wonder for the knowledg that is communicated to Jesus Christ the great Prophet of his Church is not by Dreams or Visions or Revelations of Angels as to the Prophets of old but by a clear full intimate view and beholding of the Godhead the fountain of all sacred knowledg Rev. 5. 6. And I beheld and loe in the midst of the throne and of the The Lamb stands because 1. Prepared to perfect the work of Redemption 2. To help 3. To judg 4. To intercede four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth The Lamb slain opens the Prophecies and foretells what shall befall the Church to the end of the world The discovery of the secrets of God in his word are the fruit of Christ slain ascended and anointed as the great Prophet of the Church The Lamb wanted neither power nor wisdom to open the seven seals and therefore he is said to have seven horns and seven eyes Seven is a number Dan. 7. 24. Isa 35. 5. Mat. 28. 18. Colos 2. 3 9. of perfection Horns signifie power eyes signifie knowledg or wisdom both joyned together argue a fulness and perfection of power and wisdom in Christ so that we have here a lively representation of the three fold office of Christ His Sacerdotal or Priestly office in the Lamb as slain his Royal or Princely office in the horns and his Prophetical office in the eyes But Thirdly God the father promises to make him a King yea a mighty King also The Kingly office speaks might and power Christ is a King above all other Kings he is a King higher than the Kings of the earth he is the Psal 89. 27. Rev. 1. 5. Rev. 17. 14. prince of the kings of the earth he is Lord of Lords and kiâ—â— of kings I remember Theodotius the Emperour and anâ—â—â—er Emperour did use to call themselves the vassals of of Christ and 't is most certain that all the Emperours Kings and Princes of the world are but the vassals of â—is great King Christ is not only King of Saints but Rev. 15. 3 4. Rev. 12. 5. Dan. 7. 17. he is also King of Nations There was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him God by promise hath given Psal 2. 8. him the heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession The Monarchs of the world have stretched their Empires far Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom in Strabo reached as far as Spain The Persians reached farther Alexander farther than they and the Romans farther than them all but none of all these has subdued Rom. 10. 18. Rev. 11. 15. Mat. 28. 18. Joh. 3. 35. 1 Cor. 15. 27. the whole habitable world as Christ has and will All power is given unto him both in heaven and in earth The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand and the father also hath put all things under his feet The Government of all the world is given to Jesus Christ as God-man All the Nations of the earth are under the Government of Christ he is to govern them and rule them and judg them and make what use he pleases of them as may make most for his own glory and the good of his chosen Now God the father promiseth to invest My King in a peculiar way Decreâ—um Scriâ—â—um Promulgatum Jesus Christ with this Kingly office Psal 2. 6. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion These words are spoken by God the father of his son Jesus Christ In a promissory way God the father anoints Jesus Christ as Zion's King and therefore it cannot but be the highest madness folly and vanity for any sort or number of men under heaven to seek or attempt to pull that King of Saints down whom God the father hath set up Christ rules for his father and from his father and will so rule in despight of all the rage and wrath malice and madness of men and devils yet have I set my king Heb. I have anointed Where the sign of Christ's inauguration or entrance into his Kingdom is put for the possession and enjoying thereof Christ was anointed and appointed by his father to the office and work of a Mediator and is therefore here called his King There is an Emphasis in the word I Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Isa 40. 15 17. I before whom all the nations of the earth are bâ—â— as â— drop of a bucket and as the small dâ—st of the 〈…〉 I before whom all nations are as nothing yea less than nothing I by whom Princes rule and Nobles even Prâ—v 8. 16. all the Judges of the earth I that rule the Kingdoms of men and give them to whomsoever I will and Dan. 4. 17. who set over them the basest of men I that change times and seasons and that remove Kings and set Dan. 2. 21. up Kings I that can kill and make alive save and danâ—â— Dâ—ut 32. 39. bring to heaven and throw down to hell I am he that hath set up Christ as King and therefore let me see the Nation the Council the Princes the Nobles the Judges the Family the person that dare oppose or run counter-cross to what I have done Again the Lord in a promissory way approves and establisheth this King by a firm decree Psal 2. 7. I will declare the decree not the secret decree but the decree manifested in the word I the son of God will by my everlasting Gospel proclaim my father's counsel concerning the establishment of my Kingdom I will declare that irrevocable decree of the father for the setting up of his son's Sceptre contra gentes point blank opposite to that decree of theirs vers 3. The Decree of God concerning the Kingly office and authority of Christ is immutable and in effect as irrevocable so much may be collected out of the propriety of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those things are that are most irrevocable in the course of nature Again the Lord in a promissory way extends the dominion of Christ to the Gentiles and to the uttermost parts of the earth vers 8. So far should the enemies of Christ be from ruining his Kingdom that God the father promiseth that all the inhabitants of the earth should be his and brought into subjection to him not only the Jews but all the inhabitants of the earth shall be subjected to Christ's Kingdom the elect he shall save and the refractory he shall destroy He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river even to â—he ends of the earth Again the Lord in a promissory way declares the power prevalency and victory of Christ over all his enemies vers 9. Thou shalt break
and satisfaction made to the Justice of God for man's sin and thereupon sin taken a-away Now sin being taken away Christ sits down on the right hand of his Father Look as the humiliation of Christ was manifested in offering a Sacrifice so his exaltation in sitting at God's right hand was manifested after that he had offered that sacrifice This phrase Set down is a note of dignity and authority and this dignity and Authority is amplified by the place where he is said to sit down viz. on the right hand of God and this honour and dignity is much illustrated by the continuance thereof which is without date For ever sat down on the right hand of God It is an Eclipse of the lustre of any glory to have a date and a period The very thought that such a glory shall one day cease will cast a damp upon the Spirit of him that enjoys that Glory Christ's constant sitting at the right hand of his Father is a clear evidence that he has finished and compleated the work of our Redemption Christ could never have gone to his Father nor never have set down at the right hand of his Father if he had not first fulfilled all Righteousness and fully acquitted us of all our iniquities Joh. 16. 10. Of righteousness because I go to my Father The strength of the Argument lies in this Christ took upon him to be our Surety and he must acquit us of all our sins and satisfie his Father's Justice before he can go to his Father and be accepted of his Father and sit down on the right hand of his Father If God had not been fully satisfied or if any part of Righteousness had been to be fulfilled Christ should have been still in the grave and not gone to heaven his very going to his Father argues all is done all is finished and compleated But Sixthly Christ having performed all the conditions of the Covenant on his part he now peremptorily insists upon it that his Father should make good to him and his the conditions of the Covenant on his part Christ having finished his work looks for his reward Father Joh. 17. 4 5. says he I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thow gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was There was a most This transaction between the father and the son is worthy of our most dâ—ep serious and frequent meditation blessed transaction between God the Father and God the Son before the world began for the everlasting good of the Elect and upon that Transaction depends all the good and all the happiness and all the salvation of God's chosen and upon this ground pleads with his Father that all his members may behold his glory Joh. 17. 24. Father I wilâ— that they also which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Father I will not only I pray I beseech but I will I ask this as my right by vertue of the Covenant betwixt us I have done thus and thus and I have suffered thus and thus and therefore I cannot but peremptorily insist upon it that those that I have undertaken for be where I am that they may behold my glory For though Glory be a gift to us yet it is a debt that is due to Christ It is a part of Christ's joy that we should be where he is Christ will not be happy alone as a tender father he can enjoy nothing if his children may not have part with him The greatest part of our happiness that we shall have in heaven lies in this that then we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with him Oh sirs the great end of our being in heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ Christ is very desirous and much taken up with his peoples fellowship and company so that before he removes his bodily presence from them his heart is upon meeting and fellowship again as here we see in his prayer before his departure and this he makes evident from day to day in that until that time of meeting come two or three are not gathered in his name but he is in the midst of them to eye their behaviour to Mat. 18. 20. hear their suits to guide their way to to protect their persons to chear their spirits and to delight in their presence He delights to walk in the midst of the seven golden Rev. 2. 1. Mat. 5. 14 16. Psal 68 16. candlesticks the Golden Candlesticks are the Churches which are the light of the world and excel all other societies as much as Gold doth other Metals And he desires to dwell in the low and little hill of Zion Zion is his resting place his chosen place his dwelling place Psal 132. 13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation Vers 14. This is my rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have desired it Christ chose Zion for his love and loves it for his choice and accordingly he he delights to dwell there The Lamb stands on Mount Rev. 14. 1. Zion Christ is ready prest for action and in the midst of all Antichrist's Persecutions he hath always a watchful eye over Mount Zion and will be a sure life-guard to Mount Isa 4. 5 6. Zion he stands readily prepared to assist Mount Zion to fight for Mount Zion to communicate to Mount Zion Isa 8. 18. and to be a refuge to Mount Zion and no wonder for he dwells in mount Zion Now if Christ take so much delight to have spiritual communion with his people in this 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The words are very significant â—n the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ill in-dwell in them so the words are there are two in s in the Original as if God could never haâ—e enoughe â—â—munion with them 2 Trâ—â— 1. 10. world no wonder that he can never rest satisfied till their gracious communion with him here issue in their perfect and glorious communion with him in heaven And certainly the glory and happiness of heaven to the Elect will consist much in being in Christ's company in whom they delight so much on earth to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes to enjoy him fully and to be always in his presence is the heaven of heaven the glory of glory 't is the sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Glory The day is coming wherein Believers shall be compleatly happy in a sight of Christ's glory when he shall be conspicuously glorified and admired in all his Saints and glorified by them and when all veils being laid aside and they fitted for a more full fruition shall visibly and immediately behold and enjoy him therefore is their condition in heaven described as consisting in this that they may behold my
he must provide him a ladder and climb alone to heaven we must go to heaven some other way than the Saints have done of old except we resolve of going thither through much tribulation Act. 14. 22. Thirdly That no person or persons on earth may sinfully shift off sufferings or avoid sufferings there being infinitely more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest sufferings that can befall us in this world 't is best 't is safest to chuse suffering rather than sinning as Moses did so Daniel chose rather to be Dan. 6. cast among Lions than that his Conscience should be a Lyon within him and the three Children or Champions rather who were cap. 3. holily wilful chose rather to burn in the fiery furnace than to bow to the Image that the King had set up He that values peace Juâ—as and Spira will rather sin than suffer but whoever suffered more on this â—ide hell than they suffered with God and peace with Conscience and the honour of God and the credit of Religion the silencing of sinners and the rejoycing of the Saints must chuse to suffer rather than to sin when storms arise and troubles and dangers approach many begin to consult not how they may glorifie God by suffering but how they may provide for their own safety by sinning Plato knew much of God but as Josephus shews durst not set it down for fear of the people And Lactantius charges the same upon Tully Thou darest not saith he undertake the Patrenage of the truth for fear of the prison of Socrates And Augustine De Ci 〈…〉 lib. 6. cap. 10. doth as much for Seneca he spends a whole Chapter in shewing how he held the truth in unrighteousness telling us how he reverenced that which he reproved did that which he condemned and worshipped that which he found fault with Though these wise men saw the vanity of the Heathenish Deities and the worship that was given to them and looked upon them as utterly unworthy of respect from wise and sober men nay secretly scorned and derided them yet would they not openly declare against them and that for fear of the people who so much doted upon them But Daniel's three young Worthies were men of that heavenly gallantâ—y that they peremptorily resolved upon this that though they should not be delivered by their God yet they would not sin against their God nor so much as demur deliberate or take time to consider whether they should suffer or sin 't was past dispute with them brave and noble souls that they were It is observable that when Paul speaks of his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. his sufferings he calls them light but when he speaks of his sin he speaks of it as a burden that prest him down and made him cry out O wretched man that I am and to cry out again we groan being burthened Moses his choice is famous and celebrated Rom. 7. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 2 4. all the world over for 't was not made when he was a child but when he came to forty years of age then he preferred Heb. 11. 25 26 27 suffering not only before sinning but before all the Honours Riches and Pleasures of Egypt accounting the worst of Christ viz. Reproaches better than the best of the world When Eleazar was promised to be saved from torments and death if he would but make shew of yielding he couragiously answered It 2 Mac. 6. 24. becometh not our age in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar being four score and ten years old were now gone to a strange Religion Thus also one of the seven Brethren in the name of the rest We are ready to cap. 7. 2. die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers meaning such Laws as God of old had given to their Fathers to be observed by them and by their Posterity Age after Age. Polycarpus Eccl. l. 4. c. 15. when the Governour promised to let him go free if he would deny Christ answered I have served him four score and six years and he never hurt me in any thing how shall I curse him who hath saved me And the Governour adding one while promises another while threatnings Polycarpus thus cuts oâ—l all why dost thou make delays inflict what thou lists So Galea 〈…〉 Gentleman of great Estate who suffered Martyrdom at S 〈…〉 t-ang 〈…〉 a Italy being much pressed by his friends to recant and save his life he replied that death was much more tweet to him with the Testimony of Verity than life with the least denyâ— of truth Hooper desired rather to be discharged of his Bishoprick than yield to certain Ceremonies A man were better dispâ—â—ase all his Friends all his Relations yea all the world than to displease his God and displease his own Conscience So Cyprian when Augustine relates the story the Emperour as he was going to execu 〈…〉 told him that he would give him space to consider whether 〈…〉 re not Letter cast in a grain into the fire than be so miserably 〈…〉 in to which he replyed In re tam sancta deliberation 〈…〉 There needs no deliberation in this case The lik◠〈…〉 e History of France in the year 1572. presently after 〈…〉 and persidious slaughter and massacre of so man 〈…〉 of Protestants by treacherous bloody Papists Charles th 〈…〉 of France called the Prince of Conde and prop 〈…〉 his c 〈…〉 ce either to go to Mass or to die presently or to 〈…〉 r per 〈…〉 al imprisonment To which he returned this notâ—e answer that by God's help he would never chuse the first and for eitheâ— of the two latter he left it to the King's pleasure and God's Providence Thus you see that the people of God have when put to it chose rather to suffer than to sin But Fourthly That they shall be sure to suffer with a witness that refuse to suffer or are afraid to suffer when Christ calls them to a suffering state No men can suffer so much for Christ as they shall be sure to suffer from Christ if through weakness or wickedness they either disdain or refuse to suffer for Christ Mark 8. 35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever There is no loss but gain in losing for Christ shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it 'T is a very dangerous thing for men to prefer the safety of their natural lives before the Glory of Christ the cause of Christ the Gospel of Christ and the Profession of his name 'T is certain that the Glory of Christ ought to be more dear and precious to us than our very lives Christ for our Redemption and Salvation freely and readily lays down his life I lay down my life for Joh. 10. 15. my sheep and shall we stand with him for ours when our call is clear to
them So Psal 89. 34. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth As if he should have said Though they break my Statutes yet will I not break my Covenant for this seems to have reference to the 31 vers If they break my statutes c. Though they had prophaned God's Statutes yet God would not prophane his Covenant as the Hebrew runs My covenant will I not break that is I will stand stedfastly to the performance of it and to every part and branch of it I will never be inconstant I will never be off and on with my people I will never change my purpose nor eat my words nor unsay what I have said So Jer. 33. 20. Thus saith the That is the order that I have set upon the courses and the Revolutions of day and night Lord if you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night and that there shall not be day and night in their season vers 21. Then may also my covenant be broken with my servant David c. It is impossible for any created power to break off the intercourse of night and day so it is impossible for me to break the Covenant that I have made with David my servant the day and night shall as soon fail as my Covenant shall fail So Isa 54. 10. The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Though great and huge mountains should remove yea though heaven and earth Psal 46. 2. should meet yet the Covenant of God with his people shall stand unmoveable The Covenant of God the mercy of God and the loving kindness of God to his people shall last for ever and remain constant and immutable though all things in the world should be turned upside down So Psal 111. 4. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion vers 5. He will ever be mindful of his covenant God looks not at his peoples sins but at his own promise he will pass by their infirmities and supply all their necessities God will never break his Covenant he will never alter his Covenant he will still keep it he will for ever be mindful of it The Covenant of God with his people shall be as inviolable as the course and revolution of day and night and more immoveable than the very hills and mountains From what has been said we may thus argue If God hath by many choice precious and pathetical promises engaged himself to make good that blessed Covenant that he has made with his people then certainly there is a Covenant between God and his people But God hath by many choice precious and pathetical promises engaged himself to make good his Covenant to his people Ergo. I might have laid down several other unanswerable arguments to have evinced this blessed truth That there is a Covenant betwixt God and his people but let these eight suffice for the present Seventhly and lastly premise this with me viz. That it is a matter of high importance and of great concernment 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. for all mortals to have a clear and a right understanding of that Covenant under which they are God deals with all men according to the Covenant under Psal 105. 8. â—sal 111. 5. 1 â—â—r 11. 28. Gal. 4. 23 24 25. which they stand we shall never come to understand our spiritual estate and condition till we come to know under what Covenant we are If we are under a Covenant of works our state is miserable If we are under a Covenant of grace â—ur state is happy If we die under a Covâ—nant of works we shall be certâ—inly damned If we die under â— Coveâ—ant â—f grace we shall be certainly savâ—d 'Till we come to understand under what Covenant we are we shall never be able to put a right construction a right interpretation upon any of God's actions dealings or dispensations towards us When we come to understand that we are under the Covenant of grace then we shall be able to put a sweet a loving and a favourable Rev. 3. 19. Jâ—b 1. 21. Jer. 24. 4 5. Rom. 8. 28. Heb. 12. 10 11. 2 Cor. 4. 15 16 17 18. construction upon the most sharp smart severe and terrible dispensations of God knowing that all flows from love and shall work for our external internal and eternal good and for the advancement of God's honour and glory in the world When we come to understand that we are under a Covenant of works then we shall know that there is wrath and curses and woes wrapped up in the most favourable dispensations and in the greatest Prev 1. 32. Mal. 2. 2. Deut. 28. 15 16 17 18 19 20. Levit. 26. 14 to the 24. 2 Cor. 2. 14. Heb. 12. 1. outward mercies and blessings that Christ confers upon us If a man be under a Covenant of grace and doth not know it how can he rejoyce in the Lord how can he sing out the high praises of God how can he delight himself in the Almighty how can he triumph in Christ Jesus how can he chearfully run the race that is before him how can he bear up bravely and resolutely in his sufferings for the cause of Christ how can he besiege the throne of grace with boldness how can he be temptation proof how can he be dead to this world how can he long to be with Christ in that other world And if a man be under a Covenant of works and doth not know it how can he lament and bewail his sad condition how can he be earnest with God to bring him under the bond of the New Covenant how can he make out after Christ how can he chuse the things that please God how can he cease from doing evil and learn to do well how can he lay hold on eternal life how can he be saved from wrath to come c. If we are under a Covenant of grace and do not know it how can we manage our duties and services with that life love seriousness holiness spiritualness Psal 16. 4. Ames 8. 5. Mal 1. 13. Hâ—s 6. 4. cap. 4. 10. Psal 36. 3. and uprightness as becomes us c. If we are under a Covenant of works and do not know it how rare shall we be in religious duties how weary shall we be of religious duties and how ready shall we be to cast off religious duties By these few things I have been hinting at you may easily discern how greatly it concerns all sorts of persons to know what Covenant they are under whether they are under the first or second Covenant whether they are under a Covenant of works or a Covenant of grace Now having premised these seven things my way is clear to that I would be at which is this viz. That there are
