he did this alone and it constituted the difference betwixt him as he was high Priest and other Priests for they killed and offered the Sacrifices without as well as he but only the high Priest was to approach the holy of hollies with blood and that but once a year 2. This was Typified by Melchizedech's Priest-hood which the Apostle argues to have been much more excellent then that of Aaron's in as much as Levi Aarons Father payed Tythes to this Melchizedech in Abrahams loyns now Melchizedech was his Type not so much in respect of his Oblation or offering Sacrifice as in respect of his continual presentation and intercession in heaven and therefore the same clause for ever still comes in when Melchizedech is named thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 7.17 Here then is the agreement betwixt Christ and the high-Priests of old in respect of name both were Priests and in respect of Office both had their oblations and presentations or intercessions with God in Glory 3. In the point of Intercession they agreed in these particulars 1. The high-Priest of old usually once a year went into the most Holy place within the vail and so is Christ our great high-Priest passed into the Heavens within the Vail even into the holy of holies Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Not into the holy places made with hands Heb. 9.12 24. which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 2. The high-Priests of old had a plate of pure Gold upon their Fore-heads which was to bear the iniquity of the holy things that they might be accepted before the Lord Exod. 28.38 and so doth Christ bear the iniquity of our holy things Spiritual Christians here is your comfort you are not able to perform any duty to God but there is a great deal of sin in the same you cannot hear nor pray nor confer nor meditate without much sin but Christ bears all these sins even the iniquity of your holy things and he presents your persons and prayers without the least spot to his Father he is the Angel of the Covenant that stands at the Altar Rev. 8.3 having a golden Censer with much incense to offer it with the prayers of his Saints and so they are acceptable before the Lord. 3. The Jewish high-Priests bore the names of the Children of Israel on a breast-plate of judgment upon their hearts for a memorial before the Lord continually Exod. 28.29 and so doth Christ our great high-Priest bear the names of his people upon his heart before the Lord continually But how is Christ said to bear the names of the Saints upon his heart I answer 1. Continually in presenting of them to his Father as they are in him how is that why he represents them without spot as righteous in his own righteousness Ephes 5.27 Christ loved the Church that he might present it to his Father and in him to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2. In this continual remembring of them Psal 112.6 the righteous shall be had in continual remembrance this is the souls comfort in a time of desertion or in an evil day Psal 13.1 if any cry out as sometimes David did how long wilt thou forget me Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Isa 40.14 15 16. Let such a one remember that Christ's redeemed ones are upon his heart and he can not forget them But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh no! can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me the Sons of Zion are upon Christ's heart and hands and they are ever in his sight 3. In his perpetual loving of them they are near and dear unto him he hath set them as a Seal upon his heart so was the prayer of the Spouse set me as a Seal upon thine heart Cant. 8.6 as a Seal upon thine arme and then it follows for love is as strong as death Christ hath an entire love to his Saints he dyed for them and now he intercedes for them he keeps them close to his heart and there is none shall pluck them out of his hands John 13.1 for whom he loves he loves unto the end Thus far of the agreement betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old SECT VI. What the difference is betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old 6. VVHat is the difference betwixt Christ's Intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old There is no question but howsoever they might agree in some respects yet Christ officiates in a more transcendent and eminent way then ever any high Priest did before him now the difference betwixt Christ and them and betwixt Christ's Intercessions and their Intercessions may appear in these particulars Heb. 4.14 1. They were called high Priests but Christ is called the great high Priest such a Title was never given to any but Christ whence the Apostle argues for the steadfastness of our profession seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession 2. The high-Priests then were Aaron and his Sons but Christ our great high-Priest is the Son of God for so he is styled in the same verse the great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Heb. 4.14 Jesus the Son of God 3. The high-Priests then were but for a time but Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 Heb. 7.3 Melchizedech saith the Apostle was without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life That is as far as it is known and so is Christ without a Father on earth and without a Mother in Heaven without beginning and without end he abides a Priest perpetually even to the end of the World yea and the vertue of his Priesthood is infinitely beyond all time even for ever and ever 4. The high-Priests then entred only into that place that was Typically holy but Christ is entred into that place that is properly holy he is entred into the Heavens or if you will as into the holy of holies so into the heaven of heavens 5. The high Priests then did not always intercede for the people only once a year the high Priest entred into the holy of holies and after he had sprinkled the mercy-seat with blood and caused a cloud to rise upon the mercy-seat with his
in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life surely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies sin death and hell Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes da â—nâ—ss during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen ye are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light Walk i.e. bestir your selves in the works of God Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee When God doth let the Sun of Righteousness arise Isa 60.1 it is fit we should be about the business of our souls We see that the night is dedicated to rest and therefore God that doth order all things sweetly he draws a curtain of darkness about us as which is friendly to rest like a Nurse that when she will have her little one sleep she casts a cloath over the face and hides the light every way but when this natural Sun ariseth then men go out to their work so must we though in the darkness of the night we shorted in sin yet now we must bestir our selves seeing the Sun of the spiritual world is risen over us And yet when all is done let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect as it is with our mortification in the best it is but an imperfect work so it is with our vivification it is only gradual and never perfected till grace be swallowed up of glory Only let us ever be in the use of the means and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man adding one grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience 2 Pet. 1 5 6. Rom. 7.1 to patience godliness c. till we perfect holiness in the fear of God till we shine with those Saints in glory at perfect day Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth Our next work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his ascension into Heaven and in his session at God's right hand and in his mission of the holy Spirit LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit The Eight Book PART VIII CHAP. I. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus who is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God SECT I. Of Christ's Ascension and of the manner how THUS far we have traced Jesus in his actings for us untill the day in which he was taken up Acts 1.2 That which immediately follows is his Ascension Session at God's right hand and Mission of his holy Spirit in prosecution of which as in the former I shall first lay down the object and secondly direct you how to look upon it The object is threefold 1. He ascended into Heaven 2. He sate down at Gods right hand 3. He sent down the holy Ghost 1. For the Ascension of Christ this was a glorious design and contains in it a great part of the salvation of our souls In prosecution of this I shall shew first that he ascended 2. How he ascended 3. Whither he ascended 4. Why he ascended 1. That he ascended 1. The types prefigure it Then said the Lord to me Ezek. 44.2 3. this gate shall be shut it shall not be opened it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by the way of the same As the gate of the Holy of Holies was shut against every man but the High Priest so was that gate of Heaven shut against all so that none could enter in by their own vertue and efficacy but only our Prince and great high Priest the Lord Jesus Christ indeed he hath opened it for us and entred into it in our place and stead Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech 2. The Prophets forsaw it Heb. 6.20 Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes Mark 16.19 Luke 24.31 and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom 3. The Evangelists relate it He was received up into heaven He was carried up into heaven 4. The eleven witness it For while they beheld he was taken up Acts 1.9 Acts 1.10 11. and a cloud received him out of their sight 5. The holy Angels speak it For while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Eph. 4.8 10. 1 Pet. 3.22 6. The blessed Apostles in their several Epistles ratifie and confirm it When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 2. How he ascended The manner of his Ascension is discovered in these particulars 1. Luke 24.51 He ascended blessing his Apostles While he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven It is some comfort to Christ's Ministers that though the world hate them Christ doth bless them yea he parted with them in a way of blessing as Jacob leaving the world blessed his Sons so Christ leaving the world blessed his Apostles and all the faithful Ministers of Christ unto the end of the world Some add that in these Apostles not only Ministers but all the elect to the end of the world are blessed The Apostles were then considered as common persons receiving this blessing for all us and so those words uttered at the same time are usually interpreted Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world This was the last thing that Christ did on earth to shew that by his death he had redâ—emed us from the curse of the Law Eph. 1.3 and that now going to heaven he is able to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Acts 1.19 2. He ascended visibly in the view of the Apostles while they beheld he was taken up he was not suddenly snatched from them as Elija was nor secretly and privily taken away as Enoch was but in the presence of them all both his Apostles and Disciples he ascended up into Heaven but why not in the view of all the Jews that so they might know that he was risen again and
whence all those rivers of living waters flow And therefore saith the Evangelist expresly This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive of what Spirit even of the Holy Ghost which in full measure was not yet given because that Christ was not yet glorified it is the same spirit which believers receive whence all these rivers of living waters flow but those rivers flow not from habital grace nor from any of the graces of the Holy Ghost but from the Holy Ghost himself Again When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth John 16 1â— and he will shew you things to come Now the habits of grace cannot guide or teach or shew a man things to come the habits of grace cannot speak and hear as it is there written He shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This can be no other than the spirit in his own Person this is the Comforter that hears and speaks and guides into all truth and shews us things to come Again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Besides the grace of the Spirit which is the love of God the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 or the Spirit it self is said to be given unto us And Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Here 's a plain distinction betwixt the new man our being in the Spirit and the Spirit dwelling in us Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ i.e. the same holy Spirit which dwelleth in our head and Saviour Jesus Christ he is none of his But if the spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you v. 11. he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you This Spirit cannot be meant of habitual grace for habitual grace did not raise up Jesus from the dead no no it was the same Spirit that dwelt in Christ and that dwels in us Again Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.19 and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you now gifts and graces are not properly said to dwell in Temples this belongs rather to persons than qualities and therefore it is meant of the holy Ghost himself Ye are the Temples of the living God surely graces are not the living God 2 Cor. 6.16 But ye are the Temples of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2. The arguments to confirm this are such as these 1. Actions are ascribed to the Holy Ghost as given unto us or dwelling in us Joh. 16.8 13. Rom. 8.15 16 When the spirit is come he will reprove the World of sin And when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth And yea have received the spirit of adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father And this spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God These actions are usually given to the Holy Ghost I mean to that Holy Ghost which we receive and dwelleth in us it reproves it guides it helps it satisfies it witnesseth now actiones sunt suppositorum actions are of persons and not of qualities habitual grace cannot reprove or guide or teach or help our infirmities these are the actions of the Spirit himself in his own person 2. The spirit it self is the bond of our mistical union with Jesus Christ and therefore it is the Spirit it self that dwelleth in us Look as it is in our body there is head and members yet all are but one natural body because they are animated and quickned by one and the self-same soul so it is in the mistical body Christ is our head and we are his members and yet both of us are but one mystical body by reason of the self-same Spirit dwelling in both And hence it is said that Christ dwelleth in us by his spirit 2 Cor. 13.5 John 6.26 Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And I live saith Paul yet not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liveth in me How in me not corporally for in that sense The Heavens must receive him untill the time of the restitution of all things but spiritually according to the testimony of the Apostle Acts 3.21 because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4.6 This is the mystery that should be known among the Gentiles the glorious mystery yea the rich and glorious mystery Col. 1.2 the Apostle gives it all these Epithetes the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you the hope of glory 3. As Satan keeps his residence in wicked men working them unto all manner of sin and holding them captive to do his will so the spirit of God coming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in us leading us into all truth replenishing us with all graces and enclining us to all holy Obedience There is little question but whilest men remain in the state of infidelity the strong man Satan keeps possession and dwelleth in them though not after a gross and sinsible manner as in Demoniacks yet invisibly and spiritually ruling and reigning in them and making them his slavâ— to do his will and therefore by the same reason when a stronger than he cometh even the good spirit of God he casts him out and takes possession and dwells and reigns and rules in our souls and bodies If the spirit it self dwell not in us then how would there be three that bear witness the Apostle tells us 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear witness in earth or in our hearts the Spirit the water and blood now by water is meant sanctification it is our sanctification that bears witness with us that we are the Children of God and this sanctification consists either in the habit of grace or in the actings of grace if therefore the spirit of Christ in a believer were nothing else but grace then it were all one with the testimony of water but there are three that bear witness there 's the testimony of the spirit of blood and of water not only justification and sanctification which are but two witnesses but the spirit is superadded and that also bears witness in our Consciences that we are the Children of God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Christians think me not tedious in these proofs these are not speculative notional poynts that tend not to edification but are
the Second thing Christ presents all his Commissions to his Father he gives up his Priestly Prophetical and regal offices at his first entrance into heaven 4. He presents himself unto his Father not only his offices but Christ himself is presented and subjected unto God This I take it is the meaning of the Apostle when he saith then shall the Son also be Subject unto him 1 Cor. 15.28 that put all things under him The words are mystical and therefore we had need to understand them soberly and according to the Analogy of Faith The Arrians hence inferr'd that the Son was not equal with the Father because he that is subject must needs be inferiour to him whose Subject he is But the Answer is easie Christ is considered either as God or as man and Mediatour betwixt God and Man Christ as God hath us Subject to him and is Subject to none but Christ as man and Mediatour is Subject to his Father together with us Some would have it that Christ is Subject to his Father in respect of his mystical body the Church and that this only should be the meaning of the Apostle then shall the Church be Subject to the Father but I cannot assent to this Exposition 1. Because the Apostle speaks expresly of Christ and of his Kingdom 2. Because though Christ be sometimes in Scripture read for the Church or for the body of Christ yet the Son as opposed to the Father is never so read or understood 3. Because we read that he that is to be Subject must first have all things Subject to himself Now the Father doth not properly Subject or subdue all things to the Church of Christ but only unto Christ and therefore the Apostle speaks of Christ's subjection to the Father In the same way as Christ delivers up the Kingdom to the Father is Christ also to be subject to his Father but Christ delivers up his Kingdom as man and as mediatour betwixt God and man in these respects Christ as we have heard must Reign no more at that day his Mediatourship shall cease and by consequence in respect of his Mediatourship or in respect of his humanity he shall that day be subject to his Father You will say is not and was not Christ always subject to his Father as man or as mediatour betwixt God and man how then do we limit this subjection to that day then saith the Apostle shall the Son be subject I answer this subjection will be then or at that day more clearly manifested then ever it was before then he must surrender his Kingdom to his Father in the sight of men and Angels then he shall lay aside all his Offices in the view of all so that henceforth God shall not Reign by the humanity of Christ but by himself nor shall we henceforth be subject to God through a mediatour Christ but immediately to God himself nor shall Christ himself reign over us as mediatour any more for the very glory of his Majesty shall become so illustrious that all eyes shall see how transcendently eminent the Deity of Christ is above all creatures even above the humanity of Christ himself That a fuller view of Christ's subjection shall be at that day then ever before we may illustrate thus by night the Sun Reigns or rules over us but by the Moon for the light of the Moon is borrowed from the Sun though in the night we see not any subjection of the Moon to the Sun at all but so soon as the Sun riseth presently the Moon surceaseth its office of lightning others and becomes subject to the Sun it self not by a new subjection but by a declaration of its former subjection so that now all may see what eminency of glory and light the Sun hath both above the Stars and above the Moon thus it is with God and Christ now it is God reigns over us but only by Christ as Mediatour God's immediate Reign we discern not so clearly for the present but when the end shall come and Christ shall surcease his Office of Mediatourship then shall the glory of Christ's Divinity appear more eminently not only above all creatures but above the brightness of Christ's humanity it self and in this respect Christ then shall be Subject if not by a new subjection yet certainly by a new declaration and manifestation of his subjection so as never was before Vse O the wonders of this day O the admirable shews in heaven at Christ and his Saints first entrance into heaven O my soul where wilt thou stand or what wilt thou say when Christ shall take thee by the hand and bring thee into the presence of his glorious Father when he shall present thee and present all his Commissions which he received for thee and present himself unto his Father with thee saying O my Father here we are all before thy glorious God-head thus far I have carryed on the great work of man's Salvation and now all 's done according to the Covenant betwixt thee and me lo here all the Saints which by decree thou gavest me before the world was made lo here all the Commissions which I received from thee in order to their Salvation lo here the humanity which thou gavest me when I came into the World such were the sins of my redeemed ones and grown to such an height that Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not have but a body thou preparedst for me Heb. 10.5 and lo here I present all these before thee come take thy Commissions and be thou all in all we praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Come welcome me and welcome mine we all stand here before thy glorious Throne and expect every way as high an entertainment as Heaven or the God of heaven can afford us O my soul what joy will possess thee at this passage be sure now thy danger is over and thy arrival is safe neither shall it ever be heard friend how camest thou hither for the Lord himself will run unto thee he will hug thee and embrace thee mouth on thy mouth eyes on thy eyes and hands on thy hands and each hand shall clap for joy each harp shall warble each knee shall bend and bow and each heart be merry and glad O for the day Oh when will the day come on when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father SECT IX Of Christ's Subjection to the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 9. FOR the end of Christ's Subjection to his Father that God may be all in all Surely this is the meaning Christ therefore Subjects himself unto his Father that God himself might be all in all that God may no more Reign by a Deputy or by a Christ but that immediately and perfectly he may reign by himself so that every one may see him face to face Here we enjoy God as it were by means as in the use of the
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
Evum of eternity he was doing these things 1. Some things in relation to himself 2. Some things in relation to his creatures 1. Some things in relation to himself and those things were either proper or common to the three persons 1. The things proper to each of the persons were those internal incommunicable actions of God as 1. To beget and that belongs onely to the Father who is neither made nor created nor begotten of any 2. To be begotten and that belongs onely to the Son who is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten 3. To proceed from both and that belongs onely to the Holy Ghost who is of the Father and the Son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding And these were Gods actions in that eternity before all worlds the Father was begetting God the Son the Son was begotten of God the Father the Holy Ghost was proceeding from God the Father and God the Son But what were these actions of God never in action during all that eternity yes as they are called internal actions so they are permanent look as the Sun doth alwayes beget his beams and both Sun and beams do send forth the heats So the Father from all eternity ever did and now doth and ever will beget his Son and both the Father and the Son ever did and now do and ever will aspire and breath forth the Holy Ghost And therefore Origâ—n saith well Oâ—â—g hâ—â— â—in Jeâ—â—m Heb. .3 Prov. 8.25 Our Jesus is the brightness of Gods glory now the brightness of glory is not once begotten and then afterwards leaves to be begotten but as often as the glory riseth from whence the brightness springeth so often doth the brightness of glory arise Before the hills was I brought forth Some translate thus ante colles generat and not as others generavit me before the mountains were setled he begetteth me Surely the Son of God is ever begetting and the Holy Spirit is ever proceeding 2. The things common to the three persons in that eternity were those internal actions of God wherein the three persons did communicate as 1. That one was in another and possessed one another the Father remaining with the Son the Son with the Father and the Holy Ghost in P ov 8.22 John 1.1 John 14.10 and with them both Thus we read of Christ the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old And in the beginning was the word and the word was with God And I am in the Father and the Father in me 2. That one glorified another John 17 5. the Father glorified the Son and the Son glorified the Father and the holy Ghost glorified both the Father and the Son And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was 3. That one delighted in another the Father delighted in the Son the Son delighted in the Father Prov. 8.30 and the Holy Ghost delighted in them both then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him I was daily his delight in the Original delights intimating that the Son was variety of delights unto his Father rejoycing alwayes before him Christ speaks in terms very quaint and familiar alwayes rejoycing q. d. greatly sporting it is a Metaphor or simile taken from little ones which sport and play before their parents O see how the Father and the Son rejoyce in one anothers fellowship nay see how they spend that long eternity before the creation in nothing but reioycing and delights The Father delights in his Son and the Son rejoyceth in his Father Consider O my Soul thou hast sometimes had a tickling to know what God was a doing before the Creation why now be sober and satisfied with this knowledge God spent all that time if I may call it time in delighting himself in Jesus why this was Gods work to delight in his Son and he so delighted in him that he desired no other pleasure than the company and beholding of him which accordingly he twice told from heaven while Christ was on earth saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased in whom I am well pleased The first sound was at his Baptisme Matth. 3.17 and the second at his transfiguration Mat. 17.5 2. Some other things God was a doing in relation to his creatures they will fall in at our next consideration only this by the way As God and Christ rejoyced in the fruition of one another without communicating the notice thereof to any creature so in the next verse we find them rejoycing in the salvation of men Prov. 8 3â— and my delights were with the sons of men Amidst the other considerations O my soul think of this what that God from all eternity should delight in thy salvation why this consideration sets out to purpose the heart and desire of God to save thy soul for 1. Delights arise out of the strongest and choycest desires men are pleased with many things in which they delight not 2 God and Christ are mentioned here to delight in this work and in no other work of theirs not in the Angels not in the world nor in any thing in it 3. This their delight is mentioned next to their delighting in each other 4. This delight is aforehand whilest Gods heart was only in the expectation and his mind but laying the plot of thy salvation all these argue how great a matter this was in Gods esteem and how much his heart was in it even from everlasting O let these fall into thy consideration 2. Consider Jesus meerly in his relation to us consider him in that great transaction betwixt God and him for our salvation And that we may settle our thoughts and dwell here 1. Consider the Project The great God having entertained thoughts within himself to communicate himself out of his aloneness everlasting he layes this plot that all he would do in that respect it should be to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 2.6 O my soul consider meditate and muse on this plot of the Almighty it is contained by the Apostle in a very few words do thou weigh them all here is 1. The Praise 2. The glory 3. Of his Grace 1. Praise is a setting forth of this or that by word or deed or gesture it containes in it reverend respect an high esteem a strong admiration 2. Glory is the glorious being or essence of God the glory of God in himself Sometimes we read of the glory of his power that is his glorious essence which is most powerful and sometimes of the glory of his Majesty that is his glorious essence which is most Majestical 2 Thes 1.9 Isa 2.16 Ephes 1.6 and sometimes of the glory of his grace that is his glorious essence which is most gracious and merciful but 3. Why the
