Christ as his instrument to bring it honourably about All the Blessings he means to give us he first purposed and intended in himselfe so Eph. 1. 3 5 9 11. compared out of the good pleasure of his will yet in Christ as it is added there as the means through which hee would convey them yea Christ adds not one drop of love to Gods heart onely he draws it out he brocheth it and makes it flow forth whose current had otherwise beene stopt The truth is that God suborned Christ to beg them on our behalf for an honourable way of carrying it and to make us prize this favour of it the more but so as his heart is as ready to give all to us as Christs is to ask and this out of his pure love to us The Intercession therefore of Christ must needs speed when Gods heart is thus of it selfe prepared to us In Esay 53. 10. it is said The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand If our salvation be in Christs hand it is in a good hand but if it be the pleasure of the Lord too it must needs prosper And it is said of our hearts and prayers that He prepareth the heart and heareth the prayer much more therefore when his owne heart is prepared to grant the suit will he easily heare it When one hath a mind to doe a thing then the least hint procures it of him So a father having a mind to spare his child he will take any excuse any ones mediation even of a servant a stranger or an enemie rather then of none Now when Christ shall speak for us and speak Gods owne heart how prevalent must those words needs be Davids soule longing to goe forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13. ult whom notwithstanding for the honour of a Father and a Kings State-policie and to satisfie the world he had banisht the Court for his Treason when Ioab perceived it that the Kings heart was towards Absalom Chap. 14. 1. and that the King onely needed one to speake a good word for him he subornes a woman a stranger no matter whom for it had beene all one for speeding with a made tale to come to the King and you know how easily it tooke and prevailed with him and how glad the Kings heart was of that occasion even so acceptable it was to him that Ioab could not have done him a greater kindnesse and that Ioab knew well enough Thus it is with Gods heart towards us Christ assures us of it and you may believe him in this case for Christ might have tooke all the Honour to himselfe and made us beholding to himselfe alone for all Gods kindnes to us but he deales plainly and tels us that his Father is as ready as himselfe and this for his Fathers honour and our comfort And therefore it is that Iohn 17. in that this prayer so operated on this discourse he pleads our election Iohn 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me Thou commendedst them unto me and badest me pray for them and I doe but commend the same to thee again In the High-priests breast-plate when he went into the Holy of Holies were set twelve stones on which were written the names of the twelve Tribes the mysterie of which is this Christ beares us and our names in his Heart when he goes to God and moreover we are Gods jewels precious in his own account and choise So God calls them Mal. 3. 17. Made precious to him out of his love So Isai 43. 4. So that God loves us as jewels chosen by him but much more when he beholds us set and presented unto him in the breast-plate of Christs heart and prayer To conclude therefore we have now made both ends of this Text to meet Gods love and Christs intercession The Apostle began with that Who shall accuse it is God that justifies and he being for us who can be against us The Father himself loves us as he is our Father And then he ends with this Christ intercedes namely with our Father and his Father Who then shall condemn Who or what can possibly condemne all these things being for us the least of which were alone enough to save us Let us now looke round about and take a full view and prospect at once of all those particulars that Christ hath done and doth for us and their severall and joynt influence which they have into our salvation 1. In that Christ dyed it assures us of a perfect price payed for and a right to eternall life thereby acquired 2. In that he rose again as a common person this assures us yet further that there is a formall legall and irrevocable act of Iustification of us passed and enrolled in that Court of Heaven between Christ and God and that in his being then justifyed we were also justified him so that thereby our justification is made past re-calling 3 Christs Ascension into Heaven is a further act of his taking possession of Heaven for us he then formally entring upon that our right in our stead and so is a further confirmation of our salvation to us But still we in our owne persons are not yet saved this being but done to us as we are representatively in Christ as our Head 4. Therefore he sits at Gods right hand vvhich imports his being armed and invested with all power in Heaven and Earth to give and apply eternall life to us 5. And last of all there remaines Intercession to finish and compleat our salvation to doe the thing even to save us And as Christs death Re-resurrection were to procure our Iustification so his sitting at Gods right hand and Intercession are to procure salvation and by faith we may see it done and behold our soules not onely sitting in heaven as in Christ a common person sitting there in our right as an evidence that we shall come thither but also through Christs Intercession begun vve may see our selves actually possessed of heaven And there I vvill leave all you that are believers by faith possessed of it and solacing your soules in it and doe you feare condemnation if you can CHAP. X. The use of all Containing some Encouragements for weake Beleevers from Christs Intercession out of HEB. 7. 25. NOw for a Conclusion of this Discourse I will adde a briefe Use of Encouragement and this suited to the lowest Faith of the weakest Beleever who cannot put forth any act of Assurance and is likewise discouraged from comming in unto Christ And I shall confine my selfe onely unto what those most comfortable words as any in the booke of God doe hold forth which the Apostle hath uttered concerning Christs Intercession the Point in hand Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them words which I have had the most recourse unto in this Doctrinall part of any other as most tending to the clearing
heaven and earth was his so soone as he should set footing in heaven then in the midst of these thoughts he tells us he went and washed his Disciples feet after he had first considered whither he was to goe and there what he was to be But secondly what was Christs Heart most upon in the midst of all these elevated meditations Not upon his own glory so much though it is told us that he considered that thereby the more to set out his love unto us but upon these thoughts his Heart ran out in love towards and was set upon his owne Having loved his owne sayes the 1. ver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne a word denoting the greatest nearnesse dearnesse and intimatenesse founded upon propriety The Elect are Christs owne a piece of himself not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as goods Iohn 1. 11. He came unto his owne and his own received him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word shews that he reckon them his owne but as goods not as persons but he cals these here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own by a nearer propriety that is his owne children his owne members his owne wife his owne flesh and he considers that though he was to goe out of the world yet they were to be in the world and therefore it is on purpose added which were in the world that is to remaine in this world Hee had others of his own who were in that world unto which he was going even the spirits of just men made perfect whom as yet he had never seene One would think that when he was meditating upon his going out of this world his heart should be all upon Abraham his Isaacs and his Iacobs whom he was going to no hee takes more care for his own who vvere to remain here in this vvorld a world wherein there is much evil as himselfe sayes Iohn 17. 15. both of sinne and miserie and vvith which themselves vvhilst in it could not but be defiled and vexed This is it vvhich draws out his bowels towards them even at that time vvhen his heart was full of the thoughts of his own glory Having loved his own he loved them unto the end Which is spoken to shew the constancie of his love and vvhat it vvould be when Christ should be in his glory To the end that is to the perfection of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Chrysostome having begun to love them he vvill perfect and consummate his love to them And to the end that is forever So in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used and so by the Euangelist the phrase is here used in a sutablenesse to the Scripture phrase Psal 103. 9. He will not alwayes chide nor reserve anger for ever so we translate it but in the Originall He reserves not anger unto the end So that the scope of this speech is to shew how Christs heart and love vvould be towards them even for ever when he should be gone unto his Father as well as it vvas to shew how it had beene here on earth they being his owne and hee having loved them he alters he changes not and therefore vvill love them for ever And then thirdly to testifie thus much by a reall testimony what his love would be when in heaven to them the Euangelist shews that when he was in the middest of all those great thoughts of his approaching glory and of the soveraigne estate which he was to be in he then tooke water and a towell and washed his Disciples feete This to have bin his scope will appeare if you observe but the coherence in the second verse it is said that Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands then ver 4. he riseth from supper and layes aside his garments and tooke a towel and girded himselfe ver 5. after that he powred water into a bason and began to wash his Disciples feete c. where it is evident that the Euangelists scope is to hold forth this unto us that then when Christs thoughts were full of his glorie when he tooke in the consideration of it unto the utmost even then and upon that occasion and in the midst of those thoughts he washt his Disciples feete And what was Christs meaning in this but that whereas when he should be in heaven he could not make such outward visible demonstrations of his heart by doing such meane services for them therefore by doing this in the middest of such thoughts of his glory hee would shew what hee could be content as it were to doe for them when hee should bee in full possession of it so great is his love unto them There is another expression of Christs like unto this in Luke 12. 