Let us consider the promise which the father engageth to perform on his part the son must ask and the father will give He will give him the heathen for his Psal 2. 8. inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession An allusion to great Princes when they would shew great affection to their Favourites they bid them ask what they will as Ahasuerus did and as Herod did that Esâ—â— 5. 3. Maâ— 6. 23. Isa 49 6. Mâ—t. 28. 18. â—al 2. 10 11. Psal 40. 6. 7 8. is he shall both be the Lord's salvation to the ends of the earth and have all power given him in heaven and earth so that all knees shall bow to him and every tongue shall confess him to be Lord. In the other Text before mentioned Psal 40. Christ declares his compliance to the agreement and his subscribing the Covenant on his part when he came into the world as the Apostle explains it Heb. 10. 5. c. Mine ears saith he hast thou digged or pierced Lo I come to do thy will as if he had said oh father thou dost engage me to be thy servant in this great work of saving sinners Loe I come to do the work I here covenant and agree to yield up my self to thy disposing and to serve thee for ever it seems to be an allusion to the master's boring through the servants ear Exod. 21. 6. Among the Jews only one ear was bored but in this Psal 40. 6. Here are ears in the plural number a token of that perfect and desirable subjection which Christ as Mediator was in to his father But for a more clear distinct and full opening of the Covenant of Redemption or that blessed compact between God the father and Jesus Christ which is a matter of grand importance to all our souls and considering that it is a point that I have never yet treated of in pulpit or press I shall therefore take the liberty at this time to open my self as clearly and as fully as I can And therefore thus If you ask me what this Covenant of Redemption Qu. is I answer in the general That a Covenant is a mutual Ans agreement between parties upon articles or propositions on both sides so that each party is tied and bound to perform his own conditions This description holds the general nature of a Covenant and is common to all Covenants publick and private divine or humane But Secondly and more particularly I answer The Covenant of Redemption is that federal transaction or mutual The Covenant of Redemption defined stipulation that was betwixt God and Christ from everlasting for the accomplishment of the work of our Redemption by the mediation of Jesus Christ to the eternal honour and unspeakable praise of the glorious grace of God Or if you please take it in another form of words thus It is a compact bargain and agreement between God the father and God the son designed Mediator concerning the conversion sanctification and salvation of the Elect through the death satisfaction and obedience of Jesus Christ which in due time was to be given to the father But for the making good the definition I have laid down I must take lieve to tell you That there are many choice Scriptures which give clear intimation of such a federal transaction between God the father and Jesus Christ in order to the recovery and everlasting happiness and salvation of his Elect. I shall instance in the most considerable of them The first is this Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmity between The first Proof thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise its heel Here begins the book of the Lord's Wars God's battels The Scriptures are called the book of the Battels of the Lord. Numb 21. 〈◊〉 This is spoken of that holy enmity that is between Christ and the Devil and of Christ's destroying the Kingdom and power of Satan For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2 14. God by way of threatning told Satan that the seed of the deceived woman should overmatch him at last and should break in pieces his power and crafty plots he gives Satan lieve to do his worst and proclaims an open and an utter enmity between Christ and him From this Scripture some conclude that Christ covenanted from Eternity to take upon him the seed of the woman and the sinless infirmities of our true humane nature and under those infirmities to enter the lists with Satan and to continue obedient through all his afflictions temptations and trials to the death even to the death of the cross And Phil. 2. 8 9. that God the father had covenanted with Christ that in case Christ did continue obedient through all his sufferings temptations and trials that then his obedience to the death should be accounted as full satisfaction to divine justice for all those wrongs and injuries that were done to God by the sins of man Christ must die or else he could not have been the Mediator of the new Covenant through death Heb. 9. 15 16. But The Second Sripture is that Isa 42. 6. The Lord hath The second Prooâ— called thee in righteousness and with hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people fâ—r a light of the gentiles Thus God speaks of Christ In this Chapter we have a glorious Prophecy of Christ our Redeemer here are four things prophâ—cied of him 1. The Divine call whereby he was appointed to the work of our Redemption vers 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles Jesus Christ would not yea he could not he durst not thrust himself upon this great work or engage in this great work 'till he had a clear call from heaven 2. Here you have the gracious carriage and deportment of Christ in the work to which he was called this is fully set down vers 2 3 4. He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the street He shall come clothed with majesty and glory and yet full of meekness A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth judgement unto truth In the words there is a Meiosis he will not break that is he will bind up the bruised reed he will comfort the bruised reed he will strengthen the bruised reed Christ will acknowledg and encourage the least degrees of grace he will turn a spark of grace into a flame a drop into a sea c. He shall not fail nor be discouraged These words shew his Kingly courage and magnanimity
compleat satisfaction that Jesus Christ has given to God's enraged Justice I have in part discovered already and shall say more to it before I close up the Covenant of Redemption But The third Proposition is this The business transacted The Third Propoâ—tion between those two great and glorious persons God the father whose greatness is unsearchable and Jesus Christ â—sal 145. 3. Rev. 1. 5. who is the prince of the kings of the earth was the redemption and salvation of the Elect our everlasting blessedness was now fresh in their eyes and warm upon their Luk. 15. 30. hearts how lost man might be found and how fallen man might be restored and how miserable man might be made happy how slaves might be made sons and how Eph. 2. 12. 17. enemies might be made friends and how those that were afar off might be made nigh without the least prejudice to the honour holiness justice wisdom and truth of God was the grand business the thing of things that lay before them Upon the account of the Covenant compact and agreement that was between the father and the son it is that Christ is called the second Adam for 1 Cor. 1â— â—5 as with the first Adam God plighted a Covenant concerning him and his posterity so also he did indent with Jesus Christ concerning that eternal Redemption that he was Heb. 9. 12. to obtain and secure for his seed For the clearing of this let us a little consider of the excellent properties of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ First 'T is a great Redemption the work of Redemption was a great work the greatness of the person employed in this work speaks out the work to be a great work This was a work too high too hard too great for all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth to undertake none but that Jesus who is mighty to save was ever able to bring about the Redemption of man Hence Christ is called the deliverer And their redeemer is mighty Prov 23. 11. Isa 24. 6. And his redeemer the Lord of hosts Isa 47. 4. As for our redeemer the Lord of hosts is his name Isa 49. 26. And thy redeemer the mighty one of Jacob Jer. 50. 34. Their redeemer is strong the Lord of hosts is his name Again the great and invaluable price that was paid down for our Redemption speaks it out to be a great Redemption the price that we are bought with 〈◊〉 6. 19 20. cap. 7. 23. is a price beyond all compute 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Christ was a Lamb 1. for harmlesness 2. for patience and silence in afflictions 3. for meekness Isa 32. 7. 〈◊〉 11. 19. and humility 4. for sacrifice this Lamb was without blemish that is free from actual sin and without spot 〈◊〉 that is free from original sin That the most absolute and perfect purity of Christ prefigured in the Lambs of the Old Testament that were to be sacrificed might be better expressed the Apostle calls him a lamb without Eph. 5. 27. Neither God nor Christ could lay down a â—reatâ—â— price All things in heaven anâ— earth are 〈◊〉 be compared 1 this blood to this priâ—e blemish and without spot The price that this Lamb without a spot has laid down is sufficient to pay all our debts 't is a price beyond all compute All the Silver Gold Pearl Jewels in the world are of no value in respect of this price a price in it self infinite and of infinite value Among the Romans the goods and estates which men had gotten in the Wars with hazard of their lives were called peculium castrense or a Field-purchase O! how well then may the Elect be called Christ's peculium castrense his purchase gotten not only by the jeopardy of his life but with the loss of his life and blood Again Jâ—â— 10 11 15. 17 18. 〈…〉 20. 28. if you compare the work of Redemption with other great works you must necessarily conclude that the work of Redemption is a great work The making of the world Geâ— 1. 3 6 9 11 14 20 24. was a great work of God but yet that did but cost him a word of his mouth a let it be he spake the word and it was done he said let there be light and there was light c. but the work of Redemption cost Christ's dearest blood Much matter of admiration doth the work of Redemption afford us The work of Creation is many ways admirable yet not to be compared with the work of Redemption wherein the power wisdom justice mercy and other divine attributes of God do much more shine forth and wherein the redeemed reap much more good than Adam did by his creation which will evidently appear by observing these particular differences First In the Creation God brought something out of nothig but in the work of Redemption out of one contrary he brought another out of death he brought life This was a work of far greater power wisdom mercy death must first be destroyed and then life brought forth Secondly In Creation there was but a word and thereupon the work followed in Redemption there was doing and dying The work of Redemption could be brought about by none but God God must come down from heaven God must be made man God must be made sin God must be made a cuâ—se 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. Thirdly In the Creation God arrayed himself with Majesty power and other like properties fit for a great work in the work of Redemption he put on weakness he assumed a nature subject to infirmities and the infirmities of that nature he did as David did when he fought against Goliah he put off all armour and took his staff in his hand and drew near to the Philistine 1 Sam. 17. 39 40. Fourthly In the work of Creation there was nothing to withstand God to make opposition against God but in the work of Redemption there was justice against mercy wrath against pity death and he that had the power of death was vanquished Heb. 2 14 15. Colos 2. 14. 15. Fifthly By Creation man was made after God's image like him Gen. 1. 26 27. by Redemption man was made a member of the same mystical body whereof Christ is the head Eph. 1. 22 23. Sixthly By Creation man received a natural being by Redemption a spiritual Seventhly By Creation man received a possibility to stand by Redemption a certainty of standing and impossibility of falling Joh. 10. 28 29 30 31. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Jer. 33. 40 41. Eightly By Creation man was placed in an earthly Paradise but by Redemption he is advanced to an heavenly Paradise Thus you see how the work of Redemption transcends the
to the last But Fourthly God the father promiseth to Jesus Christ that he shall not labour in vain and that the work of Redemption shall prosper in his hand and that he will give a blessed success to all his undertakings and crown all his endeavours He shall see his seed and he shall see the travail of his soul Another promise of the father 〈◊〉 â—â— 1. 53. 10. 〈◊〉 49. 6 7 â— 9 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 4. 3. to the son you have in that Isa 55. 5. Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee The Gentiles that never heard of Christ nor ever were acquainted with Christ nor ever had any notice of Christ when Christ calls they shall readily and speedily repair unto him and submit unto him Christ shall one day see and reap the sweet and happy fruit of his blood sufferings and undertakings the pleasure of the Lord shall certainly prosper in his hand Christ's sufferings were as a woman's travail sharp though short Now though a woman suffers many grievous pains and pangs yet when she sees a man child brought into the world she joys and is satisfied So when nations shall run to Christ he shall see his seed and be satisfied God the father promiseth that Jesus Christ shall have a numerous spiritual postâ—rity begetting and bringing many thousands to the obedience of his father Nations shall run unto thee And this shall fill the heart of Jesus Christ with abundance of joy and comfort contentment and satisfaction when he shall see the fruit of his bitter sufferings when he shall see abundance of poor filthy guilty condemned sinners pardoned justified and accepted with his Psal 63. 5. father His soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness The numerous body of believers past present and to come that God the father had promised to Jesus Christ was the life of his life That 's a sweet promise Psal 110. 2. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies they that will not bend must break those that will not stoop to his government shall feel his power Thy people the people Joh. 17. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Luk. 1. 57. 1 Cor. 3. ult of God are Christ's five ways 1. By donation 2. By purchase 3. By conquest 4. By covenant 5. By communication shall be willing in the day of thy power Heb. willingnesses in the abstract and in the plural number as if the Holy Ghost could not sufficiently set forth their exceeding great willingness to submit to all the Royal commands of the Lord. All Christ's Subjects are Volunteers free hearted like those Isles that wait for God's Law Isa 42. 4. cap. 56. 6. Zach. 8. 21. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Here 's the success of Christ's office promised both in the victorious subduing of his enemies and in the chearful willingness of his subjects and in the wonderful numerousness of his people brought over to him even like the innumerable drops of the morning dew Another promise of that great and compleat success that God the father hath made for Jesus Christ in his Mediatory office you have in that Isa 49. from the 6. verse to the 14. verse Christ shall have a people gathered to him and a seed to serve him Because he hath made his soul an offering for their sins The multitude of sinners brought over to Jesus Christ is the product of the satisfaction which he hath made for them and the trophies of the victory that he hath got by dying the death of thâ— Cross Thus you see that God the father hath not only engaged himself by compact to preserve Jesus Christ in his work but he hath also made to him several precious promises of preservation protection and success so that the work of Redemption shall be sure to prosper in his hand And to make these glorious promises the more valid and binding God confirms them solemnly by an oath Heb. 7. 21. This Priest Christ was made with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a priest for ever God the father foresaw from everlasting that Jesus Christ would so infinitely satisfie him and please him by his incarnation obedience and death that thereupon he swears But Fifthly God the father promiseth to Jesus Christ Rule Dominion and Sovereignty This Sovereignty and Rule Psal 2. 8 9. is promised to Jesus Christ in Isa 40. 10. His arm shall rule for him He shall sit in judgment in the earth and the Isles shall wait for his law Isa 42. 4. not the Jews only but the Gentiles also the people of divers countries and nations shall willingly and readily receive and embrace his doctrine and submit to his Laws and give up themselves to his rule Mic. 4. 3. He shall judge among many nations that is rule order command and direct as a Judge and and Ruler among many nations The Conquests that Christ shall gain over the Nations shall not be by swords and arms but he shall bring them to a voluntary obedience and spiritual subjection by his Spirit and Gospel Joh. 3. 35. The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand that is God the father hath given the rule and power over all things in heaven and earth to Jesus Christ In carrying on the Redemption of sinners as the matter is accorded betwixt the father and the son so the redeemed are not left to themselves but are put under Christ's charge and custody who has purchased them with his blood God the father having given him dominion over all that may contribute to help or hinder his peoples happiness that he may order them so as may be for their good And this power he hath as God with the father and as man and Mediatour by donation Mat. â—8 18. câ—p 2. 3. and gift from the father and thus every believer's happiness is most firm and sure all things being wisely and faithfully transacted between the father and the son Colâ—s 1. 19. cap. 2. 1. As long as Jesus Christ has all power to defend his people and all wisdom and knowledg to guide and govern his people and all dominion to curb the enemies of his people and a commission and charge to be answerable for them we may roundly conclude of their eternal safety security and felicity But Sixthly God the father promiseth to accept of Jesus Isa 49. 5. Christ in his Mediatory office according to that of Isaiah Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord that is as if he had said notwithstanding the infidelity obstinacy and impenitency of the greatest part of the Jews yet my faithful labour and diligence in the execution of my Mediatory office is and shall
this Throne all the Great ones of the world must stand Popes Emperours Kings Princes Nobles Judges Prelates without their Mitres Crowns Sceptres Royal Robes Gold chains c. And before this Throne all other sorts and ranks of men must stand And he that sits upon this Throne is a great King and a great Rev. 1. 5. cap. 17. 14. Rev. 19. 16. All the thrones of the Kings of the earth with Solomon's Golden Throne are but petty Thrones to this Throne yea they are but footstools to this Throne and therefore upon this single ground it may well be called a great Throne God above all Gods he is Prince of the Kings of the earth who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Upon all which accounts this Throne may well be called a great Throne And 't is called A White Throne because of its Celestial Splendor and Majesty and to shew the uprightness and Glory of the Judge The white colour in Scripture is used to represent purity and glory here it signifies that Christ the Judge shall give most just and righteous Judgment free from all spot of partiality From whose Face the heaven and the earth fled away The Splendor and Majesty of the Judge is such as neither heaven or earth is able to behold or abide the same how then shall the wicked be able to stand before him Augustine understands it for the future renovation of heaven and earth and here he acknowledgeth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the heaven and the earth fled not before but after the Judgment to wit saith he The Judgment being finished then shall this heaven and earth cease to be when the Hysterosis is when a thing is before put down which should come after or contrariwise Aug. lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14. 1 â—â—t 3. 12. new heaven and earth shall begin for this world shall pass away by a change of things not by an utter destruction The heaven and the earth shall flee away that is this shape of heaven and earth shall pass away because they shall be changed from vanity through fire that so they may be transformed into a much better and more beautiful estate according to that which the Apostle Peter writeth The heaven shall pass away with a great noise and the elements melt with heat but we expect new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness How this passing away â—r perishing of heaven and earth shall come to pass there are divers opinions of learned men Some think that the substance or essence it self of the world shall wholly perish and be annihilated Others are of opinion that only the corruptible qualities thereof shall perish and be changed and the substance or essence remain There shall be a renovation of all things say most and that only the fashion of the world that is the outward form and corruptible qualities shall be destroyed and so the earth shall be found no more as it was but shall be made most beautiful and glorious being to be delivered into the glorious liberty as far as 't is capable of the sons Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. of God being to be freed from corruption and bondage And with these I close The summ of the 21. verse is That the Creature shall not be always subject to vanity but shall have a manumission from bondage of the which deliverance three things are declared First who the Creature that is The World Secondly From what from Corruption which is a bondage Thirdly Into what estate into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Some here note the time of the deliverance of the Creature namely when the children of God shall be wholly set free for though they have here a freedom unto righteousneess from the bondage of sin yet they have not a freedom of glory which is from the bondage of misery But others take it for the state it self which shall be glorious not the same with the children of God but proportioned according to its kind with them for it is most suitable to the liberty of the faithful that as they are renewed so also should their habitation And as when a Noble man mourneth his servants are all clad in black so it is for the greater glory of man that the Creatures his servants should in their kind partake of his glory And whereas some say that it is deliverance enough for the creature if it cease to serve man and have an end of vanity by annihilation I affirm it is not enough because this 21. verse notes not only such deliverance but also a further estate which it shall have after such deliverance namely to communicate in some degree with the children of God in glory Certainly the Creatures in their kind and manner shall be made partakers of a far better estate than they had while the world endured because that God shall fully and wholly restore the world being fallen into corruption through the transgression and sin of Man-kind And this doth more plainly appear by the Apostle's opposing subsequent liberty against former bondage which that he might more enlarge he calleth it not simply freedom or liberty but liberty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any shall enquire what shall be the particular properties works and uses of all every creature after the last Judgment I answer 1. That as to these things the word is silent and 't is not safe to be wise above what is written 2. Here is place for that which Tertuâ—ian calls a learned Ignorance Glory as it is in the Greek Text meaning thereby according to the phrase and propriety of the Hebrew tongue glorious liberty or liberty that bringeth glory with it under which term of glory he compriseth the excellent estate that they shall be in after their delivery from their former baseness and servitude As for those words of the sons of God to which we must refer the glorious liberty before mentioned they must be understood by a certain proportion or similitude thus that as in that great day and not before God's children shall be graciously freed from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoever either in body or soul and on the other side made perfect partakers of Eternal Blessedness so the Creatures then and not before shall be delivered from the vanity of man and their own corruption and restored to a far better estate than at present they enjoy which also may further appear by the words the Apostle useth setting glorious liberty deliverance and freedome against servile bondage and slavery Chrysostome reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the glorious liberty of the sons of God as if the end or final cause of their deliverance were pointed at namely that as God made the world for man and for man's sin subdued it to vanity So he would deliver it and restore it for men even to illustrate and enlarge the glory of God's children I could by variety of Arguments prove that
