of all qualities are admittable into the Kingdome of Christ This likewise was sweetly represented unto Peter by a sheet knit at the foure corners wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts Acts 10. 12. of the Earth and wild Beasts and creeping things and foules of the aire and the Apostle was bid to arise and to slay and eate Now by this he was taught that not onely the Gentiles as well as the Jewes were to be received into the Kingdome of Christ but also that in every Nation as himselfe afterwards expounds it He that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him Acts 10 35. Let him be of what trade and occuptation of what ranke and quality of what state and condition soever he will be Christ will not refuse him coming unto him and submitting unto the Scepter of his Kingdome Thirdly the Kingdome of Christ is universall in respect of the ages and times of the world it runnes through all ages and it lasts from generation to generation And hence it is that Christ is called a King immortall 1 Tim. 1. 17. having spoken of the long suffering of Jesus Christ toward him in the precedent verse he addes immediately now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever amen Jesus Christ then is that God and King and he is called immortall to distinguish him from all other Kings The Kings of the world are mortall they die and leave their Kingdomes to others but Christ is an immortall King hee never dieth his Kingdome knowes no period it passes through all Epoches and tracts of time Precious is Christ that hath such a Kingdome and happie are his Saints that have such a King When friends die when Estates are gone when the Sword rages when sicknesse and death comes when any trouble or affliction is upon them yet to their unspeakable comfort they know that their mighty King liveth and reigneth and so long as he is up they cannot be so downe but they shall rise againe Christ is a King in all ages of the world from the beginning God is my King of old saith the Church Psal 74. 12. and Christ is God there spoken of as appeares by the words that follow God is my King of old working salvation in the midst of the Earth it is Christ the Mediatour that workes salvation in the midst of the Earth for the Father hath committed all Judgement unto him he then is King of old from the very first founding of the world and so shall continue to be while the Sunne and Moone indure as 't is prophecied of him Fourthly Christs Kingdome is universall in respect of all Creatures all power is given into him both in heaven and in earth In respect of his providence the creatures are subject to him as God but as they serve to further the salvation of his elect and to beautifie his Kingdome so they are subject unto him as Mediatour In Ephes 1. 22. It is said of Christ that the Father hath put all things under his feet and hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church that is so farre forth as they conduce to the good of the Church so they are under the Kingdome of Christ as Mediatour Thirdly Christ rules as King alone he alone is caput Ecclesiae the head of the Church When the Romane Empire was growne vast and unweldy there were colleagues in government two men of equall Authority one to rule the East and another to sway the West And in some places during the minority of the King they chose a Regent who hath Kingly Authority and is pro tempore as a King But it is not so in the Kingdome of Christ he rules alone without a partner Vnum non capit Regnum duos is a most true saying here this one Kingdome will not beare two Kings at once Ridiculous is the Popes challenge to be the Ministeriall head of the Church Christ rules alone without any such Image of his government he rules alone as head without either colleague in the largenesse of his dominion or Regent in his minority sole or Vice-Roy in his absence hee hath indeed Officers that rule under him but the headship and royalty he reserves as peculiar to himselfe he carries the government upon his owne shoulders as wee reade Isaiah 9. 6. he alone hath soveraigne power and Authority in governing of his Church he alone hath supremacy of Regiment he alone is Claviger the Key-carrier to his Church Isa 22. 22. It is written thus of Eliakim the Key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open Now herein was this Saint a lively figure and type of Christ the words of the Prophecie are applyed to Christ in his advertisement to Philadelphia Revel 3. and the sense is this that looke as Eliakim was made Steward or Treasurer under Hezekiah that is the next unto the King in government all over the Land to command to forbid to permit to reward to punish to doe Justice and to represse all disorder of which Authority the bearing of a Key on the shoulder was a badge so Christ as Mediatour under his Father hath regall power and Authority over his Church where hee commands in chiefe as I may say and no man may lift up his hand or foote without him he hath the Key of the house of David upon his shoulder to prescribe to inhibit to call to harden to save and to destroy at his pleasure such a Monarch and King is Christ over his Church neither hath any such rule and soveraignty beside him Fourthly Christ is an eternall and everlasting King he receives a Kingdome that cannot be shaken there shall be no end of it his Throne endureth for ever God rent away the Kingdome from Soul and others and Mene Mene was upon Belshazzars Kingdome a full â—umbring and finishing the dayes of it but Christs Kingdome is everlasting and shall never expire let the enemies thereof use what art and craft they will they shall never destroy it or pluck it up The God of Heaven saith the Prophet shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed neither shall it be left to other people but it shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. If that of the Apostle be objected where â—e saith that Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. I answer that this doth nothing at all impeach the everlastingnesse of Christs Kingdome for the meaning of it is this that at the generall Resurrection and the end of the world Christ shall lay downe his Mediatorship and shall deliver up all his Elect and faithfull Members of whom now his Kingdome consists unto his Father to be eternally crowned and glorifyed and this shall be then when hee shall have reconciled some of his Enemies spoyled desperate ones of
