What it is to glorifie God A. You must consider that the Scriptures What it is to glorifie God speak of this under severall words and notions as sometimes it is to r Exod. 15.2 Esa 25.1 exalt the Lord sometimes it is to Å¿ Psal 34.3 Luke 1.46 magnifie him sometimes it is to t 1 Tim. 1.17 Heb. 2.7 honour him sometimes it is to u Psal 30.1 Dan. 4.37 extoll and advance him and all these words they are synonima's and of the same nature and signification and hold forth the same truth to us But to answer it more particularly to glorifie God is this it is to set forth God in all his excellencies or to make knowne God in all that he is and to acknowledge him in all that he doth this I say is to glorifie God to set forth God in all his excellencies thus did the Lord Jesus Christ doe â—â—one did ever set out God like unto Jesus Christ God was never seen in any man as he was seen in Christ neither in any mans words or works And therefore it is said in the first of Iohn the eighteenth verse That the onely begotten son John 1.18 who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.26 And in this 17. Chapter and the twenty sixth verse saith Jesus Christ I have declared unto them thy name and I will declare it that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them I have declared unto them thy name If you ask me what is meant there by Name I answer Name it is taken variously in Scripture sometimes for person x Acts 4.12 There is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved i. e. no other person Besides Christs name is also sometimes taken for for y Exod. 3.18 20.7 33.19 Psal 8.1 Gods attri-butes as his wisdome mercy goodnesse power and it is taken also for glory and excellency and here peradventure may be meant all these I have declared unto them Oh Lord thy being thy power thy properties thy grace thy goodnesse thy excellency and thy glory I have declared all these unto my people in the world Psal 76.1 And so we have the word Name in 76. I salme and the first verse In Iudah is God known his name is great in Israel that is his power is great his glory is great his renowne and dignity is great in Israel amongst his owne people of any other there the Lord is more specially present and more clearely known Exod. 23.21 So the Lord in the 23. of Exodus and the 21. ver bids the Israelites fear the Angel that he sent before them beware of him saith he and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgression for my Name is in him This Angell was Christ this name that was in him was his fathers honour power and glory well thus you heare the first thing opened Q. The second thing to be opened is this How did Iesus Christ glorifie his father or glorifie God For he saith I have glorified thee upon earth A. Three wayes Jesus Christ glorified him upon earth for that 's the thing I am to speak of How Christ glorified God and not how he glorifies him in heaven I say three wayes he glrorified him negatively positively and passively First negatively Jesus Christ did glorifie his father these two wayes negatively 1. In that he did not sinne for as sin is z Rom. 2.23 a dishonour unto God so non-sinning is an honour unto God Jesus Christ did glorifie his father very much in this he did never sinne against him no Christ did not sinne he did never commit the least evill The Apostle Peter a 1 Pet. 2.21 saith he did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth not the least fraud not the least vaine word not the least hypocrisie found in Jesus Christ and this did tend much to glorifie God his father 2. Iesus Christ did glorifie his father negatively thus by denying himselfe Christ did not seek himselfe by not seeking himselfe and this is a speciall way to glorifie God and this speciall way did Christ glorifie him John 8.50 as you may finde in the eigth of Iohn and the fifty verse I seek not my owne glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth hete he denies his owne glory So you finde when the people would have made him a King he b John 6.15 would not be made a King he knew that his father was God and King and did he deny himselfe and this did tend much to the glory of God As a child when hee is bare-headed and silent before his father Vide Heb. 5.5 when hee reverenceth and respects his Father and does nothing but what he commands and seeks nothing but what he gives him you know the child thereby honours his Father thus did the Lord Iesus Christ doe and that 's the first way negatively The second way he glorified God Second way was positively and this he did also two wayes By his words and by his works First by his words namely by his preaching Christ glorified his Father by his words by his preaching by his praying and by his confession he did glorifie God mightily by his preaching when the people heard him they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth and it s said he or God in him c Luke 4.15 By his Prayer was glorified of all Then by his prayer he glorified God d John 12.28 Glorifiethy name in one place e Mat. 26.39 By his confession and not my will but thine in another place thus his prayer tended to glorifie God His confession also did glorifie him f John 10.29 and 14.28 My Father saith he is greater then I g John 5.19.30 againe I can doe nothing of my selfe but the works that my Father doth those doe I thus by his words he glorified him Then by his works he did glorifie God very much and I pray note this that when Christ wrought miracles by the power of his Father the people did wonder and give glory to God You have this eight times at least in the New Testament I shall onely give you two texts h Matt. 9.8 15.31 Mark 2.12 Luke 7.16 13.13 17.15 23.47 the first is in the ninth of Matthew the eigth verse when the multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God So when they saw how Christ cured the man sick of the Palsie it s said they glorified God These great and mighty works that Iesus Christ did upon earth they had a tendency in them to exalt and glorifie the Lord and this is the second way Iesus Christ glorified his Father The third way was passively that is Third way by his sufferings Christ glorified his Father I say he glosied him by his sufferings as