roots did not that immortal seed preserve them Of this sign we are sure if any of the former belongs to us but to this we cannot actually seal till the end of our life Come now are these O my soul the grounds of thy hopes hath Gods word come with power on thy heart hath the Lord so effectually called thee that thou hast left all to follow Christ dost thou believe on the Lord Jesus for life and for salvation art thou holy is thy life holy dost thou walk exactly as the grace of God which bringeth to salvation teacheth Canst thou with inlarged thankfulness amplifie the love and grace of God in thy election surely these effects are the very fuel of hope they are the blessed and clear evidences so thy souls election and therefore hope well take strong consolation it is clear as the Sun that God hath predestinated thee to life and that thy name is written in the Book of Life and that none in Heaven or on Earth or in Hell shall be able to blot it out again Away with all sad dumpish dejected thoughts Look unto Jesus hope in Christ that that very salvation concerning which that great transaction was betwixt God and Christ belongs even to thee and that one day thou shalt see it and enjoy the happiness of it to all Eternity SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. WE must believe in Jesus as carrying on that great work of salvation for us in that Eternity It is not enough to know and consider and desire and hope but we must believe Now this is the nature and property of faith to apply all these ancient and future doings and dealings of God to our selves as if they were now present Some difference there is betwixt hope and faith as hope hath respect to that which the Word pomiseth rem verbi but faith respects the word it self verbum rei hope eyes chiefly the mercy and goodness of the promise but faith eyes mainly the authority and truth of the promiser hope looks upon its object as future but faith only looks upon the object as present both make a particular application to themselves but hope in a waiting for it and faith in a way of now enjoying it Hence faith is called the substance of things hoped for it is the substance or confidence of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 as if we had them already in hand faith gives the soul a present interest in God in Christ in all those glorious things in the Gospel of Christ even in the things of eternal life Faith is an appropriating an applying an uniting grace it is a blessed thing to have the sight of God there is much power in it but to see God in his Glory as my God to see all the Majesty greatness and goodness of God as those things that my soul hath an interest in to see how the eternal counsels of God wrought for me to make me happy why this is of the nature of Faith And herein lies the sweetness of faith in that we believe not Christ only to be a Saviour and righteousness but my Saviour and my righteousness And therefore Luther affirmed that the sweetness of Christianity lay in pronounes when a man can say my Lord and my God and my Jesus I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 who loved me and gave himself for me O my soul believe for thy self believe and be confident of it that those Eternal projects counsels love purpose decree and covenant betwixt God and Christ were all for thee hast not thou a promise Nay was there not a promise before the world began and that very promise the promise of eternal life Mark the words Titus 1.2 in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Here 's a promise and a promise of Eternal life and a promise of Eternal life made by God by God that cannot lie and that before there was a World or any man in the World If thou enquirest to whom then was this promise made Sweet soul it was made to Christ for thee many promises thou hast in Scripture made more immediatly to thy self but this was the grand promise and all the other promises they are but a draught of that grand promise that God the Father made to his Son before the World began O cries the Soul I cannot believe what is it possible that God in his Eternity should have any thought of me What of me being not yet born Rom. 9.11 neither having done any good or evil What of me born in these last times of the world the least of Saints the greatest of Sinners less then the least of all Gods mercies that of such a one the great God the Majesty of Heaven and Earth should have a thought a project a counsel a knowledge of approbation a purpose a decree Nay enter into a Covenant with his Son for my salvation I cannot believe it Alas What am I to God or what need hath God of me If all the Nations of the Earth are to him but as a drop of a bucket Isa 40.15 and as the small dust of the Ballance O what a minime am I of that drop or what a little little atome am I of that small dust and is it probable that the greatness of God the goodness of God the power of God the wisdom of God the Eternal Counsels of God should work for me to make me glorious blessed happy to make me one with himself and one with his Son and one with his Spirit what care take I of every dust of the Earth or of every sand one the Sea-shore and yet these are my fellow-creatures there 's a thousand times more disproportion betwixt God and me and would God take care of me before I was or before the World was what would he busie himself and his Son about such a worthless wretched worm would he decree Christ to come from the Father for me to be my Redeemer my Jesus my Saviour I cannot I dare not I will not believe O stay my soul and be not faithless but believing I 'le take thy argument in pieces As Jer. 29 11 1. Thou sayst hath God any thoughts of me Yes saith God I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace and not of evil and before the World was my thoughts Prov. 8.3 and my delights were with the Sons of men 2. Thou sayst I have no thoughts no care of my fellow-creatures Isa 55.8 as of the dust or sand or atoms and what then my thoughts are not as your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts What if thou hast no thoughts or care of the smaller creatures yet God extends his thoughts and care and providence not only to thee but
even to them neither can a Sparrow fall to the ground nor an hair from thy head nor a leaf from the tree without the providence of our heavenly Father 3. Thou sayest I dare not believe I am astonished at Mat. 10.29 30. confounded in these thoughts of Gods eternal love it is too high for me I cannot believe it I answer herein thou sayst something I know it is an hard thing to believe these great things in reference to thy self But see now how God and Christ stoop and condescend to make thee believe God stands much upon this that the hearts of Saints should confide in him he accounts not himself honoured except they believe and therefore mark O my Soul how Christ suits himself to thy weakness what is it that may beget this Faith this confidence in thy Son what is it saith God that you poor creatures do one to another when you would make things sure between your selves why thus 1. We engage our selves by promise one to another And so will I saith God poor soul thou hast my promise my faithful promise I have made a promise both to Jews and Gentiles and thou art the one of these two sorts the promise is to you and to your children Acts 2 39. and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Be only satisfied in that ground of thy hope that thou art called of God and then every promise of Eternal life is thine even thine Thou mayest find a thousand promises scattered here and there in the book of God and all these promises are a draught of that promise which was made from all Eternity and therefore it is so much the more sure it is as if Christ should say wilt thou have engagement by promise this is past long agoe my Father hath engaged himself to me before the World began yea and I have made many and many a promise since the World began Read in the Volume and thou wilt find here and there a Promise here and there a draught of the first Copy of that great Promise which my Father made unto me from all Eternity 2. When we would make things sure to one another we write it down And so will I saith God thou hast the Scripture the Holy Writ those Sacred Volumes of Truth and Life and therein thou hast the golden Lines of many gracious Promises are they not as the Stars in the Firmament of the Scripture thou hast my Bible and in the Bible thou hast many blessed glorious Truths but of all the Bible methinks thou shouldst not part with one of those promises no not for a World Luther observing the many promises writ down in Scripture expresseth thus the whole Scripture doth especially aim at this that we should not doubt but hope confide believe that God is Merciful Kind Patient and hath a purpose and a delight to save our souls 3. When we would make things sure to one another we set to our Seals And so will I saith God thou hast my Seal the Broad-Seal of Heaven my Sacraments the Seals of my Covenant and thou hast my privy Seal also the Seal of my Spirit Grieve not the Holy Spirit Ephes 4.30 whereby ye are Sealed unto the day of Redemption 4. When we would make things sure to one another we take Witnesses And so will I John 5.7 8. saith God thou shalt have witnesses as many as thou wilt witnesses of all sorts witnesses in heaven and witnesses on earth for there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in earth the spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree in one 5. When we would make things sure to one another we take an oath And so will I saith God He. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath q. d. there is no such need of an oath but I will be abundant to thee because I would have thee trust me and confide in me throughly and as I swear saith God so will I swear the greatest Oath that ever was I swear by my self God swears by God he could swear by no greater and therefore he swear by himself and why thus but for their sakes who are the heirs of promise Heb. 6.13 he knows our frame and members that we are but dust and therefore to succour our weakness the Lord is pleased to swear and to confirm all by his Oath 6. When we would make things sure to one another we take a pawn And I will give thee a pawn saith God and such a pawn as if thou never hadst any thing more thou shouldest be happy it is the pawn of my Spirit Who also hath sealed us 2 Cor. 1.22 and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts q. d. I will send my Spirit into your hearts and this Spirit shall be a pawn an earnest in your hearts of all the good that I intend to do for you for ever 7. When we would make things sure to one another something it may be is presently done as an ingagement of all that which is to come And thus will I deal with thee saith God who livest in these last of times why thou seest the greatest part of thy Salvation already done I made a promise from all Eternity of sending my Son into the World to be made a curse for sin yea and if thou believest for thy sin and this is the greatest work of all that is to be done to all Eternity Surely if I would have failed thee in any thing it should have been in this it is not so much for me now to bring thee to Heaven to save thy Soul as it was to send my Son into the World to be made a curse for sin but when I have done so great a work have been already faithful in that Promise how shouldst thou but believe my faithfulness in making good all other promises If a man should owe thee a thousand pound and pay thee nine hundred ninety and nine thou wouldst think surely he would never break for the rest why God hath paid his nine hundred ninety and nine and all the Glory of Heaven is but as one in comparison of what he hath done we may therefore well believe that he who hath done so much for us will not leave the little undone Come then rouse up O my Soul and believe thy interest in those eternal transactions betwixt God and Christ is not here ground enough for thy Faith if thou art but called the promise of God is thine or if thou darest not rely on this promise which God forbid thou hast his Indenture his Seal and Witnesses of all sorts both in Heaven and Earth or yet if thou believest not thou hast an Oath a Pawn and the
everlastingly for it O my soul canst thou ponder on this and not love him dearly who has thus loved thee Come stir up the gift that is in thee if thou art a Christian thou hast some sparks though now it may be under the ashes come rub chase and warm thy affections at this fire love like a watch must be wound up or else it will fall downwards what dost thou why stand'st thou idle in the heat of the Day Christ hath fire in his hand 't is but looking up and reaching out thy hand to take it from him O take it with both thy hands and be thankful for it Prayer ejaculation contemplation judicious observation of the Spirits season are thy best instruments to kindle this fire of love in thee And methinks thy heart should begin now to melt methinks it should receive more easie impressions from the object before it methinks these eternal works and acts of God and Christ towards thy poor soul should begin to overcome thee Cant. 6.5 Cant 8.6 and to burne thy heart as with coales of Juniper Why Lord is it thus was I Elected from all Eternity in Christ was I ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a World was this business to make me happy one of the cheef deep counsels of God was this one of the works of his wisdome that he was exercised about before the World began was this the great designe of God in making the World and in making Heaven the place of glory to glorifie himselfe and to glorifie such a poor wretch as I am O then how should this but mightily inflame my heart with the love God and love of Christ how should I choose but say as the Martyr did Oh that I had as many lives as I have haires on my head to lay them down for Christ Ah what flames of Divine affection what raptures of zeal what ravishments of delight what extasies of obedience can be enough for my blessed God and dearest Redeemer SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy O my soul dost thou believe and art thou now cast into a pang of love how then should thy joy but come on As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoyce not Luk. 10.20 that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven so rejoyce not thou in this that the world is thine that riches are thine that thou hast subdued men and devils but herein rejoyce that thy name is written in the Book of life O what a comfortable point is this that the Father and Christ should transact a bargaine from Eternity concerning thee by name that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven as if their language had been thus Father what shall be given to thy justice to ransome such a one Abraham Isaac Jacob Matthew Mark Luke John Mary Martha Hannah c. why no more but this thou shalt dye my Son and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever Why then saith Christ I will engage for such and such a one I will enter into Bond for such and such a person Abraham shall believe in time See I have writ down his name in the Book of life And who art thou that readest art thou a believer dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ said the same of thee and entered into a bond for thee and entered they name in the Book of life See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3 Phil. 4 3. Thou Thomas Andrew Peter Christ knows thee by name and thy name is written in the Book of life O go thy way and rejoyce and take strong consolation is there not cause why I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven and if this may adde to thy joy know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again No no poor soul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God hath decreed thy salvation and Gods decree shall stand let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations it is as possible for God to deny himself as it is possible for thee a believer to perish 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept saith the Apostle by the power of God through faith to salvation and therefore rejoyce and againe rejoyce yea raise up thy joy to that pitch of triumph which is joy elevated and elevated so high that it comes to victoriousness and magnanimous conquest of heart over all things say with the Apostle what my name written in the Book of life Rom. 8 3â— 35 38 39. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who then shall separate me from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword nay I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. VVE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus This also is included in looking as David while Praying unto thee do I lift up mine Eyes Psa 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Now this calling on God or looking to God contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions betwixt God and Christ may be assuredly ours and that God would clear up our Titles more and more yea and seeing all good things tending to Salvation were from all Eternity prepared for us we are therefore to pray that by prayer we may draw them down from Heaven for what though our Evidences be clear Yet this must not cast out means God doth not use to bestow his saving Graces on lazy sluggards those therefore who from the certainty of Predestination do pretend that the duty of Prayer is superfluous do plainly shew that they have no certainty at all Aquinas Aquinas part c q. art 8. was Orthodox in this the Predestinate must Pray because by these effects of Predestination the Salvation of Souls is best ascertained The same Spirit which Witnesseth to our Spirit that we are his Chosen is also the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and therefore he that believes that he is one of Gods Elect he cannot but pray for those things which he believeth that God hath prepared for him before the foundation of the World 2. We must praise God what that God should look on us and Predestinate us to Life
strong temptations so many lusts that now he doubts O what will become of my poor Soul what will be the issue of this woful work why come now and desire after perseverance when Peter was ravished on the mount it is good being here sayes he let us build three Tabernacles Mat. 17.4 his desire was to have continued there for ever and it was the prayer of Christ in Peters behalf Luk. 22.3 I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not what was this Prayer but Christ's vehement desire of Peters continuing in the faith shall Christ desire and will not thou desire after thy own perfection O come with these Pantings and Breathings after God put forth thy desires in these or the like expressions O Lord thou hast said I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hosea 2.19 and what means this but that the conjugal love of Christ with a gracious soul shall never be broken what means this but that the bond of union in a believer to Christ is fastened upon God and the spirit of God holds the other end of it and so it can never be broken 2. O Lord thou hast discovered in thy Word that th s union is in the Father who hath laid a sure foundation 2 Tim 2.19 the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his John 13.1 and that this union is in the Son who loves his to the end and that this union is in the spirit who abides in the elect for ever 3. Thou hast discovered that the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee Isa 54.10 neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee 4. Thou hast said that the Saints shall be kept by the Power of God q. d. The special Power I mean to put forth in this world 1 pet 1.5 it is to uphold the spirits of my saints the special work I have in the world to exercise my power about it is to keep Christ and the saints together it is through the power of God that heaven and earth is kept up but if God must withdraw his Power from the one of these sooner should heaven and earth fall in pieces than God would not uphold one gracious soul that hath Vnion with his Son Jesus Christ And if thâ—se be thy sayings why then Lord I desire the accomplishment O fulfil what thou hast said it would break my heart if ever the Covenant should be broken betwixt me and thee my desire is towards thee and the more I enjoy thee the more and more I desire and pant after thee my desires are like thy self infinite eternal everlasting desires 4. Desire after Jesus the great business or the all in all in a Covenant of Grace the most proper object of desire especiaâ—ly to man fallen is Jesus Christ hence it is that a poor sinner under the sense of sin cryes out with the vehemency of desire Christ and none but Christ give me Christ or I dye I am undone I am lost for ever But what is Christ or Jesus to a Covenant of grace Ruâ—kers tryal of Faith I answer he is the great business he is the all in all Christ hath at least a Six-fold relation to the Covenant of grace 1. As he is more than a creature he is the Covenant himself 2. As he deals betwixt parties he is the messenger of the covenant 3. As he saw and heard and testifieth all he is the witness of the covenant 4. As he undertaketh for the parties at variance he is the surety of the covenant 5. As he standeth between the contrary parties he is the Mediator of the covenant 6. As he signifieth the covenant and closeth all the Articles he is the Testator of the covenant Oh here is abundance of fuel for thy desire to work upon 1. Consider the fuel and then set on the flame thy desire Isa 42.6 Isa 41.9 1. Christ is the covenant it self I gave thee for a covenant of the People for a light of the gentiles And I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People Christ God and Man is all the Covenant 1. Fundamentally he is the original of the Covenant the Covenant of grace takes iâ—s being and beginning from Christ he is the covenant-maker undertaker manager dispatcher he doth every thing in the covenant 2. Materially the very substance of the covenant stands in this I will be their God and they shall be my People now Christ he is both these in himself he is God unto his People and he is the People representatively unto God and before God 3. Equivalently many branches or fruits of the Covenant are to be fulfilled to believers in their season but as soon as ever they are Justified Christ is said to be the Covenant as a present pawn or earnest delivered into the hands of a man at the very instant of his justification and this pawn is of equal value and worth with the whole Covenant when it is fulfilled to the uttermost Thus Christ in every of these respects is the Covenant it self he is very peace and reconciliation it self and this man shall be the Peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land As fire is hot for it self and all other things hot for it Micah 5 5. as they participate of it so Christ is the Covenant it self and all we are so far in Covenant to Christ as we have any thing of Christ want Christ and want peace and want the Covenant of grace 2. Christ is the messenger of this Covenant The Lord whom ye seek shall suddainly come to his Temple Mal. 3.1 even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Christ travels with tydings between parties of the Covenant 1. He reports of God to us he commends his Father unto us Joh. 15.1 Joh. 6.29 Joh. 6.48 Joh. 8.12 Joh. 10.9 11. Prov. 1.20 Prov. 9.5 my Father is the husband man and this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I shall lose nothing and he commends himself to us it became the Lord Jesus to commend himself I am the bread of Life I am the Light of the world I am the Door I am the good Shepherd It is a wonderful thing how Christ is a broker as I may say for Christ wisdom cryeth out she uttereth her voice in the streets come eat of my bread and drink of my wine which I have mingled Ministers cannot speak of Christ and of his Father as he can do himself O my Soul to excite thy desires come and hear Christ speak of Christ and of his Father and of Heaven for he saw all Joh. 17.25 2. He reports of us to God he commends us to his Father O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and