drops of bloud which hee did sweat in his agony had nothing availed without death Death is the summe of the curse due to us in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Christ then dying for us here was the accomplishment of all his sufferings and the height of his love towards us Surely that bloud must needs be very precious which could not be let out but the vitall spirits must follow after it Those that professe skill in words doe derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloud from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to burne or to kindle whether this be a true etymologie or not I will not dispute the heate that is in the bloud of a living creature if at leastwise in good temper speakes for it sure I am that the bloud of Jesus Christ shed for our sinnes both testifies his ardent and burning love toward us and requires a like affection in us the kindling and fiering of our love toward him Fourthly the preciousnesse of Christs bloud appeares likewise from the personall union of his manhood with his God-head The Divine and humane natures of Christ subsisting together in one and the same person is called an hypostaticall union properly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a placing or standing under when the Godhead stands under the manhood and the manhood is taken into the same person with the God-head this is hypostaticall Now from this marvellous and wonderfull union floweth though not a reall communication of properties yet a promiscuous predication of them as if they were all alike common and naturall to both natures Hence the manhood is said to be in heaven even while it was circumscribed compassed with a place on earth John 3. 13. and on the other side the bloud of the humane nature is called the bloud of God Acts 20. 28. and else where by reason of this union God himselfe is said to be crucified Oh how precious was the bloud of Christ then doubtlesse it had more worth in it then all the creatures in Heaven and earth Angels and men and all the world beside The uniting and consequently the cooperation and compliance of the impassible Deity in the same person with that soule and body which suffered must needs put infinite dignity and preciousnesse beyond all account upon the bloud of Christ yet this was not thought too deare for his Saints Fiftly and lastly the blessed effects of Christs bloud is another strong Argument of the inestimable value and price of it It justifies our persons in the sight of God It frees us from the guilt from the punishment and from the power of all sinne It saves us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that wrath that is to come 1 Thessalonians 1. 10. Wicked people are Light and merry-hearted and never dreame of an after recoming but there is a thunder shower of Gods wrath to come which will light heavily upon the heads of unbeleeving ones Wee are all of us by nature obnoxious to and involved in this danger therefore the Apostle useth the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snatching or pulling us out from the wrath to come even wee of the children of God wee of the Corporation and society of the Saints we Beleevers as well as others were liable to this wrath but Christ hath dâ—livered us this is his tender loving kindnesse and good will to his Elect. Againe the bloud of Christ obtaines eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. whence it is that the Apostle opposes it to Gold and Silver though these be among the most precious things that the Earth affords yet being corruptible and transitory they cannot purchase incorruption and eternity for us The bloud of Christ is the price of our Redemption yee are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 23. and a like phrase he uses in the end of the precedent chapter yet there is neither a pleonasme in the words that is to say a fulnesse of speech though that sometimes be rhetoricall enough nor impropriety or unfitnesse of Language as if a thing could be bought without a price though I confesse the Scripture in some respects doth sometimes speake so neither is there an hebraisme whereby words of the same signification are itterated and repeated ob vehementiam to set the matter on with the greater vehemency and force but the word price is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew the superlative excellency and dignity of the price wherewith the Saints are bought so that ye are bought with a price is as much as to say yee are dearely bought 't was a price with a witnesse that was given for you a price of inestimable value a price past the number of a man it cannot be calculated or summed up it is so infinite such a rich and exceeding price is the bloud of Jesus Christ costly and chargeable were our soules that required such a ransome This is the price wherewith wee are bought from the earth bought out of Hell and bought into Heaven and everlasting glory This is the price that redeemeth us from condemnation and this is it that cleanseth us from the filth and staine of sinne This is it that purgeth our Consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb 9. 14. The Apostle in that place draweth an Argument â— minori ad majus as the Logician speakes If typicall rites and sacrifices as the bloud of Bulls and goates and the ashes of an Heifer sprinckled upon the uncleane availed for externall Sanctification namely for the purifying of the flesh legally and ceremonially how much more shall the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon our Consciences purge away the guilt of sinne and avayle to the internall spirituall and everlasting sanctifying of our persons Againe by this bloud it was that Christ as the high Priest of our profession that is of Christians entred into Heaven so saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 12. Christ entred â—y his owne bloud into the holy place hee did not enter into the presence of God as the high-priest of old did with the bloud of Goates and Calves what should those slender things doe in the Tabernacle made without hands there are no such meane and poore offerings there Neither did Christ enter to offer for himselfe as well as for his Family as Aaron did Levit. 16. 6. he had no need of expiation himselfe but he went into the holiest to offer for his people only whom he hath for ever washed justified and sanctified not with bloud of others as the Apostle speakes but with his owne bloud Lastly from the precious bloud of Christ we also that are so cleansed and purged have boldnesse to enter into the holiest Heb. 10. 19. 20. The bloud of Christ breeds us and begets us this confidence The Apostle in that place doth covertly oppose the liberty of Christians unto the restraint of them that lived under the Law The Jewes of old might not presse into the Holy of Holies it
THE PRECIOUSNESSE OF CHRIST Unto BELEEVERS OR A Treatise wherein the absolute necessity the transcendent excellency the supereminent Graces the beauty rarity and usefulnesse of Christ is opened and applyed By JOHN ROBOTHAM Preacher of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PHIL. 1. 2. Malim praesente Christo esse in Inferno quam absence Christo in Caelo Luther in Genes LONDON Printed by M. Symmons and are to be sold by Hannah Allen at the signe of the Crown in Popes head Alley 1647. TO THE HONOURABLE Colonell Stapely and William Cawley Esquires both Members of the Honourable House of Commons Justices of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenants of the County of SUSSEX Honourable Sirs IT is a rare and comely sight to see greatnesse and goodnesse together both are concentring and met in you unwearied you have been in your paines faithfull in your trust a refuge for the oppressed not onely in these times when mâ—ny are assertors of Religioâ— because it should protect theâ— and because it is in fashion bâ— even then when it was the greâ—test crime to be godly it hatâ— been the counsell of others to bâ— still on the strongest side bâ— their aime being false they shoâ— wide of the marke God hatâ— given you a more spiritual judgement which hath madâ— you to stand like a Rocke unmâ—veable venturing all when others out of timorousnesse havâ— unworthily betrayed their trusâ— and left a perpetuall blot upoâ— their names Your wisdome and fidelity iâ— an honour and a joy to then that chose you and to the wholâ— Kingdome which hath greaâ— cause to blesse God