withers and a branch without root abiding barren and hastening to the fire Behold then O man thy necessity of Christ thy misery without Christ and give thy soule no rest untill thou art come home to Christ Fasten your thoughts upon the vanitie of all things without Christ 2. Vanitie of all things without Christ What is worldly fulnesse to him that comes not to Christ Jesus but vanity x Eccles 2.11 vexation of spirit a bed of thornes on which hee canâ—ot sleep without terrour * Auruâ—a 〈…〉 pâ—â—◠〈…〉 poâ—◠〈…〉 aurum â—â—â—lus â—â—â—nus pâ—â—â—â—or servus Aug. a way of snares 〈◊〉 â—hich hee cannot walke without stumâ—â—ng â—ruising and hurting himselfe a cup oâ— gâ—ll of which hee cannot drink with any comfort like the waters of Marah to Isâ—ael without the tree burthens oppressing chaine 's fettering arrowes wounding â—â—as tossing and winds shaking are all worldly possessions to them that possâ—sse not Christ Jesus What was Paradise to Adam when hee had deprived hâ—mselfe of the tree of life by eating of the trâ—e of forbidden fruit but as a wildernesse of thornes and briars a place of extreame torture and disquiet The worlds choycest Paradise proves at length full of bitternesse to him that hath deprived himselfe of Christ Jesus Augustine saith * Quid prodest diviti quod habet si Deum qui omnia dedit non habet What doth that profit the rich man which hee hath if hee hath not God which gave all What availes the having of the cisterne without the fountain The having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them Happy is the man that so lookes upon the creatures emptinesse that he is thereby stirred up to seeke Christ and his fulnesse The excellencie the worth of Christ 3. Dignity of Christ As they said of David Hee is better more worthy then all the y 2 Sam. 18. â— thousands of the world As they said of the Centurion Hee is z Luk. 7.4 worthy for whom thou shalt doe this thing Much more may I say of Christ Hee is worthy that you should come unto him in him are all the load-stones of vertue power beauty and whatsoever can be spoken to move and draw the soule of man towards him In him is wisedome surpassing the brightnesse of the Sunne even all the a Col. â— 3 treasures of wisedome hidden In him is power excelling the strength of all Rockes hee is not onely strong but b Psal 18.1 strength it felfe In him is honour transcending all the Kings of the earth for hee is c Rev. 19.16 King of Kings and Lord of Lords hee is d Psa 104 1 2. cloathed with honour and majesty and covered with light as with a garment In him is beauty excelling the e Cant. 2.2 Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valley hee is the f Cant. 5.10 fairest of ten thousand fairer then all the flowers of the field then all the pretious stones of the earth then all the lights in the firmament then all Saints and Angels in the highest heavens In him is g Ephes 3.8 riches above all the riches of the world as in the Pearle above the drosse All worldly wealth is but poverty to the riches which is in Christ In him are h Psa 16.11 pleasures excelling all earthly pleasures more then ever paradise excelled the barren wildernesse All pleasures are but sorrowes and tortures to the pleasure which the soule doth finde in Christ Surely all wisedome is folly all power weaknesse all honour ignominy all beauty deformity all riches poverty all pleasures anguish and all fulnesse emptinesse in comparison of the wisedome power glory beauty riches pleasures and fulnesse that is in Christ Jesus O therefore come to Christ that you may bee enlightned strengthened honoured enriched protected solaced and your soules every way filled O come as the Queene of the South came from i 1 King 10.1 2. farre to Solomon that you may learne his wisedome O come as the stones in the building to the head k 1 Pet. 2.5 corner stone that hee may support you come as the subjects come the Kings Court that hee may advance and honour you come as poore men to a golden Mine that hee may enrich you come as Naaman came to l 2 King 5. Iordan that hee may sanctifie and cleanse you O come as the Prodigall came to his fathers m Luk. 15. house that Christ may kill the fatted calfe for you feed you with his ordinances with himselfe with his graces and put the robe of his righteousnesse upon you O come as a disconsolate man unto his friend that Christ may comfort you with the sweetnesse of his presence the sense of his love and all the comforts of his Spirit O come as the chicken to the henne that his wings may hide and shadow you Under the wings of Christ saith * Sub Christi scapulis quatuor nohis beneficia conseruntur c. Bernard foure benefites are bestowed upon us Here wee are hidden and protected Here wee are refreshed Here the scorching heat of affliction is repelled And here wee are fed and nourished Christ saith †Christus omnia ut qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit unum inveniat pro omnibus possit libero clamare Pars mea Dominus Ierome is all things that hee who for Christ hath let goe all may find one for all and may freely say The Lord is my portion For as Ambrose sayd * Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus si à vulnere curari defideras medicus est c. We have all in Christ and Christ is all things in us if thou desire to be cured of thy wound hee is a Physician if thou burne with Fevers hee is a Fountaine if thou art burthened with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wanttest help hee is strength if thou feare death hee is life if tâ—ou flye from darknesse hee is light if thou desirest heaven hee is the way if thou seekest food hee is nourishment Therefore to him let us come as sheep to their Shepheard as captives to their Ransomer as children to their Father The manner of comming to Christ 1. Speedily To him let us come first speedily without all delay as Eagles to the carcasse As the woman of Shunem n 2 King 4. sadled her Asse and made haste to the man of God for the recovery of her dead childe so let us make haste to Christ for the recovery life health comfort and welfare of our poore soules let us come unto him while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is neere at hand As the Angell hasted and thrust Lot out of Sodome and bid him o Gen. 19 haste to Zoar and escape thither so let us hasten our soules out of the Sodome of sinne unto Christ O let us with all speed
doth prescribe and whatsoever thou losest hold fast thy communion with God As Joseph left his cloake and fled from his mistris to preserve his chastity so let goe thy cloake all the bodily coverings of wealth honour and whatsoever else flye from sinne and keepe thy communion with thy God as the choycest excellency of thy soule CHAP. XIII Declaring the perfection and fulnesse of Christ above the fulnesse of all Creatures THE fourth thing in these words is the matter which dwelleth in Christ and that is all fulnesse and the fifth is the condition or quality of this fulnesse the fulnesse of the Godhead In Saints and Angels dwels a fulnesse of divine qualities in Christ the fulnesse of divine essence and herein Christ as man is manifested to bee farre more excellent then others to come nearer to God and to participate more of the fulnesse of God then all creatures And hence we learne that Doctr. Christs perfection and fulnesse doth infinitely surpass the fulness of all creatures As the fulnesse of the sea surpasseth the fulnesse of small vessels as Saul was d 1 Sam. 10.22 head and shoulders in stature above the people so is Christ in heavenly stature and fulnesse far above all men and Angels therefore is he stiled the e Ephes 1.22 head of all principality power for his cōplete dominiō over all creatures f Rev. 1.5 the prince of the kings of the earth to shew his power over all kings tyrants and whatsoever enemies g Heb. 1.2 the heire of all things having interest in dominion over all creatures in heaven and earth the whole world is his inheritance Such is Christs riches that all the fulnesse of the world is but poverty in comparison of him and all the strength of the creature but weaknesse compared with the power that is in his arme For God saith the Apostle h Ephes 1.20 21 22. raised him from the dead and set him at his owne right hand in heavenly places farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come above the name of kings for his dominion above the name of rich men for his wealth above the name of Conquerours for his victory above the name of Saints and Angels for his puritie wisedome and most exquisite and absolute perfection And this appeares by the excellencie of Christs originall 3 Grounds of Christ above all creatures 1. Excellency of Christs originall As hee is the second person in the Trinitie he is begotten of his Father by an eternall generation Very God of very God As man he is the sonne of God by hypostaticall union his humanity subsisting in the person of the Son Of Christ therefore the Apostle saith that he is i Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person being made so much better than the Angels as hee hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they Hee is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory as the beames are the glory of the Sunne and the expresse image of his person as the print of the seale on the waxe is the expresse image of the seale it selfe and is more excellent then the choycest creatures being the expresse and lively image of his Father the maker of all by his power the heire of all by his birth the supporter of all by his providence the revealer of all misteries by his wisedome the purgation of all sins by the sacrifice of himselfe head King and ruler of all by his session at the right hand of God and thus hee hath a more excellent name then the Angels according to his divinitie by eternall generation of his Father being the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall with the Father according to his flesh by a temporall birth of the virgin and operation of the holy Ghost the flesh being assumed of the Sonne into the unitie of his person so that the same Sonne is both God and Man not two Sonnes but one and that not by adoption but by union not made a Sonne but borne a Sonne the flesh being assumed into the unitie of the person of the naturall Sonne As Christ hath being from and union with the Father more naturally intimately and entirely then any of the creatures so hee excells all others Hee that is most fully of God by regeneration and commeth neerest unto God by gracious union and communion is the most excellent of many people This appeares by the proportion between his humiliation and his exaltation Proportion betweene Christs humiliation exaltation he was abased and humbled below others hee appeared in the k Phil. 2.7 forme of a servant he was of no reputation rejected reproched persecuted accused blasphemed spit upon put to the shamefull death of the Crosse and his soule sorrowfull to the death And as hee was humbled and abased below others so it is fit hee should bee exalted above others Being l Phil. 2.8.9 found saith the Apostle in fashion as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death even the death of the crosse wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name God will honour such people as men dishonour for their weldoing The good mans future glory shall fully answer his present ignominy David was set behind the Ewes his brethren preferred above him the Lord takes David from the Ewes and makes him king over Israel Ioseph was brought lower then any of his brethren cast into prison fetters put upon him yet from thence he came to the second place next the king in Aegypt Christs humiliation was deepest Christs glory is highest let no man for any reproach decline the way of godlinesse the basest crosse shall turne to their most glorious crowne that suffer for weldoing 2. Subjection of all under Christ This appeares by the subjection of all things under him m Ephes 1.22 all things are put under his feete all things high and low great and small visible and invisible present and to come are put under Christs feete even as he is man men and Angels are put under him as Subjects under their Soveraignes as Nobles under their Prince the Saints and faithfull servants of God are put under him as sheepe under their shepheard as the Bride under the Bridegroome as the members under their head all troubles and afflictions are put under him as n Mat. 8.8 Souldiers under the Centurion all Divels are put under him as captives under their Conquerour as Ioshua trode upon the neckes of the kings of Canaan so doth he trample downe and triumph over all the Princes of darkenesse all sinnes and transgressions are put under him as the offences of a land under a king Christ having authority to forgive them as deseases under a physician Christ having ability to heale all the distempers
they should bee put out of the Synagogue Hee that cannot esteeme all as nothing for Christ as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ will never really and in deed come to Christ Hee is but like a man that cheapes and buyes not because hee will not give the price Subjection under the creature Subjection under the creature They are under the power and command of the creature this is fastned on them as Birdlime on the wings of the Bird that they cannot mount up to Christ they are intangled in this as the feet in snares and fetters that they cannot move nor come to Christ As Pharaoh said of the children of Israel They i Exod. 14.3 are intangled in the land the wildernesse hath shut them in so may we say of many men They are intangled in the creature the world hath shut them in so shut them up that they cannot come to Christ it hath so shut up their understanding that they cannot discerne Christ their wills that they cannot imbrace Christ their imaginations that they cannot meditate upon Christ and their affections that they cannot feare trust love nor rejoyce in Christ As the k Ios 10. five Kings were hid in a cave and Iosua rowled great stones upon the mouth of the cave and set men by it to keep them that they might not come forth so worldly men are shut up in the cave of the world and hardnesse of heart like a great stone is rowled upon them honours riches pleasures like so many keepers doe so beset them that they cannot come forth they are held and kept under the creature as a l Matth. 6.24 servant under his master as an adulterer m Iam. 4.4 under the harlot as Issacar n Gen. 49.24 under his burthens the worlds imployments keep them under as Pharaohs o Exod. 1.11 Iud. 16. Taske-masters the Israelites These like Delilah shave off their locks and make them weak that like Sampson they cannot goe forth they cannot come to Christ Matth. 22. Luke 1â— 14 Matth. 13.22 This with-held the guests in the Parable from comming to the marriage feast of the Kings sonne this made the Pharisees despise Christs doctrine this frustrates all holy instruction and gracious perswasion as the thornes make the sowing of the seed unfruitfull this extinguisheth the love of Christ as a strange lover in the bosome of the wife puts out the love shee should have to her husband The soule which is not divorced from the world cannot marry Christ Christ is never pretious in mans apprehension as long as the world seemes glorious to him Bern. Cui Christus incipit dulcescere necesse est amarescere mundum saith Bernard as wee begin the relish sweetnesse in Christ so the world beginnes to bee bitter to us the more sweetnesse wee taste in the one the more bitternesse we taste in the other If the world be as a pleasant feast Christ is but as an emptie dish And these are maine grounds of mans neglecting Christ standing aloofe off from Christ and refusing to come freely and fully home to Christ Folly of not comming to Christ illustrated And this is a very great folly of man For what is man not comming unto Christ nor partaking of Christ in whom is all fulnesse but an emptie man a broken cisterne wherein is no water of grace an emptie p Hos 10.1 Vine whereon growes no good fruit no sweet grape 2. A dead man in whom is no life of God a withered branch separate from the vine As Lazarus remained dead in the q Ioh. 11.44 grave till Christ came and raised him so doth man in the grave of sinne untill Christ commeth to him 1 Joh. 5.12 and he to Christ for he that hath not the Son hath not life 3. A r Heb. 6.7 8. barren man as a woman that abides without a husband all our fruit is but as an illegitimate birth untill wee are married unto Christ if wee come not to Christ as to a husbandman to manure us as to a cloud to water us wee are but as a barren heath 4. A blind man As hee that comes not to the Sunne sits in darknesse so hee that comes not to Christ hath no good knowledge for no man Å¿ Mat. 11.27 knowes the Father but the Son and hee to whom the Sonne will reveale him Without the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus mans greatest knowledge is but ignorance 5. A bond-man as Peter till the Angell câ—me and smote off his fetters Spirituall freedome comes to Gods children onely t Ioh. 8.56 by Christ none brings the soule a discharge from Satans bondage besides the Lord Jesus 6. A sicke man an uncleane and a loathsome man Naaman continued leprous untill he came to Iordan t 2 Kings 5. the woman diseased of the bloudy issue had her flux of bloud running on her untill shee came to Christ Mark 5. None but Christ Jesus purgeth the leprosie of sinne u 1 Ioh. 1.7 and the flux of ungodlinesse from the soule of man if wee come not to him wee continue uncleane 7. A poore man not one dramme of spirituall riches in his soule not one rag of righteousnesse to cover him The w Isa 20.4 Assyrian led away the Egyptians naked and barefoot without Christ the Prince of darknes leads man captive x Rev. 3.17 poore blinde naked miserable and wretched 8. A base man a dishonourable man base for his birth being of the Divell base for his condition the slave and servant of a thousand lusts and vanities base for his qualitie groveling like a swine upon the earth delighting himselfe in nothing but like a base worme in the slime and mud of the world base in the whole way and worke he undertakes having base thoughts base purposes and base intendments Very great is mans basenesse without the Lord Jesus who is the onely crowne and glory of man 9. A perplexed man a stranger to all spirituall and heavenly peace The soule without Christ is like a y Psa 42.2 chased Hart without the water brookes The Dove found no rest for the sole of her foot untill shee returned to the z Gen. 8. Ark the soule never meets with true rest untill it come to Christ but As the Disciples in the ship were tossed with the storme and had no a Matth. 8.26 rest untill they came to Christ cried to Christ and Christ awakened and rebuked the windes and waves and made the Seas calm thus the souls of men are as a tossed Sea untill Christ speakes peace unto them he is the Prince b Isa 9.6 of peace and peace is a priviledge belonging to the subjects of his Kingdome and hee is stiled c Ephes 2.14 our peace by way of declaration hee reveales it by way of merit hee hath purchased it by way of communication hee ministers it by way of preservation hee maintaines and perfects it