much as any way else Christ glorified his Father by his sufferings John 13.31 and therefore saith Christ in the 13. of Iohn the 31th verse Now is the Son of man glorified and God is glorified in him when was that now then when Christ was going to suffer in the sufferings of Jesus Christ his Father was very much glorified Obj. I But you will say Sir how was the Father glorified in Christs sufferings one would thinke that the Father should be rather dishonoured then glorified thereby in suffering his Sonne to fall into the hands of such cruell enemies as the Jewes and Heathens were to God we cannot see how this did tend to the glory of God Ans I answer By his patient sufferings it tended to the glory of God thus 1. By Christs patience under his sufferings to see Christ so patient under such a great measure and so heavie a weight of affliction this glorifyed God very much he did not so much as i Esa 53.7 open his mouth to complaine of his condition nor of his enemies cruelty as the young men in k Dan. 3. Daniel when they were cast into the fiery Furnace they acknowledged the onely true God and they would own no other also they would not be freed if they might not be freed without sin so Jesus Christ would goe through the worke of his father and glorifye him as the expression is even in the fires even in the fire of affliction yea in the Furnace of affliction Secondly Christ glorifyed his father in this when he was delivering up the Ghost The vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine Mat. 27.51 and the earth did quake Yea the heathens said when they saw this that either the God of nature was now dying or else that the end of the world was come upon them This tended much to the glorifying of God the Jewes and Gentiles that would never glorifie him before these sufferings of Christ and this act of his death yet doubtless this did work upon them As you know when a Comedy is played people are not so seriously and deepely affected as when a Tragedy is acted so when Jesus Christ was upon the earth they were not so much affected with him neither did they so much glorifie God in him but when he was acting this Trygiccall part or his sufferings doubtlesse then many of the Jewes were convinced and that 's the meaning of that text John 12.32 in the 12. of Iohn the 32. When the Son of man is lifted up he shall draw all men or many unto him this speaks he of his death when Christ was exalted upon the Crosse many were perswaded that this was the Son of God Truly say they this was the Sonne of God And againe Christ saith in the 12th of Iohn John 12.24 ver 24. Except a corne of wheat fall into the ground and dye it cannot bring forth Shewing that except Jesus Christ that was that corne of wheat should die and suffer there should little profit come unto men and little glory unto God And thus is the next question answered how Jesus Christ glorifyed his father First negatively by not sinning and not seeking himselfe Secondly positively by his word and works Thirdly passively by his sufferings The next and the last question for the cleering of the text is this Q. How did Jesus Christ finish the work of mens redemption the work of mens salvation Ans I beseech you stirre up your selves and hearken unto this Jesus Christ did finish the work of mens redemption and the work of mens salvation three wayes First The first way was this The first way Christ wrought mens Redemption and falvation by putting himself into mans condition that 's the first Jesus Christ he did put himselfe into the state and condition of men he comes from Heaven and takes up mans nature he appeares in mans flesh and undergoes the state and condition of men yea sinfull men and if you consider but what the Scripture speaks of this it will be a great encouragement for you to looke for salvation through Jesus Christ Consider Christ therefore two wayes First as a Mediatour and secondly as a Surety As a Mediatour Christ consider-as a Mediator He is said to be Mediatour of the New Testament There is one Mediator between God man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.4 1 Tim. 2.4 There was but one mediator between God and men from eternity It s true Moses was a typicall mediator but there was no reall and true Mediator save Jesus Christ only And as the Apostle saith in the third of the Galathians the 20. v. Now a Mediator marke this Is not a Mediator of one Gal. 3.20 but God is one what is the meaning of that The meaning is that Christ was not a Mediator of one Covenant that is of the Covenant of works onely but a Mediator of the Covenant of grace also Or thus Christ was a Mediator betweene one and not as a dayes man or Mediator among men for we never use a Mediator to reconcile a man to himselfe but a dayes-man goes to reconcile two that are at variance But Jesus Christ was a Medator of one that is he that was offended and he that was Mediator to mediate for the offence and to reconcile man unto himselfe in one person Was one and the same God the same God That I may cleare this a little unto you consider what the word Mediator signifies The greek word for a m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mediator signifies as much as this one that puts himselfe as it were betweene an offending and offended party yet not without a Call to reconcile them and being an indifferent person and disposed to either party thus was Jesus Christ Only Christ had somewhat more to make him a Mediator then Mediators among men have to wit he was not onely called to be a Mediator but he was made a Mediator by n Heb. 7.20 Oath to declare that he was to doe right between God and men to give God his due and not to undoe poore man So thus you heare that Jesus Christ became a Mediator a midler or middle person between God and man Now in the next place I shall shew you how Christ is a surety Christ considered as a surety Heb. 7.22 He is made saith the Apostle in the 7th of the Hebr. the 22. verse A Surety of a better testament A Surety quasi Sure-tye not an uncertaine tye but a sure-tye a tye that can never be broken Indeed the tye that was between God and man in his Innocency was a tye that was to be broken and untyed but this is a sure-tye when God deals with men in Christ he deales vvith them in a sure way and the word surety in the o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprepirquo Greek comes of a verb that signifies to draw neer for a surety is