36 37. which confirms this to be his meaning here and to be his very heart in heaven At ver 36. he compares himselfe to a Bridegroome who is to go to heaven unto a wedding-feast who hath servants on earth that stand all that while here below as without waiting for him at which because they wait so long they may think much Christ adds Verily I say unto you that when the Bridegroome returnes refreshed with wine and gladnesse he shall gird himselfe and make them sit downe to meate and will come forth and serve them The meaning is not as if that Christ served at the latter day or now in heaven those that sit downe there but onely it is an abundant expression in words as here in a real instance to set forth the over-flowing love that is in his heart and the transcendent happinesse that we shal then enjoy even beyond what can be expected by us he utters himselfe therefore by an unwonted thing not heard of that the Lord should serve his servants and wait on them that waited for him And it is to shew his heart to them and vvhat he could be contented to doe for them So that you see what his heart was before he went to Heaven even amidst the thoughts of all his glory and you see vvhat it is after he hath beene in heaven and greatned vvith all his glory even content to wash poore sinners feete and to serve them that come to him and wait for him Now fourthly what was the mystery of this his washing their feete It was as to give them an example of mutuall love and humility so to signify his washing away their sins thus ver 8. and 10. himselfe interprets it It is true indeede that now he is in heaven he cannot come to wash the feete of their bodies but he would signifie thus much thereby that those sinners that will come to him when in his glory he will wash away all their sins He loved his Church gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. This specimen
many threatnings gone out against them never so many presidents and examples of men condemned before for the like sins and in the like case yet Christ can prevaile against them all CHAP. IX The potencie of Christs Intercession demonstrated in that he intercedes with God who is Our Father How Gods heart is as much inclined to heare Christ for us as Christs is to intercede SEcondly Christ is an Advocate for us with Our Father You may perhaps think there is little in that but Christ puts much upon it yea so much as if that God would however grant all that Christ himselfe means to ask whether Christ asked it or no. This you have expresly in Iohn 16. 26 27. At that day sayes Christ you shall ask in my name and I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you To open this place where he sayes at that day The day he meanes through this whole Chapter is that time vvhen the holy Ghost should be shed upon them for throughout his discourse he stil speaks of the fruits of his Ascension and of giving the Comforter vvhich vvas done upon his ascending and vvas the first fruits of his priestly office in Heaven Thus Peter informs us Act. 2. 33. He being sayes he exalted by the right hand of God and having received namely by asking Ask and I will give thee of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and heare Now of that time vvhen he shall be in Heaven he sayes I say not that I will pray for you vvhich is not meant that Christ prays not for us in heaven but rather those very vvords are the highest intimation that he vvould and doth pray for us that can be When men vvould most strongly intimate their purpose of a kindnesse they mean to doe for one they use to say I doe not say that I love you or that I will doe this or that for you which is as much as to say I will surely doe it and doe it to purpose But Christs scope here is as in the highest manner to promise them that he would pray for them so withall further to tell them for their more abundant assurance and security that besides their having the benefit of his prayers God himselfe so loves them of himselfe that indeed that alone were enough to obtaine any thing at his hands which they shall but ask in his name so as he needs not pray for them and yet he will too But now in this case if he himselfe pray for them and they themselves in his name and both unto a Father who of himselfe loveth them and who hath purposed to grant all before either he or they should ask vvhat hope must there needs be then of a good successe this is both the meaning of this place and a great truth to be considered on by us to the purpose in hand That it is the meaning of the place the manner of Christs speech implies I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you It is such a speech as Christ used upon a cleane contrary occasion Iohn 5. 45. Doe not thinke sayes he that I will accuse you to the Father there is one who accuseth you even Moses c. He there threatens the obstinate and accursed Pharisees with condemnation Never stand thinking that it is I sayes he who am your onely enemie and accuser that will procure your condemnation and so prosecute the matter against you meerely for my own interest no I shall not neede to doe it though I should not accuse you your owne Moses in whom you trust he is enough to condemne you he will doe your errand sufficiently you would be sure to be damned by his words and sayings I shall not neede to trouble my selfe to come in and enter my action against you too Moses and his Law would follow the suit and be enough to condemne you to Hel. So as this Speech doth not implie that Christ will not at all accuse them no he meanes to bring in his action against them too for he after sayes If he had not spoke to them they had had no sinne and therefore he meant to bring the greatest accusation of all Now in an opposite though parallel speech here to comfort his Disciples he sayes I say not that I will pray for you that God may save you I who your selves shall see will dye for you I say not that I will pray for you not I. But though I speake this to insinuate in the highest manner that I will for if I spend my blood for you will I not spend my breath for you yet the truth is that the case so stands that but for Gods own ordination I should not neede to doe it for the Father himselfe loves you that is the Father of his own motion and proper good will taken up of himselfe towards you and not wrought in him by me doth love you and beares so much love to you as he can deny you nothing for he is your Father as well as mine How much more then shall you be saved when I shall strike in too and use all my interest in him for you Christ on purpose useth this speech so to dash out of their hearts that conceit which harboureth in many of ours who look upon God in the matter of Salvation as one who is hardly entreated to come off to save sinners and with whom Christ through the backwardnesse of his heart hath so much adoe and we are apt to think that when he doth come off to pardon he doth it only meerly at Christs entreaty and for his sake having otherwise no innate motion in himselfe sufficient to encline his heart to it but that it is in this transaction by Christ with him as a Favourite procures a Pardon for a Traitor whose person the King cares not for only at his Favourites suit and request he grants it which else he would never have done You are deceived sayes Christ it is otherwise my Fathers heart is as much towards you and for your salvations as mine is Himselfe of himselfe loveth you And the truth is that God took up as vast a love unto us of himselfe at first as ever he hath borne us since and all that Christ doth for us is but the expression of that love which was taken up originally in Gods owne heart Thus we find that out of that love he gave Christ for us So Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the world of elect that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to dye c. Yea Christs death was but a meanes to commend or set forth that love of his unto us So Rom. 5. 8. it was God also that did himselfe give the persons unto Christ and under-hand set him on work to mediate for them God was in Christ reconciling the World to himselfe He onely used