who is the best beloved Son of God By whose strength can Satan with all the powers of darknesse bee vanquishâ—d but by his who is stronger then all the Divels Who can overcome death but hee that hath the power of death The good things to bee restored are perfect righteousnesse adoption the image of God the gifts of the Spirit life eternall and the like Now who can make man righteous but hee that is Righteousnesse it selfe Who can make men the sonnes of God by grace but hee that is the Sonne of God by nature Who can restore us to the image of God but hee that is the invisible image of God Who can give us the Spirit but hee from whom the Spirit of God proceedeth And who can give man eternall life but hee that is life it selfe And thus it behoved mans redeemer to be God Secondly the Justice of God which as it leaveth not sinne unpunished so it punisheth it not but in that nature which hath sinned required that hee should bee man And thus hee that knew y 2 Cor. 5.21 no sinne was made sinne for us that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him And hee must bee God and Man in one person that hee might bee a middle man betweene God and Man and doe the thiâ—gs which were to bee performed with z Heb. 5.1 God and also with men And thus there was a necessitie that the fulnesse of the Godhead should dwell in the humane nature of Christ and that hee should bee God and man in one person Doth Christ dwell in mans flesh Use Hath hee assumed mans nature into the unity of his person The honor and exaltation of mans nature then behold the honour of man how wondrously Christ hath exalted the nature of man Man that by his sinne hath made himselfe extremely base and ignominious is exceedingly honoured by Christ Jesus even above all the residue of the creatures for hee tooke not on him the a Heb. 2.16 nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Hee often used the Angels as his ministers and instruments but tooke them not into the unity of his person they have indeed a neere and sweet communion with him but the nature of man alone hath the prerogative and glory of being one with Christ personally Ambrose saith * Honorem hunc digniâ—atem humanae naturae Deus Dei filius contribuit ut Deus homo una persona esset God the Sonne of God hath given this honour and dignitie to the humane nature that God and man should bee one person Great is the honour that comes to man by Christs incarnation it is onely the Lord Jesus that makes man honourable and glorious the Sunne is the glory of the world the head is the glory of the body the crowne is the glory of the King the flower is the glory of the garden b Prov. 17 6. Childrens children saith Solomon are the crowne of old men and the glory of children are their fathers but when all is done the glory of a Christian is Christ Jesus hee that commeth neerest unto Christ and is most entirely united to him is of all persons the most honourable and glorious These are a c 1 Pet. 2.9 royall Priesthood a chosen generation a peculiar people called out of darknesse into a marvelous light Women suppose it a great glory to bee taken into wedlocke by rich men and Nobles Men repute it a high honour to be received into the favour and fellowship of Princes Servants have high thoughts of their being made companions of their Lords and Masters but true glory full abiding glory commeth unto man by his being received of Christ by his having union communion with Christ hee alone is truly honourable and everlastingly noble that hath Christ graciously dwelling in him he hath the honour of a d Iohn 1.12 Sonne of God by regeneration and adoption the honour of a e Iohn 15.15 friend of God for Gods familiar and full imparting of his mind and secrets to him the honour of a f Rom. 8.37 Conquerour for the victory which Christ gives him over the Divell the world and his owne corruption the honour of a g Ephes 5.30 Spouse for Christs spirituall wedlock with him the honour of an h Rom. 8.17 heire for his free participation of all the good things of his heavenly Father and the honour of a i Rev. 1.6 King for the spirituall dominion which hee hath over himselfe and the world Were man sensible of the honour that comes by the participation of Christ Jesus hee would never so strive for worldly honours nor entertaine such dishonourable thoughts of the wayes of Christ and his servants The state of that man doth ever at last prove most dishonourable and base that thinkes to enoble himselfe without Christ Joseph brought his brethren and presented them to Pharaoh King of Egypt hee accepted them bad them dwell in the k Gen. 47.6 best of the land and commanded that the men of activity among them should be rulers over his catell through Christ wee come nigh to the great King of heaven and earth hee accepts us hee bestowes his best blessings upon us and makes us spirituall rulers over all worldly vanities and our owne affections Very great is the honour that God dispenseth unto man through Christ his Sonne Mans care to preserve his honor And O how great should the care of man bee that is thus honoured by Christ not to dishonour himselfe by wallowing like a swine in the mire and filth of sinne by bowing downe to the world as Gideons l Iud. 7. thousands to the waters by enthralling himselfe to the Divell and his owne lusts as sometimes Dalila cut off Sampsons m Iud. 16. lockes and made him a slave to the Philistines O man doe not dishonour that nature of thine which Christ hath so honoured doe not debase that which Christ hath exalted doe not unite and joyne thy selfe in communion with the Divell and the dung and drosse of the world Christ having taken mans nature into the unitie of his person as a pledge of thy future exaltation doe not bow downe thy soule and exalt thy lust as Solomon sometimes saw n Eccl. 10.17 servants on horse-backe and Princes walking on foote But as Christ hath honoured thee Manner how man must preserve his honour Non est digâ—um ut inde exigas honorem unde refugis laborem so maintaine thy dignity and spirituall glory by purging thy selfe from sinne as a living spring doth purge it selfe from pollution by contending mightily against all the oppositions of grace as a Souldier in the day of battle by being industrious in the works of holinesse as hee that labours for great wages a Christians labour is his honour by shining as the Sunne with light by being full as the tree with fruit by abounding as the sea with waters As the nature