the time of his departure from them then he had done before though he alwayes loved them and there were foure speciall expressions of Christs affection then shewed to them The first was his carriage his humble carriage yee know how he humbled himselfe to b John 13.12 wash his Disciples feet an expression and greater expression of humility we have not in the Scripture And this adds unto it if you consider the person that did it and the persons for whom it was done The person that did it was c Psalm 24.7.9 10. the King of glory The persons for whom it was done they were poore Fishermen this is a good example and is was done that it might be an example for great men and high Christians to condiscend to them of low degree The second expression was his heavenly counsell In the 13 14 15 and 16. Chapters he gives them many sweet d John 13.14.17.19 34. and Chap 14.1.11.27 28 15.89 10 12.17.20 16.33 exhortations many spirtuall admonitions many heavenly counsels and cordiall advices and directions The third expression of his affection to them was his soule-staying e John 14.2 3.13 14 16 17 18 20.21.23.26.28 15.7 26 16.7 23 24.26 promises mark how many and what suitable promises he makes to them he saith that he will goe to prepare a place for them and that hee will come again unto them and that whatsoever they should aske in his name hee would doe it Also that he would pray the Father for the spirit the Comforter that he might abide with them Further he promiset that they should know that they were in him and he in them and that hee would love them and manifest himselfe unto them and fetch them to himselfe and take them up into his glory These together with many other promises were very powerfull to stay the drooping spirits and the sinking hearts of his Disciples The fourth and last expression of Christs affection to them was his prayer and his prayer you have in this Chapter where you are to consider 1. To whom he prayed 2. For whom he prayed 3. When he prayed 4. For what he prayed 5. How he prayed I shall only touch these things because they are in the way to the Text. First to whom he prayed He prayed to his Father and to him only Then secondly For whom he prayed he prayed f Chap. 17. v. 1. First for himselfe Secondly for his Apostles Thirdly for those that should believe in him First for himselfe in the 5. verse of this Chapter then for the Apostles in the 9. verse then for those that should belive in the 20. verse that 's the second thing Then thirdly when did he pray this prayer It s observable that Christ though so near to his passive obedience and sufferings yet did not neglect his active obedience that in themidst of his care for himselfe he did not omit in slew his care of his Disciples Verse 1. it was a little before his agony came upon him a little before Judas came to apprehend him as you shall finde in the 3. first verses of the next Chapter when Jesus had spoken these words viz. his counsels promises and prayers hee went forth with him Disciples ever the brooke Kedron where was a garden into which hee intred c. whether Iudas with his base band of men came to apprehend him Then Fourthly you have the matter of his prayer here or what he prayed for He prayes for himself that he might be glorified He prayes for his people that they might g Verse 15. be kept from the evil i. e. the evill of sinne especially that they might be sanctified and h Verse 21.23 made one or made perfect in one and that they might be i Verse 24. with him to behold his glory these are the main things in his prayer The fifth and last thing confiderable is the manner how he did pray First he prayed very familiarly and confidently he cals God his Father k Verse 1.5 11 21 24 25. sixe times in this one prayer he calls him Father One while Oh Father another while rghteous Father another while holy Father all words of affection and confidence and expressing much of the spirit of Sonneship a good l See Isa 63.16 64.8 Mat. 6.9 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 example for Saints Then secondly as he prayed confidently so he prayed compendiously Christs prayer was not a very long prayer and I confesse this that I think it to be contrary to the Gospel to make very long prayers The Scribes and Pharisees are m Math. 23.14 It s true that Christ did not so much reproves them for their prayer as their hypocriticall end prex nor in praying noted if not reproved for it And Christ when hee teaches the n Mat. 6 7 8 9. c. Disciples to pray he gives them a short forme Solomon also o Eccl. 5.2 Thou canst not be too frequent and spiritual in prayer but thou maist be too lone and pump in thy own dry heart when the water of the spirit 〈…〉 saith let thy words be few I finde Jesus Christs prayers the Apostles prayers and the Prophets prayers all to be short I say not but there is a difference between time and time occasion and occasion Againe I say not this to give advantage to gracelesse men that pray not at all and condemn others neither doe I say it to take off men from praying or from being long in prayer when the Spirit abounds in them Sometimes people may pray longer then ordinary as particularly when people seeke God by fasting The third thing in his prayer was this that he did pray argumentatively he used arguments p John 17. v. 1.4 5 10 11.24 answerable to every petition that he prayed for not that he needed to use such arguments but doubtlesse to leave it upon record for all believers Thus having made way to my Text you are to consider it as an argument that Jesus Christ used when he prayed that he might be glorified and it may be joyned either to to the first or 5. vers I have glorified thee upon the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to doe and now O father glorifie thou me as if so be Christ should have said Father thou didst send me into the world to glorifie thee and to work Redemption I apprehend that Christ prais here for a double glory viz. the glory due to him as a Sonne which was his naturall and birth-right glory and the glory due to him for his service as Mediator v. 1. 5. compared together and purchase Salvation for as many as thou gavest me these things I have done and now I am upon leaving the world again and returning to thee therefore glorifie me as thy Son with that glory which I had with thee before the world was also glorifie me as a Mediator Righteous Father I
