of the mouth of Jesus Christ his word it hath a double yea a contrary operation being both a killing and a qâ—ickning word Both these doth the Lord in a literal sense The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2. 6. And both these doth the Lord Jesus in a Spiritual sense and that by his word So the Apostle setteth forth the two-fold property of it 2 Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The letter The letter of the Law which is litera occidens a killing letter in as much as it requireth part from man which in his now corrupted estate he is no wayes able to perform and so is a sword at his heart giving him a deadly wound Whence it is that is called in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministerie or Ministration of death vers 7. and in the 9 th verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of condemnation Because it layeth men under the sentence of eternal condemnation Such is the Ministery of the Law But now the Spirit and the Ministery thereof in the preaching of the Gospel that giveth life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it quickneth maketh alive First putting a new life into a dead soul raising it up from the death of sin to the life of holinesse to the life of grace here and glory hereafter Whence it is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of life Phil. 2. 16. And then reviving and chearing it with the sweet promises thereof Thy word hath quickned me saith David Psal. 119. 50. Thus hath the Word like a two edged sword a double and contrary operation upon the soul. And so it hath to prosecute this point yet a a little further both upon different subjects and upon the same First In different subjects or persons it hath a different opperation So it hath upon beleevers and unbeleevers Elect ones and Reprobates Working upon both but in different yea contrary waies This the same Apostle setteth forth most clearly in the chapter there foregoing 2 Cor. 2. 15 16 For we saith he speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Their service in preaching of the word is acceptable unto God through Christ though it do not produce the same effect in those that hear them but have a contrary work according as it needeth with different subjects So it followeth To the one we are a savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life Such contrary smels and savours there are in nature as Grotius notes upon it some poysonous and deadly as of those Lakes Avernus and Asphalties others again so recreating and refreshing that being put to the nose they will revive the spirits of a fainting person And of such a contrary operation is the sword in the preaching of it Meeting with persons of different dispositions it is to the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one a sweet savour a savour of life So is it to Gods Elect to whom believing it it is made the power of God to their salvation as the same Apostle elsewhere saith of it Rom. 1. 16. A savour of life unto life quickening them up as I said before to the life of grace here and glory hereafter But on the other hand to unbelivers it becometh a savour of death unto death A deadly savour Not that the Gospel is so of it self being in its own nature as I said even now the word of life but accidentally it becometh so to them through their rejecting of it Now it is to them not onely an occasion but a cause of their just and greater condemnation Even as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince which he maketh to his rebellious subjects wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon but of grace and favour to those that will lay down their armes and forthwith come in shewing themselves loyal and obedient but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out This Proclamation with the same breath breatheth both life and death Life to those which will hearken to it which is the proper end and intent of proclaiming it but death to those that oppose themselves against it Even so it is with the Evangelicall Proclamation the Doctrine of the Gospel it preacheth life and death after the same manner Life to penitent believers who readily accept the offers of grace and mercy there tendered Death to obstinate and rebellious sinners who reject them Thus is Iesus Christ who is the proper subject of the Gospel according to Simeons Prophesie at his Birth Luk. 2. 34. Behold saith he this childe is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Even as the same Star as our new Annotators glosseth upon it is at the same time both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both morning Star and evening Star To some the morning Star bringing the light and day to them To others the evening Star bringing darknesse and night Thus is the Lord Iesus that Star of Jacob being held forth in the Gospell to some those that believe on him he is what he calls himsel Rev. 22. 16. The bright morning Star bringing to them the light and day of Grace here and Glorie hereafter But to others such as reject him will not receive him as their Saviour and Lord as the evening Star bringing to them a night of everlasting darknesse Such is the different and contrary operation of the word upon different persons 2. And in the second place such is the operation of it in and upon the same Persons A different nay a contrary operation So it hath in and upon Gods Elect upon all true believers of whom it may be said not onely that they were dead and are alive This my sonne was dead and is alive again saith the Father of his Prodigall sonne being returned home Luke 15. 24. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins saith Paul of his believing Ephesians Eph. 2. 1. But also that they are dead and alive both at the same time So that the Apostle tels his Romanes Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God And both these they are the effects of the word Which first killeth them which it may be said to do two wayes First by showing them their naturall state which is a state of death Such effect it had in and upon the Apostle as he sets it forth Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the â—ommandment came sin revived I died Whil'st he was a Pharisee he thought well and highly of himself that he was in a happy condition he apprehended himself to be in perfect health as
which the same Apostle elsewhere explaining himself holdeth forth 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. Thus do fixed stars move all following the motion of the primum mobile the first mover And thus should the Ministers of Christ follow him making him their Example I have given you an example saith our Saviour to his Apostles that ye should do as I have done unto you John 13. 15. And so far as they follow him let their Example be followed by those committed to their charge And thus have I done with the former of these particulars here held forth in the Text which informs us that Gospel Ministers are Stars Come we now to the second Obser. 2. Gospel Ministers are in the right hand of Iesus Christ. So were these seven Stars the Angels of the seven Churches they were in the right hand of this son of Man in the hand of Iesus Christ. And so are all other Ministers of the Gospel Where let our enquiry again be concerning the Mystery what was hereby signified To which take the Resolution in three or four particulars First Hereby we may conceive to be intimated that Interest and Propertie which the Lord Iesus hath in the Ministers of the Gospell They are his Ministers Though Ministers to the Church yet not properly of the Church But the Ministers of Christ. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 1. And so they may be called upon a threefold Account In as much as they have their Office Mission Commission all from him from his hand First Their Office is from him their Ministeriall function Which was given by Christ unto his Church When he ascended upon high saith the Apostle speaking of Christ Ephe. 11. 8. he led Captivitie Captive and he gave gifts unto men Even as Kings somtimes upon the day of their Coronation and solemn installment use to scatter their donaria giving gifts unto their Subjects Even thus the Lord Iesus upon this day of his Coronation entring upon his Kingdom he gave gifts unto his Church But what Gifts why among other a Gospell Ministerie So the 11. verse there informs us He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers All Ministers offices the three former Extraordinarie and temporarie to continue but for a time during the Infancie of the Church the two latter if they be two Ordinarie and perpetuall to continue to the end of the world Thus did the Church receive the Ministeriall function as a Gift from the hand of Jesus Christ. And that from his Right hand There were these Stars in the Right hand of this Son of man Now Right hand blessings are the twice blessings The wise man speaking of the Gifts and blessings which Wisdome as a Queene bestoweth upon her servants and followers saith Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Prov. 3. 16. Length of days a long life being of more value then riches or honour is placed in wisdomes right hand And such is this gift which Christ hath given to his Church the Gospell Ministery a right hand gift a choice blessing And so it may well be looked upon if we doe but consider the end wherefore it was given and for which it serveth which the Apostle also there sets down in the following verse Eph. 4. 12. He gave some Apostles c. But wherefore For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministerie for the edifying of the Bodie of Christ This is the proper worke of the Ministerie even the compleating and perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Bodie the Mysticall bodie of Christ building up of the Church in Knowledg faith and Holyness untill it be made a compleat and perfect Bodie perfect both with perfection of Parts and Degrees as it there followeth verse 13. Till we all come in the vnitie of the faith of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. Now considering this worke and the high import of it well may this be looked upon as no common no ordinarie Gift that Christ should give unto his Church those who may be instrumentall in this service The Gospell Ministerie is a right-hand-blessing To pass on 2. In the second place Gospell Ministers as they have their function from Christ so also their Mission As their Office is instituted and appointed by him so their Persons are designed and sent by him for the executing of this Office So were his Apostles As my father hath sent me even so send I you saith he to them Ioh. 20. 