these have known that thou hast sent me Christ gives a good report of the Saints in Heaven the Father and the Son are speaking of him as I may say behind back and surely a good report in heaven is of high esteem Christ tells over Ephraim's prayers behind his back I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Jer. 31.18 20 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unacustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned thou art the Lord my God and thereupon God resolves Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Happy souls of whom Christ is telling good Tidings in heaven for he is the Angel of the Covenant 3. He is the witness of the covenant he saw and heard all Isa 55.4 Rev. 1.5 Rev. 3.14 Luke 19.10 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people And he is called the faithful witness The Amen The faithful and true witness The covenant saith The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Amen saith Christ I can witness that to be true the covenant saith Christ dyed and rose again for sinners Amen saith Christ I was dead and behold I live for evermore Amen Rev. 1.18 There 's not any thing said in the covenant but Christ is a witness to it and therefore we read in the very end of the Bible this Subscription as I may call it in relation to Christ He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Rev. 22.20 4. Christ is the Surety of the covenant Heb. 7.20 22. In as much as not without an oath he was made a Priest by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better Testament The covenant of works had a promise but because it was to be broken and done away it had no oath of God as this hath O doubting soul thou sayest thy salvation is not sure think on this Scripture thou hast the oath of God for it it is a sworn article of the covenant Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be Saved and to this end is Christ a Surety 1. Surety for God he undertakes that God shall fulfil his part of the covenant Fear not little flock Luke 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And all that the Father giveth me John 6.37 shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 2. Surety for us and to this purpose he hath paid a ransome for us and giveth a new heart to us and he is ingaged to lose none of us Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost John 17.12 Heb. 12.24 5. Christ is the Mediator of the covenant the Apostle calls him Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant He hath something of God as being true God and something of man as sharing with us of the nature of man hence he is Mediator by office Job 9.33 and layeth his hands on both parties as a dayes-man doth and in this respect he is a friend a reconciler and a servant 1. A friend to both parties he hath Gods heart for man to be gracious and he hath mans heart for God to satisfie justice 2. A reconciler of both parties he brings down God to a treaty of peace and he brings up man by a ransome paid so that he may say unto both Father come down to my brethren my kindred and flesh and thou my Sister and Spouse come up to my Father and my Father to my God and thy God 3. He is a servant to both parties Behold my servant saith God Isa 24.1 Isa 53.11 Mat. 20.28 my righteous servant Yea and our servant He came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many 6. Christ is the Testator of the covenant He dyed to this very end that he might confirm the covenant Where a Testament is Heb. 9.16 17. there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the Testator liveth Christ then must dye and Christs blood must be shed to seal the covenant of grace it is not every blood but Christs blood that must seal the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 And his blood being shed he is then rightly called the Testator of the covenant O what fewel is here to set our desires on flame come soul and bend thy desires towards Christ as the Sun-flower towards the Sun the Iron to the Loadstone and the Loadstone to the Pole-star yea the nearer thou drawest towards Christ the more and more do thou desire after Christ true desires never determine or expire Bern. delect evang serm He that thirsts let him thirst more saith Bernard and he that desires let him desire yet more abundantly Is there not cause O what excellencies hast thou found in Christ Poor soul thou hast undone thy self by sin there 's but a step betwixt thee and damnation but to save thy soul Christ comes leaping on the Mountains and skipping on the Hills he enters into a covenant with God he is the covenant the Messenger of the covenant the Witness of the covenant the Surety of the covenant the Mediator of the covenant the Testator of the covenant the great business the all in all in a covenant of grace If David could say Psal 119.20 My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy judgements at all times how mayst thou say My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy mercies and my Jesus at all times Oh I gaspe for grace as the thirsty land for drops of rain I thirst I faint I languish I long for an hearty draught of the Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Oh that I could see Jesus flying through the midst of heaven with the Covenant in his hand Oh I long for that Angel of the Covenant I long to see such another vision as John did when he said And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth What Is that Covenant in the hand of Christ and is my name written in that roll Say Lord Is my name written on the Heart of Christ Oh! if I had the glory and possession of all the world if I had ten thousand worlds and ten thousand lives I would lay them all down to have this poor trembling soul of mine assured of this Oh my thirst is insatiable my bowels are hot within me my desire after Jesus in reference to the Covenant is greedy as the grave the coals thereof are coals of
all these passages of Gods Love in Christ are not these strong atractives to gain thy love what wilt thou do canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love It is the expression of the Apostle The Love of God constrains us 1 Cor. 5.14 God in Christ is the very Element of Love and whither should Love go but to the Element Air goes to Air and Earth to Earth and all the Rivers to the Sea 1 John 4.16 every Element will to its proper place Now God is Love and whither should thy Love be carried but to this Ocean or Sea of Love Come my Beloved said the Spouse to Christ let us get up early to the vineyards Cant 2.12 let us see if the Vines flourish whether the tender grapes appear there will I give thee my Loves The flourishing of the Vine and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints now wheresoever things appear whether in Assemblies or in secret Ordinances then and there saith the Bride will I give thee my Loves when thou comest to the Word Prayer Meditation be sure of this to give Christ thy Love What doth Christ manifest his presence there is there any abounding of his graces there O let thy Love abound by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee by so much more do thou love thy God again many sins being forgiven how shouldst thou but Love much SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know our joy here is but in part such is the excellency of Spiritual joy that it is reserved for Heaven God will not permit it to be pure and perfect here below and yet such as it is though mingled with cares and pains it is a blessed duty it is the light of our souls and were it quite taken away our lives would be nothing but Horrour and Confusion O my Soul if thou didst not hope to encounter joy in all thy Acts thou wouldst remain languishing and immoveable thou wouldst be without action and vigour thou wouldst speak no more of Jesus or of a Covenant of grace or of God or Christ or Life or glory Well then go on O my Soul and joy in Jesus if thou lovest him what should hinder thy rejoycing in him It is a Maxime that as Love Proceeds so if there be nothing that retaines the Appetite it alwayes goes from Love to Joy One motion of the Appetite towards good is to be united to it and the next Appetite towards good is to enjoy it now Love consists in union and joy in fruition for what is fruition but a joy that we find in the possession of that thing we love Much ado there is amongst Philosophers concerning the differences of Love and Joy Some give it thus As is the motion of fluid Bodies which run towards their Center and think to find their rest there but being there they stop not and therefore they return and scatter themselves on themselves they swell and overflow So in the passion of Love the Appetite runs to the beloved Object and unites it self to it and yet its motion ends not there for by this passion of joy it returns the same way again it scatters it self on it self and overflows those Powers which are nearest to it by this effusion the soul doubles on the Image of the good it hath received and so it thinks to possess it more it distills it self into that faculty which first acquainted it with the knowledg of the Object and by that means it makes all the parts of the Soul concur to the possession of it Hence they say That joy is an effusion of the Appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it the more perfectly But not to stay in the inquiry of its Nature O my Soul be thou in the exercise of this Joy Is there not cause come see and own thy Blessedness take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for thee As 1. He hath made a Covenant with thee of temporal mercies thou hast all thou hast by free-holding of Covenant-Grace thy Bread is by Covenant thy sleep is by Covenant thy safety from Sword is by the Covenant the very tilling of thy Land is by a Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 O how sweet is this Every Crum is from Christ and by virtue of a Covenant of Grace 2. He hath made a Covenant with thee of spiritual mercies even a Covenant of Peace and Grace and Blessing and Life for evermore God is become thy God he is all things to thee he hath forgiven thy sins he hath given thee his Spirit to lead thee to sanctifie thee to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory where thou shalt bless him and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory O pluck up thy heart lift up thy head strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh Write it in Letters of Gold that thy God is in Covenant with thee to love thee to bless thee and to save thee Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive thee to himself and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God or to be in Covenant with God I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart a man out of Covenant if he look on God he is a consuming fire if on the Law it is a Sentence of Condemnation if on the Earth it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins if on Heaven the Gate is shut if on the Signes in Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder strike in him a terrour But O my Soul this is not thy case a Man in Covenant with God looks on these things with another eye if he look on God he saith This is my Father if on Christ this is my elder Brother if on Angels these are my Keepers if on Heaven this is my House if on the Signes of Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder these are but the effects of my Fathers Power if on the Law the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me if on Prosperity God hath yet better things for me in store if on Adversity Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this if on the Devil Death and Hell he saith with the Apostle O Death where is thy Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave where is thy Victory Come poor soul is it not thus with thee what art thou in Covenant with God or art thou not If yet thou doubtest review thy grounds of hope and leave not there till thou comest up to some measure
as one says well that had been Virgo decipiet not concipiet rather a deceiving of us than a conceiving of him 2. That of the Valentinian revived lately in the Anabaptists who hold that he had a true body but made in heaven and sent into the Virgin here on earth and if so that had been virgo recipiet not concipiet rather a receiving than conceiving yet I cannot but wonder how confidently the Anabaptists tell us that the Flesh of Christ came down from heaven and passed through the Virgin Mary as water through a Conduit-pipe without taking any substance from her Their objections are raised out of these Texts 1. No man ascendeth into heaven but he that came down from heaven John 3.13 even the son of man which is in heaven I answer first this speech must be understood firstly in respect of the God-Head which may be said in some sort to descend in that it was made manifest in the Manhood here on earth 2. This speech may be understood truly of the whole person of Christ to whom the properties of each Nature in respect of the communication of properties may be fitly ascribed but this doth no way prove that this flesh which he assumed on earth descended from heaven 1 Co. 15.47 48 2. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven heavenly I answer 1. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly-minded as sometimes he told the Jews you are from below I am from above you are of the World I am not of this World Christ was not worldly-minded or swayed with the lusts of the Flesh John 8.23 John 15.19 or any way earthly affected as sometimes he could tell his Apostles ye are not of the world so much more might he say of himself that he was not of this world but his Conversation was in heaven Or 2. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly or from heaven in respect of the glorious qualities which he received after his Resurrection and not in respect of the substance of his Body many glorious qualities was Christ endowed with after he was raised I shall not now dispute them which he had not before and in respect of these he might be called heavenly or from heaven 3. This holds forth that Christ also was in some sort heavenly or from heaven in his humane nature in that the humane nature was united to the divine and withal in that the humane nature was formed by the holy Ghost so John's Baptism is said to be from heaven though neither he nor the water wherewith he Baptized descended from heaven but because he received it from God who is in heaven Christ was conceived as you heard by the Holy Ghost and in that regard his generation was divine and heavenly or from heaven 2. In way of comfort and incouragement Christ was thus conceived that he might Vse 2 sanctify our conceptions as the first Adam was the root of all Corruption so is the second Adam the root of all sanctification Christ went as far to cleanse us as ever Adam did to defile us what were our very Conceptions defiled by Adam in the first place Christ takes course for this you see he is conceived by the Holy Ghost and he was not idle whilst he was in the womb for even then and there he eaâ—e out the Core of corruption that cleaved close to our defiled natures so that now God will not account evil of that nature that is become the nature of his own deare Son O the Condescentions of our Jesus O that ever he would be conceived in the womb of a Virgin O that he would run through the Contumelies of our fordid Nature that he would nor refuse that which we our selves in some sort are ashamed of Some think it a reason why the Anabaptists and some others run into such Fancies and deny this Conception of Christ only to decline those soul indignities as they take them for the great God of heaven to undergo but certainly this was for us and for our sakes and therefore far be it from us to honour him the less because he laid down his honour for our sakes no no let us honour him more and love him more the lower he came for us the dearer and dearer let him be unto us consider in all these transactions Christ was carrying on the great work of our salvation otherwise he had never been conceived never had assumed to his Person humane Nature never had been Man SECT III. Of the Duplicity of Natures in Christ Isa 9.6 Gal. 4.4 3. THe duplicity of Natures in Christ appears in that he was truly God and truly Man To us a Child is born saith the Prophet there is a Nature humane and he shall be called the Mighty God there is a Nature divine God sent his Son saith the Apostle therefore truly God and this Son made of a Woman therefore truly Man one would have thought this truth would never have come into controversie in our days but these are the last days and that may take off the wonder In the last days shall come perillous times 2 Tim. 3.1 Men shall resist the Truth c. In the last days I know there will be abundance of Truth revealed Zech. 12.8 The Knowledg of the Lorâ— shall be as the waters that cover the Sea and every Child shall be as David And the Book that was sealed must be opened Dan 12.4 and knowledg shaall be increased but Satan even then will be busie to sow his Tares as God is in sowing of his Wheat then is Satan active to communicate errors when he sees God begin to discover truths he hopes in the heat of the Market to vent his own wares and I believe this is one reason why now the Devil sets on foot so many dangerous errors that so he may prejudice the hearts of God's People in the receiving and entertaining of many Glorious truths But that we may not pass over such a Fundamental Error as this some saying with Martian that he is God but not man and others with Arrius that he is man but not God I shall therefore confirm this truth of the two Natures of Christ against the Adversaries of both sides And 1. That Christ is true God both apparent scriptures and unanswerable Reasons drawn from scriptures do plainly evince 1. The scriptures call him God In the beginning was the word and the word was with God Dan. 12.4 John 1.1 Heb. 1.8 John 20 28. Acts. 20.8 1 John 3.16 1 John 5.20 1 Tim. 3.16 and the word was God And unto the son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God and take heed to your selves and to all the flock To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood And hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his life for
unity of any other thing and yet by the help of some forreign cause they may be united as the branch of a Tree of one kind which put into the ground would be an intire distinct Tree in it self may by the hand of a man be put into the unity of a Tree of another kind and so grow move and bear fruit not distinctly in and for it self but jointly in and for that Tree into which it is planted 3. Other things of this kind cannot by force of natural causes nor by the help of any forreign thing ever become parts of any other created thing or pertain to the unity of the substance of any such thing as the nature of man and the nature of all living things and yet by divine and supernatural working it may be drawn into the unity of the subsistence of any of the Persons of the blessed Trinity wherein the fulness of all being and the Perfection of all created things is in a more eminent sort than in themselves for though all created things have their own being yet seeing God is nearer to them than they are to themselves and they are in a better fort in him than they are in themselves there is no question but that they may be prevented and staid from being in and for themselves and caused to be in and for one of the divine persons of the blessed Trinity So that as one drop of water that formerly subsisted in it self if it be poured into a vessel containing a greater quantity it becomes one in subsistence with the greater quantity of water and as a branch of a Tree that being set in the ground and left to it self would be an intire and independant tree becomes one in subsistence with that tree into which it is grafted so the individual nature of man assumed into the unity of one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity it looseth that kind of being that naturally left to it self it would have had and it becomes one with the Person for now it is not in and for it self but hath got a new Relation of dependance and being in another But you will say all the Creatures in the world have their being in God and dependance on God and therefore all Creatures as well as Man may pertain to the Person or Subsistence of God I Answer it is not a general being in and dependâ—nce on God but a strict dependance on mans part and a Communicating of the subsistence on Gods part that makes up this union Hence we say that there are four degrees of the presence of God in his Creatures the first is his general presence whereby he preserves the substances of all Creatures and gives unto them to live and to move and to have their being Acts. 7.28 and this extends it self to all Creatures good and bad The Second degree is the presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of his Creature but also gives Grace unto it and this agrees to the Saints and Gods People on earth The third degree is the presence of glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in heaven and hereby God doth not only preserve their substances and give them plenty of his Grace but he also admits them into his Glorious presence so as they may behold him face to face The fourth and last degree is that whereby the God-Head of the Son is present with and dwells in the Manhood giving unto it in some part his own subsistence whereby it comes to pass that this Manhood assumed is proper to the Son and cannot be the Manhood of the Father or of the Holy Ghost or of any Creature whatsoever And this is a thing so admirable and unspeakable that though we may find some similitudes yet there cannot be found another example hereof in all the World Hence it follows that in the Manhood of Christ consisting of Body and Soul there is a Nature only and not a Person because it doth not subsist alone as other men Peter Paul and John do but it wholly depends on the Person of the Word into the unity whereof it is received and this dependance of the humane nature on the person of the Word and the communicating of the Person or subsistence of the Word with the humane nature is the very thing it self wherein this union consists 3. For the Scriptural texts that confirm this Union you see the Well is very deep but where is the Bucket What texts of Scripture have we to confirm this wonderful Union of two Natures in one Person Amongst many I shall only cite these Mat. 16.13 16. When Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Simon Peter answered Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Now if but one Christ then surely but one Person and if the Son of man be the Son of the Living God then surely there are two natures in that one Person Observe how the Son of man and the Son of God very Man and very God concenter in Christ as the Soul and the Body make but one man so the Son of man and the Son of God make but one Christ Rom. 1.3 4. Thou art Christ saith Peter the Son of the Living God So Paul speaking of Jesus the Son of God he tells us that he was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit 1. Made of the Seed of David of the substance of the Virgin who was Davids posterity 2. Declared to be the Son of God not made the Son of God as he was made the Son of Man but declared to be the Son of God The word in the Original signifies a Declaration by a solemn sentence or difinitive judgment I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son That which I point at he is the Son of David Psal 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Manhood and he is the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Godhead here be the two Natures but iâ—â—he words before these two natures make but one Son Jesus Christ our Lord and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ry words themselves he is declared to be the Son of God he doth not say Som◠〈◊〉 two but his Son Jesus Christ first before and then after to shew unto us thâ—â—â—â—fore his making so after his making he is still but one Son or one person of the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tinct natures subsisting Col. 2.9 To the same purpose is that same Text In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily by the union of the divine nature with the humane in the unity of his person the Godhead dwelleth in Christ as the Soul in the Body it dwelleth in him bodily not seemingly but really truly and indeed not figuratively and in a shadow as he dwelleth in the Temple not by power and efficacy as he dwells
the honour done to the King redounds to the Crown upon his head not that we worship the Manhood alone as meerly a Creature but that we adore the person of Christ which consisteth of the Manhood and of the Godhead 6. That the Manhood hath an extraordinary measure without measure of habitual Graces poured into it in this he excels the very Angels for to them was given Grace only by measure but to the humanity of Christ was given Grace without measure even so much as a Creature is any ways capable of I know it is said that Jesus increased in Wisdom and Stature and in favour with God and Man Luk. 2.52 but this increase or growth in Wisdom is not to be understood in respect of the essence or extension of the habit for that he had from the beginning even from the first moment of his incarnation and he brought it with him out of the womb but in respect of the act and use of it or in respect of his experimental knowledg so he increased and not otherwise Never was there any but Christ whose Graces were no way stinted and that was absolutely full of Grace Divines tell us of a double Grace in Christ the one of union and that is infinite the other of unction which is all one with Grace habitual and that is in a sort infinite for howsoever it be but a finite and created thing yet in the nature of Grace it hath no limitation no bounds no stint but includeth in it self whatsoever any way pertains to Grace or that cometh within the compass of it The reason of this illimited donation of Grace bestowed on the Nature of man in Christ was for that Grace was given to it as to the universal cause whence it was to be derived unto all others he is the Fountain of Grace John 1.16 and of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace 3. For the Communication of the Properties It is a kind of phrase of speech peculiar to the Scriptures when the properties of either Nature of Christ considered singly and apart are attributed to the person of Christ from which soever of the natures they be denominated For the understanding of this observe 1. That words are either abstractive or concretive the former speaks the Nature of things the latter speaks the person that hath that nature as the God-Head and God the Man Hood and Man Holiness and Holy 2. Observe that abstractive Words noting precisely the distinct Natures cannot be affirmed one of the other we cannot say the God head suffered or the Man-hood created but we may truly say that God suffered and man created because the person which these concretive words imply is one and all actions passions and qualities agree really to the person though in respect somtimes of one nature and sometimes of another thus God purchased the Church with his own blood Acts. 20.28 John 3.13 not that the God-head shed blood but the person which was God and thus the Son of man talking with Nicodemus is said to be in Heaven not that the Man-hood was in Heaven while he was on earth but the person of the Son of Man Thus we may say that God was born of a Virgin and that God suffered and God was crucified not simply in respect of his God-head but in respect of his person or in respect of the humane nature which God united to himself because God here is a concrete word and not an abstract and signifieth the Person of Christ and not the divine nature of Christ And thus we may say that the Man Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent yet not simply in respect of its Man-hood but in respect of the Person which is the same God and Man or in respect of the divine nature of the man Christ Jesus for that here also Man is a concrete word and not an abstract and signifieth the whole person of Christ and not the humane nature but on the contrary we may not say that the God-head of Christ was born of a Virgin or suffered or was crucified nor may we say that the Manhood of Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent because the Godhead and Manhood are abstract words i.e. such words as note to us the two natures of Christ the one divine the other humane and not the person of Christ And this I think is the mind of Luther and his Followers and yet O wonder what a deal of objections are made to the multiplying of needless and fruitless contentions The Lutherans confess however they hold the ubiquitary presence of the humanity of Christ that his Body is only in one place locally If we ask them saith Zanchius * Zanchius in judicio de dissidio caenae Dominicae whether Christs body be every where they answer that locally it is but in one place but that personally it is every where now if they mean saith he that in respect of Essence his Body is finite and confined to one certain place but in respect of the being of subsistence or of his person it is infinite and every where they say the truth and there is no difference amongst us Happy are the Reconcilers of dissenting Brethren Vnto their Assembly mine honour be thou united 2. The Effects or benefits of this hypostatical union in respect of Christians are their spiritual union and communion with God and Christ 1. There is a spiritual union of Christians with God in Christ O the wonder of these two blessed unions first of the personal or hypostatical union secondly of this spiritual or mystical union in the personal union it pleased God to assume and unite our humane Nature to the Diety in this spiritual union it pleased God to unite the person of every Believer to the person of the Son of God This union is mystical and yet our very Persons natures bodies souls are in a spiritual way conjoyned to the Body and Soul of Christ Eph. 5.30 so that we are members of the Body of Christ and of the Flesh of Christ and of the Bones of Christ and as this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature 2 Pet. 1.4 so thereby we are also united to the divine nature yea the person of the Believer is indissolubly united to the Glorious person of the Son God Now concerning this union for our better understanding observe these four things 1. It is a most real union it is not a meer notional and intellectual union that consists only in the understanding and without the understanding is nothing it is not an imaginary thing that hath no other being but only in the Brain no no it is a true real essential substantial union In natural unions I confess there may be more evidence but there cannot be more truth spiritual Agents neither have nor put forth less virtue because sense cannot discern their manner of Working even the Load-stone though an earthen substance yet when it is out of sight whether under the