desire thee to consider that I doe not aske any thing that is unreasonable for seeing I have glorified thee upon Earth glorifie thou me in Heaven Seeing also I have finished the work thou gauest me to doe glorifie me thy Son with thy selfe The words contain in them three things First what Christs great businesse and worke upon earth was to wit to glorifie God his Father and to work the work of mens redemption salvation 2 Then secondly you have in the Text the accomplishment of this businesse and worke of his in these words I have finished the worke which thou gavest me to do Then thirdly the motives that moved Jesus Christ to do this worke and these are two 1. because it was his Fathers worke so much is included in the Text. 2. Because his Father gave him this worke to do this is expressed the work which thou gavest me to do There be but two things in the Text to be opened and explained and then I come to the Doctrine Q. The first is this How doth it appeare that this worke spoken of by Iesus Christ The two difficulties in the Text explained was the worke of mens Redemption and the worke of 〈◊〉 salvation A. By comparing it with other Scriptures and we have severall other Scriptures Hab. 1.5 with Acts 13.41 that speake of this worke of redemption and salvation as Hab. 1.5 I will worke a worke in your dayes which ye will not believe though it be told you If you compare this with Acts 13.41 you wil find it to be the work of Redemption and Salvation this is that worke or the worke the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maine and chiefe worke that Christ was to do and this worke he cals his Fathers work in Iohn 4 34. My meat and drinke is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Obj. But there are many works of Christ spoken of in the Gospell as his work of miracles his worke of preaching and the like A. It is true Math. 11.2 13.54 John 5.20 10.25.32.37 38. the working of miracles and of preaching were the workes of Christ distinct works but those were comprehended as afterwards I shall shew in that of glorifying God and carrying on mens Redemption Q The second thing here is How could Christ say he had finished the worke seeing he had not yet suffered surely the worke of mens Redemption the work of Salvation was not finished till Christ had suffered how then saith Christ here I have finished the worke A. 1. I shall cleer that by another Text which is in the 2d of Timothy the 4th and the 7th where Paul saith I have finished my course and yet you know Paul was not dead then he did live peradventure some years after that at least he did live some what longer and did some service afterwards though he saith He had finished his couse 2 The word that is in the Creek for it is but one and translated I have nished it signifies not only perfecting of a work but it signifies a going on with a work also it signifies to offer cōsecrate sacrifice yea it signifies a going through with a work though it be not finishe The q John 17.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same word that Christ useth here Paul used though it is not in the same tense doubtlesse the meaning of it is this that Jesus Christ he had undertaken proceeded very far in the worke of mans redemption and in the work of salvation he had also resolved fully that he would not lay aside that work till hee had perfectly compleated it and so you are to understand it as oft times men use to speak when they purchase a thing that they have bought it ended that bargain though they have not paid for it Now having openned the words take notice of this speciall and spirituall observation from them To glorifie God and to work the work of mens redemption and salvation Dact. was the businesse of Iesus Christ upon earth and this businesse he hath finished Beloved I know not any subject in all the word of God that is so necessary to be spoken of as this subject is the glory of God the worke of Redemption and the worke of Salvation every man is concerned therein and it behoves every man to know this truth not only Magistrates but also other people yea every man that hath a soule hee ought to be acquainted with this truth and doctrine To proceed herein I shall first prove this Doctrine to you by the Scriptures Secondly cleare it and explain it Thirdly give you some reasons to confirme it and teach you what uses you are to make of it For the proofe of this Doctrine that the work of Jesus Christ upon earth was to glorifie his Father and work the work of mans redemption and salvation and this he hath finished There are two things to be proved First That to glorifie God was his work for this take one Text in the 7. of Iohn vers 18. Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his own glory John 7.18 but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true no unrighteous ness is in him Here Jesus Christ tells you that he did seeke the glory of him that sent him which was God the Father Then to prove that hee hath wrought mans Redemption you have a Text in the first of Luke verse 69.70 Luke 1.69.70 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Mark he saith he hath redeemed them though they were not as yet actually redeemed and hath raised up for us a horne of salvation out of the house of his servant David He speaks here of Jesus Christ that was the strength of salvation or one that was to work it by power and might and therefore called here the horn of salvation Then to prove that Jesus Christ came to save or to worke mens salvation that you have in the 18. of Matthew the 11. Matt. 18.11 I came saith he to seek end to save that which was lost and Secondly That the worke is finished the text it selfe is sufficient for it You have also other texts where he saith that it is finished As in the 19. of Iohn he saith these words It is finished John 19.30 What is finished Why all the Prophecies concerning me are now finished the worke of mans redemption is now finished When he was upon the Cross Christ asserts this truth that all was finished Now having proved the Doctrine I shall in the next place come to cleere it and for the cleering of it resolve these three questions First what it is to glorifie God Secondly How did Jesus Christ glorifie God Thirdly How did Christ finish the work of mens redemption and the work of mens salvation these are the three things to be opened Q. First