his first step to his glory and therefore this a certaine Demonstration 25 1. From the first gracious message which Christ after his Resurrection sent his Disciples who yet had forsaken him 26 2. From his carriage and speech at his first meeting with them 25 §. III. Demonstrations from passages at and after Christs Ascension into heaven 1. At his Ascension his blessing his Disciples 32 2. After he was come to heaven 1. Pouring out his Spirit on them as in his last Sermon he had promised which Spirit is to this day in our Preaching and an Argument of the fulfilling of this 33 2. All those works of Miracles and conversions of soules that accompanied the first preaching of the Gospel doe argue this as also the New Testament written since 34 3. Christs owne words spoken to Paul since himselfe was in heaven doe confirme it 35 4. The last words uttered in Scripture in the Book of the Revelation which was more immediately given unto John by Christ 37 Part II. Demonstrations Intrinsecall §. I. The first sort of Intrinsecall Demonstrations drawn from the Influence which all the three Persons have into the Heart of the Humane nature of Christ in Heaven 48 1. From God the Father Which Demonstration is made forth by two things 1. God hath given Christ a perpetuall command to love his Elect on earth and hath written a Law of love in his heart 49 2. This Law of love remaines for ever in his heart which is proved by two things 1. That it is a Law and that of Love 52 2. That by observing that Law it is that Christ continues in his Fathers love 53 2. From God the Sonne unto whom the Humane nature is united This disposition of grace is naturall to him as he is Gods naturall Sonne 54 Accordingly the Humane nature framed on purpose with dispositions of mercy and meeknesse above all other 55 3. From God the Holy Ghost who on earth filled him with meekenesse and grace above all other dispositions and now resteth upon him in Heaven more abundantly then ever 60 §. II. A second sort of Demonstrations from severall engagements now lying upon Christ in Heaven 70 1. Engagement The continuance of all his Relations and Alliances to us which no glory of his doth any thing lessen or alter ibid. Which relations were made chiefely for the other world and so must needes continue there 72 The Ground of this Engagement 76 2. His love is engaged and encreased by what he did and suffered for us 77 What a great obligation this is 78 3. His office of Priesthood which continues in Heaven doth further require all mercifulnesse and graciousnesse in him towards us sinners This Demonstration hath two parts 83 The 1. Shewing that the office of Priesthood was erected on purpose for grace and mercie ibid. Which is argued 1. By the Ends of it 2. By the Qualifications required for it 85 The 2. Shewing that by reason of this office an eternall duty lyeth upon him to shew grace and mercy and Christ is a faithfull High-Priest to performe that duty 90 Christs advancement can make no alteration in his heart for his Priesthood is his highest advancement And Grace did both Found and now upholds his Throne of Grace 94 4. His own Interest puts him upon these Affections of heart towards us His own joy happinesse and glory are encreased by shewing mercie to and comforting his children upon earth and it is more for his glory then for our good 98 Christ hath a double fulnesse of joy 1. Personall in his Father 2. Mysticall in his Members 99 How Christ rejoiceth in Heaven at our well-doing here on earth 101 5. His having the nature of man the same for substance in Heaven that he had on earth obligeth him to be mercifull unto men 104 The end of his Assuming mans nature was to qualifie him for mercie 105 Though it adds not to the greatnesse of mercie in God yet it addes a new way of being mercifull even as a man 106 Part III. §. I. Some Generals to cleare 1. How this is to be understood That Christs Heart is touched with the feeling of our infirmities 2. The way how our Infirmities come to be feelingly let into his heart 109 1. How this affection in Christ is to be understood This explained by these degrees 1. This affection of compassion is not wholly to be understood in a Metaphoricall sense as when God is said to be afflicted c. that is not meerely after the similitude of men but in a true and reall sense 111 2. These affections in Christs humane nature are more like to ours then those which the Angells have who notwithstanding have affections analogicall to ours 113 3 Christ having taken fraile flesh ere he went to Heaven this fits him yet more for having affections of mercie like unto ours 115 3. For the way how our miseries are let into Christs heart so as to affect it This explained by two things 1 The Humane nature hath the knowledge and cognizance of all that can or doth befall us here 118 2 He remembers how himselfe was once affected when he was under the like 119 §. II. A more particular Disquisition what manner of affection this is The seat thereof whether in his spirit or soule onely or in the whole humane nature Some Cautious added 121 This affection for our better conceiving it set forth three wayes 1. Negatively it is not in all things such as it was in the dayes of his flesh 2 Positively It is yet for substance the very same affection and the seat of it is his bodily heart as well as his soule 124 Foure Cautions or Positions about this 1. In what sense or so far as his Body is made spirituall so far are these Affections spiritualized as they are in his body 125 2. Hence though they move his Bowels yet they doe not perturbe or hurt him in the least 126 3. All naturall humane affections may be still in him that are not unbecomming his state glory And how much the having such affections are suteable to that state and relation wherein he is 128 4. Though a passionate suffering be cut off yet these affections are now more large and strong for the substance of them then they were on earth 130 3. Privatively If his heart suffers not with us under our Infirmities yet he hath lesse joy then his heart shall have when we are freed from all 131 How the Scripture attributes some kinde of Imperfection to some affection in him and in what sense §. III. This Scruple satisfied How Christs heart can bee feelingly touched with our sins our greatest infirmities seeing he was tempted without sinne 133 Foure answers given thereunto for our comfort Vses of all 137 FINIS THE HEART OF Christ in Heaven TO Sinners on Earth I. PART HAving set forth our Lord and Saviour JESVS CHRIST in all those great and most solemne actions of his his Obedience unto
that because of his Fathers command It is evidenced thus For it being a Law vvritten in the midst of his bowels by his Father it becomes naturall to him and so indelible and as other Morall Laws of God written in the heart are perpetuall And as in us when we shall be in heaven though Faith shall faile and Hope vanish yet Love shall continue as the Apostle speaks so doth this love in Christs heart continue also and suffers no decay and is shewne as much now in receiving sinners and interceding for them and being pitifull unto them as then in dying for them And this love to sinners being so commanded pressed upon him as was said that as he would have his Father love him he should love them and so being urged upon all that great love that is betweene him and his Father this as it must needs worke and boile up a strong love in him unto sinners so likewise the most constant and never-decaying love that could be And this is argued from the analogie of that principle upon which Christ urgeth us to love himself Iohn 15. 10. He moveth his Disciples to keep the Commandments he gave them and useth this argument For so shall you abide in my love and backs it with his owne instance even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love Now therefore this being the great Commandment that God layeth on him to love and die for and to continue to love and receive sinners that come to him and raise them up at the latter day certainly hee continues to keep it most exactly as being one of the great tyes betweene him and his Father so to continue in his love to him Therefore so long as hee continues in his Fathers love and now he is in heaven and at his right hand he must needs continue in highest favour with him so long wee may be sure he continues to observe this And thus that he should continue still to love us both love to his Father and love to himselfe obligeth him we may therefore be sure of him that he both doth it and will doe it for ever O what a comfort is it that as children are mutuall pledges and tyes of love betweene man and wife so that wee should be made such betweene God the Father and the Sonne And this demonstration is taken from the influence of the first Person of the Trinity namely from God the Father Then secondly this his love is not a forced love which he strives onely to beare towards us because his Father hath commanded him to marry us but it is his nature his disposition Which added to the former affords a second demonstration of the point in hand and is drawn from God the Sonne This disposition is free and naturall to him he should not be Gods Son else nor take after his heavenly Father unto whom it is naturall to shew mercie but not so to punish which is his strange worke but mercie pleaseth him he is the Father of mercie hee begets them naturally Now Christ is his own Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by way of distinction hee is called and his naturall Sonne yea his humane nature being united to the second Person is thereby become the naturall Son of God not adopted as we are And if he be his naturall Son in priviledges then also his Fathers properties are naturall to him more naturall then to us who are but his adopted sons And if we as the elect of God who are but the adopted sons are exhorted to put on Bowels of mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse c. as Col. 3. 12. then much more must these dispositions needs be found in Christ the Naturall Son and these not put on by him but be as naturall to him as his Son-ship is God is love as Iohn sayes and Christ is love covered over with slesh yea our flesh And besides it is certain that as God hath fashioned the hearts of all men and some of the sonnes of men unto more mercie and pitie naturally then others and then the holy Spirit comming on them to sanctifie their natural dispositions useth to work according to their tempers even so it is certain that he tempered the heart of Christ and made it of a softer mold and temper then the tendernes of all mens hearts put together into one to soften it would have been of When he was to assume an humane nature he is brought in saying Heb. 10. A body hast thou fitted me That is an humane nature fitted as in other things so in the temper of it for the God-head to work and shew his perfections in best And as he tooke an humane nature on purpose to be a mercifull High Priest as Heb. 2. 14. so such an humane nature and of so speciall a temper and frame as might be more mercifull then all Men or Angles His humane nature was made without hands that is was not of the ordinary make that other mens hearts are of though for the matter the same yet not for the frame of his spirit It was an heart bespoke for on purpose to be made a vessel or rather fountain of mercie wide and capable enough to be so extended as to take in and give forth to us again all Gods Manifestative mercies that is all the mercies God intended to manifest to his elect therefore Christs heart had naturally in the temper of it more pity then all men or Angles have as through which the mercies of the great God were to be dispensed unto us and this heart of his to be the instrument of them And then this man and the heart of this man so framed being united to God and being made the naturall Son of God now naturall must mercie needs be unto him And therefore continue in him now hee is in Heaven For though he laid down all infirmities of our nature when he rose again yet no graces that were in him whilst he was below they are in him now as much as ever and being his nature for nature we know is constant therefore still remains You may observe that when he was upon earth minding to perswade sinners to have good thoughts of him as he used that argument of his Fathers command given him so hee also layes open his own disposition Mat. 11. 28. Come to me you that are weary and heavy laden for I am meek and lowly of heart Men are apt to have contrary conceits of Christ but he tells them his disposition there by preventing such hard thoughts of him to allure them unto him the more We are apt to thinke that hee being so holy is therefore of a severe and sowre disposition against sinners and not able to beare them no sayes he I am meek gentlenesse is my nature and temper as it was of Moses who was as in other things so in that grace his Type he was not revenged on Miriam and Aaron but interceded for them So