which Christ hath assumed abides unchangeably united to the person of the Sonne so o Ioh. 15.7 abide with Christ in attendance on his ordinances in faith in his promises in love to his truth and in obedience to his precepts As the assumed nature is ascended from the earth to heaven so raise thy thoughts and affections p Col. 3.2 from the things below to the things above ascend continually by meditation by faith by love and longing to the things which are spirituall As the assumed nature hath no subsistence but in the person of the Sonne so have thou no dependance upon any thing but on Christ alone let him q Psal 73.15 bee all in all And as the assumed nature is filled with the fulnesse of the Godhead so labour more and more to bee filled with the fulnesse of all grace and holinesse so shalt thou maintaine that honour to which Christ hath exalted thy nature CHAP. XII Shewing that mans choycest excellencie consisteth in union with God THis sheweth us wherein the choycest excellencie of man consisteth even in being united unto God in having God dwelling in his heart Wherein stands the excellencie of Christ as Man but in having the Godhead dwelling in his flesh in being assumed into the unity of the second person And wherein stands the excellencie the glory and the happinesse of man but in being reconciled and brought nigh to God in being entred into a sweet and gracious communion with God Is it not the excellencie of the branches to bee united to the Vine of the members to bee united to the head of the wife to have communion with the husband and of the children to have communion with the parent And what is the excellencie the joy and comfort of the soule but sweet and gracious communion with God in Christ Jerusalem though the joy of the whole earth pleased not Absolom unlesse hee might r 2 Sam. 14.32 see the face of his father David The paradise of the world is but a wilderness to to the childe of God unlesse hee see the face enjoy the comfortable presence of God his Father Whom doth the Psalmist pronounce blessed Him that hath communion with Princes in their Courts with Nobles in their honours with valiant men in their victories with rich men in their wealth voluptuous men in their pleasures or him that hath communion with his God in his ordinances in his spirituall comforts Å¿ Psal 65.4 Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approch unto thee whom thou chusest embracing him with thy love adopting him for thy sonne and making him a member of thy Church and causest him to approch unto thee as a Scholler to thy Schoole as a friend to thy house as a childe to thy table as a bride into the bosome of thy love to know thy will to beleeve thy truth to receive thy grace and to feele thy love and to bee satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple What is the fruit and end of all the labours of Gods Ministers but to worke and draw home the soules of men to God to the fruition enjoyment of God to union and communion with God All the labour of Eleazar was to bring home Rebecca unto Isaac to espouse her to Isaac and all the labour of Gods Ministers his servants is to bring men home to Christ to espouse them to Christ as Paul saith I t 2 Cor. 11.2 have espoused you to one husband This is the summe of all to gather men home to God and Christ as Chicken to the Henne as Sheep unto the Shepheard as Children to the Parent that they may bee u 2 Cor. 5.19 reconciled unto God made one with God and have the blessed enjoyment of God as their highest excellency chiefest good And what are the longings of the soules of holy men who have discerned Gods beauties who have tasted Gods loving kindnesse but the fruition of God in his ordinances and in his graces w Ps 42.2 My soul saith David thirsteth for God O when shall I come appeare before God! And againe My soule x Ps 119.20 breaketh for the longings which it hath unto thy judgements at all times Very vehement and laborious are the desires of Gods servants after him and his testimonies desires which doe even consume and weare out the strength and vigour of their soules desires of perseverance longing at all times in prosperitie and adversitie The soule of a good man is restlesse untill it hath the enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ nothing else can content and answere it Herein stands the excellencie the glory and comfort of it untill it attaine this it is unquiet Union and communion with God makes the soule flourish Benefits of union and communion with God as the branches by union with the vine They y Ps 92.12 that are planted in the house of the Lord that draw nigh to God conscionably frequent his word and are ingrafted into Christ they shall flourish in the courts of our God as a watered garden or a tree planted by the waters side this fils the soule with spirituall life with heavenly sense and motion as the members which are united to the head z 1 Ioh. 5.12 Hee that hath the sonne hath life power strength a blessed fulnesse of holy and heavenly life hee spiritually moves and eates and walkes and workes and rejoyceth like a living man this makes him strong as the a Mat. 7. house that was united to the rocke no windes nor waves of trouble can beate him downe this makes him strong as Christ is strong to beare afflictions and to runne like a strong man the race of Gods commandements this sustaines him in all worldly desertions this is in stead of light when he is in darknesse in stead of b Psa 4.6 wealth when he is poore c. Union and communion with God answers all things O be assured then that the top and flower of the soules happinesse consists in union with God and Christ Jesus And as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the humane nature of Christ bodily substantially so labour to feele God in Christ dwelling in thy soule spiritually feele him dwelling there by illumination as the sun dwelleth in the aire by ministration as the vine to the branches by powerfull and gracious gubernation as a centurion in the army a master in the house and a king in his courts by spirituall and holy inclination bowing bending and framing the heart to doe the will of God As the pilot at the sterne workes the ship towards the haven as the spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision being in the wheeles Wheresoever the Spirit moved c Ezek. 1.20 they moved so feele the Spirit of Christ in thy soule so possessing sanctifying and framing it that there be a disposition and readinesse within thee to move as God in his word
of the soule as the cloudes under the Sun Christ being able to dispell and blot them out as the Sun the clouds as debts under a rich man Christ being able to make full satisfaction death and hell are put under him as the o Rev. 1.18 opening and shutting of the house are under him that hath the keyes of the house Absolute universall irresistible is Christs jurisdiction p Mat. 28.18 having all power both in heaven and earth given him Behold in this who are filled with the chiefest choycest fulness Use this is the excellency of Christ Who have choycest fulnesse that hee is filled with all the fulnesse of the Godhead and this is the excellency of the soule to bee filled with the fulnesse of the Spirit of all fulnesse heavenly fulnesse is the choycest Christ of all creatures commeth nearest to God and his fulnesse is the fulnesse of the divine essence Among men such as are most nigh and most deare to God their fulnesse is a fulnesse of heavenly gifts and graces God often fills his enemies with q Psal 17.14 Job 12.6 earthly abilities as Abraham filled the hands of Ismael with the moveables as men fill swine with huskes and Acornes but his friends hee fills with spirituall gifts as Abraham gave the inheritance unto Isaac and Elkana a worthy portion to Hanna Spirituall fulnesse is a portion of the highest price of the sweetest choycest use and with this fulnesse wee must all strive to bee filled Bee not r Ephes 5.18 drunke saith Saint Paul with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the Spirit with the wisedome of the Spirit with the holinesse of the Spirit with the power of the Spirit with the joy and peace of the Spirit Spirituall and heavenly fulnesse is proper to the Lords servants let the covetous like the rich man in the parable fill his barnes with corne let the drunkard like them in the ſ Isay 59.11 Prophet fil themselves with strong drinke let the ambitious like Haman fill himselfe with worldly honours but let the Christian fill himselfe with the graces of the Spirit for this let us pray heare contend and strive to bee filled t Eph. 21.3.19 with the fulnesse of God with the highest measure of spirituall perfection whereunto wee can attaine This fulnesse is the most excellent therefore stiled 1. Excellent the fulnesse of God God is infinitely more excellent then the earth and this fulnesse farre excelleth all worldly fulnesse As Bathsheba said of the vertuous woman Many daughters have done excellently but thou excellest them all so may wee say of this fulnesse how excellently soever other fulnesses may doe in their place and kind yet this fulness of grace excelleth them all This fulnesse is the most permanent 2. Permanent this abideth as the Sunne in the firmament as the waters of the sea as the fire upon the altar when other fulnesse faileth like the waters of Tema and vanisheth like a vapour this is a growing fulnesse like the waters comming out under the Temple rising higher and higher shining like the light more and more to the perfect day This is an honourable fulnesse 3. Honourable it is a Crowne and a Diadem to him that hath it it makes man an excellent man indeed To excell in vertue is mans choycest excellencie It is a sweet and comfortable 4. Sweet satisfactory a satisfactory and contenting fulnesse a Feast of marrow and fat things and of wine refined upon the lees a river that filleth and makes glad the soule Oh then above all fulnesse highly prize diligently seeke earnestly hunger after the fulnesse of God care not for the fulnesse of gold fulnesse of lands fulnesse of honour fulnesse of carnall contentments but for the fulnesse of God this will make thee