for you iâ— any doe otherwise yet knoâ— for your comfort that youâ— wages in your worke as the harâ—est is in the seed Whatsoever â—ou expend for God in God â—ou shall find it againe the â—ore publick your spirits are â—he nearer you come to that cenâ—er of all perfection Selfe â—n a man is a base and poore end â—ea it is proudly to sit downe â—n the place of God to whom â—lone it is proper to worke for â—imselfe even the best of Creaâ—ures must acknowledge their â—ubordination unto him the â—ore we doe so the greater reâ—ection of honour and blessing â— begets subordination in some â—espects may bee between two â—nely but sometimes there is â— series or concatenation of â—hings subjected one to another â— which the Logicians call subâ—ternation and here there is a â—oking upward and downeâ—ard and so doe you to God and to inferiours I should bâ— in gratefull either to deny oâ— forget it You have engaged me witâ— often manifold choise undeserved unrequitable favours â— have consulted what to returneâ— pauperis est numerare pecus Thâ— ensuing discourse you have already had by word of mouth â— the acceptance that it founâ— with you when it was first delâ—vered hath emboldened me tâ— present it unto you againe witâ— some enlargements Solinâ— writes that the African Elephants are dwarfes to the Indâ—ans and therefore are loath tâ— bee seen of them * Iul. Solin polyhistor cap. 38. quasi parvâ—tatis suae conscij it is myne owâ— case in relation unto your Honours I much revere you Judgements that which make me ventrous is your unsuspected candour and ingenuity you shall have as the Oratour speakes levidense crasso filo but the preciousnesse of the subject matter will make amends for that Christ the Lord of life and the most precious one of the Father I doubt not but he is such to you also and perhaps this Treatise such as it is will draw out your hearts and affections farther You know not what tentations and trialls God may yet bring you through Christ the Angel of his presence will be with you your safety will be in him infinite is that distance between the favour of God and us without him Rest then upon this rocke of ages goe to this fountaine of strength he will fortifie you against fears without and terrours within and when opposition is at the highest he will raise your spirits to a sutable height he will carry you as on Eagles wings you shall be above the creature above your selves you shall as it were walke in heaven while you live on earth Honourable Sirs give mee leave to leave with you this monument and witnesse of my thankfulnesse for your many unmerited favours towards mee I have abundant reason to think that your hearts are right for God and for the Kingdome of Christ some cannot lay downe themselves enough if it were not so whereas they doe some good they would doe much more Selfe-deniall makes a fat and fruitfull soule Blessed be God for your obedience in this behalfe then we love our selves best when wee love God more then our selves the matter of this discourse will much promove it I know no better Loadstone to attract and draw out affections to God ward then Christ laid open in all the sinews and joynts in all the veines and arteries of his Fathers love to mankinde I have done it very jejunely and brokenly I leave the many defects of it to be made up by your meditation how soever I have handled it I am confident the subject is such that you will receive it as I present it with the right hand I have adventured to cast this poore mite into the publique treasury although I am conscious to my selfe of mine own inability for such a worke What though a man cannot contend with Lynceus in quick-sightednesse must he therefore be reckoned stark blind What though he cannot run with the swiftest must he therefore have his heels tript up What if he cannot climb to the highest fastidge and top must they therefore disturb him and throw him down from his station * Zech. 4. 10. Wee should not despise the day of small things inest sua gratia parvis there is a foot in the body as well as an eye and the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversities of gifts 1 Cor. 12. 4. And divers they be as well in measure as in kinde I much rejoyce I know nothing by my selfe by the grace of God I am that I am it is he that hath stir'd me up to the best studies and I shall be willing to doe good according to the dispensations of his grace Now the Lord make you so to eye and apprehend the preciousnesse of Christ in his person in his graces in his offices in his members in his ordinances in all the operations of his Spirit that you may be willing to spend and be spent for him to adventure all your worldly interest and to throw downe all your honour at his feet as the foure * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foure living creatures and not four living beasts as our traÌ„slation hath it living creatures and foure and twenty Elders did their crowns this is the way to take up all againe with unspeakable advantage this is the best traffique and trading in the world this
and above all substance and therefore above all predicament as time place quantity quality and the like Whatsoever iâ— in God it is essentiall to him a man may be a man still though he be neither knowing nor valiant nor just nor gracious but take away these from God and you destroy his very essence and being Now then if Christ be God we may see by this that he doth infinitely surmount in praises all the most lovely and most desirable creatures in the world Marke how the Prophet depresses them all in relation to God Isaiah 40. 15. 17. He saith that al Nations are unto God as a droppe of water unto a bucket-full or as the small dust that cleaves to the balance is to the great and heavie weights that are put therein and yet this is not enough to shew the disparity therefore the Prophet addes that they are to God as nothing neither doth this suffice to empty the creature enough but he goes a degree farther and saith that they are in comparison of God lesse then nothing and vanity Now beleeve it all this is no more then is true of Christ he is according to his God-head arayed with all this glory all the creatures are to him but as dropps to bucket-fulls or as motes to ponderous weights yea they are as nothing and lesse then nothing and vanity Christ hath a name above every name all creatures in Heaven and in Earth and under the Earth must stoop to him I may truly say that they be all to him but as the shadow of a shadow like the reflection of a Raine-bow when it seemes to bee doubled in the cloud The Raine-bow it selfe is but a shadow what is then the shadow of this shadow nay what is the third generation of a shadow as sometimes when the reflection is very strong three are seene at once Truly all creatures even the most excellent of them must stand in the very lowest degree of these if compared unto Christ how precious then how worthy beyond all thought and computation is he Let us draw some conclusions from the God-head of Christ farther to set forth his preciousnesse and then wee will conclude this most weighty and considerable reason We will doe it by Scripture aphorismes and the first shall be this Faire weather cometh out of the North with God is terrible Majesty Job 37. 