long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee O take pity on thy Jesus for here I stand and wait at the door of thy heart and my head is filled with the dew and my looks with the drops of the night But Alas I resisted Christ and his Spirit O thou Judge and Saviour of all thine Elect I dealt churlishly with thee I tyred out thy patience I gave thee a repulse I told thee I had entertained other lovers and I would have none of thee I troad on councel I trampled thy precious blood under my feet and now I am expecting no other but to eat the fruit of my own way Now mayst thou accomplish thy Word because I set at naught all thy counsels and would none of thy reproof therefore thou mayst laugh at my calamity and mock now my fear cometh Lo here the confessions of sins Every thing now comes out for Christ will have it so as a preparative to his doom upon them 5. Christ and his Saints proceed to sentence First Mat. 25.41 Christ the chief Judge shall pronounce it depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels every word breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone vengeance and wo to depart from that glorious presence of Christ were Hell enough but they must go with a curse nor only so but into fire and that must be everlasting and therein they shall have no other company or comforters but wicked devils and they insulting over them with hellish spight and stinging exprobations Give me leave a little to enlarge upon these words No sooner Christ begins the sentence Depart from me but methinks I imagine the reprobates to reply how depart from thee why O Christ thou art all things and therefore the loss of thee is the loss of all things thou art the greatest good and therefore to be deprived of thee is the greatest evil thou art the very Centre and perfect rest of the Soul and therefore to be pulled from thee is the most cruel separation we were made by thee and for thee O let us never be divided from thee we were made according to thy Image O never drive us from our glorious pattern Away away saith Christ ye have no part in me or in my merits never speak or intreat me any more but depart from me But secondly they may reply again if we must depart and depart from thee at least give us thy blessing before we go thou hast great store of blessings to give and we hope thou hast one yet in store for us we crave but a small thing but a blessing O it is a little one thou art our Father witness our Creation and it is a chief property of a Father to bless his children No depart from me ye Cursed in place of a blessing take the full curse of your Father you have been most prodigal and disobedient children you have followed him who had my first curse and now share ye curses with him cursed be you in your souls and in your bodies and in your thoughts and in your words and in the hainousness of your sins and in the grievousness of your punishment But thirdly if we must depart from thee and depart accursed yet appoint us some meet and convenient place to go into Create a fruitful piece of ground and let a goodly Sun daily shine upon it let it have sweet and wholsome air and be stored with fruits and flowers of all formes and colours give us the variety of Creatures for our uses O if we must go from thee the source and fountain of heavenly sweetness and afford us some plenty of earthly pleasures which may in some sort recompence our pain of loss speak but the word and such a place will presently start up and shew it self No depart from me ye cursed into fire though fire naturally burns not Spirits yet I will lift and elevate this fire above its nature you have sinned against nature and I will punish you above nature Fire alas that ever we were born who is able to rest in fire the very thought of it already burns us Of all the creatures appointed by God to be the Instruments of revenge fire and water have the least mercy But Fourthly if we must into fire let the sentence stand but for a very short time quench the fire quickly half an hour will seem a great while there No depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire it was kindle by my breath and it hath this property among other strange qualities that it is an unquenchable Fire as long as I am God it shall endure and ye broyl in it and when I cease to be happy then shall ye cease to be miserable O wo is us what to live in a fire perpetually without all end or hope of end Yea Fifthly allot us then some comforters whose smooth and gentle words may sweeten our torments or somewhat dull the most keen edge of our extremity O let the Angels recreate us with Songs and hymns of thee and of thy blessedness that we may hear that sweetly delivered which others fully enjoy No no depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels they shall be your comforters they that will triumph in your miseries they that are your deadly desperate enemies they that will tell you by what deceits and by-ways they led you from me and that will give you every hour new names of scorn and horrible reproach O sentence not to be endured and yet never never must it be reversed O my brethren I tremble at the very mentioning of this sentence and O what will they do on whom it must pass I beseech you before we pass from it will you ask but your souls this one question what can you dwell with everlasting fire if you can you may go on in sin but if you cannot why then stop here and repent of sin O now say if this be the effect of sin Lord pardon what is past and O give me grace that I may sin no more as sometimes I have done Methinks if a temptation should come again for ordinary entertainment you should fright it away with the remembrance of these powerful words depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 1 Cor. 6.2 2. The Saints shall judge the very self same judgment do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World that they as well as Christ shall judge the World is without controversie Dan. 7.22 And judgment was given to the Saints of the most high Ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Behold the Lord cometh with twelve thousand of his Saints Mat. 19.28 Jude 14.15 1 Cor. 6.5 to execute judgment upon all Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels not only shall we judge the World but the God of the World the Principalities