strong against temptations patient in afflictions joyfull in sufferings holy in thought gracious in speech fruitfull in action humble in prosperity confident in adversitie fervent in prayer profitable in hearing godly in conversation and graciously assured of future fulnesse of an eternitie of all blisse and happinesse CHAP. XIIII Setting forth the superlative excellency of Christ above all creatures HERE as in a glasse wee may behold the transcendent and superlative excellency of Jesus Christ above all the creatures 2 Sam. 18 3. David was better then ten thousands of the people Christ is more excellent then all the thousands of men and Angels Ps 148.13 his name alone is excellent for his divine originall for his union of two natures in one person and for the mighty workes which have beene wrought by him Phil. 2.9 God hath given him a name above every name for dignity majesty authority power and most complete perfection as the name of kings is above the name of subjects the name of an heire above the name of servants the name of a centurion above the name of souldiers the name of ransomer above the name of redeemed captives excelling all the creatures as the tallest cedars the lowest shrubs the most glorious Sunne the weakest lights the deepest Sea the smallest drops the highest Prince the poorest beggars and the richest jewell the most unworthy stone The Apostle saith of the glory of the Law in comparison of the glory of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.10 That which was glorious had no glory by reason of that which excelleth Thus the glory and excellencie of all creatures is as no glory and excellencie in respect of the surpassing glory and excellencie of Christ Jesus Full of divine and heavenly sweet and soule-ravishing excellencie are the names given in sacred Scripture unto Christ as Immanuel Esay 7.14 God with us in regard of his person being God and Man in the unity of his person and in regard of his office being with us by intercession with his Father for us by protection against all enemies by sustentation in all adversities Christs being made one with us is the fountaine of all our happinesse Sometimes hee is stiled Iesus Mat. 1.21 a Saviour no typicall but a proper true spirituall Saviour no mediate but an immediate Saviour a Saviour by merit obtaining salvation by his perfect obedience and satisfaction a Saviour by efficacie applying all his benefits by the operation of his Word and Spirit a Saviour in regard of the terminus à quo the sinnes wrath of God and condemnation from which hee saves us and in regard of the terminus ad quem the perfect righteousnesse favour of God and life eternall whereunto hee brings us Christ is the complete and perfect authour of salvation to all Gods children Full of heavenly sweetnesse is the name Iesus to all true beleevers Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Hony in the mouth musicke in the eare a jubilee in the heart saith Bernard Superlatively sweet and excellent is that salvation which Christ brings to all that unfainedly receive him Sometimes
his name is called Wonderfull Isay 9.1 Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Wonderfull for the admirable union of two natures in one person for his wonderfull conception and birth of a Virgine and Wonderfull for the administration of his kingdome wonderfully saving his servants wonderfully destroying his enemies Counsâ—llour for the wisedome which he revealeth and counsell which hee giveth the elect by the Gospel making them wise unto salvation The mighty God for the miracles hee wrought the donation of the Spirit and regeneration of Gods chosen The everlasting Father for the life of grace and glory which hee ministers to all true beleevers And the Prince of Peace for the peace which hee makes between God and his chosen for the concord which hee workes between Gods children and the heavenly tranquillity which hee puts into the consciences of contrite and broken-hearted sinners The names of the Lord Iesus are Characters full of wonders in the eyes of all beleevers and beames ministring the heavenly light of wisedome and consolation to all that come unto him Sometimes he is figuratively stiled a Head Eph. 1.22 for the excellency dignity and eminency of his condition above others as the head is the most noble and eminent above all the members for his mysticall conjunction with true beleevers direction gubernation protection which hee ministers to them and for the communication of all spirituall life sense motion and every good thing to Gods children Sometimes hee is stiled a Rocke 1 Cor. 10.4 1 Pet. 2 5. and the head stone of the corner for his conjunction of Jew and Gentile in one Church and for his might in sustaining all such as are by a lively faith built a spirituall house upon him Sometimes hee is called a Lyon the Lyon of the tribe of Juda Rev. 5.5 for his principality and eminence as the Lyon is the King of all beasts for his vigilancie as the Lyon sleeps with his eyes open Christ is a keeper that never sleeps for his power efficacie in plucking us out of the mouth of the roaring Lyon the Divel for his custody keeping us as the Lyon his whelps for the terrour he casts upon the hearts of his enemies by the preaching of his word as the Lyon by his voyce makes all the beasts to tremble and by the raising of his chosen unto life as the Lyon by his cry awakens his young which sleepe Sometimes hee is called the Sunne Mal. 4.2 the Sunne is the Prince of the Starres Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the earth the Sunne is the eye of the world Christ of the Church the Sunne conferreth light with his beames Christ conferres the light of knowledge faith and all grace to the soule the Sunne is in the midst of the planets Christ is a middle person betweene God and man Christ gives the light of glory to the Saints above the light of grace to beleevers here beneath The Sunne warmes the earth Christ the heart with his divine love the Sun makes the earth fertile Christ makes the soule fruitfull the Sunne casts his light upon the poore mans cottage as well as on the kings palace Christ shines as clearely and comfortably unto the heart of the poorest as of the richest Christian Sometimes he is stiled a Bridegroome a husband 2 Cor. 11.2 for his dominion over despensation and betrothment with and singular affection to his Spouse the Church for his protection nutrition communication of honour to the children of God for his entire union with acquisition of his Spouse Sampson and David obtained their Brides by shedding the bloud of their enemies Christ hath obtained his Spouse by shedding his owne bloud and dissolving the workes of the Divell his their adversary Most excellent is the authority dignity majesty power beauty wisedome love and chiefest goodnesse shining forth to the soules of Gods servants in and through the names of Chrâ—st Jesus Foure excellencies in Christ on which men are to fasten the eyes of their faith 1. Excellency of dominion Let us therfore lock and fasten the eies of our faith First upon the excellency of Christs dominion behold him reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords and vaile and bow to him As Pharaoh put all the people of his land from the lowest to the highest under Joseph because none was excellent as Joseph so let us put all the faculties of our soules and all the members of our bodies the whole man under Christ let all be subject and serviceable unto Christ let all be ruled and guided by Christ Christ hath absolute and most excellent authority over us and therefore as all that travell in the day are guided by the Sunne as all Israel were guided by the pillar as all the members of the body are guided by the head so let us in all things be guided by Christ Mat. 8.8 let us goe and come at Christs command as the souldiers did at the command of the Centurion All mans goings are aberrations if he be not guided by Christ Iesus nothing is wel done but that which answers Christs direction they that walke after their owne fancies walke in darkenesse It is recorded of the wheeles in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 1.21 that when the living creatures went the wheeles went and when the living creatures stood the wheeles stood when the living creatures were lifted up the wheeles were lifted up over against them for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheeles Thus let our motion station be according to Christs prescription having as the Psalmist saith Psa 40.8 the law of the Lord in our hearts And as Christ hath excellent dominion so let us feele him reigning and ruling within us by illumination as the Sun doth rule the day by filling the aire with light by subjugation putting under all our unruly lusts as Iosua ruled in Canaan by treading upon the neckes of the kings of Canaan and putting them to death by direction and guidance of our souls to move aright in the wayes of God as the pilot doth guide the ship by love as the husband doth rule the wife by inhabitation possession as the dweller doth rule the house by gracious heavenly influence as the hand doth guide the pen and the load-stone doth turne and draw the iron towards it It is the glory of mans heart to become the Throne of Christ the honour of mans life to bee wholly subject unto Christ it is a far greater honor to be Christs * Bonus obediens domini servus proximi socius mundi dominus superiora habet ad gaudium aequalia ad consortium inferiora ad sâ—rviâ—ium Bern. gracious servant then the worlds profane commander Hee that is most spiritually subject is most truly excellent of all men he hath the choycest dominion that yeelds to Christ most ready free subjection Every thing shall serve him who readily serves