this deliverance of the Creature that our Apostle speaks of shall not be by a reduction into nothing but by an alteration into a better estate But I must hasten to a close Vers 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God The Judge before whom all do appear is our dear Lord Jesus who hath the keys of hell and death in Rev. 1. 18. Act. 17. 30 31. his hands and who is designed and appointed by God the Father to be the Judge of quick and dead he hath Authority and a Commission under his Father's hand to sit and act as Judge Here you see that John calleth the Judge absolutely God but Christ is the Judge therefore Christ is God absolutely and he will appear to be God in our nature in that great day The Parties judged who stand before the Throne are 1. Generally the dead all who had died from Adam to the last day he calls them the dead after the common Law of Nature but then raised from death to life by the Eph 2. 5. Colos 2. 13. power of God he speaks not of men dead in sins and trespasses but of such as died corporally and now were raised up to judgment But shall not the living then be judged Oh yes For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 149 10. of Christ That he may be Judge of the quick and the dead and be Lord both of the dead and the living Under this phrase the dead are comprehended all those that then shall be found alive By the dead we are to understand the living also by an Argument from the lesser If the dead shall appear before the Judgment-seat how much more the living But the dead alone are named either because the number of the dead from Adam to the last day shall be far greater than those that shall be found alive on earth in that day or because those that remain alive shall be accounted as dead because they shall be 1 Cor. 15. 52. changed in the twinkling of an eye Secondly he describes them from their age and condition for the words may be understood of both Great and small which takes in all sorts of men Tyrants Emperours Kings Princes Dukes Lords c. as well as Subjects Vassals Slaves Beggars rich and poor strong and weak bond and free old and young all and every one without exception are to be judged for the Judgment shall be universal no man shall be so great as to escape the same nor none so small as to be excluded but every one shall have justice done him without respect of persons as that great Apostle Paul tells us We must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad I am no admirer of the School-men's notion who suppose that all shall be raised about the age of Lum lib dist 44 33. which was Christ's Age but do judge that that perfection which consisteth in the conforming them to Christ's glorious body is of another kind than to respect either age stature or the like Stand before God that is brought to Judgment the Joh. 3. 18. guilty standing ready to be condemned and the Saints standing ready in Christ's presence to be absolved and pronounced blessed And the books were opened Christ the Judge being set on his Throne and having all the world before him the books are opened 1. In the general the books are said to be open 2. Here is a special book for the Elect The book of life was opened 3. Here you have sentence passed and pronounced according to what was written in these books and according to their works And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Here the Judicial Process is noted by imitation of Humane Courts in which the whole Process is wont to be drawn up and laid before the Judge from whence the Judge determineth for or against the person according to the Acts and Proofs that lie open before him The Equity Justice and Righteousness of Christ the Judge that sits on his white Throne is set forth by a Metaphor taken from Humane Courts where the Judge pronounceth sentence according to the written Law and the Acts and Proofs agreeing thereunto All things are Heb. 4. 13. Rev. 1. 14. naked and bare before him whose eyes are as a flame of fire But to shew that the Judgment shall be as accurate and particular in the trial and just and righteous in the close as if all were registred and put on Record nothing shall escape or be mistaken in its circumstances but all things shall be so cleared and issued beyond all doubts and disputes as if an exact Registre of them had been kept and published in all which there is a plain allusion unto the words of Daniel speaking thus of this Judgment The Dan. 7. 10. Judgment was set and the books were opened We find six several books mentioned in the Scripture First The Book of Nature that is mentioned by David Psal 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 'T is a Metaphor from curious work men that do all by the The world saith Clemens Alexandrious is Deâ— Scriptura the first Bible that God made for the instruction of Man Book or by a Model set before them that nothing may be deficient or done amiss Had God left out an eye in his common place Book saith one thou hadst wanted it The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The Psalmist looks upon that great Volume of heaven and earth and there reads in Capital letters the Prints and Characters of God's glory This Book saith one was imprinted at the New Jerusalem by the finger of Jehovah and is not to be sold but to be seen at the sign of Glory of every one that lifts up his eyes to heaven In this Book of nature which is made up of three great leaves Heaven Earth and Sea God hath made himself visible yea legible even his eternal power and Godhead So that all men are left without Rom. 1. 20. excuse Out of this Book the poor blind Gentiles might have learned many choice lessons as First that they had a maker Secondly That this Maker being before the things made is eternal without beginning or ending Thirdly That he must needs be Almighty which made all things out of nothing and sustained such a Mass of creatures Fourthly The order variety and distinction of creatures declare his marvellous Wisdom Fifthly In this Book they might run and read the great goodness and the admirable kindness of God to the sons of men in making
all the creatures for their good for their service and benefit Sixthly and lastly In this Book they might run and read what a most excellent what a most admirable what a most transcendent workman God was What are the Heavens the Earth the Sea but a sheet of Royal Paper written all over with the Wisdom and Power of God Now in the great day of account this Book shall be produced to witness against the Heathen World because they did not live up to the light that was held forth to them in this Book but crucified that light and knowledge by false ways of worship and by their wicked manners whereof the Apostle gives you a Bead-roll or Catalogue from vers 21. to the end of that 1. of the Romans But Secondly there is the Book of Providence wherein â— all particulars are registred even such as Atheists may count trivial and inconsiderable Mat. 10. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred And where is their number summed up even in the Book of Providence The three Worthies were taken out of the fiery furnace Dan. 3. 27 with their hairs in full number not one of them singed Paul encouraging the Passengers to eat who were in fear and danger of death tells them that there should not an Act. 27. 34. hair fall from the head of any of them And when Saul 1 Sam. 14. 45. would have put Jonathan to death the people told him That there should not a hair of his head fall to the ground Christ doth not say that the hairs of your eye lids are numbred but the hairs of your head where there is the greatest plenty and the least use Though hair is but an excrement and the most contemptible part of man yet every hair of an Elect person is observed and registred down in God's Books and not one of them shall be lost Nor the Holy Ghost doth not say the hairs of your heads shall be numbred but the hairs of your head are all numbred God has already booked them all down and all to shew us that special that singular care that God takes of the smallest and least concernments of his chosen ones This Book of Providence God will produce in the great day to confute and condemn the Atheists of the World who have denied a Divine Providence and whose hearts have swelled against his Government of the world according to the counsels of his own heart But Thirdly There is the Book of men's afflictions this some account an entire Book of it self Psal 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy bottle are The Septuagint for my wandrings or flitâ—ings have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Lâ—fe to teach us saith one that our life is but a flitting they not in thy book God told all those weary steps that David took in passing over those two great Forrests when he fled from Saul or thou cypherest up my flittings as the words may be read whilst David was hunted up and down like a Partridge and hushed out of every bush and had no certain dwelling place but driven from post to pillar from one Countrey to another God was all this while a noting down and a numbering of his flittings and a bottleing up his tears and a booking down his sighs Put thou my tears into thy bottle Heb. my tear that is every tear of mine let not one of them be lost but kept safe with thee as so much sweet water God is said in Scripture to have a Bag and a Bottle a Bag for our sins and a Bottle for our tears and Oh that we would all labour to fill his bottle with our tears as we have filled his bag with our sins and certainly if the white tears of his servants be bottled up the red tears of their blood shall not be cast away if God keep the tears of the Saints in store much more will he remember their blood to avenge it and though Tyrants burn the bones of the Saints yet they cannot blot out their tears and blood out of God's Register Are they not in thy book are they not in thy Register or Book of Accounts where they cannot be blotted out by any time or Tyrants i. e. yes certainly they are thou dost assuredly book them down and wilt never forget one of them according to the usual Interrogatory that was used among the Hebrews when they affirmed a thing past all doubt Let the great Nimrods and oppressors of the Saints look to themselves for God books down all the afflictions sufferings and persecutions of his servants and in the great day he will bring in this Book this Register to witness against them Ah sinners sinners look to your selves in the great day of account the Lord will reckon with you for every rod that he hath spent upon you he will reckon with you not only for all your mercies but also for all your crosses not only for all your sweets but also for all your bitters not only for all your cordials but also for all your corrasives In this Book of Afflictions there is not only Item for this mercy and that but Item also for this affliction and that this sickness and that this cross and that this loss and that And will not the opening of this Book of the Saints afflictions and sufferings and of sinners afflictions and sufferings be as the hand-writing upon Dan. 5. 5 6. the wall to all the wicked of the earth in the great day of account surely yes for as they cannot answer for one mercy of ten thousand that they have enjoyed so they cannot answer for one affliction of ten thousand that they have been exercised with But Fourthly There is the Book of Conscience Conscience saith Philo is the little Consistory of the soul Conscience Râ—m 2. 14 15. is Mille Testes A thousand Witnesses for or against a man Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom Conscience hath a good memory saith one The chief Gen. 41. 9. Butler forgot the promise that he had made to Joseph but Conscience told him of it Fama propter homines conscientia propter Deum saith Augustine A good name will carry it amongst men but it is a good conscience only that can acquit us before God In this great day the Book of every man's Conscience shall be opened for their conviction The Conscience is a Domestick and true Tribunal saith Nazianzenâ—â— wherein they shall read their guilt in legible Characters for that is a Book of Record wherein men's actions are entred and although now it be shut up close and sinners will by no means be brought to look into it â—and though many things that are written in this Book seem to be so greatly obliterated and blotted that they can hardly be read Yet in that great day of Accounts God will refresh and recover the lustre of those Ancient Writings and sinners in that day shall find that
of Isa 63. 3. John 17. Luke 23. 34. Math. â—6 28. his Fathers wrath for souls he prayed for souls he payd for souls and he bled out his heart-blood for souls The soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels and the envie of Devils 'T is of an Angelical 1 Pet. 5. 8. nature 't is a heavenly spark a celestial plant and of a Divine off-spring Again weigh well the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incomparable price which Christ payed for the redemption of the soul what are the riches of the East or West Indies the spoil of the richest Nations rocks of 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Diamonds mountains of gold or the price of Cleopatra's draught to the price that Christ laid down for souls 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 1 John 1. 4 12. Heb. 22. 23. The soul is a spiritual substance capable of the knowledge of God of union with God of communion with God and of an eternal fruition of God There is nothing can suit the soul below God nor nothing that can satisfie the soul without God nor nothing that can save the soul but God The soul is so choice so high and so noble a piece that it Divinely scorns all the world in point of acceptation justification satisfaction dilectation and salvation Christ made himself an offering for Heb. 9. 11 12 13 14. Cap. 10 10 14 Ga. 4 4 5 6. Heb. 2. 8. sin that souls might not be undone by sin The Lord dyed that slaves might live The Son dyed that servants might live The natural Son dyed that adopted sons might live The only begotten Son dyed that bastards might live Yea the Judge dyed that malefactors might live Ah Friends as there was never sorrow like Isa 53 3. Gal. 2. 20. Christs sorrow so there was never love like Christs love and of all his love none to that of soul-love to say much in a little room The spiritual enemies which daily war Eph 6. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Heb. ult Rom. 1â— 17. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 27. against the soul the glorious Angels which hourly guard the soul and the precious ordinances which God hath appointed as means both to convert and nourish the soul The soul is capable of a Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. Of a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5 4. Of a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. Of an incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. 25. The Crowns of earthly Princes stand as Queen Elisabeth is said to swin to her Crown through a Sea of sorrow a Sophisters cap on one side of the head Many may say of their Crowns as that King said of â—is O Crown more noble than happy In the time of Galienus the Emperour Anno Christi 260. there were thirty Competitors on foot for the Roman Crown and Throne who confounded and destroyed one another A Princely Crown is oftentimes the mark for envy and ambition to shoot at Henry the VI. was honoured with the Crowns of two Kingdoms France England the first was lost through the faction of his Nobles the other was twice plucked from his head Earthly Crowns have so many cares fears vexations and dangers that daily attend them that oftentimes they make the heads and hearts of Monarchs Prov. 27. 4. Doth the Crown endure to all generations Heb. To generation and generation ake which made Cyrus say You look upon my Crown and my purple robes but did you but know how they were lined with thorns you would not stoop to take them up But the Crowns that immortal souls are capable of are Crowns without crosses they are not attended with care of keeping or fear of losing there are no evil persons nor evil spirits that haunt those Crowns Darius that great Monarch fleeing from his enemies he threw away the Crown of gold from his head that he might run the faster but a sincere Christian 1 Pet. 1. 5. is in no danger of losing his Crown 2 Tim. 4. 8. His Crown is laid up in a safe hand in an omnipotent hand Now what do all these things speak out but the preciousness and excellency of the soul Once more the excellency of the case or cabinet viz. the body intimates a more than ordinary excellency of this Jewel the body is of all materials the most excellent how does David admire the rare texture and workmanship of his body I am wonderfully made I was curiously wrought in Psal 139. 13 15. the lowest parts of the earth When curious workmen have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to the light for men to gaze at so here The greatest miracle in the World is Man in whose very body how much more in his soul are miracles enow betwixt head and feet to fill a volume One complains that men much wonder at the high Austin The Stoick thought it was better to be a fool in the form of a man than wise in the shape of a beast mountains of the Earth the huge waves of the Sea the deep falls of Rivers the vastness of the Ocean and at the motions of the Stars c. but wonder not at all at their wonderful selves Galen a prophane Physician and a great Atheist writing of the excellent parts of mans body he could not chuse but sing an Hymn to that God whosoever he were that was the Author of so excellent and admirable a piece of work he could not but cry out Now I adore the God of Nature Now if the Cabinet be so curiously wrought what is the Jewel that is contained in it O how richly and gloriously is the soul embroydered How Divinely inlaid and enamel'd is that Princes impress their images or effigies upon the choicest mettals viz. gold and silver God hath engraven his own Image with his own hand upon Gen. 1. 26. Damaâ—cen Angels and Men. The soul is the glory of the Creation a beam of God a spark of celestial brightness a vessel of honour a bird of Paradise a habitation for God The soul is spiritual in its essence God breathed it in God hath invested it with many noble endowments he hath made it a mirrour of beauty and printed upon it a Gen. 2. 7. Heb. 12 9. Eccles 12. 7. Zach. 12. 1. surpassing excellency The soul is spiritual in its object it contemplaces God and Heaven God is the orb and center where the soul doth fix God is the Terminus ad quem the soul moves to him as to his rest Return to thy rest O my soul this Dove can find no rest but in this heavenly Ark nothing can fill the soul but God nothing can quiet the soul but God nothing can satisfie the soul but God nothing can secure the soul but God nothing can save the soul but God The soul being spiritual God only can be the adequate object of it The soul is spiritual in its operations it being
23 26. can never be happy here nor blessed hereafter and yet it is possible for a man with Herod to reform many things Mark â—â— 2â— Mat. 26. 20 21. 22 1 Theâ—s 5. 23. and yet be a lost and undone man for ever as he was Judas was a very reformed man but he was never inwardly changed nor throughout sanctified The Scribes and Pharisees were outwardly reformed but they were not inwardly renewed A man may be another man than what once he was and yet not be a new man a new creature When a sinner is sermon-sick O! then he will 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Pâ—t 2. 20 22. Dâ—st 5. 5 6 7 8. leave his sins but when that sickness is off he returns with the dog to his vomit and with the sow to her wallowing in the mire Sometimes conscience is like the hand-writing upon the wall it makes the sinners countenance to change and his thoughts to be troubled and the joints of his loins to be loosed and his knees to smite one against another and now the sinner is all for reforming and turning over a new leaf but when these agonies of conscience are over the sinner returns to his old courses again and often times is twofold more a Child of Hell than before There was a Matth. 23. 15. man in this City who was given up to the highest wickednesses on his sick bed conscience made an Arrest of him and he was filled with such wonderful horrour and terrour that he cryed out day and night that he was damned he was damned he was damned and when he had some small intervals O what large promises did he make what a new man a reformed man he would be but when in time his terrors and sickness wrought off he was seven-fold worse than before Sometimes the awakened Sinner parts with some sins to make room for others and sometimes the Sinner seems to give a Bill of divorce to this sin and that but it is only because his bodily strength fails him or because he wants an opportunity or because there is a more strict eye and watch upon him or because the sword of the Magistrate is more sharpned against him or because James 4. 3. he wants fuel he wants a purse to bear it out or because some Company or some Relations or some Friends lye between him and his sins so that he must either tread over them or else keep from his sins or because he has deeply smarted for this sin and that his name has been blotted his credit and reputation stained Prov. 6. 32 33 34 35. his Trade decayed his health empaired his body wasted c. By these short hints it is evident that men may attain to some outward reformation whose states and hearts were never changed and who were never taken into marriage union with Christ But Tenthly and lastly many take up in a party as of old some cryed up Paul as the only deep Preacher and others cryed up Apollos as the only eloquent Preacher and 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12 13. many cryed up Cephas as the most zealous Preacher We are for the Church of England say some we are for the baptized People say others we are for the Presbyterian government cry some we are for the congregational way cry others I have so much ingenuity and charity as to judge that some of all these several parties and perswasions are really holy and will be eternally happy are gracious and will be glorious are sanctified and will be saved are now governed by Christ and will be hereafter glorified with Christ Judas was one of Christs party Mat. 26. 20. to the 26. if I may so speak and yet he had no part nor portion in Christ Demas was one of Paul's party and yet he 2 Tim. 4. 10. plaid the Apostat and turn'd an idolatrous Priest at 2 Tim. 1. 15. Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith And Phygellus and Hermogenes were of Paul's party but were only famous for 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. their recidivation and Apostasie Hymeneus and Alexander were of Paul's party but they made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience The five foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 12. were in society with the wise and were accounted as members of their association and yet the door of Heaven was shut against them Many light slight and vain persons went with the Children of Israel out of the Land Exod. 1â— 38. Num. 11. 4. of Egypt even a mixt multitude that imbarkt in the same bottom with them and yet never arrived at the Land of promise O my Friends it is not a mans being of this party or that this Church or that this way or that this society or that that will bring him to Heaven without 1 Pet. 1. 4. Heâ— 1. 2. 1 John 5. 12. a spiritual conjunction with Christ he that would enjoy the Heavenly inheritance must be espoused to Christ the heir of all things For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life This marriage union between Christ and the soul is set forth to the life throughout that Book of Solomon's Songâ— though the marriage-union between Christ and the soul Cant. â— 16. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eccl. 11. 6. be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet it is real things in nature work often insensibly yet really we do not see the hand move on the dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and drawes up the vapours of the Earth insensibly yet really Now this marriage-union between Christ and the soul includes and takes in these following particulars First This marriage-union between Christ and the soul does include and take in the souls giving a present bill of Divorce to all other lovers Sin the world and Consult these Scriptures Hosea 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. Cap. 30. 22. Psalm 45. 10. Exod. 12. 33. Isa 59. â—o C. 3. 3. Satan Are you seriously and sincerely willing for ever to renounce these and be divorced from these there is no compounding betwixt Christ and them sin and your souls must part or Christ and your souls can never meet sin and your souls must be two or Christ and your souls can never be one you must in good earnest fall out with sins or else you can never in good earnest fall in with a Saviour the heart must be separated from all other lovers before Christ will take the soul into his bed of loves Christ takes none into marriage-union with himself but such as are cordially willing that all old former leagues with sin and the world shall be for ever broken and dissolved your cordial willingness to part with sin is your parting with sin in Divine account you may as soon bring East and West together light and darkness together Heaven and Hell together as bring Christ to â—spouse himself to such a soul as has no mind no will no heart to be divorced from his former lovers 'T
〈…〉 erings â—o many blind Papist run themselves into out of a supeâ—stitious opi 〈…〉 of Merit or Satisfaction but under all their Penances they cannot say we â—ear in our bodies the marks of our Lord Jesu Câ—rist Gal. 6. 17. furnace but yielded themselves to be cast into the fiery furnace they did not stubbornly oppose nor struggle against their enemies but patiently and quietly yielded their bodies to the flames neither did the Prophets or Apostles step over God's hedge to make way to their own Sufferings or Martyrdom No men may with the Donatists destroy themselves rather than they would conform to this or that Religion No man may have a hand in his own destruction no man may cut his throat with his own hands to avoid a Prison a Dâ—ngeon a Den a fiery Furnace Cyprian tells the Christians in his time that were ambitious of Martyrdom Non est in tua potestate sed in Dei dignatione Martyrium We may not run our selves into prison without a Mittimus from heaven If righteousness lead me into prison a righteous God will stand by me in prison and in the issue give me a gracious or a glorious deliverance out of prison But if I wilfully causlesly run my self into prison it will be a righteous thing with God to leave me to shift for my self in prison If God should meet a man in prison and say to him as he did â—nce to Elijah What dost thou here Elijah 1 King 19. 9. Here he is secretly taxed for leaving his station out of too much fear of Jezâ—bel What dost thou here O man is this a fit place for Truth 's Champion If a man cannot readily answer Lord I have not run my self into a prison but 't is thy self 't is thy truth 't is thy interest 't is thy honour 't is my conscience 't is duty that has brought me hither what confusion would attend him Thilusâ—rius and Theodoret speak of some that would compel men to kill them out of an affectation of Martyrdom but this was a mad ambition but no true zeal 'T was an errour in Tertullian to say that afflictions that sufferings were to be sought No man is to make his own Cross nor Scourges to whip himself nor to cast himself into a suffering state so long as God hath left him a plain open Act. 9. 23 24 25. Joh. â—0 19 20. way to escape suffering without sinning not but that most men are more apt and prone to sin themselves out of smart sufferings than unwarrantably to run themselves into sufferings but it is good for every Christian to be upon his Guard and not run till God sends him As a Christian must not shâ—n sufferings so he must not seek them Secondly that Afflictions Sufferings Persecutions hath been the common lot and portion of the people of God in all the Mat. 1â— 22. cap. 16. 24. Luk. 21. 1â— Joh. 15. 20. Heb. 11. The common cry of Persecutors hath been Christianâ— aâ— L 〈…〉 Ages of the world witness the suâ—ferings of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles the Primitive Christians and the Martyrs of a later date Abel was persecuted by Câ—in 1 Joh. 3. 12. and Isaac by Ishmael Gal. 4. 29. and Jacob by â—sau That seems to be a standing Law All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. A man may have many faint wiâ—hes and cold desires after Godliness and yet escape Persecution yea he may make some esâ—ays and attempts as if he would be Godly and yet escape Persecution But when a man is thâ—roughly resolved to be Godly and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holiness upon living a life of holiness upon growing up in holiness then he must expect to meet with afflictions and persecutions The History of the Ten Persecutions and that little Book of Martyrs the 11. of the Hebrews and Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments with many other Histories that are extant do abundantly evidence that from Age to Age and from one Generation to another they that have been born after the Gal. 4. 29. Flesh have persecuted them that have been born after the Spirit and that the Seed of the Serpent hath been still a multiplying of Gen. 3. 1â— troubles upon the Seed of the Woman As there was no way to Paradise but by a flaming sword nor no way to Canaan but through a howling wilderness so there is no way to Heaven but by the Gates of Hell there is no way to a glorious Exaltation but through a Sea of Tribulation of Persecution The way to Act. 14. 21 2â— Heaven is not strewed with roses but fâ—ll of thorns and briaâ—s as those of whom this world is not worthy have always experienced Heb. 11. The Serpentine Brood takes a very great pleasure to be still a representing the people of God as foolish hypocritical precise proud schismatical seditious factious and as persons against Order and Government against good Laws and Customs as distarbers and troublers of the peace Thus Ahab accounts Elijah The troubler of Israel and Haman laid it to the charge of the 1 King 18. 17. Esâ—h 3. 8. Ezâ—a 4. 15. Jews that they were disoâ—â—dient to the â—ing's Laws and the adversaries of the Jews told Artaxerxes the King that Jerusalem was a rebelâ—ious City hurtful unto Kings and Princes And the unbelieving Jews at Thessalonica did as much for the Apostles they said they were the men that turned the world up sâ—le down So Luther Act. 17. 6. was called the Trumpet of Rebellion and Tertulâ—us calls Paul A pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Pestiâ—ence A Batch foolish Tertulâ—us mis-took the Antidote for the Poyson cap. 24. 5. the remedy for the disease Now if so precious a man as Paul than whom saith Chrysostom the earth never bare a better since it bore Christ were accounted and called a Pest a Botch let not us think much if the choicest Saints in our days are accounted and esteemed as so many Pests and Botches This is the reward the ingrateful world gives the servants of Christ for their zeal and faithfulness in the cause of Christ instead of encouraging them they load them with ignominious and hateful terms of Rebellion and Turbulency c. labouring thereby to make them odious and to enrage the people against them as the Persecutors of old used to wrap the Christians up in Bears skins and Lyons skins c. and then to bait them with Dogs It is a very great vanity to think of passing to heaven without suffering the Saints in all Ages have found the way thither paved with troubles and it would be a foolish childish thing for any of us to think of finding it otherwise now Constantine the Great as piously as wiâ—tily told Acâ—sius the Novation that if he would not take up with Secrat Hâ—st Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 10. Persecution and such like dealing