Prodromus he was 2. That Christ himself might be anointed or installed to his Function Isa 61.1 2. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good tidings unto the meek c. As Aaron and his Sons were anointed with material Oyl when they entred into their Offices so Christ was by the Spirit as it were anointed that so he might receive this Consecration and Institution for the Office that he was to enter on viz. the Preaching and Ministry of the Gospel 6. Upon what account was it that the Holy Ghost should reveal himself at this time and why in form of a Dove rather than some other form To the first I answer the Holy Ghost now revealed himself because the Spiritual Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which he was to rule all Nations for ever was now at hand Dr. Lightf Harm of the Evang. It was agreeable saith my Author that the spiritualness of this Kingdom should be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirits shewing himself even in the beginning of it The carnal Rites of Moses were now to vanish and his Corporal and Ceremonial Observances were now to be changed into a Spiritual Worship and neither at Jerusalem or at Mount Gerazim nor elsewhere must there be any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremonies John 4.21 24. but he that will Worship God must worship him in Spirit and Truth and therefore it is no wonder if now the Holy Ghost doth reveal himself I say now when his Spiritual Dominion by sanctification is to begin Secondly Because the Holy Ghost was now in especial manner to be restored again Some observe that he was visibly departed from Israel after the Death of the last Prophets and therefore now at his restoring he comes in a visible and apparent form and he lights on him to whom it belongs to give the Spirit and his gifts to whom he pleaseth As John had preached that Christ should baptize with the Holy Ghost so now the Holy Ghost comes and abides on Jesus Christ in the sight of John as if the Father should have said Now I seal that Power and Priviledge to Christ my Son which John hath spoken now the Holy Ghost is upon himself and hereafter he shall baptize others with the same Holy Ghost Thirdly Because at the beginning of the Gospel it was most sutable that a full clear and sensible demonstration of the whole Trinity should be made The Learned observe that the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath a special regard to express this Mystery of the Trinity upon singular occasions so the very first thing that is taught in all the Bible Gen. 1.1 2 3. is this same Mystery In the Begining God Created there is the Father and God said there is the Word or the Son and the Spirit of God moved there is the Holy Ghost And the very first word of the Bible that speaks of a man it holds out the Trinity as creating him and God said Let us make Man in our own Image he saith let us to shew the Trinity of persons Gen. 1.26 and he saith in our Image not in our Images to shew the Unity of Essence And when Moses begins to rehearse the Law to Israel the first thing he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God Deut. 6.4 the Lord is one The last word One denotes the Unity the three words the Lord our God answer the three Persons and the middle word our God deciphers fitly the second Person who assumed our Nature how fit then was it that at the beginning of the new world and the new Law and the Baptism of Christ the three persons should be revealed especially since he ordained Baptism to be admitted in all their names Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son Mat. 28.19 and of the holy Ghost But where is it revealed see Mat. 3.16 17. where the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the water and the holy Ghost appears in the likeness of a Dove This was the greatest meeting that ever was upon the earth every person of the Trinity gives some sensible evidence of his presence at it To the second why in the form of a Dove rather than some other form Many reasons are given as 1. To shew Christs innocency purity simplicity charity and love 2. To shew what innocency and harmlesness should be in those that are baptized 3. To answer the Figure in Noahs Flood for as a Dove at that time brought tidings of the abatings of the waters so now it brings tidings of the abating of Gods wrath upon the preaching of the Gospel the first Dove we find in the Bible is Noahs Dove with the Olive-Branch in her Bill proclaiming peace the next is Davids Dove with Feathers silver-white as noteing sincerity then Esays Dove mourning with her voice as signifying patience and lastly Christs Dove innocent and harmless now all these properties meet in this Dove the Spirit of God Much more might I add to these but I desire to hasten to some more edifying truths From this Baptism of Christ we may learn a practical necessary Truth Vse There is a Generation that cries down Baptism of water and upon this score because they suppose it was proper to John to Baptise only with water and to Christ to Baptise only with the holy Ghost and with fire Indeed Christ in his own person Baptized none otherwise but with the holy Ghost immediately after his Ascension he sent his Spirit upon the Church and baptized them with fire the spirit appearing like a flame and to this day though not visibly he Baptizeth all his Saints with the Holy Ghost and with fire but for all this he appointed John and not only John but all his Apostles and their Successors for ever to Baptise with water and they did so and yet do so obeying the preceptive words of Christ which are almost the last words that he spake upon the earth And though Christ did not Baptize with water yet Christ himself we see here was Baptized with water he himself enters at that door by which his Disciples must for ever follow after him and indeed therefore he went in at that door of Baptism that he might hallow or sanctifie the entrance which himself made to the house he was now a Building And for the difference they make betwixt Christ's Baptism and John's Baptism what 's this to the purpose we all know that in Baptism are two parts the outward part and the inward part you may call them if you please the outward Baptism and the inward Baptism the outward Baptism is of the Minister but the inward Baptism is of Christ But must we separate these or rather Joyn them if these in ordinary must be joined as we find them in Christ Mark 1.4 and as we desire they may
sunt quia nomen Jesu non est in illis Aug. Si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Jesum Si disputes aut conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Jesum Ber. 1 Cor. 2.2 commended them for their eloquence but he passed this sentence upon them They are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them And Bernards saying is near the same if thou writest it doth not relish with me unless I read Jesus there if thou disputest or conferrest it doth not relish well with me unless Jesus sound there Indeed all we say is but unsavory if it be not seasoned with this salt I determined not to know any thing among you saith Paul save Jesus Christ and him Crucified he resolved with himself before he Preached among the Corinthians that this should be the only point of knowledge that he would profess himself to have skill in and that in the course of his Ministry he would labour to bring them to this he made the bredth length depth height of his knowledge yea doubtless saith he and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Ephes 3.18 Phil. 3.8 In this knowledge of Christ there is an excellency above all other knowledge in the VVorld there is nothing more pleasing comfortable more animating enlivening more ravishing soul-contenting only Christ is the sum center of all divine revealed truths we can preach nothing else as the object of our faith as the necessary element of our souls salvation which doth not some way or other either meet in Christ or refer to Christ only Christ is the whole of mans happiness the Sun to enlighten him the Physician