Formalists among the Jews had who without the Messiah closed with Promises and rested in Types to cleanse them without looking unto Christ the end of them and as propounded to their faith in them This is to goe to God without a Mediator and to make the Promises of the Gospel to be as the Promises of the Law Nehushtan as Hezekiah said of the Brasen Serpent a piece of brasse vaine and ineffectuall like the waters of Bethesda they heale not they cleanse not till this Angel of the Covenant come downe to your faith in them Therefore at a Sacrament or when you meet with any Promise get Christ first downe by faith and then let your faith propound what it would have and you may have what you will of him There are three sorts of Promises Three sorts of Promise and how Christs Person is the object of faith in applying them all and in the applying of all these it is Christ that your faith is to meet with 1. There are absolute promises made to no Conditions as when Christ is said to come to save sinners c. Now in these it is plaine that Christ is the naked object of them so that if you apply not him you apply nothing for the onely thing held forth in them is Christ 2. There are Inviting Promises as that before mentioned Come to me you that are weary The promise is not to wearinesse but to comming to Christ they are bidden Come to him if they will have rest 3. There are Assuring Promises as those made to such and such qualifications of sanctification c. But still what is it that is promised in them which the heart should onely eye It is Christ in whom the soule rests and hath comfort in and not in its grace so that the sight of a mans grace is but a back-doore to let faith in at to converse with Christ whom the soule loves Even as at the Sacrament the elements of Bread and Wine are but outward signes to bring Christ and the heart together and then faith lets the outward elements goe and closeth and treats immediately with Christ unto whom these let the soule in So Grace is a signe inward and whilst men make use of it onely as of a bare signe to let them in unto Christ and their rejoycing is not in it but in Christ their confidence being pitcht upon him and not upon their grace whilst men take this course there is and will be no danger at all in making such use of signes and I see not but that God might as well appoint his owne work of the new creation within to be as a signe and help to communion with Christ by faith as he did those outward elements the works of his first creation especially seeing in nature the effect is a sign of the cause Neither is it more derogatory to free grace or to Christs honour for God to make such effects signes of our union with him then it was to make outward signs of his presence SECT II. CHRIST the object and support of faith for Justification in his death ROM 8. 34. Who shall condemne Christ hath dyed CHAP. I. How not Christs Person simply but Christ as dying is the object of Faith as justifying TO come now to all those foure particulars of or about Christ as the object of faith here mentioned and to shew both how Christ in each is the object of faith as justifying and what support or encouragement the faith of a Beleever may fetch from each of them in point of Justification which is the Argument of the maine Body of this Discourse First Christ as dying is the object of justifying faith Who shall condemne Christ hath dyed For the explanation of which Explained 1. By two Directions I will 1. Give a direction or two 2. Shew how an encouragement or matter of triumph may from hence be fetcht 1. 1. Direction The first Direction is this That in seeking forgivenesse or justification in the Promises as Christ is to be principally in the eye of your faith so it must be Christ as crucified Christ as dying as here he is made It was the Serpent as lift up and so looked at that healed them Now this direction I give to prevent a mistake which soules that are about to beleeve doe often run into For when they heare that the person of Christ is the maine object of faith they thus conceive of it that when one comes first to beleeve he should looke onely upon the personall excellencies of Grace and Glory which are in Jesus Christ which follow upon the Hypostaticall Union and so have his heart allured in unto Christ by them onely and close with him under those apprehensions alone But although it be true that there is that radicall disposition in the faith of every Beleever which if it were drawne forth to view Christ in his meere personall excellencies abstractively considered would close with Christ for them alone as seeing such a beauty and suitablenesse in them yet the first view which an humbled soule alwayes doth and is to take of him is of his being a Saviour made sinne and a curse and obeying to the death for sinners He takes up Christ in his first sight of him under the likenes of sinfull flesh for so the Gospel first represents him though it holds forth his personall excellencies also and in that representation it is that he is made a fit object for a sinners faith to trust rest upon for salvation which in part distinguisheth a sinners faith whilst here on earth towards Christ from that vision or sight which Angels and the souls of men have in heaven of him Faith here views him not onely as glorious at Gods right hand though so also but as crucified as made sin and a curse and so rests upon him for pardon but in heaven we shall see him as he is and be made like unto him Take Christ in his personall excellencies simply considered and so with them propounded as an Head to us he might have been a fit object for Angels and men even without sin to have closed withall and what an additon to their happinesse would they have thought it to have him for their husband but yet so considered he should have been and rather is the object of love then of faith or affiance It is therefore Christ that is thus excellent in his person yet farther considered as clothed with his garments of bloud and the qualifications of a Mediator and Reconciler it is this that makes him so desirable by sinners and a fit object for their faith which looks out for justification to prey and seize upon though they take in the consideration of all his other excellencies to allure their hearts to him and confirme their choice of him Yea I say farther that consider faith as justifying that is in that act of it which justifies a sinner and so Christ taken onely or mainly in his
God to work all our works and undergoe all our punishments to pay our debts for us and to work in us all that God required should be done by us in the Covenant of Grace And thus to be a Surety is much more then simply to be an Intercessour or Mediatour as Pareus well observes God did as it were say to Christ What they owe me I require it all at your hands and Christ assented and from everlasting struck hands with God to doe all for us that God could require and undertook it under the penalty that lay upon us to have undergone Yea Christ became such a Surety in this for us as is not to be found among men A strange difference between Christs Suretiship and that of men for others on earth On earth Sureties are wont to enter into one and the same Bond with the Creditors so as the Creditour may seize on which of the two he will whether on the Debtour or on the Surety and so as usually on the Debtor first for him we call the Principal but in this covenant God would have Christs single Bond and hence Christ is not onely called the Surety of the Covenant for us but The Covenant God makes the Covenant of Grace principally with Christ for us Esay 49. 8. and elsewhere God making the Covenant of Grace primarily with him and with him as for us thereby his single Bond alone was taken for all that so God might be sure of satisfaction therefore he laid all upon Christ protesting that he would not deale with us nor so much as expect any payment from us such was his grace So Psal 89. 19. where the mercies of the Covenant made betweene Christ and God under the Type of Gods Covenant with David are set forth God requires payment of our debt from Christ first Thou spakest in vision to thy holy One and saidst I have laid help on one who is mighty As if God had said I know that these will faile me and break and never be able to satisfie me but you are a mighty and substantiall person able to pay me and I will look for my debt of you And to confirme this then which nothing can give stronger consolation or more advanceth Gods free grace when God went about the reconciling the world in and by Christ and dealt with Christ about it the manner of it is expressed to have been that God took off our sins from us and discharged us as it were meaning never to call us to an account for them unlesse Christ should not satisfie him and laid them all on Christ so as he would require an account of them all from him first and let him look to it and this he did to make the Covenant sure Thus 2 Cor. 5. 