his youth because in Scripture there is so deep a silence I shall therefore pass it by Thus far have I propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in his first coming or incarnation whiles yet a Child of twelve years old Our next Work is to direct you in the Art or Mystery how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great Work of our Salvation in his Birth WHat Looking comprehends you have heard before And that we may have an inward experimental look on him whom our souls pant after let us practise all these Particulars As 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Coming or Incarnation Come let us learn what he did for us when he came amongst us There is not one Passage in his first appearing but it is of mighty concernment unto us Is it possible that the great God of Heaven and Earth should so infinitely condescend as we have heard but on some great Design And what Design could there be but only his Glory and the Creatures good O my Soul If thou hast any interest in Christ all this concerns thee the Lord Jesus in these very transactions had an eye to thee he was Incarnate for thee he was conceived and born for thee look not on these things as Notionals or Generals look not on the bare history of things for that is but unprofitable the main duty is in eying the end the meaning and intent of Christ and especially as it relates to thee not to others but to thy self Alas what comfort were it to a poor prisoner if he should hear that the King or Prince of his meer grace and love visited all the Prisoners in this and that Dungeon and that he made a Goal-delivery and set all free but he never came near the Place where he poor wretch lies bound in Fetters and cold Irons or suppose he gives a visit to that very man and offers him the tenders of Grace and Freedom if he will but accept of it and because of his waywardness Perswades Intreats Commands him to come out and take his liberty and yet he will not regard or apply it to himself what comfort can he have what fruit what benefit shall he receive Dear soul this is thy case if thou art not in Christ if thou hadst not heard the Offer and embraced and closed with it then what is Christ's Incarnation Conception Nativity unto thee Come learn not meerly as a Scholar to gain some notional-knowledge but as a Christian as one that feels virtue coming out of Christ in every of these respects Study close this great transaction in reference to thy self I know not how it happâ—ns whether out of the generality of some Preachers handling this Subject or whether out of the Superstition of the time wherein it usually hath been handled it either savours not with some Christans or it is seldom thought of by the most O God forbid we throw out of the doors such a blessed necessary truth If rightly applied it is a Christians joy Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all People for unto you is born in the City of David Luk. 2.10 11. a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Sure the Birth of Christ is of mighty concernment unto thee Isa 9.6 unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given there is not any piece of this transaction but it is of special use and worth thy pains How many break their brains and waste their Spirits in studying Arts and Sciences things in comparison of no value whereas Paul otherwise determined not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ To know Jesus Christ in every piece and point 1 Cor. 2.2 whether in Birth or Life or Death it is saving knowledge O stand not upon Cost whether Pains or Study Tears or Prayers Peace or Wealth Goods or Name Life or Liberty sell all for this Pearl Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over-buy him though thou gavest thy self and all the World for him the study of Christ is the study of studies the knowledge of Christ is the knowledge of every thing that is necessary either for this World or for the World to come O study Christ in every of the foresaid respects SECT II. Considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this great work of our Salvation at his first Coming or Incarnation It is not enough to study and know these great Mysteries but according to the Measure of Knowledge we have we must Muse Meditate Ponder and Consider of them Now this Consideration brings Christ nearer and closer to the soul Consideration gathers up all the long fore-passed Acts and Monuments of Christ and finds a deal of sweetness and power to come flowing from them Consideration fastens Christ more strongly to the Soul and as it were rivets the Soul to Jesus Christ and fastens him in the heart A soul that truly considers and meditates of Christ thinks and talkes of nothing else but Christ Prov. 4.13 it takes hold and will not let him go I will keep to thee saith the soul in meditation for thou art my life Why thus O my Soul consider thou of Christ and of what he did for thee when he was incarnate and that thou maist not confound thy self in thy meditations consider a part of these particulars As 1. Consider Jesus in his Fore-runner and the blessed tidings of his coming in the flesh now the long-looked for time drew near a glorious Angel is sent from Heaven and he comes with an Olive-branch of peace first he presents himself to Zachary and then to Mary to her he imparts the Message on which God sent him into this neather World Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus Luke 1.31 Till now Humane Nature was less than that of Angels but by the Incarnation of the Word it was to be exalted above the Cherubims What sweet News What blessed Tidings was this Message The Decree of old must now be accomplished and an Angel proclaims it upon Earth hear O ye Sons of Adam this concerns you as much as the Virgin Were ye not all undone in the Loins of your first Father Was not my Soul and thy Soul in danger of Hell-fire was not this our case and condition that after a little life upon Earth we should have been thrown into eternal torments where had been nothing but Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth And now that God and Christ should bid an Angel tell the News Ye shall not die lo here a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and he shall be your Jesus he shall save you from this Hell and Death and Sin he shall deliver your Souls he shall save you to the utmost his Name is
the soul was it that was especially made after the Image of God the soul was it that was tempered in the same Mortar with the Heavenly Spirits the soul was Gods sparkle a beam of his divine Glory a ray or emanation of God himself as man was the principal part of the Creation so the Soul was the principal part of man here was it that Gods Love and Glory were centred for the time here was it that Gods love set and fixt it self in a special man whence flowed that Communion of God with Adam and that familiarity of Adam with God 3. Within a while this man the object of Gods Love fell away from God and as he fell so all that were in him even the whole World fell together with him and hereupon Gods Face was hid not a sight of him but in flaming fire ready to seize on the Sons of Men. And yet Gods Love would not thus leave the Object he had yet a further reach of Love and out of this dark Cloud he le ts fall some glimpses of another discovery These glimpses were sweet but alas they were so dark that very few could spell them or make any sense or comfortable application of them but by degrees God hints it out more he points it out with the Finger by Types and Shadows he makes some models of it in outward Ceremonies and yet so hid and dark that in four thousand years men were but guessing and hoping through promises for a manifestation of Gods Love this is the meaning of the Apostle who tells us of the Mystery that was hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints Col. 1.26 This Love of God was hid in the breast of God from the Sons of Men for an Age so that they knew not what to make of this great Design I speak of the generality of men for in respect of some Particulars as to Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and the Patriarchs you have heard the Lord made his Loves clear to them in a Covenant-Way and still the nearer to Christ the clearer and clearer was the Covenant of Grace 4. At last God fully opens himself in the fulness of time God takes the flesh of those poor sinners which he had so loved and joins it to himself and calls it Christ a Saviour O! now was it that God descended and lay in the Womb of a Virgin now was it that he is born as we are born now was it that he joined our Flesh so nigh to himself as that there is a Communication of properties betwixt them both that being attributed to God which is proper to Flesh as to be born to suffer and that being attributed to flesh which is proper to God as to create to redeem who can chuse but wonder when he thinks of this phrase that a piece of Flesh should be called God and that God should be made flesh and dwell amongst us that flesh should infinitely provoke God and yet God in the same flesh should be infinitely pleased that God should veile himself and darken his Glory with our flesh and yet unveile at the same time the deepest and darkest of his designs in a comfortable way to our souls O my soul how shouldst thou contain thy self within thy self how shouldst thou but leap out of thy self if I may so speak as one that is lost in the admiration of this Love Surely God never manifested himself in such a strain of Love as this before herein was love manifested and commended indeed that God would come down in our nature to us One observes sweetly that God did so love the very Nature of his Elect that though for the present he had them not all with him in Heaven yet he must have their Picture in his Son to see them in and love them in in this respect I may call Christ incarnate a Statue and Monument of Gods own infinite Love unto his Elect for ever Well hitherto we have followed the passages of his Love and now we see it in the Spring or at full Sea If any thing will beget our love to God surely Christ incarnate will do it Come then O my Soul I cannot but call on thee to love thy Jesus and to provoke thy Love O fix thy eye on this lovely Object come put thy Candle to this Flame what doth not thy heart yet burn within thee dost thou not at least begin to warm why draw yet a little nearer consider what an heart of Love is in this Design God is in thy own nature to take upon him all the miseries of thy Nature mark it well this is none other than Gods heart leaping out of it self into our bosoms q. d. Poor souls I cannot keep from you I love your very Nature I will be nothing so you may be something my Glory shall not hinder me but I will vail it rather than it shall hurt you so I may but shew my self kind and tender unto you and so I may but have Communion with you and you with me I care not if I become one with you and live with you in your very flesh Oh my heart art thou yet cold in thy Loves to Jesus Christ canst thou love him but a little who hath loved thee so much how should I then but complain of thee to Christ and for thy sake beg hard of God Oh thou sweet Jesus that cloathest thy self with the Clouds as with a garment and as now thou cloathest thy self with the Nature of a man O thou that wouldest inflame my Spirit with a Love of thee that nothing but thy self might be dear unto me because it so pleased thee to vilifie thy self thine own self for my sake SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us at his Coming or Incarnation If it be so that by our Desire and Hope and Faith and Love we have indeed and truth reached the Object which our souls pant after how then should we but joy and delight therein the end of our motion is to attain quiet and rest now what is joy but a sweet and delightfull Tranquility of mind resting in the fruition and possession of some good what hast thou in some measure attained the presence and fruition of Christ as God incarnate in thy Soul it is then time to joy in Jesus it is then time to keep a Sabbath of thy thoughts and to be quiet and calm in thy Spirit But you will say how should this be before we come to Heaven I answer there is not indeed any perfection of joy whilest we are here because there is no perfection of Union on this side Heaven but so far as Union is our joy must be examine the grounds of thy Hope and the actings of thy Faith and if thou art but satisfied in them why then lead up thy joy and bring it up to this
our hearts are as it were Seas of corruptions yet we must daily cleanse our selves of them by little and little Christ could not have been a fit Saviour for us unless first he had been sanctified neither can we be fit Members unto him unless we be in some measure purged from our sins and sanctified by his Spirit To this purpose is that of the Apostle I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodyes a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 In the Old Testament they did after a corporal manner slay and kill Beasts presenting them and offering them unto the Lord but now we are in a spiritual manner to crucify and mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts all our inordinate passions all our evil affections of anger love joy hatred are to be crucified and all that is ours must be given up to God there must be no love in us but of God and in reference to God no Joy in us but in God and in reference to God no fear in us but of God and in reference to God and thus of all other the like passions O that we would look to Jesus and be like unto Jesus in this thing if there be any Honour any Happiness any Excellency it is in this even in this we are not fit for any holy duty or any religious approach unto God without sanctification 1 Thes 4.5 this is the Will of God saith the Apostle even your Sanctification All the commands of God tend to this and for the comfort of us Christians we have under the Gospel promises of sanctification to be in a larger measure made out unto us Zech. 14.20 21. In that day there shall be upon the Bells of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord every Vessel under Christ and the Gospel must have written upon it Holiness to the Lord thus our spiritual services figured by the Ancient Ceremonial services are set out by a larger measure of holiness than was in old time it is a sweet resemblance of Christ to be holy Acts 4.27 for so he is stiled the holy Child Jesus he was sanctified from the womb and sanctified in the womb for our imitation for their sakes I sanctifie my self saith Christ that they also might be sanctified John 17.19 3. Christ the son of man is by nature the son of God so we poor sons of men must by Grace become the sons of God even of the same God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 4.4 5 7. for this very end God sent his own Son made of a woman that we might receive the Adoption of Sons wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a Son then an heir of God through Christ This intimates that what relation Christ hath unto the Father by nature we should have the same by Grace by nature he is the only begotten Son of the Father and as many as received him saith John John 1.14 V. 12. to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name It is true Christ reserves to himself the preheminence Rom. 8.29 he is in a peculiar manner the first born among many Brethren yet in him and for him all the rest of the brethren are accounted as first borns Exod. 4.22 23. So God bids Moses say unto Pharoah Israel is my son even my first born And I say unto thee let my Son go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold I will slay thy Son even thy first-born And the whole Church of God consisting of Jew and Gentile is in the same sort described by the Apostle to be the General Assembly and Church of the first-born enrolled in Heaven Heb. 12.23 Rom. 8.17 by the same reason that we are sons we are first-borns if we are Children then are we heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ O who would not endeavour after this priviledg who would not conform to Christ in this respect 4. Christ the Son of God was yet the Son of Man there was yet in him a duplicity of Natures really distinguished and in this respect the greatest Majesty and the greatest humility that ever was are found in Christ so we though sons of God must remember our selves to be but sons of men our priviledges are not so high but our poor conditions frailties infirmities sins may make us low who was higher than the Son of God and who was lower than the son of man as he is God he is in the bosom of his Father as he is man he is in the Womb of his Mother as he is God his Throne is in Heaven and he fills all things by his emmensity as he is man he is circumscribed in a cradle I mean a Manger a most uneasy Cradle sure as he is God he is cloathed in a robe of Glory as he is man he is wrapped in a few course swadling bands as he is God he is encircled with millions of bright Angels as he man he is in company of Joseph and Mary and the Beasts as he is God he is the eternal Word of the Father all-sufficient and without need as he is man he submits himself to a condition imperfect inglorious indigent and necessitous well let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and being founded in fashion as a man he humble himself he that thought it no robbery to be equal with God humbled himself to become man we should have found it no robbery to be equal with Devils and are we too proud to learn of God what an intolerable disproportion is this to behold an humble God and a proud man who can endure to see a Prince on foot and his Vassal mounted shall the Son of God be thus humble for us and shall not we be humble for our selves I say for our selves that deserve to be cast down amongst the lowest Worms the damnedst Creatures What are we in our best condition here on earth had we the best natures purest conversations happiest indowments that accompany the Saints pride overthrows all it thrust proud Nebuchadnezzer out of Babel proud Haman out of the Court proud Saul out of his Kingdom proud Lucifer out of Heaven poor man how ill it becomes thee to be proud when God himself is become thus humble O learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and humble and lowly in spirit Math. 11.29 and you shall find rest unto your souls 5. The two natures of Christ though really distinguished yet were they inseparably joyned and made not
is taken for the Preaching of the Gospel or for the preaching of the Kingdom of Grace and Mercy of God in Christ unto men q. d. O Sirs look about you there 's now a discovery made of the Glory and Grace of God in another way than ever formerly and therefore prepare for it Repent 5. Sometimes it is taken for the Gosspel of Christ as it is Published and Preached unto all Nations Observe I do not only say for the Gospel as it is Preached but as it is Preached to the Gentiles or among all Nations and this shews how proper and pregnant an Argument this was to inforce the Doctrine and Practice of Repentance upon the Jews because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand which would prove their rejection and casting off if they did not repent Oh how seasonable is this Sermon to us Christians hath not the Kingdom of Heaven approacht unto us Take the Kingdom of Heaven for the Kingdom of Glory are we not near to the door of Glory to the Confines of Eternity What is our Life but a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and after it vanisheth away We know not but ere the Sun have run one Round our souls may be in that World of souls and so either in Heaven or Hell Or take the Kingdom of Heaven for the Church of Christ and what expectations have we now of the flourishing state of Christ's Church here upon Earth Then shall the Children of Israel and Judah be gathered together for great shall be the day of Jezreel Hos 1.11 A time is at hand that Israel and Judah shall be called together that the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and what is this but the great day of Jezreel Oh then what manner of Persons ought we to be How Spiritual How Heavenly-minded Arise arise shake off thy dust for thy Light is coming and the glory of the Lord is rising upon thee Or take the Kingdom of Heaven for the Preaching of the Gospel of Grace Mercy and Goodness of God in Christ what Preachings are now in comparison of what have been formerly How doth the Lord set forth his free Love and free Grace in the Churches of Christ No question but many former ages have enjoyed their discoveries in some sweet measure and yet after-ages wonder that they have known no more and how much of the Kingdom of Heaven do Saints find in this Age as if there were a new manifestation of God unto the World And yet I must tell you that the Ages to come shall know more of this Kingdom there shall be further and further openings of this great Mystery of Grace unto the Sons of Men. Mark the Apostle That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ Eph. 2.7 Eph. 2.7 How is this Had not God revealed grace enough in the former ages Or had not God revealed Grace enough in that present Age Did he not then call in the Gentiles were not many thousands converted at one only Sermon What a deal of that Grace had Paul himself received He tells us that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was exceeding abundant to him-wards 1 Tim. 1.14 and is there yet more Grace to be revealed O yes herein lies the Mystery of Grace that he hath reserved exceeding riches of Grace for the Ages to come Grace that never saw Light before and I believe there is yet a fuller Magazine of the Riches of his Grace for latter Ages even for the Ages to come to be discovered that ever was yet Oh then repent repent Why For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand The very openings of Gods Love and Grace unto Souls is a Way and Motive to draw our Souls unto God Or take the Kingdom of Heaven for the preaching of the Gospel to all Nations Jews and Gentiles what fears and jealousies may this breed in us as well as the Jews O boast not against the Branches it may be thou wilt say The Branches were broken off that I might be graffed in well because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by Faith be not high-minded but fear For if God spared not the natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them which felt severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be cut off But I will not dwell on this my design is to consider of Jesus and of the transactions of Jesus in reference to our souls health now John's Sermons were only a preparative to the manifestation of Jesus he was only the Forerunner of Christ and not Christ himself as himself witnesseth SECT III. Of the Baptisme of Jesus 2. FOr the Baptism of Christ He that formerly was circumcised would now be baptized he was circumcised to sanctifie his Church that was and he was baptized to sanctifie his Church that should be we find him in both Testaments opening a way into Heaven This was the first appearing of Christ in reference to his Ministerial Office he that lay hid in the counsel of God from all eternity and he that lay hid in the womb of his Mother for the space of forty weeks and he that lay hid in Nazareth for the space of thirty years now at last he begins to shew himself to the World and He comes from Galilee to Jordan Mat. 3.13 to John to be baptized of him The day was but a little broke in John the Baptist but Christ the Son of Righteousness soon entred upon our Hemisphere indeed now was the full time come that Jesus took his leave of his Mother and his Trade to begin his Fathers work in order to the Redemption of the World For the clearer understanding of Christs Baptism we shall examine these Particulars 1. What Reason had Christ to be Baptised 2. How was it that John knew him to be Christ 3. Wherein was the glory of Christs Baptism 4. What was the Prayer of Christ at or after his Baptism 5. Why was it that the Holy Ghost descended on Jesus 6. Upon what account was it that the Holy Ghost should reveal himself at this time and why in the form of a Dove rather than some other form 1. What reason had Christ to be Baptized we find John himself wondering at this I have need to be Baptized of thee Mat. 3.15 and comest thou to me Many Reasons are given for Christs Baptism As 1. That by this symbole he might enter himself into the Society of Christians just like a King to endear himself to any City of his Subjects he condescends to be made a free-man of that City 2. That he might bear witness to the Preaching and Baptism of John and might reciprocally receive a Testimony from John 3. That by his own Baptism he might sanctifie the water of Baptism to his own Church 4.