to heal him the VVall of Fire to defend him the Friend to comfort him the Pearl to enrich him the Ark to support him the Rock to sustain him under the heaviest pressures As an hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 as Rivers of Waters in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Only Christ is that Ladder betwixt Earth and Heaven the Mediator betwixt God and Man a Mystery which the Angels of Heaven desire to pry and peep and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Here 's a blessed subject indeed who would not be glad to pry into it to be acquainted with it This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Come then let us look on this Sun of righteousness we cannot receive harm but good by such a look Joh. 17.3 indeed by looking long on the natural Sun we may have our eyes dazled and our faces blackned but by looking unto Jesus Christ we shall have our eyes clearer and our faces fairer Prov 15.30 if the light of the eye rejoyce the heart how much more when we have such a blessed object to look upon As Christ is more excellent than all the world so this sight transcends all other sights it is the Epitome of a Christians happiness the quintessence of evangelical Duties Looking unto Jesus In the Text we have the act and Object the act in the Original is very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English doth not fully express it it signifies an averting or drawing off the eye from one object to another there are two expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one signifies a turning of the eye from all other objects the other a fast fixing of the eye upon such an object and only upon such So it is both a looking off and a looking on On what That is the object a looking unto Jesus a Title that denotes his mercy and bounty as Christ denotes his office and function I shall not be so curious as to enquire why Jesus and not Christ is nominated I suppose the person is aimed at which implies them both only this may be observed that Jesus is the purest Gospel Name of all other names Jesus was not the dialect of the Old Testament the first place that ever we read of this title as given to Christ it is in Matth. 1.21 Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Some observe that this Name Jesus was given him twice once till death Matth. 1.21 and afterwards for ever Phil. 2.10 the first was a note of his entering into Covenant with God to fulfill the Law for us to die for our sins the second was a note of so meritorious a person who for his humility was more exalted than any person ever hath been or shall be First Jesus was the humble name of his deserving grace now Jesus is the exalted name of his transcendent glory at first the Jewes did Crucifie Jesus and his name the Apostle did then distrust whether Jesus was the true Jesus but now God hath raised him from the dead Luk. 24.21 Phil. 2.9.10 hath highly exalted him given him a name above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth My meaning is not to insist on this Name in contradistinction to any other names of Christ he is often called Christ and Lord and Mediatour and Son of God and Emmanuel Why Jesus is all these Jesus is Christ as he is the annointed of God and Jesus is Lord as he hath dominion over all the world and Jesus is Mediatour as he is the reconciler of God man and Jesus is the Son of God as he was eternally begotten before all worlds and Jesus is Emmanuel as he was incarnate and so God with us Only because Jesus signifie Saviour and this name was given him upon that very account For he shall save his people from their sins I shall make this my designe to look at Jesus more especially as carrying on the great work of our salvation from first to the last This indeed is the glad-tidings the Gospel the Gospel-priviledge and our Gospel-Duty Looking unto Jesus CHAP. II. SECT I. The Duty of looking off all other things confirmed and cleared Doctrine 1 BUT first we must look off all other things the note is this We must take off our mind from every thing which might divert us in our Christian Race from looking unto Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word or first piece of a word in my Text speaks to us thus hands off or eyes off from any thing that stands in the way of Jesus Christ I remember 't was writ over Plato's door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's none may come hither that is not a Geometer but on the door of my Text is written clean contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No earthly minded man must enter here not any thing in the world be it never so excellent if it stand in the way of
in all the Creatures not by Grace as in his People nor by Glory as in the Saints above but essentially substantially personally the humane nature being assumed into Union with the person of the Word Observe the passages he in whom that fulness dwells is the Person that fulness which doth so dwell in him is the Nature now there dwells in him not only the fulness of the Godhead but the fulness of the Manhood also for we believe him to be both perfect God begotten of the substance of his Father before all Worlds and perfect man made of the substance of this Mother in this World only he in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth is one and he in whom the fulness of the Manhood dwelleth is another but he in whom the fulness of both these natures dwelleth is one and the same Immanuel and consequently one and the same person in him i. in his person dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead and all the fulness of the Manhood In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily 4. For the similitudes that resemble or set forth this mystery many are given but for our better understanding let us consider these few The first is of the soul and body that make but one man as the soul and body are two distinct things and of several natures yet being united by the hand of God they make one Person so the Godhead and Manhood are two distinct things and of several Natures yet being united by the hand of God they make but one Person Indeed herein is the similitude defective first in that the Soul and Body being imperfect natures they concur to make one full and perfect nature of a man Secondly in that the one of them is not drawn into the unity of the substance of the other but both depend on a third substance which is that of the whole The second is of Light and Sun as after the Collection of and Union of the Light with the Body of the Sun no man can pluck them asunder nor doth any man call one part the Sun and another part the Light but both of them jointly together we call the Sun even so after the Union of Flesh with that true Light the Word no man doth call the Word apart to be one Son of God and the Son of Man another Son of God but both of them jointly together we call one and the self-same Christ I know in this similitude are mamy defectives Justin Martyr de recta confes de Coessent Trinit yet if hereby we be not altogether able to attain the truth of this great Mystery certainly we have herein a most excellent similitude which will greatly help and contentedly