on earth besides him and is as a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord Isa 62.3 and as a royall Diadem in the hand of his God Joh. 1.12 Rom 8.18 Rev. 1.6 All that have Christ are sonnes of God heires of heaven spirituall Kings hee is most honourable and glorious that comes nighest unto Christ that receiveth most of Christ it is not naturall birth but new birth not worldly abundance but heavenly fulness that honors man in Gods presence * Sola apud Deum libertas est non servire peccatis summa apud Deum nobilitas est clarum esse virtutibus Rev. 12.1 The onely freedome with God saith Ierome is not to serve sinne and with God to excell in vertue is the highest nobility Most honourable and glorious is the description of the Church represented by a woman clothed with the Sunne a crowne of twelve starres on her head and the Moone under her feet That mans condition is questionlesse most honourable that hath the Sunne of righteousnesse clothing him the starre of Gods word guiding him and all the things of the earth put under him 5. The having of all things Fifthly hee that hath Christ hath all shee that is wedded to the Master of the house hath all the house Man by his spirituall wedlocke with Christ hath interest in all the things of this great house of the world Of such as have Christ the Apostle saith All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 23. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods All things are yours all the creatures here below are yours as your servants to doe service to you as all the servants of the house are under the mistresse of the house the Angels are also yours to minister to you as the Nobles of the land are the Queenes to attend and wait upon her All things are appointed for your good for your edification supportation and comfort Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all the Ministers of God from the highest to the lowest are yours as lights to guide you pastors to feed you with knowledge and understanding as shepheards to gather you home to Christ as physicians to heale you as builders to hew and square you as husbandmen to manure and dresse you as the friends of the Bridegroome to wooe you to perswade and betroth you to Christ All the ordinances of God are yours as a schoole to instruct you as a Banquetting house to feed you as an Artillery house to furnish you with spirituall armour as a Bethesda to heale you All these are for your sakes for your good The world is yours as a house for you to dwell in a countrey for you to live in for a season All the goods of the world are yours to use as the things of the house are the wives to use they are all sanctified unto you All the malice and opposition of the world is yours to weane you from the earth to drive you home to Christ to exercise your graces and sweeten unto you Christ Iesus The fulnesse pompe and glory of the world is yours to try your sobriety humility vigilancie and moderation in all things Not onely all things are yours but all conditions whether life or death life is yours the time of life is yours to learne and know God to get assurance of another life The prosperity of life is yours to bee thankfull to God for it the troubles of life are yours to learne to beare the crosse with patience All the severall estates and conditions of life are yours in each of them to shew your subjection and obedience unto God Death is also yours to put an end to all your miseries as a Physician to cure all your diseases as a haven of peace after all tempests as a place of rest after all labours as the red sea to Israel drowning all sinnes ending all sorrowes and giving entrance into endlesse joyes as the red sea drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians and proved a safe passage to the Israelites and gave them occasion of great triumph and exultation Things present and things to come are yours present things are yours present good things are yours to behold God in them to praise God for them to serve God with them to doe good to others by them present afflictions are yours to try you to humble you to purge you to sweeten the meditation of Christ and heaven to you present sinnes are yours to make you vile in your owne apprehension to drive you out of your selves to let you see the necessarie use of Gods ordinances and the necessity of Christ Jesus Things to come are yours afflictions to come are yours to prepare for them sinnes to come are yours to prevent them heaven and happiness to come are yours to sustaine and comfort your selves with the thought and beleefe of them All things of whatsoever kinde or nature are yours and you are Christs Christs servants to obey him Christs Spouse to love him Christs members receiving all from him possessing all in him and Christ is Gods subordinate unto God as Man and Mediator between God and Man Here are all the latitudes of a Christians riches his having of all in Christ Jesus Let the proud man with Nebuchadnezar blesse himselfe in his stately palace let the mighty man with Golâ—ah boast himselfe in his tall stature and strong armour let the valiant man with Senacharib magnifie himselfe in his victories and the covetous blesse himselfe with him in the parable in having his barnes full but let the Christian pronounce himselfe happy onely happy truly happy fully happy everlastingly happy in his having of Christ for Christ Jesus is mans sole and joyfull constant and most glorious happinesse because in him dwells all fulnesse even the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily The last thing in this verse is the manner how the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ and that is bodily in the body or humane nature assumed in that the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth Omnis plenitudo divinae narae in corpore ejus inhabitat All fulness saith Ierom of the divine nature dwelleth in his body And the Apostle addeth this word bodily 1. To put a distinction betweene the dwelling of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed and in the Saints in them the Godhead dwels by the communication of vertue but in this the Godhead dwels personally by the coÌ„munication of the person of the Son to the humane nature 2. This the Apostle addeth to shew that Christ according to his humane nature is head of the Church by reason of the personall inhabitation of the Godhead in the flesh 3. To declare the full and open manifestation of God in Christ God did often manifest himselfe unto men in shadowes and in powerfull and mighty workes but in Christ he hath manifested himselfe most fully dwelling
in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces
branches the Patriarchs Moses the Prophets a Vine loaden with many sweet grapes but now there was nothing but leaves on it a glorious profession a formall performance of religious duties much vaunting and boasting that they were the children of Abraham but they were barren they did not the workes of Abraham they had neither the faith nor trode the steps of Abraham And therefore our Saviour cursed the figtree 1. In testimonium to shew his Deity his absolute authority and dominion over all creatures 2. In declarationem to shew his anger against the Jewish people 3. In typum thereby to shew what the end of that people should be 6 Barrennesse ruinateth the barren tree is hewed downe the barren ground is burned Heb. 6.8 a barren people the Lord will forsake remove and cast out of his sight this is fully expressed by our Saviour in the Parable of the Housholder Mat. 21.34 in which the Housholder is God the Vineyard is generally the Church particularly the people of the Jewes the hedges are the Mosaicall lawes likened to a hedge for distinction for preservation the people of the Jewes being by them distinguished from other people and preserved from wasting as a field by a hedge the Winepresse was their ministery of the Word likened to a Wine-presse in regard of preparation fitting them to offer unto God the pleasant wine of found obedience and holy and fervent prayers the Watch tower was the Kingdome Priesthood Temple likened to a Tower for the ornament honour glory which it ministred the husbandmen