That he might give an example himself of the performance of that which he enjoyned others 5. That he might receive Testimony from Heaven that he was the Son of God 6. That he might fulfil all Righteousness not only the Moral but the Figurative Ceremonial and Typical Some think that the Ceremony to which our Saviour looked at in these words was the washing of the Priests in water when they entred into their Function Exod. 29.4 Lev. 8.6 And Aaron and his Sons thou shalt bring to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and shalt wash them with water And surely this was the main reason of Christs being Baptized that by this Baptism he might be installed into his Ministerial Office 2. How did John know him to be Christ It is very probable he had never seen his Face before they had in their Infancy been driven to several places and they were designed to several imployments and never met as we may well conceive till now besides the Baptist speaks expresly I knew him not John 1.33 but he that sent me to Baptize with water the same said unto me on whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him the same is he that Baptizeth with the Holy Ghost Now this descent of the Holy Ghost was not till after Baptism how then did he know him to be Christ The Answer is given by some thus that John knew Christ in some measure before his Baptism but he knew him not so fully as after when the Holy Ghost had descended on him Others thus that John knew Christ before his Baptism by a present revelation and after Baptism by a present sign it is not unlikely but John knew Christ at his first arrival by revelation for if whiles he was in his Mothers womb he knew Christ being yet unborn how much more might he know and acknowledg him now at his Baptism Thus Samuel knew Saul and thus John might know Christ But for that knowledg he had after Baptism it was a further confirmation of that same knowledg that he had before Baptism and that not so much for his own sake as for the Peoples John 1.34 I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God 3. Wherein was the Glory or excellency of Christs Baptism The Ancients give many Encomiums to it and in some respects prefer it to the Birth of Christ Aug. Serm. 36. thus Augustine Many great Miracles were at Christ's Birth but they were far greater at his Baptism the Holy Ghost overshadowed him in the Womb but he brightly shone on him in the River then was the Father silent not a word from him but now a loud voice is heard from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased then was the Mother under suspition because she was found with Child without a Father but now is the Mother greatly honoured in that the Holy Child is Fathered by God himself then was Christ hid to the world and this made John the Baptist say there stands one amongst you whom ye know not He was before his Baptism as the Sun in a Cloud or a Pearl in a shell or a Gold-mine in a Field but now he appears in publick and to manifest his Glory the Heavens open and from the Heavens the Holy Ghost descends and alights upon his sacred head and God the Father gives a voice from Heaven declaring his Divinity to the world If the Jews require a sign here is not one but many signs at once which as Beams do discover a Sun so they discover this Sun of Righteousness to be risen amongst them and herein was the Glory of Christ's Baptism 4. What was the Prayer of Christ at or after his Baptism The Evangelist Luke Luke 3.21 speaks of his Prayer It came to pass that Jesus being Baptized and Praying the Heavens were opened This was the manner of those that were Baptized assoon as they were Baptized to come out of the water and Pray and some think that these words Mat. 3.36 they were Baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins hath reference to this if so then Christ having no sins to confess of his own the tenour of his prayer must needs be to some other purpose But to what purpose some say to the same purpose as his Prayers were usually as in John 17. that his Father would preserve his Church in Vnity and Truth and that he would Glorifie his Church that they also might be one even as he and his Father are one and especially that many might be converted by his Ministry which he was now beginning Others think that this Prayer at this time was for that which followed upon his very prayer i.e. that the Holy Ghost might descend and that the Father would Glorifie the Son by a Testimony from Heaven Indeed the Text hath laid his Prayer and the opening of the Heavens so close together as that it seems to point out what was the tenour of his Prayer by the consequent of it Before the Heaven was mured up no Dove to be seen no Voice to be heard but streight upon it as if they had but waited the last word of his prayer all of them follow and in another place we find the like return upon the like prayer John 12.28 Father Glorify thy Name then came there a voice from Heaven saying I have both Glorified it and I will Glorifie it again one reason more if we consider that Christ was now to enter upon the great Work of our Redemption and the preaching of the Gospel it will be no less strange to conceive that he prayed for the visible sealing of him to that Work and Office by the coming of the Holy Ghost John 6.27 To this purpose is that of the Evangelist for him hath God the Father sealed it is a Phrase borrowed from them who give their Commissions under hand and seal and this is certain that upon his Prayer God sent the holy Spirit who sealed him or allowed and confirmed him to the Office of our Redemption and therefore very probable it is that his Prayer might tend to that purpose but herein take heed of excluding what was mentioned in the former opinion for my part I suppose Christs prayer was both for himself and all Believers that the holy Ghost might now be joyned to the water and that all others as should ever after believe in his Name as afterwards he enlargeth his Prayer might have the Holy Ghost descend upon them John 17.20 5. Why was it that the Holy Ghost descended on Jesus I answer for these reasons 1. That John the Baptist might be satisfied for this Token was given John when he first began to preach John 1.33 that upon whom he should see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is He which Baptizeth with the Holy Ghost It was a sure sign to the Baptist whereby to know the Christ whose Harbinger and
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
pray not to run into temptation before we are led and yet for the comfort of God's people if it be so that we are led if by divine permission or by an inspiration of the holy Spirit we are engaged in an action or in a course of life that is full of temptations and empty of comforts let us look upon it as an issue of divine Providence in which we must Glorifie God but no argument of disfavour or dislove of God and why because Christ himself who could have driven the Devil away by the breath of his mouth yet was by the Spirit of his Father led to a Tryal by the Spirits of Darkness My Brethren count it all joy saith James James 1.2 when ye enter into divers temptations knowing that the trial of your Faith worketh Patience 3. The end of the Spirits leading Christ into the wilderness it was either immediate or remote 1. For the immediate end it was to be tempted of the Devil to this purpose was Christ brought thither that Satan might tempt him One would think it a very strange design that the Son of God should be brought into a wilderness to be set on by all the Devils in Hell but in this also God had another remote end i.e. his own Glory and our good 1. His own Glory appeared in this had not Satan tempted Christ how should Christ have overcome Satan The first Adam was tempted and vanquished the second Adam to repay and repair that Foil doth vanquish in being tempted now herein was the Power of Christ exceedingly manifested the Devil having the Chain let loose he lets flie at Christ with all his might and Christ that without blows could not have got a Victory by this furious assault of Satan he both overcomes him and triumphs over him And herein were the Graces of Christ exceedingly manifested how was the Faith Patience Humility Zeal and Valour of Christ set forth which they could not have been if he had alwayes lain quietly in Garrison and never had come into the Skirmish Who could have felt the Odoriferous smells of those Aromatical Spices if they had not been punned and bruised in this Mortar of Temptation It was by this means that the Graces of Christ clearly shined forth to his eternal Praise 2. As it was for his Glory so also for our Good Now we see what manner of Adversary we have how he fights and how he is resisted and how overcome now we see the dearer we are to God the more obnoxious we are to a trial of temptation now we see that the best of Saints may be tempted or allured to the worst of evils since Christ himself is solicited to Infidelity Covetousness and Idolatry now we see that we have not a Saviour and High Priest Heb. 4.15 16. that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but such a one as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin and therefore we may go boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may receive Mercy and find Grace of help in time of need 4. The time and occasion of the Devils Onset it was at the end of forty dayes Fast and when he was an hungred Some say as you have heard that all those forty dayes when Christ was in the Wilderness he was tempted only invisibly for Satan during that time assumed not any visible or conspicious shape which it the end of forty dayes say they he did my meaning is not to controvert these points Howsoever for his tempting yet for his fasting forty dayes and forty nights there is no controversy and of that we had some Types before Christ came into the World thus Moses fasted forty dayes at the delivery of the Law and Elias fasted forty dayes at the restitution of the Law and to fulfil the time of both these Types Christ thinks it fit to fast forty dayes at the accomplishment of the Law and the promulgation of the Gospel In fasting so long Christ manifests his Almighty Power and in fasting no longer Christ manifests the truth of his Manhood and of his weakness that he might approve that there was no difference betwixt him and us but sin he both fasted and was an hungred we know well enough that Christ could have lived without meat and he could have fasted without hunger it had been an easy matter for him to have supported his Body without any means of nourishment or Life but to shew that he was man as well as God and so fit a Mediator betwixt God and Man he would both feed and fast make use of the Creature and withall suffer hunger And now our Saviour is an hungred this gives occasion to Satan to set upon him with his fierce and violent temptations he knows well what baits to fish withall and when and how to lay them he hath Temptations of all sorts he hath Apples to cozen Children and Gold for Men he hath the Vanities of the World for the intemperate and the Kingdomes of the world for the ambitious he considers the temper and constitution of the Person he is to tempt and he observes all our exterior Accidents Occasions and Opportunities but of this hereafter 5. The Temptations themselves are in number three whereof the first was this If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread What an horrible Entrance is this if thou be the Son of God no question Satan had heard the glad tidings of the Angel he saw the Star and the Journey and the Offerings of the Sages he could not but take notice of the gratulations of Zachary Simeon Anna and of late he saw the Heavens open and he heard the Voice that came down from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and yet now that he saw Christ fainting with hunger as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a Godhead he puts it to the question if thou be the Son of God Oh here 's a point in which lies all our happiness how miserable were we if Christ were not indeed and in truth the Son of God Satan strikes at the root in this supposition If thou be the Son of God Surely all the work of our Redemption and all the work of our Salvation depends upon this one necessary Truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God If Christ had not been the Son of God how should he have ransomed the world how should he have done or how should he have suffered that which was satisfactory to his Fathers wrath how should his Life or Death have been valuable to the sins of all the world If Christ be not the Son of God we are all gone we are lost we are undon we are damned for ever O alas farewell Glory farewel happiness farewell Heaven If Christ be not the Son of God we must never come there well Satan thou beginnest thy assault like a Devil indeed if thou be the Son of God but
At the opening and discovery of Jesus Christ the kindness and pity and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared 3. Because this manifestation hath something in it of the removal of sin it is the voice of Christ unto such as are in sin Isa 65.1 Behold me the first step towards the remission of Sins is the beholding of Christ now we cannot behold him that will not come into view 1 John 3.5 and therefore saith the Apostle ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins 4. Because this manifestation hath something in it to the overthrowing of Satan for the while that Christ hid himself Satan blinded the minds of men but when once Christ the Image of God shone forth then Satan like Lightning fell down from Heaven 1 John 3.8 for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 5. Because this manifestation tends to our believing in Christ and by consequence to our Salvation through Christ John 20.30 31. Many signs Christ did in the presence of his disciples which are not written but these are written saith John that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name Well but wherein was this first manifestation of Jesus I answer in those several witnesses that held him forth John 8.17 It is written in the Law saith Christ that the testimony of of two men is true but to manifest Christ were many witnesses As 1. From Heaven the Father is witness John 8.18 John 8.14 for see saith Christ the Father that sent me beareth witness of me and the Son is witness for so saith Christ I am one that bear witness of my self and though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go Heb. 10.19 and the Holy Ghost is witness so faith Paul The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us and to that purpose he descended like a Dove and light upon him 2. On Earth John the Baptist is witness Mat. 3.16 John 5.33 John 1.7 for so saith Christ ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the truth he came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through Christ might believe No sooner was John confirmed by a sign from Heaven that Jesus was the Christ but he immediately manifests it to the Jews and first to the Priests and Levites sent in legation from the Sanhedrim he professed indefinitely in answer to their question that himself was not the Christ nor Elias nor that Prophet whom they by a special tradition expected to be revealed though they knew not when and secondly to all the People he professeth definitely wheresoever he saw Jesus Christ this is he yea he points him out with his finger John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World Then he shews him to Andrew Simon Peter's Brother and then to another Disciple with him who both followed Jesus and abode with him all night John 1.39 Andrew brings his Brother Simon with him and Christ changes his Name from Simon to Peter or Cephas which signifies a Sone Ver. 42. Ver. 43. Ver. 44. Ver. 47. Then Jesus himself findes out Philip of Bethsaida and bade him follow him and Philip finds out Nathanael and bids him come and see for the Messiah was found when Nathanael came to Jesus Christ saw his heart and gave him a blessed Character Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Thus we see no less than five Disciples found out at first which must be as so many witnesses of Jesus Christ And yet we find more witnesses The works saith Christ that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me These Works or Miracles of Christ were many John 10.25 but because we are speaking of his first manifestation I shall instance only in his first work which was at a Marriage in Cana of Galilee The power of Miracles had now ceased since their return out of Captivity the last Miracle that was done by man till this very time was Daniel's tying up the mouth of the Lions and now Christ begins He that made the first Marriage in Paradise bestows his first Miracle upon a Marriage-Feast O happy Feast where Christ is a Guest I believe this was no rich or sumptuous Bridal who ever found Christ at the magnificent Feasts or Triumphs of the great The state of a Servant in which state Christ was doth not well agree with the proud pomp of the World This poor needy Bridegroom wants drink for his Guests and assoon as the Holy Virgin hath notice of it she complains to her Son whether we want Bread or Water or Wine Necessaries or Comforts whether should we go but to Christ The Lord is my Shepherd and if that be so it wall surely follow I shall not want Psal 23.1 John 2.4 But Jesus answered her Woman what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come This shews that the work he was to do must not be done to satisfie her importunity but to prosecute the great work of divine designation In works spiritual and religious all outward relation ceaseth Matters of Miracle concerned the Godhead only and in this case O Woman what have I to do with thee We must not deny Love and Duty to Relations but in the things of God natural Endearments must pass into spiritual and like Stars in the presence of the Sun must not appear Paul could say Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 yet now henceforth know we him no more At the Command of Jesus the water pots were filled with water and the water by his Divine Power is turned into Wine where the different dispensation of God and the world is highly observable Every man sets forth good Wine at first and then the worse But Christ not only turns water into Wine but into such Wine that at the last Draught is most pleasant the world presents us with fair hopes of pleasures honours and preferments but there 's bitterness in the end every sin smiles in the first address but when we have well drunk then comes that which is worse only Christ turns our water into Wine if we fill our water-pots with water if with David we water our Couch with our tears for sin Christ will come with the Wine of gladness sooner or latter and he will give the best wine at the last O how delicate is that new Wine which we shall one day drink with Christ in his Fathers Kingdom These were the first manifestations of Jesus you see he had several witnesses to set him forth some from Heaven and some on earth the Father Son and Holy Ghost witness from Heaven The Baptist Disciples and his works
his descent from Heaven of his Passion and Ascension and of the Mercy of Redemption which he came to work and effect for all that believe of the Love of the Father the Mission of the Son the Rewards of Faith and Glories of Eternity and this was the Sum of his Sermon to Nichodemus which was the fullest of mystery and speculation that ever he made except that which he made immediately before his death 3. Now was it that the throng of Auditors forcing Christ to leave the shore he makes Peter's ship his Pulpit Luke 5.1 2 3 4 never were there such Nets cast out of that Fisher-boat before whiles he was upon land he healed the Sick bodies by his touch and now he was upon Sea he cured the sick souls by his Doctrine he that made both Sea and Land causeth both to conspire to the opportunities of doing good to the souls and bodies of men Luke 4.18 4. Now it was that he Preached that blessed Sermon on that text The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor no question but he Preached both to poor and rich Christ Preached to all but for the Power and Fruit of his Preaching it was only received and entertained by the poor in spirit In the following particulars his Office is set out still in an higher tenour To heal the broken hearted to Preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind or as it is in Isa 61.1 the opening of the Prison to them that are bound a sad thing to be in captivity but sadder to be bound in chains or lockt up in a prison there but 't is most sad of all to be imprisoned having ones eyes put out as it was the case of Sampson and Zedekiah Now the Evangelist willing to render the Prophet to the highest comfortable sence that might be he useth an expression that meets with the highest mystery that is when a man is not only shut up in a blinded Prison when he himself also hath his eyes put out and to such Christ should Preach Preach what not only deliverance to the Captives Luke 4.48 but also restoring of Light to Captive Prisoners nay yet more recovering of sight to blinded Prisoners as the Evangelist renders it 5. Now it was that he delivered the admirable sermon called The Sermon upon the Mount It is a breviary of all those Precepts which are truly called Christian it contains in it all the moral Precepts given by Moses and opens a stricter sence and more severe exposition than the Scribes and Pharisees had given it holds forth the Doctrines of meekness poverty of spirit Christian mourning desire of Holy things mercy and purity peace and patience and suffering of injuries he teacheth us how to pray how to fast how to give Alms how to contemn the world and how to seek the Kingdom of God and its appendent righteousness And thus Christ being entred upon his Prophetical Office in these and the rest of his sermons he gives a clear testimony that he was not only an interpreter of the Law but a Law-giver and that this Law of Christ might retain some proportion at least with the Law of Moses Christ in his last sermon went up into a Mountain and from thence gave the Oracle I cannot stand to paraphrase on this or any other of his sermons but seeing now we find Christ in the exercise of his Prophetical Office let us observe first his Titles in this respect 2. The reasons of his being a Prophet 3. The Excellency of Christ above all other Prophets and then we have done SECT III. Of Christ's Prophetical Office 1. THe Titles of Christ in respect of his Prophetical Office were these 1. Sometimes he is called Doctor or Master Be ye not called Masters Mat. 23.10 for one is your Master even Christ The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Doctor Moderator teaching-Master a guide of the way 2. Sometimes he is called a Law-giver James 4.12 There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy the Apostle speaks of the internal Government of the Conscience in which case the Lord is our Judge Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us we must hear no voice in our Consciences but Gods no Doctrine in the Church but Christs No Offices institutions and worship must be allowed but such as he hath appointed and therefore when men brought in Forreign Doctrines it is said that they did not hold the head 3. Col. 2 19. Isa 9.6 Prov. 8.14 Sometimes he is called a Councellor and his name shall be called Wonderful Councellor Counsel is mine and sound Wisdom saith Christ I am understanding and I have strength Christ by his Office counsels men how to fly sin and how to please God and how to escape Hell Heb. 3.1 and how to be saved 4. Sometimes he is called the Apostle of our profession Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the Heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus God sent him as an Embassadour to make known his will he came not unsent the very word imports a Mission a sending Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent let all those who run before they be sent take notice of this for this would not Christ do he was sent he was the Apostle of our profession 5. Sometimes he is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 even the Angel of the Covenant whom ye delight in Christ was the publisher of the Gospel-Covenant he declared the Gracious purpose of God towards the Elect held forth in the Covenant and in this respect he is called a Prophet Acts 3.22 and the Prophet John 7.40 and that Prophet John 6.14 John 6.14 this is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the World whose Office it was to impart Gods will unto the Sons of Men according unto the name Angel 6. Sometimes he is called the Mediatour of the New-Covenant Heb. 9.15 for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New-Testament saith the Apostle now a Mediatour is such a one as goes betwixt two parties at variance imparting the mind of the one to the other so as to breed a right understanding and thereby to work a complyance betwixt both and thus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and us By him it is that the mind and will of God is imparted to man no man hath seen God at any time John 1.18 the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and by him it is that we impart our mind unto God The smoak of the incense which goes with the prayers of the Saints ascends up before God out of the Angels hand This was typified in Moses Rev. 8.4 I stood between the Lord and you at that time to