suffice the godly and moderate searchers of this divine truth The third is of a fiery and flaming Sword as the subsistences of the Fire and Sword are so nearly conjoyned that the operations of them for the most part concur for a fiery sword in cutting burneth and in burning cutteth and we may say of the whole that this fiery thing is a sharp piercing Sword and that this sharp piercing Sword is a fiery thing even so in the union of the two natures of Christ there is a communication of properties from one of them to the other as shall be declared if the Lord permit only this similitude is defective in this in that the nature of the Iron is not drawn into the unity of the subsistence of fire nor is the nature of the fire drawn into the Unity of the subsistence of Iron so that we cannot say this fire is Iron or this Iron is fire The fourth is of one man having two qualities or accidental natures as a man that is both a Physitian and a Divine he is but one person and yet there are two natures concurring and meeting in that same one Person so we may rightly say of such a one this Physitian is a Divine and this Divine is a Physitian this Physitian is happy in saving souls and this Divine is careful in curing bodies even so is Christ both God and Man and yet but one Christ and in that one Christ according to the several natures are denominations of either part as that this man is God and this God is man or that this man made the world and this God died upon the Cross but in this similitude is this deffect in that the different natures are accidental and not essential or substantial The fifth and last is of the Branch and Tree into which it is engraffed as suppose a Vine-branch and an Olive-tree now as this Olive-tree is but one but hath two different natures in it and so it beareth two kinds of fruit and yet between the Tree and the Branch there is a composition not hujus ex his but hujus ad hoc i.e. not of a third thing out of the two things united but of one of the two things united or adjoyned to the other even so Christ is one but he hath two different natures and in them he performs the different actions pertaining to either of them and yet between the different natures the Divine and Humane nature there is a composition not hujus ex his but hujus ad hoc not of a third nature arising out of these but of the humane nature added or united to the Divine in unity of the same person so that now we may say as this Vine is an Olive-tree and this Olive-tree is a Vine or as this Vine bears Olives and this Olive-tree bears Grapes so the Son of man is the Son of God and the Son of God is the Son of Man or this Son of Man laid the Foundation of the Earth and this Son of God was born of Mary and crucified by the Jews This similitude I take it is the aptest and fullest of all the other though in some things also it doth fail for the branch hath first a separate subsistence in it self and losing it after then it is drawn into the unity of the subsistence of that Tree into which it is implanted but it is otherwise with the humane nature of Christ it never had any subsistence of its own until it was united to the person or subsistence of the Son of God 5. For the person assuming and the nature assumed and for the reason of this way we say 1. That the person assuming was a Divine person it was not the Divine nature that assumed an humane person but the Divine person that assumed an humane nature and that of the three Divine persons it was neither first nor the third neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost that did assume this nature but it was the Son the middle person who was to be the middle one that thereby 1. He might undertake the mediation between God and us 2. He might better preserve the integrity of the blessed Trinity in the Godhead 3. He might higher advance man-kind by means of that relation which the
be in us I cannot see but the Baptism we use and the Baptism of John are in nature and substance one and the very same 1. Mat. 3.15 Luk. 7.29 30. John preached the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of Sins they have therefore the same Doctrine and the same Promise 2. The Baptism Ministred by John pertained to the fulfilling of all Righteousness and Luke testifies that the Publicans and People being Baptized of John they Justified God but the Pharisees dispised the Councel of God against themselves and were not Baptized only herein lies the difference that John Baptized in Christ that should die and rise again but we Baptize into the Name of Christ that is dead and risen again it is a difference in respect of Circumstance but not of the Substance Oh take heed of throwing away the Baptism of water upon the pretence of Baptism only with Fire Christ we see hath joyned them together and let no man separate them asunder Christ himself was Baptized with fire and yet Christ himself was Baptised with water SECT IV. Of the Fasting and Temptation of Christ 3. FOr the Fasting and Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness No sooner is Christ come out of the water of Baptism but he presently enters into the fire of temptarion no sooner is the holy Spirit descended upon his head but he is led by the same holy Spirit to be tempted in the wilderness no sooner doth God say This my Son but Satan puts it to the question if thou be the Son of God all these are but Ghrists preparatives to his Prophetical Office in the former Section Christ was prepared by a solemn Consecration and now he is to be further prepared by Satans Temptations there is much in this particular and therefore in the same method as the Evangelist layes it down Mat. 4.1.2 3. to v. 12. Mat. 4.1 to 12. I shall proceed Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil c. In the whole we may observe these several Branches as First the place where the Temptation was to wit the Wilderness Secondly the cause of Christ's going into the Wilderness the Spirits leading Thirdly the end of the spirits leading Christ into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Fourthly the time and occasion of the Devils onset at the end of forty dayes fast and when he was an hungred Fifthly the Temptations themselves which are in number three to which are added as many Victories which Christ had over the Tempter who therefore left him and so the Angels came and ministred unto him I shall begin first with the place where the Temptation was to wit in the Wilderness This wilderness was not that same wilderness or not that same place of the wilderness wherein John Baptist lived Mat. 3.1 For that wherein John Baptist lived was a place inhabited there was in that place Cities and Towns and a number of people to whom John Preached but this wilderness was devoid of men full of wild beasts so saith Mark Mark 1.13 He was tempted of Satan and was with the wild Beasts As Adam in his Innocency lived with wild Beasts and they hurt him not so Christ the second Adam lives here in a wilderness with wild Beasts and he has no hurt at all he is Adam-like in his safety and security but above Adam in the resisting of temptation Some say that in this wilderness during his forty dayes abode Christ was perpetually disturbed