19. it is said the Apostle speaking of Gods transaction of this businesse with Christ that God was in Christ namely from everlasting reconciling the world of Elect Beleevers to himselfe not imputing their trespasses to them and made him sin who knew no sinne Observe that as he laid our sinnes on Christ so withall he discharged us in his compact betweene Christ and himselfe not imputing their trespasses to them So then all laid upon Christ and he was to look to it or else his soule was to have gone for it This is not the manner of other Creditours they use to charge the Debt on both the Surety and the Debtour but in this Covenant of Grace namely Christs single Bond is entred he alone is The Covenant so as God will have nought to say to us till Christ failes him He hath engaged himselfe first to require satisfactions at Christs hands who is our Surety Now then 2. 2. How the consideration of this is a strong evidence to faith of justification from Christs Resurrection for to make use of this notion for the clearing of the point in hand It might afford us matter of unspeakable cōfort onely to hear of Christs having been arrested by God for our debt cast into prison and his Bond sued and an Execution or Iudgement served on him as the phrases are Esay 53. 8. For thereby we should have seen how God had begun with our Surety as minded to let us alone and that it lay on him to discharge the debt who was so able to doe it And thereby we might also see how he was made sin for us and therefore we might very well have quieted our hearts from fearing any arrests or for Gods comming upon us till we should heare that our Surety were not sufficiently able to pay the debt as you have heard he is But yet our hearts would stil be inquisitive for all that to hear whether indeed he hath perfectly satisfied God or no and would be extreamly solicitous to know whether he hath satisfactorily performed what he undertook and how he got cleare of that engagement and of being made sinne for us And therefore the Apostle comforts Beleevers with this that Christ shall the next time appeare without sin * Heb. 9. 28. Vnto them that look for him he shall appeare the second time without sinne It declaring unto faith that Christ that was in this death nale sin for us hath now discharged all and is without sin unto salvation One would think it no great matter of comfort to us to hear that Christ should appeare without sinne for who would imagine that it could be otherwise with The holy One The Lord of Glory there is no wonder in that Ay but sayes the Apostle your very salvation is interested in this as neerly as is possible It is well for you that Christ is now without sinne for he having as your Surety undertooke to satisfie for sinne and having accordingly beene once made sinne when on earth and arrested for it by God at his death in that now he is got cleare of that engagement which could be no way but by satisfaction which he undertooke this doth plainly evince it and ascertain you that you shall never be condemned for it for by the Law if the Surety hath discharged the debt the Debtour is then free And therefore no news would or could be more welcome to sinners And so that God will never come upon the sinner then to have a certaine and infallible evidence given that their Surety were well come off and had quitted all to satisfaction Now then to evidence this serveth his Resurrection Christ is risen How strong an evidence Christs Resurrection is that the debt is paid and God satisfied Nothing so sure Therefore certainly the debt is discharged and he hath paid it to the full and so is now without our sinne and fully got cleare of it For God having once arrested Christ and cast him into prison and begun a tryall against him and had him to judgement he could not come forth till he had paid the very utmost farthing And there is the greatest reason for it to ascertaine us that
ver 6. Otherwise as that woman said to Philip when she came to him for justice and he put her off Then cease sayes she to be a King So if Christ should deny any such soule to take its cause in hand he must then cease to be a Priest He lives to intercede He is a Priest called by God as was Aaron ver 6. Wherefore he ought to doe it in that it is his office 3. And if thy soule yet feareth the difficulty of its owne particular case in respect of the greatnesse of thy sinnes and the circumstances thereof or any consideration whatsoever which to thy view doth make thy salvation an hard suit to obtaine the Apostle therefore further addes He is able to save to the utmost what ever thy cause be and this through this his Intercession That same word to the utmost is a good word and vvell put in for our comfort Consider it therefore for it is a reaching vvord and extends it selfe so farre that thou canst not look beyond it Let thy soule be set upon the highest mount that ever any creature vvas yet set upon and that is enlarged to take in and view the most spacious prospect both of sinne and misery and difficulties of being saved that ever yet any poore humbled soule did cast within it selfe yea joyne to these all the objections and hinderances of thy Salvation that the heart of man can suppose or invent against it selfe lift up thy eyes and looke to the utmost thou canst see and Christ by his Intercession is able to save thee beyond the Horizon and furthest compasse of thy thoughts even to the utmost and worst case the heart of Man can suppose It is not thy having laine long in Sinne long under terrours and despairs or having sinned often after many enlightnings that can hinder thee from being saved by Christ Do but remember this same word to the utmost and then put in what exceptions thou wilt or canst lay all the barrs in thy way that are imaginable yet know thou that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against thee 4. Again consider but what it is that Christ who hath by his death done enough to save thee doth yet further for thee in Heaven If thou thoughtest thou hadst all the Saints in Heaven and Earth jointly concurring in promoving thy salvation and competitours unto God in instant and incessant requests and prayers to save thee how wouldest thou be encouraged shall I tell thee one word out of Christs mouth who is the King of Saints will do more then all in heaven and earth can doe and what is there then which we may not hope to obtain through his Intercession And wouldst thou know whether he hath undertaken thy cause and begun to intercede for thee In a word Hath he put his spirit into thy heart and set thy own heart on work to make incessant Intercessions for thy selfe with groans unutterable as the Apostle hath it Rom. 8. This is the Eccho of Christs Intercession for thee in Heaven 5. And lastly If such a soule shall further object But will he not give over suing for me may I not be cast out of his prayers through my unbeliefe Let it here be considered that he lives ever to intercede And therefore if he once undertake thy cause and getteth thee into his prayers he will never leave thee out night nor day He Intercedeth ever till he hath accomplisht and finished thy salvation Men have been cast out of good and holy mens prayers as Saul out of Samuels and the People of Israel out of Ieremies but never out of Christs prayers the smoak of his Incense ascends for ever and he will intercede to the utmost till he hath saved thee to the utmost He will never give over but will lye in the dust for thee or he will perfect and procure thy Salvation Onely whilst I am thus raising up your Faith to him upon the worke of his Intercession for us let me speak a word to you for him so to stir up your love to him upon the consideration of this his Intercession also You see you have the whole life of Christ first and last both here and in heaven laid out for you He had not come to earth but for you he had no other businesse here Vnto us a Son is born And to be sure he had not dyed but for you for us a Son was given and when he rose it was for your justification And now he is gone to heaven he lives but to intercede for you He makes your salvation his constant calling O therefore let us live wholly unto him for he hath and doth live wholly unto us You have his whole time among you and if he were your servant you could desire no more There was much of your time lost before you began to live to him but there hath beene no moment of his time which he hath not lived to and improved for you Nor are you able ever to live for him but onely in this life for hereafter you shall live with him and be glorified of him I conclude all with that of the Apostle The love of Christ it should constraine us because we cannot but judge this to be the most equall that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who dyed for them and rose again and out of the Text I also adde sits at Gods right hand yea and there lives for ever to make Intercession for us FINIS THE HEART OF Christ in Heaven Towards SINNERS on Earth OR A TREATISE DEMONSTRATING The gracious Disposition and tender Affection of Christ in his Humane Nature now in Glory unto his Members under all sorts of Infirmities either of Sin or Misery By THO GOODWIN B. D. LONDON Printed for R. DAWLMAN M DC XLII THE TABLE OF The Heart of Christ in Heaven towards Sinners on Earth 1. Demonstrations of the gracious disposition of his Heart towards us Extrinsecall shewing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so Part 1. Intrinsecall shewing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reasons why it must needs be so Part 2. 2. The Manner how his Heart is affected towards us and the way how it comes to passe that such affections are let into his heart Part 3. Part I. Containing Demonstrations Extrinsecall §. I. Demonstrations from Christs carriage at his last Farewell and his last Sermon John Chapters 13 c. and in his last prayer John 17. the scope of all which was to assure his Disciples of his being constant in his Affections towards them 5 1. From his carriage at his last Fare-well And this in foure things 6 2. From many passages in that his last Sermon in 5. things 13 3. From his last Prayer Joh. 17. which Prayer is a patterne of his Intercession in Heaven and so an expression of what his heart is there 22 §. II. Demonstrations from many passages and expressions after his Resurrection 24 This Resurrection