is arising and shining in our Horizon more and more clearly that great design of Gods love to our souls is manifested in every Sermon on every Sabbath is not this Gospel-preaching what is the Gospel but the Treasure of Gods love in Christ opened to us Oh it is a pleasant work in this respect to be a Minister of the Gospel to be alwayes searching into the Treasures of love and to make them known to poor souls for the gaining of them unto God 2. Here is your Happiness Christ hath not erected any standing Sanctuary or City of refuge for men to fly to for their Salvation but he hath appointed Ambassadors to carry this Treasure unto mens houses where he invites them and entreats them and requires them and commands them and compels them to come in Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ 1. In respect of the Messengers 2. In respect of their Message 1. In respect of the Messengers they were first Apostles now Ministers poor Earthen Vessels Had Christ himself come in his glorified body attended with his Angels it might in some measure have represented his Majesty but alas how would this have dazled your weakness or if Christ had made use of his Angels as he did at his birth to preach his Gospel had they continually come in state and proclaimed Salvation to the Sons of men this would have shewed more glory but alas how unsuitable had this been to your weak conditions here then is the riches of his grace that earthen vessels should carry this treasure that salvation should come out of the mouths of sinful creatures that hearts should be broken souls should believe life should be infused by the ministerial breath of a weak worthless man 2 Cor. 4.7 We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us Gods power is more Honoured this way than if an Angel had come in person it may be in that Case a sinners Conversion would have been attributed to the power and Efficacy of the Angel but to prevent this and to preserve the glory of his power and grace Christ takes the Treasure and he puts it into Earthen Vessels it is in the Original vessels of shell as precious Pearls are found in Shells so the Pearl is the Gospel and the Shell or Mother of Pearl are the Apostles and Pastors it is true they are Vessels of small price and subject to many knocks and falls yet in them is the most excellent Treasures of the Wisdom of God and of the Gospel of Christ And it is in them on purpose that the excellency may reflect on God and not on them 2. In respect of the Message O the unsearchable riches of Christ What is the message of these men what is the Treasure they bring but the Blood of Christ the Promises of the Gospel the Word of Grace I might sum up all in one word They bring unto men an invitation from heaven to heaven Observe it Christians the Gospel is a message the Lord sends his Son up and down carries him from place to place he is set forth before mens eyes he comes and stands and calls and Knocks at their doors and beseecheth them to be reconciled O the free grace of God! O that mercy pardon preferment eternal life and Salvation should go a begging and suing for acceptance O the love of sin and madness of folly in wicked men to Trample on such Pearls and to neglect so great Salvation when it is tendered unto them O what a heavy charge will it be for men at the last day to have the mercy of God the humility of Christ the entreaties of the Spirit the proclamations of pardon the approaches of Salvation the dayes the years the ages of peace the Ministry of the Word the Book of God the great Mistery of Godliness to rise up in judgment and to testifie against their souls O the condescentions of Christ who are ye that the Lord should send after you what need hath God of you suppose you should go on in the wayes of death and perish everlastingly what shall God lose by it Christ might say If you will go on go on and perish if you love sin so well take your pleasure in it and be damned evermore Ah no saith the mercy of God and the mercy of Christ before that be message after message Isa 28.10 Precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little This was the design of Christs chusing his Apostles Go ye into all the world Mark 16.15 and preach the Gospel unto every Creature that poor sinners may turn from sin and be saved SECT III. Of Christ's Reception of sinners 2. FOr Christ's Reception of sinners I cannot limit this only to one year of Christ's Ministry but I shall only mention it this year Now this will appear 1. In the Doctrine of Christ 2. In the Practise of Christ 1. In his Doctrine Christ layes it down expresly Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are Heavy laden and I will give you rest It is no more but come and welcome The Gospel shuts none out of Heaven but those that by unbelief lock the door against their own souls Again All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me John 6.37 and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out here is laid down the full intent and purpose of God and Christ to pardon and receive sinners the Father is willing and the Son is willing 1. The Father is willing This is the Fathers will which hath sent me John 6.39 that of all which he hath given me I should lose none the Father is engaged in that first he sent Christ on that errand to receive sinners Secondly in that he gave unto Christ all that he would have to be saved by Christ with a charge to lose none Sinners were given to Christ by his Father as so many Jewels to look to and to save 2. The Son is willing for he that cometh unto me saith Christ I will in no wise cast out Christ is so willing to receive sinners as that he sets all his doors open he keeps open house and he casts out none that will but come in and why so John 6.38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me 1. I came down from Heaven it was a great journey from heaven to earth and this great journey I undertook for no other purpose but to save sinners Great actions as one sayes well must needs have great ends now this was the greatest thing that ever was done Luke 19.10 that the Son of God should come down from Heaven and what was the end but the Reception and Salvation of sinners For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost had
judgment to come Acts. 24.25 and see what influence they have when Paul preached such a Sermon to Felix it is said that he trembled a Sermon of the chaffs burning with unquenchable fire is enough to make thy heart tremble if Powerfully delivered and affectionately received but see what effect doth it work on thy heart and life dost thou feel in thee a Spirit of mortification dost thou with the Baptist die to the world dost thou deny thy will of all its natural sinful desires dost thou abstain from pleasures and sensual complacencies that the Flesh being subdued to the Spirit both may join in the service of God dost thou kill the lusts of the flesh by taking away the fuel and incentives of Lusts this is the work of meditation it first employes the understanding in consideration of things and then the will in the reception of things and both these in order to Grace and a pious conversation that meditation which determines in notions or speculations of knowledg is like the winter Sun that shines but warms not O my Soul consider and so long consider on the preaching of this prodromus or forerunner of Christ till thou feelest this consideration to have some warmth in thy heart and influence on thy life in order to holiness self-denial and mortification 2. Consider of the Baptism of Christ he that never sinned was made sin for us and so it was proper enough for Christ to take upon him the Sacrament of sinners or of repentance for sin but especially he was baptised that in the symbole he might purifie our nature whose stains and guilt he had undertaken Consider of this O my soul and bring it home to thy self surely every soul that lives the life of Grace is born of water and the Spirit and to this purpose Christ who is our life went down into the waters of Baptism that we who descend after him might find the effects of it as pardon of Sin adoption into the Covenant of Grace and holiness of life Had not Christ been Baptised what vertue had there been in our Baptism As it became him to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 and therefore he must needs be baptized so he fulfilled it not for himself but for us Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law is imputed to all that believe unto righteousness as if themselves had fulfilled so that he was Baptized for us and the vertue of his Baptism is derived unto us O the sweet of this meditation Christ was Baptized and when Baptized the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended and a voice from Heaven proclaimed him to be the Son of God and one in whom the Father was well pleased and the same ointment that was cast upon the head of our High Priest went unto his beard and thence fell to the borders of his garment for as Christ our Head felt those effects in manifestation so through Christ do we believe the like effects in our very Baptism the Heavens then as it were opened unto us and the holy Ghost then descended upon us and then were we consigned to the inheritance of Sons in whom the Father through his Son is also well pleased O my soul what a blessing is there in the Baptism of Christ and how mayest thou suck and be satisfied if thou wilt put thy meditation to the right use the Baptism of Christ is as a field of flowers wherein is a world of priviledges as justification adoption regeneration sanctification glorification O then fix thy soul at least on some of these flowers and leave them not without carrying some honey away with thee if thou art in Christ thou art Baptised into his death and Baptized into his Baptism thou partakest of the fruit and efficacy both of his death and life and baptism and all 3 Consider the fasting and temptation of Christ in the Wilderness Now we see what manner of adversary we have how he fights how he is resisted how overcome in one assault Sathan moves Christ to doubt of his Fathers providence in another to presume on his Fathers protection and when neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon Christ he shall be tryed with honour and thus he deales with us if he cannot drive us down to despair he labours to lift us up to presumption and if neither of these prevail then he brings out pleasures profits honours temptations on the right hand which are indeed most dangerous O my soul whilst thou art in this warfare here 's thy condition temptations like waves break one in the neck of another if the devil was so busie with Christ how shouldst thou hope to be free how mayest thou account that the repulse of one temptation will but invite to another well but here 's thy comfort thou hast such a Saviour as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin Heb. 4.15 16. how boldly therefore mayst thou go to the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and to find grace of help in time of need Christ was tempted that he might succour them that are tempted never art thou tempted O my soul but Christ is with thee in the temptation he hath sent his Spirit into thy heart to make intercession for thee there and he himself is in Heaven making intercession and praying for thee there yea his own experience of temptations hath so wrought it in his heart that his love and mercy is most of all at work when thou art tempted most As dear parents are ever tender of their Children but then especially when they are sick and weak and out of frame so though Christ be alwayes tender of his People yet then especially when their souls are sick and under a temptation O then his bowels yearn over them indeed 4 Consider Christs first manifestations by his several Witnesses we have heard of his Witnesses from Heaven the Father Son and holy Ghost and of his Witnesses on Earth the Baptist his Disciples and the works that he did in his Fathers Name and all these Witnesses being lively held forth in the preaching of the Gospel they are Witnesses to us even to this day is Christ manifested to us yea and if we are Christs even to this day is Christ manifested within us O my soul consider this above all the rest O it is this manifestation within that concerns thee most because ye are Sons Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts if Christ be not manifested in thy heart by his blessed Spirit thou art no Son of God and therefore the Apostles puts thee seriously on this tryal Examine yourselves whether ye be in the Faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ in you 2 Cor. 13.5 except ye be reprobates Is Christ manifested in thee surely this is more than Christ manifested to thee the bare history is the manifestation of Christ unto thee but there 's a mystery in
how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences And of that said he as I feel some part and I would feel more so I bequeath it unto thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ O my soul if thou canst but taste Psal 119.10.3 thou wilt find a world of sweetness in Christ's wayes there is sweetness in the Word How sweet are thy Words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth There is sweetness in prayer Rom. 10.12 hast thou not known the time that thou hast touched the hem of Christs garment and tasted of the joyes of Heaven in prayer hast thou not seen heaven cleft and Christ sitting at Gods right Hand surely the Lord is Rich to all them that call upon him There is sweetness in meditation some call this very duty The Saints pastime which recreates and perfumes the tired Spirits Now O my soul thou art in the exercise of this duty now thou art in the meditation of the easiness of Christ's burthen Psal 119.99 and of the sweetness of his wayes tell me is there nothing of Heaven in this meditation is it sweet or is it bitter to thy Soul thou mayest read in Scripture of many admirable effects of meditation as that it confirms our knowledg I have more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119.99 Ver. 97. Ver. 15. for thy Testimonies are my Meditations that it inflames our love Oh how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day that it casts a sweet influence on our lives I will Meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes What is it thus with thee Psal 104.34 Psal 94.19 canst thou say with David My Meditation of him shall be sweet And in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts exceedingly delight my soul Why then thou hast truly tasted of God's goodness thou hast actual discoveries of the sweetness of Gods wayes thou hast experienc'd this truth that his yoak is easie and his burthen is light Matth. 11.3 Psal 119.99 that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Oh if men did but know what ravishing sweetness were in the wayes of God they could not but imbrace them and esteem one dayes society with Jesus Christ as Caracciolus did better than all the gold in the world 11. Consider the holiness of Christ's Nature and the holiness of Christs Life 1. For the holiness of his Nature if thou couldst but clearly see it what work would it make in thy Breast Christ's inward beauty would ravish Love out of the Devils if they had but Grace to see his beauty yea he would lead captive all hearts in Hell if they had but eyes to behold his loveliness O what a Flower what a Rose of love and light is the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy said the Spouse the chiefest of ten thousands Summon before Christ fair Angels glorified Spirits the azure Heavens the lightsome Stars all the delicious Flowers Gardens Meadows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds Beasts yea and all the Sons of Men as they should have been in the world of Innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ and what are they Rev. 22.4 the Saints in Glory now see the face of Christ i.e. they see all the dignity beauty that is in Christ and they are so taken with his sight that they do nothing else but stare and gaze and behold his Face for Ages and yet they are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye holes in beholding Christ they should still desire to see more O this loveliness of Christ ravishes the souls of the glorified how is it O my soul that thou art not taken with this meditation But 2. Go from the holiness of his Nature to the holiness of his Life it may be that will make deep impressions on thy spirit consider his charity his self-denial his contempt of the world his mercy his bounty his meekness his pity his humility his obedience to his Father A fruitful meditation on these Particulars cannot cannot but cause some resemblance within and make thee like Christ O the wonder that any should disclaim the active obedience of Christ as to his own Justification Away away with these cavils and consider the obedience of Christ in relation to thy self God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons It is a sweet note of Doctor Andrews Christ made under the Law i.e. under the whole Law the one half of the Law which is the directive part he was made under that and satisfied it by the innocency of his Life without breaking one jot or title of the Law and so he answers that part as it might be the principal the other half of the Law which is the penalty he was under that also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull death no way deserved or due by him and so he answered that part as it might be the forfeiture But if we come now to ask for whom is all this it is only for us that we might be redeemed und adopted redeemed from all evil and adopted or interested into all good If this be so O who would for a world of Gold lose the influence and the benefit of Christs active obedience consider of this O my soul till thou feelest some vertue to come out of Christs life into thy self SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the work of our salvation in his Life It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire our meditation of Christ should draw forth our affections to Christ and amongst all affections I place this first of all a desire after Christ But what is it in Christ's Life that is so desirable I answer every passage or particular named yea every thing of Christ is desirable named or un-named all that concerns Christ in any kind whatsoever if to the former particulars I should add a thousand and a thousand more it is very precious and excellent and necessary and profitable and comfortable and therefore desirable but to put them in order 1. The meanest things of Christ are desirable things the very filings of Gold the dust or sparkles of precious Stones are of real price and value yea of much worth yea the very Leaves of the Tree of Life are healing the very Hem of Christ's garment but even touched sends forth its vertue the meanest and worst things of Christ are incomparably to be desired above all things the dust of Zion the very ground that Christ's feet treadeth on any thing that hath the poorest relation to Jesus Christ it is desireable for him Hence we read that one poor woman sought no more of him but to wash Christ's
feet and to kiss them another woman breaths out these desires after Christ If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole Mat. 9.21 Mary Magdalen sought only to have her Arms filled with his dead body Joseph of Arimathea was of the same mind O the bloody winding-sheet together with the dead and torn Body of Christ in his arms are most precious and sweet Christ's Clay is Silver and his Brass Gold John the Baptist thinks it an honour to unloose the Latchets of his shoes David John 1.27 though he was a great Prophet and appointed to be King over Israel yet his soul pants thus O that I might be so near the Lord as to be a door-keeper in the house of my God Yea Psal 84.10 Ver. 3. he puts an happiness on the Sparrow and the Swallow that may build their Nest besides the Lords Altar 2. The more considerable actions of Christ are especially desireable Oh my soul wouldst thou but run through his Life and consider some of his more eminent actions in relation to his Friends or in relation to his Enemies what desires would these kindle in thine heart after Christ 1. To his Friends he was sweet and indulgent where there was any beginnings of Grace he did encourage it so was the Prophesie A bruised reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall he not quench Nay Mat. 12.20 where was but a representation of Grace he seemed to accept of it Thus when the young man came and said What good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life he embraced him Mar. 10.17 21 and made much of him then Jesus beholding him he loved him And so the Scribe which asked him which is the first Commandment of all in the conclusion Christ told him Mar. 12.28 34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God He laboured to pull him further in telling him he was not far from Heaven and Glory Mat. 9.36 And so the people that fainted for bread of Life that were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd he was moved with compassion on them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was bowelled in heart his very bowels were moved within him 2. To his enemies he was kind and merciful many a time he discovers himself most of all unto sinners he was never more familiar with any at first acquaintance than with the woman of Samaria that was an Adultress and Mary that had been a sinner how sweetly did he appear to her at the very first view how ready was he to receive sinners how ready to pardon and forgive sinners how gracious to sinners after the pardon and forgiveness of sin See it in Peter he never cast him in the teeth with his Apostasie he never upbraided him with it he never so much as tells him of it only he looks upon him and afterwards Lovest thou me O Peter lovest thou me why Peter lovest thou me Often he was wronged and injured by men but what then was he all on a heat did he call for fire down from heaven to destroy them Indeed his Disciples being more flesh than spirit would fain have had it so but he sweetly replies O you know not what spirits you are of Luke 9.55 56. the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Sometimes we find him shedding tears for those very persons that shed his precious blood Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem c. if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace c. Why O my soul Isa 26.1 8. if thou wouldst but run through such passages as these how desireable are they well might they sing in that day in the Land of Judah In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Cant. 5.10 16. 3. The ever blessed and holy person of Christ is desireable above all My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands yea he is altogether lovely or desireable so Vatablus renders it Christus est totus desideria Christ is all desirâ—s If the actions of Christ be desirable what must himself be If the parings of his bread be so sweet what must the great Loaf Christ himself be Christ is admirable in action and person but above all his person is most admirable no creature in the world yields the like representation of God as the person of Jesus Christ he is the express Image of the person of his Father Heb. 1.3 as the print of the Seal on the Wax is the express image of the Seal it self so is Christ the highest representation of God he makes similitude to him who otherwise is without all similitude And hence it is that Christ is called the Standard-bearer of ten thousands Cant. 5.10 all excellencies are gathered up in Christ as Beams in the Sun Come poor Soul thy eyes run to and fro in the world to find Comfort and happiness thou desirest after worldly Honour worldly Pleasure worldly Profits cast thy eyes back and see Heaven and Earth in one look if thou wilt at what thy vast thoughts can fancy not only in this world but in the world to come or if thou canst imagine more variety see that and infinitely more shining forth from the person of the Lord Jesus Christ no wonder if the Saints adore him no wonder if the Angels stand amazed at him no wonder if all Cteatures vail all their glory to him Oh what are all things in the world to Jesus Christ Paul compares them together Phil. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things with this one thing And I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ And I count all things surely all things is the greatest count that can be cast up for it includeth all prices all sums it takes in Earth and Heaven and all therein that are but as created things q. d. Nations and all Nations Gold and all Gold Jewels and all Jewels Angels and all Angels all these and every all besides all these what are they in comparison of Christ but as feathers dung shadows nothing If there be any thing worthy a wish it is eminently transcendently originally in the Lord Jesus Christ there is no honour no felicity like that which Christ hath some are sons Christ is an only Son some are Kings but Christ is King of Kings some are honourable none above Angels Christ is above Angels and Arch-angels To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Heb. 1.5 Some are wealthy Christ hath all the sheep on a thousand hills the very utmost parts of the earth are his some are beautiful Christ is the fairest of all the children of men he is spiritually fair he is all glorious within if the beauty of the Angels
