without any Light lying under shame and dishonour under the guilt of sinne and not able to deliver it selfe this cannot but make it looke out for it selfe and seeke with great importunity for a Saviour The Dove could find no rest for the soale of her foot till she returned into the Arke It is a perfect hyeroghyphick or resemblance of a wounded Spirit as Solomon calls it when it is as the blessed Redeemer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surrounded with sorrow and it is full of restlesse vexations fluctuating and tumbled up and downe in a whole Ocean of perplexities and feares and can see no shoare no Land no creek or haven of comfort then it must into the Arke then it uses the soliloquie of the Psalmist returne unto thy res◠ô my soule then it cries out with the blessed Martyr ô none but Christ none but Christ there 's my Arke ther 's my rest there 's my refuge there I shall find reliefe and refreshment or else no where Christ will be a calme to me after a storme he will dispell and drive away all these clouds he will hold my head above water and keep me from sinking he will be light and joy and unspeakable solace after all these distempers thus the poore afflâ—cted soule as a prisoner of hope as the Prophet speakes Zach. 9. 12. returnes unto Christ as to its strong hold The misâ—rable soule seeks for cure the whole need not the Physition saith Christ but the sick sin-sick sinners will enquire and seek after the Physition of soules The sense of misery is the primum mobile the first mover that sets us on seeking for Christ The more wee know our owne misery the more we know how to prise Christ and set a true value upon him Againe Beleevers are likewise convinced of the impotency and weaknesse of the creature in respect of any help or succour that it can afford None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor givâ— to God a ransome for him Psal 49. 7. iâ— not redemption from temporall death much lesse from eternall Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes saith the Prophet or with ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule The truth is should all the Angels in Heaven and righteous men upon Earth joyne their goodnesse together and offer it up to God as a sacrifice it would not be sufficient to expiate so much as one sinne Now when the soule is sensible of this it crieth out as Peter in another case help Lord or else I perish Solomon saith that as good newes from a farre Country so is cold water to a thirsty soule Prov. 25. 25. So it is with a poore distressed soule when it seeth it selfe as it were in a farre Countrey farre from God farre from â—oy and farre from any deliverance in it selfe or in any other then if one bring him newes of a Saviour of a Redeemer this is welcome newes indeed this is as cold water to a thirsty soule An instance of this is seen in the Prodigall who when he came to himselfe that is when he saw what a wretched and helplesse creature he was he cast his thoughts upon his Fathers house he loathed any longer to feed upon the huskes and hogs meat of the world then he desires the bread of his Fathers hired servants Nothing but home will content him farewell feasting and revelling and all filthy pleasures that I have lived in I have gotten nothing by them but wounds and sorrowes and vexation of Spirit I will home to my Fathers house there is bread and durable cloathing there is whatsoever I can wish or desire here I starve and die there I shall live and sweetly enjoy my selfe here I want all things but there I shall lack nothing This is a lively pourtraiture of a thirsty and wearied soule flying unto Christ for ease and comfort This then is one reason why Christ is precious to Beleevers namely because they are in some measure convinced of their misery with him and of their owne impotency and utter inability to help themselves therefore Christ is precious unto them Secondly Beleevers are not onely Reas II convinced of their owne misery without Christ and of their impotency and inability to help themselves but also they see and apprehend an infinite treasure of good and happinesse that God hath treasured up in Christ and that to be joyned unto him is the onely way to obtaine these blessings Viz. the Fathers Love Pardon of sinne Manifestation of Gods face The love of God being infinite like himselfe cannot be conferred upon any creature for its owne sake the causa procuratrix or the procuring cause of this love must of necessity be infinitely meritorious now this is not found among the sonnes of men but onely in Christ the eternall Sonne of God onely in Christ who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man as I may say Immanuel God with us or God in our flesh God that he might be a fit object for the infinite love of his Father and man that he might derive and bring that love to us God first loves his Sonne and then Beleivers through him It is impossible that the infinite love of the infinite God should bee drawne out but by an infinite motive and where is this motive but in the second person coe-eternall co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father were it not for his Sonne God should have no object for his love in the world Love is as fire which must have fewell to maintaine it Now let all the Creatures men and Angels be set before God yet they all with all their excellencies and lovely parts cannot deserve the least minute or tittle of his Love God loves himselfe in his Sonne and his creatures for his beloved Sonnes sake God will supply saith the Apostle all your need according to his riches in Glory by Jesus Christ Philip. 4. 9. The treasures of Gods love and riches are first in Christ and by our union with him wee come to enjoy them So Ephes 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he hath ingratiated us through that Beloved Gods love and his favour is undeserved on our parts wee finde grace in his sight through Christ Notable to this purpose is the order of the three persons which the Apostle sets Cor. the last and the last The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the ho-Ho-Ghost be with you all Amen You must know now that this is not a right naturall order for by order of nature the Father whom the Apostle cal's God in a personall sense as John 1. the word was with God that is with the Father I say by order of nature the Father is first of himselfe not begotten the Son is from the
Father begotten yet eternall and the Holy Ghost is proceeding from them both yet eternally too for though they be one before another in order of nature yet not in order of time But now here is the Question seeing the Father is first the Sonne second and the Holy Spirit last in that naturall order why doth the Apostle in the fore-mentioned place set the Sonne first verily because he is next and immediate unto us being our Mediatour being the canalis or conduit pipe as I may say by which the love of God and the communion of the Holy-Ghost is brought and conveyed to us as the meanes is ever before the end Now the Saints being convinced and perswaded of this Truth this is the thing that makes Christ so deare and precious unto them as he is if Isaac loved Esau for his venison for a carnall respect much more have wee cause to love the Lord Jesus and highly to esteeme of him having procured for us the love of the Father a love like Jonathan's love to David passing the love of women yea a love of infinite dimensions and measures if I may so speake the breadth of it is infinite because it is without respect of persons the length also infinite because it is from everlasting to everlasting the depth infinite because it redeemes and delivers from Hell and the height likewise infinite because it lifts us up to Heaven Certainly Christ having purchased such a wonderfull love as this he must needs be precious he must needs be amiable and lovely to a beleeving soule Secondly for the pardon of sinne there is likewise an absolute necessity of Christ The bloud of Christ onely and not of Buls and Goats is availeable to take away sinnes The soule being convicted of its sinfulnesse speakes as the Prophet doth Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings God is devouring fire and everlasting bumings in relation to sinners his wrath is the fewell of Hell as I may say the breath of his indignation is like a river of brimstone kindling and perpetually maintaining the flames of Tophet what shall the poore sinfull soule doe now here 's nothing but menaces and threatnings terrours and amazements death and destruction and where is the remedy verily no where but in Christ alone Israel passing through the wildernesse had a cloud to cover him and defend him from the scortching Sunne-beames now what was this cloud but a type and shadow of Christ as the Apostle makes it 1 Cor. 10. 1. hee makes there the cloud and the Sea and the Manna and the water of the Rocke to be all figures and Images of Christ Christ is a sea to wash Manna to feed water to refresh and a cloud to hide the soule from the hot and burning wrath of God the fiery beames of that wrath would surely suffocate it and stifle it were not the bloud of Christ interposed and set between to veile it the bloud of Christ obnubilates and covers the soule from the fierce anger of God it is Christ onely that reconcileth us to God it is he alone that is our Advocate to plead our cause with his Father when man had sinned Justice and Mercy strove one with another seemed to be at variance Christ redintigrates them and makes them friends againe he is our blessed Umpire to set there two together againe giving satisfaction to Justice and place to mercy so honouring and dignifying both making both to rejoyce both to kisse and embrace each other God smels a sweet savâ—ur of rest in Christ onely all the hilasticall and propitiatory sacrifices of the Law did â—â—oke to him as to their end and substance of themselves they could not puâ—ge away the guilt of the least sinne the repetition of them as the Apostle teacheth showes plainely how invalid they were to expiate the crimes and offences of the soule the strictest observance of them could not make the worshipper perfect as touching cleerenesse of Conscience Heb. 9. 9. When David cryes purge me with bysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow he alludes indeed to the Leviticall Ceremony but he aimes at the bloud of Christ onely this alone was able to purge away his foule spot his hainous sinne of murder would not out by any other washing then this In one of the old sacrifices there were two Goates appointed one to be slaine and the other to be kept alive which was called the scape-Goate now both these have an eye to Christ the slaine or sacrificed Goate was a type of his dying for sinne and the surviving or scape-goate figures his rising againe and ever living to mainetaine the worth of that oblation the Apostle saith that he ever liveth to make intercession for us and how doth he make intercession but by continuall holding forth in the presence of his Father the merit of his sufferings so that still Christ both dying and living is the fountaine of our peace and attonement with God still Christ is he and the onely he that obtaineth remission of sinnes for us Now if wee consider the many and great benefits that redound to us by the pardon of sinne we must needs conclude that Christ is very precious by whom we enjoy such a mercy When sinne is pardoned there is an end of Gods heavie wrath and displeasure Satan's Kingdome goes downe the power of our corruptions daily decaying we have peace and joy within whereas before wee had nothing but raging stormes and tempests and a very hell in our Consciences our prayers finde acceptance at the throne of Grace all the creatures are in league with us and are become our faithfull servants that which comes from them is sweet and benigne healthfull and good our blessings are blessed yea our very curses if they may be so called are likewise blessed unto us Judgements are removed every bitternesse is taken away even the sting of death is puld our Christ as a tree of most excellent vertue is cut downe and throwne into our Marah Some things may worke adveâ—sly and crosly to us but the Apostle speakes of a cooperating or working together which makes amends for all all things worke together saith he for good unto them that love God Rom. 8. 28. and they be such that have their sinnes pardoned Though some things worke untowardly and against the haire as I may say yet take them altogether and there is a blessed harmony and complyance a sweet relishablenesse and savourinesse in them one thing doth recompence and make up another the mixture of sweet and sowre through the wisdome and mighty working of God is very demulcent and wholsome full of benediction and blessednesse that even the sinnes of the Godly are an advantage to them and turne to their melioration and betternment God makes use even of them to doe his children good he brings meate out of the very eater and converts the causes of damnation into
King he raignes in righteousnesse he speakes in righteousnesse he makes warre in righteousnesse he betroths his Church to him in righteousnesse he delivers her from her Enemies in righteousnesse he answers her prayers in righteousnesse he doth all in righteousnesse Neither is he personally righteous alone but efficiently also not onâ—ly righteous himselfe but he makes others so too just and a Justifier as the Apostles phrase is called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. He is our true Melchisedec King of Righteousnesse that King in Abrahams dayes bore the name that he might be a Type of our King Lastly Christ is a most mild and mercifull King meeke gentle long-suffering he is the true propitiatory or Mercy-seate that in the Tabernacle of old did but prefigure him hee keeps mercy for thousands his mercy is everlasting his mercy indureth for ever is the versus amoebaeus or the bearing of the song as we say in the 136. Psalme He delights in mercy yea it is so pleasing to him that even in wrath hee remembers it he beares long with his Enemies he forgives them he dies for them hee saves them eternally and crownes them with glory for ever Thus I have shewed you that Christ is a King a Spirituall King a univerversall King over all Nations rankes of men ages of the world and over all Creatures a King ruling alone without a mate or associate an everlasting King and eminent above all other Kings in all royall vertues and qualifications as wisdome fortitude peaceablenesse Righteousnesse Mercy and the like Where shall we finde such a King as this It is said of Solomon that there was no King like him and so of Josiah but it may more truly and properly be said so of the Lord Jesus Christ the heavenly King On Earth there be Kings that have rule and domination over other Kings but Christ hath them at his steps and under his girdle as we say and they for the most part have such command by usurpation and incroachment but Christ is so constituted of his Father I will make him my first-borne higher then the Kings of the Earth Psal 89. 27. and all this is for the good of the Saints certainly then Christ must needs be very precious unto Beleevers Having spoken of Christ as Mediatour I come now to commend him to you as God and here wee be come to the supreame and highest pitch of all glory Here are fathomlesse depths and bottomlesse bottomes if I may so speake here are stupendious and amazing Mysteries astonishing and confounding excellencies such as the holy Angels themselves cannot pierce into God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelling in inaccessible light 1 Tim. 6. 