the corrupters of his Worship and Service they have a good cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing But Sixthly They who are hated scorned despised reproached opposed persecuted imprisoned ruined for their non-compliance 1 Pet. 4. 4 5. Jâ—de 15. Rev. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 7 23. Gal. 1. 10. with the times and with the wills and lasts of men and with the worship of the world and the ways of the world they have a good cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing And is not this the very case of the people of God this day for would they or durst they comply with the times and with the wills and lusts of men and with the worship of the world and the ways of the world they should be white boys and in lead of prisons might stand in Princes Palaces as well as others and might eat the fat and drink the sweet and live at ease and grow rich as well as others But some do not love that we should either harp hard or long upon this string and therefore Seventhly They that are assertors of Christ of the true Messia and his glorious Gospel and Gospel-ordinances in opposition to all such as either deny him or his Gospel or that make head against him or Gospel-ordinances Gospel-administrations they have a good cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing The sufferings of the people of God for the first three hundred years were clearly stated for Christ and the Gospel in common 'T was the administration of the Gospel in the whole and in every part of it and Gentilism advanced instead thereof that brought on a warm Persecution Seeing serious Christians are for pure Ordinances and pure Administrations and what they have suffered and do daily suffer upon that account all that do not wilfully shut their eyes may easily discern 'T is sad when such men's mouths must be stopped who are qualified gifted graced and called both by God and 2 Cor. 4 4. Rev. 14. 6. men to preach the glorious the everlasting Gospel But when the Devil and his Factors have done their worst the Gospel will get ground by all the opposition that is made against it Among many other Visions that John had He saw an Angel fly in the Rev. 14. 7 8 c. midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and Rindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him c. Now mark what next follows Another Angel saying Babylan is fallen is fallen Babylon the Great is fallen Now behold the efficacy and power of Gospel-preaching let but the Gospel be sincerely preached and Babylon must down The Devil and Dagon must fall before the Ark of God's Presence The more wicked men rage the more the Gospel spreads as you may see Act. 5. 40 41 42. cap. 8. 1 3 4 5 6 12. Act. 11. 19 20 21 26. cap. 12. 1 2 3 4 23 24. Heb. 11. 34 35 36 Rev. 2. 10. Act. 16. 23 24 25 whatsoever the purposes projects pretences policies conspiracies combinations and confederacies of lewd superstitious Atheistical wicked wretches be yet they shall never be able to stop the stream of God's Word dam up the Wells of Salvation or hinder the free passage of the Gospel no more than they are able to bind up the Wind in their sists or stop the Sun from running its race or hinder the Clouds from watering the earth It is true that the faithful Ministers of the Gospel may by the instruments of Satan be stocked stoned sawn asunder burned with fire slain with the sword clap'd up in prison fettered in chains plundered c yet the Gospel may be nay is in lively operation a light that cannot be put out a heat that cannot be smothered a power that cannot be broken for even then the couragious and constant sufferings of God's faithful Ministers and their chearful and patient bearing of the Cross doth as by a lively Pâ—il 1. 7 12 13 14 17. voice publish and proclaim the truth of the Gospel for which they suffer and serves to win many to the Faith of Christ Paul's bonds fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel Paul's Iron chain was more famous and glorious all the world over than all the Golden chains in Nâ—ro's Palace Whatsoever persecuting Popes and persecuting Emperours have attempted against the Gospel Sculiet Annal. Christ has turned it all to the furtherance of the Gospel The Popes Bulls and the Emperour's Thunderbolts did not amaze and discourage men but did exceedingly animate and encourage them to own the Gospel to embrace the Gospel and to stand up in the defence of the Gospel Caesar sending the Protestants Confession Sculâ—eâ— Annal. 274. abroad to other Christian Princes as desiring their advice about it dispersed and spread it more in all parts than all the Lutheran Preachers could have done for which cause Lâ—â—ther laughs not a little at the foolish wisdom of the Papists in a certain Epistle of his to the Elector of Saxony Julian observing that the more Ministers and Christians were persecuted the more they encreased he gave over Persecution and spared those whom he could have wished out of the world And would it not be the wisdom and the interest of the Persecutors in our days to write after Julian's Copy and if they will not then let them remember that it is the most effectual way under heaven to propagate those truths opinions ways principles and practices which their hearts rise and swell against by laying them in bonds which stand up most eminently in the defence of those truths opinions ways principles and practices The nature of Man is very curious and inquisitive Men as men are led by common compassion to desire to understand the grounds of men's sufferings By this means the sufferings especially the imprisonment of the Apostles carried the Doctrine of the Gospel to many places where the Apostles themselves never came nor perhaps could come no doubt but the fame of their suffering went faster and farther too than they could go But Eighthly They that are Assertors of any one fundamental Act. 24. 14. 1 Cor. 11. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 20. truth in opposition to error and heresie truly so called have a good cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing Such were those Christians that suffered under the Arian Emperours Constantius Valens and others who suffered for maintaining that Christ was coessential coequal and coeternal with the Father And such were Wickliff John Hus and Jerome of Prague c. Are there none this day among us that suffer in their names in their estates in their persons in their liberties for asserting and maintaining the great truths of the Gospel in opposition to Socinianism Arianism Popery Will-worship c. Are there
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill c. Here God's Glory wonderfully shines out of their Sufferings Here this poor blind Idolatrous Heathen Prince is forced to confess that there is no God like Israel's God Basil and Tertullian do well observe of the Primitive Martyrs that divers of the Heathen seeing their zeal courage and constancy glorified God and turned Christians Religion is that Phoenix which hath always revived and flourished in the ashes of holy men and Truth hath never been so honoured and gloriously dispersed as when it hath been sealed by the blood of the Saints This made Julian to forbear to persecute non ex clementia sed invidia not out of piety but envy because the Church grew so fast and multiplied as Nazianzen well observes We read that some times the Sufferings of one Saint have begot many to the love of the Truth We read that Cicilia a poor Captive Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Justine Martyr was also converted by observing the chearful and gracious Carriage of the Saints in their Sufferings And so Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer readily and joyfully such grievous torments asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselves Upon which one of them cited that Text Eye hath not 1. Cor. 2. 9. seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Upon the naming of this Scripture and seeing of them suffer so willingly chearfully and resolutely such a Divine Power took hold of his heart that he was converted and afterwards became a Martyr Now God and Christ and Truth and Religion are never more honoured than when poor souls are soundly converted Surely the Crown of Martyrdom is a Glorious Crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient Pearl and Precious Diamond in his Crown of far more value than that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the Battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Pope's Tripple Crown O A 7. 55 56 57. what foreâ—asts of Glory what ravishments of Soul have many of the Blessed Martyrs had in their sufferings for Christ Holy Lord stay thy hand I can bear no more said one of the Martyrs like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light Is it not a high honour to a King to have such Captains and Champions as will not yield to their Sovereign's enemies but stand it out to the uttermost till they get the Victory though it cost them their lives to get it yet no mortal King can as Christ doth put spirit courage and strength into a Subject only we may well conceive and conclude that such Valourous Soldiers as are ready to hazard their lives for their Sovereign serve a good Master Thus do suffering Christians and Martyrs give Persecutors to understand that they serve a good Master and that they highly prize him who hath done more and suffered more for them than their dearest Blood is worth and who enables them with courage constancy and comfort to endure whatsoever for his names sake can be Rom. 8. 37. inflicted on them and therein to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More than Conquerors or above Conquerors How can that be can a man get more than the Victory The meaning is we do over overcome super superanus that is triumph or overcome before we fight we are famous and renowned Conquerors we easily conquer we 2 Cor. 2. 14. conquer by those things which are used to conquer us we beat our enemies with their own Swords as Julian sometime said being confuted by Heathen Learning Martyr and Piscator expound it thus we do more than overcome that is we obtain a Noble a famous Victory And is not this a great honour to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Captain of our Salvation The invincible courage of suffering Christians puts life and spirit into others In an Army valorous Leaders much animate the rest of the Soldiers and embolden them to follow their Leaders Now you know the Church is an Army with Banners and suffering Ministers and suffering Saints Cant. 6. 4. are as Leaders they couragiously and victoriously make the onset and other Christians by their pious examples are pricked on to follow them so far as they are followers of the Lamb. But Twelfthly Consider That all the Sufferings and Persecutions that you meet with on earth shall advance your Glory in Heaven Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae saith Augustine The more we suffer with and for Christ the more Glory we shall have with and from Christ Rom. 2. 6. the more Saints are persecuted on earth the greater shall be their reward in heaven Look as Persecutions do encrease a Christian's Grace so they do advance a Christian's Glory in Heaven the Martyrs shall have the highest Degree of Glory for though God doth not reward men simply for their Works namely for the merit of them yet he rewards according to their Works and proportions the degree or measure thereof according to the kind of work which on earth is done and according to the measure of Grace whereby he enables men to do it Now Martyrdom is the most difficult the most honourable and the most acceptable Work that on earth can be done and therefore in heaven Martyrdom shall be crowned with the highest degree of Glory on this ground they who set down the different degrees of Celestial Glory by the different Fruits which the good Ground brought forth some thirty some sixty and some a hundred Mat. 13. 8. fold apply the hundred fold which is the highest and Mat. 19. 27 28 29 Keep your eye upon the recompence of reward as Moses did Heb. 11. 26. and as Christ did cap. 12 2. as Paul did Rom. 8. 18. This will work you 1. To walk more holily humbly thankfully 2. To live more chearfully and comfortably 3. To suffer more patiently freely resolutely 4. To fight against the world the flesh and the devil more stoutly and valiantly 5. To withstand Temptations more stedfastly strongly 6. To be contented with a little 7. To leave the world Relations and friends more willingly 8. And to embrace death more joyfully greatest Degree of Glory to Martyrdom Doubtless God's suffering Servants and amongst them especially his Martyrs shall sit down in the chiefest Mansions and in the highest Rooms in the Kingdom of Glory According to the Degrees of our sufferings for Christ will be the degrees of our Glory What shall we have says Peter that have suffered so many great and grievoâ—◠〈…〉 ngs for thy name that have forsaken all and followed thee Veriâ—y says our Saviour every one that hath forsaken
houses c. shall receive a hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life But ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel A Christian will never repent of all the hard things that he has suffered for Christ or his Truth when as every one of his sufferings shall be a sparkling Jewel to give a lustre to his Crown of Glory Suffering for Christ and Religion is the most gainful kind of Merchandize Christ is so well pleased with the sufferings of his Saints that he has engaged himself to make up whatever they lose upon his account yea to repay all with Interest upon Interest to a hundred times over Oh who would not then turn Spiritual Purchaser Christ is a noble a liberal Pay-master and no small things can fall from so great a hand as his is Mat. 5. 10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Luk. 6. 22 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your Reward is in heaven for in the like manner did their fathers unto the Prophets They that are now Excommunicated and Anathematized as notorious shameful and abominable offenders they that are now opposed and persecuted by men shall at last be owned and crowned by God yea and the more Afflictions and Persecutions are multiplied upon them in this world the greater shall be their recompence in another world The Original words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matthew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Luke signifie exceeding great joy such as men usually express by skipping and dancing Let your hearts leap and let your bodies leap for joy for great is your reward in heaven Act. and Mon. Fol. 613. A Dutch Martyr feeling the flame to come to his beard said he what a small pain is this to be compared to the Glory to come Hellin Stirk a Scotch woman when her Husband was Ibid. 1154. at the place of Execution she said to him Husband rejoyce for we have lived together many joyful days but this day in which we must die ought to be most joyful to us both because we must bave joy for ever therefore I will not bid you good night for we shall suddenly meet within the Kingdom of Heaven The subscription of Mrs. Anne Askew to her Confession was this Ibid. 1130. written by me Anne Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his Might and as merry as one that is bound toward â—â—â—ven Oh how my heart leapeth for joy said Mr. Philpot that I Ibid. 1670. am so near the apprehension of eternal life God forgive me mine unthankfulness and unworthiness of so great Glory I have so much joy of the reward prepared for me most wretched sinner that though I be in a place of darkness and mourning yet I cannot lament but both night and day am so joyful as though under no Cross at all yea in all the days of my life I was never so merry the name of the Lord be praised therefore for ever and ever The same Author in a Letter to the Congregation saith Ibid. 1663. Though I tell you that I am in Hell in the judgment of this world yet assuredly I feel in the same the Consolation of Heaven and this loathsome and horrible Prison is as pleasant to me as the Walks in the Garden in the King 's Bench. Thus you see that 1 Pet. 1. 8. suffering Saints have had a Heaven before hand they have had an exuberancy of joy such as no good could match nor no evil over-match Bernard speaking of Persecutors saith that they are Bernard but his Father's Gold-smiths who are working to add Pearls to the Saints Crown It is to my loss saith Gordius the Martyr if Gordius you abate me any thing of my present Sufferings Sufferings for Christ are the Saints greatest Glory crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory say they in Tertullian and the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven Chrysostom hit the nail when he said if one man should suffer all Chrysostom the sorrows of all the Saints in the world yet are they not worth one hours glory in heaven By the consent of the School-men The School-men all the Martyrs shall appear in the Church-triumphant bearing the signs of their Christian wounds about them as so many speaking testimonies of their holy courage that what here they endured in the behalf of their Saviour may be there an addition to their glory O Christians all your Sufferings will certainly encrease your future Glory every affliction every Persecution will be a grain put into the scale of your heavenly Glory to make it more weighty in that day wherein he will richly reward you for 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18 every tear for every sigh for every groan for every hazard and for every hardship that you have met in the way of your duty For light Afflictions you shall have a weight of Glory and for a few Afflictions you shall have as many joys pleasures de lights and contents as there be Stars in Heaven or Sands on the Sea shore and for Momentary Afflictions you shall have an eternal Crown of Glory If you have suffering for suffering with Christ on earth you shall have Glory for Glory with Christ in heaven Ah Christians your present sufferings are but the seeds of your future Glory and the more plentiful you sow in tears Psal 126. 5 6. the more abundant will be your Harvest of Glory Christ our General the Captain of our Salvation promises a Crown Rev 2. 10 and a Throne cap. 3. 21. to all his afflicted and persecuted ones which are the greatest rewards that a God can give or that man can crave It troubled one of the Martyrs when he was at the sâ—ake that he was going to a place where he should be for ever a receiving of Wages for a little work But Thirteenthly and Lastly Afflictions Sufferings Persecutions will discover what mettal men are made of All is not Gold that Mat. 13. 2 Tim. 1. 15 16. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 4. 10 14 15 16. Mat. 13. 20 21. glisters Many there be that glister and look like Golden Christians but when they come to the fire they prove but dross he is a Christian more worth than the Gold of Ophyr who remains Gold when under fiery Tryals The stony ground did glister and shine very gloriously for
unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. But Thirdly You shall gain a safe and honourable Convoy into that other world Luk. 16. 22. Oh in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus ride to heaven on the wings of Angels The Angels conduct the Saints at death through the Air the Devil's Region every gracious soul is carried into Christ's Presence by these heavenly Courtiers Oh what a sudden change does death make behold he that even now was scorned by men is all on a sudden carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom But Fourthly You shall gain a glorious welcome a joyful Rev. 4. 8 to 11. Luk. 15. 7 10. Heb. 12. 23. welcome a wonderful welcome into heaven By general consent of all Antiquity the holy Angels and blessed Trinity rejoyce at the sinner's Conversion but oh what inexpressible what transcendent joy is there when a Saint is landed upon the Shore of Eternity God and Christ Angels and Arch-angels all stand ready to welcome the Believer as soon as his feet are upon the threshold of Glory God the Father welcomes the Saints as his elect and chosen ones Jesus Christ welcomes them as his redeemed and purchased ones and the Holy Spirit welcomes them as his sanctified and renewed ones and the Blessed Angels welcome them as those they have Heb. 1. ult guarded and attended on When the Saints enter upon the Suburbs of Glory the glorious Angels welcome them with harps in their hands and ditties in their mouths But Fifthly You shall gain full freedom and liberty from all your enemies within and without viz. Sin Satan Luk. 1. 70 71 74 75. and the World 1. Death will free you from the indwelling power of sin In heaven there is no complaints Rom. 7. 23. as in hell there is nothing but wickedness so in heaven there is nothing but holiness 2. Death will free Gal. 5. 17. you from the power and prevalency of sin Here sin plays the Tyrant but in heaven there is no Tyranny but perfect felicity 3. Death will free you from all provocations temptations and suggestions to sin Now you shall be above all Satan's batteries Now God will make Rom. 16. 20. good the promise of treading Satan under your feet Some say Serpents will not live in Ireland The old Serpent Rev. 12. 8 9. cap. 21. ult is cast out and shall be for ever kept out of the new Jerusalem above 4. Death will free you from all the effects and consequents of sin viz. losses crosses sicknesses diseases disgraces sufferings c. when the cause is taken away the effect ceases when the fountain of sin is dried up the streams of afflictions of sufferings must be dryed up the fuel being taken away the fire will go out of it self Sin and sorrow were born together do live together and shall die together To open this fourth Particular a little more fully to you consider these four things First That death will free you from all reproach and ignominy on your names Now Elijah is accounted the 1 King 18. 17. Nâ—hem 6. 6. Psal 69. 12. Jer. 15. 10. Troubler of Israel Nehemiah a Rebel against his King and David the song of the Drunkards and Jeremiah a man of contention and Paul a pestilent fellow Heaven Act. 24. 10. wipes away all blots as well as all tears as no sins so no blots are to be found in that upper world The names of all the Saints in a state of Glory are written as I may say in Characters of Gold But Secondly Death will free you from all bodily infirmities and diseases we carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may die a thousand several Above all things let us every day think 〈◊〉 our last day 〈◊〉 〈…〉 naus ways each several hour As many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows there are for death to enter in at death needs not spend all its arrows upon us a worm a gnat a fly a hair the stone of a raisin the kirnel of a grape the fall of a horse the stumbling of a foot the prick of a pin the pairing of a nail the cutting of a corn all these have been to others and any one of them may be to us the means of our death within the space of a few days nay of a few hours Here Job had his Botches and Job 2. 6 7. Isâ— 37 21. 〈◊〉 â—8 5. 〈◊〉 20. Maâ— 9. 20. Hezekiah had his Boil and David his Wounds and Lazarus his Sores and the poor Widow her Issue of Blood Now the Feaver burns up some and the Dropsie drowns others and the Vapours stifle others one dies of an Appoplexy in the head another of a Struma in the neck a third of a Squinancy in the throat and a fourth of a Cough and Consumption of the lungs others of Obstructions Inflamations Plurisies Gouts c. We are commonly full of complaints one complains of this distemper and another of that one of this disease and another of that but death will cure us of all diseases and distempers at once But Thirdly Death will free you from all your sorrows whether inward or outward whether for your own sins Psal 38. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 119 136. Nehem. 1. 3 4. or the sins of others whether for your own sufferings or the sufferings of others Now it may be one shall seldom find you but with tears in your eyes or sorrow in your heart O but now death will be the funeral of all your sorrows death will wipe all tears from your eyes and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 51. 11. But Fourthly Death will free you from all those troubles calamities miseries mischiefs and desolations that are Isa 57 1. Mâ—â—h 7. 1 to 7. a coming upon the earth or upon this place or that A year after Methuselah's death the Flood came and carried away the old world Augustine died a little before the sacking of Hippo Luther observes that all the Apostles died before the destruction of Jerusalem And Luther himself died a little before the Wars brake forth in Germany Dear Lady death shall do that for you which all your Physicians could never do for you which all your Relations could never do for you which all Ordinances could never do for you nor which all your faithful Ministers could never do for you it shall both instantly and perfectly cure you of all sorts of Maladies and weaknesses both inward and outward or that respects either your body or your soul or both Oh my dear friend is it not better to die and be rid of all sin to die and be rid of all temptations and desertions to die and be rid of all sorts of miseries than to live and still carry about with