to whom he let it out were the Priests and Levites likened to husbandmen for their labour in and watchfulness over the Lords Vineyard and the Lord is likened to one going into a farre Countrey not for the mutation of his presence but by cessation of miracles immediate manifestation of himselfe among them leaving his Vineyard to their charge the servants sent were the Prophets whom they beat imprisoned killed stoned at last he sent his own Son whom they crucified and for their ingratitude and barrennesse the Vineyard hath beene long let out to others This did our Saviour threaten Mat. 23.37 38. How often would I have gathered you together and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate and for this likewise he threatned the removing of the Candlesticke from the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2.5 and for this we have great cause to humble our selves But what need may some say have we to humble our selves we have Gods Ordinances we have plenty of learned zealous godly Preachers we have multitudes of Professours the firmament of our Church is garnished with bright and shining starres our garden is decked with many sweet and beautifull flowers our orchard is set with variety of pleasant and fruitfull trees our land enriched with great abundance of all things much cause of rejoicing but what cause of humiliation Beloved Israel had the Arke rejoiced much in the presence of it yet fell before the enemy 1 Sa. 4.5 they had the Temple of the Lord they gloried not a little thereof yet were destroyed Jer. 7.4 Wee have many learned painfull able Ministers blessed bee the great Shepheard of our soules that sends them and the Lord daily increase the number of them wee may say indeed with the Psalmist The Lord hath not dealt so with every nation Psal 147.20 Yet this was a prerogative to which Ierusalem was no stranger all the Prophets were set as watchmen upon her walles Isa 62.6 the Baptist also who excelled all the Prophets the Sonne of God himselfe and all the Apostles were sent to them yet after all this and even then was Ierusalem destroyed The more labourers in the vineyard the nigher is it unto burning if it continue unfruitfull Wee have plenty of all things so had Ierusalem a land flowing with milke and hony Isa 47.7 Babylon sate as a Queene and no widow and many who open as saith the Psalmist their mouthes against heaven Psal 73.5 have more then heart could wish and yet have been set in slippery places the more wee have received the more such ought to bee humbled as make not the best use of it It is not the presence but the good use wee make of our temporall fulnesse which proveth us to bee Gods servants Wee have many Professors men forward in attending Gods ordinances in the performance of holy duties So there were also in the dayes of our Saviour but they undertooke their profession upon false grounds for outward things Ioh 6.26 Ioh. 2.22 and therefore our Saviour would not commit himselfe unto them There were many beasts in the Arke but not all clean Foure sorts of ground received seed but onely one good Profession without practise is odious in Gods presence such of all people are in Gods eye most hatefull to Gods name most dishonuorable to Gods religion most scandalous Tit. 1.16 as professe that they know God but in workes deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate As wee looke on what wee have and are comforted so let us looke on what wee want and be humbled and thus consider First how many ignorant idle covetous corrupt unprofitable carnall and carelesse Ministers wee have who either doe not Gods worke at all or at least are very carelesse in the performance of it leaving their congregations as candlestickes without a candle children without a nurse families without a stewart ships without a pilot Some Foxes there are among the Shepheards some Drones among the Bees thus of old Some were covetous looking for their gaine from every quarter some dawbed with untempered morter some cried Isa 56.11 Ezek. 13.10 Ier. 23.14 Peace when there was no peace some strengthened the hands of the wicked Thus of old and thus now and thus wee have cause of humiliation Secondly how are the painfull and faithfull Ministers of the Word entertained 1 Kin. 22.8 2 Chro. 32.16 Jer. 15 10. Are they not for the most part hated mocked made as men of cōtention to the whole earth Doe not the men of the world handle them as Hanuns servants did Davids men when they shaved off their beards unto the halfe 2 Sam. 10.4 and cut off their garments to the buttockes loading them with reproches depriving them of their maintenance filling them with manifold discomforts esteeming powerfull and plaine preaching with the men of Athens no better then babbling Acts 17.18 Thirdly what doe wee for the most part profit by the labours of Gods Ministers Where is our repentance reformation new life Are not a great number of us like Micha the Idolater that pronounced himselfe blessed Jud. 17.13 because hee had a Levite to his Priest though hee still kept his Idol And thus a great number blesse themselvs in the naked having of the ministery of the Word though they still retain their Idol their covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice like the
of all our friends according to the flesh made dumb and silent then our soules will be put upon Christ and there will bee no remedy we must say Come Lord Iesus And therefore this should make Christ very pretious in our eyes now this should inflame our hearts with singular and fervent love unto him for the present getting interest in him above all things and making him our chiefest and choycest our deare and onely friend This should so sweeten unto us the Lord Jesus that wee should say with Bernard Jesus dulcis in voce dulcis in facie dulcis in nomine dulce enim nomen suave Jesus consecratum ab aeterno annunciatum ab Angelo prophetatum Solomonis oraculo qui ait Oleum effusum nomen tuum Psa 73.25 Jesus is sweet in voice sweet in face sweet in name for the name Jesus is sweet being consecrated from eternitie published by the Angel and prophesied by the Oracle of Solomon who saith Thy Name is an oyntment powred forth Wee should so select him so admire him so adhere unto him so set our hearts upon him that wee should say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee So glorious so pretious so infinitely transcendent let him be in our thoughts in our judgements in our estimation and affections that wee love and affect him exalt and preferre him as the King above all commanders as the Sunne above all lights as the spring above all cisternes as the pearle above all treasure and as the husband of our soules above all friends as a Paradice of all pleasures a haven of rest from all tempests and the refuge of our soules in all troubles Let our faith bee such in him our hope so settled upon him our love so strong towards him our subjection such under him that we may bee able at all times and seasons in all estates and conditions to say Come Lord Jesus Behold in this the honour and profit the advantage and comfort which a bodily dissolution bringeth to the righteous to all true beleevers they desire the full fruition of Christ and this bringeth them home to Christ Phil. 1.21 to them to dye is gaine gaine of libertie from the burthen of all corruption from all the assaults of Satan from the servitude of the world and all affliction gaine of perfect holinesse in respect of Gods image gain of complete victory in respect of all enemies gaine of most sweet communion in respect of their fellowâ—hip with God Christ the glorious Angels and all the Saints of God gaine of absolute honour in respect of their glorious condition in heaven As death to the righteous is a tree of many fruitfull branches a messenger of many comfortable tidings so the Spirit of God hath given it many denominations Sometimes it is stiled a Sleepe Mat. 9.24 sleep possesseth onely the outward members and senses the soule sleepeth not so in death the body onely dies the soule is carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 â—ev 14.13 Sleep giveth rest unto the body They who dye in the Lord rest from all their labours Sometimes it is called a gathering to our Fathers Gen. 25.8 by death the righteous are separated from the wicked gathered as wheat into Gods garner and their soules bound up in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25 29. Sometimes it is called a way the way of all flesh by the way wee come to our home to our fathers and to our friends house Ios 23.14 and by death wee come to our heavenly home to God the father and the Lord Jesus Sometimes it is called a going forth As the prisoner goeth forth of the prison 2 Pet. 1.15 and Israel went forth from the bondage of Egypt so when the body dieth the soule goeth forth as out of a prison and entreth into the land of the living Sometimes it is called an end Mat. 10.22 because in death there is an end of all sin of all sorrow of