death his Resurrection Ascension into heaven his sitting at Gods right hand and Intercession for us which of all the other hath beene more largely insisted on I shall now annexe as next in order and homogeneall thereunto this Discourse that follows which layes open The HEART of Christ as now he is in heaven sitting at Gods right hand and interceding for us How it is affected and graciously disposed towards sinners on earth that doe come to him how willing to receive them how ready to entertaine them how tender to pity them in all their infirmities both sinnes and miseries The scope and use whereof will be this To hearten and encourage Beleevers to come more boldly unto the Throne of Grace unto such a Saviour and High-priest when they shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart though he is now in his glory is inclined towards them and so to remove that great stone of stumbling which we meet with and yet lyeth unseen in the thoughts of men in the way to faith that Christ being now absent and withall exalted to so high and infinite a distance of glory as to sit at Gods right hand c. they therefore cannot tell how to come to treat with him about their salvation so freely and with that hopefulnesse to obtaine as those poore sinners did who were here on earth with him Had our lot been think they but to have conversed with him in the dayes of his flesh as Mary and Peter and his other Disciples did here below wee could have thought to have beene bold with him and have been familiar with him and to have had any thing at his hands For they beheld him afore them a man like unto themselves and he was full of meeknesse and gentlenesse he being then himselfe made sinne and sensible of all sorts of miseries but now he is gone into a farre Countrey and hath put on glory and immortality and how his heart may be altered thereby we know not The drift of this Discourse is therefore to ascertaine poore soules that his Heart in respect of pity and compassion remains the same it was on earth that he intercedes there with the same heart he did here below and that he is as meek as gentle as easie to be entreated as tender in his bowels so that they may deale with him as fairely about the great matter of their salvation and as hopefully and upon as easie tearmes obtaine it of him as they might if they had beene on earth with him and be as familiar with him in all their requests as bold with him in all their needs Then which nothing can be more for the comfort and encouragement of those who have given over all other lives but that of faith and whose soules pursue after strong and entire communion with their Saviour Christ Now the Demonstrations that may help our faith in this I reduce to two Heads The first more extrinsecall and outward The second more intrinsecall and inward The one shewing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it that it is so the other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasons and grounds why it must needs be so First for those Extrinsecall Demonstrations as I call them they are taken from severall passages and carriages of his in all those severall conditions of his namely at his last Fare-well afore his Death his Resurrection Ascension and now he is sitting at Gods right hand I shall lead you through all the same Heads which I have gone over in the former Treatise though to another purpose and take such observations from his speeches and carriages in all those states he went through as shall tend directly to perswade our hearts of the point in hand namely this that now he is in heaven his heart remains as graciously inclined to sinners that come to him as ever on earth And for a Ground or Introduction to these first sort of Demonstrations I shall take this Scripture that follows as for those other another Scripture as proper to that part of this Discourse JOHN 13. 1. When Iesus knew that his houre was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father HAVING LOVED HIS OWNE HE LOVED THEM TO THE END or for ever §. I. Demonstrations from Christs last Fare-well to his Disciples IT was long before that Christ did break his mind to his Disciples that he was to leave them and to goe away to heaven from them for Ioh. 16. 4. he sayes he had forborne to tell it them from the beginning But when he begins to acquaint them with it he then at once leaves with them an abundance of his heart and that not onely how it stood towards them and what it was at the present but what it would be when he should be in his glory Let us to this end but briefly peruse his last carriage and his Sermon at his last Supper which he did eate with them as it is on purpose penned and recorded by the Euangelist Iohn and we shall find this to be the drift of those long Discourses of Christs from the 13. to the 18. Chap. I will not make a Comment on them but onely briefly take up such short observations as do more specially hold forth this thing in hand These words which I have prefixed as the Text are the Preface unto all that his Discourse that follows namely unto that washing of his Disciples feet and his succeeding Sermon which accordingly doe shew the argument and summe of all 1. Demonstration from his carriage at his last fare-well The Preface is this Before the Feast of the Passeover when Iesus knew that his houre was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end And supper being ended Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God he then washed his Disciples feet Now this Preface was prefixed by the Euangelist on purpose to set open a window into Christs heart to shew what it was then at his departure and so withall to give a light into and put a glosse and interpretation upon all that followes The scope whereof is to shew what his affections would be to them in heaven He tels us what Christs thoughts were then and what was his heart amidst those thoughts both which occasioned all that succeeds 1. He premiseth what was in Christs thoughts and his meditation He began deeply to consider both that he was to depart out of this world Iesus knew c. sayes the Text that is was then thinking of it that he should depart unto the Father and how that then he should shortly be installed into that glory which was due unto him so it followes ver 3. Iesus knowing that is was then actually taking into his mind that the Father had given all things into his hands that is that all power in
hast set my heart upon them and hast loved them thy selfe as thou hast loved me and thou hast ordained them to be one in us even as we are one and therefore I cannot live long asunder from them I have thy company but I must have theirs too I will that they be where I am ver 24. If I have any glory they must have part of it So it follows in the fore-named verse That they may behold the glory which thou hast given me he speakes all this as if he had beene then in Heaven and in possession of all that glory and therefore it is an expression of his heart in Heaven which you have very good ground to build upon §. 2. Demonstrations from passages and expressions after his Resurrection THese Demonstrations have beene taken from his carriage and Sermon before his death even at his first breaking of his mind unto his Disciples concerning his departure from them Let us now take a view of our Saviour in his behaviour after his Resurrection whence a further Indicium of his heart how it would stand towards sinners when he should be in Heaven may be taken and his love demonstrated For his Resurrection was the first step unto his Glory and indeede an entrance into it when hee laid downe his bodie he laid downe all earthly weaknesses and passions of flesh and blood It was sown as ours is in weaknesse but with raising of it up again he took on him the dispositions and qualifications of an immortal and glorious body It was raised in power And The dayes of his flesh or frail estate as the Author to the Hebrews by way of distinction speaks were past and over at his Resurrection and the garment of his body was new dyed and endowed with new qualities and thereby it was made of a stuffe fit to beare and sustain Heavens Glory and therefore what now his heart upon his first rising shall appeare to be towards us will be a certain demonstration what it will continue to be in heaven And to illustrate this the more consider that if ever there were a tryall taken whether his love to sinners would continue or no it was then at his Resurrection for all his Disciples especially Peter had carryed themselves the most unworthily towards him in that interim that could be and this then when he was performing the greatest act of love towards them namely dying for them that ever was shewne by any And by the way so God often orders it that when hee is in hand with the greatest mercies for us and bringing about our greatest good then we are most of all sinning against him which he doth to magnifie his love the more You know how they all forsook him and in the midst of his Agonie in the Garden in which he desired their company meerly for a reliefe unto his sadded spirit they slept and lay like so many blocks utterly senslesse of his dolours which had they had any friendly sympathie of they could never have done Could you not watch with me one houre Then you know how foulely Peter denyed him with oathes and curses and after that when he was laid in the grave they are giving up all their faith in him We trusted it should have been he say two of them that should have redeemed Israel They question whether he was the Messiah or no Luke 24. 21. Now when Christ came first out of the other world from the dead cloathed with that heart and body which he was to weare in heaven what message sends he first to them we would all think that as they would not know him in his sufferings so he would now be as strange to them in his Glory or at least his first words shall be to rate them for their faithlesnesse and false-hood but here is no such matter for Iohn 20. 