and assaulted with evil Spirits however the last brunt is only expressed because it was most violent now whether they appeared in any horrid and affrighting shapes during that time it is not certain but 't is most likely that to a Person of so great sanctity and high designation as Jesus was they would appear more angelical and immaterial and in representments intellectual because Jesus was not a Person of those low weaknesses to be affrighted or troubled with any ugly phantasmes 't is not much material to enquire of this but in the wilderness say they Christ was perpetually tempted and in this respect I know not but the Devil had more advantage now he had Christ in a wilderness solitariness is no small help to the speed of a Temptation Wo to him that is alone for if he fall there is not a second to take him up Others say that in this wilderness during his forty dayes abode Christ was continually exercised in Prayer and Fasting all that while he had his immediate Addresses and Colloquies with God he knew he had a great work of Redemption to promote and therefore his Conversation for this interval must be preparatory to it in this respect I know not but the wilderness might be an advantage to Christ's Design In this solitary place he could not but breath out more pure inspiration Heaven usually is more open and God usually is more familier and frequent in his visits in such places I know not what other experiences may be but if I have found any thing of God or of his Grace I may thank a Wood a Wilderness a Desert a solitary place for its accommodation and have I not a blessed Pattern here before me It was Solitude and Retirement in which Jesus kept his Vigils the desert places heard him pray in a privacy he was born in the wilderness he fed his thousands upon a Mountain apart he was transfigured upon a Mountain he died and from a Mountain he ascended to his Father I make no question but in these Retirements his Devotion received the advantage of convenient Circumstances especially of time and place And yet I dare not deny the firster opinion for I suppose both Christ and the Devil had their advantages of this Wilderness the one is to pray and the other to tempt 2. The cause of Christs going into the Wilderness was the Spirits leading Then was Jesus led of the Spirit into the Wilderness Christ was led by the good Spirit to be tempted by the evil Spirit O wonder that same Spirit which was one with the Father and the Son that same Spirit whereby Christ was conceived now drives him or leads him into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil The manner of Christ's leading is a question some think he was led or catcht away from Jordan in some visible rapture towards the wilderness But to leave that and to come to Truths more necessary Christ taught us to Pray unto his Father Lead us not into temptation and yet he himself is now led into the same temptation which we must pray against surely this is for our instruction we are not to thrust our selves upon temptation Christ himself would not go into the Combat uncalled unwarranted how then should we poor weaklings presume upon any abilities of our own who dares grapple with the Devil in his own strength O take heed if we are to pray not to be led into temptation much more are we to
great reward he saith not for keeping them but in keeping them there is great reward there is a grace a beauty an excellency in every gracious acting 2. The reward according to the duty to this exercise of Religion Christ hath annexed many sweet and gracious Promises both for this life and that to come and these Promises may be used as helps He had respect unto the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 To this purpose are the glorious things of Heaven set open before us that we may have an eye to them and be encouraged by them So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 6. The openings and discoveries of the pains of Hell are as helps to restrain us from sin and to keep us in the way to Christ This some call legal but Christ in the Gospel tells us of this in the Gospel we find a description of hell-pains set out by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth by a worm never dying Matth. 8.12 Mark 9.44 and a fire never going out Oh when I think of those unquenchable flames those remediless torments without hope of recovery remission or mitigation when I think of that privation and loss of the sight of Gods face prepared only for those that serve him in holiness how should I but look about me and prepare for my reckoning Nay how easie should I think any pains in comparison Some persons in affrightment have been seen to carry burthens and to leap ditches and climb walls which their natural power could never have done and if we understood the sadness of a cursed eternity from which we are commanded to fly and yet knew how near we are to it and how likely to fall into it if we continue in sin it would be able to create feares greater than a sudden fire or a mid-night alarm 7. A principle of love wheresoever it is planted is our help be the Yoak never so uneasie yet love will make it light Can. 3.10 Solomon compares the estate of the Church to a chariot and it is described to have Pillars of Silver and a Bottom of Gold and a Covering of Purple the midst thereof being paved with Love a strange expression that the midst of a Chariot should be paved with love but 't is plain the Chariots wherein Christ carries his people up and down in the World and brings them to himself is such a Chariot as the midst thereof is paved with love in this case if there were neither Heaven nor Hell yet a soul would be in the duties of Christianity I remember how Ivo Bishop of Chartres meeting a grave Matron on the way with fire in one hand and water in the other he asked her what those symboles meant and what she meant to do with her fire and water she answered My purpose is with the fire to burn Paradise and with the water to quench the flames of Hell that men may serve God said she without the incentives of hope and fear and purely for the love of God and Jesus Christ Surely it was an high expression for my part I dare not separate those things which God hath joyned together only this I say that where true love is there is an excellent help in our way Heaven-wards 8. The Angels be our helps They are ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and the kind of their ministration is excellently set forth by the Psalmist They shall keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone Psal 91.11 12. in this place the Angels are compared to Nurses that have a charge over weak Children to keep them and guard them so the Angels do all the offices of a Nurse or Mother they keep us guard us instruct us admonish us correct us comfort us preserve us from evil and provoke us to good 9. The Motions Inspirations blessed Influences of the Spirit of Christ be our helps many a time the Spirit cries Isa 30.21 and calls on our hearts saying This is the way walk therein as the evil Spirit or Devil in wicked men is continually moving and inclining them to all evil thoughts affections and desires so the good Spirit of God in good men doth incline and move them to good thoughts good affections good actions and hence they are said to be led by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 there are indeed several acts of the Spirit as sometimes there is a breathing or stirring sometimes a quickening or enlivening sometimes a powerful effectual inclining or bending of our hearts unto good things now in some of these works the Spirit is most-what for in the progress of sanctification we need a continual help and influence from Gods holy Spirit and when we obey these conducts Gal. 5.24 we are said to walk in the Spirit and as all these are helps in the wayes of Christianity so by these helps and assistance of Christ's Holy Spirit Christianity is made very easie unto us 10. The Grace of God is our help many feeling the strength of corruption cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Ver. 23. 