22. the meaning of it is this that though the creature may be pleasing and flexible enough and there may be faire quarter between man and man yet not so with God if he be once provok't with him there is terrible and dreadfull Majesty Now this is true of Christ Behold I send mine Angel before thee saith God to keepe thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared beware of him and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him Exod. 23. 20. 21. The Angel here spoken of is Christ as appeares by this that he hath power to pardon sinne and Gods name is in him that is he is essentially God for Gods name and attributes are his very essence But what is this to the preciousnesse of Christ you will say here is terrour and dread-striking Majesty but what makes this to the purpose in hand I answer very much for first of all Gods terriblenesse doth not impeach the happie condition of the Saints because they be in Christ the terrours of the Law cannot reach them their hearts are so fortified and established with Faith that they are able to meditate of death and Hell and damnation and the most terrible things that are without trembling without any slavish feare or dread * Isa 33. 18. Secondly it makes very much for the good of the Church of God that some by the threatning terrour of Judgements are reduced to obedience and good order others that are refractory and incorrigible are cut off by the stroke of them this I say makes much for the good of the Church when noxious humours are purged out of the body all the parts are at ease and in a healthfull State so when wicked men are either awed and repressed or quite extinct and cut off the corporation of the Saints must needs enjoy much peace and quietnesse thereby The terrour then that is in Christ doth not a whit take off from his preciousnesse What Saint is there that doth not with much comfort and hearts contentment read that place of Scripture Revel 6. 15 16. The Kings of the Earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountaines and said to the Mountaines and rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The men that are here in such a feare are the enemies of the Church and what faithfull soule doth not rejoyce at the ruine of such Secondly God cannot lye is another Scripture Aphorisme Tit. 1. 2. then if Christ bee God we may build upon this that all his promises and particularly those concerning eternall Life and salvation shall surely be made good so saith the Apostle in the place to Titus before mentioned in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie promiseâ— before the world began Christ is not only verax speaking truly but ipsa veritas truth it selfe He is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot or tittle of his word shall fall to the ground Now this likewise sets forth the preciousnesse of Christ not a little Among men he is counted a very choyce and precious person that is a man of his word how much more then is Christ precious whose eternall essence and being is Truth who cannot lie as men can and with whom there is not the least variablenesse or shadow of turning Lastly whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever c. is another Scripture aphorisme Eccles 3. 14. Then let the Devill himselfe and all enemies doe their worst they shall never be able with all their might and policy Engines and Stratagenis to overthrow and frustrate the salvation of Gods elect but it shall abide forever more permanent then the ancient Mountaines and everlasting hills of the world and this must needs be so because their Redeemer is God God by nature and furnished with Divine power such as all creatures even the most able of them must yeild unto Now what is there that can make Christ more precious to a believing soule than this God it is that workes all our workes in us and for us the whole structure of our salvation is of his founding and raising and whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to
so an Advocate with the Father as that the Father is made ours fully and perfectly and so the eager and malicious adversary can doe nothing against us Fourthly Our Advocate is Jesus a most sweet and heart refreshing name it signifieth a Saviour one that doth not onely intreate for us but perfectly save us other Advocates may intreate and not prevaile but Christ intreates and prevailes and so saves his people from their sinnes Fiftly He is called Christ there 's an addition and increase of comfort in this name it signifies anointed Christ was anointed to be our Prophet to shew us the waies of life and salvation he was anointed to be our Priest to offer a reconciling sacrifice for us And he was also anointed to be our King to protect us and to destroy all our enemies Sixtly Our Advocate is called the Righteous by an eminency none so righteous as he he is perfectly righteous so that he needs not as other Advocates to plead for himselfe he pleadeth onely for us and he must needs have good successe in his pleading because he is righteous himselfe he is the Righteous just and a justifier absolutely and compleatly righteous by his own inherent purity and conveying righteousnesse to us by imputation Lastly our Advocate is such an one as stands in our roome and takes the whole penalty and punishment due to us for our offence upon himselfe therefore the Apostle addes that he is the propitiation for our sinnes that is he is the sacrifice that implores and begs pardoning Mercy for us Hence the bloud of sprinkling that is the bloud of Jesus Christ is said to speake better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. for of Abels God speaks thus the voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth unto me from the ground Abels bloud cried unto God for vengeance to be executed upon Caine that murdered him but the bloud of Christ crieth unto God for mercy to be shewed unto poore miserable sinners Now then if Christ be our Advocate if he be an Advocate with the Father alwayes in his presence alwayes neere and deare unto him if he be an Advocae mighty to save if he be an Advocate separated and sanctified of God himselfe and anoynted to beare Office for us if he be an Advocate perfectly righteous and blamelesse in his owne person if hee be such an Advocate as is willing to stand in our stead and to beare the burden of our deserts like him that cried out when he saw his friend ready to be slâ—ine Me me Adsum qui fâ—ci in me convertite â—erâ—uÌ„ Me mee I am he that did the fact turne your sword upon me Lastly if he be such an Advocate as refuses none but receives all without exception that come unto him if Christ I say be such an Advocate such a days-man so every way qualified and furnished to doe us good then surely it cannot be but that the prayers which we present unto God in his name must finde acceptance and obtaine a glorious returne Whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you saith Christ Joh. 16. 