wooes him by love by the second he frights him by the terrour of his justice and bids him touch and taste if he durst The Faederati were God and Adam God the Creator and man the creature made after Gods image and likeness and so not contrary to God nor at enmity with him but like unto God though far different and inferiour to God in nature and substance Here are also terms agreed on and matters covenanted reciprocally by these parties Adam on his part was to be obedient to God in forbearing to eat of the tree of knowledg only God's charge to our first parents was only negative not to eat of the tree of knowledg the other to eat of the trees was left unto their choice Eve confesseth that God spake unto them both and said ye shall not eat of it And God speaks unto both of them Gen. 3. 2. together in these words Behold I have given unto you every Gen. 1. 19. herb and every tree c. At which time also it is very like that he gave them the other prohibition of not eating of that one tree for if God had made that exception before he would not have given a general permission after or if this general grant had gone before the exception coming should seem to abrogate the former grant The Septuagint seem to be of this mind that this precept was given both to Adam and Eve reading thus So doth Gregory read as the Septuagint does Gr â— l. b. 35. moral â— 10 in the plural number In what day ye shall eat thereof ye shall die And though in the Original the precept be given in the name of Adam only that is only 1. Because Adam was the more principal and he had the charge of the woman And 2. Because that the greatest danger was in his transgression which was the cause of the ruine of his posterity 3. Because as Mercerus well observes Adam was the common name both of the man and woman Gen. 5. 2. and so is taken vers 15. And God on his part for the present permits Adam to eat of all other trees of the Garden And for the future in his explicite threatning of death in case of disobedience implicity promiseth life in case of obedience herein Secondly the promises of this Covenant on God's part were very glorious First that heaven and earth and all creatures should continue in their natural course and order wherein God had had created and placed them serving always for man's use and that man should have the benefit and Lordship of them all Secondly As for natural life in respect of the body Adam should have had perfection without defect beauty without deformity labour without weariness Thirdly as for spiritual life Adam should never have known what it was to be under 〈◊〉 18. 1. â— terrours and horrours of conscience nor what a wounded spirit means he should never have found the arrows of 〈◊〉 6. 4. the Almighty sticking faâ—l in him nor the poyson thereof drinking up his spirits nor the terrours of God to set themselves in array against him nor he should never have tasted of death Death is a fall that came in by a fall had Adam never sinned Adam had never died had Adam stood fast in innocency he should have been translated to glory without dissolution Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death As the worm kills the worm that bred it so death 〈◊〉 sin that bred it Now where there are parties covenanting promising and agreeing upon terms and terms mutually agreed upon by those parties as here There 's the substance of an express Covenant though it be not formally and in express words called a Covenant This was the first Covenant which God made with man and this is called by the name Berith Jer. 33. 20. where God saith If you can break my Covenant of the day and night and that there shall not be day and night in their season vers 21. Then may also my Covenant with David be broken In these words he speaks plainly of the promise in the Creation That day and night should keep Gen. 1. 14 15 16. their course and the sun moon and stars and all creatures should serve for man's use Now though man did break the Covenant on his part yet God being immutable could not break Covenant on his part neither did he suffer his promise to fail but by vertue of Christ promised to man in the new Covenant he will keep touch with man so long as mankind hath a being on the earth In this first Covenant God promised unto man life and happiness Lordship over all the creatures liberty to use them and all other blessings which his heart could desire to keep him in that happy estate wherein he was created And man was bound to God to walk in perfect righteousness to observe and keep God's Commandments and to obey his will in all things which were within the reach of his nature and so far as was reveiled to him In the first Covenant God reveiled himself to man as one God Creator and Governour of all things infinite in power wisdom goodness nature and substance God was man's good Lord and man was God's good servant God dearly loved man and man greatly loved God with all his heart there was not the least shadow or occasion of hatred or enmity between them there was nothing but mutual love mutual delight mutual content and mutual satisfaction between God and man Man in his primitive glory needed no Mediator to come between God and him man was perfect pure upright and good created after God's own image and the nearer he came to God the greater was his joy and comfort God's presence now was man's great delight and it was man's heaven on earth to walk with God But Thirdly Consider the intention and use of the two eminent Trees in the Garden that are mentioned in a more peculiar manner viz. The tree of life and The tree of knowledg The intended use of these two Trees in Paradise was Sacramental Hence they are called Symbolical Trees and Sacramental Trees by learned writers both ancient and modern By these the Lord did signifie and seal to our first parents that they should always enjoy that happy state of life in which they were made upon condition of obedience to his Commandments i. e. in The Tree of life was the 〈◊〉 and â—eal which God gave to man for confirmation of this first Covenant and it was to man a Sacrament and pledge of eternal life on earth and of all blessings needful to keep man in life eating of the tree of life and not eating of the tree of knowledg The Tree of life is so called not because of any native property and peculiar vertue it had in it self to convey life but symbolically morally and sacramentally It was a sign and obsignation to them of life natural and spiritual to be continued to them as
thee Though huge mountains should remove which is not probable or though heaven and earth should meet which is not likely yet his Covenant shall stand immoveable and his mercy and kindness to his people shall be immutable This new Covenant of grace is like the new heavens and new earth which will never wax old or vanish away Isa 66. 22. But Secondly The Covenant of grace is called an everlasting Covenant â—x parte confaederatorum in respect of the people of God who are brought into Covenant and shall continue in Covenant for ever and ever You have both these expressed in that excellent Scripture Jer. 32. 40. Mâ—â— 3. 6. Hâ—â— 2 19. Gen. 17. 7. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Heb. I will cut out with them a Covenant of perpetuity that I will not turn away from them to do them good but Heb. and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Seriously dwell upon the place it shews that God will never â—â—rcease to pur 〈…〉 and follow his Covenant-people with 〈◊〉 and blessings iâ—cessâ—â—â— the Covenant is everlasting on God's part and also on our part On God's part I will never turn away from them to do them good and on our part They shall never depart from me How so I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me That they may continue constant with me and not constrain me by their Apostasie to break again with them I will so deeply rivâ—t a reverend dread of my self in their souls as shall cause them to cling and cleave and keep close to me forever In the Covenant of grace God undertakes for both parts For his own that he will be their God i. e. that all he is and all he has shall be employed for their external internal and eternal good And for ours that Jer. 32. 38. we shall be his people i. e. That we shall believe love Eâ—â—k 36. 26 27. fear repent obey serve him and walk with him as he requires and thus the Covenant of grace becomes an everlasting Covenant yea such a 〈◊〉 as hath the sure o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Covenant of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ment which God hath made with sinful man out of his mere mercy and grace wherein he undertakes both for himself and for fallen man and wherein he engages himself to make fallen man everlastingly happy In the Covenant of Grace there are two things considerable First the Covenant that God makes for himself to us which consists mainly of these branches 1. That he will be our ult 〈◊〉 9. 1â— 17 18. God that is as if he said you shall have as true an interest in all my attributes for your good as they are mine for my own glory My grace saith God shall be yours to pardon you and my power shall be yours to protect you and my wisdom shall be yours to direct you and my goodness shall be yours to releive you and my mercy shall be yours to supply you and my glory shall be yours to crown you This is a comprehensive promise for God to be our God it includes all Deus meus omnia said Luther 2. That he will give us his spirit 〈◊〉 44. ◠〈◊〉 31. 33. 〈◊〉 2. 28. 〈◊〉 14. 16 20. 〈◊〉 â— 23. 〈◊〉 2â— 4◠〈◊〉 15. â—6 cap. 16. 7. hence the spirit is called the holy spirit of promise The giving of the Holy Ghost is the great promise which Christ from the father hath made unto us It is the spirit that reveils the promises that appliâ—s the promises and that helps the soul to live upon the promises and to draw marrow and fatness out of the promises The great promise of the Old Testament was the promise of Christ Gen. 3. 16. and the great promise of the New Testament is the promise of the spirit as you may see by the Scriptures in the margent That in this last Age of the world there may be a more clear and full discovery of Christ of the great things of the Gospel of Antichrist and of the glorious conquests that are in the last days to be made upon him the giving of the spirit is promised as the most excellent gift 3. That he will take away the heart 〈◊〉 36. 26. Jâ—r â—2 40. 〈◊〉 36. 25. Jer. 33. 9 10. Jer. 32. 41. of stone and give a heart of flesh i. e. a soft and tender heart 4. That he will not â—uâ—n away his â—aâ—e from us 〈◊〉 doing of us good and that he will put his fear into our hearts 5. That he will cleâ—â—se us from all our â—ilthiness and fâ—om all our Idols 6. That he will râ—jâ—yce ouer us to do us good The second thing considerable in the Covenant of Grace is the Covenant which God doth make for us to himself which consists mainly in these things 1. That we shall Jer. 32. 38 40. Ezek. 36. 27. Job 17. 9. Prov. 4. 18. Psal 1. 3. â—â—â—sâ—a 14. 5 6 7. Zaâ—h 12. 18. Mal. 4. â— Jer. 24. 5. Râ—m 8. 28. Luk. 12. 3â— Rev. 2. 10. Psal 84. 11. John 10. 28. See the truth of this fully evidenced in 12 particularâ— in my box of precious â—vntâ—nâ—nt 〈◊〉 364 365 366 367 be his people 2. That we shall fear him for ever 3. That we shall walk in his Statutes keep his Judgments and do them 4. That we shall never depart from him 5. That wâ— shall persevere and hold out to the end 6. That we shall grow and â—lourish iâ— grâ—â—e 7. A true right to the creatures 8. That all providences changes and conditions shall work for our good 9. Vnion and communion with Christ 10. That â—â— sâ—all 〈◊〉 Kingdom a Crown and glory at last and whâ— would wâ— have more By these short hints 't is most evident that the Covenant of Grace is an entire Covenant an everlasting Covenant made by God both for himself and for us Oh sirs this is the glory 〈…〉 the Covenant of Grace That whatsoever God râ—quiâ—â—s of us that he stands engaged to give unto us whatever in the Covenant of Grace God requires on 〈◊〉 's put that he undertakes to perform for man That this Covenant of Grace is an everlâ—â—ing Covenant may be madâ— further clear from God's denomination who hath 〈◊〉 stiled it an everlasting Covenant In the Old Testament he frequently calls it in Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith â—â—olam A Covenant of â—ternity In the New Testament he calls it in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diatheke Aioniâ—s The eternal Covenant or the everlasting Covenant And those whom God has taken into Covenant with himself they have frequently acknowledged it to be an everlasting Covenant as is evident up and down the Scripture The Covenant of works was not everlasting it was soon overthrown by Adam's sin but the Covenant of grace is Isâ— â—5 10. Dâ—â— 9. 24. everlasting The joy
that is wrapped up in the Covenant is an everlasting joy and the righteousness that is wrapped up in the Covenant is an everlasting righteousness and the life that is â—râ—pped up in the Covenant is an everlasting cap. life John 3. 16. and all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and salvation that is wrapped up in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—verlâ—sting the Covenant relation that is 〈◊〉 God and his people is everlasting and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant is everlasting viz. Jesus Christ yesterday and Heb. 13. 8. to day and the same for ever Though the Covenant in respect of our own personal entring into it is made with us now in time and hath a beginning yet for continuance it is everlasting and without end it shall remain for ever and ever But Secondly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a Covenant of life Mal. 2. 5. My Covenant was with him of life and peace life is restored and life is promised and life is setled by the Covenant There is no safe life no comfortable life no easie Omnis vita â—st prâ—pâ—â—d â—eâ—ationâ—m Philosophers say that a fly is more excellent than the heaâ—ens because the fly has life which the heavens have not life no happy life no honourable life no glorious life for any sinner that is not under the bond of this Covenant All mankind had been eternally lost and God had lost all the glory of his mercy for ever had he not of his own free grace and mercy made a Covenant of life with poor sinners A man in the Covenant of Grace hath three degrees of life The first in this life when Christ lives in him The second when his body returns to the earth and his soul to God that gave it The third at the end of the world when body and soul reunited shall enjoy heaven Thirdly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints or faithful people of Christ stand is sometimes 〈◊〉 a holy Covenant Daniel describing the wickedness of Antiochus Epiphanes saith His heart shall be against the Daâ— 11. 2â— 30. holy Covenant He shall have indignation against the holy Covenant And have intelligence with them that forsake the holy Covenant So the Psalmist For he remembred his â—sal â—â—5 42 43. Heb. 〈◊〉 of his â—â—liness that is 〈◊〉 sacred and 〈◊〉 Covenant that â—e had â—ade with Abraham and â—is posterity holy promise and Abraham his servant Proâ—ise herâ— being put for Covenant by a Synechdoche Luk. 1. 72. To perfâ—rm the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant The parties interested in this Covenant are holy here you have a holy God and a holy people in Covenant together Holiness is one of the principal things that is promised in the Covenant the Covenant commands holiness and encourages â—â— holiness and works souls up to a higher degree of holiness and sences and arms gracious souls against all external and internal unholiness See my Treâ—tise of holiness Psal â—0 5. Heb. 3. 1. 1 Thes 5. 27. 2 Pâ—t 1. 21. 1 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Câ—r 3. 17. â— Pet. 2. 9 c. The Author of this Covenant is holy the Mediator of this Covenant is holy the great blessings contained in this Covenant are holy blessings and the people taken into this Covenant are sometimes stiled holy brethren holy men holy women An holy Temple an holy Priestood an holy Nation an holy People as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together When ever God brings a poor soul under the bond of the Covenant he makes him holy and he makes him love holiness and prize holiness and delight in holiness and Jâ—b 8. Psal 20. press and follow hard after holiness A holy God will not take an unholy person by the hand as Joh speaks neither will he allow of such to take his Covenant into their mouths as the Psalmist speaks Fourthly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a Covenant of peace Numb 25. 12. Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace Peace is the comprehension of all blessings and prosperity Mat. 2. 5. All sorts of peace viz. peace with God and peace with conscience and peace with the creatures flows from the Covenant of Grace There is 1. An external peace and that is with men 2. There is a supernatural peace and that is with God 3. There is an internal peace and that is with conscience 4. There is an eternal peace and that is in heaven Now all these sorts of peace flow in upon us through the Covenant of Grace The Hebrew word for peace comes from a root which denotes perfection the end of the upright man is perfection of happiness Hence the Rabbins say that the holy blessed God finds not any vessel that will contain enough of blessinâ—â— fâ—â— Israel but the vessel of peace Peace is a very comprehensive word it carries in the womb of it all outward blessings it was the common greeting of the Jews 〈◊〉 be unto you And thus David by his proxy salutes Nabâ—l Peace be to thee and thy house The Ancients were woâ—â— to paint Peace in the form of a woman with a hoâ—n of plenty in her hand The Covenant of Grace is that hand by which God gives out all sorts of peace unto us Isa 54. 10. Neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee The Covenant is here called the Covenant of peace because the Lord therein offers us all those things that may make us compleatly happy for under this word peace the Hebrew comprehend all happiness and felicity Ezek. 34. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace the Hebrew is I will cut with them a covenant of peace This expreâ—ion of cutting a Covenant is taken from the custom of the Jews in their making of Covenants The manner of this ceremony or solemnity Jeremy declares saying I will give Jeâ— 34. 18. the men that have transâ—ressed my Covenant which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had struck before me when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof Their manner was to kill Sacrifices to cut This Ceremony or Solemnity of coâ—enanting The Romans and other Nations used some Juâ—ge Tâ—e Heatâ—â—ns borrowed this custom 〈◊〉 the Jews But of this before these Sacrifices in twain to lay the two parts thus divided in the midst piece against piece exactly one over against another to answer each other Then the parties Covenanting passed betwixt the parts of the Sacrifices so slit in twain and laid answerably to one another The meaning of which ceremonies and solemnities is conceived to be this viz. as part answered to part so there was an harmonious correspondency and answerableness of their minds and hearts that struck Covenant And as part was severed from part so the Covenanters implyed if not
expressed an imprecation or curse wishing the like dissection and destruction to the parties covenanting as most deserved if they should break the Covenant or deal falsely therein To this custom God alludes when he saith I will cut with them a covenant of peace And this he did by making Christ a sacrifice by shedding his blood and dividing his soul and body who is said to be given Isâ— 42 6. for a Covenant of the people that is to be the medâ—â—tor of the Covenant between God and his people So Ezek. 37. 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them c. The word for peace is Shalom by which the Heb◠〈◊〉 derstand not only outward quietness but all kind of outward happiness Others by the Covenant of peace here do understand the Gospel wherein we see Christ hath pacified all things by the blood of his cross And Lavater Col. 1. 20. saith it 's called a Covenant of peace Quia Christi merito pax inter Deum nos constituta est Not only outward but inward peace between God and us is merited by our Lord Jesus Christ But Fifthly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a New Covenant Jer. Heb. 8. 8 13. Heb. 9. 15. 31. 31. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Heb. 12. 24. And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new covenant c. Now the Covenant of grace is stiled a New Covenant in several respects First in opposition to the former Covenant that was old and being old vanished away Heb. 8. 13. It is called a New Covenant in opposition to the Covenant that was made with Adam in the state of innocency and in opposition to the Covenant that was made with the Jews in the time of the Old Testament 2. To shew the excellency of the Covenant of Grace new things are rare and excellent things In the blessed Scriptures excellent things are frequently called new As a New Testament a New Jerusalem New Heavens and New Earth A new name that is an excellent name A new Commandment that is an excellent commandment a new way that is an excellent way a new heart iâ— an excellent heart a new spirit is an excellent spirit and a new sâ—ng is an excellent song 3. In reâ—â—rd of the succession of it in â—he room of the former 4. 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 ation and enlargement of it iâ— being in the days of old confiâ—ed to the Jewish Nation and Sâ—â—te and some â—ew Prosâ—lytes that adjoyned themselves thereunto whereas now it iâ— propounded and extended without respect of persons or places unto all indifferently of all people and nations that shall embrace the saith â—â— Christ 5. Sometimes that is stiled new which is 〈◊〉 from what it was before 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature A new creature has a new light a new judgment a new will new a 〈…〉 tions new t 〈…〉 ghtâ— new 〈…〉 pany new choice new Lâ—â—d â—ew law new way new work 〈◊〉 A new creature is a chaâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—t 1 〈◊〉 5. 23. that is he is not such a man as he was before a man must be either a new man or no man in Christ The substance of the soul is not changed but the qualities and operations of it are altered in regeneration our natures are changed not destroyed This word New in Scripture signifieth as much as another not that it is essentially new but new only in regard of qualities a new creature is a changed creature 2 Cor. 3. 17. But we all with open face behâ—lding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the sâ—me image from glory to glory that is from grace to grace In this respect also is the Covenant stiled new not only because it is divers from the Covenant of works but also because it is divers from it self in respect of the administration of it after that Christ was manifested in the flesh and died and rose again from the different administration it is called old and new This New Covenant hath not those seals of Circumcision and the Passover nor those manifold sacrifices ceremonies types and shadows c. to the observation whereof the Jews were strictly obliged but now all these things are taken away upon the coming of Christ and a service of God much more spiritual substituted in the room of them Upon which accounts the Covenant of Grace is called a New Covenant 6. It is stiled new because it is fresh and green and flourishing it is like unto Aaron's Rod which continued new fresh and flourishing All the choice blessings all the great blessings all the internal and all the eternal blessings of the New Covenant are as new fresh and flourishing as they were when God brought your souls first under the bond of the New Covenant But Seventhly Such things are sometimes â—â—iled new which are strange rare wonderful marvellâ—us and unusual the like not heard of before So Jer. 31. 22. The Lord hath created a new thing in the â—arth a woman shall compass a man As the nâ—t encloseth the 〈◊〉 not receiving ought from without but conceiving and breeding of her sâ—lf by the power of the Almighty from within That a virgin should conceive and bring forth a man-child this was indeed a new thing a strange thing a wonderful thing a thing that was never thought of never heard of never read of from the creation of the world to that very day So Isa 43. 19. Behold I will do The word new doth intimate some more excellent mercies than God had formerly conferred upon his people a new thing I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert This was a new work that is a wonderful and unusual work for God to make a plain or free way in the wilderness where the ways are wont to be uneven with hills and dales and obstructed with thickets and overgrown with brambles and briars is a strange and marvelous work indeed In this respect also the Covenant of grace is stiled new that is it is a wonderful Covenant O sirs what a wonder is this that the great God who was so transcendently dishonoured despised provoked incensed and injured by poor base sinners should yet so freely so readily so graciously condescend to vile forlorn sinners as to treat with them as to own them as to love them and as to enter into a Covenant of grace and mercy with them this may well be the wonder of Angels and the astonishment of men Eighthly and lastly it is called a New Covenant because it is never to be antiquated as the Apostle explains himself Heb. 8. 13. But Sixthly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a Covenant of Salt Lev.