21. Thence was it that they were called Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers persons sent by Christ as Extraordinarie Embassadours Such were the twelue And such was Paul Am I not an Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 1. Being sent by Christ. Christ sent me saith he not to Baptize but to preach the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. 17. Understand it Compartively not so much to intend the one as the other cheifly to apply himselfe to that which he looked at as the principall part of the Ministerial service to preach the Gospel And thus are other Ordinarie Ministers sent Though not in such an immediate way as they were yet sent by Christ as by his Ordinance so by his speciall Providence He is that Lord of the harvest which sendeth forth Labourers into his Harvest Ministers into his Church Mat. 9. last These are of Christs sending have their Mission from him Thirdly And as their Mission so their Commission Hence tearmed his Ambassadours Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ saith the Apostle speaking of himselfe and other Gospell Ministers 2 Cor. 5. 20. And elswhere he calleth himselfe an Ambassadour in bonds Eph. 6. 20. Ambassadours are speciall Messengers sent with Commission from their Masters to act in their names And such Messengers are the Ministers of Jesus Christ they are sent by him with a Commission with Authoritie from him to act in his name As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God so it there followeth 2 Cor. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi nomine in the name of Christ as being deputed and authorized by him So are all true Gospell Ministers being sent by Christ they are also impowred by him having the Keys put into their hands Even as Eliakim who was made High-Steward of the Royall family is said to have the Key of the house of David laid upon his shoulder Isaiah 22. 22. Importing that power and authoritie which should be given to him for the executing of his Office Even so the Ministers of Christ are said to have the Keyes put into their hands I give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven saith our Saviour to Peter Matth. 16. 19. that is a Ministerial power and authoritie And this he gave not
onely to him as Romanists would have it but to other his Apostles and Disciples and in them to their Successours even to all the Ministers of the Gospel as I touched before Into whose hands he hath put a double Key The Key of Doctrine and discipline of Doctrine giving them not onely leave or allowance but power to preach the Gospel Go teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. And that in measure as himself is said to have done Matthew 7. last with Authoritie These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all Authoritie saith Paul to Titus Tit. 2. last And as the Key of Doctrine which is elsewhere called the Key of Knowledge Luke 11. 52. because it openeth the door and letteth men into the saving knowledge of God in Christ so of Discipline and Government Jesus Christ having given a Ministerial power to them partly by the Application of that Doctrine to the consciences of men and partly by the censures of the Church as it were to open and shut the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdome of Grace and Glorie to open it to penitent believers to shut it against obstinate sinners Whatsover ye bind on earth c. Whose sins ye remit c. Thus have Gospel Ministers their Office from Christ their persons also being sent by him with Authoritie from him And upon this account are these stars here placed in the hand of this Son of Man to intimate the interest and propertie that Iesus Christ hath in the Ministers of the Churches who are his Ministers Here is a first thing hereby signified Pass we to a second Secondly As they are Ministers his Officers so they are ordered and governed by him And upon this account again they may be said to be in his hand in as much as they are disposed of and directed by him As are Ambassadours by their Masters that send them together with their Commission they receive particular directions and instructions both whither they are to go and what they are to say and do Even so it is with the Ministers of Christ being sent by him they are also directed by him As whither to go so were the Apostles whose Commission was first restrained to one particular Nation viz. to the Jewes Go not into the way of the Gentiles Matth. 10. 15. afterwards inlarged Goe teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. And so was S. Paul sent to the Gentiles by Christ who appeared to him Acts 26. 18. And so are ordinarie Ministers though not in so immediate a way yet still they are directed by Christ viz. by his special Providence whither to goe where they are to be imployed It is this hand that fixeth these Stars in their several Orbes that placeth Ministers in their particular charges where also he continues them during his good pleasure disposing of them both for life and libertie as he seeth fitting So also what it is that they are to speak in his Name To which end he as it were putteth his word into their mouths So the Lord is said to have done into that fals Prophet Balams Numb 23. 16. The Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth And so he did in the mouths of his true Prophets Behold I have put my word into thy mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 1. 