affections will often break out at the window when the door is closed Thus Stephen look'd up to Heaven he sent a Post a greedy pitiful and hungry look up to Jesus Christ out at the window Acts 7.55 at the nearest passage to tell him that a poor friend was coming to him why thus let us look up to Jesus by calling on him now this calling on him contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus during his Life or during his Ministry upon earth may be ours we hope it is so and we believe it to be so but for all that we must pray that it may be so There is no contradiction betwixt Hope and Faith and Prayer but rather a concatenation Lord I believe yet help my unbelief or Mark 9.24 be it to me according to my Faith how weak soever it will bear that sense 2. We must praise God for all those passages in Christ's life Thus did the multitude they praised God with a loud voice Luke 19.37 38 for all the mighty works that they had seen saying blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord peace in heaven and glory in the highest What my Soul hath Christ done all this for thee was he made under the Law to redeem thy soul and adopt thee for his Son to the inheritance of Heaven came he down from heaven and travelled he so many miles on earth to woo and win thy heart spent he so many Sermons and so many Miracles to work thee into Faith O how shouldest thou bless and prize and magnifie his Name how shouldest thou break out into that blessed Hymn To him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus as he acted for us in his Life Looking to Jesus intends this especially we must look as one looks to his Pattern as Mariners at Sea that they may run a right course keep an eye on that Ship that bears the Light so in the Race that is set before us we must have our eye on Jesus our blessed Pattern This must be our constant Query Is this the course that Jesus steered Or that I may enlarge In this Particular I shall examine these three Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. Why we must conform 3. How we must conform to this Life of Jesus For the first wherein we must conform I answer 1. Negatively we must not cannot conform to Christ in those works proper to his Godhead as in working Miracles I deny not but that the works of Miracles were by way of priviledge and temporary dispensation granted to the Apostles and some others but this was but for Ministry and Service not for their Sanctity or Salvation nor must we conform to Christ in those works of mediation as in redeeming souls in satisfying Divine Justice for our sin No man can redeem his Brother Psal 49.7 nor give to God a ransom for him There is but one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Nor must we conform to Christ in those works of his Government and influence into his Church as in dispensing of his Spirit in quickning of his Word in subduing of his enemies in collecting of his Members all these are personal honours which belong unto Christ as he is Head of the Church and to these works if we should endeavour to conform we should Crack our Sinews dissolve our silver cords and never the nearer Nor need we to conform to Christ in some other Particulars in his voluntary poverty he became poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8.9 In his Ceremonial performances as in going up to Jerusalem at the Feasts in his perpetual grave deportment we never read that Jesus laughed and but once or twice that he rejoyced in spirit Alas the declensions of our Natures cannot come up to this Pattern nor do I look at these passages as any acts of moral obedience at all 2. Affirmatively or positively we must conform to Christ's life 1. In respect of his Judgment Will Affections Compassions Look we at his Spirit observe what mind was in Jesus Christ and therein do we endeavour to conform Let the same mind be in you saith the Apostle which was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Phil. 2.5 And we have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 2.16 2. In respect of his Virtues Graces habitual Holiness Mat. 11.29 Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly in heart Christ was of a meek and gentle Spirit 2 Cor. 10.2 I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ saith Paul And Christ was of an humble and lowly Spirit Being in the form of God Phil. 2.6 7. he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant I might instance in all other Graces for he had them all in fulness John 1.16 And of his fulness have all we received Grace for Grace 3. In respect of his words talk spiritual and heavenly Language The very Officers of the Priests could say of Christ Never man spake like this man John 7.46 and sometimes they all wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4.22 He never sinned in word neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled 1 Pet. 2.22 23 reviled not again The Apostle speaking thus of Christ he tells us that herein Christ left us an example that we should follow his steps Ver. 21. 4. In respect of his Carriage Conversation Close-walking with God The Apostle sets forth Christ as an high Priest who was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 2.9 and separate from sinners and in like manner saith Peter Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light that ye should shew forth the virtue i.e. that in your lives and conversations you should express those graces and virtues which were so eminent and exemplary in Jesus Christ that you should not only have them but that you should hold them forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies properly to preach so clearly should we express the virtues of Christ as if our lives were so many Sermons of the life of Christ In respect of all his acts practises duties of moral obedience we find in the life of Christ many particular carriages and acts of obedience to his heavenly Father whereof some were moral and some ceremonial now all these are not for our imitation but only such moral acts as concerning which we have both his pattern and precept Come let us
wicked hands have crucified and slain the enemies of Christ though they broke Commands yet they fulfilled Decrees Acts 4.27 28. Against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anoynted both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy councel determined before to be done The Story of Christ's sufferings was long since taken up and resolved on in the Councils of Heaven and now in the way the only begotten Son which lay in the bosom of his Father reveals this story he tells his Disciples It is written it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered 2. The Disciples hearing this discovery of the shepherd being smitten and the sheep being scattered they are amazed what shall Christ die and shall we like cowards run away and leave him alone in the combat Peter who seems boldest he speaks first Though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended O rash presumption It appears in these particulars 1. Peter prefers himself before the rest as if all the other Disciples had been weak and he only strong though all should be offended yet will not I. 2. Peter contradicts Christ's great discovery of his Fathers great design from all eternity with a few bragging words q. d. what though Zechary hath said it and God hath decreed it yet on my part I will never do it Though I should die with thee I will not deny thee 3. Peter in his boast never mentions God's help or God's assistance whereas in relation to future promises and future purposes the Apostles Rule is Jam. 4.15 ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this and that So Peter should have said by God's assistance I will not be offended by the Lord's help I will not deny thee if the Lord will I will do this and that I will live with thee and die with thee rather than I will deny thee but we find no such word in all the Story and therefore Christ takes him off his bottoms in the first place Mat. 26.35 Verily I say unto thee Peter that this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Oh no saith Peter he will not go off his presumptuous confidence though I should die with thee I will not deny thee likewise also said all his Disciples But I must not dwell on these passages 3. His dolorous passage over the Brook succeeds He went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron I never read of this Brook Cedron but some way or other it points at the sufferings of our Saviour I shall instance in some places 1. When David fled from Absolom out of Jerusalem it is said that all the Country wept with a loud voice 2 Sam. 15.23 and all the people passed over the King also himself passed over the Brook Cedron towards the way of the wilderness In this story we find David passing over this Brook Cedron with bare head and bare feet and he and all his men weeping as they went up by the Ascent of Mount Olivet I cannot think but in this King David was a type of King Jesus Christ as another David with his Souldiers or Disciples goes out of Jerusalem bare-head and bare-foot as this type seems to speak what weeping was in the way I cannot tell but probably sadness was in the hearts both of him and his Disciples whose conference was of flying suffering dying the most grievous death that ever was all the difference that I find betwixt the type and antitype in this passage is in that David fled from the face of Absolom but Christ goes out of Jerusalem not to flie from Judas or the Jews but rather to commit himself into their hands 1 Kin. 2.36 37 2. When Solomon confined Shimei to his House in Jerusalem saying Dwell there and go not forth thence any whither for it shall be that on the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Cedron thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die Now two of the servants of Shimei running away from him he follows after them and passing over this Brook Cedron it became his death why here was a type of Jesus Christ we were those fugitive servants that run away from God and to fetch us home Jesus goes over the brook Cedron rather than he will lose his servants he will lose his life All the difference that I find betwixt Shimei and Christ in this is in that Shimei was but a wicked man and yet he died an honourable death not for his servants but for his own transgression but Christ being a just man so Pilate's wife sent her Husband word Have thou nothing to do with that just man he died a most ignominious shameful death even the death of the Cross and that not for himself but for us Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities 3. When the good Kings Hezekiah and Asa and Josiah purged the City and the Temple of Idolatry they burnt the cursed things at the Brook Kidron and cast them therein And Asa cut down the Idol 2 King 23.6 2 Chr. 29.16 and he brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord without Jerusalem unto the Brook Kidron and burnt it at the Brook Kidron and the Priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it and brought all the uncleanness that they found in the Temple of the Lord into the Court of the house of the Lord and the Levites took it to carry it out abroad into the Brook Kidron and they arose and took away the Altars that were in Jerusalem and all the Altars for Incense took they away 2 Chr. 20.14 and cast them into the Brook Kidron or Cedron All these note unto us that the Brook was as it were the sink of the Temple into which all the purgamenta and uncleannesses of Gods house and all the accursed things were to be cast and here again was a type of Christ upon him was cast all the filths of our sins that as a River or Fountain he might cleanse us from them in this respect he is said to be made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him he was made sin for us and a curse for us that so he might swallow up Sin and Death and might be destruction of Hell and all I cannot pass over this passage of the Brook without some Use or Application to our selves 1. It informs Methinks this Valley and this Brook of Cedron is a right representation of a Christians Life Jesus went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron Vse What is our life if we are Christ's but a passage through a vale of tears and over a Brook of several afflictions Many are
of the paradise of delights who hath thus troubled thee it is my sins O Lord that have so troubled thee my sins were the Thorns that pricked thee the lashes that whipped thee the purple that cloathed thee it is I Lord that am thy tormentor and the very cause of these thy pains 8. Consider Pilate's sentence that Jesus should be Crucified as the Jews required Now they had him in their will and they did to him what seemed them good Follow him from Gabbatha to Golgotha see how they lay the heavy Cross upon his tender shoulders that were so pitifully rent and torn with whips accompany him all the way to the Execution and help to carry his Cross to Mount Calvary And there as if thou hadst been frozen hitherto thaw into tears see him lifted up on that engine of torture the bloody Cross he hangs on nails and as he hangs his own weight becomes his own affliction O see how his arms and legs were racked with voilent pulls his hands and feet boared with nails his whole body torn with stripes and gored with blood And now O my soul run with all thy might into his arms held out at their full length to receive thee Oh weigh the matter because sin entred by the senses therefore the head in which the senses flourish is crowned with searching thorns because the hands and feet are more especially the instruments of sin therefore his hands and feet are nailed to the Cross for satisfaction O marvellous what King is he or of what Countrey that wears a Crown of Thorns what man is he or where lives he whose hands and feet are not only bored but digged into as if they had been digging with Spades in a ditch surely here 's matter for a serious meditation be enlarged O my thoughts and dwell upon it consider it and consider it again 9. Consider the darkness that spread over all the Earth now was the Sun ashamed to shew his brightness considering that the Father of lights was darkned with such disgrace the Heavens discoloured their beauty and are in mourning robes the Lamp of Heaven is immantled with a miraculous Eclipse the Sun in the firmament will simpathize with the Sun of Righteousness it will not appear in glory though it be mid-day because the Lord of Glory is thus disgraced And now hear the voice that comes from the Son of God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ in the Garden tasted the bitter cup of God's fierce wrath but now he drunk the dregs of it he then sipped off the top but now he drunk all off top and bottom and all O but what 's the meaning of this My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Surely 1. This was not a total but a partial dereliction this was not a perpetual but a temporary forsaking of him the Godhead was not took away from the manhood but the union remained still even now when the Manhood was forsaken 2. This was not a forsaking on Christ's part but only on the Father's part the Father forsook Christ but Christ went after him God took away the sense of his love but the Son of God laid hold upon him crying and saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 3. This forsaking was not in respect of his being but in respect of the feeling of God's favour love and mercy certainly God loved him still Oh but his sense of comfort was now quite gone so as it never was before In his agony there was some inklings of God's mercy now and then at least there was some star-light some little flash of lightning to cheer him up but now all the sense and feeling of God's love was gone and not so much as any little star-light of the same appeared Christ now took the place of sinners and God the Father shut him out as it were amongst the sinners he drew his mercy out of sight and out of hearing and therefore he cryed out in a kind of wonderment My God my God why hast thou forsaken me After this he speaks but a few words more and he gives up the Ghost He dyes that we might live he is dissolved in himself that we might be united to his Father O my soul see him now if thou canst for weeping his eyes are dim his cheeks are wan his face is pale his head is bowing his heart is panting himself is dying come come and dye with him by a most exact mortification look pale like him with grief and sorrow and trouble for thy sins 10. Consider the piercing of his side with a spear whence came out a stream of blood and water O Fountain of everlasting waters methinks I see the blood running out of his side more freshly than those golden streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and watered the whole World Consider the taking of his body down by Joseph the burying of it by Joseph and Nicodemus O here 's excellent matter for our meditation O my spirit go with me a little Christ being dead it is pitty but he should have a funeral according to the letter let Joseph and Nicodemus bear his corps let the blessed Virgin go after it sighing and weeping and at every other place looking up to Heaven let Mary Magdalen follow after with a box of precious Ointment in her hand and with her hair hanging ready if need were to wipe his feet again or that in this meditation I may be more spiritual let the Usurer come first with Judas's bag and distribute to the poor as he goes along let the Drunkard follow after with the spunge that was filled with gall and vinegar and check his wanton thirst let the young Gallant or voluptuous man come like his Master with bare foot and with the cown of thorns set also upon his head let the wanton person bear the rods and whips and wiers wherewith Christ was scourged and fright his own flesh let the ambitious man be cladin the purple robe the angry Person in the seamless coat my meaning is let every sinner according to the nature of his sin draw something or other from the passion of Christ to the mortifying of his sin yea let all turn mourners let all bow their heads and be ready to give up the Ghost for the Name of Christ and let not Christ be buried without a Sermon neither and let the Text be this John 10.11 The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep and in the end of the Sermon whether it be in use or no let the Preacher take occasion to speak a word or two in the praise of Christ let him say with the Spouse that he was the chiefest among ten thousands that he was altogether lovely Cant. 5.10 16. that being God above all Gods he became man beneath all men that when he spake he began ordinarily with verily verily I say unto you that he was an holy man that he never sinned in all his
in his graces sufferings death 1. In the graces that most eminently shined in his bitter passion his life indeed was a gracious life John 1.16 he was full of grace And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace but his graces shined most clearly and brightly at his death as a Lilly amongst the Thorns seems most beautiful so his graces in his sufferings shew most excellent I shall instance in some of them As 1. His humility was profound what that the most high God that the only begotten and eternal Son of God should vouchsafe so far as to be contemned and less esteemed than Barabbas a murtherer that Christ should be crucified upon a cross betwixt two thieves as if he had been the ring-leader of all malefactors O what humility was this 2. His patience was wonderful in respect of this the Apostle Peter sets Christ as a blessed example before our eyes If when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently 1 Pet. 2.20 21 23. this is acceptable with God for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps Who when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously O the patience of Christ 1 John 4.10 3. His love was fervent Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins This love is an examplar of all love it is the fire that should kindle all our sparks Be ye followers of God saith the Apostle as dear children Eph. 5.1 2. and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Some observe that in the Temple there were two Altars the brazen and the golden the brazen Altar was for bloody Sacrifices the golden Altar was for the offering of Incense now the former was a type of Christ's bloody offering upon the cross the latter of Christ's sweet intercession for us in his glory in regard of both the Apostle tells that Christ gave himself both for an offering and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God O what love was this 4. His mercy was abundant he took upon him all the miseries and debts of the world and he made satisfaction for them all he acted our redemption immediately in his own person he would not intrust it to Angels but he would come himself and suffer nor would he give a low and base price for our souls he saw the misery was great and his mercy should be more great he would buy us with so great a ransome as that he might over-buy us and none might out-bid him in the market of our souls O we under-bid and under-value the mercy of God who over-valued us we will not sell all to buy him but he sold all he had and himself too to buy us indeed if he had not done it we had been damned and to save our souls he cared not what he did or suffered O the mercy of Christ 5. His meekness was passing great in all the process of his passion he shewed not the least passion of wrath or anger he suffered himself gently and quietly to be carried like a sheep to the Butchery and as a Lamb before shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth a Lamb is a most meek and innocent creature John 1.29 and therefore is Christ called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world And he was a brought as a Lamb to the slaughter why a Lamb goes as quietly to the shambles Isa 53.7 as if it were going to the fold or to the pasture-field where its Dam seedeth and so went Christ to his Cross O the meekness of Christ 6. His contempt of the world was to admiration he tells them John 18.36 John 6.15 his Kingdom was not of this world When a Crown was offered him and forced upon him he refused it but above all behold the Bed where the Bridegroom lieth and sleepeth at noon-day here 's but an hard flock and narrow room O blessed head of a dear Redeemer how is it that thou hast not a pillow where to rest thy self He hangs on the Cross all naked few Kings do so he hath no Crown for his head but one of thorns he hath no delicates but Gall and Vinegar he is leaving the world and he hath no other Legacies to give his friends but spiritual things Peace I leave with you John 14.27 my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you He had so contemned the world that he had not a Legacy in all the world to give Not as the world giveth give I unto you 7. His obedience was constant He became obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 John 5.30 even the death of the Cross He sought not his own will but the will of him that sent him There was a command that the Father laid on Christ from all eternity O my Son my only begotten Son thou must go down and leave Heaven and empty thy self and die the death even the death of the Cross and go and bring up the fallen sons of Adam out of Hell Mankind like a precious Ring Glory fell off the Finger of Almighty God and was broken all in pieces and thereupon was the command of God that his Son must stoop down though it pain his back he must lift up again the broken Jewel he must restore it and mend it and set it as a Seal on the heart of God all which the Lord Jesus did in time he was obedient till death and obedient to death even to the death of the Cross Son thou must die said God why Father I will do it said Christ and accordingly he freely made his Soul an Offering for sin Now in all these Graces we must conform to Christ Learn of me Mat. 11.29 Eph. 5.2 for I am meek and lowly And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us It is as if Christ had said mark the steps where I have trode and follow me in humility in patience in love in mercy in meekness in contempt of the world in obedience unto death in these and the like Graces you must conform unto Christ 2. We must conform to Christ in his sufferings if he call us to them Phil. 3.10 this was the Apostle's Prayer that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings it was his desire that he might experimentally know what exceeding joy and comfort it was to suffer for Christ and with Christ Concerning this the other Apostle speaks also Christ suffered for us 1 Pet. 2.21 leaving us an example that we should follow his steps But the Text that seems so pertinent and yet so difficult