2 Cor. 12.9 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind but they consider not the comfortable saying of Christ to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee by the assistance of grace Paul could do any thing I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 Rom. 8.37 Psal 119.32 yea In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us the Psalmist hath a notable expression to this purpose I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart this enlargement of heart was by the grace of God grace is compared to oyl as a dry purse is softned and enlarged by anointing it with Oyl so the heart drawn together by sin is opened and enlarged by the pouring of grace into it and if grace be present then saith David I will run the way of thy Commandments not walk but run it is an allusion to a Cart-Wheel which crieth and complaineth under a small burthen being dry but when a little Oyl is put into it it runs merrily and without noise and if David could say thus in his time how much more should we that live in these Gospel-times when grace in greater measure is effused and poured out by the grace of Christ should we say we will walk and run and fly in the way of his Commandments Vse Well then is Christian Religion and the practice of it full of sweetness easiness and pleasantness in the first place for conviction this may take away the cavils of some men what is said in way of objection I shall reduce to these particulars 1. They object that Christ himself confesseth it to be a
brought unto Pilate's house John 18.28 Mat. 27.1 2 3 4 5. then led they Jesus from Caiphas unto the Judgment-Hall and it was early When the Morning was come all the chief Priests and Elders of the People took council against Jesus to put him to death and when they had bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governour Then Judas which had betrayed him hanged himself O the readiness of our nature to evil When the Israelites would sacrifice to the Golden-Calf they rose up early in the Morning if God leave us to our selves Exod. 32.6 we are as ready to practise mischief as the fire is to burn without delay But on this Circumstance I shall not long stay the transactions of this hour I shall consider in these two passages Christ's Indictment and Judas's fearful end In Christ's Indictment we may observe 1. His Accusation 2. His Examination In his Accusation we may observe 1. Who are his Accusers 2. Where he was accused 3. What was the matter of which they do accuse him 1. His Accusers were the chief Priests and Elders of the People Mat. 27.12 the very same that before had judged him guilty of Death are now his Accusers before the temporal Judge but why must our Saviour be twice Judged was not the Sanhedrim or Ecclesiastical Court sufficient to condemn him I answer He is twice judged 1. That his Innocency might more appear true Gold often tried in the fire is not consumed but rather perfected so Christ's Integrity though examined again and again by divers Judges wholly corrupt yet thereby it was not hurt but made rather more illustrious 2. Because his firster judgment was in the night and a sentence pronounced then was not reputed valid it is said of Moses that he judged the People from the morning unto the evening Exod. 18.13 John 18.31 for until night no judgment was protracted 3. Because said the Jews it is not lawful for us to put any man to death These words had need of exposition we know Moses's Law prescribed death to the Adulterers Idolaters Blasphemers Man-slayers Sabbath-breakers but now the Romans say some had come and restrained the Jews from the execution of their Laws others are of another mind and therefore the meaning of these words It is not lawful for us to put any man to death may be understood say they in a double sense 1. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to such a death as the Death of the Cross Moses's Law was Ignorant of such a death and the words following seem to favour this interpretation John 18 32. that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die We read only of four sorts of death that were used among the Jews as strangling stoning burning and killing with the sword crucifying was the invention of Romans and not of Jews 2. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to death at such a time on this day was celebrated the Jews Passover which was in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt so that now they had a custome to deliver some from death the case of Barabbas but they could not now condemn any one to death hence it was that after Herod the Jew had killed James he proceeded further to take Peter also yet during the dayes of unleavened Bread he delivers him to be kept in Prison Acts. 12.14 intending saith the Text after Easter to bring him forth to the People Pilate a Gentile was not tied to these Laws and therefore they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgment or unto Pilate's House 2. The place of the Accusation was at the door of the House they would not go into the Judgment-Hall lest they should be defiled John 18.28 but that they might eat the Passover See what a piece of Superstition and grose Hypocrisie is here they are curious of a Ceremony but make no strain to shed innocent blood they are precise about small matters but for the weightier matters of the Law as Mercy Judgment Fidelity and the Love of God they let them pass they honour the figurative Passover but the true Passover they seize upon with bloody and sacrilegious hands 3. The matter of which they accuse him 1. That he seduced the People 2. That he forbade to pay Tribute to Cesar 3. That he said he was a King How great but withal how false were these their accusations For the first Christ was so far from stirring up Seditions that he strove and endeavoured to gather the People into one O Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not For the second instead of denying to pay tribute to Cesar Mat. 17.27 Luke 20.25 he paid it in his own particular take twenty-pence out of the fishes mouth said he to Peter and give unto them for me and thee and give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's said he to the People and to God the things that are God's For the third instead of making himself a King he professeth