pleasures all the delusions all the things in the world and all the meu in the world could not hinder mens redemption and salvation but Jesus Christ overcome them all be therefore of good cheare for here is ground of comfort to sinners and Saints Then the sixt and last enemy that Jesus Christ hath overcome was death and hell Job 18.14 death you know is called the King of terrors and there had need some great King come to overcome this King therefore Jesus Christ comes and undertakes and effects this worke therefore Paul could say when he speaks of the resurrection of Christ Oh death where is thy sting oh hell or grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.15 death come out and let me see what thou canst say against me or believers hath not my Lord Christ conquered and taken a way both the power and sting Satan hath the power of death and in is the sting of death but Christ hath overcome qoth Heb. 2.14 1 Cor. 15.56 death and hell they may fear believers with their ghastly looks but death is but a bed to belieuers it is but as a darke door out of the roome of grace into the roome of glory out of the spiritual presence of Christ into the glorious presence of Christ Thus I have opened the second way how Jesus Christ finied the work of mens redemption salvation one way was by putting himselfe into their room place And then secondly by removing and conquering was in the way to hinder mens redemption and mens salvation And then thirdly and lastly Thirdly by purchasing both the persons and portions of men or the men and their glory Believers and their inheritance were purchased with an honourable and precious price Now Christ did not onely remember this remove sinne make satisfaction unto Justice fulfill the Law overcome Satan overthrow the world and conquer death and hell but hee did also purchase mens persons and mens porcions First he did purchase mens persons as the Apostle saith in the first of the Cor. the 6. and the last Ye are bought with a price l 1 Cor. 6.20 or with an honourable price as the word signifies to wit m 1 Pet. 1.19 with the precious bloud of Christ The Lord Jesus hath bought the very haires of your heads you that are believers or will believe I say unto you there is not a haire of your head falls to the ground but Christ hath bought it Marke that expression of the Apostle who loved meaning Christ the Church and (n) Eph. 5. gave himselfe for it this doubtlesse was typed out in (o) Gen. 29.20.27 28. Iacob who bought his wife Rachell with 14. yeares hard service And (p) 2 Sam. 3 â—4 David who bought his wife with a hundred of foureskins of the Philistines These three doubtless were types as also others that bought their wives under the Law of Jesus Christ in this particular Then secondly he hath bought also the inheritance and portion which the Saints are to have for ever in the first of the Ephes the 14. ver the Apostle (q) Eph. 1.14 saith that the spirit sealed them unto the day of redemption vntill the purchased possession that is untill they come to obtaine what Christ hath purchased for them Obj. Heaven is a gift and a purchase But is not Heaven a gift how then doe you say it is purchased Ans The truth is Heaven is a gift but yet gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23 Obj But if Christ purchased Heaven before why doth he say he goes to prepare a place for them nay what need he intercede for them Ans This is as a man that goes into a Goldsmiths shop and buyeth Jewels there for his wife and goes home to his wife and saith wife I have bought such and such Jewels for thee wilt thou goe and call for them I saith she if you will goe along with me he goes with her and saith deliver these Jewells to my wife he purchaseth them not the last time for he bought them before So this is the difference betweene Christs death and intercession by his death he purchased Heaven and by his intercession he desires they may partake of Heaven Christ did not goe to Heaven to indent there with his Father for it but he went thither as a Bridegroome useth to doe to make all ready against he brings his spouse home And mark when Christ intercedes in Heaveen he doth it by his will for as he once said on earth so he still sayes in Heaven (r) John 17.24 I will that they may be where I am that they may behold my glory Now having opened the Doctrine I 'le give you but 2. reasons beside Christ's testimony here to prove that hee hath glorified his Father and wrought the worke of mens Redemption and salvation The first reason is this Reason 1. because else Christ should never have entred into glory note that The Apostle puts much up in this (s) 1 Pet. 1.21 that God raised him up from the Dead and gave him glory When Jesus Christ had once come downe from heauen and had undertaken this work doubtlesse there was no readmissions into heauen till he had finished it If you should see a Judge take a malefactor that had been arraigned before him at the barre and lead him by the hand and exalt him to sit upon his own right hand would you not conclude and say surely this man is not onely acquitted from all that was laid to his charge but hee is in great favour also with the Judge Now God the Father he judged condemned his Sonne for if I may so say man had not so great a hand in the crucifying of Christ as God had mark it is said (t) Acts 4.28 that he was put to death by the determinate counsel of God Now after his death God leads him out of his grave into his glory this was a sign that there was nothing could be further laid to the charge of Christ nor to the charge of such that Christ did then undertake for This is the argument of the Apostle who shall lay any thing (u) Rom. 8.34 saith he to the charge of Gods electe it is Christ that dyed yea rather who is risen who also sitteth at the right hand of God and he puts a RATHER upon it YEA RATHER who is risen and fits upon the right hand of God The second reason is this Reason 2. because that the Gospel is now published unto men wee should never have had the Gospel had not Jesus Christ finished the work You know till Christ was taken up into glory there were two great things that were kept backe in heaven from men First there was the spirit of God And secondly the counsell of God Both these are wrap'd up in the Gospel These two I say were kept backe from men till Christ had ascended into heaven but as