9. And the like doth the Lord Jesus into the mouthes of his Ministers he putteth his word into their mouthes sending them to preach he ordereth them what they are to preach Goe preach the Gospel Thus he giveth them directions and instructions from his Word the Scriptures whereby the Man of God cometh to be perfect as the Apostle telleth Timothie 2 Tim. 3. last And with his word he giveth them his Spirit This is that which our Saviour maketh promise to his Apostles and Disciples John 14. 16. 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth which Spirit he afterwards tells them should guide them into all Truth chap. 16. 13. And this Spirit Christ giveth in measure to all their Successours the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel whereby their Heads and Hearts come to be enlightned with those saving and usefull truths which they are to hold forth uuto others God hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle in that place forenamed Thus are they in their ministerial work and service disposed of ordered governed by Christ. And upon this account again may be said to be in his hand Thirdly They are in his hand his right hand being powerfully supported and upheld defended and maintained by him In this sense all the Saints of God are said to be in his hand All his Saints are in thy hand saith Moses Deut. 23. 3. Gods Saints in the hand of Jesus Christ under his custody and protection But so are his Ministers after a special manner They are in his right hand under his powerful and gracious protection and support So the Psalmist often useth this phrase Thy right hand upholdeth me Psal. 18. 35. v. 63. 8. O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust iâ— thee Psal. 17 7. The right hand is a member strong and active whereby a man sheweth and putteth forth the whole strength of his body And thence is it that Gods power manifested in the protection or deliverance of his people is called the strength of his right hand The Lord saveth his anointed with the saving strength of his right hand saith the Church speaking of David her king Psal. 20. 6. And such is the salvation which the Lord Christ sheweth unto his servants his faithful Ministers First maintaining their office which he will do in despite of all opposition to the end of the world I am with you alwaies to the end of the world And then so far as he seeth it expedient defending their persons continuing their lives and liberties Thus was this Son of man with those stars the Ministers of the Asian Churches He held them in his right hand protectiug them keeping them either from or in the hour of Temptation That is the promise which he maketh to the Philadelphian Angel Revel 3. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world Such was the state of the Church then under the reign of that cruel Tyrant the Emperour Domitian it lay under a general persecution yet the Lord Iesus promiseth to the Church and in particular to the Ministers thereof an exemption and immunitie And thus doth Iesus Christ hide his Ministers sometimes as it were in the hollow or shadow of his hand Thus was he himself hid by his Father as the Prophet Esay saith of him Isai. 49. 21. In or with the shadow of his hand hath he hid me So protecting him against all the might and malice of his capital enemies that they could not lay hold upon him or do ought
earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked which Calvin and divers others understand of the Word of Christ. Virga or is tantundem valet ac sceptrum verbale The rod of his mouth is the scepter of his word the breath of his life which a word is Herewith doth Jesus Christ not onely smite hut also slay his enemies doing Spiritual executions upon them In this way and by this means it is foretold that Christ shall destroy that Arch enemy of his the great Antichrist 2 Thes. 2. 8. And then shall that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse one a terme fitly agreeing to that Antichrist of Rome who by himself and his party is voted to be solutus omni lege humana not subject to any humane law daring also to dispence with the divine Law be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth that is by his word the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel thereby giving him a deadly and incurable wound Such use doth Jesus make of his word he useth it as his sword to destroy his enemies with With this sword it is that he goeth forth against those grand enemies of his Kingdome Sin and Satan as also against all other his adversaries This is the Bow wherewith he that sate upon the white horse went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 2. even the powerful preaching of the Gospel which is elsewhere called his Arrows Psal. 45. 5. as both those places are by many expounded And this is the axe and sword wherewith he heweth and slayeth obstinate sinners as the Prophet Hosea hath it Hos. 6. 5. Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the word of my mouth Hewed them by sharpe reprehensions which are as the stroakes of the Axe to a crookd or knotty peece of timber And slain them by terrible denountiations of judgement and vengeance threatning them with death Temporal and Eternal Thus doth Jesus Christ slay his enemies first by the sword of his mouth before he do it by the sword of his hand first threatning and denouncing judgement before he execute it Thus is the word a sword And secondly a sharpe sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such are those Arrowes before spoken of by the Psalmist Thine arrows are sharpe in the heart of the Kings enemies His word penetrating and percing into the souls and consciences of men And such is this sword a sharpe sword So the ProPhet Esay describeth it Isai. 49. 