all labour trouble as in the waters of the red Sea the Israelites Egyptian bondage ended Sometimes it is termed a sowing Ioh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.44 the seed which is sowne doth spring forth again into a blade the body in the resurrection shall flourish like the grasse death like a Physician cures all their diseases like a key opens the prison and restores them to a blessed freedom brings them to the full fruition of Jesus Christ the desire of their soules And this is the sweetest and fullest gaine of a Christian Lucrum est evasisse incrementa peccati Augustine lucrum fugisse deteriora lucrum transire ad meliora Aug. Lucrum maximum computat Christianus Cyprian jam saeculi laqueis non teneri jam nullis peccatis vitiis carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris angentibus venenatis diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Cypr. This must perswade move us to work our hearts to a holy longing and earnest desire after the comming of the Lord Jesus to desire it as the husbandman the coÌ„ming of the harvest the sick man the comming of the day of health or the ward the day of his full age to looke for the new heavens 2 Pet. 3.13 2 Tim. 4.8 and the new earth and to love the appearing of the Lord Iesus and for that end there must be First Godly sorrow for sin Christs coming is comfortable to such as are truly sorrowfull he that is weary of his corruptions doth truely long for the coming of Christ Jesus Gen 45.4.5 Ioseph spake to his brethren kindly entertained them courteously when he saw them grieved for the injury offered him Luke 15. The prodigals day of humiliation Isa 61.1 was the day wherein his father graciously received him Christ will bee found a sweet and mercifull Iesus to all Mat. 11.28 truly penitent sinners Secondly there must be a thorough removall of sin an effectuall reformation of all our wayes Gen. 35.2 Jacob went not up to Bethel before he purged his house of Idols It is in vain for man to say Come Lord Jesus if there bee not a conversion of the soule to Jesus To such the Prophet speakes Amos 5.18.19 Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flye from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very darke and no brightnesse in it What the voyce of God was to Adam upon the eating of the forbidden fruit what the comming of the flood was to the profane men of the old world what the waters of the red Sea were to Pharaoh what the
which words wee may take notice 1. Of a particle of conclusion Finally 2. Of a title of compellation Brethren 3. Of a terme of valediction and farewell Farewell 4. of a vote Of exoptation or wishing Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you Wherein Saint Paul like a Testator or Parent that makes his last Will Testament bequeatheth these five gifts as five Legacies to the Corinthians his children in Christ which are like the h Gen. 45.22 five changes of rayment which Joseph gave to Benjamin for the spirituall warmth and ornament which they minister to the soules of Gods children like the i Judg. 18.7 five men which brought good tidings to their brethren incouraging them to arise and enter into the land for the comfortable newes which they bring to the soules of men encouraging them to enter into Gods service to set their feet into the wayes of peace and holinesse like the k 1 Sam. 21.3 five loaves of bread which David asked of the Priest for the nourishment refection and strength which they minister to the soules of Gods servants and these I shall being now as a dying man to you bequeath unto you as a Legacie of choycest worth to adorne you of greatest strength to support you of best nourishment to feed you of sweetest peace to solace you Finally brethren farewell Be perfect c. The branches growing on this tree are many the streames issuing from this fountain are divers and having but one day to gather the fruit here growing to draw the waters hence arising I shall but briefly touch give you a taste of each of them and first of the particle of conclusion Finally lastly Denique quod superest or as touching that which remaineth that is after that I have done mine office and have instructed you by the word threatned you by the judgements and intreated you by the mercies of God and have used all meanes to move you to repentance and to draw you to Christ Finally or what remaineth more to be done now but that you doe your duty that you beleeve repent reforme bee perfect and draw home to Christ with all your soule and might This is that which now remaineth which is now on your behalfe expected And hence you see Doct. That the Ministers long and frequent preaching must be attended with much perfection in the people After the Ministers long and frequent instruction faith repentance and true conversion must shew it selfe forth in the people When the Minister hath done his dutie towards men men must doe their dutie towards God The l Exod. 17.6 rocke gushed out water after Moses striking it After the Priests seven times compassing the walles of Jericho and m Jos 6.20 blowing of their Rammes horns the walles fell unto the ground After the Prophets n 2 Kings 4.34 spreading himselfe upon the woman of Shunems child the flesh of the child waxed warme hee neesed and opened his eyes After the Ministers often smiting our hearts with the hammer of the word often sounding of the trumpet of the Gospel in our eares and right dividing and applying of the word unto our hearts our stony hearts should be softned and send forth the waters of godly sorrow the strong and mighty holds of sinne should bee cast downe our soules enlivened the eyes of our understandings most clearly and savingly opened After the shining of the Sunne the aire is inlightned after the distilling of the dew and plentifull influence of the heavens the earth fructifieth after the long shining of the light of the Gospel and frequent distilling and dropping down of the dew of heavenly doctrine mens understandings should bee filled with knowledge as the aire with light and their lives replenished with all spirituall and heavenly fruit This the Lord expecteth o Isa 5.4 What could have been done more to my vineyard saith the Lord that I have not done in it in regard of the externall meanes wherefore I looked that it should bring forth grapes that like a vineyard long and well dressed it should bring forth good grapes of knowledge faith repentance and the like this is the property of Gods children as good p Mat. 13.24 ground receiving good seed they bring forth much fruit as living and healthy children sucking their mothers breasts they q 1 Pet. 2.2 grow by the sincere milke of the word of God This fruit hath followed the labours of Gods Ministers Saint Peter r Acts 2.44 testiâ—â—â— and exhorted and his word was glad 〈…〉 and about three thousand soules were 〈◊〉 to the Church Saint Paul preached and as Å¿ Acts 13.48 many as were ordained unto life beleeved The Apostle preached at Ephesus t Acts 19.20 many beleeved came and confessed and shewed forth their deeds so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed u Exod. 17.11 Iosua fought Moses prayed and Israel prevailed over Amalek When the Minister preacheth and prayeth Gods Israel must prevaile over Satan and their corruption Peter w Ioh. 21.11 casteth the net the second time into the sea and a multitude of fishes are taken in it At the Ministers first and second frequent and often preaching many soules should by the net of the Gospel bee drawne out of the gulfe and sea of sinne and the world And that In regard of the end of the Ministers Reason 1 long and frequent preaching The x Psa 104.22 23. Sunne ariseth sayth the Psalmist the wilde beasts gather themselves together and lay them downe in their dennes man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour untill the evening The Gospel like the Sunne ariseth and all the lusts of men which like so many wilde beasts walke forth and make their prey upon the soules of men in the right of their ignorance must now lye themselves downe by humiliation mortification and true repentance and man must arise from the bed of sinne and goe forth out of himselfe as out of his house to his worke and to his labour y Phil. 2.12 working out his salvation with feare and trembling never z 1 Thess 1.3 ceasing from the worke of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ untill the evening untill the sunne of his life be wholly gone down and set This the Apostle presseth from the end of the appearing of the Gospel a Rom. 13.11 The night is farre spent the time and state of ignorance and blindnesse is farre gone and the light is neere at hand the day of the Gospel breaketh forth and the light of illumination doth appeare Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse as men cast off their bed-clothes in the morning and let us put on the armour of light as men put on their day clothes and so let us walke and b Tit. 2.11 the grace of God saith