23. Christ puts incense upon our prayers and mingles them with the sweet odours of his owne merits he is the onely Altar of Christians sanctifying all their gifts and sacrifices Thus you have a taste of the excellent priviledges of Beleevers through Jesus Christ they have accesse to the Throne of Grace and all their petitions find acceptance with God returning as the Spies did out of Canaan with great and weighty clusters of blessings or as Jacobs sonnes did from their brother Joseph full and loaden with good things Oh then how precious how lovely how longed for ought Jesus Christ to be who accumulates and heapes such royall favours upon us who stores us with such rich and inestimable gifts who gives us free ingresse into the presence of God and regresse from him with joyfull hearts who makes way for our prayers that they may come as things of worth unto his Father and sends them back againe with good newes and glad tidings of blessed successe how precious I say and how highly to be esteemed and regarded is such a Benefactour as this how ought wee to draw out all our love and the very strength of our affections to cast them upon such a lovely object as this and to embrace Jesus Christ who hath done for us above all that wee can either name or thinke I passe now to some meanes by which we may awaken and stirre up our affections unto Christ And herein I shall give no other directions then the Church doth to the daughters of Jerusalem in Cant. 5. 10. c. And the occasion was this The Church was seeking Christ earnestly and diligently and in her seeking enquires of the daughters of Jerusalem for her beloved upon which the daughters utter these words What is thy beloved more then another beloved ô thou fairest among women The Church for answer and as a meanes to draw forth the affections of the daughters sets forth exactly the high perfections and excellencies of Christ shee doth anatomize him in every part and particularize him in every excellency setting him forth thus First the Church describes Christ in generall and that two wayes 1. Positively 2. Comparatively First positively my beloved is white and ruddy verse 10. that is he is of the most compleate perfect healthy constitution The strongest complexion and constitution is noted by these two colours white and ruddy and it denotes unto us the power and omnipotency of Christ whereby he is able to doe the greatest things in the world Also his whitenesse denoteth his purity and Righteousnesse and ruddy his owne bloud and sufferings and likewise his vengeance on his enemies for he hath his garments dipt in bloud Isaiah 63. 2. Secondly comparatively he is the chiefe of ten thousand or having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the banner above ten thousand Christ is the Standard bearer of ten thousand that doth excell all men and Angels and all other creatures in the world Now in Armies the goodliest men use to carrie the Ensigne or banner so Christ is incomparable beyond all other and hath the perfections of Angels of men and of all creatures beside Againe the Ensigne is a warlike Instrument and the bearer thereof one of the chiefe so Christ is for the Ensigne of his people Isa 11. 10. And all the Armies in Heaven and earth doe follow him Rev. 19. 11. the Saints they worship him the Angels they adore him for he is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and he is the first-borne of God set above all the Kings of the Earth Secondly the Church descends from her generall commendations of Christ to that which is more particular setting him forth by all the members and lineaments of his body First the Church begins with Christs head which is the most eminent part of all the body His head is as the most fine gold verse 11. that is
sweetnesse and efficacy of grace it is done by the secret operation and working of the Spirit inclining the heart and swaying the will I conclude then that if the will be so impassible and cannot be forced Christ must needs be a Load-stone as I may say very attractive and an object very tempting and alluring else certainly hee could never have such power over mens wills to incline them to draw them to bend them and bow them as he doth he could never make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lie downe wiâ—h the Kid as 't is in the Prophet he could never tame the fierce natures and the ravenous dispositions of persecutors he could never change mens mindes and alter the constitution of their soules so as he doth if there were not excellency in him super-humane and above all that which any creature can boast of doubtlesse it must argue the excelling dignity and preciousnesse of Christ when our wills which are subject to no enforcement are so kindly and so sweetly swayed and commanded by him Againe we must know that the object of the will according to the mind of the Philosopher is something that is good bonum est objecium voluntatis saith the Moralist whether it be bonumreale a reall and substantiall good or bonum apparens a shadowish and seeming good it is so both are the object of the will but Christ is altogether substance and no shadow no lye no falshood no fuke no varnished appearance of good but the most solid and absolute blessing that is in the world so revealed by the Spirit and so apprehended by the Saints and therefore it is that he is so choyce and precious to them That excellent glory that transcendent good that spirituall beauty that supereminent worthinesse that overflowing fountaine of Grace and the shining of Gods face in Christ these make him to be the best object these set a high rate and price upon him these incline the will attract the heart and draw the love of our soules to him Againe observe that the object of the will must be a thing sutable bonum sibi conveniâ—ns a good agreeable to it selfe Now such an object is Christ he is most sutable and agreeing too us in all his Offices in all his communications sutable in his bloud for pardon in his grace to adorne us yea in his very debasements to lift us up sutable in his love for lost sinners in his fulnesse for for empty and beggerly soules yea the summum bonum the chiefest good that wee can desire or be possest of this makes a child of God to love nothing so well as him there is none on earth that I desire besides thee saith the Psalmist If Christ were not very precious to beleevers dâ—ubtlesse they would not overlooke all the world to claspe and close with him as they doe A second thing illustrating the Doctrine is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so there are foure things spoken of in the Scripture which make a thing to be preciâ—us viz. the Rarity The Esteeme The Price And the usefulnesse thereof First the rarity and scarcenesse of a Illustration I thing makes it to be precious for this cause is the word of God viz. the word of Prophesie called precious 1 Sam. 3. 1. It is said there that the word of God was precious that is it was rare in those days so is Christ rare in the world few and rare they be that find him one of a City and two of a Tribe as 't is in the Prophet Christ is a Pearle yea a Pearle of highest price as in Matth. 13. Pearles are rare in the world the Merchant onely that seekes farre obtaines them there are more wayes to misse then to hit the marke the stoney ground and the young man in the Gospel came neare the Kingdome of God but yet missed it 't is rare to see a soule embellished and adorned with such a Jewell as Christ is this then must needs make him to be precious If things excellent were common the plentinesse of them would take off the price of them it is said 1 Kings 10. 