16. here are such beauties and perfections that had I as the Poet speakes a hundred tongues a hundred mouthes and a voyce of steele yet I could not sufficiently describe them but must be driven with the Philosopher to aske more dayes to thinke of it and at length resolve as he did that the matter is so intricate and perplexed so inscrutable and unsearchable that I cannot resolve Neverthelesse let me say something though I doe it but slenderly and weakely as children doe of mens matters Christ then is in the altitude â—nd summity of all glory one eternall God with the Father and with the Holy Ghost proved to be so by a cloud of witnesses we have the Authority of the sacred Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament for it most frequently where he is called God and Jehovah the onely begotten Sonne of God the Image of the Father his substantiall Image and not as the forme of a face in a glasse â—lso to him are attributed such things â—â— can agree to none but God he is said to be equall with the Father eternall the author of election a searcher of hearts one that must be beleev'd in sâ—orne by worshipped with Divine worship one that gives eternall rewards one that hath power to pardon sinne one that doth illuminate by the Spirit one that shall judge both quick and dead one that is omnipotent one that hath power to worke Miracles to create to send the Holy-Ghost one that hath power to raise himselfe and others one in whose name we must be baptised and the like Paraeus that Godly and learned Divine of Heidelburgh in his Commentary upon the Revelation pick 's out of the text of that booke no lesse then forty two Arguments of the Divinity of Christ By all which wee may see the blasphemy of those who have affirmed him to be no more then a particular God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patri but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto the Father but not of the same Essence and substance with him But we shall farther see the madnesse of these men if wee consider these particulars First of all Christ shines as a Sunne in the firmament of the world in all perfection and sufficiency of wisdome power goodnesse love Majesty and glory Secondly whatsoever measure the most excellent of the creatures have of these things they are beholding unto him for it he is the never failing spring and fountaine of all blessing and goodnesse Now the Logicall Rule is quod efficit tale illud magis est tale that which makes a thing to be so as it is is much more so it selfe if the creatures be full of beauty and excellency and yet all in a derivative way how unspeakeably excellent then and beautifull is he that is the Beginning of the creatures of God and made them all so as they are whatsoever energes or powers they have they are but relative and borrowed as the Light of the Moone from the Sunne and also subject to subordination but in Christ according to his God-head all is absolute and compleate and all without him is by him and for him of him and through him and to him are all things saith the Apostle Ro. 11 36. Great dispute hath been among the Philosophers about the Summum bonum the chiefe and soveraigne good now loe here it is Finis et bonum converâ—untur saith the Logician the end and good are coincident and come both to one Christ then being God and God the ultimate and farthest end of all things it followes necessarily that Christ is the Summum bonum and the top of all felicity and happinesse Thirdly whatsoever vertue or goodnesse is in the creature it is not of the essence and substance of the creature but onely an accident or an inherent quality as a man may be said to be wise mighty just mercifull but not wisdome strength Justice and mercy as God may who is all this and much more in the very abstract as we speake whatsoever then is properly attributed unto Christ as God we cannot divide it from his very essence It is proper to substances and materiall things to have accidents adhering and cleaving unto them but God is immateriall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without matter
was lawfull onely for the High-Priest to enter into it and that but once a yeare Great in this regard is our preeminence now above Gods ancient people they might not passe so much as into an earthly Sanctuary inclosed with materiall walls and coped with a roofe but wee have licence and leave to enter into a farre more holy and undefiled place Christ hath consecrated or initiated a way for us hee hath trod the path first as our fore-runner and hee hath done it by his bloud or as the Apostle speakes through the vaile that is to say his flesh he alludes to the vaile of blew and purple scarlet and fine twined linen which was to divide the holiest of all from the rest of the Tabernacle That vayle was a type of Christs flesh Now as the High-priest of old entred into the holiest by removing of the veile so Christ by the death of his body did as it were turne aside the veile and so hath entred into heaven the holy of holies there to make intercession for us Yea by the renting and tearing of that veile of his flesh upon the crosse he hath for ever opened a way for all Beleevers a new and a living way that of old is obsolete and vanished this is such as the vigour thereof shall never decay that of old being by the bloud of beasts could not give life to the comers this being by the bloud of Christ revives and raises up them that are dead in trespasses and sinnes and doth also conferre eternall life upon them O how precious beyond all thought and conceit is the bloud of Jesus Christ the bloud of a most righteous person most noble bloud the very life and heart-bloud the bloud of God justifying sanctifying redeeming bloud bloud purchasing eternall redemption for us bloud that quickeneth us and conferres both spirituall and everlasting life upon us Lastly Bloud that opens to us a never decaying way into Heaven How precious I say is this bloud of Christ and how doth it call upon us to stirre up our affections to embrace Christ to lay hold of him and to love him with a most ardent and unfained love who hath bestowed such a precious gift upon us Secondly Christ hath bestowed upon Beleevers precious Graces Grace is called by the Apostle the renewing of the holy-Holy-Ghost and the forming of Christ in us It consisteth in the rectitude and conformitie of our will unto the will of God and to Christ the absolute patterne of all grace and holinesse the image of the invisible God the expresse character of his Fathers brightnesse the Sun of righteousnesse the morning starre most eminently and gloriously above all others chiefest of ten thousand for sweet and gracious deportment How precious are those qualities of the soule which come neare such a patterne as this which imitate resemble and take after such unmatchable beautie Now all grace is precious but the Scripture gives that Epithite especially to faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. and that for these Reasons First Because it is the roote and wombe as I may say of all grace it is the inward fountaine and principle from whence all grace flowes it is the mother grace it purgeth the conscience and purifieth the heart and so breedeth every needfull grace in us You may see this genealogie or pedigree of grace notably delineated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 5. There we finde that charitie or love which is the fulfilling of the commandement of God and a chiefe grace or Christian vertue flows from a pure heart and a pure heart springs from a good conscience and a good conscience is the off-spring of faith Faith is the Genetrix and breeder of Grace as Eve was the mother of all mankinde I speake so in respect of an internall principle for if we regard externall causes the race and genealogie may be stretched farther as thus faith comes by hearing of the word of God the word of God is declared by the mouth of a Preacher and every true Preacher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent from heaven But I must speake ad rhombum though there be sundry externall efficients and workers of grace yet faith is the internall roote and principle of it and that is one reason why it is called precious Secondly it is precious in respect of its Author which is the Father Sonne and Spirit The Father draws us unto Christ Joh. 6. 44. And hence wee are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be taught of God and to heare and learne of him The Sonne likewise draws us draw me we will run after thee saith the Spouse Christ is both the Author and the finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. He casts in the first seed of it and also makes it to persevere he layes the foundation of it and brings it up to the roofe as I may say he makes us first to apprehend him and then leads us to the end of our faith which is the salvation of our soules Whence it is that he is called the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is he is the teacher of our faith and the Captain thereof Lastly the Holy-Ghost is likewise the Author of our faith No man can say that Jesus is the Lord saith the Apostle but by the holy-Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. And in the ninth verse of that Chapter faith is reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit Faith then must needs be very precious having God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost for the Author of it Thirdly Faith is precious in respect of the object thereof that is to say the thing upon which it leanes or rests which is God himselfe or God in Christ God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Now this is the highest and most excellent object of faith Christ also as Mediatour is the object thereof David prayeth Lead me unto the rocke that is higher then I Psal 61. 2. And the rock that he speaks of is Christ he is the strong rocke on which his Church is built firmely and unmoovably Needs then must faith be precious while it leanes on such a solid and stedfast foundation Againe the promises are metonymically an object of faith because they are made unto us in Christ they are in him as adjuncts in their subject we rest upon the power and truth of Christ for the obtaining of that good which is in the promises All the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. He is mediate or in the middle between the promises and us God makes the promises and Christ is his pledge and assurance for the accomplishment of them so that faith rests on the promises of God mediante Christo through the mediation of Christ and anon you shall see what precious things those promises are in the meane while we may conclude even from them likewise that faith
sweetnesse and efficacy of grace it is done by the secret operation and working of the Spirit inclining the heart and swaying the will I conclude then that if the will be so impassible and cannot be forced Christ must needs be a Load-stone as I may say very attractive and an object very tempting and alluring else certainly hee could never have such power over mens wills to incline them to draw them to bend them and bow them as he doth he could never make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lie downe wiâ—h the Kid as 't is in the Prophet he could never tame the fierce natures and the ravenous dispositions of persecutors he could never change mens mindes and alter the constitution of their soules so as he doth if there were not excellency in him super-humane and above all that which any creature can boast of doubtlesse it must argue the excelling dignity and preciousnesse of Christ when our wills which are subject to no enforcement are so kindly and so sweetly swayed and commanded by him Againe we must know that the object of the will according to the mind of the Philosopher is something that is good bonum est objecium voluntatis saith the Moralist whether it be bonumreale a reall and substantiall good or bonum apparens a shadowish and seeming good it is so both are the object of the will but Christ is altogether substance and no shadow no lye no falshood no fuke no varnished appearance of good but the most solid and absolute blessing that is in the world so revealed by the Spirit and so apprehended by the Saints and therefore it is that he is so choyce and precious to them That excellent glory that transcendent good that spirituall beauty that supereminent worthinesse that overflowing fountaine of Grace and the shining of Gods face in Christ these make him to be the best object these set a high rate and price upon him these incline the will attract the heart and draw the love of our soules to him Againe observe that the object of the will must be a thing sutable bonum sibi conveniâ—ns a good agreeable to it selfe Now such an object is Christ he is most sutable and agreeing too us in all his Offices in all his communications sutable in his bloud for pardon in his grace to adorne us yea in his very debasements to lift us up sutable in his love for lost sinners in his fulnesse for for empty and beggerly soules yea the summum bonum the chiefest good that wee can desire or be possest of this makes a child of God to love nothing so well as him there is none on earth that I desire besides thee saith the Psalmist If Christ were not very precious to beleevers dâ—ubtlesse they would not overlooke all the world to claspe and close with him as they doe A second thing illustrating the Doctrine is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so there are foure things spoken of in the Scripture which make a thing to be preciâ—us viz. the Rarity The Esteeme The Price And the usefulnesse thereof First the rarity and scarcenesse of a Illustration I thing makes it to be precious for this cause is the word of God viz. the word of Prophesie called precious 1 Sam. 3. 1. It is said there that the word of God was precious that is it was rare in those days so is Christ rare in the world few and rare they be that find him one of a City and two of a Tribe as 't is in the Prophet Christ is a Pearle yea a Pearle of highest price as in Matth. 13. Pearles are rare in the world the Merchant onely that seekes farre obtaines them there are more wayes to misse then to hit the marke the stoney ground and the young man in the Gospel came neare the Kingdome of God but yet missed it 't is rare to see a soule embellished and adorned with such a Jewell as Christ is this then must needs make him to be precious If things excellent were common the plentinesse of them would take off the price of them it is said 1 Kings 10. 21. that all Solomons drinking vessels and all the vessels of the Forrest house in Lebanon were of pure gold none were of Silver it was nothing accounted of in the dayes of Solomon the King made it as common as stones in Jerusalem as we read in verse 27. The excessive and superabounding quantity of that mettall made it so cheape and so worthlesse as it was had it been rarer it would have been more precious this then confirmes the exceeding preciousnesse of Christ because they be thinne sowne and come up as thinly that have him for their portion the paucity and fewnes of such as are enriched with him argues his dignity and worth not a little Secondly the high esteeme that is cast upon a thing makes it also to be precious Illustration II so is Gold and Silver precious because men make great account of it Neither doth Christ come short of this Argument whatsoever worldlings account of him it skils not fooles and mad-men cannot judge of excellencies Let the foolish Gadarens esteeme more of their swine then of Christ we will not lay him in such a balance looke upon God the Father and see what reckoning he makes of him he calls him choyce and precious as we reade 1 Peter 2. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious God hath honoured Christ committed all Judgement even the full administration of all things to him that all men might honour him Christ was in the bosome of the Father he was from all eternity privie to all his counsels and decrees as we finde Prov. 8. 22 23 24. c. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there used put for eternity à parte antè as we say as if Christ should have said even from all eternity before his workes made in the Creation of the world I was my fathers Darling when he made the Heavens girded the Sea and gave the unresistable decree that it should keep in its bounds I was as one brought up with him I was as a child with the Father I was dayly his delight the originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delights in the plurall number intimating that the eternall Sonne was the greatest delight of his Father hee was variety of delights unto him while God was making of the world he tooke infinite pleasure in him in so much that he made all things by him every creature hath a beame of the Fathers wisdome in it and the wisdome of God is the Sunne This is a great mystery but God speaks of it in tearmes very quaint and familiar Christ speaking of the dayes of eternity and everlastingnesse saith that he was alwayes rejoycing before God the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as