help the truth in necessity and to clear men's innocency O sirs God doth Exod. 22. 11. not only make his Covenant but swears his Covenant My covenant saith the Psalmist will I not break nor alter Psal 89. 34 35. the thing that is gone out of my lips once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David This is as great and deep an Oath as God could take for his holiness is himself who is most holy and the foundation of all holiness See my Treatise of Holiness pag. 585. to pag. 595. God is essentially holy unmixedly holy universally holy transcendently holy originally holy independently holy constantly holy and exemplarily holy Now for so holy a God to swear once for all by his holiness that he will keep covenant that he will keep touch with his people how abundantly should it settle and satisfie them Ah my friends hath God said it and will he not do it Yea hath he sworn it and will he not bring it to pass Dare we trust an honest man upon his bare word much more upon his Oath and shall we not much more trust a holy wise and faithful God upon his word upon his Covenant when confirmed by an oath The Covenant of Grace is sure in it self it is a firm Covenant an unalterable Covenant an everlasting Covenant a ratified Covenant so that heaven and earth may sooner pass away than the least branch or word of his Mat. 5. 18. Covenant should pass away unfulfilled Let us but cast our eyes upon the several springs from whence the Covenant of Grace flows and then we cannot but strongly conclude that the Covenant of Grace is a sure Covenant Now if you cast your eye aright you shall see that the Covenant of Grace flows from these three springs First From the free grace and favour of God There was nothing in fallen man to invite God to enter into Covenant with him yea there was every thing in fallen man that might justly provoke God to abandon man to abhor man to revenge himself upon man It was mere grace that made the Covenant and it is mere grace that makes good the Covenant Now that which springs from mere grace must needs be inexceptionably sure The Love of God is unchangeable whom he loves he Joâ— 13. 3. Mal. 3. 6. James 1. 17. loves to the end whom God loves once he loves for ever he is not as man soon on and soon off again soon in and as soon out as Joab's dagger was Oh no! his love is like himself lasting yea everlasting I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. Though we 2 Tim. 2. 13. break off with him yet he abides faithful Now what can be more sure than that which springs from free love Rom. 4. 16. from everlasting love Hence the Covenant must be sure The former Covenant was not sure because it was of Works but this Covenant is sure because it is of Grace and rests not on any sufficiency in us but only on Grace Secondly The Covenant of Grace springs from the immutable counsel of God Heb. 6. 17. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Times are mutable and all sorts of men are mutable and the love and Isa 40. 6. Psal 146. 3 4. Jer. 33. 14. favour of the creature is mutable but the counsel of God from which the Covenant of Grace flows is immutable and therefore it must needs be sure The manifestation of the immutability of God's counsel is here brought in as one end of God's Oath God swears that it might evidently appear that what he had purposed counselled determined and promised to Abraham and his seed should assuredly be accomplished there should be there could be no alteration thereof His counsel was more firm than Dan. 6. 13. the Laws of the Medes and Persians which altereth not certainly God's counsel is inviolable My counsel shall stand Isa 46. 10. Psal 33. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Prov. 19. 21. Nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand The immutability of God's counsel springs from the unchangeableness of his essence the perfection of his wisdom the infiniteness of his goodness the absoluteness of his sovereignty the omnipotency of his power God in his essence being unchangeable his counsel also must needs be so can darkness flow out of light or fulness out of emptiness or heaven out of hell No no more can changeable counsels flow from an immutable nature Now the Covenant of Grace flows from the immutable counsel of God which is most firm and inviolable and therefore it must needs be a sure Covenant But. Thirdly The Covenant of Grace springs from the purpose of God resolving and intending everlasting good unto us Now this purpose of God is sure so the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure Our graces are imperfect our comforts ebb and flow but God's foundation stands sure That foundation of God is his election which is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our good and happiness is built and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure The gracious purpose of God is the fountain-head of all our spiritual blessings It is the impulsive cause of our vocation justification glorification it is the highest link in the Golden chain of salvation what is the reason that God has entred into a Covenant with fallen man it is from his eternal purpose What is the reason that one man is brought under the bond of the Covenant and not another it is from the Eâ—ek 20. 37. eternal purpose of God In all the great concerns of the Covenant of Grace the purpose of God gives the casting voice The purpose of God is the sovereign cause of all that good that is in man and of all that external internal and eternal good that comes to man Not works past for men are chosen from everlasting not works present for Jacob was loved and chosen before he was born nor works fore seen for men were all corrupt in Adam All a believer's present happiness and all his future happiness springs from the eternal purpose of God as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together This Rom. 8. 28. cap. 9. 11. Eph. 1. 11. cap. 3. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. purpose of God speaks our stability and certainty of salvation by Christ God's eternal purpose never changes never alters Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed saith God so shall it stand God's purposes are immutable so is his Covenant God's purposes are sure very sure so is his Covenant The Covenant of Grace that flows from the eternal purpose of God is as sure as God is sure for God can neither deceive nor
obstinate Rebellion of the greatest part of the Jews against that blessed word which he had clearly and faithfully made known to them When Christ looked upon the paucity and small number of those that his Ministry had any saving and powerful work upon he pours out his complaints before the father not that Christ's pains in his ministry among the Jews were wholly in vain either in regard of God that sent him or in regard of the persons unto whom he was sent as if not any at all were converted Oh no! for some were called converted and sanctified as you may see by the Scriptures in the margin Or in regard of himself as if any loss or prejudice should thereby redound unto him Oh no! but in regard of the small the slender effect that his great labours had hitherto found yet surely my judgment is with the Lord. Christ for the better support and re-encouraging of himself to persist in his employment opposeth unto the want of the chiefly desired success of his labours with men the gracious acceptance of them with God It is as if Christ had said although my labour hath not produced such fruits and effects as I indeed desired yet I do comfort and bear up my heart with this that my heavenly father knows that in the office and place wherein he hath set me I have faithfully done all that could be done for the salvation of poor sinners souls and for the securing of them from wrath to come And my work or reward with my God that is the reward of my work or my wages for my work which God will render unto me not according to the issue or success of my labours but according to my pains therein taken and the faithful discharge of my office and duty therein What saith Christ though the Jews believe not repent not return not to the most high yet my labour is not lost for my God will really he will signally reward me Upon this God the father comes off more freely and roundly and opens his heart more abundantly to Jesus Christ and tells him in the fifth and sixth verses following that he will give him full compleat and honourable satisfaction for all his pains and labours in preaching in doing in suffering and dying that he might bring many sons to glory vers 5. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob again to him though Israel is not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength In this verse you have a farther encouragement to our Lord Jesus Christ God the father engaging himself not only to support him and protect him in the work of his Ministry but of making him glorious in it and by it also and that though his work should not prove so successful among his own people as he desired yet his Ministry should become very glorious and efficacious upon the Gentiles far and near throughout the whole world Jesus Christ is very confident of his being high in the esteem of his father for the faithful discharge of his duty And that notwithstanding all the hard measure that he met with from the body of the Jews that yet his father would Joh. 5. 20 23. cap. 10. 15 17. Joh. 17. 1 5. Thil. 2. 9. crown him with honour and glory and that he would enable him to go through the work that is incumbent upon him and that he would protect him and defend him in his work against all might and malice all power and policy that should make head against him vers 6. And he said it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth Thus you see that God the father still goes on to shew that the labours of Christ should be very glorious not only in the eyes of God but in the eyes of all the world Yow know elsewhere Christ is called the way Joâ— 14. 6. the truth and the life and here he is called the light and salvation of the Gentiles God the father speaking to Jesus Christ tells him that it was but a small matter a mean thing Heb. it is too light for him to have such happy and ample success as to reduce and win the Jews in comparison of that further work that he intended to effect by him even the salvation of the Gentiles unto the ends of earth God the father seems to say thus to Jesus Christ the dignity and worthiness of thy person thou being the eternal and only son of God as also the high office whereunto I have called thee requireth more excellent things than that thou shouldest only raise up and restore the people of Israel to their right I have also appointed and ordained thee for a Saviour to the Gentiles even to the ends of the earth therefore though the greatest parâ—â—mong the Jews will not receive thee nor submit unto thee yet the Gentiles they shall own thee and honour thee they shall embrace thee and give themselves up unto thee I shall be briefer in the remaining proofs And therefore The Fourth Scripture is that Isa 52. 13 14. Behold The fourth proof The Chaldee Paraphrast some Jewish Doctors expound this place of the Messias Isa 42. 1. cap 53. 11 c. my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high The three last verses of this chapter with the next chapter do joyntly make up an entire Prophecy concerning Christ his person parentage condition manner of life sufferings humiliation exaltation c. with the noble benefits that redound to us and the great honour that redounds to himself In these two verses you have 1. The two parties contracting viz. God the father and Jesus Christ Behold my servant saith God the father this title is several times given by the father to Jesus Christ because he did the father great service in the work of man's Redemption freeing fallen man from the thraldom of sin and Satan 2. Both parties are very sure and confident of the event of the paction and of the accomplishment of the whole work of Redemption Behold my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high Here are divers terms heaped up to express in part the transcendent and unexpressible advancement of Jesus Christ when men are raised from a mean and low estate to some honourable condition when men are furnished with such parts and endowments of prudence wisdom and understanding as makes them admirable in the eyes of others and when they are enabled to do and suffer great things whereby they become famous and renowned far and near then we say they are highly exalted Now in all the serespects our Lord Jesus Christ was most eminently
exalted above all creatures in heaven and earth as is most evident throughout the Scriptures Thirdly He tells you of the price which Jesus Christ should pay for the Redemption of his people agreed upon by paction viz. the humbling of himself to the death of the Cross as you may see in vers 14. As many were astonied at thee his visaâ—â— was so marred more than any mans and his form more than the sons of men This is the speech of the father to Jesus Christ his visage was so marred that the Jews were ashamed to own him for their King and Messiah The astonishment here spoken of is such an astonishment as ariseth from the contemplation of some strange uncouth and ruful spectacle of desolation deformity and misery And no wonder if many were astonished at the sight of our Saviour's condition in regard of those base disgraceful and despightful usages that were offered and done to him in the time of his humiliation here on earth when his own followers were so amazed at the relation of them Mar. 10. 32 33 34 when they were foretold of them Oh sirs the words last cited are not so to be understood as if our blessed Saviour had in regard of his bodily person or presence been some strange deformed or mishapen creature but Isa 51. 3. in regard of his outward estate coming of mean and obscure parents living in a low despicable condition exposed to scorn and contempt and to much affliction through the whole course of his life and more especially yet in regard of what he was also in his personal appearance through the base and scornful usages that he sustained at the hands of his malicious and mischievous adversaries when they had gotten him into their power besides his watchings draggings to and fro from place to place buffettings scourgings carrying his cross and other base usages could not but much alter the state of his body and impair yea deface all the sightliness of it And yet all this he suffered to make good the compact and agreement that he had made with his father about the Redemption of his Elect. But The fifth Scripture is that 53. of Isaiah This Scripture The fifth proof among many others gives us very clear intimations of a Federal transaction between God the father and Jesus Christ in order to the recovery and everlasting happiness of poor sinners The glorious Gospel seems to be epitomised in this chapter the subject matter of it is the grievous sufferings and dolorous death of Christ and the happy and glorious issue thereof Of all the Prophets this Prophet Isaiah was the most Evangelical Prophet and Hierom calls him Isaiah the Evangelist of all the Prophecies of this Prophet that which you have in this chapter is the most Evangelical Prophecy In this chapter you have a most plain lively and full description In this chapter you have the compact and agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ plainly asserted and proved and representation of the humiliation death and passion of Jesus Christ which indeed is so exact and so consonant to what hath fallen our since that Isaiah seems here rather to pen an history than a Prophecy The matter contained in this chapter is so convictive from that clear light that goes along with it â— that several of the Jews in reading of this chapter have been converted as not being able to stand any longer out against the shining light and evidence of it Out of this chapter which is more worth than all the Gold of Ophir yea than ten thousand worlds Observe with me these eight things First Observe that God and Christ are sweetly agreed and infinitely pleased in the conversion of the Elect vers 10. He shall see his seed that is he shall see them called converted changed and sanctified he shall see his seed that is an innumerable company shall be converted to him by his word and spirit in all countreys Psal 110. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23. and nations through the mighty workings of the spirit and the incorruptible seed of the word infinite numbers of poor souls should be brought in to Jesus Christ which Rev. 7. 9. Heb. 2. 10 13. he should see to his full content and infinite satisfaction He shall see his seed that is he shall see them encrease and multiply he shall see believers brought in to him from all corners and quarters and he shall see them greatly encrease and grow by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel especially after his ascention into heaven and a more glorious pouring forth of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and others Act. 2. 37 41. Act. 4. 1 2 3 4. Act. 8. No accountants on earth can count or reckon up Christ's spiritual seed and issue But Secondly observe with me that in the persons redeemed by Jesus Christ there was neither weight nor Exâ—k 16. 1 10. worth neither portion nor proportion neither inward or outward excellencies or beauties for which the punishment due to them should be transferred upon dear Jesus for if you look upon them in their sins in their guilt you shall find them despisers and rejecters of Christ vâ—rs 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Christ took upon him not our nature alone but the infirmities also of it and became liable to such sorrows and afflictions and pains and griefs as man's sinful nature is exposed and subject unto They Râ—m 8. 3. Heb. 4. 15. are called ours because they were procured to him by our sins and sustained by him for the discharge of our sins unto the guilt whereof out of love to us undertaken by him they were deservedly due Christ for our sakes hath taken all our spiritual maladies that is all our sins upon him to make satisfaction for them and as our surety to pay the debt that we had run into Christ in the quality of a pledg for his Elect hath given full satisfaction for all their sins bearing all the punishments due for them in torments and extreme griefs both of body and soul The reason why they so much disesteemed of Christ was because they made no other account but You know they traduced hiâ— as a notorious deceiver a drunkard a friend of publicans and sinners and one that wrought by the Deâ—il that all those afflictions that befel him were by God inflicted upon him for his own evil deserts They accounted him to be one out of grace and favour with God yea to be one pursued by him with all those evils for his sins when the Jews saw what grievous things Christ suffered they wickedly and impiously judged that he was thus handled by God in way of vengeance for his sins By all which you may see that in the persons redeemed by Christ there was nothing of worth or honour to be found for which the punishment due to them should
Redemption bringing in the father and the son as conferring and agreeing together about the terms of it and the first thing agreed on between them is the price and the price that God the father stands upon is blood and that not the blood of Bulls and Goats but the blood of his son which was the best the purest and the Hâ—b 10. 4. cap. 9 22. Jâ—h 10. 11 15 17. 18. Jâ—â— 1. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. noblest blood that ever run in veins Now Christ to bring about the redemption of fallen man is willing to come up to the demands of his father and to lay down his blood The Scripture calls the blood of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious blood Oh! the vertue in it the value of it through this Red Sea we must pass to heaven Sanguis Christi clavis coeli Christ's blood is heaven's key Isal 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the blood of the Saints and truly precious in the sight of the Saints is the blood of Christ Vna guttula plus valet quam coelum terra Luther One little drop is more worth than heaven and earth Christ's blood is precious blood in regard of the dignity of his person it is the blood of God himself it is the blood Act. 20. 28. of that person who is very God as well as very man Christ's blood was noble blood and therefore precious he came of the race of Kings as touching his manhood but being withal the soh of God This renders his nobility Isa 19. 11. matchless and peerless It was Pharaoh's brag that he was the son of ancient Kings who can lay claim to this more than Christ who can challenge this honour before him he is the son of the ancientest King in the Dan. 7. 9 13 2â— world he was begot a King from all Eternity and the blood of good Kings is precious Thou art worth ten thousand 2 Sam. 18. 3. of us said David's subjects to him and therefore they would not suffer him to hazard himself in the battâ—l The nobleness of his person did set a high rate upon his blood and whom doth this argument more commend unto us than Christ And the blood of Christ is precious blood in regard of the vertues of it by this blood God and man are reconciled by this blood the chosâ—n of God are redeemed It was an excellent saying of Leo The effusion of Christ's blood is so rich and available that Leo de pâ—s sâ—rm 12. c. 4. if the whole multitude of captive sinners would believe in their Redeemer not one of them should be detained in the Tyrant's chains This precious blood justifiâ—s our Act. 13. 38 39. Râ—m 3. 24 25. 1 Jâ—h 1. 7. 1 Iâ—â—s 1. 10. persons in the sight of God it frees us from the guilt of sin and it frees us from the reign and dominion of sin and it frees us from the punishments that are due to sin it saves us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that wrath that is to come Now were not Christ's blood of infinite value and vertue it could never have produced such glorious effects the blood of Christ is precious beyond all account and yet our Lord Jesus did not think it too dear a price to pay down for his Saints God the father would be satisfied with no other price and therefore God the son comes up to his father's price that our Redemption might be sure But Secondly Observe that God rejects all ways of satisfaction by men Could men make as many prayers as there be stars in heaven and drops in the Sea and could they 1 Cor. 13. 3. weep as much blood as there is water in the Ocean and should they give all their goods to the poor and their bodies to be burnt as some have done yet all this would not satisfie for the least sin not for an idle word not for a vain thought Heb. 10. 5. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not that is thou wilt not accept of them for an expiation and satisfaction for sin as the Jews imagined The Apostle shews the impotency and insufficiency of legal sacrifices by God's rejecting of them the things here set down not to be regarded by God as sacrifices offerings burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin together with other legal ordinances comprised under them do evidently demonstrate that God regards none of those things in a way of satisfaction they are no current price they are no such pay that will be accepted of in the Court of heaven Remission of sin could never be obtained by sacrifices and offerings nor by prayers tears humblings meltings watchings fastings penances pilgrimages c. Remission of sins cost Christ dear though it cost us nothing Remission of sins drops down from God to us through Christ's wounds and swims to us in Christ's blood It was well said by one of the Ancients I have not whence Ambros de Jacob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 290 291. I may glory in my own works I have not whence I may boast my self and therefore I will glory in Christ I will not glory that I am righteous but I will glory that I am redeemed I will glory not because I am without sin but because my sins are forgiven I will not glory because I have profited or because any hath profited me but because Christ is an Advocate with the father for me but because the blood of Christ is shed for me Certainly the Popish Doctrine of man's own satisfaction in part for his sins is most derogatory to the blood and to the plenary and complete satisfaction of Jesus Christ But Thirdly Observe that nothing below the obedience and sufferings of Christ our Mediator could satisfie divine Justice Heb. 10. 5. But a body hast thou prepared me the Hebrew text Psal 40. 7. saith Thou hast boared through mine ears but the Apostle follows the Greek Translation seeing the same sence is contained in both Christ having declared what his father delighted not in he further sheweth affirmatively what it was wherein he rested well pleased in these words but a body hast thou prepared me In this phrase A body hast thou prepared me Christ is brought in speaking to his father By body is meant the humane nature of Christ Body is Synecdochically put for the whole humane nature consisting of body and soul the body was the visible part of Christ's humane nature A body is fit for a sacrifice fit to be slain fit to have blood shed out of it fit to be offered up fit to be made a price and a ransom for our sins and fit to answer the types under the Law Pertinently therefore to this purpose is it said of Christ He himself bare our sins 1 Pâ—t 2. 24. Hâ—b 2. 9 14 17. in his own body and those infirmities wherein he was made like unto us were most conspicuously evidenced in his body and hereby
work of Creation Again the works of Providence are great very great in the eye of God of Angels of men but what are the workâ— of Providence to the works of Redemption for in order to the accomplishment of that great work Christ must put off his Royal Robâ—s take a journey from heaven to earth assume our nature do and die c. Again the work of Redemption by Christ will be sound a great work if you will but compare it with those Redemptions that were but Types of this Israel's Redemption from their Egyptian Bondage and from their Babilonish Bondage were very great Redemptions that were brought about by a strong hand a mighty hand and an out-stretched arm as the Scripture speaks But alas what were those Redemptions to our being redeemed from the love of sin the guilt of sin the dominion of sin the damnatory power of sin and to our being redeemed from the power of Satan the curse 1 Tâ—â—s 1. 〈…〉 of the Law Hell and wrath to come Lastly the great things that are wrapped up in the womb in the belly of Redemption speak out our Redemption by Christ to be a very great Redemption in the womb of this Redemption you shall find reconciliation justification adoption eternal salvation c. and are not these great very great things surely yes But A Second excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Christ is this that its a free and gracious Redemption All the rounds in this Ladder of Redemption are made up of free rich and soveraign grace though our Redemption cost Christ dear as has been before hinted yet as to us it is most free Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blâ—od the forgiveness of sins according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word properly signiâ—ies a deliverance which is brought to pass by â—â—â—ing of a ranâ—â—â— and price 〈◊〉 Mat. 20. 28. 1 â—â—r 6. 20. 1 〈◊〉 1. 18. to the riches of his grace that is according to his exceeding great and abundant grace Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus our Redemption is from the free love and favour of God It was free grace that put God the father upon finding out a way for the redemption of lost sinners It was free Grace that put God upon providing of such a surety as should undertake the work of Redemption as should carry on the work of Redemption and as should accomplish and compleat the work of Redemption And it was free grace that moved God the father to accept of what Christ did and suffered in order to the bringing about of our Redemption and it is free Grace that moves God to make an application of this Redemption to the souls of his people Ah poor souls the Lord looks not neither Isa 52. 3. for money nor moneys worth from you towards the purchase of your Redemption and therefore always look upon your Redemption as the mere fruit of rich Grace But The Third excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this it is a full and plenteous Redemption Psal 130. 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption Christ redeems us from all sin and from all Tit. 2. 14. Hos 13. 14. the consequences of sin he redeems from death and from the power of the grave he redeems us from the Rom. 7. 6. Gal. 4. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Law and from the malediction of the Law Christ took that off he was made a curse for all that believe on him he did not only stand in the room of eminent believers but he stood in the room of all believers and endured the wrath of God to the uttermost for every one that believeth on him Every believer is freed from a cursed estate by the least faith every degree of true faith makes the condition to be a state of life and passeth us from death and condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus And Christ redeems us from this present Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 1. 4. Rev. 14. 3 4. 1 Thes 1. 10. Luk. 1. 71 74. evil world and from the earth and from among men and from wrath to come and from the hands of all our enemies Jesus Christ hath gone thorough-stitch with the work of our Redemption Christ does not his work by halves all his works are perfect there is no defect or flaw in them at all Christ does not redeem us from some of our sins and leave us to grapple with the rest he doth not work out some part of our Redemption and leave us to work out the rest he doth not bear the heat and burden of divine wrath in part and leave us to wrestle with other parts of divine wrath O! no Christ makes most complete work of it he redeems us from all our iniquities he delivers us out of the hands of all our enemies he pays Heb. 7. 25. all debts he cuts all scores he delivers from all wrath he takes off the whole curse he saves to the uttermost and will settle us in a state of full and perfect freedom when grace shall be turned into glory in heaven our Redemption shall be entire and and perfect The Fourth excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this It is an eternal a permanent a lasting yea an everlasting Redemption Heb. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eâ—ernal redemption for us Redemption is in general Exod. 6. 6. a freeing one out of thraldom Now this is done three ways 1. By interceding and pacifying wrath Thus the Prophet Oded procured Redemption for the Captives 2 Chron. 28. 9 c. of Judah by his intercession 2. By force and might Thus Abraham redeemed his brother Lot and the people that Gen. 14. 16. were captives with him by overcoming their enemies 3. By ransom or paying a price Thus an Hebrew that Levit. 25. 48 49. was sold a slave to a stranger might be redeemed by one of his brethren the last of these is most agreeable to the notation of the several words which in the three learned languages do signify to redeem though the last be especially intended In that mention is made of a price namely Christ's blood yet the other two are not altogether exempted for Christ hath all those three ways redeemed his people This will more clearly appear if we duly weigh the distinct kinds of bondage in which we Maâ— 6. 12. Eph. 2 3. Heb. 2. 143 5. were by reason of sin 1. We were debtors to Divine Justice 2. We were children of wrath 3. We were slaves to Satan 1. As debtors Christ hath paid a ransom for us 2. As children of wrath Christ makes intercession for us 3. But though Divine