2. where speaking in the person of Christ and of his being sent by his Father he saith He hath made my mouth like a sharpe sword i. e. By the powerful operation of his Spirit he hath made my word effectual And such is the efficacy of the word when it is thus accompanied now it is like a sharpe sword That is the Apostles comparison Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then a two edged sword And wherein so The next words explain it Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow c. This doth the Word of God not onely Christ himself who is sometimes so called Ioh. 1. 1. his essential word to whom that properly agreeth which there followeth in the next verses Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do But also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word written and preached This is also of such a penetrating nature like a sharpe sword it goeth thorow a man pierceth the heart entreth into the soul discovering a man to himself shewing him what before lay hid So the Apostle saith of it in that known place 1 Cor. 14. 25. where speaking of prophecying preaching and the efficacy thereof he saith that thereby the unbeleever cometh to be convinced judged so as the secrets of his heart are made manifest Those wicked lusts and false perswasions which before lodged and lurked in the secrets of his heart unespyed of others and undiscerned of himself by this means they come to be discovered Thus doth this sword likewise as the souldiers speare did to our Saviour it enters the pericardium the Call of the heart nay the heart it self piercing it thorow As Simon told the blessed Virgin in another sense that a sword should pierce thorow her soul meaning that sharpe sorrow and heart grief which she should suffer for her Sons sufferings Luk. 2. 35. Even so may it be said of this sword the word being accompanied by the Spirit now it pierceth thorow the soul working compunction and contrition in the hearts of poor penitent sinners Such effect it had upon those converts of whom the story tels that at Peters Sermon they were Pricked at their hearts Act. 2. 37. This doth the word Which also it doth with great facility and ease Even as a sharpe sword though there be but a weak hand to manage it it enters with ease So doth this word though it be dispenced by the hands of weak instruments which are the Ministers of the Gospel yet through the power of the Spirit it setting an edge upon it it now becometh mighty through God as the Apostle saith of it 2 Cor. 10. 4. mighty to do great and wonderful executions Thus it is a sharpe sword And thirdly A sharpe two edged sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a sword is looked upon as the sharpest sword penetrating more easily then a Back-sword will And in this respect the word is fitly represented by it So the Apostle formeth the comparison in the place even now named Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is sharper then a two edged sword But besides there may be conceived yet to be a further Mystery in the frame and fashion of this sword First A two edged sword Such is the Word which consisteth of Law and Gospel being as the two edges of this sword and both going out of the mouth of Christ as I shall shew you anon Secondly A two edged sword in regard of the double execution which it doth Not onely upon the Bodies but also upon the Souls of men Therein doth the Spiritual differ from the Secular Temporal sword The one reacheth onely to the Body Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the soul saith our Saviour speaking of tyrants Matth. 10. 28. But the other as the Prophet Ieremy in a borrowed sense saith of the sword of war Ier 4. 10. it reacheth unto the soul denouncing judgement against both both body and soul. Both which are as it were slain by this sword Thirdly A two edged sword as our juditious Perkins goeth before me in regard of the two-fold operation of it A two edged sword cutteth two wayes yea two contrary wayes And so doth this sword going forth
Take the Answere Affirmatively 1. Would wee see the face of Christ looke into the glass of the Gospel Here may we behold it both safely and clearly So may we behold the Sun which shining in his strength being excellens sensibile cannot be looked upon without indangering of the eye yet in a glass we may see it and that as I said both clearely and safely And thus behold we this Mysticall Sun the face of Iesus Christ in this glass the glass of the Gospel Here it was that Paul saith of himself and other beleevers of his time that they beheld this face 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. And what Glass was this why the glass of the Gospell wherin Christians doe or may behold the glory of God shining in the face of Iesus Christ the glory of his mercy Iustice power goodness all manifested in by and through Christ And that with open face far more clearly then the Iewes did under the Lawe where this Mysterie of Christ was hid under the veile of Types and figures as the Arke was under its divers coverings And in this Glass behold we this Sun Here behold we