furtherances of salvation Adde hereunto that adoption communion with God and with his Saints and assurance of eternall â—lory are all of them the blessed concomiâ—ants of sinne pardoned We recover the Image of God and in some measure the freedome of our wills unto good when our Consciences are washed and our sinnes pardoned We have a continuall feast in our soules and songs in the very night of affliction when our sinnes are pardoned Wee are freed from the spirit of bondage our hearts are strong we are as bold as Lyons and desire nothing more then the presence and comming of the Judge when our sinnes are pardoned Oh what a confluence of all blessednesse and happinesse is there in Jesus Christ if we have him wee are rich we are full we have all if wee be without him all that we have how excellent soever it be is as nothing we are miserable wretched lost and the very worst of creatures all the maledictions and curses of God lie upon us and death when it comes will gnaw upon us everlastingly Certainly Christ must needs be exceeding precious with whom wee enjoy such a world of blessings and without whom wee are so extreamely unhappy The Lord give us to know the things that belong unto our peace Christ procures for us the pardon of sinnes and the pardon of sinnes is not a solitary blessing it comes not alone but with a long traine of good things at the heeles of it Christ therefore that obtaines it must needs be precious and excellent in the highest degree Thirdly it is Christ alone that doth as it were unmask and unvaile the face of God and helps us to such a manifestation and sight of it as our nature is capable of his glory in the absolutenesse and perfection of it no creature can behold When Job had set forth the greatnesse of Gods wisdome and power expressed in his marvellous workes he concludes thus Loe these are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand Job 26. last verse now that thunder of Gods power is the highest degree of it the Apostle expounds it when he saith that God is able to doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke we can aske much and we can thinke more yet wee can neither aske nor thinke so much as God can doe here 's the thunder of his power Zophar also saith that we cannot finde out the Almighty unto perfection he compares it in height to Heaven in depth to Hell in length to the Earth and in breadth to the Sea yea he makes it higher deeper longer and broader then all these And God himselfe tells Moses that no man can see his face and live We may see Jehovah's back-parts but his face that is his absolutenesse and perfection cannot be seen and therefore he is called the invisible God Yet howsoever this doth not a little set forth the excellency and worthinesse of Christ that Revelation which wee have of God we have it by him and hereof wee may see a notable figure in Moses The Lord proclaimed his mercy his patience his goodnesse his Truth and his justice before him these are his backparts and more then these he could not see and therefore it is said that the Lord covered Moses with his hand while he passed by But to come now to the point where was Moses when he had this vision and appearance of the Deity he was in a clift of the Rocke now verily that Rock was a shadow of Christ wee see the glory of God through him per speculum as it were in a glasse Christ is the lively Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. He is the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. There is no excellency in the Father which is not compleate in the Sonne and by the Sonne we come to know it so saith the Apostle God who hath commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. both this expression and that in the Hebrewes before-mentioned where Christ is called the brightnesse of Gods glory are a metaphor taken from the beames of the Sunne As the Sunne is manifested by his owne brightnesse viz. by his beames for wee cannot see the Sunne in Rotâ in his Charret or circumvolution but by his beames so the inaccessible Light of his Fathers glory is revealed tanquam per radios ac splendorem as it were by beames and brightnesse shining most clearely in Christ and the roote and Fountaine of that brightnesse is in Christ's God-head but darted upon us through the manhood according to that testimony Joh. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him The bosome is the place and seate of secrets now it is Christ onely that opens the bosome declares the secrets and reveales the glory and brightnesse of Gods face unto Beleevers therefore hee must needs bee exceeding precious Thirdly if wee consider Christ in Reas III all his relations either as he iâ— man or as he is Mediator or as he is God wee shall find him in all these to be most precious and excellent First of all as Man he was holy and harmelâ—sse and separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Peter 1 19. The Apostle relates to the Paschall Lamb which was to be so conditioned it was behoofefull that Christ should not onely be man but also a man perfectly holy and righteous else he could not have been a competent and sittâ—ng Saviour yea he had been so farre from satisfying for the sinnes of others that he must have dyed for his owne And besides it was requisite that there should be that beautifull analogy and proportion between him that lost all and him that recover'd all that as Adam who plaid the Bank-rupt was perfect so should the Redeemer be Christ indeed in a certaine place doth turne off from himselfe the appellation of good in a sense of perfection One called him good Master but he replyed why callest thou mee good there is none good but God Matth. 19. 16 17. But why doth Christ doe so was not he perfectly good yes but the other was not ware of his God-head when he cal'd him so he looked upon Christ saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as upon a meere naked extenuated debased man and yet he attributes unto him a more then humane goodnesse and perfection according to the errour of the Pharisees whose Disciple no doubt he was The Pharisees held that even men by a strict observance of the Law might attaine to perfection of Righteousnesse and sanctimony in this life and such a thought no question had this Schollar of theirs concerning Christ so that if wee looke well
unwillingnesse to undergoe the taske that his Father had set him to but first of all we must know that his mind was so stricken with the infinite wrath of God with which he was then conflâ—cting so astonished and overwhelmed with that insupportable pressure that all the powers and faculties of his soule were for a while interrupted suspended confounded so that he knew not well what to say nor whether to turne himselfe this appeares by his words Job 12. 27. Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Secondly when he prayed so wee must conceive that as a man subject to frailties like us yet without sinne he thought he had been utterly lost and undone if his Father should not deliver him from that houre and excuse him from drinking of the cup. His sense of dolour was so vehement and he so amazed with it that it wruâ—g from him a signification of Natures feares and reluctance yet all the while his holy his pure and unblemished mind was throughly bent and resolved to goe through stitch with the worke whatsoever came of it Thirdly we see that when he prayed Father save me from this houre he presently and immediately subjoynes but for this cause came I unto this houre Father glorifie thy name likewise when he prayed that the Cup might passe from him he desires it no otherwise then with condition of his Fathers will Also in that ruefull vociferation and crying out why hast thou forsaken me wee see that he did not let goe his hold but remembred to say my God my God so that here was no diffidence no sinne no disobedience all this while Lastly all this was so carried and punctually related by the Evangelists to shew us these things viz. 1. The exceeding atrocity and hainousnesse of sinne 2. A mirrour of Gods infinite mercy in Christ 3. Our Nature really and truly suffering in him 4. The fulnesse of his expiation and satisfaction 5. The certainty of his Fathers good-will towards us whereof wee are the lesse to doubt by how much the more we see that the eternall Sonne was humbled and made an abject for our sakes Fourthly Christ as a man likewise was perfect in all graces The Prophet tells that there should come a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch out of his rootes and the Spirit of the Lord was to rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of Counsell and of might the spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord Esa 11. 12. yea so eminent was the Lord Jesus this way that even at twelve yeares old be sate in the Sanadrim disputing with the Doctors and asking them questions It is said that God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. that is he did not bestow it upon him imperfectly and in part onely but fully and entirely for measure is not opposed to infinite as the Eutychians would have it to confirme their opinion of Ubiquity for they thought that if the Spirit were given unto the Manhood of Christ unmeasurably then even the Manhood would be capable of Divine properties and consequently the flesh of Christ would be no where circumscribed but every where present but I say that measure in the place before mentioned is not opposed to that which is infinite and unmeasurable but to that which is not whole entire and perfect Christ in the gifts of the Spirit was not lame and imperfect but omnibus suis numeris absoluâ—us full and compleate as Adam was before he fell and yet farre excelling Adam for Adam was set in a mutable condition but Christ is stedfast and abiding for ever confirmed in grace like the Holy Angels of God Yesterday and to day and the same for ever In respect of vertue and the Faith of Beleevers even his manhoode before it was in being was cloathed with perfection of grace and so continueth for ever Againe Adam was a meere man and alone by himselfe but in Christ the humane nature was hypostatically unâ—ted unto the Divine and hence it comes topasse that Christ even as man had a greater measure of knowledge and Revelations of grace and heavenly gifts then ever Adam had The Apostle saith that in Christ dwels all the fulnesse of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Col. 2. 9. that is not by a naked and bare communicating of vertue as God is said to dwell in his Saints but by a substantiall union of the two Natures Divine and humane the eternall Word and the Man consisting of a soule and body whereby they become one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person or subsistence Now from this admirable and wonderfull union of the two Natures in Christ there flowes unto the Manhood a plenitude and fulnesse of all Spirituall wisdome and grace such as was never found in any meere man no not in Adam while he stood in his integrity and uprightnesse Now then to draw to a conclusion of this head If Christ even according to his humanity were perfectly innocent and holy if he were in his Divine celfitude and highnesse voluntarily debased if he were exactly obedient in all things to his Fathers commands and if he were compleate in all heavenly wisdome and graces then certainly even as he was man he was of all other most precious most lovely and desirable Adde hereunto that his flesh never saw corruption that it rose againe from the grave it being impossible for the bands of death to detaine it Also as man he came of the race of Kings As man he shall judge the world Acts 17. 31. As man he was wonderfully borne of a Virgin called therefore by a peculiar name Shiloh which signifieth a Secundine or after-birth Genes 49. 10. the word comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies tranquillum esse intimating that Christ is he who hath brought us peace and tranquility and that he might be our Peace-maker it was necessary that he should be Shiloh borne of the sanctified seed of a woman without the seed of a man The Apostle expounds the name Galat. 4. 4. where he saith of Christ that he was made of a woman not of a man and a woman both but of a woman alone without a man Againe Christ as man was foretold by the Prophets and by sundry types attended upon at his birth by holy Angels a peculiar Starre created for him Christ as man was in one hypostasis or person with God called therefore Ithiel Proverb 30. 1. a word as Junius writes compounded of three parts as if one should say the strong God with mee the name comes all to one with Immanuel and the Apostle expounds both 1 Tim. 3. 16. where he saith of Christ that he was God manifest in the flesh and this he affirmeth also to be without controversie a great Mystery and a Mystery of godlinesse In every Art and profession there is a Mystery but this holds forth a Mystery of Godlinesse for he that was Ithiel
God present in the flesh to every faithfull and beleeving soule was likewise Vcal Almighty able for all things so that by these two names the faithfull are assured of their Justification Sanctification and eternall Salvation through the presence and power of God and this doubtlesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Mystery Furthermore Christ as man was our Sacrifice and expiation he was our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our Redemption 1 Tim. 2. 6. though I confesse that this price had its worth from the union of the two natures Againe Christ as man was conceived of the Holy-Ghost Christ as man is ascended into Heaven Christ as man sits at the right hand of God Now all these things and much more that might be brought doe speake Christ a very precious and excellent person and that even according to his manhood Secondly consider Christ as Mediatour and there also he shines forth most gloriously and appeares to be the most peerelesse and precious thing in the world In the Mediatorship of Christ wee are to consider his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or his three-fold Holy Office of Prophecie Priesthood Kingdome Christ is a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of eminency and excellency above all other Prophets he was the Head of them all and that in these respects First of all other Prophets were but Types and shadowes of this great Prophet even Moses himselfe was but a figure of him a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto mee saith Moses Acts 7. 37. those words like unto me doe plainly shew that Moses was at the best but an Image and a shadow of Christ Moses fasted forty dayes before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinâ—i so did Christ before he began to preach the Gospel God did more clearly and perspicuously manifest himselfe unto Moses then unto other men it is said that he spake unto him face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33. 11. so did the Eternall Father more openly reveale himselfe unto Christ then unto any creature no man knoweth the Father save the sonne and he to whomsoever the Sonne will reveale him Matth. 11. 27. Moses became a Shepheard in the Land of Midian so is Christ the Shepheard and overseer of our soules 1 Peter 2. 25. Moses was faithfull in all Gods house and so was Christ but yet in a farre more excellent manner then Moses as the Apostle declares Heb. 3. Moses was faithfull as a servant Christ as a sonne over his owne house Moses was himselfe a part of that house but Christ was the builder of it Moses under God did institute Sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. It is said that the Fathers pâ—ssed under the cloud and through the Sea and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea marke that phrase unto Moses they were baptised unto him as unto the type or deputy of Christ for Baptisme is a Sacrament of the New Testament and properly of Christ's Institution Moses also instituted the Passeover so did Christ the Lords Supper As the Law was exhibited by Moses so was the Gospel which brings grace and truth free Redemption and the accomplishment of all types unto Beleevers exhibited by Christ Job 1. 17. Thus you see that Moses that egregious and eximious Prophet was no more then a shadow of Christ And the like may be said of all the rest of the Prophets it were no hard matter to shew how they did all of them in one thing or other resemble Christ just as the lively picture of a man doth his person as Enoch and Elijah in their Translations resembled the ascention of Christ Noah by his righteousnesse saving all the rest that went into the Arke with him shadowed Christ who by his perfect obedience saves all true Beleevers Concerning the Prophet David it is said that even those which sate at his Table rose up against him Psal 41. 9. so did Judas against Christ who dipt with him in the platter David also was a man after Gods owne heart so was Christ without the least flawe or failing and what an evident type of Christ was the Prophet Elisha when a dead body rose againe being cast into his grave and touching bis bones a Kings 13. 21. This was not done by any Native or inherent vertue of the Prophet but by that accident to foreinstruct the faithfull concerning the vertue of Christs flesh which rising from the dead should likewise raise up our perished bodies according to that Esa 26. 19. thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the Earth shall cast out the dead Againe Jonah lying three dayes and three nights in the belly of a fish was a signe of Christ lying so long in the grave The Prophets were all of them types and resemblances of Christ even John the Baptist then whom there arose not a greater Prophet of all those that are borne of women even he I say was but Christs harbinger or fore-runner Now then as substances doe farre excell shadowes and Kings their Ante-ambulos or harbingers so doth Christ farre excell all Prophets they all of them were but shadowes and fore-runners to him Secondly other Prophets could speak only to the ears of men but Christ spake and still speaks to the heart he hath the Key of David he openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no manopeneth Rev. 3. 7. it is a similitude taken from them that keep the Keys of a City or Castle without which they can neither be opened nor shut no more can any open the heart or breake in upon the Spirit beside Christ he alone is able to open the eyes of the mind and to convince the Conscience by the secret kindly and powerfull working of his owne Spirit Other Prophets can preach wisdome unto men but Christ can preach them wise other Prophets can warne men by telling them of their sinnes and denouncing the Judgements of God but Christ can reclaime them and turne them from their sinnes the dead heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live Joh. 5. 25. and hence it is said that he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes it came coldly and driely from them but full of paresie and boldnesse full of conviction and raeproofe full of the evident demonstration of the Spirit and of power as the Apostle speakes in this manner came the word from Christ Thirdly other Prophets were instrumentall to search out the mind of God and they did it by way of act onely the Divine will being revealed and discovered unto them but the mind of God was in Christ habitually and radically the fountaine and roote the source and principall cause of Christ's Prophecie was in himselfe Before all time Christ had the honour to sit in the seat of most