17. his first word concerning them is Goe tell my Brethren c. You reade elsewhere how that it is made a great point of love and condescending in Christ so to entitle them Heb. 2. 11. He is not ashamed to call them Brethren surely his brethren had beene ashamed of him Now for him to call them so when he was first entering into his glory argues the more love in him towards them He caries it as Ioseph did in the height of his advancement when hee first brake his minde to his brethren I am Joseph your brother sayes he Gen. 45. 4. So Christ sayes here Tell them you have seene Iesus their Brother I own them as brethen still This was his first compellation but what was the message that he would first have delivered unto them that I sayes he ascend to my Father and your Father A more friendly speech by far and arguing infinite more love then that of Iosephs did though that was full of bowels for Ioseph after he had told them he was their brother adds whom you sold into Egypt he minds them of their unkindnesse but not so Christ not a word of that hee minds them not of what they had done against him Poore sinners who are full of the thoughts of their own sinnes know not how they shall be able at the latter day to looke Christ in the face when they shall first meet with him But they may relieve their spirits against their care and feare by Christs carriage now towards his Disciples who had so sinned against him Be not afraid your sins will he remember no more Yea further you may observe that he minds them not so much of what he had been doing for them He sayes not Tell them I have been dying for them or That they little think what I have suffered for them not a word of that neither but still his heart and his care is upon doing more he looks not backward to what is past but forgets his sufferings as a woman her travaile for joy that a man-child is borne Having now dispatcht that great work on earth for them he hastens to heaven as fast as he can to doe another And though he knew he had businesse yet to doe upon earth that would hold him forty dayes longer yet to shew that his heart was longing and eagerly desirous to be at work for them in heaven hee speakes in the present tense and tels them I ascend and he expresseth his joy to be not onely that he goes to his Father but also that he goes to their Father to be an advocate with him for them of which I spake afore And is indeed Jesus our Brother alive and doth he call us Brethren and doth he talk thus lovingly of us whose heart would not this over come But this was but a message sent his Disciples before he met them let us next observe his carriage and speech at first meeting together When he came first amongst them this was his salutation Peace be to you ver 19. which he reiterates ver 21. and it is all one with that former speech of his used in that his
That the heart of Jesus Christ now he is in heaven is as graciously inclined to sinners as ever it was on earth §. 1. The first sort of Intrinsecall Demonstrations drawn from the influence all the three Persons have for ever into the heart of the Humane nature of Christ in heaven THe first sort of Demonstrations shall be fetcht from all the three Persons and their severall influence they have into Christs heart in heaven to encline it towards us The first shall be taken from God his Father who hath thus advanced him and it hath two parts 1. That God hath given a perpetuall command to Christ to love sinners 2. That therefore his heart continues the same for ever For the first God the Father hath given Iesus Christ a speciall command to love sinners and hath withall implanted a mercifull gracious disposition in his heart towards them This I mention to argue it because it is that which Christ alledgeth Iohn 6. 37. as the originall ground of this disposition of his not to cast out those that come to him For it is my Fathers will sayes he in the following verses that I should performe that which I came downe from heaven for ver 38. And this lyes now still upon him now he is in heaven as much as ever for his will also is sayes he ver 39 40. that I should raise them up at the last day so as it must needs continue the same till then And compare with this the 10. of Iohn from ver 15. to 18. where having discoursed before of his care and love to his sheep to give his life for them to know and owne them and to bring them into the fold c. he concludes at ver 18. This commandment have I received from my Father It is his will sayes the 6. of Iohn and if a good son knowes that a thing is his fathers mind and will it is enough to move him to doe it much more if it be his expresse command And in this 10. of Iohn he further sayes that it is the command which he had received from the Father A command is a mans will peremptorily expressed so as there must be a breach if it be not fulfilled and such a command hath God given Christ concerning us Out of both which places I observe three things to be the matter of this will and command of Gods First that Christ should die for his sheep in respect to which command he continued so to love them whilst here as to lay downe his life for them so Iohn 10. 15. but then he tooke it up againe and is ascended into heaven Therefore those other two things commanded him doe concerne him when he is in glory namely to receive all that come to him which is the second and the third to looke that he lose none of those for whom he dyed but to raise them up And for these his Fathers command lyes as strictly on him now he is in Heaven as for dying for them whilst he was on earth This command have I received from my Father and this is his will And together with this command God did put into his heart as where he commands he ever useth to doe such an instinct of transcendent love towards them as shall so strongly encline him to performe it that he shall neede no more commands He hath put such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such an especiall love into him as he hath put into the hearts of parents towards their own children more then to all other mens children which they see besides although more beautifull and more witty then their own And both this commandement and this inclination of love towards them wee have at once expressed Psal 40. 8. where giving the reason why he became our Mediator and sacrificed himselfe he not onely sayes I come to doe thy will O God but also Thy law is in my bowels In which speech both these two are mentioned 1. That command I mentioned is there expressed for it is called a Law And 2. it was a law wrought into suitable dispositions in his heart and therefore said to bee a Law in his heart or bowels You may easily conceive what Law it was by the subject of it his Bowels which are still put for the most tender affections Colos 3. 12. Bowels of mercie kindnesse c. It was no other then that law of love mercy and pity to poore sinners which God gave him in charge as he was to be Mediator It was that speciall law which lay on him as he was the second Adam like that which was given to the first Adam Non concedendi over and above the Morall Law not to eate the forbidden fruit such a Law was this he there speakes of It was the law of his being a Mediator and a sacrifice for of that he expresly speakes v. 6 7. over and besides the Morall Law which was common to him with us The word in the Originall is In the middest of my bowels to shew it was deeply engraven it had its seat in the center it sate neerest and was most inward in his heart Yea and as that speciall Law of not eating the forbidden fruit was to Adam Praeceptum Symbolicum as Divines call it given over and besides all the ten Commandments to be a tryall a signe or symbole of his obedience to all the rest such was this Law given unto Christ the second Adam so as that God would judge of all his other obedience unto himselfe by this Yea it was laid on him vvith that earnestnesse by God and so commended by him as that if ever Christ vvould have him to love him he should be sure to love us Thus in that place fore-cited Iohn 10. 17 18. Christ comforts himselfe with this in his obedience Therefore doth my Father love me It is spoken in relation unto his fulfilling this his command formerly mentioned and so withall imports as if God should love Christ the better for the love he should shew to us it pleased him so well to see Christ love us And so it is as if God when he gave Christ that Commandement ver 18. had said Sonne as you vvould have my love continue tovvards you let me see your love towards me shewne in being kinde to these I have given you whom I have loved with the same love wherewith I have loved you as you have it Iohn 17. 23. As God vvould have us shevv love unto him by loving his children so he vvould have Christ also shevv his love towards him by loving of us Novv for the second Branch of this Demonstration namely that that love vvhich Christ vvhen on earth expressed to be in his heart and vvhich made him die for sinners upon this command of his Father that it doth certainly continue in his heart still novv that hee is in Heaven and that as quick and as tender as ever it was on earth even as vvhen he vvas on the Crosse