21. that all Solomons drinking vessels and all the vessels of the Forrest house in Lebanon were of pure gold none were of Silver it was nothing accounted of in the dayes of Solomon the King made it as common as stones in Jerusalem as we read in verse 27. The excessive and superabounding quantity of that mettall made it so cheape and so worthlesse as it was had it been rarer it would have been more precious this then confirmes the exceeding preciousnesse of Christ because they be thinne sowne and come up as thinly that have him for their portion the paucity and fewnes of such as are enriched with him argues his dignity and worth not a little Secondly the high esteeme that is cast upon a thing makes it also to be precious Illustration II so is Gold and Silver precious because men make great account of it Neither doth Christ come short of this Argument whatsoever worldlings account of him it skils not fooles and mad-men cannot judge of excellencies Let the foolish Gadarens esteeme more of their swine then of Christ we will not lay him in such a balance looke upon God the Father and see what reckoning he makes of him he calls him choyce and precious as we reade 1 Peter 2. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious God hath honoured Christ committed all Judgement even the full administration of all things to him that all men might honour him Christ was in the bosome of the Father he was from all eternity privie to all his counsels and decrees as we finde Prov. 8. 22 23 24. c. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there used put for eternity à parte antè as we say as if Christ should have said even from all eternity before his workes made in the Creation of the world I was my fathers Darling when he made the Heavens girded the Sea and gave the unresistable decree that it should keep in its bounds I was as one brought up with him I was as a child with the Father I was dayly his delight the originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delights in the plurall number intimating that the eternall Sonne was the greatest delight of his Father hee was variety of delights unto him while God was making of the world he tooke infinite pleasure in him in so much that he made all things by him every creature hath a beame of the Fathers wisdome in it and the wisdome of God is the Sunne This is a great mystery but God speaks of it in tearmes very quaint and familiar Christ speaking of the dayes of eternity and everlastingnesse saith that he was alwayes rejoycing before God the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as
certainly we must needs grant him even by this argument to be very precious and excellent Thirdly Consider Christ as a King and in this also his glory his dignitie and his excellency shines forth most eminently Christ is a King above all other Kings and that in these respects First of all his Kingdome is a spirituall Kingdome he rules over the soules and consciences of men other Kings may subject the bodies and the estates of such as are under them but not their consciences Indeed there hath been usurpation in this kinde but never tolerated and allowed by Christ One and the chiefest of all Babylons merchandize are the soules of men Revel 18. 13. by her curses excommunications pardons purgatory and the like inventions shee hath made merchandize of the soules and domineer'd over the consciences of men Episcopacy in all places more or lesse hath trodden in the same path let the Reformists of these times have a care that nothing be obtruded and thrust upon tender consciences which they cannot beare the heart the soule and the conscience is properly the subject of Christs Kingdome neither will he endure the subjection thereof to any other then himselfe domination and lordship over the soule is a part of his glory which he will not give to another The Church speaks it with indignation that her own mothers sonnes such as seemed to be of her numbers and corporation being inflamed with rage against her made her the keeper of other vines and to neglect her own that is they forced her to serve in part their phansies and pleasures * Mr. Dudley Fenner in his exposition upon the place printed at Middelburgh 1587. while shee abated of her diligence in doing those duties which God required of her Cant. 1. 6. God challengeth the persons of the Israelites as his own servants neither must they be sold as bondmen because he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt Levit. 25. 42. Now the like reason doth the Apostle give why wee should not subject our hearts and consciences to the ordinances of men in matters of religion yee are bought with a price saith he be not yee the servants of men 1 Cor. 7 23. that is doe not mancipate and enslave your consciences to any humane devise in matters meerely spirituall Christ alone is the King and Lord of our spirits his Kingdome is spirituall his Lawes are spirituall his people are spirituall he rules in the Kingdomes of men and meddles in their secular affaires all in order to his own spirituall Kingdome Heathenish people have been tamed and civiliz'd that way might be made for their embracing of the Gospel All the warres of the Nations all their policies and governments all their risings and decayings all the great works that ever were done in the world have tended by degrees at least to the advancement of Christs spirituall Kingdome Christ hath still made them his prudentialls to bring about his own ends The Assyrian first subdued the Nations after him the Babylonian then the Persian and the Grecian followed him but the Roman went farther then them all and when God had thus shaken the earth and the Kingdomes of the world then it was high time for Christ the desire of all Nations to come and the Gospel to be more clearly preached then before I speake this to shew how that Christ mingles himselfe even in worldly agitations and affaires that thereby he may further and set forward his own spirituall Kingdome and it should teach us to rule and steere our course in such things not carnally and grossly as the Heathen doe but spiritually as Christ doth his Kingdome iâ— a spirituall Kingdome so he tells Pilate My kingdome saith he is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. that is saith Mr. Luther he reigneth not according to the flesh and the world but he ruleth and sanctifieth in spirituall and heavenly things as righteousnesse truth wisdome peace salvation not as though all things of this world and even of Hell it selfe were not also in subjection unto him otherwise how could he pâ—eserve us and defend us from them all but because his Kingdome doth not consist either in them or of them Christs Kingdome is in heavenly spirituall things as in binding and loosing of the conscience captivating the affections and subduing the heart in obedience to himselfe and so bringing us by degrees unto glory There be them that tell us of a Monarchicall Kingdome of Christ whereby he shall in proper person reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth before the end and consummation of the world which if it be a truth yet I leave the opinion thereof to be scan'd and disputed of by the judicious Truth and falshood are brought to light by travaile industry and disputation Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 4. Secondly the Kingdome of Christ according to his Mediatorship is a universall Kingdome First Universall it is in respect of all Nations There was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. The heathen are bis inheritance and the ends of the earth his possession The Monarchs of the world have Psa 2. 