excellent secrets the bosome of the Father and therefore he is able as from himselfe to reveale all the Oracles and secrets of God needfull to be knowne he is able to reveale them when and how and to whom he pleaseth Now that these things are habitually in Christ as heate in fire or water in a living and ever-flowing spring appeares by this 1. That Christ is essentially wisdome and understanding Counsell is mine and sound wisdome saith he I am understanding Prov. 8. 14. 2. It appeares also by this because he counsels us to buy eye-salve of him that wee may see and because he hath power to send the Spirit ye have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 20. Christ is the holy one from whom wee receive the anoynting of the Spirit opening our eyes and discovering unto us all saving truthes In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Colossians 2. 3. They are hid in him as Gold and Silver are in suo loco as the Philosopher speakes hid in the veines of the Earth that 's another Argument of the habitualnesse of Prophecie in Christ Thirdly and another is this that all fulnesse is said to dwell in him Coloss 1. 19. where by the terme of plenitude or fulnesse Mr. Beza understands 〈◊〉 â—â—cumulation or heaping up of all 〈◊〉 gifts in a most copious and plentifull manner which he saith that the Schoolemen doe call habituall grace distinct from the grace of union the union he meanes of the two natures Now one part of this habituall grace and fulnesse in Christ is the gift of Prophecie and marke I pray it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inhabit or dwell in Christ this implyes the habitualnesse of it Fourthly other Prophets could reveale but some part of the will of God and at sometimes onely Heb. 1. 1. that God spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets at sundry times and in divers manners that is he did let out his Light minutatim by little and little till the day-Starre and Sunne of Righteousnesse a-rose but saith the Apostle in these last dayes he hath spoken by his Son ver 2. that is he hath spoken more fully and plainely The antithesis or opposition which the Apostle sets between Gods speaking by the Prophets of old and by his Sonne in this latter age of the world shewes plainely the dimnesse and darknesse of those former ages in comparison 〈◊〉 â—hose which have been since the coming of Christ in this respect 〈◊〉 Apostle saith that the heires of life and salvation were but children before Christ's incarnation Galat. 4. 1 2 c. for the generality of them they knew but as Children for that we have done since besides other points of minority and non-age touching Legality and Ceremonies which the Apostle in that place termes elements or rudiments of the world and the State of the Saints under them a state of bondage as wee see now but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through a glasse darkely for what we shall doe in the life to come all is wâ—apt up in a riddle now for what it will be then so did they of old in comparison of us their Light was but an obscure and glimmering light to ours Christ hath flowed in upon his people in greater abundance of Revelation since his coming then before His discovery of himselfe then was but a standing behind the wall a looking forth of the window a shewing himselfe through the Lattice Cant. 2. 9. Fifthly other Prophets might not preach themselves the Apostle inveighs against selfe-commenders 2 Cor. 10. 12. we dare not saith he make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves and in another place he speakes out plainly no man saith he liveth to himselfe Rom. 14. 7. that is none ought to live unto himselfe Yea even Christ himselfe relating to himselfe as a meere man saith that his witnesse is not true if he beare witnesse of himselfe Joh. 5. 31. but in another place relating to himselfe as Mediatour as God and man in one person and one with the Father he speakes cleane contrary to this though I doe beare record of my selfe saith he yet my record is true Joh. 8. 14. Here then is a wide difference between other Prophets in reâ—pect of their Office and Christ they might not preach themselves they did indeed report something of their owne vertues but it was for holy example and instructions sake and it was still with reference unto the maine object of the word which was Christ But now Christ being our Mediatour our great Prophet the Apostle of our Profession and the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant between God and us he may and doth preach himselfe to him give all the Prophets witnesse Acts 10. 43. and he beares witnesse of himselfe because he hath not a greater in the point of our Justification Sanctification and eternall Salvation to beare witnesse of than himselfe and hence are those selfe-predications of his which wee finde in the Scriptures Looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the Earth Come unto me all yee that labour and are heavie laden When hee read that place of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 61. 1. c. he told the people this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares When the excommunicated man asked him who the Sonne of God was he answered him thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee and he told the Samaritanesse plainely that he was the Messias And it is said of the two Disciples that beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Now surely it commends unto us the Prophecie of Christ that he might preach commend himself without any blot of arrogancie or taking too much upon him this argues him to be a high and honourable Prophet above all other Sixthly all the Prophets had their Commission and Authority from him the words of the wise are as Goads and as nailes fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepheard saith Solomon Eccles 12. 11. the words of the wise are Divine and heavenly instructions the Masters of Assemblies are Gospel-Ministers and Teachers and Christ is that one Shepheard from whom those words are given and from whom those Masters have their Authority Hence it is said that he went by the Spirit that is by his Divine vertue and power and preached unto those Spirits that are now in prison in Hell wee must conceive having been disobedient unto the word of God and despised his long-suffering in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was preparing 1 Pet. 3. 19. 20. here we see that that which Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse did is attributed unto Christ because Noah was but instrumentall and had his Commission from him just as it is said that whatsoever the Prisoners did in the prison Joseph was
the Temple doe profane the Sabbaoth and are blamelesse though there were but one High-Priest yet there were many inferiour sacrificing Priests at once Heb. 9. 6. But now Christ was a Priest alone he by himselfe alone hath appeared to take away sinne he hath by himselfe purged our sinnes Heb. 1. 3. his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. and hence it is that he cries out in the Prophet I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour Secondly in the Leviticall Priesthood there was a change a succession and a moveablenesse and hence it came to passe that there were many Priests be 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle they were not suffered 〈…〉 by reason of death Heb. â— 23. But 〈…〉 is for ever after 〈…〉 of Melchiseâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ich Melchisedec was 〈…〉 Father 〈…〉 Mother 〈◊〉 beginning of life or end of dayes Heb. 7. 3. â—â—at is his Priesthood came not by Father or Mother or kindred as that of the Tribe of Levi did the Leviticall Priests had their Priesthood by generation by succession from Father to sonne it was hereditary to them neither might they be put beside it except it were for some naturall blemish as blindnesse lamenesse crookednesse and the like Levit. 21. 17 18 c. But Melchisedec's Priesthood was not after this manner his was not by naturall descent but it was instituted and given him of God at a time nevâ—â— mentioned in the Scripture neitâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the expiration or ending there 〈…〉 â—â—oken of that so he might be an apâ—â—â—semblance and figure of the everlasting Priesthood of Christ who hath as the Apostle teacheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impasseable Priesthood a Priesthood that cannot passe or be translated from him to another Heb. 7. 24. in the priesthood of Aaron's order every Priest bare office but for his owne time and they were subject to be put out for misdemeanor as wee see in Abiathar 1 King 2. 26. yea and the whole order was dissolved at the death of Christ But Christ himselfe is a Priest for ever he ever liveth to make intercession for us his priesthood continueth unto the end of the world yea and the vertue of it infinitely beyond all time therefore he will have no successour or Vicar Christs Priesthood like Melchisedec's came neither by Father or mother as you heard for he was of the Tribe of Judah of which the Apostle saith there is no mention made as touching priesthood save onely that a King of Judah did once to his cost usurpe that Office and againe as wee read not of the moments of Melchisedec's either inauguration or ceasing so was Christ ever from the beginning of the world a Priest and ever shall be to the end yesterday and to day and the same for ever Thirdly the Leviticall priests offred dayly offerings oftentimes the Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God Heb. 9. 6. and the High-Priest entred into the holy place viz. the inmost Tabernacle every yeare with bloud ver 25. But Christ offred but one sacrifice once for ever once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe saith the Apostle ver 26. and he doth illustrate this Truth by a simile and confirme it by an Argument His simile is in those words as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgement so Christ was once offred to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall bee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation Heb. 9. 27 28. the explication or unfolding of this similitude take thus as there is nothing interposed between the death of a man and his eternall doome or Judgement nothing can either marre or mend his estate but as the tree falleth so it shall lie whether toward the North or toward the South toward Heaven or toward Hell so between the death of Christ and his second coming there is no hilasticall or expiatory sacrifice interjected either to adde perfection to the first or to ransome those that had contemned it and to this lookes that Scripture where it it is said if wee sinne wilfully after that wee have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes Hebrewes 10. 26. there is not a second propitiatory sacrifice to be expected Christ shall appeare the second time without sinne that is without sacrifices for sinne Men must lay hold of that one once offred and not despise it not seeme to embrace it and afterward cast it away for if they doe there will never come a second to expiate such an offence The Argument which the Apostle useth to prove that Christs sacrifice is but one and once offred is taken from the perfection thereof wherein it differs much from the sacrifices of the Law for they could not make the comers unto them perfect Heb. 10. 1. but there was in them an anniversary or yearely remembrance of sinnes yea there was a daily repetition of some of those sacrifices as the Apostle mindeth Heb. 10. 11. so that here was no perfection the Conscience of the worshippers might remaine for ever uncleane for any thing that these sacrifices could doe to purge them But the single and one sacrifice of Christ whereby he offred up himselfe a Lambe without spot unto God is of sufficiency and perfectly able to doe away the sinnes of all the elect in all ages and times of the world both before and after conversion Fourthly other priests and their sacrifices were but types and shadowes of good things to come Heb. 10. 1. and so likewise was the Tabernacle and all the utensiles thereof in and by which they officiated chap. 9. 9. But now Christ is the very * Ita interpretandum est vocabulum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 1. essentiall forme or the lively and substantiall representation of those things which were shadowed in the Law and the Tabernacle in which he offred not made with hands as the other was Heb. 9. 11. for that other was a figure for the time present as the Apostle saith but the person of Christ God and man is the very substance and thing it selfe figured by that resemblance The Ceremoniall Law was given by Moses but grace and Truth the full accomplishment of all those Mysticall and shadowish services came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. the dispensation of life and righteousnesse Christ alone hath the honour of that Leviticall Priests and bulls and goates and Altars and Ceremonies might be Types * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patternes Heb. 9. 23. but he was the Antitype and signification of them all Fifthly other Priests entred onely into that place which was typically holy the Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present Heb. 9. 8 9. it was made with hands and therefore it is called a To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. 1. a worldly Sanctuary
Apostle Galat. 3. 20. so did Christ indifferently partake of both natures Godhead and Manhood that so he might be fit to stand in the gap between his Father and us We must beleeve therefore that whole Christ offred up himselfe unto God even the Manhood as well as the Godhead did offer it selfe Christ is a Priest according to both natures And whereas it is said that hee offred himselfe through the eternall Spirit without spot unto God Heb. 9. 14. that doth not put the manhood from its share in priesthood but onely it shewes how the Sacrifice came to be without spot or blemish namely by the hypostaticall union of the two natures the eternall Spirit that is the Godhead of Christ assuming the flesh into one person with it selfe Secondly Christ was the Tabernacle or Temple most properly according to his God-head for he saith himselfe in the Gospel that the Gold of the Temple is sanctified by the Temple it selfe so is the manhood sanctified and made noble by the God-head Neverthelesse in some respects his humane body was the Temple also Destroy this Temple saith he and I will build it againe in three dayes he speakes it of his body which is called a Temple not onely because the holy Spirit dwelt in it after a singular and peculiar way conceiving it at the first and sanctifying it perfectly but also because in the offring of it up God found in it an acceptable sacrifice and smelt in it a sweet favour as in a Temple But yet further to this purpose the flesh of Christ is called a vaile Heb. 10. 20. in which the Apostle alludes to the opertory or vaile in the Tabernacle of old and in the Temple by which alone there was entrance into the holiest place of all so by the vaile of his flesh rent and torne upon the Crosse hath Christ opened a new and a living way for us to passe to God and to Heaven Thus is he the Tabernacle or Temple according to both natures too Thirdly Christ is the Altar most properly according to his Divinity for he saith himselfe that the Altar doth sanctifie the Gift Matth. 23. 19. And thus doth the God-head like an Altar sanctifie the Manhood as a gift or sacrifice making it of infinite merit and and worth with God the Father the Altar ought to be of greater dignity then the oblation But now although the God-head of Christ alone be the sanctifying and dignifying thing in respect of the offering of himselfe that is of his flesh unto God yet in respect of his presenting us blamelesse and a sacrifice as it were without spot and blemish unto his father so whole Christ God and man in one person is the sanctifying Altar that makes us accepted with God The Scripture it selfe speaketh thus Isaiah 56. 