for me he would answer It is for you that are Prisoners without acception if you accept of it A Pardon is now sent unto you that are finfull men and women who are Prisoners under the power of Satan and sinne I say to you all the Lord Jesus hath sent forth his pardon which runs thus I the Lord Iesus the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners out of my free grace and mercy rich love and pity am willing to pardon and forgive the sinnes and transgressions of you all and this I will doe really if you will come in and lay hold of this pardon and of my righteousnesse Will a sinner now say doth Jesus Christ meane me seeing he saith whosoever comes unto me I will in no wise cast him out and whosoever believes on me he shall be pardoned and saved This word whosoever comprehends all and excludes none therefore object not against your selves neither refuse your owne salvation Obj. Oh! but though Christ invites all and makes promises to all that doe come yet he intends not that all should be made partakers thereof Ans My beloved thinke you that Christs intentions and his expression are not one as reall as another I tell you and you may believe that he intends to pardon all and to save all as he expresseth it He saith not the words only but his heart is so also But marke it well and mistake me not I doe not meane that he saith absoluely I 'le pardon all and save all and no more oh no but he speaks conditionally I 'le pardon you all and save you all if you believe on me and accept of my pardon Obj. But alas he were as good never tender me a pardon nor make me a promise upon those tearmes for of my selfe I cannot believe nor receive his pardon and grace Ans It s true of your selves you cannot believe nor receive his pardon and grace though tendred to you yet as I said before cry upon him to give you eyes to see him and his grace and feete to come to him and hands to take hold upon his merits and righteousnesse He promiseth largely and freely peradventure now while the word is speaking God will be working these things in you Obj. But he doth not give this grace to nor worke this grace in all but to few therefore doe I feare least I should not be one of them Ans Though he doth not give grace to all for he hath not tyed himself so to doe neither is the cause in God why men want grace for he gave sufficiently at first yet you are bound to seek and the promise is made to Seekers nay I may speake more the Lord is found of some that seeke him not Prov. 18.4 Jer. 29.13 Rom. 10.20 Ezek. 34.6.11.12.16 Obj. But peradventure another here may further object and say I have long sought and I am even weary of seeking yea I am ready to conclude that if I had belong'd to God I should have found grace in his sight ere now Ans Oh deare soules conclude nothing neither against your selves nor against the Lord for he hath sought you longer then you sought him And you have not yet been thirtie-eight years waiting at the waters Christs Ordinances as that weak and impotent man Oh soule peradventure the Lord is now asking thee as he did this man John 5. â—5 Wilt thou be made whole If he be so make him answer and say Lord I am weake but yet waiting oh help me and heale me Lord. Thus much for the first use Seeing Christ hath glorified his Father Use 2. and finished the worke of mens Redemption and Salvation this then directs and teaches men what they should not doe and also what they should doe First what they should not doe In the first place First they should not goe about to worke their owne Redemption and Salvation againe for if Christ hath wrought it already then it s in vaine yea its ignorance and folly to think of doing any thing towards your owne Instification and salvation Object Sure there be none that thinke to doe any thing for and towards their justification and salvation unlesse they be Papists Answ Oh yes there be many besides Papists thot doe so for doe but aske many Protestants how they thinke to be justified and saved they will tell you by their good works and well-doing If we doe well say they we shall have well and if we doe ill we shall have accordingly Yea this is apparent in men both living and dying In their life time they will say if we can but keep the Commandements viz. to love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves then we hope it will goe well with us Then at their death they thinke that to build an Hospitall or to doe some such charitable worke will save their soules Marke this it is easier to doe good works then to undoe our selves from them and to have no confidence in them Phil. 3.3 and to be able to say as the Apostle said in him i.e. Christ I desire to be found not having my owne righteousness v. 9. Secondly Secondly on the other hand men should not rest and sit still and content themselves with this bare notion that Christ came to redeeme to and save sinners and that if he died for them then they shall be saved Oh! what are you the better that he dyed for sinners unlesse you know the death of Christ in the worth and efficacy of it and unless you have it apply'd it to your selves in particular and be able upon good grounds to say as Paul said Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.13 Gal. 2.20 and Christ loved me and gave satisfaction for me this particular faith you stand in need of Object I do beleeve that he dyed for me in particular Ans But upon what ground do you beleeve it what promise have you to build your faith upon there is a kind of * Luk. 8.12 Act. 8.13 Hystoricall beleeving or assenting unto this truth that Christ died for sinners which is not a lively but a dead faith which may rather be called a fancy then a faith this is but a conceit that arises in your hearts like the dreame of a sleeping man alas alas be not deceived for if every one did beleeve that doth say he doth beleeve the numbers of beleevers would be far greater Object I am sure my faith is as good as most mens faith Ans I tell you most mens faith is not worth a farthing for it is but Copper faith and carnall faith a faith that they had they know not how nor they know not when such a faith as they wil pawne for a penny 2 Pet. 1.1 Act. 15.9 Eph. There is a great deale of difference betweene your faith and the faith of the godly for your faith I meane you that are as the most are carnall is not
