered them c. And tells particularly of the wonders done in Egypt and the manner of their deliverance saying to this purpose This is the Passover which we celebrate because the Lord passed over the houses of our Fathers in Egypt therefore we are bound to give thanks to praise to laud and glorify him and sing Hallelujahs to him c. This kind of declaration or shewing forth the occasion of the Passover they called Haggadah Hence the Apostle may be supposed to have borrowed his phrase As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye declare or set forth the Lords death 1 Cor. 11.26 This annunciation or shewing forth to their Children the Lords wonderful goodness and mercy to them we find commanded Exod. 12.26 27. And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you what mean you by this service That ye shall say it is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses 6. Then he takes that part of the unlevened cake that was before reserved and blessing it and giving thanks for it as before he distributes to every one a piece of it to eat with the Paschal Lamb of which each person present was bound to eat as much as the quantity of an Olive at least The breaking of bread therefore at which our Saviour did institute the commemoration of his body seems to be this second breaking of bread viz. in time of Supper after which nothing more was to be eaten that night For 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were eating or towards the end of the Supper Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples saying take eat this is my body Mat. 26.26 7. All this done they drink up the third Cup called the Cup of blessing or thanksgiving after meat Paul calls it by this very name 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c. And this third Cup which was after supper that is after they had done eating and was the conclusion of the Supper was the Cup which our Saviour applied to a new spiritual signification And having instituted it into an Eucharistical Cup bad them drink all of it So that now he ordaines bread to be a representation of his body henceforward in the same manner as the Paschal Lamb had been the representation of his body before and the cup to be the New Testament in his blood now as the blood of bullocks had been the Old Testament in his blood before Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you c. After this they sang the Hallelujah or Hymn or Psalm of Praise according to Custom And accordingly our Saviour and his Apostles did sing a hymn after the Paschal Supper before they departed So that supposing these Rites to be then in use among the Jews as their own writers tell us it will from thence appear that the bread and wine which our Saviour distributed at his last Passover and appointed to signifie and represent his body and blood were rites within the compass of it and belonging to it only applied by him now to a new evangelical use and signification And he dealt no otherwise in this Sacrament than he did before in that other of Baptism which he seems to have founded upon the old rite in use among the Jews of purification by water So that our Saviour in instituting both Sacaments of the new Testament seems to have taken the old rites of the Jews and to have ordained and advanced them to a new evangelical use and mystical signification and so to have put as one sayes a new superscription upon the old metal There is one thing more that it will not be amiss here to take notice of viz. That from the Jewish custom of having a feast at the end of their Sacrifices the Christians of the Primitive Church instituted their Agapae or love feasts And they of the Church of Corinth did much imitate the Jewish Paschal rites in receiving of the Lords Supper For they had a Supper before in which they were not always very temperate as appears 1. Cor. 11. And at the conclusion of this Supper they had the bread and wine of the Lords Supper administred as the Jews at the end of their Paschal Supper had the unlevened bread and the Cup of blessing Having spoken thus much of the Passover and the rites belonging to it I now come to speak of the Lords Supper which succeeds it And here I shall treat 1. Of the Author of it 2. Of the time when it was instituted 3. Of the Nature of it 4. Of the ends for which it was instituted 1. Christ himself is the Author of it We have before shewn how Christ eating the Paschal Supper with his Disciples who were Jews took some of the Paschal cheer and provisions and made them the materials of this blessed Sacrament 'T is Christ who was the Author of it 'T is he who is the King and Soveraign of his Church 'T is he who appoints therein his Officers Laws and Ordinances He is the Mediator of the new Covenant and therefore appoints the tokens and seals of it Divine institution only makes a Sacrament the whole Church cannot do it 2. Let us consider the time in which it was instituted viz. in the same night in which he was betrayed by Judas 1 Cor. 11.23 Observe Christs great love to his Church He saw his death approaching yet he bestows now a great favour on mankind when he sees he shall receive the hardest measure from them O that the same mind were in us that was in Christ Jesus Judas had resolved beforehand to betray him and accordingly had agreed with the Chief-Priests and Council of the Jews yet with this wicked resolution he comes to eat the Passover with him Sins of purpose and resolution are most dangerous We should look not only on Judas's sin in betraying his Master but on his fixed intention and resolution to do it 'T is a dangerous thing to come to this Sacrament with an intent to go on in any known sin 3. Let us consider the nature of this Sacrament wherein three things are to be spoken to 1. The outward Ordinance or outward signs 2. The inward and Spiritual mysteries thereby signified 3. The Command for the observing this Ordinance 1. The outward Ordinance or Sacrament properly so called consists 1. Of certain Elements or materials viz. Bread and Wine 2. Of sundry Rites and Sacramental actions appertaining thereunto 1. Our Saviour took bread and gave thanks and so also the Cup. He blessed the Bread and the Wine severally as the Jews