6 7. God promiseth that he will bring even the sonnes of the stranger that is the Gentiles to his holy Mountaine and make them joyfull in his house of Prayer and their burnt offrings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his Altar for saith he mine house shall be called an house of Prayer for all people in which place by the Altar we are to understand whole Christ God and man the blessed Mediatour upon whom as upon an Altar all Nations promiscuously both Jewes and Gentils were an offering acceptable to God And a like place there is in Isaiah 60. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rammes of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar and I will glorifie the house of my glory Here also whole Christ is the Altar that makes the Gentiles to be as I may say a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God To this also tends that in Isaiah 6. 7. where a coale from the Altar touching the Prophets lips his iniquity is taken away and his sinne purged now what is it that taketh away iniquity but the Lamb what is it that purgeth sinne but the bloud of Christ although I grant as before that if wee respect the offring of himselfe the body and bloud of Christ was most properly the sacrifice I will adde a few words more touching this matter out of Mr. Brightman upon Revel 6. 9. he saith that the soules under the Altar are most eminently the Martyrs whose salvation is placed onely in the death of Christ under which those holy Champions lying hid as under a Buckler they might safely and without terrour appeare before God now it is true that this death of Christ in respect of himselfe was the sacrifice but to the Martyrs and to all the Saints it is together with his God-head as an Altar under which and not under their own perpessions and suffrings as any whit meritorious they lie safe and secure Lastly Christ according to his manhood is most properly the sacrifice Heb. 10. 10. yet for as much as whole Christ presents himselfe now in the sight of God for us wee are to judge that whole Christ God and man was after a sort the oblation or offring and hence the bloud thereof is said to be the bloud of God Acts 20 28. Neverthelesse though in respect of us who are reconciled justifyed sanctifyed and eternally saved thereby whole Christ is offred up yet let us be wise unto sobriety Let us as I may say give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods that is let us give unto each nature of Christ it s owne properties and offices both his Deity and his humanity did distinctly act their parts his humanity by suffring the punishment due to us and by fulfilling all righteousnesse and his Deity by conferring upon those suffering infinite and saving vertue The humane soule and flesh of Christ was the holocausto or whole burnt-offring rosted it the fire of his Fathers wrath his God head was the Temple in which and the Altar upon which this sacrifice was offred and lastly Christ both God and man was the Priest most willingly and cheerefully officiating in this service Thus I have shewed you that Chrisunlike unto all other Priests was himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice and the Temple and the Altar all in one person and in some respects also all according to both natures so that wel may he be called wonderfull as we read of him Isaiah 9. 6. and well also may the Apostle say that the Mystery of Godlinesse is without controversie a great Mistery Now then to conclude this discourse of Christs Priesthood if he were a Priest alone an everlasting Priest a Priest offering but once and yet sufficiently for ever the substance and verity of all those Priests which went before him gone into heaven which never any did as Priests but he onely not needing to offer for himselfe but onely for us a most mercifull and pitifull high Priest and lastly sacrifice Temple Altar and Priest all in one if Christ I say be such an high Priest then
their abused rule power and authority and quite abolished death the last Enemie so that then Christ shall cease to reigne any longer as Mediatour he shall then cease to reigne according to the present dispensation and administring of his Office but not as one God co-essentiall with the Father for his Kingdome according to his God-head shall then be compleate consummate and perfect yea and his humanity also shall reigne then not as by or of it selfe but as joyned in one person with his Godhead and as the common head of all those whom he hath redeemed and sanctified and brought toglory through taking their nature upon him and suffering in it So that the forementioned place in the Corinthians doth not speake of the abolishing of Christs Kingdome but of the perfection of it rather when God whose glory is now much obscured and darkned by Enemies shall be all in all among his Saints and the eternall Father shall triumph eternally in his Sonne as a finall Conquerour The like answer also must be given to the objection which may bee made from the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 28. where he saith that the Sonne also himselfe shall be subject unto him that did put all things under him These words are not so to be understood as if the Father were not for the present well pleased with the Sonne or as if the Sonne were not already subject to the Father as Mediatour but the meaning of them is this that when all things which doe now during the present forme of his administration make opposition and resistance against Christ shall bee subdued unto him and brought under his feet then Christ himselfe also as touching his Mediatorship shall be subject unto the Father and God shall be all in all neither doth this subjection imply a depressing or pulling downe lower but rather Christ and his Saints shall be at the height and top of their glory when they shall be so subject as on the other side whosoever shall not then be so subject they shall be at the bottome of all remedilesse misery and wretchednesse Before I passe away to another head I must needs touch againe upon a place of Scripture before cited 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible c. Here be two words that doe expresse the perpetuity and everlasting duration of Christs Kingdome eternall and immortall and neither of them is idle or superfluous the Holy Ghost doth not use tautalogie or vaine repetition in them I have shewed you already what is meant by immortall namely that the Kingdome of Christ is not subject to succession it is not liable to be devolved and rould downe to after comers which Daniel expresseth thus his Kingdome shall not be left unto other people as the Monarchies of the Babylonians Medes Alexander and the Kingdomes of the Seleucidae which the Prophet had spoken of were they were translated from Nation to Nation and from man to man and at last quite dissolved But Christs Kingdome shall not be pluck't up for others beside himselfe but it shall hold on constantly through all ages and centuries of the world unto the end and when the end commeth it shall not expire and give up the Ghost but it shall attaine to its full beauty and perfection it shall come to its meridian or verticall point as I may say and shall never decline never decay it shall last beyond the world and beyond all time for ever therefore the Apostle calls Christ not onely an immortall King but also an eternall King Thus you see that the Spirit of God doth to good purpose use two words somewhat of kinne iâ— signification one to the other that thereby hee might set forth the excellency of Christs Kingdome above all other Kingdomes by the one word is shewed the course of his Kingdome through this world during the time of his Mediatourshipâ— and by the other word is declared the lasting of it unto all eternity after his Mediatorship is laid downe Lastly Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all Royall vertues endowments and accomplishments First he is a most sapient and wise King called therefore Counsellour by the Prophet and onely wise by the Apostle the wonderfull Numberer he that sealeth up the summe full of wisdome none essentially wise but he none but are depending and beholding for their wisedome but he his foolishnesse is wiser then men they be all doters to him Earthly Kings have their Counsellours but he needs none Solomon was the wisest among them but a greater then Solomon is here Secondly he is Rex armipotens bellicosus a most puissant and warlike King called therefore a man of Warre the Lord of Hosts the Captaine of our Salvation the armies in Heaven Angels and righteous men follow him he is the stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands sent from heaven and acting by no humane but meerely Divine Authority which smote the Image and brake in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the Silver and the Gold the great Monarchies and Kingdomes of the world to make way for his owne Kingdome he is terrible to all the Kings of the Earth that withstand him he is so mighty and so politick that he gets ground of his enemies by giving ground to them The world Hell Death sinne the Accuser of the brethren the enmity of the carnall mind all these are in the Trophes of his victories All his foes are and shall be made his footstoole he will make even the proudest of them to stoope and to hold his stirrup yea he will make them his very stirrup to get on horse-back by as once Sâ—por the Persian served Valerian the Romane Emperour Thirdly Christ is as eminent in peace also as he is in warre called therefore the Prince of Peace When hee was borne warres were husht every where and all the world was at peace Jacob beheld him as a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven and what was this but the Image of a Peace-maker between God and man the Angels of God ascended and descended by that ladder signifying that by Christ wee have the benefit of the Ministry of Angels they ascend to receive new commission from God concerning the Saints and again descend to execute it by Christ also our prayers as Intelligencers and signifiers of our wants doe ascend into the presence of God and againe his blessings as Angels and Messengers of his good will towards us doe descend and light upon us Thus is Christ a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven partaking of both God and man in one person our blessed Reconciler and Peace-maker he died to purchase peace for us when he went away he left his peace with us and he reignes for ever to maintaine our peace Melchisedec was King of Salem that is King of Peace nominally and in a figure onely but Christ is the very body and substance of that shadow Fourthly Christ is a most just and righteous
the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Joh. 3. 1. and the Father was not alone in this Love but the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost too if the love of the Saints to Christ be so hot that many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the flouds of persecution drowne it if it will not be scourced or exchanged for any wealth if it be strong as death and cruell as the grave urging and constraining them to lay downe life and all for him if the coales thereof be coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame as we reade Cant. 8. 6 7. What is then the love of Christ to his people who is not onely loving but love it selfe in the very abstract certainly such a love as this cannot but be very attractive and drawing very conciliating and winning it must needs like the first wheele move and turne about all our affections our desire to enjoy Christ our joy in the fruition of him our love toward him our feare to displease him our anger when he is offended our jealousie of losing him Our nature is such that wee will love where we are first loved as the heat of the Sunne-beames reflects from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflection of ours upon him ours is but a sparke of his we love him saith the Apostle because hee loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. when he reveales his love to us such a fire must needs kindle and melt our affections be they never so key-cold and frozen Secondly the beauty of Christ is likewise very attractive I doe not meane it of the aspect and face of the outward lineaments and proportion of his body although his comlinesse in that behalfe need not to be doubted of being formed in the sanctified wombe of a Virgine by the Holy-Ghost but of his spirituall beauty and gracefulnesse Now wee know that true beauty consists In fairenesse of complexion And in a just symmetry or proportion of parts Neither of these was wanting in Christ First he was of a faire and comely complexion as the Church describeth him Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy saith she the mixture of these two colours makes a beautifull and good complexion White and red as they shew the best temperature in man so here it may signifie in Christ his God-head and manhood God appeared in a vision all white as snow and pure as fine wooll Dan. 7. 9. And man had his name Adam from the red mould or Earth that his body was made of and Christ vouchsafed to be like unto us in this Againe the red colour may signifie the bloudy sufferings of Christ and the white his righteousnesse thereby inherent in himselfe but conveyed to all his members by Gods free imputation righteousnesse is so described by white linnen Revel 19. 8. Now this temperament and mingling of white and red after such a mysticall way in Christ denotes the surpassing beautie of Christ makes him precious to the Saints and inflames their affections to embrace him and follow him Secondly in Christ there is also a comely proportion of parts from the correspondency and agreement of parts ariseth a feature compleatly beautifull and lovely This every faithfull soule findes in Christ The Church enumerates and reckons up all his parts Cant. 5. 10. c. his head as most fine gold his lockes bushie and blacke as a Raven excellently well agreeing with a faire face his eyes as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set his cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe his hands as gold Rings set with the Berill his belly as bright Ivorie overlaid with Saphires his legges as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his counteance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars and his mouth or voyce most sweet What a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts is here figuring unto us the supreame and absolute Government of Christ his unsearchable Councells his pure nature hating all impurity and uncleannesse his amiable and delightfull smilings upon his Saints his gracious promises and soule-saving instructions all his actions and administrations just and holy his mercies and inward affections very precious like the Saphire that glittereth with golden points the workings of his spirit in his Saints most firme and stedfast like marble pillars the whole shew and cast of his person most glorious most excellent most Majesticall and yet most delightfull like the forrest of Lebanon and the stately Cedars that grew in it so that he is altogether lovely all over from top to toe as we say desirable and the chiefest among ten thousand as much as to say matchlesse and incomparable on earth and in all the world there is not his like who is made without spot or blemish yea who is made and not made a creature and yet the mighty Creatour of all things God and man in one person wholy excellent and beautifull every part sutable a most ravishing and wooing object Thirdly Christ is attractive in his graces considered either as inherent in himselfe Or infused into Beleevers First as they be inherent in himselfe they transcend in excellency all the thought and conceit both of men and Angels they have if I may so speake a most fragrant smell and allicient quality in them compared therefore to sweet spices and ointments as myrrhe aloes frankincense spikenard and the like As these are delightfull to our senses so are the graces of Christ to a beleeving soule attracting the affections winning the love of the heart making all other things vile and base in comparison of him that the soule loathes them and spues at them as I may say when they offer to stand in competition with him It was the grace of Christ that made him so glorious as we read of Joh. 1. 14. We beheld his glory saith the Apostle as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth that is wee beheld him glorious in all perfection of grace wisdome goodnesse and Mercy It is the gemme or Diamond in a ring that makes it very precious and beautifull so it is the grace that God hath treasured up in Christ which makes him so glorious so attractive and so alluring as he is Secondly Christ is attractive in his graces bestowed upon the Saints As a Father is dignified by having a worthy sonne and a School-master by the learning and proficiency of his Scholars so is Christ by the Graces of his people A Master is honoured by his livery which his servants weare now the graces of love and humility and meeknesse and patience and the like are as I may say Christs livery by which wee are distinguished and known to be his servants and he is much honoured by those badges By this shall all men know saith Christ that you are my Disciples if you love one another Joh.