Thirdly Distinguish between Christs work of Redemption that he hath done without men in his own person by obedience the other wch he works in men by his spirit Observe that men are not to look for any thing in themselves either before beleeving or after as causing justification For Iustification is Gods reckoning those that were sinners to be no sinners or those that were Debtors no Debtors and this through Christ upon his account But sanctification is a putting forth of aholy and heavenly power to the changing of mens carnall principles and making them spirituall and to the purging of mens filthynesse and making them cleane So that the Apostle ascribes Iustification to the name righteousnesse of Christ and sanctification to the spirit or Christ. 1 Co. 11. 1 Cor. 6.11 Fourthly Fourthly When you come to Christ to look for justification or to be justified then you must come as sinners and not as Saints As the Apostle saith If while we seck to be justified by Christ we our selves also are feund sinners that is in the capacity of sinners Gal. 2.17 For indeed it is improper for a man that is a Saint to come to look for Justification for he is justified before unlesse he comes to have his Justification cleared and renewed in his own Conscience As a man that hath a pardon for his life may if his pardon be blurd or broken get it renewed yet the renewing of it is not the first grant so Saints may get their pardons renewed and transcribed in their Consciences but yet when they ask pardon of God they must consider that the former pardon granted up on Christs resurrection and likevvise upon the first Act of beleeving is recorded in Heaven Therefore Saints if you loose your Evidences and vvritings for Heaven committed to you yet know they are enrolled in the Court of glory Fifthly And lastly you should get an experience of vvhat Christ hath done in his ovvne person in your persons I meane that you should not only have a sight Rom. 5.11.4.5 by faith of the vertue of Christs death to justification but that you likevvise get a feeling of that vvarme bloud of his to comfort and chear up your soules Get experience placed as the Apostle places it betvveen Faith and Hope or betvveen Iustification and Salvation So much for the second use The third and last VSE is of Exhortation unto all but especially unto you that are called to do the vvork of the Lord that you would be follovvers of Iesus Christ Here Christ could say He had finished the work which was given him to do But many of you may say that you have not yet begun the vvork though you are ready to go to your graves I vvould exhort you to imitate Christ for you cannot have a better Example But before I come to the particular Exhortation Consider 3. things First Fâ—â— That every man hath a work or his work to do upon earth God leaves no man Idle but he turnes all into the Vineyard and gives every man his work Mar. 13.34 So saith our Saviour in the 13. of Mark and the 34. And he gave to every man his work Now I beseech you consider that the Lord hath given you som work to do you that are Magistrates the Lord hath given you some work to do The Lord help you to know what that work is he hath highly honored you to cal you to his work he might have left you as you were unworthy to have taken his work in hand there is none of you worthy to doe the worke of Jesus Christ yet he hath so farre exprest his willingnesse to exalt you to see whether you will exalt him Joh. 1â— 49 You know Jesus Christ he did very often look upon this work in the 12. of John and the 49. verse I have not spoken of myselfe but the Father which sent me he gave me Commandement what I should say and what I should speak So the Father hath given you a Commandement what you should doe know that there is a work given unto you that is the first thing Secondly Then the Second thing is this that you have but a time to doe this work in There is a time saith Solomon in the 3 of Eccles the first for every thing under the Sun Eol 3.1 the Lord hath peradventure given you a long time to do the work and you have not don is well when the Lords Glasse is run you must be taken away and the work out of your hands Remember you that are in Authority what befel sometimes your Predecessers that were good men when they had done their work they were taken away you know not but that the Lord hath called you this yeare to do his work and peradventure after this yeare is out your time is out and your Glasse run therefore think of that also that every man hath his time as well as his work Then thirdly every man must give an account of his work and Stewardship Thirdly Know this that from the greatest to the smalest from the highest to the lowest you must come and appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 and Christ will say to one You that I have made chiefe Magistrate of London what have you don in that yeare of your Office and say to others Act. 26.25.27 you Sheriffs you Recorder what have you done yea this must be spoken particularly to men is Paul spake to Festus and Agrippa I speak with humility to you and submission to the will of the Lord you will one day be called by your names such a man in such a place in such an Office that ruled in such a yeare what hast thou done Thou must render an account to me what thou hast done how thou hast improved thy talent what good thou hast done in thy place what glory thou hast brought to my name what comfort thou hast wrought in my peoples hearts what terrors thou hast wrought in the hearts of my adversaries In the 20. of the Revel and the 12. Revel 20.12 There when they are called to account of what they have done you have both small and great standing before God Mat. 12.36 many * As Rom. 14.12 such Scriptures besides now considering this that first you have a work to do Hebr. 13.17 1 Pet. 4 5. c. and secondly you have but a time to do that work and Thirdly that you must give an account of this work I come to the exhortation and I beseech you Brethren beare the word of exhortation The exhortation is this to be followers of Iesus Christ particularly in glorifying God for that end I shall but hold forth how Iesus Christ did his work and paralel your work with his work and shew you how you are to do it and so conclude The first is this that Iesus Christ made it his maine designe and busines to glorifie his