Justice be satisfied and divine wrath pacified yet the Devil will not let his captives go therefore Christ by a strong hand wrests us out of Satan's power and destroys him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 24 25. that is the devil The Ransom which Christ paid was the ground of man's full and eternal Redemption for by satisfaction of justice way was made to pacifie wrath both which being accomplished the Devil lost his right and power over such as he held in bondage This Redemption is a full freedom from all misery and compriseth under it reconciliation justification sanctification and salvation By this Redemption divine justice is satisfied wrath pacified grace procured and all spiritual enemies vanquished The perfection of this Redemption is hinted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this word eternal the eternity here meant hath a special respect to the continual duration thereof without end yet also it respecteth the time past so as it looks backward and forward It implieth a vertue and efficacy from the beginning of the world for Christ was a lamb slain from the foundation of the world Christ himself Rev. 13. 8. Rev. 1. 8. is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is and which was and which is to come Now that which is spoken of the person of Christ may very well be applied to our Redemption by Christ This Epithete Eternal is here added to Redemption in opposition to the legal purifications which were momentary and temporary They had a day and endured no longer than the time of reformation On this ground by just and necessary consequence it followeth that the Redemption wrought by Christ is absolutely perfect and that there is no need of any other This being eternal all that have been all that shall be redeemed have been and shall be redeemed by it and they who are redeemed by it need no other means The liberty whereinto Christ Jesus brings the Elect is permanent and lasting it abides irremoveable and unchangeable to all Eternity The Jews which had sold themselves to be servants were to be set free at the Jubilee yet the Jubilee lasted but for one year Levit. 25. therefore the same persons might afterwards become bondmen again But this acceptable year of the Lord 's Isa 61. 2. cap. 63. 4. redeemed is an everlasting year it shall never end therefore they shall never be subject to bondage any more It is observable that when the Lord would comfort the Jews with hopes of a return from Babilon he usually annexed Evangelical promises respecting the deliverance of poor sinners from the slavery of Satan whereof that captivity was a Type some of which promises do plainly express the perpetuity of that spiritual freedom which they shall enjoy Take a taste Isa 35. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs See also Jer. 32. 39. Ezek. 37. 25 26 27 28. cap. 39. 29. and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isa 51. 6. Lift up your eyes to the heavens and look upon the earth beneath for the heavens shall vanish away like smoak and the earth shall wax old like a garment and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner but my salvation shall be for ever and my righteousness shall not be abolished Isa 60. 19 20. The sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended Jer. 31. 11 12. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion and their soul shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all But The Fifth excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this viz. It is an enriching Redemption it is a Redemption that makes men rich in spiritual blessings in heavenly places There are many choice Eph. 1. 3. and rare spiritual benefits that wait and attend on Redemption that go hand in hand with Redemption As Rom. 5. 1. cap. 3. 24 25. reconciliation remission of our sins justification of our persons adoption sanctification full glorification we have some fore-tastes of it in this life here we have the first fruits of the spirit but in the morning of the Resurrection Rom. 8. 23 30. we shall reap the whole harvest of glory It 's called by way of eminency the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1. 9. Redemption and the noble benefits attending on it are Salvation begun but in heaven this shall be salvation consummate Redemption is a rich Mine containing a Mass of Treasure that cannot be valued could we dig into it could we pry into it we might find variety of the choicest Jewels and Pearls in comparison whereof all the riches of the Indies all the Gold of Ophir and all the precious Jewels and most orient Pearls that are in the world are no better than dross I have read of Tiberius the Emperour that passing by a place where he saw a cross lying in the ground upon a Marble stone and causing the stone to be digged up he found a great treasure under the Cross But what was this treasure but a great nothing to that treasure that is wrap'd up in our Redemption by Christ What the Lord said once to his anointed Cyrus a temporal deliverer of his people the same he hath spoken and much more to his Anointed Jesus the greater Saviour and Redeemer of his Church I will give thee the treasures of darkness the hidden riches of secret Isa 43. 3. See my Treatise called The Vnsearchable Ruâ—es of Christ places There are unsearchable riches in Jesus Christ in him are riches of Grace of all Grace in him are riches of justification and riches of sanctification and riches of consolation and riches of glorification Would you share in the best of riches would you share in the most durable riches would you share in soul riches would you share in heavenly riches O! then secure your interest in the Redemption that is by Jesus Christ But The sixth and last excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this viz. It is a Redemption sweetning Redemption it is such a Redemption as sweetens all other Redemptions 't is Redemption by Christ that sweetens our Redemption out of this trouble and that out of this affliction and that out of this danger and that out of this sickness and that out of this bondage and that Redemption by Christ is like that tree which Moses cast into the bitter Exed
engaged himself for us as that he neither can nor will start from his engagement You shall as soon remove the earth stop the Sun in his course empty the Sea with a cockle-shell make a world and unmake your selves as any power on earth or in hell shall ever be able to hinder Christ from the performance of the office of a surety A perfect fulfilling of all righteousness according to the tenour of the Law is required of man Now Christ our surety by a voluntary subjection of himself to the Law â—al 4. 4. Mat. 3. 15. and by being made under the Law he hath fulfilled all righteousness and that he did this for us is evident by that phrase of the Apostle Rom. 5. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous The contents of the Law must be accomplished by our surety or else we can Gal. 3. 10. 13. never escape the curse of the Law there must be a translation of the Law from us in our persons unto the person of our surety or we are undone and that for ever Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and hath Rom. 10. 4. made us just by his obedience we are made the righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 21. of God in him Our surety became subject to the Law that he might redeem us that were obnoxious to the Law Again full satisfaction for every transgression is required of man Now Christ our surety hath made satisfaction for all our sins He was made a curse for us and by that Gal. 3. 13. means he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law To exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice now Christ our surety having made full satisfaction for all our sins we need not fear to stand before the face of God's justice A debtor that hath a surety that is able and willing to pay his debt yea who hath fully paid it need fear no colours This Title a surety of a better Covenant does necessarily import a blessed Covenant between Jesus Christ and his dear father to whom he freely and readily becomes surety for us for what is suretiship but a voluntary transferring of another's debt upon the surety he obliging to pay the debt for which he engageth as surety Thus you see by the blessed and glorious Titles that are given to Jesus Christ in the Scriptures that there was a Covenant of Redemption past between God the father and Jesus Christ But The Fifth Proposition is this That the work of our Redemption and Salvation was transacted between God the father and Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world This federal transaction between the father and the son was from eternity upon this account the Lord Rev. 13 8. God loved his people and provided for them and contrived all their happiness before they were yea before the world was Jesus is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world because that it was agreed and covenanted between God the father and Jesus Christ that he should in the fulness of time be made flesh and die for sinners and therefore it was said to be done from the foundation of the world Though Christ was not actually slain but when he suffered for us upon the Cross yet he was slain from the beginning in God's purpose in God's decrees in God's promises in the sacrifices in the faith of the elect and in the martyrs for Abel the first that ever died died a Martyr he died for Religion This compact betwixt the father and the son bears date from Eternity this the Apostle asserts 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called The Grace here spoken of cannot be understood of in 〈…〉 Grace unless we will say that it could be inf 〈…〉 into us beâ—â—re either the world was or we were in it us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Here is grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But what grace was that which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began doubtless it was the Grace of Redemption which God in his purpose and decree had given us in Christ Jesus before the world began The Scripture last cited does clearly shew that God the father and Jesus Christ dealt together about the Redemption of souls before the world began and that all our everlasting concernments were agreed on and made sure between them so that Titus 1. 2. gives the same sound In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began How was this life promised before the world began but in this Covenant of Redemption wherein God The whole business of our salvation was first transacted between the father and Christ before it was reveiled to us Joh. 6. 27. The Apostle Peter speaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Christ saith That Christ was fore-ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. the father promised and engaged to Jesus Christ that he would give eternal life to all his seed So the Apostle tells us He hath chosen us in him that is in Christ before the foundation of the world There was an eternal contrivance compact covenant or agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ concerning the sanctification holiness and salvation of the Elect. God agrees with Christ about the everlasting happiness of his chosen before the world began So Joh. 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring Why must he bring them home how was he bound how was he engaged to bring home his other sheep that he puts a must upon it them also I must bring Doubtless it was from this Covenant and agreement which he had made with God the father wherein he had engaged himself to bring home all his Elect. Christ takes a great deal of pains to bring home his sheep being bound in the Covenant of Redemption to present all that are given him by charter blameless before the father therefore saith Colos 1. 22. he I bring them and I must bring them the matter not being lest arbitrary even in respect of his obligation to Psal 2. 7. Act. 15. 18. Act. 2. 23. Eph. 1. 9. Prov. 8. 22 32. God the father Certainly the Decree Covenant and agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ about the whole way of Redemption about all things belonging to the salvation of the Elect to be brought about in due time was fixed and setled before the world began Ponder seriously on this it may well be a load-stone to draw out your hearts more than ever to love the father and the son and to delight in the father and the son and to act faith upon the father and the son and to long to be with the
he was the true Messiah and of the father's installing him into that office of a Redeemer So Joh. 6. 38. I came down from heaven not to do mine See Joh. 10. 17. câ—p 16. 27. own will but the will of him that sent me In this verse Christ declares in the general that his errand into the world is to do his father's will who sent him and not his own which is not to be understood that as God he hath a different and contrary will to the fathers though as man he hath a distinct and subordinate will to his but the meaning is he came not to do his own will only as the Jews alledged against him but the father 's also and that in this work he was the father's Commissioner sent to do what he had entrusted him with and not as the Jews gave out that he was one who did that for which he had no warrant Christ in entertaining them that come to him as in vers 37. is not only led thereunto by his own mercy and bounty and love towards them as the reward of all his sufferings but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Commission and trust laid upon him by the father and accepted and undertaken by him therefore he doth mention the will of him that sent him as a reason of his fidelity in this matter By what has been said it is most evident that God the father had thâ— first and chief hand in the great work of our Redemption It is good to look upon God the father as the first projector of our happiness and blessedness that we may honour the father as we honour the son and love the father as we love the son and value the father as we value the son admire the father as we admire the son and exalt the father as we exalt the son and cleave to the father as we cleave to the son c. I have a little the longer insisted on this propositon because commonly we are more apprehensive of the love of the son than we are of the love of the father that I may the more heighten your apprehensions of the father's love in the great work of Redemption Ah! what amazing love is this that the thoughts of the father that the eye of the father that the heart of the father should be first fixed upon us that he should begin the treaty with his son that he should make the first motion of love that he should first propose the Covenant of Redemption and thereby lay such a sure foundation for man's recovery out of his slavery and misery To speak after the manner of men the business from Eternity lay thus here is man saith God the father to his son fallen from his primitive purity glory and excellency into a most woful gulf of sin and misery he that was once a son is now become a slave he that was once a friend is Eâ—h 2. 12 13. now become an enemy he that was once near us is now afar off he that was once in favour is now cast off he Gen. 1. 26 27. that was once made in our image has now the image of Satan stamp'd upon him he who had once sweet communion with us has now fellowship with the Devil and his Angels Now out of this forlorn estate he can never deliver himself neither can all the Angels in heaven deliver him now this being his present case and state I make this offer to thee O my son If in the fulness of Phil. 2. 7 8. Isa 63. 3. Gal. 3. 13. time thou wilt assume the nature of man tread the wine-press of my wrath alone bear the curse shed thy blood die suffer satisfie my justice fulfil my Royal Law then I can upon the most honourable terms imaginable save fallen man and put him into a safer and happier condition than ever that was from whence Adam fell and give thee a noble reward for all thy sufferings Upon this Jesus Christ replies O my father I am very ready and willing to do to suffer to die to satisfie thy justice to comply with thee in all thy noble motions and in all thy gracious and favourable inclinations that poor sinners may be sanctified and saved made gracious and glorious 1 Thes 1. ult Heb. 10. 10. 14. Psal 40. 6 7. holy and happy that poor sinners may never perish that poor sinners may be secured from wrath to come and be brought into a state of light life and love I am willing to make my self an offering and Loe I am come to do thy will O God Thus you see how firstly and greatly and graciously the thoughts of God have been set at work that poor sinners may be for ever secured and saved But The Seventh Proposition is this It was agreed between Gen. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Aâ—t 2. 30. cap. 3. 22. Isa 7. 14. cap. 9. 6. Dâ—ut 18. 15 18. Gal. 4. 4. â—em 8. 3. the father the son that Jesus Christ should be incarnate that he should take on him the nature of those whom he was to save and for whom he was to satisfie and to bring to glory Christs incarnation was very necessary in respect of that work of Redemption that he by agreement with the father had undertaken he had engaged himself to his father that the would redeem lost sinners and as their surety make full satisfaction By the fall of Adam God and man was fallen out they were at variance at enmity at open Râ—m 8. 7. hostility so that by this means all intercourse between heaven and earth was stopped and all trading between God and us ceased Now to redress all this and to make an atonement a Mediatour was necessary now this office belonged unto Jesus Christ both by his father's Heb. 10 5 6 7. ordination and his own voluntary susception and for discharge of it a humane nature was very requisite there was an absolute necessity that Christ should suffer partly because he was pleased to substitute himself in the sinner's stead and partly because his sufferings only could be satisfactory But now unless Christ be incarnate how can he suffer the whole lies thus without satisfaction no Redemption without suffering no satisfaction without flesh no suffering Ergo Christ must be incarnate The Joh. 1. 14. word must be made flesh And so Heb. 2. 14 16. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 1 Tim. 3. 16. Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory This is only
everlasting life for it is explained that not to lose them vers 39. is that they may have everlasting life for the further assurance of believers of their eternal happiness it is also covenanted that they shall have this life in present possession in the earnest and first fruits thereof for they have everlasting life even here and before their raising up They have everlasting life 1. in prâ—misso 2. in pretio 3. in primltiis he stands already on the battlements of heaven he hath one foot in the porch of Paradise Again Christ having given an earnest-penny of salvation will not suffer it to be lost by any difficulty or impediment in the way but will carry believers through all difficulties till he destroy death and the grave and raise up their very dust that in body and soul they may partake of that bliss and that he may make it manifest that death and rotting in the grave doth not make void his interest nor cause his affection to cease Therefore it is added And I will raise him up at the last day Thus you see that God the father did lay his commands upon his son to engage in this great work of redeeming and saving poor sinners souls c. In the third place I shall shew you that the manner or quality of the transaction between God the father and Jesus Christ was by mutual engagements and stipulations each person undertaking to perform his part in order to our recovery and eternal felicity we find each person undertaking for himself by solemn promise The father promiseth that he will hold Christ's hand and keep him Isa 42. 6. God the father engages himself to direct and assist Christ and to keep him from miscarrying and that he will give him all necessary strength and ability for the execution of his mediatory office and work wonders by him and with him according to that word My father hitherto worketh and I work and the son engages Joh. 5. 17. himself that he will obey the fathers call and not be rebellious Isa 50. 5. I was not rebellious neither turned away Exod. 3. 11 13. cap. 4. 1 10 13. back that is I did not hang back as Moses once and again did nor refuse to go when God sent me as once Jon. 1. 3. Jon. â—s did but I offered my self freely and readily to my father's call there was no affliction no opposition no persecution no evil usage that I met with in carrying on the work of Redemption that did ever startle me or discourage me or make me flinch or shrink back from that great and blessed work that I had undertaken I was dutiful and obedient to the calls commands of my father in all things that he required of me or set me about Now the father the son being thus mutually engaged by promise one to another in honour and faithfulness it highly concerned them to keep one another close to the terms of the Covenant that was made between them and accordingly they did for God the father peremptorily stands upon that compleat and full satisfaction that Christ had promised to give to his justice and therefore when the day of payment came he would not abate Jesus Christ one penny one farthing of the many ten thousand Talents that he Mat. 18. 24. was to pay down upon the nail for us Rom. 8. 32. God spared not his own son that is he abated nothing of that full price that by agreement with his father he was to lay down for us other fathers give their all to spare and redeem their children but the heart of God the father is so fully and strongly set upon satisfaction that he will not spare his son his own son his only son but give him up to death yea to an accursed death that we might be Mauritius who died most miserably spared and saved for ever I have read of a Roman Emperour who chose rather to spare his money than to redeem his souldiers being taken prisoners But to redeem us God would not spare no not his own son because no money nor treasure would serve the turn but only the blood yea the heart-blood of his dear son 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And as God the father keeps Christ close to the terms of the Covenant so Jesus Christ keeps his father close to the terms of the Covenant also Joh. 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth saith Christ to his father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was O my father I have finished the work of Redemption but where 's the wages where 's the glory where 's the reward that thou hast promised me There was nothing committed to Christ by the father to be done on earth for the purchasing of our Redemption but he did finish it so that the debt is paid justice satisfied and sin Satan and death spoiled so that nothing remains but that Christ be glorified according to the promise of the father to him The summ of Christ's petition is this that since he had finished the work of Redemption that therefore the father according to his engagement would advance him to the possession of that glory that he enjoyed from all eternity Now for the clearing of this we must consider that as Christ was from Eternity the glorious God so we are not to conceive of any real change in this glory of his Godhead as if by his estate of humiliation he had suffered any diminution or by his state of exaltation any real accession were made to his glory as God But the true meaning is this That Christ having according to the paction past betwixt the father and him obscured the glory of his Godhead for a time under the veil of the Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. form of a servant and our sinless infirmities doth now expect according to the tenour of the same paction after he had done his work to be exalted and glorified and openly declared to be the son of God the veil of his estate Rom. 1. 4. of humiliation though not of our nature being taken away It is further to be considered that however this eternal glory be proper to him as God yet he prays to be glorified in his whole person Glorifie me because not only his humane nature was to be exalted to what glory finite nature was capable of but the glory of his Godhead was to shine in the person of Christ God-man and in the man Christ though without confusion of his natures and properties Christ did so faithfully discharge his trust and perfect the work of Redemption as that the father was engaged by paction to glorifie him and accordingly Christ God incarnate is exalted with the father in glory and majesty so that believers may be as sure that all things necessary for their Redemption are done as
was faithful to him that appointed him Christ had a divine call to the execution of all those offices which he sustained as our Mediator he did not run before he was sent he did not act without a Commission and Warrant he was lawfully constituted by him who had power to undertake that great charge he hath over the Church this we shall find asserted of all his three offices As for his Priestly office he was made a Priest by an immediate call and ordination from God Heb. 5. 4 5 6. The scope of the Apostle is to set out the excellency of Christ's Priesthood by comparing it with the Levitical His Priesthood had a concurrence of all things necessary to the Levitical and it had many excellencies above that Now among other things required in the Priesthood of Aaron this was one there must be a divine regular call this was in the Priesthood of Christ He was called of God an high priest after the order Psal 110. 4. The Hebrew is Thou a Priest c. i. e. Thou shalt be a priest for ever it being the manner of the Hebrew Tongue sometimes for brevity sake to leave out a word which is to be understood and supplied of Melchisedek that Psal 110. 4. is God's sure and irrevocable promise to Christ touching that excellent and eternal Priesthood whereby the recovery of his seed was to be meritoriously obtained This Priestly office of Christ is sure because it is confirmed by God's oath of which before as well as his promise The promise makes it sure the oath doubly sure irrevocable And certainly the Lord neither can nor will ever repent himself of this promise and oath The Priesthood of Christ is the most noble part of all his mediation in the Priesthood of Christ and in that especially lies the latitude and longitude the profundity and sublimity of God's love towards us and in respect of this especially is the whole mystery of our Redemption by Christ called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the magnificent works of God Christ as man and as Mediator between God and man was by his father deputed unto his Priestly office Concerning the dignity and excellency of Christ's Priestly office above the Levitical Priesthood I have spoke elsewhere But Secondly God the father promises to Jesus Christ to make him a Prophet a great Prophet yea the Prince of Prophets Christ is a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of eminency and excellency above all other Prophets he was the chief the head of them all Christ was made a Prophet by an immediate call and ordination from God Christ in respect of his Prophetical office can plead the authority of his father he can shew a Commission for this office under his father 's own hand Deut. 18. 18. Vide Act. 3. 22. and â—â—p 7. 37. Deut. 18. 15. Isa 61. 1. I will raise them a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command them Christ does not raise himself up to the Prophetical office but God the father raises him up to this great office He was anointed of God to preach glad tidings weigh that Isa 42. 6 I will give thee for a light to the gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from their prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed Luk. 4. 21. me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted c. Thus you see that this Prophetical dignity of Christ that he is the grand Doctor of the Church is built upon the Authority of his â—ather who hath authorized and commissionated him to Christ displaces all Rabbies by assuming this title to himself one is your Doctor and Master even Christ Mat. 23. that great office Isa 50. 4. The Lord hath given me the tongâ—e of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in seasoâ— to him that is weary He wakeneth morning by morning â—â— wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned Thus you see thâ—â— God the father promiseth to invest Christ with a Prop 〈…〉 tick office for the opening the eyes of the blind c. This great Prophet is richly furnished with all kind of knowledg In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg they are hid in him as gold and silver are in suo loco as the Philosopher speaks hid in the veins of the earth Treasures of knowledg that is precious knowledg saving knowledg Treasures of knowledg that is plentiful knowledg abundance of knowledg Treasures that is hidden and stored knowledg was laid up in him All the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth do not know all that is in the heart of God but now Jesus Christ who lies in the bosom of the father he knows Joh. 1. 1â— all that is in his father's heart all those secret mysteries that were laid up in the bosom of eternity are fully known to this great Prophet of the Church Joh. 5. 20. The father loveth the son and sheweth him all things that himself doth by a divine and unspeakable communication God the father shews to Jesus Christ all things that he doth God's love is communicative and will manifest it self in effects according to the capacity of the party beloved so much appeareth in that unspeakable love of the father to the son The father loveth the son and sheweth him all things c. Or communicateth his nature wisdom and power for operation with him which is expressed in terms taken from among men because of our weakness and ought to be spiritually and not carnally conceived of And therefore these terms of the father's shewing and the son's seeing are made use of to prevent all carnal and gross conceptions of this inexpressible communication from the Father and participation by the Son In the blessed Scripture Jesus Christ is sometimes called the Prophet and that Prophet because he is one that came from the bosom of the father and lives and lies iâ— the bosom of the father and understands the whole miâ—d will heart counsels designs ways and workings of the father Jesus Christ is anointed by God the father â—o be the great Prophet and teacher of his Elect and acâ—â—rdingly Jesus Christ has taken that office upon himself 〈◊〉 the father has laid a charge upon Jesus Christ to teaâ—h and instruct all those that he has given him in his whole mind and will so far as is necessary to their salvation edification consolation c. Moses was faithful as a servant but Heb. 3. 2 5 6. Christ as a son Christ cannot be unfaithful in his Prophetical office those that God the father hath charged him to teach and instruct he will teach and instruct in the great things of their peace and no