13. 35. The holy lives and blessed examples of the Saints are very fruitful they advance the Kingdome of Christ and are very attractive things to tole and draw on others to a liking of his wayes Yee wives saith the Apostle be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be wonne by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast or modest conversation coupled with feare 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Not that the examples even of the best can convert a sinner for that is done onely by the preaching of the Gospel but they may doe this they may shew a sinner the vilenesse and the danger of his own way because they be light they may also allure him and draw him on to approve of the holy wayes of Christ and so prepare him to heare that word which is of power to beget faith and to save the soule And hither tends that of the Prophet Hosea 14. 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon The meaning of it is this that Ephraim being converted others that dwell under his shadow beholding his wayes and approving them shall returne he shall cast forth such a sweet savour of holy conversation that others not yet wrought upon shall revive as the corne after the dead winter flourish like the vine and give a sent as fragrant and delightfull as the wine of Lebanon The graces then of the Saints doe very much decorate and adorne Christ himselfe As a faire and beautifull woman vertuous and holy is a credit to her husband â—o are the godly to Christ they are his Spouse they are his Members they are his Children they are his Servants they are his Scholars and therefore whatsoever is excellent and commendable in them it redounds to his praise They be branches of his planting and the worke of his hands and he is glorified in them as the Prophet speaks If the visible heavens do declare the glory of God as the Psalmist saith how much more then doe the new heavens I meane the new creature the persons of men new moulded and formed in holinesse and righteousnesse to the similitude and likenesse of God how much more I say doe these declare the glory of Christ whose handy-worke they are Hence is that saying of the Apostle If our Brethren be enquired of they are the messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. And in another place he saith that Christ presents his Eph. 5. 27. Church to himselfe a glorious Church The glory of the Church reflects upon Christ who first founded and formed it Every childe of God at his conversion puts on Christ whence it followeth that whatsoever beauty and comelinesse the Saints have it is Christs beauty and comelinesse and he hath the praise of it Thus you see that Christ is very attractive in his love in his beauty and in his graces both his own and his Saints therefore he must needs be very precious There is one Reason more which Reas 7 may not be omitted Christ is precious to Beleevers from that evidence of interest right and propriety that they have in him Much hath been said of his peerelesse and unparallel'd excellency but what were all if to himselfe alone and not to us What is all the gold of the Indies to me if I my selfe languish in poverty What are the feasts and full feeding of others to mee if I my selfe starve for hunger or what is all the helpe in the world to mee if I cannot have it at my need Here then is the ultima lima as I may say and the complement of all that Christ is every way excellent and the Saints enjoy him as their own they have a comfortable interest In all his workes and performances In all his dignities and honours In all his offices and administrations In all his blessed influences and graces First all Christs workes and performances are in a peculiar respect for every Beleever his making of the world setling of policies and governments rooting up of Kingdomes executing of judgements in the earth rewarding some and punishing others raising up wise learned valiant active just and mercifull men in their times in all these and in all other generall and providentiall workes of Christ the beleeving soule hath a kind of interest propriety next unto his own glory Christ aimed at the good of his Church in all these things and hath still either immediately or in the upshot and close of all made them instrumentall for her wellfare in which sence are those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours saith he whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Secondly Beleevers have a kinde of claime also in the dignities and honours of Christ There is a reciprocation as I may say between him and his Saints they are mutually and interchangeably glorified in one another as Christ is glorified in them Joh. 17. 10. so they are unspeakeably dignified and graced by him The glory of children saith Solomon are their Fathers Prov. 17. 6. If the Father be heroicall or learned or any way excellent this is the sonnes glory unlesse he degenerate now the Saints are called the seede and the children of Christ whatsoever therefore he excells in it is their dignity and their glory Besides Christ doth impart of his honours to them making them like himselfe Is Christ a sonne and heire of all so are they sonnes and heires and co-heires with Christ shall he judge the world so shall they in some sort doth he breake in pieces the Nations with a rod of iron so doe they is he ascended into glory so shall they ascend There is not any whit of his glory unlesse it be that which is utterly incommunicable but they have a touch of it if I may so speake yea and that which is so incommunicable redounds to their glory as you heard before Thirdly Beleevers have interest in the offices of Christ Every Saint may say of Christ he is my Prophet and Teacher he is my Priest and reconciler he is my King and governour yea the godly have such an interest in these offices of Christ that vertue comes out of him to make even them Prophets and Priests and Kings also Prophets in some measure to teach themselves and others Priests to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ and Kings to rule over their own lusts and corruptions Lastly Beleevers have also interest in the graces of Christ he that hath the field hath also the treasure that is hid in it It was the greatest consolation and joy of the Spouse that shee could say My Beloved is mine All that is in Christ a Beleever may appropriate to himselfe he may say
must needs be precious which hath such precious props and pillars to uphold it God Christ and a sure word of promise all the wisdome and power of the Father and the Sonne and the Spirit all that they can doe to establish and confirme their own word and that is more then enough Lastly The preciousnesse of faith appeares from the nature from the effects and workings of it The nature of it is piously to know and to affect the things of God to cleave unto God in Christ to rest upon him for the obtaining of the promises Faith joynes us to God who is our life in whom the lives of our soules are bound up as Jacobs life was bound up in his darling Benjamins Faith filleth the soule with solace unspeakable with peace passing all understanding and with joy everlasting As bloud is in the veines dispersing it selfe into all parts of the body so giving life and heate and continuall nourishment thereunto such is faith in the soule it works upon all the affections it diffuseth and sheddeth abroad in our hearts the love of God in Christ it attracts and draws our spirits to delight in nothing more then in Christ it entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of wines refined it leadeth it into the wine-cellar it invites us unto those apples and flâ—ggons of pleasure which Christ hath prepared it sweetens the crosse it makes us to rejoyce in tribulation and that with joy unspeakable and glorious it workes in us a childe-like confidence toward God whereby wee approach boldly to him crying Abba Father it carrieth the soule up to heaven and giveth ravishing sights of God and Christ and the joys of eternitie it brings us into communion with God whereby we have most intimate and familiar conference with him it brings us into his bed-chamber into his galleries of love In a word it enlightens justifies sanctifies and saves us for ever because it lays hold on Jesus Christ who is made 1 Cor. 1. 30. unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saith O how precious is faith that hath such wonderfull vertues and operations as these how precious also are those graces that flow from it as love and the feare of God and humilitie and patience and the like But above all the rest how precious is Jesus Christ and how highly to be esteemed of who hath bestowed upon us such precious such royall and such rich gifts as these Thirdly Consider likewise the promises Mot. of Christ these are also exceeding great and precious as they be called 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises saith the Apostle I confesse that by promises he meanes the effect of the promises or the things themselves that are promised which are of no small value and worth and therfore the promises themselves are of no little weight and moment This will easily appeare if wee consider The nature of the promiser The antiquity of the promises And the precious things which they containe First God who hath promised is by nature wise and powerfull true and unchangeable God is infinitely wise he hath a profound reach his counsells are very deepe even his foolishnesse is wiser then men as the Apostle saith and he knows wayes beyond our imagination and capacity how to bring about his owne ends and to accomplish his promises He is also almighty to effect and bring to passe his designes he can doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke And againe he is true and cannot lie and therefore he is called the God of Amen by the Prophet Esa 65. 16. And lastly he is unchangeable he cannot repent there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning with him all these are the fulera the props and supporters of the promises on which they stand firme and sure and cannot fall to the ground The saying is Pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest Every man can be rich in his promises even a beggar may be as rich as a King in promises but all the question and doubt is about the performance of them Among men it is frequently thus they are facile and forward in making of promises but they are ignorant of the meanes how to fulfill them or if they know the way yet they want power and abilitie or if they be both knowing and able yet they want a will they have a heart and a heart as the Scripture speakes they pretend what they never intend The children of men are deceitfull upon the ballances or lastly though they know how to be as good as their word though they can doe it yea though for the present they doe really intend what they promise yet Multa cadunt inter ealicem supremaque labra many things fall out between the pot and the lip as the proverb is they are fickle and inconstant well instructed how to play fast and loose unstable as water like Reuben and so their promises prove to be nothing worth perhaps the fault may be in their intellect and understanding though they be wise to day yet after a while they may grow sots and fooles and so know not how to steere their course and to wheele about their purposes or perchance the default is in their hands though they be in possibility of performing their promises to day yet to morrow their armes may be cut off and they are left shiftlesse or if not so yet it may be worse the fault may lie in their affections they may be honest now and after a while dishonest and so say and unsay promise and change their mindes Thus it is with men oftentimes but with God it is not so he knows how to performe his promises he is able to make them good and he is most true and faithfull in all his proâ—essions yea he is ever wise ever powerfull ever true ever the same never altred or changed in the lest measure how precious then and sweet are his promises and how lovely also ought Christ to be by whom we enjoy them Thus much of the nature of the Promiser Secondly Consider the antiquity of the promises The maine and chiefe promise of God is that which concerneth eternall life and this was made at the beginning of the world unto Adam when God said that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head yea it was made before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternall life saith the Apostle which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Here by the way we learne that the promise being before all time it must needs be absolute and without all condition But let that passe The question is to whom that so ancient a promise was made when there was yet no world nor any men created to receive it to whom did God make it I answer that it was made to him that even then was ordained to be our head and Mâ—diatour even the Lord
Jesus Christ the eternall Son of God The Elect are called the sâ—ede of Christ Esa 53. 10 and his children Heb. 2. 13. Now as wee were in Adams loyns when he transgressed so as touching the decree and counsaile of God we were as I may say in the loynes of Christ from all eternity and before the world began and so the promise was made to him for us or to us in him before all moments or measures of time But you will aske mee perhaps where we finde such a promise I answer that wee have such a promise Psal 2. 7 8. I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession In this Scripture marke two things First That God the Father saith of his Sonne this day have I begotten thee And this day signifies both time and eternity Time as touching the resurrection of Christ from the dead that was done in time as you know and the Apostle applyes the words of the Psalmist unto that very matter of Christs resurrection Acts 13. 33. And to the same purpose he is called elsewhere the first begotten of the dead Againe this day signifies eternity It is most certainly to be beleeved that God did beget his Sonne before all time even from everlasting There is a place to this purpose Heb. 1. 4 5. where the Apostle saith that Christ hath a more excellent Name then the Angells because God the Father said of him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which he never did say unto any of the Angells And marke I pray the Apostle saith that Christ obtained this more excellent name by inheritance as being Gods naturall Sonne and therefore he had it from everlasting Secondly In this day of eternitie if I may so call it God makes unto his Sonne a promise of a Church to be gathered among the Heathen This promise was stipulated in the nature and manner of a decree and all Gods decrees are eternall and co-etaneous with himselfe most true is the theoreme of the Philosopher a voluntate antiqua non procedit actio nova from the ancient will he means from Gods will there doth not proceed any new act God doth not begin to will any thing he doth not will any thing afresh because whatsoever he wills from all eternitie he will'd it his will from everlasting to everlasting is one most pure and simple act it is sometimes called a decree but yet in respect of himselfe it is no such thing for a decree supposeth some intervall of time to be between the purpose and the execution and so there is I confesse in respect of us but to God it is not so for he is without all predicament of time one day is as a 1000 yeares and a thousand years as one day with him those things that are past and to come with us are eternally present with him But to come to the point Though the counsells of God be not properly decrâ—es in respect of himselfe fâ—r the reason before alledged yet they are from eternitie and that is the thing that we drive at The forementioned decree of gathering a Church from among the Heathen was made when the Sonne of God was begotten and he was begotten of old from everlasting as we have prooved And it was not onely a decree but a promise also it runnes plainly in the forme and tenor of a promise Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Now then consider how precious is that promise that was made in a familiar parlie and conference between the Father and the Sonne from all eternity Christ was foreseene and ordained even of old to be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mediator upon this ground God makes even then a gracious promise to him for us a promise of giving us to him and consequently of giving us eternall life through him So that here wee have plainly the reason why the Apostle saith that God promised eternall life before the world began Namely because Christ was even then in the counsell and purpose of God our Mediaâ—our And hence in another place he saith that the grace of God whereby wee are called with an holy calling and consequently everlastingly saved was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Christ Jesus was even then lookt upon as our Redeemer God stipulates and promises to him and he againe restipulates to undertake for us Certainly then the promise of eternall life must needs be exceeding precious being the substance of that Dialogue as I may say and communication which passed between the Father and the Sonne before the world was created And if that great promise be so ancient then questionlesse so are all promises because eternall life doth eminently containe in it all other blessings just as the heaven of heavens doth all inferiour parts of the world Now how should the consideration of this stirre up our hearts to love Jesus Christ who received promises for us not onely before wee our selves were but even before there was any time or creature made Thirdly Consider the precious things that are couched in the promises and they appertaine either to temporall life or to spirituall grace or to eternall glory First Great and precious are the promises which doe appertaine unto this life Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come And even in this respect God hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us Heb. 13. 5. There are in this place no lesse then five negatives to strengthen and confirme our faith in the truth of the promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still upon thee and I will watch over thee for good continually And marke I pray what the Prophet saith Esa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitie hee redeemed them and carried them all the dayes of old The place may be read interrogatively thus Was he not afflicted c. That is did he not take to heart the wrongs done to his people in Aegypt Was not Christ the Angel of Gods presence their Conductor and Saviour Did hee not beare them as a tender Mother or Nurse doth her young childe Did he not carry them as the Eagle doth her broode with such care that shee her selfe may not hurt them and at such a height as others may not reach them In such manner doth Christ for ever protect his people In Zech. 2. 5. he promises to be a wall of fire round about them where the Holy-Ghost alludeth to the practice of