Father First It was not a by-businesse to Christ to glorifie the Father but his maine businesse eating and drinking and other businesses were but by-businesses to him but the maine businesse was to glorifie his Father as you may see in the 4. of Iohn the 34. saith he I have meat to eat Ioh. 4.34 that you know not of and this is my meat to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Here he made Gods work his designe and his maine businesse You are to imitate Jesus Christ in this you are to make it your designe to glorifie God and to do the work which God hath called you to Hath the Lord called you into great plares it must not be your designe to make your selves honourable and to gaine wealth reputation and the like to your selves and that the people may look upon you with esteeme This is not your businesse your businesse is to honour God and to advance his people to rebuke and pull down sin Rom. 13 3.4 and to be a terrour to wicked workers Therefore glorifie God as Christ did and make it your designe to glorifie him for Christ made it Io. The second is Secondly Luk. 2 42. Iesus Christ as he made it his designe so he began in time about his work It is said in the second of Luke when he was but twelve years of age that he was disputing amongst the Doctors Some of you may be 12. and forty and yet have not begun nor gone about the work of the Lord. You have lost much time already now begin peradverture now yea this day God looks you should begin when will you begin Some were called into the Vineyard at the 6th houre and some at the 9th and some at the 11th But it was expected when they had a call to the Vineyeard that they should then work Now you have had a call in the name of God begin the work Math. 22.3 delay it not before the time you appoint to go about the Lords work you may be taken away David for his sin though he had an Intent to build a house to the Lord yet he was taken away before it was built And Moses was likewise taken away before he came into Canaan Be therefore careful to do the work of the Lord though while God grants you an opportunity 1 King 8.19 some may do part of the work remaining in the Wildernesse yet some others may partake of that work in Canaan Then thirdly Jesus Christ did not onely glorifie God himselfe Thirdly but he was a means to make others to glorifie God Christ did not in his owne person only honour his Father but he was a mean's that others might glorify him also For their Master Christ chose such Disciples the poore meane Fisher men that would glorify him in doing his work They were not drunken covetous servants such as did minde money and means more then their preaching You great men that keep servants here is a good example for you Also there is a pertinent instance in Neâ—emish the fifth Chapter and the 10. and 15. verses where saith he I likewise and my brethren Neh. 5.10.15 and my servants might exact of them money and corne I pray you let us leave off this Usu y. So in the 15. verse you finde his servants here not as the former Governors servants that to e rule ever the people but why so Marke in the next words because of the feare of God Get servants like his that feare God and by that meanes you will cleare your selves from that odium cast upon many Gentlemen that if the Master will not take bribes yet the servant will The Proverb is commonly too true like master like man The fourth thing that Jesus Christ did observe in doing his worke was this that he did neglect to opportunity of doing it but did alwayes take hold upon every opportunity When any people came together presently he fell to teach them you should never have him idle Math. 5.1 Mat. 4.23 34 25. Mat. 9.35 36. Mat. 13 2 3. Luke 8.4 5.1 12.1 Act. 10.38 But as it is said in the 10. of the Acts he went about alwayes doing good You should be like Christ in this also observing every opportunity It may be you loosing and neglecting an opportunity may loose your hearts to do the worke If a man be a Parliament-man he should not loose one day of being there to see what may be done for Gods glory And if a man be a Magistrate of the City he should observe all opportunities of glorifying God as Christ did In the 7. John 7.6 of Iohn saith he your time is already but my time is not come He did observe what was the best time and season to doe every thing in this is the fourth Then fifthly Iesus Christ did doe his worke in his Fathers strength and in his fathers name (a) Joh. 5.19.43 John 6.47 Joh. 18.42.28 Joh. 12 49.50 Psal 22.1.10 he did not goe out in his owne strength to doe the worke but alwayes in his fathers strength As Psal 22.1.10 which evidently is a Prophecy of Christ speaking thus Thou hast caused me to trust in thee from my mothers wombe And so when you goe about your work labour to goe about it in the strength of the Lord Be (b) Eph. 6.10 strong as the Apostle exhorts you in the Lord and in the power of his might When you goe forth to judge people doe you goe before by prayer and say Lord I am going to doe such a worke thou callest me to doe shall I have thy spirit and thy slrength thy power and thy might to judge the people which thou askest me to judge Consider it you have a heavenly Law and Charter as well as an earthly to judge by and a supernaturall power as well as a naturall you want And then the sixt is this Iesus Christ he did deny himselfe in the worke that he did doe (c) John 8.5 7.18 I seek not saith he my owne glory but the glory of him that sent me you are to deny your own glory yea note that to deny your owne glory is glory as to seek your owne glory is not glory that is a blessed word he (d) 1 Cor. 1.31 that glories let him glory in the Lord It is better a man should not doe a good worke for himselfe I mean then that he should doe a good worke and take the glory of it to himselfe The Angels wee finde in (e) Isa 6.2 Ezek. 1.11 Isaiah and Ezekiel they did cover their faces their feet and their body why their faces because they would not see their owne beauty and excellency which is seene in the face their feet because they would not see their owne Actions That That is a precious saying in the 15. of the first of the Corinths the 10. where the Apostle saith by the grace of God I