8. stretched their Empiers farre Nebuchadnezzars Kingdome in Strabo reached as farre as Spain as Mr. Broughton delivers out of that Author The Persians pierced farther Alexander farther then they and the Romans farther then them all but none of all these subdued the whole habitable as Christ hath done his subjects have been and are to be gathered from the foure winds all over the universe The Apostle speaking of the preachers of the Gospel saith That their sound went into all the earth their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 18. Secondly Christs Kingdome is universall in respect of all sorts ranckes and conditions of men Noahs Arke was a shadow of the Church Now as into that Arke came creatures of every kindes so into the Church which is the Kingdome of Christ are received people of all ages sexes professions and conditions whatsoever if their conditions be such as thwart the laws and ordinances of that Kingdome they are laid downe they are changed in the very act of their reception This Kingdome doth not refuse any that will submit to it but all sorts of people may come and be accepted This is elegantly set forth by the Prophet Esa 41. 19. where God promiseth to plant in the Wildernesse the Cedar the Sitath tree the Myrtle the Oyle-tree the Firre-tree the Pine and the Box-tree together This also is signified by the Net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of Mat. 13. 47 48. every kinde and so also of every kinde are reserved as good this net is an embleme of the Gospel preached called the kingdome of heaven because it doth forme promove and advance that Kingdome The fish of every sort which the net catches doe declare that people
their abused rule power and authority and quite abolished death the last Enemie so that then Christ shall cease to reigne any longer as Mediatour he shall then cease to reigne according to the present dispensation and administring of his Office but not as one God co-essentiall with the Father for his Kingdome according to his God-head shall then be compleate consummate and perfect yea and his humanity also shall reigne then not as by or of it selfe but as joyned in one person with his Godhead and as the common head of all those whom he hath redeemed and sanctified and brought toglory through taking their nature upon him and suffering in it So that the forementioned place in the Corinthians doth not speake of the abolishing of Christs Kingdome but of the perfection of it rather when God whose glory is now much obscured and darkned by Enemies shall be all in all among his Saints and the eternall Father shall triumph eternally in his Sonne as a finall Conquerour The like answer also must be given to the objection which may bee made from the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 28. where he saith that the Sonne also himselfe shall be subject unto him that did put all things under him These words are not so to be understood as if the Father were not for the present well pleased with the Sonne or as if the Sonne were not already subject to the Father as Mediatour but the meaning of them is this that when all things which doe now during the present forme of his administration make opposition and resistance against Christ shall bee subdued unto him and brought under his feet then Christ himselfe also as touching his Mediatorship shall be subject unto the Father and God shall be all in all neither doth this subjection imply a depressing or pulling downe lower but rather Christ and his Saints shall be at the height and top of their glory when they shall be so subject as on the other side whosoever shall not then be so subject they shall be at the bottome of all remedilesse misery and wretchednesse Before I passe away to another head I must needs touch againe upon a place of Scripture before cited 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible c. Here be two words that doe expresse the perpetuity and everlasting duration of Christs Kingdome eternall and immortall and neither of them is idle or superfluous the Holy Ghost doth not use tautalogie or vaine repetition in them I have shewed you already what is meant by immortall namely that the Kingdome of Christ is not subject to succession it is not liable to be devolved and rould downe to after comers which Daniel expresseth thus his Kingdome shall not be left unto other people as the Monarchies of the Babylonians Medes Alexander and the Kingdomes of the Seleucidae which the Prophet had spoken of were they were translated from Nation to Nation and from man to man and at last quite dissolved But Christs Kingdome shall not be pluck't up for others beside himselfe but it shall hold on constantly through all ages and centuries of the world unto the end and when the end commeth it shall not expire and give up the Ghost but it shall attaine to its full beauty and perfection it shall come to its meridian or verticall point as I may say and shall never decline never decay it shall last beyond the world and beyond all time for ever therefore the Apostle calls Christ not onely an immortall King but also an eternall King Thus you see that the Spirit of God doth to good purpose use two words somewhat of kinne iâ— signification one to the other that thereby hee might set forth the excellency of Christs Kingdome above all other Kingdomes by the one word is shewed the course of his Kingdome through this world during the time of his Mediatourshipâ— and by the other word is declared the lasting of it unto all eternity after his Mediatorship is laid downe Lastly Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all Royall vertues endowments and accomplishments First he is a most sapient and wise King called therefore Counsellour by the Prophet and onely wise by the Apostle the wonderfull Numberer he that sealeth up the summe full of wisdome none essentially wise but he none but are depending and beholding for their wisedome but he his foolishnesse is wiser then men they be all doters to him Earthly Kings have their Counsellours but he needs none Solomon was the wisest among them but a greater then Solomon is here Secondly he is Rex armipotens bellicosus a most puissant and warlike King called therefore a man of Warre the Lord of Hosts the Captaine of our Salvation the armies in Heaven Angels and righteous men follow him he is the stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands sent from heaven and acting by no humane but meerely Divine Authority which smote the Image and brake in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the Silver and the Gold the great Monarchies and Kingdomes of the world to make way for his owne Kingdome he is terrible to all the Kings of the Earth that withstand him he is so mighty and so politick that he gets ground of his enemies by giving ground to them The world Hell Death sinne the Accuser of the brethren the enmity of the carnall mind all these are in the Trophes of his victories All his foes are and shall be made his footstoole he will make even the proudest of them to stoope and to hold his stirrup yea he will make them his very stirrup to get on horse-back by as once Sâ—por the Persian served Valerian the Romane Emperour Thirdly Christ is as eminent in peace also as he is in warre called therefore the Prince of Peace When hee was borne warres were husht every where and all the world was at peace Jacob beheld him as a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven and what was this but the Image of a Peace-maker between God and man the Angels of God ascended and descended by that ladder signifying that by Christ wee have the benefit of the Ministry of Angels they ascend to receive new commission from God concerning the Saints and again descend to execute it by Christ also our prayers as Intelligencers and signifiers of our wants doe ascend into the presence of God and againe his blessings as Angels and Messengers of his good will towards us doe descend and light upon us Thus is Christ a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven partaking of both God and man in one person our blessed Reconciler and Peace-maker he died to purchase peace for us when he went away he left his peace with us and he reignes for ever to maintaine our peace Melchisedec was King of Salem that is King of Peace nominally and in a figure onely but Christ is the very body and substance of that shadow Fourthly Christ is a most just and righteous