Travailers in the Wildernesse who by surrounding themselves with a fire did thereby fray away the wilde beasts and kept them off from annoying them now such a defence will Christ be unto his Saints he will be with them in most deadly dangers When they passe through the water and when they walke through the fire Esa 43. 2. Fire and water are two most devouring elements good servants but bad masters as we say and therefore here they are put for all other perilous and dangerous kindes Christ will save and deliver his people from them all Wee reade Dan. 3. 25. that the three Children were cast into the fiery furnace But what said the Tyrant I see foure saith he and the fourth is like the Sonne of God and in all probabilitie it was so it being usuall under the old Testament for Christ upon some weightie occasions to appeare in humane shape Thus Christ will be with his people in the furnace of affliction and either he will provide that it shall not be over-heate or else he will worke a miracle to restraine the power of the flames he will both preserve them in and deliver them out of trouble he will so sanctifie affliction that it shall prove a very blessing and mercy to them Secondly Great also and precious are the promises which appertaine unto spirituall grace The Apostle saith That by them we partake of the divine or godly nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He doth not meane it of the essence or substance of God as some of the Heathen conceited affirming man to be aurae divinae particula a little piece of the divine Spirit Thus did the Platonicks dreame and also the Manichees and Priscillianists not so I say for the essence of God is incommunicable but wee are to understand it of the graces of the Spirit whereby the image of God is stampt againe and restored in man therefore the Apostle doth not call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the essentiall nature of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly nature as if he had expressed it in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sainthood or a nature approaching to Gods resembling and like unto Gods So that Beleevers through Christ have in their soules a lively image and representation of the perfections of the vertues and of the life of God according to that of the Apostle Colos 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him he puts knowledge which is the incipient part of regeneration for the whole including under that both holinesse and righteousnesse And answering to this is that precious promise Esa 65. 17. where the Lord saith That he will make new heavens and a new earth This is meant of the spirituall excellency of the Church in regard both of doctrine of discipline and of life and therefore it holds forth a promise concerning the renewing of the soule by the Spirit of the Lord where doctrine is sound discipline wholesome and life holy there are new Heavens and a new earth as I may say and there the soule is become a new creature by the sanctifying Spirit of God Lastly great and precious also are the promises appertaining to eternall glory they containe in them that heavenly inheritance of the Saints in Light where they shall have blessed communion with God with Christ with the Holy Spirit with elect Angels and with one another for ever where they shall have the quintessence of all good things the sweetnesse of all Mercy and consolation where they shall have the splendour and bright rayes of everlasting honour where after this life and this life is but a bubble a smoake a wind a shadow they shall have that unutterable immortall Crowne of glory set upon their heads which Christ hath promised in a word where they shall have totum quod volunt nihil quod nolunt all that they would have and nothing that they would not have Hence it is that the Gospel which holdeth forth the promise of these things is termed glorious and the ministration thereof likewise glorious And therefore as the Apostle makes the comparison between the Law and the Gospel if the ministration of death and condemnation be glorious saith he how shall not the ministration of the Spirit and of righteousnesse be rather glorious so may I say if the glory of Christ be so splendent and shining so attractive and alluring even in the promise and expectation of it what then will it be in the full fruition and enjoyment thereof if so excellent and surpassing at a distance and through the lattice as I may say what will it be in the neerest touch and vision thereof when wee shall come our selves to participate of that glory Now wee see but in a glasse darkely saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. that is here wee see God but as we see our owne Image in a glasse and not the very face it selfe here wee see him by a kinde of reflection and at second hand as I may say in the Ordinances in the creatures and such like dimme representations which at the farthest are in some sense aenigmaticall full of intricacy and obscurity But then wee shall see God face to face and then we shall know him as we our selves are knowne by him that is to say perfectly I meane with such a perfection as a glorified creature is capable of Thus have I shewed unto you what excellent and precious things are contained in the Promises for our soules and for our bodies for this life and for the life to come for ever ô then how much more precious and excellent how much more to be desired and longed for is Jesus Christ by whom so manifold and unspeakeable blessings are conveyed unto us Fourthly Christ hath bestowed up-Beleevers Mot 4 precious love and precious it is because Infinite Gracious Liberall Everlasting First the love of Christ unto his Saints is infinite and unmeasurable it is beyond all imagination or conception As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you saith Christ Joh. 15. 9. Now who can understand with what love the Father hath embraced his Sonne who can dive into the bottomelesse depth of that tender affection which the infinite God beareth unto Christ no more can wee define and fully set forth what the love of Christ unto his Saints is The Apostle indeed would have the Ephesians able to comprehend with all Saints the breadth and length the depth and height of the love of God in Christ but yet for all that hee concludes that it passeth knowledge Ephes 3. 18. 19. Secondly Christs love is a gracious love That which the Lord speakes by his Prophet concerning Jerusalem may fitly be applyed to all his people When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted or troden under foot as the word signifieth in thine owne bloud I said unto thee live That is as we use to apply it spiritually when we
were in our naturall filthinesse and uncleanenesse which we drew from our first Parents God loved us freely and not for our worth or merit not for our beautie or comelinesse wee had no worth in us nor no beauty upon us yet he loved us and said unto us live that is he made us to live spiritually he did put the life of grace into us he did breath into the nostrills of our soules as I may say the breath of heavenly life his saying in this new Creation was as his saying was in the first Creation of all things he did but speak the word and it was done Againe he addes in the forementioned Prophesie verse the eight I spread my skirt over thee He alludeth to a custome or Ceremony of the Jewes whereby at Mariages the Husband in token of his Interest and propriety and also as a pledge of his most tender love and endeared affection to his wife did cover her with a lappe or skirt of his garment now this matrimoniall rite was a figure of the merit of Christ who hath by his righteousnesse covered all our sinnes and transgressions veiled all our filthinesse and polutions and hid all our spirituall nakednesse and deformities and that most freely most graciously most undeservedly according to that Hosea 14. 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them freely Thirdly Christs love to his Saints is a liberall love a munificent a magnificent and bountifull love this appeares plainely by those hard and bitter things that he underwent for us Philip 2. 7. the Apostle saith that he made himselfe of no reputation he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse or habit of men The originall word in the place signifieth that he emptied himselfe or redegit se ad nihilum he brought himselfe as it were to nothing he devested and stript himselfe of the robes of Divine Majesty laying them his Throne his Crowne and his Scepter of Glory aside for a while Through the extremity of his agony his body did sweat drops of bloud he did exhaust such an infinitely rich and precious treasure as all Heaven and earth could not recompense and make up againe It is reported of the Pelioan that she openeth her breast with her bill and feedeth her young ones with the bloud distilling from her and therefore saith mine Author the Egyptians did make that kinde an hieroglyphick of Piety and pitie and upon that consideration they spared them at their Tables Now this creature is a lively picture and Embleme of Christ he parted with that which was most deare unto him the soule in his body the bloud in his veines and which was more then all the rest the sweet and ravishing apprehensions of his Fathers love eclipsed and darkned in his agonies and so totally eclipsed that he cryed out with a loud voyce my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And all this he did in his infinite pitie and love to us the Apostle saith that he loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. Lastly Christs love is eternall and everlasting a love that never decayes or waxeth cold like the stone Asbestos of which I read in Solinus that being once hot it can * Iul. Solin polyhistor cap. 12. never be cooled again The love of Christ is like a Fountaine ever flowing and never dried up or like the sacred fire which never went out I have loved thee with an everlasting love saith he Jer. 31. 3. and in another place with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy upon thee Though the Saints offend Christ often yet he loves them still he onely purges them and heales them of their spirituall maladies which cannot be done without some smart but he doth not a whit lesson or detract his love from them Though his people come upon him every day for new favours and new supplies yet his good-will is never wearied or tired out yea though thousands millions of his Saints presse upon him at once yet hee hath for them all and the Fountaine of his love is never emptied I like the matter of the Poet very well although I confesse his verse be something jiggish and toying Sumit unus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum iâ—e Neque sumpius absumitur One Beleever drawes water of life and supply of all needfull blessings out of this well of salvation and a thousand like gracious soules doe the like and the one drawes as much as the thousand and yet the well is never drawne drie Now then a little to recapitulate If the love of Christ unto his Saints be infinite boundlesse and unmeasurâ—ble if it be gracious free and undesâ—rved â—r it be liberall rich and bountifull Lastly if it be eternall everlasting and never decaying ô what a whetstone should this be to our affections what a spurre to our Spirits and what a bellowes to blow up and kindle the fire of our love to Christ nothing doth more conciliate and attract love then love it selfe it were horrible ingratefulnesse not to spend and be spent as the Apostle speakes for one that hath loved us so much as Christ hath done certainely if love doe not draw us unto him nothing will The acts of Christs love are the cords wherewith he drawes soules unto himselfe I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love saith hee Hosea 11. 4. and in another place with Jer. 31. 3. loving kindnesse have I drawne thee* 'T is an Argument then that wee are not drawne at all if love doe not effect it Fiftly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 5 his precious Spirit This is that which Christ promiseth to his Disciples Joh. 14. 26. The comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name saith Christ he shall teach you all things c. Now let us consider how excellent the Spirit is in all the workings of it upon our hearts and then we shall see what a precious and lovely gift this is The Spirit of Christ doth these things It illuminates our minds It sanctifies our natures It seales our adoption First of all the Spirit of Christ doth illuminate the mind and understanding it opens the windowes of the soule as I may say and sets up a new Light in it it brings in light upon light Even by nature men have some Light such as it is by Art and industry they acquire more but the saving Light of the Spirit of Christ farre excelleth all that of the naturall man as the Light of the Sunne doth the light the Moone or as the Light of seven dayes doth the light of one hence is that Spirit by an excellency called the Spirit of wisdome and understanding and it is said to lead us and to guide us into all truth Joh. 14. 16. I have many things saith Christ to say unto you but you cannot beare them now but when the spirit cometh he shall lead you into all truth