that his Kingdom is not of this World and when they would have made him a King instead of flattering them John 18.36 John 6.15 he flieth from them and that into the Wilderness or into a mountain himself alone Thus much of the Accusation 2. For his Examination Pilate was nothing moved with any of the Accusations save only the third and therefore letting all the rest pass he asked him only Art thou the King of the Jews Joh. 18.33.36 To whom Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World c. He saith not my Kingdom is not in this World but my Kingdom is not of this World by which Pilate knew well that Christ was no enemy unto Cesar Christs Kingdom is spiritual his government is in the very hearts and Consciences of men and what is this to Cesar Hence Pilate useth a policy to save Jesus Christ they tell him that Christ was of Galilee and therefore he takes occasion to send him to Herod who was Governour of Galilee But of that anon Vse How many Lessons may we learn from hence 1. Christ was accused who can be free The chief Priests and Elders of the Jews accused Christ no wonder if those that are chief and great amongst us accuse poor Christians O there 's a perpetual enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent there is an everlasting irreconcileable implacable enmity and antipathy between Grace and Prophaneness light and darkness Christ and Belial As it is reported of Tigers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices so it is with the wicked who rage at the spiritual Graces of them that are sincere for God 2. Christ's Accusers would not go into the Judment-Hall lest they
Tiberias First Christ appears and works a Miracle he discovers himself to be Lord of Sea as well as Land at his word multitudes of Fishes come to the Net and are caught by his Apostles nor is this Miracle without a Mystery Mat. 13.47 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a drawn net cast into the sea which when it is full men draw to land what is this divine trade of ours but a spiritual fishing the world is a sea souls like fishes swim at liberty in this deep and the nets of wholesome doctrine are they that draw up some to the shore of grace and glory 2. Upon this Miracle The Disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter it is the Lord. John is more quick-eyed than all the rest he considers the Miracle and him that wrought it and presently he concludes It is the Lord O my soul meditate on the mystery of this discovery if ever soul be converted and brought home to Christ it is the Lord but oh whither is Christ gone that we have lost so long his converting presence Oh for one Apparition of Jesus Christ till then we may preach our hearts out and never the nearer do what we can souls will to hell except the Lord break their career Ministers can do no more but tell thus and thus men may be saved and thus and thus men will be damned He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life John 3.36 and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but when they have said all they can it is only God must give the blessing Oh what is preaching without Christ's presence One hearing what mighty feats Scanderbag's Sword had done he sent for it and when he saw it Is this the Sword said he that hath done such great exploits what 's this sword more than any other sword O sayes Scanderbag I sent thee my Sword but not my arm that did handle it so Ministers may use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God but if the Spirits arm be not with it they may brandish it every Sabbath to little purpose when all is done if ever any good be done it is the Lord. No sooner John observes the Miracle that a multitude of fishes were caught and taken but he tells Peter of a blessed discovery it is the Lord 3. Upon this discovery Peters throws himself into the Sea O the fervent love he carries towards Christ if he but hear of his Lord he will run through fire and water to come unto him so true is that of the Spouse Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8.7 if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned If I love Christ I cannot but long for communion and fellowship with Christ Vbicunque fueris O domine Jesu c. Aug. Wheresoever thou art O blessed Saviour give me no more happiness than to be with thee if on the earth I would travel day and night to come unto thee if on the Sea with Peter I would swim unto thee if riding in triumph I would sing Hosanna to thee but if in glory how happy should I be to look upon thee Christ's Apparitions are ravishing sights if he but stand on the shore Peter throws himself over-board to come to Christ why now he stands on the pinacles of heaven wasting and beckoning with his hand and calling on me in his Word Rise up my love my fair one and come away O my soul make haste Cant. 2.10 in every duty look out for another Apparition of Jesus Christ when thou comest to hear say Have over Lord by this Sermon and when thou comest to pray say Have over Lord by this Prayer to a Saviour neither fire nor water floods nor storms death nor life principalities nor powers height nor depth nor any other creature should hinder thy passage to Christ or separate thy soul from Christ Consider what I say 2 Tim. 2.7 8. saith Paul and the Lord give thee understanding in all things remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel that Christ was raised is a Gospel-truth ay but do thou remember it do thou consider it and the Lord give thee understanding in all things SECT III. Of desiring Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection What desire is we have opened before some call it the wing of the soul whereby it moveth and is carried to the thing it expecteth to feed it self upon it and to be satisfied with it But what is there in Christ's resurrection that should move our souls to desire after it I answer 1. Something in it self 2. Something as in reference unto us 1. There is something in it self had we but a view of the glory dignity excellency of Christ as raised from the dead it would put us on this heavenly motion we should fly as the Eagle that hasteth to eat The object of desire is good Heb. 1.8 but the more excellent and glorious any good is the more earnest and eager should our desires be now Christ as raised from the dead is an excellent object the resurrection of Christ is the glorifying of Christ yea his glorifying took its beginning at his blessed resurrection now it was that God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name Phil. 2.9 c. and in this respect how desirable is he 2. There is something in reference unto us As 1. Rom. 4.25 He râ—se again for our justification I must needs grant that Christ's death and not his resurrection is the meritorious cause of our justification but on the other side Christ's resurrection and not his death is for the applying of our justification as the stamp adds no vertue nor matter of real value to a piece of gold but only it makes that value which before it had actually appliable and currant unto us so the resurrection of Christ was no part of the price or satisfaction which Christ made to God yet is it that which applies all his merits and makes them of force unto his Members Some I know would go further Lucius a learned Writer saith that Justification is therefore attributed to Christ's resurrection because it was the compleat and ultimate act of Christ's active obedience and from hence inferreth that remission of sin is attributed to his passive obedience and justification or imputation of righteousness to his active obedience Goodwin no way inferiour to him Rom. 8.34 faith that justification is put upon Christ's resurrection with a rather who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again not but that the matter of our justification is only the obedience and death of Christ but the form of our justification or the act of pronouncing us righteous by that his