their love encreased and the party for whom they suffered is thereby rendred the more deere unto them And as it is thus in these naturall relations so also in spirituall we may see it in holy men as in Moses who was a mediator for the Jewes as Christ is for us Moses therein being but Christs Type and shadow and therefore I the rather instance in him He under God had beene the deliverer of the people of Israel out of Egypt with the hazard of his own life had led them in the wildernesse and given them that good Law that was their wisdome in the sight of all the Nations and by his prayers kept off Gods wrath from them And who ever of all those Heroes we read of did so much for any Nation who yet were continually murmuring at him and had like once to have stoned him and yet what he had done for them did so mightily engage his heart and so immoveably point and fixe it unto their good that although God in his wrath against them offered to make of him alone a greater and mightier Nation then they were yet Moses refused that offer the greatest that ever any Sonne of Adam was tempted with and still went on to intercede for them and among other used this very argument to God even the consideration of what he had already done for them as with what great might and power he had brought them out of AEgypt c. thereby to move God to continue his goodnesse unto them so Exod. 32. 11. and elsewhere And this overcame God as you may read in the 14. ver of the fore-named Chap. Yea so set was Moses his heart upon them that he not only refused that former offer which God made him but he made an offer unto God of himselfe to sacrifice his portion in life for their good Rather sayes he blot me out of the book of life So ver 32. And we may observe the like zealous love in holy Paul towards all those converts of his whom in his Epistles he wrote unto towards whom that which so much endeared his affections was the paines the cost the travail the care and the sufferings that hee had had in bringing them unto Christ Thus towards the Galatians how solicitous was he how afraid to lose his labour on them I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain so hee expresseth himselfe Galat. 4. 11. and ver 19. he utters himselfe yet more deepely My little children sayes he of whom I again travaile in birth untill Christ be formed in you He professeth himselfe content to be in travail again for them rather then lose that about which he had beene in travail for them once before Now from both these examples whereof the one was Christs Type and the other the very copy and patern of Christs heart we may raise up our hearts to the perswasion of that love and affection which must needs be in the heart of Christ from that which he hath done and suffered for us First For Moses did Moses ever doe that for that people which Christ hath done and suffered for you He acknowledged that he had not borne that people in his wombe but Christ bare us all and we were the travaile of his soule and for us he endured the birth-throws of death as Peter calls them Acts 2. 24. And then for Paul was Paul crucified for you sayes Paul likewise of himselfe but Christ was and he speakes it the more to enhaunce the love of Christ Or if Paul had beene crucified would or could it have profited us no If therefore Paul was contented to have been in travail again for the Galatians when he feared their falling away then how doth Christs heart worke much more towards sinners he having put in so infinite a stock of sufferings for us already which he is loath to lose and hath so much love to us besides that if we could suppose that otherwise we could not be saved he could be content to be in travail again and to suffer for us afresh But he needed to doe this but once as the Apostle to the Hebrews speaks so perfect was his Priesthood Be assured then that his love was not spent or worne out at his death but encreased by it His love it was that caused him to die and to lay downe his life for his sheep and greater love then this hath no man said himselfe before he did it But now having dyed this must needs cause him from his soul to cleave the more unto them A cause or a person that a man hath suffered much for according to the proportion of his sufferings is ones love and zeale thereunto for these doe lay a strong engagement upon a man because otherwise he loseth the thanks and the honour of all that is already done and past by him Have you suffered so many things in vaine sayes the Apostle to the Galathians Chap. 3. 4. where he makes a motive and an incitement of it that seeing they had endured so much for Christ and the profession of him they would not now lose all for want of doing a little more And doth not the same disposition remaine in Christ especially seeing the hard work is over and dispatcht which he was to doe on earth and that which now remaines for him to doe in heaven is farre more sweet and full of glory and as the reaping in joy of what he had here sowne in teares If his love was so great as to hold out the enduring so much then now when that brunt is over and his love is become a tryed love will it not continue If when tryed in adversity and that is the surest and strongest love and in the greatest adversity that ever was if it then held will it not still doe so in his prosperity much more Did his heart stick to us and by us in the greatest temptation that ever was and will his glorious and prosperous estate take it off or abate his love unto us Certainly no Iesus the same to day yesterday and for ever Heb. 13. 8. When he was in the midst of his paines one for whom he was then a suffering said unto him Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome and could Christ mind him then as you know he did telling him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise then surely when Christ came to Paradise he would doe it much more and remember him too by the surest token that ever was and which he can never forget namely the paines which he was then enduring for him He remembers both them and us still as the Prophet speaks of God And if he would have us remember his death till hee comes so to cause our hearts to love him then certainly himselfe doth it in heaven much more No question but he remembers us as he promised to doe that good thiefe now he is in his Kingdome And so much for this second
and so is able experimentally to pittie a heart wounded with it and struggling under such temptations He knowes full well the heart of one in his owne sense forsaken by God seeing himselfe felt it when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Vses of all 1. Use 1 THus that which hath beene said may afford us the strongest consolations and encouragements against our sinnes of any other consideration whatsoever and may give us the greatest assurance of their being removed off from us that may be for First Christ himselfe suffers as it were at least is affected under them as his enemies which therefore he will be sure to remove for his owne quiet sake His heart would not be quiet but that he knowes they shall be removed As God sayes in the Prophet so may Christ say much more My Bowels are troubled for him I remember him still Jeremiah 31. 20. Secondly there is comfort concerning such infirmities in that your very sinnes move him to pittie more then to anger This text is plaine for it for he suffers with us under our infirmities and by infirmities are meant sinnes as well as other miseries as was proved whilst therefore you looke on them as infirmities as God here lookes upon them and speakes of them in his owne and as your disease and complaine to Christ of them and doe cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me so long feare not Christ he takes part with you and is so farre from being provoked against you as all his anger is turned upon your sinne to ruine it yea his pity is increased the more towards you even as the heart of a father is to a child that hath some loathsome disease or as one is to a member of his body that hath the leprosie hee hates not the member for it is his flesh but the disease and that provokes him to pittie the part affected the more What shall not make for us when our sinnes that are both against Christ and us shall be turned as motives to him to pitie us the more The object of pitty is one in miserie whom we love and the greater the misery is the more is the pity when the party is beloved Now of all miseries sinne is the greatest and whilst your selves look at it as such Christ will looke upon it as such only also in you And he loving your persons and hating only the sinne his hatred shall all fall and that only upon the sinne to free you of it by its ruine and destruction but his bowels shall be the more drawne out to you and this as much when you lie under sin as under any other affliction Therefore feare not What shall separate us from Christs love What ever tryall Use 2 or temptation or miserie we are under we may comfort ourselves with this that Christ was once under the same or some one like unto it which may comfort us in these three differing respects that follow by considering First that we are thereby but conformed to his example for he was tempted in all and this may bee no small comfort to us Secondly we may look to that particular instance of Christs being under the like as a meriting cause to procure and purchase succour for us under the same now and so in that respect may yet further comfort our selves And Thirdly his having once borne the like may relieve us in this that therefore he experimentally knowes the misery and distresse of such a condition and so is yet further moved quickned thereby to help us As the Doctrine delivered is a comfort Use 3 so the greatest motive against sinne and perswasive unto obedience to consider that Christs heart if it be not afflicted with and how far it may suffer with us we know not yet for certaine hath lesse joy in us as we are more or lesse sinfull or obedient You know not by sinning what blowes you give the heart of Christ If no more but that his joy is the lesse in you it should move you as it useth to doe those that are ingenuous And take this as one incentive to obedience that if he retaine the same heart and mind for mercy towards you which he had here on earth Then to answer his love endeavour you to have the same heart towards him onearth which you hope to have in heaven and as you daily pray Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven In all miseries and distresses you may be sure to know where to have a friend to help and pity you Use 4 even in heaven CHRIST one whose nature office interest relation all doe engage him to your succour you will finde men even friends to be oftentimes unto you unreasonable and their bowels in many cases shut up towards you Well say to them all If you will not pittie me Choose I know one that will one in heaven whose heart is touched with the feeling of all my infirmities and I will goe and bemoane my selfe to him Come boldly sayes the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even with open mouth to lay open your complaints and you shall finde grace and mercy to helpe in time of need Men love to see themselves pityed by friends though they cannot helpe them Christ can and will doe both FINIS