that is he shall open your understandings he shall enlarge your capacities and shall make you able to comprehend those Divine and heavenly Mysteries of the Kingdome of God which shall be dispenced unto you Yee have an unction from the Holy one saith the Apostle and yee know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. The Holy one here spoken of is the whole Trinity God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the unction is not the Spirit it selfe but a thing different from the essence and substance thereof viz. the grace of illumination and saving Knowledge wherewith the eyes of our minds being anointed as with an unction wee come to know all things not absolutely and omnisciently as God doth but to know all things that are needfull to be knowne unto salvation And hence in the 27. verse the same anoynting is said to teach us and that wee need no other teaching but that it is called eye-salve Revel 3. 18. Secondly the Spirit of Christ sanctifieth the hearts and natures of Beleevers whereby they are really changed from the filthinesse of sinne unto the purity of Gods Image that as Christ himselfe is holy so are they in some measure by an inherent holinesse their love and their hatred their joy and their sorrow all their passions and affections are not such as they were before but they are quite altred and changed new-moulded and fashioned made after Gods owne heart and conformed to his holy will This is the blessed worke of the Spirit We are sanctified through the Spirit and beleefe of the truth saith the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 13. The Spirit is principall in stamping the Image of God upon the soule the Spirit it is that doth convey the efficacie of Christs death and bloud unto us Hence it is called in Scripture wind fire water and the like First it is a winde Awake ô North and come thou South Cant. 4. 16. and that for these reasons As wind allayeth heate so the sanctifying Spirit of God asswageth hot and burning distempers in the soule it suppresses inordinate and lustfull desires moderating all our affections and keeping them in a good temper Againe as wind purges the aire and dries up superfluous moysture in the earth so the Spirit purgeth our corrupt natures and dries up the excrementious humours of sinne which are Enemies to spirituall health Also * Favâ—nius the West-wind dicâ—â—ur à savendo from cherishing of fruits and other things as the wind is a great fructifier causing the fruits of the earth to spring out so the Spirit of God makes that soule which naturally is as a barren and dry wildernesse no plants of grace growing in it but the weeds of sinne rankling every where to be a fruitfull and flourishing garden where Christ delights to walke and to take his repast beholding how his trees of Righteousnesse doe spread and blossome and beare most pleasant fruit When the wind of the Spirit doth blow upon the garden of the soule then the spices of grace flow out then Christ may come into his garden and eate his delicious fruits of union and Sanctification The soule is not now an emptie vine neither doth it beare wilde grapes it doth not beare grapes of gall and bitter clusters but fruites of Righteousnesse and holinesse most sweet and well relishing most pleasing and acceptable to Christ Againe the wind is a quickning and enlivening thing the breath of every living creature is a winde Come from the foure winds ô breath and breath upon these slaine that they may live saith the Prophet Ezek. 37. 9. Now such is the Spirit of God also it raiseth up the soule from the death of sinne and puts the life of grace into it it sets us upon our feet and makes us to walke before God in the Light and in the land of the living Lastly As the winde is not in the power of any man it bloweth where it listeth as our Saviour saith and it is impossible to hide it Prov. 27. 16. So the Spirit of regeneration is not at the arbitrement will and disposing of any creature but it is sui juris at its owne choice and disposing at its own pleasure when where and how it will breath and dispense grace Of his owne will begat he us with the word of truth saith the Apostle Jam. 1. 18. Secondly the Spirit of sanctification is also called fire in the Scriptures He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. It resembles fire in the purging property thereof as fire is a great purger attracting and drawing corrupt aires to it selfe segregating severing pure substances from drosse as wee see in the trying of gold and silver so doth the fire of the Spirit draw away from our soules all pestilent and infectious sents of sinne and by little and little purges away all the drosse of our corruptions Againe The Spirit resembles fire in the consuming property thereof fire purgeth onely when it meets with a substance that can endure it but when it lights upon combustible matter then it wasts and consumes so the fire of the Spirit doth no more then purge the hearts of the Elect yet it wasts and consumes their lusts because they be things to be wasted and abolished Lastly The Spirit of grace resembles fire in the assimilating property thereof fire turns other things that are approximate into its owne nature it makes things hot as it selfe is hot it propagates and spreads it selfe increasing its own flames by licking up and catching in other things to it selfe so the sanctifying Spirit of God doth fire our hearts and affections heating them with his own heate kindling them with his own sacred sparkes assimilating and making us like unto himselfe holy as he is holy pure as he is pure and perfect as he is perfect The soule being acted and wrought upon by the Spirit is changed into the same glory and becomes spirituall like it selfe Wee know that a paper will smell of the muske or civet that is put in it so a soule endued with the Spirit of grace cannot but become gracious it must have the same savour the same odoriserous and pleasing sent that the Spirit it selfe hath Thirdly The precious Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is called water also because as water washeth away the filthinesse of the flesh so doth that Spirit the uncleannesses of the soule And againe as water hath a softning and suppling vertue with it so the gracious Spirit of Christ doth mollifie and soften hard hearts making them of impenetrable and insensible to become broken and contrite of stubborne and froward to be flexible and pliable unto Gods holy will so that though they were before like Leviathans heart as hard as a piece of the neither milstone yet now they can tremble at judgements submit to commands and be glad to close with the promises of Christ Thus you see that the Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is a sanctifying a
purging a regenerating and a renewing Spirit Lastly This Spirit sealeth our adoption our filiation or son-ship unto us By adoption wee are received into the number of the sonnes of God and by the Spirit of Christ we come to be assured of this prerogative The Spirit of God seales up our salvation and blessed state unto us The Apostle saith That God hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit for the assurance of our heavenly inheritance The Apostles manner of speaking is taken from the custome of men who to assure and confirme others in the truth of their promises and covenants are wont to set their seale to bills and bonds and such like instruments so God sets his seale to all his promises and to the covenant of grace which he hath plighted with us by giving us his holy Spirit to renew us to imprint his image upon our soules and to beare witnesse within us that we are his children and consequently heires of life and glory everlasting Now this Spirit is expresly called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4. 6. Because the Holy-Ghost sealeth up our adoption in Christ so that through Christ it is made sure unto us Let us now summe up all which hath been said of this gift if Christ hath not withheld his gracious Spirit from us but hath given even that unto us to enlighten us to sanctifie us and to assure us of our adoption and salvation where can we finde greater favour then this and where should our mindes be lifted up into the opinion of any thing more then of Christ Doubtlesse the giver of such a precious gift ought himselfe to be much more precious unto us If wee make great account of the gift much more ought we most highly to esteeme of the bestower of it Lastly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 6 precious priviledges and they are many but I will speake onely of these two Accesse to the throne of grace Good successe of our prayers First Beleevers have blessed accesse Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace saith the Apostle that wee may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4. 16. The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifieth libertie of speech and boldnesse of face when a man intrepidly and undauntedly utters his minde before great ones without blushing without weaknesse of heart without shaking of his voyce without haluccination imperfection and faltring in speech when neither majesty nor authority can take off his courage so as to stop his mouth and make him affraid to speake With such spirits would the Apostle have us to come unto God by prayer wee must come with paresie with confidence of heart and freedome of speech This is a fruite of our accesse to the throne of grace to which doubtlesse the Apostle would never have exhorted us if wee were not blessed with such a priviledge Againe A like exhortation wee have Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in full assurance of faith that is in stedfastnesse of faith without wavering without doubting The Apostle meanes it of our full assurance of Gods favour and acceptance of our persons in Christ In the Law the high Priest going into the Sanctuary did beare upon his shoulders and in his pectorall or brestplate the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel Now this figures unto us the great love that Christ beares unto his people he hath them alwayes at his heart hee loves them most tenderly and dearely he beares them also upon the shoulders of his mighty protection carrying them a loft out of the reach of all adversary power And he is gone into the heavenly Sanctuary with Vrim and Thummim with the names of his people upon his breast for a memoriall before the Lord continually so that now through his mediation we may draw neare unto God in plerophorie and full assurance of faith nothing doubting but that God will for his sake accept both of our persons and of our prayers Secondly Beleevers have not onely accesse to God but also good successe of all their suites and petitions which they put up unto him Christ by his office of mediation and intercession is an advocate for his people and doth in his own person appeare before God for them he takes upon himselfe their suite and their cause as an Advocate in Law doth his Clients Hence is that exceeding sweet and consolatory promise of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne saith he wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Here is never a word but hath sweetnesse in it Marke I pray first he saith If any man sinne not as though there were some that did not sinne for that this very Apostle beats against expresly in the end of the first Chapter but when he saith If any man he speakes cordiall things he speaks to the heart and comfort of sinners shewing that with God there is no accepting of persons but all without exception of any for exteriour adjuncts and qualities doe finde grace in his fight through Christ this is plainly the inference of the indefinite particle Any Secondly He saith That wee have an Advocate an Advocate is a forensicall word and it signifieth properly one that is called to or assumed as an Assistant as a friend as an helper as an Intercessor such Advocates did guiltie ones among the Greeks and Romans assume to themselves Now such an Advocate is Christ unto us he is our Patron he is our spokes-man he it is that pleadeth our cause for us he it is that by the merite of his expiation doth intreat for us The Devill is called our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Adversary another Law-terme 1 Pet. 5. 8. he lays in hard against us and therefore he is elsewhere called the Accuser of the Brethren and guiltie we are too but Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Advocate and he intreats the Judge for us he implores mercy and clemency for us Thirdly The Apostle saith that wee have an Advocate with the Father with him still at his right hand so with him that he is his own naturall Sonne so with him that he needs but onely shew himselfe for us and without speaking any word wee are accepted At that day namely at that day when I shall be ascended into heaven yee shall aske in my Name saith Christ and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you because yee have loved mee and have beleeved that I came out from God Joh. 16. 26 27. In these words Christ bids us not so to depend and hang upon him as to have no confidence in God the Father as if he were angry with us and did not love us Christ is
Christ hath a head most glorious and excellent most splendent and shining as pure as gold This denotes unto us the beautie dignity eminency and government of Christ As gold is of a splendent and durable nature so is the government and dignity of Christ everlasting and durable it is Divine and heavenly and of a glorious extent 2. His locks are curled and black as a Raven verse 11. Blacke and curled locks are a signe of a hot braine and they doe argue quicknesse and dexterity of wit and strength this denotes to us the vigour and strength of Christ and the depth of all his counsels 3. His eyes are as Doves eyes by the streames of waters washed with milke and fitly set verse 12. that is his eyes are pure as Doves so that he cannot behold any evill with the least approbation and they are quick to search all things and they are white as milke in that he doth behold his people in grace and mercy Lastly his eyes are fitly set that is as a Diamond in a ring or as the fiâ—ling stones which were set in the hollow places of the golden Ephod Exod 25. 7. and those stones were called stones of fulnesse because they did fit the hollow places in that golden Ephod In like manner Christ hath steady eyes he is not goggle eyed as we say but his eyes are steady and firme they are as a stone set in a gold ring which cannot be turned out of its place so are Christs eyes evermore guiding his fight to looke perfectly into all things both into the depth of Gods Counsels and into the depth of mans heart and understanding 4. Christs cheekes are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers verse 13. that is he is like a bed of sweet spices or growne plants that serve for persume This denotes and shewes unto us Christs beauty and grace his comelinesse and gravity to all that doe behold him All Christs graces are sweet and his fight countenance hath a transforming vertue in it it makes those that behold Christ to be like unto him while others behold his glory they are transformed into the same Image of his glory from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. 5. His lips are like dropping sweet smelling myrrhe verse 13. The Lillies are faire and sweet of themselves yet hee addes they dropp pure myrrhe This is to be referred unto the holy heavenly sweet and gracious Doctrine of Christ Honey and myrrhe that is love and mercy grace and goodnesse did flow out of Christs lips so it s said in Psal 45. 1. grace was in his lips Christs heart was a treasure full of all Divine grace and goodnesse then needs must his lips bee sweet yea and farre surpasse in sweetnesse honey and myrrhe 6. His hands are as gold Rings set with a berill or Chrysolite verse 14. The hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for Chrysolite signifieth a precious stone The hands of Christ are set forth with all ornaments and precious stones and shining rings of Gold This denotes unto us not onely the person of Christ but also his actions and workings The operations of Christ are admirable and full of Majesty if we consider them in the course of the creatures in the Sunne Moone Starres in the growth of hearbs and plants so in all the Creation of the world in gubernation in ordering of the event of all things and the like The workes of God are incomprehensible as in Job 9. 12. who shall say unto him what dost thou that is the things which he doth are too high for mans understanding Now as all the government of Egypt went through the hands of Joseph so all the workes of God goe through the hands of Christ The Father hath committed all his Judgements and workes into the hands of his Sonne glorious therefore are the workes which Christ doth performe both in Heaven and in earth 7. His breast or belly is overlaid with Saphires as bright Ivory ver 14. Ivorie and Saphires are precious and beautifull and with these Christ hath his belly overlaid This denotes unto us the bowels and inward affections the tender mercy and pitifull commiserations of Christ toward his Saints and Children 8. His legges are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine gold ver 15. That is Christs wayes are full of Majesty and power and as Marble pillars they are firme and constant having sockets of Gold to sustaine them and to beare up his feet whereby his way is perfect by which hee walkes safely treading downe his enemies under his feet and bringeth glad tidings of peace unto his people 9. His lookes or countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars ver 15. that is Christ was of a goodly and tall stature like unto the Cedars of Lebanon a goodly Mountaine on the north side of the Land of Canaan This shewes the Majesty and countenance of Christ when he shall plead for his Church and people against their Enemies 10. His mouth or palate is sweet ver 16. this is the same with his lips and shewes how sweet and comfortable how gracious and amiable the Doctrine of the Gospel is this expression is here againe repeated to shew that Christ is better knowne in Sion then in any other place All the workes of Christ are glorious but his Gospel exceeds them all in glory The Gospel is the glasse wherein wee see the glory of Christ more clearely then in any other way therefore the words of Christ are much more sweet to a Beleevers taste then honey or the most sweetest of spices are unto the mouth Lastly Christ is precious and amiable in his whole selfe yea he is altogether lovely ver 16. that is Christ is lovely in generall and he is lovely in particular he is lovely in all parts and altogether yea he is altogether lovely As if the Church should have said what shall I say more of my beloved he is all over and altogether lovely Christ was lovely to God to Angels to Saints hee was lovely in his nature and person in his Offices and graces yea he is all over lovely he is wholly delectable The Church having thus described her beloved shee concludeth with an exclamation this is my beloved and this is my friend oh daughters of Jerusalem this is he that I sought with so much diligence and for whom I was sick of love this is he that shall have my best affections in whom I desire to glory in this is my friend oh yee daughters of Jerusalem In the next words wee may take notice of the effect that this commendation of Christ hath upon the daughters of Jerusalem Whether is thy Beloved gone oh thou fairest among women whether is thy Beloved turned aside that wee may seeke him with thee The daughters hearing such a high commendation from the Church of her Beloved hearing of his riches and glory and of his beauty and excellency she is enflamed with a desire to seek Christ also