believers to partake abundantly of what is in him he cannot abide that any should content themselves with a present stock of grace Christ is not as a stream that fails or as a channel that runs dry Christ is not as water in a ditch which hath no living spring to feed it no no Christ is the fountain of life he is the chief ordinance of life that ever God set up I know there are other means of Christs appointment but if thou wilt live at the spring and driâ—â— in there yea drink abundantly according to the overflowings of this fountain O the life and growth of life that would come in Oh the vertue of Christ's resurrection that Christ's Spirit meeting and assisting would flow into thy soul for thy vivification Thus for directions now for the encouragements of our faith to believe in Christ's resurrection 1. Consider the excellency of this object A sight of Christ in his beauty and glory would ravish souls and draw them to run after him the wise Merchant would not buy the pearl till he knew it to be of excellent price great things are eagerly sought for Christ raised Christ glorified is an excellent object O who would not sell all to buy this pearl who would not believe 2. Consider of the power vertue and influence of this object into all that golden chain of priviledges if Christ be not raised you are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15.17 18. then they also which are fallen a sleep in Christ are perished From the resurrection of Christ flows all those priviledges even from justification to salvation The first is clear and therefore all the rest 3. Consider that Christ's resurrection and the effects of it are nothing unto us if we do not believe it is faith that brings down the particular sweetness and comforts of Christ's resurrection unto our souls it is faith that puts us in the actual possession of Christ's resurrection whatsoever Christ is to us before faith yet really we have no benefit by it until we believe it is faith that takes hold of all that Christ hath done for us and gives us the actual enjoyment of it oh let not the work stick in us what is Christ risen from the dead and shall we not eye this Christ and take him home to our selves by faith the Apostle tells us that he that believed not hath made God a lyar 1 Joh. 5.10 because be believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son Unbelief belyes God in all that he hath done for us O take heed of this without faith what are we better for Christ's resurrection 4. Consider of the tenders offers apparitions that Christ raised makes of himself to our souls when first he arose to confirm the faith of his Disciples he offers himself and appears to Mary Magdalen to the other women to Peter Thomas and all the rest and all those apparitions were on this account that they might believe Joh. 29.31 these things are written that ye might believe In like manner Christ at this day offers himself in the Gospel of grace and by his Spirit he appears to souls Methinks we should not hear a Sermon of Christ's resurrection but we should imagine as if we saw him whose head and haires are white like wool as white as snow Rev. 1.14 15. whose eyes are as a flame of fire whose feet are like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace whose voyce is as the sound of many waters or if we are dazled with his glory methinks at least we should hear his voyce as if he said fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen q. d. Come Ver. 17 18. cast your souls on me it is I that have conquered sin death and hell for you it is I that have broke the serpents head that have took away the sting of death that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing against you that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your sins come take it take me and take all with me see your names written in the acquittance that I tender take out the copy of it in your own hearts only believe in him who is risen again for your justification O my soul what sayst thou to this still sweet voyce of Christ shall he who is the Saviour of men and glory of Angels desire thee to believe and wilt thou not say Amen to it Oh how should I blame thee for thy unbelief what aspersions doth it cast on Christ he hath done all things well he hath satisfied wrath fullfilled the Law and God hath acquitted him pronounced him just faith is contented he can desire no more but thou sayst by unbelief that Christ hath done nothing at all unbelief professeth Christ is not dead or at least not risen from the dead unbelief professeth that justice is not satisfied that no justification is procured that the wrath of God is now as open to destroy us as ever it was Oh that Christ should be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief come take Christ upon his tenders and offers embrace him with both armes SECT VI. Of Loving in Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurection surely if we hope in Christ and believe in Christ we cannot but love Christ if Christ's resurrection be our justification and so the ground both of our hope and faith how should we but love him who hath done such great things for us she that had much forgiven her loved much and if by vertue of Christ's resurrection we are Justified from all our sins how should we but love him much but that I may let down some cords of Love whereby to draw our loves to Christ in this respect let us consider thus Love is a motion of the appetite by which the mind unites it self to that which seems good to it You may object that Christ is absent how then should our souls be united to him but if we consider that objects though absent may be united to the powers by their species and images as well as by their true beings we may then be said truly to love Christ as raised though he be absent from us come then stir up thy appetite bring into thy imagination the Idea of Christ as in his resurrection present him to thy affection of Love in that very form wherein he appeared to his Disciples as gazing upon the dusty beauty of flesh kindleth the fire of carnal love so this gazing on Christ and on the passages of Christ in his resurrection will kindle this spiritual love in thy soul Draw near then and behold him Is he not white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousands is not his head as the most fine gold are not his locks bushy Cant. 5.10 11 12 13. and
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you