drunkenness usually inflames the mind with anger and rage It teacheth the tongue to swear curse rail revile and slander and to deride Godliness and those that are good When the head is full of vapors the tongue is usually full of vanity and lewd discourse From drunkenness usually proceeds lust filthiness and uncleanness * Nunquam ebrium putabo castum Hieron Nay it makes thieves by breeding necessity and then emboldning to villany to supply that necessity The reason why Mahomet so severely prohibited his Disciples the use of wine they say was this Being once invited to dinner by a friend of his in his way thither he called at a house where as it happened there was that day a Wedding Being courteously invited to come in he found the company in a very gay humor full of love and kindness one to another and caressing one another in the most obliging manner Which pleasing humor he looked upon as the effect of the chearful spirit of the wine that was stirring among them and so blessed it as a sacred thing and departed In the evening calling again at at the same house in his return and expecting to find the love and kindness he had before observed to be augmented quite contrary he found the house full of broils and noise full of fighting quarrelling and all confusion The guests instead of imbracing were now throwing the Pots at one anothers heads This he perceiving to be the effect of the wine taken in excess he changed his former blessing into a curse and for ever after made it Haram or a cursed thing for any of his Disciples to drink wine But Mahomet should have considered that ab abuti ad non uti non valet consequentia The abuse of a lawful thing is no good argument against the use of it 11. Consider what a dreadful wo is denounced against such persons as purposely and designedly strive to make others drunk How many Prophets do thunder out their wo against it See Hab. 2.15 16. Esay 5.22 Joh. 1.5 Certainly that man buyes his merriment at a very dear rate that takes it with such a wo. O what an horrible impiety is it for any one to rejoyce in another mans sin whereby he is laid open and exposed to Gods fearful Judgments O what monsters are they that can take pleasure in seeing the drunkenness of their neighbours and make themselves sport in beholding their nakedness Surely there is not a greater sign of hardness of heart than for a man to make his own or another mans sin the matter of his glory and boasting or the matter of his joy and merriment God bless me and all my friends from such pleasures that have so dreadful a wo and curse annexed to them 12. Consider that drunkenness is often attended with dreadful judgments in this life We read that Amnon was murdered by his Brother Absaloms command when his heart was merry with wine * 2 Sam. 13.28 29. Nabal was struck dead by God shortly after his drunkenness 1 Sam. 36.38 Elah King of Israel was murdered when he was drinking himself drunk * 1 Kings 16.9 10. Belshazzar King of Babylon was slain that very night when they had been carousing themselves in the vessels of the Temple Thou seest O drunkard that God spared not Kings themselves in their drunkenness and thinkest thou that he will spare thee certainly a drunkard puts himself in the very way of Gods vengeance 'T is very observable what a strange kind of punishment God appointed for incorrigible drunkards and gluttons Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious Son which will not obey the voice of his Father or the voice his Mother and that when they have chastned him will not hearken unto them Then shall his Father and Mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his City and unto the gate of his place And they shall say unto the Elders of his City this our Son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he dye so shalt thou put evil away from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear Surely these were heinous crimes in Gods account when Parents themselves were to bring forth their own Son who was guilty of these crimes if they could not reclaim him to have him put to death by the Magistrate And you see further that youth was no excuse for these crimes whatever may by corrupt men be pretended 13. It is one of those sins that draw down wrath upon a Nation especially when it grows to be a general and epidemical vice And alas among us what City or Town or Village is there what Market or Meeting or Fair that is not defiled with drunkenness and when sin grows National it usually brings down National Judgments But 'T is most sad of all when persons of great quality and high place are addicted to this vice When the Priest * Ebrietas in plebeio est simplex peccatum in sacerdote multiplex quia multos offendit secum in eandem foveam ruinam traâ—it A. Lapid and the Prophet shall erre through wine Isa 28.7 and shall say come let us fill our selves with strong drink Isa 56.12 14. 'T is a sin that is very often attended with hardness of heart and final impenitence How few habitual drunkards have we known to reform and abandon their former wicked wayes Such drunkards are usually desperate incorrigible and impudent in their sins Now as perseverance in piety and godliness in spight of all opposition is a very high pitch of goodness so perseverance in wickedness in spight of all good counsel is the height of impiety 15. Drunkenness exposes a man to that desperate danger of dying drunk Think with thy self O drunkard what would become of thee if thou shouldst die in a drunken fit Would not thy case be very dangerous if not desperate This hath been the case of many a drunkard and it may be thy case for ought thou knowest However if thou goest on in this course of drinking and company-keeping thou wilt die a drunkard though thou dyest not drunk 17. Lastly this sin if continued in exposes a man to eternal misery The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6.10 No drunkard that is no impenitent drunkard shall enter into Gods Kingdom See also Gal. 5.21 Drunkards may scoff at their faithful admonishers and reprovers and brazen it out here but in the other world they shall be sure to pay dear for it Dives had his full Cups here but there not one drop to cool his tongue And so much of the heinousness of this sin 4. I come now to speak to the vain excuses that those * Improbitas praetextu nunquam careâ— Arist who are addicted to this vice do usually make for themselves 1. They will pretend that drinking and