them with arâ—d of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel This signifies their â—tter deâ—â—ruction so that there is no hope of recovery a Potterâ—s vessel when it is once broken cannot be made up again This Proverb also signifies facility in destroying them As for such that plot bandy and combine together against the Lord Jesus Christ he shall as easily and as irrecoverably by his almighty 〈◊〉 and unresistible power dash them in pieces as a Potter brâ—â—ks his vessels in pieces Jer. 19. 11. I will break this people and this city as one breaketh a potter's vessel that cannot be made whole again So Isa 30. 14. And be shal break it as thâ— breaking â—f the pâ—tter's vessel that is broken in pieces he shal not â—â—are so that there shall not be found in the â—â—â—tings â—f it â—â—herd to take â—re from the hearth or to â—ake water withal out of the â—it The Jews you know were Christ's obstinate 〈◊〉 and he hath so daâ—â—â—d them in pieces that they 〈◊〉 scattered abroad all the world over Th◠〈◊〉 hath â—â—de another promise that Christ 〈◊〉 King it Psal â—10 1 2 3 4 5 6. And no wonder when we 〈◊〉 that God the father hath called Christ to the Kingly 〈◊〉 the Sceptre is given into his 〈…〉 Crâ—wn is put upon his head and the Key of Gove 〈…〉 â—â— laid upon his shoulder by God himself 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 shutâ— and he shall shut and none shall open Now herein was this Rev. 3 7. precious soul a lively figure and type of Christ The words of the Prophecy are applied to Christ in his advertisement to Philadelphia and the sence is this that look as Eliakim was made Steward or Treasurer under Hezekiah that is the next under the King in Government all over the Land to command to forbid to permit to reward to punish to do justice and to repress all disorder of which Authority the bearing of a key on the shoulder was a badge So Christ as Mediator under his father hath Regal power and authority over his Church where he commands in chief as I may say and no man may lift up his hand or foot 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 neither hath any such Rule and Soveraignty beside him And if you look into Dan. 7. 13 14. you may observe that after the abolishing of the four Monarchies Christ's Monarchy is established by the Ancient of days giving to Jesus Christ dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him and his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Christ did not thrust himself into the Throne as some have done neither did he swim to his Crown through a Sea of blood as others have done nor yet swam he through a Sea of sorrow to this Crown as Queen Elizabeth is said to do no he stayed till authority was given him by his father But Thirdly God the father hath promised that he will give to Jesus Christ assistance support protection help and strength to carry on the great work of Redemption God the father promises and covenants with Jesus Christ to carry him through all dangers difficulties perplexities trials and oppositions c. that he should meet with in the accomplishing our Redemption upon which accounts Jesus Christ undertakes to go through a Sea of trouble a sea of sorrow a sea of blood and a sea of wrath Isa 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Christ is 〈…〉 Lord but in the work of Redemption â—e was the father's serâ—ant elect in whom my soul delighteth Vers 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth and the Isles shall wait for his law Vers 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee What 's that why I will support strengthen and preserve thee with my glorious power I will so hold thy hand that thou shalt not be discouraged but finish that great work of Redemption which by agreement with mâ— thou hast undertaken God the father agreed with Jesus Christ about the power strength success and assistance that he should have to carry on the work of Redemption all which God the father made good to him till he had sent forth judgment unto victory As Christ himself acknowledgeth Isa 49. 1 2 3. saying Listen O Isles unto me and hearken ye people from far the Lord hath called me from the wâ—mb from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft in his quiver hath he hid me And said unto me thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will be glorified The work of Redemption was so high so hard so great so difficult a work that it would have broken the hearts backs and necks of all the glorious Angels in heaven and mighty men on earth had they engaged in it and therefore Jâ—â— 17. 2. God the father engages himself to stand close to Jesus Christ and mightily to assist him and to be singularly present with him and wonderfully to strengthen him in all his Mediatory Administrations upon which accounts Mâ— â— 11. Luk. 22. 43. Celes 2. 15. Jesus Christ despises his enemies bears up bravely under all his sore temptations and trials and triumphs over principalities and powers And certainly if Chrâ—st had not had singular support and an Almighty strength from the Godhead he could never have been able to have bore up under that mighty wrath and to have drunk of that bloody cup that he did drink off Now upon the account of God the father's engaging himself to own Christ and stand by him in the great work of our Redemption Jesus Christ acts faith against all his deepest discouragements w 〈…〉 he should meet with in the discharge of his Mediatory office as the Prophet tells us The Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded therefore Isâ— 50. 7 8 9. have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me From the consideration of God's help Jesus Christ strengthens and encourages himself in the execution of his office against all oppositions God's presence and assistance made Jesus Christ victorious over all wrongs and injuries Jesus Christ knew that God the father would clear up his innocency and integrity and this made him patient and constant
understand it of the whole time of his manifestation in the world when he was sent forth as a Prophet to teach them and was declared evidently to be the son of God both by his miracles and ministry Joâ— 1. 14. and by that voice that was heard from heaven This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Others do understand it of the day of Christ's Resurrection and with them I close for this seems to be chiefly intended partly because it seems to be spoken of some solemn time of Christ's manifestation to be the son of God and he was declared to be the son of God with power according to the Rom. 1. 4. spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead that is by the power and force of the Deity sanctifying and quickening the flesh he was raised from the dead and so declared mightily to be the son of God but mainly because the Apostle doth clearly affirm that this was in Christ's Resurrection He hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my son this Act. 13. 32 33. day have I begotten thee In the day of Christ's Resurrection he seems to tell all the world that though from the beginning he had been hid in the bosom of his father Jâ—h 1. 18. and that though in the Law he had been but darkly shadowed out yet in the day of his Resurrection they might plainly see that he had fully satisfied Divine Justice finished his sâ—fferings and compleated the Redemption of his Elect and that accordingly his father had arrayed him with that glory that was sutable to him Before the Resurrection the Godhead was veiled under the infirmity of the flesh but in the Resurrection and after the Resurrection the Godhead did sparkle and shine forth 2 Cor. 13. 4. very gloriously and wonderfully least the humane nature of Christ upon its assumption should shrink at the approach of sufferings God the father engages himself to give Jesus Christ a full and ample reward And to exalt him far above all principality and power and to put all things Eph. 1. 21 22. â—â—il 2. 9. Name is put for person and bowing of the knee a bodily ceremony to express inward subjection Estius 〈◊〉 under his feet and to make him head over all things to the Church And to give him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and all because to give satisfaction to his father he made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross that is to his dying day He went thorough many a little death all his life long and at length underwent that cursed and painful death of the Cross upon which account the father rewards him highly by exalting him to singular glory and transcendent honour Look that as the assumption of the humane nature is the highest instance of free mercy so is the rewarding thereof in its state of exaltation the highest instance of remunerative justice Oh how highly is the humane nature of Christ honoured by being exalted to a personal union with the Godhead though vain men may dishonour Christ yet the father hath conferred honour upon him as Mediator that it may be a Testimony to us that he is infinitely pleased with the Redemption of lost man Although Christ be in himself God all-sufficient God blessed for ever and so is not capable of any access of glory yet it pleased him to condescend so far as to obscure his own glory under the veil of his flesh and state of humiliation till he had perfected the work of Redemption and to account of his office of Mediator and the dignity accompanying it as great honour conferred upon him by the father Jâ—l 8. 54. And it is observable that Christ having finished our Redemption on earth he petitions his father to advance him to the possession of that glory that he enjoyed from all eternity And now O father glorifie thou me Joh. 17. â— with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Now for the clearing up of this Text we are to consider that as Christ was from all Eternity the glorious God the God of glory so we are not to conceive of any real change in this glory of his Jesus Christ is true God and was infinitely glorious from all eternity for he had glory with his father before the world was and therefore he was no upstart God and of a later standing as the Arians and Mahoâ—etans make of him Godhead as if by his estate of humiliation he had suffered any diminution or by his state of exaltation any real accession were made to his glory as God But the meaning is this That Christ having according to the paction past betwixt the father and him obscured the glory of his Godhead for a time under the veil of the form of a servant and our sinless infirmities doth now expect according to the tenour of the same paction that after he hath done his work as Mediator he be highly exalted and glorified in his whole person that his humane nature be exalted to what glory finite nature is capable of and that the glory of his Godhead might shine in the person of Christ God-man and in the man Christ Jesus Thus you see the promises the encouragements and rewards that God the father sets before Jesus Christ And let thus much suffice concerning the Articles of the Covenant on God's part In the last place let us seriously consider of the Articles of the Covenant on Christ's part and let us weigh well the promises that Jesus Christ has made to the father for the bringing about the great work of our Redemption that so we may see what infinite cause we have to love the son as we love the father and to honour the son as we honour the father and to trust in the son as we trust in the father and to glorifie the son as we glorifie the father c. Now there are six observable things on Christ's part on Christ's side that we are to take special notice of c. First Christ having consented and agreed with the father about our Redemption accordingly he applies himself to the discharge of that great and glorious work by taking a body by assuming our nature Heb. 2. 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same He who was equal with God did so far abase himself as to take on him the nature of man and subjected himself to all manner of humane frailties so far as they are freed from sin even such as accompany flesh and blood and this is one of the wonders of mercy and love that Christ our head should stoop so low who was himself full of glory as to take part of flesh and blood that he might suffer for flesh
Conscience hath an Iron Memory In the last day God will bring the Book of Conscience out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Josiah's time and the very laying open of this Book before sinners will even put them besides their wâ—ts and fill them with unspeakable horrour and terrour and be a hell on this side hell unto them In this Book they shall find an exact account of every vain thought they have had and of every idle word they have spoke and of every evil action they have done and Oh what amazement and astonishment will this fill them with By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Origen does Comm. ad Rom. 14. understand the Books of Conscience which now are hid not from God but from most men for the hidden things of the heart are not now known but then they shall be opened and manifested to the Consciences of every sinner so as there shall be no place no room left for any Ambr. in Psâ—l 1. excuse or Plea Ambrose saith that the Books that are here said to be opened are the Books of men's Consciences and God's Omniscience Oh what dreadful challenges and accusations will every sinner be forced to read out of this Book of Conscience in the great day Oh how in that great day will all wicked men wish that they had followed the counsel of the Heathen Orator when he said A recta conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum Ciâ— â—â— Ossic A man may not depart an hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good Conscience The Book of God's Omniscience takes in all things past present and to come as if he had kept a Diary of every man's thoughts words and actions But Fifthly There is the Book of Scripture and of all Books this Book is the most precious Book The Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods the Book of the Scripture is the evidence and conveyance and assurance of all good to us The Book of Scripture is the Book of the Statutes and Ordinances of the King of Heaven which must be opened and consulted and by which all must be judged in the great day Jam. 2. 12. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged Jam. 23 25. by the law of liberty i. e. by the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the whole Word of God registred in the blessed Scriptures Now the whole Word of God is called the Law of Liberty because thereby we are born again to a new spiritual life and so freed from the Bondage and Slavery of sin and Satan Our Lord Jesus Christ in his proceedings Let the Word be President in all Assemblies and Judgments saith Beza In the Nicene Council Censtâ—nâ—â—e caused the Bible to be set upon a Desk aâ— Judge of all controversies the Word shall be the Judge of all men's Estates at last every man shall stand or fall according as he holds weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary in the great day of Account will judge us by the Scriptures and pass everlasting sentence upon us according to the tenour of the Scriptures At the great and general Assizes Christ will try all causes by the Word of God and pass Judgment upon all sorts of persons according to the Word Joh. 12. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The persons that are to be judged in the great day are not believers in Christ they are not receivers of Christ but such as reject his person and receive not his Doctrine He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him c. However the rejecters of Christ may escape Judgment for a time yet they shall never be able to escape the Judgment of the last day they shall assuredly they shall unavoidably be judged in the last day Though the rejecters of Christ had none to witness against them yet the Word of the Lord shall be more than a thousand witnesses against them in the great day The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The Word of the Lord is so sure and infallible a word that Christ's Sentence in the great day when heaven 2 Pet. 3. 7 10 11 12. and earth shall pass away shall proceed according to the Verdict and Testimony thereof For the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day Christ will pronounce then according to what it saith now and that as well in favour of Believers as against unbelievers Ad. 17. 31. Look as Christ himself is ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead so the Word the Doctrines which he hath delivered will be the rule of all his Judicial proceedings both in acquitting the righteous and condemning the wicked By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Augustine Lib. 20. De C. Dei c. 14. and Beda saith the same with Austin understands the Books of the Old and New Testament which shall then be opened because according to them the Judge will pronounce sentence Rom. 2. 16. When God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel which promiseth heaven and happiness to all believers The Sentence of the last day shall be but a more manifest declaration of that Judgment that the Lord in this life most an end hath passed upon men Heathens shall be judged by the Law of Nature profligate Professors by the written Law and the Word Mar. 16. 16. preached Believers by the Gospel which saith He that believeth shall be saved He that believes shall not Joh. 3. 15 16. 36. cap. 5. 24. Paâ—eus 2 Cor. 8. 12. perish but have eternal life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life He that believeth shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Christ shall in the great day give Sentence according to the Doctrine of the Gospel which saith If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Jesuits report of a Student at Paris who coming to Confession and not being able for tears and sobbings to speak was willed by his Confessor to write down his sins which he did and when the Confessor received it the writing vanished and there remained nothing but the white and clean paper this say they was by a miracle because of his great contrition Let the credit of this story be upon the reporter but upon the credit of the Word of God if we believe really savingly and repent unfeignedly all our sins shall be blotted out and a Book of clean paper in respect of sin shall be presented to the God neither needeth nor useth Books to judge by but this is spoken after the manner of men
Mordecai's name was Registred in the Chronicles of Persia Ejih 6. 1 2 3. And Iamerlane had always by him a Catalogue of his best Servants and their good deserts which he daily perused Judge But Sixthly and lastly There is a Book of Life Rev. 20. 12. And another book was opened which is the book of life the Book of Life is the Book of all those that were elected and redeemed to life through Christ Jesus This Book of Life containeth a Register of such particular persons in whose Salvation God from all Eternity determined to have his mercy glorified and for whom Christ merited Faith Repentance and perseverance that they should repent believe and be finally saved The book of life shall be opened that is to say the Decrees of God will be then published and made known which now are sealed up in his breast and locked up in his Archives Then it will be seen who are appointed to life for the glorifying of God's free rich and Soveraign Grace and whom he purposed to leave in their sins and to perish for ever for the exaltation of his Justice 'T is called A Book of Life not that God hath need of a Book but to note the certainty of Predestination viz. that God knows all and every of the Elect even as men know a thing which for memory's sake they set down in writing This Book of Life shall be opened in the great day because then it shall appear who were Elect who Reprobates who truly believed in Christ who not who worshipped God in spirit and in truth and who not who walked with God as Noah and who not who set up God as the object of their fear who not who followed the Lamb whither ever he went and who not who were sincere and who not who preferred Christ above ten thousand worlds and who preferred Barrabas before Jesus and their Farms and their Oxen and their Mat. 25. 32. Swine yea their very Lusts before a Saviour a Redeemer Ezek. 9. 4 6. who are Sheep and who are Goats who are Sons and who are Slaves who have mourned for their own sins and the sins of the time and who they are that have made a sport of sin c. Of this Book of Life you read often in Scripture Phil. 4. 3. And I intreat thee also true yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of life Vorstius thinks it a speech taken from the custome of souldiers or Cities in which the chosen Souldiers or Citizens are by name written in a certain Book or Roll. This Book or Roll is called here The Book of Life because therein are written all the Elect who are ordained to Eternal Life Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh the same shall be cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life In this Book of Life all the just that live by faith are written The Elect are certain of Joh. 10. 28 29 30 31. eternal life they shall never perish nor none can ever pluck them out of the Father's hand nor out of Christ's hand God is said to have Books Metaphorically The Holy God by an Ambrâ—pepatheria speaketh to our capacity for he doth all things without the help of Books he needs no Books to help his Memory he does all things by his infinite Wisdom Eternal Foreknowledge Counsel Government and Judgment but thus men cannot do for whatsoever is done in their Councils Cities Families Contracts c. for memory's sake is set down in writing that so as there is occasion they may look it over and call to mind such things as they desire Mark not to have our names blotted out of the Book of Life is to have them always remain therein that is to enjoy Eternal Glory and what can the soul desire more The names of the Elect are written in the Book of Life they do not obtain Salvation by chance but were elected of God to life and happiness before the Foundation of the World Now their names being once written in the Book of Life they shall never never be blotted out of that Book In the Book of Predestination there is not one blot to be found the Salvation of the Elect is most sure and certain Rev. 13. 8. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The names of the Elect are said to be written in the Book of Life by an usual Metaphor for we commonly write down the names of such as are dear unto us that we may continually remember them So God having in his Eternal Council elected some to Salvation hath written their names in the Book of Life as our Saviour tells us Rejoyce because your Luk. 10. 20. names are written in heaven Some understand the Metaphor of the Sonship of the Elect so that to be written in the Book of Life shews that they are heirs of Glory for we know that such are to inherit whose names are written in the last Will and Testament of men Of this Book of Life you may further read Rev. 17. 8. Rev. 20. 15. Rev. 21. 27. Rev. 22. 19. Now from this Book of Life that shall be opened in the great day when the other Books shall be opened as hath been shewed every sincere Christian may form up this Eleventh Plea as to the Ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that refer to the great Eccles 9. 11. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Hâ—b 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. â— 5. Dan. 9. 24. Coles 2. 14. day of account or t 〈…〉 man's particular account Most Holy and Blessed Lord cast thine eye upon the Book of Election and there thou wilt find my name written Now my name being written in that Book I am exempt from all condemnation and interested in the great Salvation my name being written in the Book of Life I am secured from coming into the Judgment of Reprobation or Condemnation Joh. 5. 14. Revel 21. 27. Jesus Christ who hath written my name in the Book of Life hath made up my acounts for me he hath satisfied thy Justice and pacified thy Wrath and born the Curse and purchased my Pardon and put upon me an everlasting Righteousness and given me my Quietus est he has crost out the black lines of my sins with the red lines of his blood he has cancelled all the Bonds wherein I stood obliged to Divine Justice I further plead O Blessed Lord That there is an immutable Connexion betwixt being written in this Book of Life and the obtaining of Eternal Life and if the Connexion betwixt being written in this Book of Life and the obtaining of Eternal Life were not peremptory what reason could there be of opening this Book in the day of Judgment The Book of Life is a Book of Sovereign Grace upon which lies the weight of my Salvation my happiness my all and therefore by that Book I desire to stand or fall Well saith the Lord I cannot but accept of this Plea as holy honourable just and righteous and therefore enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee Mat. 25. 21 34. Thus by Divine Aslistance and by a special and a gracious hand of Providence upon me I have finished those select and important Cases of Conscience which I designed to speak to Soli Deo Gloria in Aeternum
glory which thou hast given me â—hus I have glanced at Christ's solemn demand on earth for the full accomplishment of that blessed Compact Covenant Agreement and Promises that were made to him when he undertook the office of a Mediator and now is in heaven he appears in the presence of God for us as a 〈…〉 9. â—4 Lawyer appears in open Court for his Client opens the case pleads the cause and carries the day The Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated to appear signifieth conspicuously to manifest It is sometimes taken in a good sense viz. to appear for one as a Favourite before a Prince or as an Advocate or an Attourney before a Judge or as the High Priests appeared once a year in the Holy of Holiest to Exod. 30. 10. make atonement for the people Christ is the great Favourite in the Court of glory and is always at God's Rom. 8. 34. right hand ready on all occasions to present our petitions to his Father to pacifie his anger and to obtain all 1 Joâ— 2. 1. noble and needful favours for us And Christ is our great Advocate to plead our cause effectually for us Look as in Humane Courts there is the Guilty the Accuser the Court the Judge and the Advocate so it is here Heaven is the Court Man is the guilty Person Satan is the Accuser God is the Judge and Christ is the Advovocate Now look as the Advocate appeareth in the Court before the Judge to plead for the guilty against the accuser so doth Christ appear before God in heaven to answer all Satan's objections and accusations that he may make in the Court of heaven against us He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated intercession is a compound and signiâ—ies to call upon one it is a judicial word and importeth a calling upon a Judge to be heard in this or that against Aâ—â— 25. â—â— Râ—m 11. 2. câ—p 8. 34. another or for another so here Christ maketh intercession for them The Metaphor is taken from Attorneys or Advocates who appear for men in Courts of Justice from Counsellers who plead their Clients cause answer the Adversary supplicate the Judge and procure sentence to pass on their Clients side This Act of making Intercession may also be taken from Kings Favourites who are much in the King's presence and ever ready to make request for their friends But remember though this be thus attributed to Christ yet we may not think that in heaven Christ prostrateth himself before him or maketh actual prayers that was a part of his humiliation which he did in the days of his flesh but it implyeth â—eb 5 7. a presenting of himself a Sacrifice a Surety and one that hath made satisfaction for all our sins together with manifesting of his will and desires that such and such should partake of the vertue and benefit of his Sacrifice so as Christ's intercession consisteth rather in the perpetual vigour of his Sacrifice and continual application thereof than in any actual supplication The intendment of this Phrase applyed to Christ to make intercession is to shew that Christ being God's Favourite and our Advocate continually appeareth before God to make application of that Sacrifice which once he offered up for our sins Christ appears in the presence of God for us 1. To present unto his Father himself who is the price of our Redemption 2 To make application of his Sacrifice to his Church time after time according to the need of the several members thereof 3. To make our persons prayers services and all good things acceptable to God But Seventhly and lastly The whole Compact and Agreement between God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ about the Redemption of poor sinner's souls was really and solemnly transacted in open Court or as I may say in the High Court of Justice above in the presence of the great publick Notary of heaven viz. the Holy Ghost who being a third Person of the glorious Trinity of the same Divine Essence and of equal power and glory makes up a third Legal Witness with the Father and the Son They being aâ—ter the manner of Kings their own Witnesses So the King write◠〈◊〉 meâ—â—â— This 1 Joh. 5. 7. is a very cleaâ— Proof and Testimony of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine â—ssence they are â—ll one in â—ssence and Will As if three lamps were lighted in oâ—â— chamber albeit the lamps be diâ—ers yet the lights â—annot be s◠〈◊〉 so in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a distruction of Persoâ—s 〈◊〉 ◠〈…〉 pheiâ—y of nature also 1 Joh. 5. 7. For there be three that â—ear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Three 1. In the true and real distinction of their Persons 2. In their inward Properties as to beget to be begotten and to proceed 3. In their several offices one to another as to send and to be sent And these three are one one in Nature and Essence one in Power and Will one in the act of producing all such actions as without themselves any of them is said to act and one in their Testimony concerning the Covenant of Redemption that was agreed on between the Father and the Son Consent of all parties the Allowance of the Judge and publick Record is as much as can be desiâ—ed to make all publick Contracts authentick in Courts of Justice and what can we desire more to settle satisfie and assure our own souls that all the Article of the Covenant of Redemption shall on all hands be 〈…〉 inly made good than this that these three heaveâ—ly Witnesseâ— God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Gâ—â—st do all agree to the Articles of the Covenant and 〈◊〉 Witnesses to the same Covenant Thus you see that there was a Covenant of Redemption made with Christ upon the terms whereof he is constituted to be a 〈◊〉 to say to the prisoners go forth to bring deliveraâ—â—e to the captives and to proclaim the year of release or Jubile the acceptable year of the Lord as it is Isa 61. 1 2. I have been the longer in opening the â—ovenant of Redemption partly because of its grand importance to all our souls and partly because others have spoken so little to it to the best of my observation and partly because I have never before handled this Subject either in the Pulpit or the Press c. Now from the serious consideration of this Compact Covenant and Agreement that was solemnly made between God and Christ touching the whole business of man's Salvation or Redemption I may form up this tenth Plea as to the ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. â—4 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Isa 53. 6.