the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Joh. 3. 1. and the Father was not alone in this Love but the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost too if the love of the Saints to Christ be so hot that many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the flouds of persecution drowne it if it will not be scourced or exchanged for any wealth if it be strong as death and cruell as the grave urging and constraining them to lay downe life and all for him if the coales thereof be coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame as we reade Cant. 8. 6 7. What is then the love of Christ to his people who is not onely loving but love it selfe in the very abstract certainly such a love as this cannot but be very attractive and drawing very conciliating and winning it must needs like the first wheele move and turne about all our affections our desire to enjoy Christ our joy in the fruition of him our love toward him our feare to displease him our anger when he is offended our jealousie of losing him Our nature is such that wee will love where we are first loved as the heat of the Sunne-beames reflects from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflection of ours upon him ours is but a sparke of his we love him saith the Apostle because hee loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. when he reveales his love to us such a fire must needs kindle and melt our affections be they never so key-cold and frozen Secondly the beauty of Christ is likewise very attractive I doe not meane it of the aspect and face of the outward lineaments and proportion of his body although his comlinesse in that behalfe need not to be doubted of being formed in the sanctified wombe of a Virgine by the Holy-Ghost but of his spirituall beauty and gracefulnesse Now wee know that true beauty consists In fairenesse of complexion And in a just symmetry or proportion of parts Neither of these was wanting in Christ First he was of a faire and comely complexion as the Church describeth him Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy saith she the mixture of these two colours makes a beautifull and good complexion White and red as they shew the best temperature in man so here it may signifie in Christ his God-head and manhood God appeared in a vision all white as snow and pure as fine wooll Dan. 7. 9. And man had his name Adam from the red mould or Earth that his body was made of and Christ vouchsafed to be like unto us in this Againe the red colour may signifie the bloudy sufferings of Christ and the white his righteousnesse thereby inherent in himselfe but conveyed to all his members by Gods free imputation righteousnesse is so described by white linnen Revel 19. 8. Now this temperament and mingling of white and red after such a mysticall way in Christ denotes the surpassing beautie of Christ makes him precious to the Saints and inflames their affections to embrace him and follow him Secondly in Christ there is also a comely proportion of parts from the correspondency and agreement of parts ariseth a feature compleatly beautifull and lovely This every faithfull soule findes in Christ The Church enumerates and reckons up all his parts Cant. 5. 10. c. his head as most fine gold his lockes bushie and blacke as a Raven excellently well agreeing with a faire face his eyes as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set his cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe his hands as gold Rings set with the Berill his belly as bright Ivorie overlaid with Saphires his legges as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his counteance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars and his mouth or voyce most sweet What a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts is here figuring unto us the supreame and absolute Government of Christ his unsearchable Councells his pure nature hating all impurity and uncleannesse his amiable and delightfull smilings upon his Saints his gracious promises and soule-saving instructions all his actions and administrations just and holy his mercies and inward affections very precious like the Saphire that glittereth with golden points the workings of his spirit in his Saints most firme and stedfast like marble pillars the whole shew and cast of his person most glorious most excellent most Majesticall and yet most delightfull like the forrest of Lebanon and the stately Cedars that grew in it so that he is altogether lovely all over from top to toe as we say desirable and the chiefest among ten thousand as much as to say matchlesse and incomparable on earth and in all the world there is not his like who is made without spot or blemish yea who is made and not made a creature and yet the mighty Creatour of all things God and man in one person wholy excellent and beautifull every part sutable a most ravishing and wooing object Thirdly Christ is attractive in his graces considered either as inherent in himselfe Or infused into Beleevers First as they be inherent in himselfe they transcend in excellency all the thought and conceit both of men and Angels they have if I may so speake a most fragrant smell and allicient quality in them compared therefore to sweet spices and ointments as myrrhe aloes frankincense spikenard and the like As these are delightfull to our senses so are the graces of Christ to a beleeving soule attracting the affections winning the love of the heart making all other things vile and base in comparison of him that the soule loathes them and spues at them as I may say when they offer to stand in competition with him It was the grace of Christ that made him so glorious as we read of Joh. 1. 14. We beheld his glory saith the Apostle as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth that is wee beheld him glorious in all perfection of grace wisdome goodnesse and Mercy It is the gemme or Diamond in a ring that makes it very precious and beautifull so it is the grace that God hath treasured up in Christ which makes him so glorious so attractive and so alluring as he is Secondly Christ is attractive in his graces bestowed upon the Saints As a Father is dignified by having a worthy sonne and a School-master by the learning and proficiency of his Scholars so is Christ by the Graces of his people A Master is honoured by his livery which his servants weare now the graces of love and humility and meeknesse and patience and the like are as I may say Christs livery by which wee are distinguished and known to be his servants and he is much honoured by those badges By this shall all men know saith Christ that you are my Disciples if you love one another Joh.