the Mysterie of Iesus Christ as it is held forth unto us in the doctrine of the Gospel which acquaints us with his one Person two Natures three Offices His Incarnation Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension sitting at the right hand of his father As also with the many and great benefits which he hath obtained for us as Redemtion Iustification Adoption Sanctification Glorification And withall shewing us the way and meanes whereby we may come to be made partakers of them so setting before us the whole mysterie of Christ which it doth most clearly and fully Insomuch that there is not a line as I may say in this face which is not here drawn forth to the life All of us then if we would have a view of the face of this Son of man looke into this Glass studie the doctrine of the Gospell the Hystorie the mysterie of it 2 Waite upon Christ in his ordinances When the Parents of our Saviour had sought him three dayes at length they found him in the Temple Luk. 2. 46. And here this Son of man sheweth his face in the midest of the Candlesticks Would we see the face of Iesus Christ seek him in his Ordinances in his publike worship and service Here is the face of Christ to be seene as I shewed you Seeke his face saith the Psalmist in that forecited Text Psal. 105. 4. Speaking of the Arke of the Covenant where God manifested his presence The like doth the Lord Iesus now in the midst of his Ordinances his Word his Sacraments There doth Christ shew his face unto his people communicating himselfe to them that seeke him in a gratious manner Here then seek we his face and that as the Psalmist there hath it Evermore Being constant in this our attendance upon the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. That so we may see him see him in his Sanctuary as David saith he did Psal. 63. 1 2. O God thou aâ—t my God early will I seeke thee My soule thirsteth for thee c. To see thy power and thy glorie so as I have seene thee in the Sanctuarie Here had David seene more of God then elswhere in his Sanctuary in his Ordinances And would we have a sight of Iesus Christ so as to see his face seeke it in his Sanctuarie in his Ordinances Where content not our selves to heare of him but labour to see him with our owne eyes Yea to feele him 2. That is the second Particular So seeke the face of Jesus Christ that we may feele it or feele of it Not contenting our selves with a bare simple intuition a mere speculative knowledg of Iesus Christ but labour also for an Experimentall knowledg of him This is that superexcellent knowledg which the Apostle speaketh of Phil. 3. 8. I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that knowledg of Christ which is most excellent And what knowledg was that why not meerly a Contemplative but an Experimentall knowledg So he explains himselfe in the tenth verse That I may know him and the power of his resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely to know by what power it was that Christ was raised from the dead as Grotius there so dilately expounds it but to know it in an experimentall way to feele the power and vertue of Christs Resurrection working the like effect in and upon himselfe in raising up him from the death of sin to the life of Grace here and Glory hereafter This is the Excellent knowledg of Iesus Christ. And this let every of us looke after Not contenting our selves with the bare beholding of this Sun to see the glare and shine of it but labour to feele that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that strength that vertue wherewith it shineth To finde and feele Iesus Christ unto us unto our soules as the Sun is to the Earth To finde and feele his gratious and efficacious presence with us putting forth his power and vertue in us exercising the like Operations upon us that the Sun doth upon the Earth What those operations are I have alreadie showen you Let me now reflect upon them minding you of them againe Exhorting you to endeavour to find and feele every of them in and upon your own soules 1. The first is Illummination Inlightning This was the Alpha the first worke in the first Creation God said let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. And so it is in the second the new Creation New creatures must have a new light Upon the account whereof they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons or Children of light Luk 16. 8. 1. Thes. 5. 5. Having beene somtimes darkness now they are light in the Lord. Eph. 58. Being called out of darkness into a marveilous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. And see that every of you be such Being coâ—vinced what by nature you are not onely darke but even darkeness it selfe wholy in the darke as to what concerneth your eternall happiness seeke after a new light that you may be inlightned that you may see a light shine forth unto you This was the preparative to Peters inlargment The Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison Act. 12. 7. And so it was to Paules Conversion There shinned round about him a light from heaven Act. 9. 3. And the like course God taketh with all those whom he hath a gratious purpose towards to set them at libertie from the Captivity of Sin and Satan and to bring them home unto himselfe he causeth a light to shine forth unto them a light from heaven I meane a supernaturall light revealing and making known to them that which