soul-ravishing Subject to think upon and the rather if we consider that Conformity which we believe Phil. 3.20 21. We look for a Saviour saith the Apostle the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashioned unto His Glorious Body O my Soul that this Clay of thine should be a Partaker of such Glory That this Body of Dust and Earth should shine in Heaven like those Glorious Spangles of the Firmament that this Body that shall rot in Dust and fall more vile than a Carrion should rise and shine like the Glorious Body of our Saviour on Mount Tabor Surely thou owest much to Christ's Resurrection O consider of it till thou feellest the Influence and comest to the Assurance of this Blessed Change 4. Consider of the several Apparitions of Jesus Christ especially of those written by the Evangelist John As 1. Muse on His Apparition to Mary Magdalen Oh the Grief before He appeared And Oh the Joyes when He appeared 1. Before she apprehended nothing but that some or other had took away her Lord these were all the words she uttered before he appeared They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him so she told Peter and John And when Two Angels appeared in White asking her Woman Why weepest thou she gives the same Answer to them They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him A Soul in desertion knows not what to do but to weep and cry Oh my Lord is gone I have lost my Lord my God my Jesus my King In this Meditation consider O my Soul as if thou hadst been in Maries Case Was it not a sad Case when the Angels of Heaven knew not how to comfort her Suppose any Son of Consolation had stood by and had such a one perswaded O Mary suppress thy Sadness refresh thy Heart with this Blessed Vision thou didst seek but One and thou hast found Two a dead Body was thy Errand and thou hast light on Two alive Thy Weeping was for a Man and thy Tears have obtained Angels Observe them narrowly the Angels invite thee to a Parley it may be they had some happy News to tell thee of thy Lord Remember what they are and where they sit and whence they come and to whom they speak they are Angels of Peace neither sent without Cause nor seen but of Favour they sit on the Tomb to shew they are no Strangers to thy Loss They come from Heaven from whence all happy News descendeth they speak to thy self as if they had some special Embassage to deliver unto thee No no these Cordials are in vain neither Man nor Angel can do her good or comfort her drooping Soul Either Christ Himself must come in Presence or she cryes Miserable Comforters are ye all Alas small is the Light that a Star can yield when the Sun is down A sorry Exchange it is to go gather Crumbs after the Loss of the Bread of Life Oh What can these Angels do They cannot perswade me that my Master is not lost for my own Eyes will disprove them They can less tell me where He may be found for they themselves would wait upon Him if they knew but where I am apt to think they know not where He is and therefore they are come to the Place where He last was making the Tomb their Heaven and the Remembrance of His Presence the Fewel of their Joy Alas What do Angels here I neither came to see them nor desire to hear them I came not to see Angels but the Creator of Angels to whom I owe more than both to Men and Angels 2. After He appeared she was filled with Joy for so it was that when nothing else would satisfie or comfort this poor Creature Jesus Himself appears At first He is unknown she takes him for the Gardiner of the place but within a while he utters a voice that opens both her ears and eyes And Jesus saith unto her Mary It was the sweetest sound that ever she heard many a time had she been called by that name but never heard she a voice so effectual powerful inward feeling as at this time hereby the cloud is scattered and the Sun of Righteousness appears this one word Mary lightens her eyes dryes up her tears chears her heart revives her spirits that were as good as dead One word of Christ wrought so strange an alteration in her as if she had been wholly made new when she was only named And hence it is that being ravished with his voice and impatient of delayes she takes his talk out of his mouth and to his first and only word Mary she answers Rabboni which is to say Master q. d. Master is it thou with many a salt tear have I sought thee and art thou unexpectedly so near at hand thy absence was hell and thy presence is no less than heaven to me Oh how is my heart ravished at thy sound if the babe leaped in the womb of Elizabeth when she but heard the salutation of Mary how should my heart but leap at thy salutation I feel I am exceedingly transported beyond my self Instead of my heavy heart and troubled spirit I feel now a sweet and delightful Tranquility of mind thou art my solace and souls delight whom have I in heaven but thee and whom desire I upon earth in comparison of thee and yet I am not satisfied not only fruition of thee but union with thee is that which my soul longs after not only thy presence but thy embraces or my embraces of thee can give content come then and give me leave my Lord my God to run to the haunt of my chief delights to fall at thy sacred feet and to bathe them with my tears of joy O my Jesus I must needs deal with thee as the Spouse dealt with thee Now I have found thee whom my soul loves dearly I will hold thee Cant. 3.4 and I will not let thee go I know not in all the Book of God a soul more depressed with sorrow and lifted up with joy O meditate on this if Christ be absent all is night but if Christ appear he turns all again into a lightsome day there is no sorrow like that which apprehends Christ's loss and therefore in hell it is looked upon as the greatest pain of the two say Divines it is a greater torment to lose God and to lose Jesus Christ than to endure all those flaming whips unquenchable fires intollerable cold abominable stench and on the other side there is no joy in heaven like to that which apprehends Christ's presence In thy presence there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore I had rather be in hell with Christ said one than in heaven without Christ This is the very top of heavens joy the quintessence of glory the highest happiness of the Saints O my soul seek with
confusions distractions despondences staggering and sinking terrors Mat. 11.28 it will find it something yea it will look on it as a glorious work to discover but the morning Star through so much darkness any thing of life in such a valley and shadow of death 3. The understanding hath yet some brighter believing beams it confidently closeth with this truth that it is the will of the Lord that he should come and live and believe and lay hold on Christ it apprehends the particular designs of mercy to him and doth really principle the soul with this that God doth particularly call invite and bid him come to Christ the Fountain of life for life Now the understanding takes in general Gospel-calls in particular to himself It is my poor languishing soul which the Lord speaks to when he sayes come to me all yea that are weary and I will give you rest Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Surely this is a great work when set home by the Lord that the soul acts in its addresses to Christ in the strength of a particular call from God 2. And now the answer to this call is wrought up in the renewed will as thus 1. The will summons all its confidences and calls them off from every other bottom to bestow them wholly upon Christ and this consists in our voluntary renouncing of all other helps excepting Jesus Christ alone now the soul sayes to Idols Get ye hence Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our Gods Ashur shall not save us Not only cannot but shall not save us now as the soul is dissatisfied in Judgment as to the resting on any thing but Christ alone so the heart and will is disaffected to all other helps but Christ alone now it renounceth its own righteousness and worthyness not only because of their inability to save but mainly because their glory is swallowed up in that unmatchable excellency which appears in the way of life and salvation by Jesus Christ It calls home dependance from every other object 2. Hereupon there is a willing and chearfull receiving of Christ and resignation of our selves to his actual dispose to quicken us and save us in his own way A great part of the answer of Faith to the call of Christ lyes in this for as Faith sees life and salvation in the hands of Christ so it considers it to be given forth in the methods of Christ and so believing lyes not only in assent but consent of heart John 1 1â— that Christ shall save us in his own way this is called A receiving of Christ As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Many a soul would be saved by Christ that sticks and boggles at his methods they will not pass to happiness by holiness nor set him up as a King and Lord whom they could consent to set up as a Saviour Oh but now Christ that stood at the door and knocked Rev. 3.10 is received in consent hath made up the match and the door is opened that never shall be shut again 3. Upon this follows the souls resting and relying the souls confidence and dependance upon Jesus Christ for life and for salvation this closeth up the whole business of believing unto righteousness those various expressions used in Scripture of committing our way and selves to God of casting our care upon God of rolling our selves on him of trusting in him of hoping in his mercy c. wrapt up faith in this affiance dependance not without some mixture of confidence and resolved resting upon Jesus Christ a clear beholding of God in Christ and of Christ in the promises doth present such variety and fulness of Arguments to bear up hope and affiance that the heart is resolved and so resolved that we commit our selves and give our souls in charge to Christ I know whom I have believed 1 Pet. 4.19 2 Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 4. The upshot of all is this that the same close which the soul makes in believing with Jesus Christ as to justification and righteousness is not fruitless to this effect of conveying life and vertue from Jesus Christ as to grace and holiness for that union which then and thereby comes to be enjoyned with Christ is such an union as is fruitful in begetting a quickening power and principle in the heart and this is that which we ordinarily intend by saying saving faith to be operative James 2.16 that faith which brings forth nothing of holiness what is it but a dead faith As the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Justification and sanctification are twins of a birth and hence it is that vivification which is one part of sanctification is wrought in the soul after the self-same manner As first the understanding is illighttened 2. The will is changed 3. All the Affections are renewed 4. The internals being quickened there ensueth the renewing of the body with the outward actions life and conversation And now is fulfilled that saying of Christ in a spiritual sense John 5.25 The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Now is the soul vivified now it begins to live the life of God now it feels the power of Christ's resurrection and is made conformable to it And immediately upon this joy is made in heaven by the Angels Luke 15.24 God himself applauding it For this my Son was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Thus is the state of vivification wrought I know it is not in all men after one manner for every circumstance the methods of God are exceeding various and we cannot limit the holy one of Israel I have sometimes concerning this desired the communication of other thoughts whom I looked upon as such who had more than ordinary communication with Christ's Spirit and from one of such I received this answer I must profess to you I have in all my speculations in divinity found dissatisfaction in the writings of men in nothing more than is the work of clear and distinct conceptions concerning regeneration which yet is of such a Cardinal importance is that the great doors of heaven move upon the hinges of it the Lord enlighten us more for we see but in part and prophesie but in part For the third question what are the means of this conformity or vivification which we must use on our parts I shall answer herein both to the state and growth of our vivification As 1. Wait and Attend upon God in the ministry of the word this is a means whereby Christ ordinarily effecteth
gone to Heaven surely this was the meaning God would rather that the main points of faith should be learned by hearing than by seeing however Christ's own Disciples were taught the same by sight that they might better teach others which should not see yet the ordinary means to come by faith is hearing Rom. 10.14 17 18. how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And as for the Jews saith the Apostle have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world 3. He ascended principally by the mighty power of his God-head thus never any ascended up into heaven but Jesus Christ for though Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven yet not by their own power nor by themselves it was God's power by which they ascended 2 Kings 2.11 and it was by the help and Ministry of Angels there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a Whirl-wine into Heaven Acts 1 9. 4. He ascended in a cloud While they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Hereby he shews that he is Lord of all the creatures he had already trampled upon the earth walked upon the sea vanquished hell or the grave and now the clouds received him and the heavens are opened to make way for this King of Glory to enter in Mat. 24.30 Mat. 26.4 When Christ shall come again it is said that he shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Which verifies that saying of the Angel Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come again in clouds 5. He ascended in the found of a trumpet not on earth sounding Hosanna but in Heaven Psal 47.5 crying Hallelujah So the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet Certainly great joy was in heaven at Christ's ascending thither the very Angels struck up their Harps and welcomed him thither with Hymns and Praises 6. He ascended in triumph as a Roman Victor ascended to the Capitol or as David ascended after his conquest up to Zion Now we read of two triumphal Acts in Christs Ascension whereof the first was his leading of his captives and the second was the dispersing of his gifts the Apostle and the Psalmist joyn both together Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 1. He led them captive who had captivated us Death was led captive without a sting Hell was led captive as one that had lost her victory the Law was led captive being rent and fastened to his Cross as it were Ensign wise the Serpents head being bruised was led before him in triumph as was Golias's head by David returning from the victory and this was the first Act of his triumph 2. He gave gifts unto men this was as the running of Conduits with wine or as the casting abroad of new Coyn or as the shutting up of Christs triumph in his ascension up to heaven what these gifts were we shall speak in the Mission of the holy Ghost only thus much for the present SECT II. Of the place whither he ascended 3. WHither he ascended the Gospel tells us into heaven only Paul saith that he ascended far above all heavens But the meaning is Ephes 4 10. he went above all these visible Heavens into those heavenly Mansions where the Angels and the Spirits of the just have their aboad Or if the highest heavens be included I see no absurdity in it the highest Heaven we usually call The Kingdom of Heaven which is either Heaven material or heaven sâ—iritual and first for the material Heaven in some sense he may be said to ascend above that both in respect of his Body because the Body of Christ is more glorious than any material Heaven And in respect of his soul because the Soul of Christ is more blessed than all things else whatsoever And 2 For the spiritual Heaven i.e. all Angelical or Heavenly perfections he is said to ascend above them all both in respect of his humiliation because he hath vilified himself below all things and therefore he is worthily exalted above all things and in respect of his perfection because the humane nature of Christ is more excellent than any creature it being joyned to the Godhead by an hypostatical union Some there are that understand this place of Christs ascending far above all Heavens not so much by a lâ—cal motion as by a Spiritual mutation and exaltation of his person as earth heightned unto a flame changeth not its place only but form and figure so the person of our Saviour was raised to a greatness and glory vastly differing from and surmounting any image of things visible or invisible in this Creation so it is fitly expressed Heb. 7.26 He was made higher than the Heavens he was heightened to a splendor enlarged to a capacity and compass above the brightest and beyond the widest Heavens he transcended all in the spirituallity of his Ascension but I shall not much insist on that SECT III. Of the Reasons why he Ascended 4. WHy he ascended the Reasons are 1. On Christ's part that through his Passion he might pass to glory Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory I shall not insist on that controversie whether Christ merited for himself this is without controversie that by his Passion I will not say he properly merited but he obtained glory because he humbled himself so low God exalted him above the Grave in his Resurrection above the Earth in his Ascension and above the Heavens in placing him at his right hand And he ascended that all those Prophesies which were foretold of Christ might be accomplished Thou hast ascended on high And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Psal 68.18 Zach. 14.4 which is before Jerusalem on the East The types of this were Enoch's translation Elijahs's ascension Sampson's transportation of the gates of Gezza into an high mountain the high Priests going into the Holy of Holies Seeing that we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God Why all these prophesies types figures must needs be accomplished and therefore on his part it was necessary that Christ must ascend and go into Heaven 2. The Reasons on our part are 1. That in our stead he might triumph over sin death and hell In his Resurrection he conquered but in his
exalted without some preceding decent and humiliation Ephes 49. That he ascended saith the Apostle what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth 4. In respect of our evidence and assurance this is the sign that Christ hath finished the work of our redemption upon the earth first he was to act as our Surety and then he was to ascend as our Head our Advocate as the first-fruits the Captain the Prince of life the Author of salvation the forerunner of his people 4. That he might throughly convince the world of believers of their perfect righteousness The Spirit when he comes saith Christ shall convince the world of sin and righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not on me of of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more John 16.8 9 10. If Christ had not fulfilled all righteousness there had been no going to heaven for him nor remaining there certainly God would have sent him down again to have done the rest and the disciples should have seen him with shame sent back again but his ascension to heaven proclaims openly 1. That he hath compleatly finished the work he had to do for us here that no more was to be done in this world for us that the satisfactory work to justice was in it self finished 2. That God was well pleased with Jesus Christ and with what he had done and suffered for us yea God was so infinitely taken with him and his oblation after his sufferings as that he thinks it not fit to let him stay above forty days longer in this world he cannot be without him in heaven but he takes him up into glory and gives him a name above every name 3. That we have our share in heaven with him he went not up as a single person but vertually or mystically he carried up all the Elect with him into glory or otherwise how should the Spirit convince the world by his ascension of their righteousness or otherwise how should the Son of God convince his Father by his Ascension of his righteousness I look upon Jesus Christ going into Heaven as a confident Debtor after payment going into a Court and saying Who hath any thing to lay to his charge all is paid let the law take his course when Christ entred into heaven he seemed thus to challenge Justice Make room here for me and mine who should hinder hath the law any thing to say to these poor souls for whom I dyed if any in heaven can make objection Rev. 8.1 here I am to answer in their behalf Methinks I imagine a silence in heaven as John speaks at this speech only Mercy smiles and Justice gives in the Acquittance and God sets Christ down at his right hand 4. That he hath a new design to be acted in heaven for us he is taken up into glory that he may act gloriously the second part of out righteousness I mean that he might apply it and send down his Spirit to convince us of it He acted one part in the flesh in the habit of a beggar cloathed with rags but now he is gone to act the person of a Prince in robes of glory and all this to manage our salvation in the richest way that may be Three great things Christ acts for us now in glory First he is in place of an advocate for us He liveth to intercede for us Heb. 7.25 He is always begging of favour and love for us he lyes there to stop whatever plea may be brought in against us by the devil or Law yea he is there to get our fresh pardons for new sins Secondly he is the great provider and caterer for us John 14.2 he is laying in a great stock and store of glory for us against we come there In my Fathers house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you Jesus Christ went before to take up God's heart for us and now he is drawing out the riches of love from God his Father and laying them in bank for us Phil. 4.19 which made the Apostle say My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Thirdly he sends down his Spirit to convince us that Christs righteousness is ours indeed the means of procuring this was the life and death of Christ but the means of applying this righteousness are those following acts of Christ's Resurrection Ascension Session Intercession c. By his death he obtained righteousness for us but by his Ascension he applies righteousness to us now it is that in especial manner he convinceth us of righteousness Because he is gone to his Father and we shall see him no more 5. That he might receive his Kingdom over us in the place appointed for it look as Kings are crowned in the chief Cities of their Kingdoms and keep their residence in their palaces near unto them so it was decent that our Saviour should be Crowned in Heaven and there sit down at Gods right hand which immediatly follows after his Ascension to which we now come SECT IV. Of God's right hand and of Christ's Session there 2. FOr the Session of Christ at God's right hand which is a consequent following after his ascension into Heaven I shall examine 1. What is God's right hand 2. What is it to sit there 3. According to what nature doth Christ sit there 4. Why is it that he sits at the right hand of God his Father in Glory 1. What is this right hand of God I answer 1. Negatively it is not any Corporal right hand of God if we speak properly God hath neither right hand nor left hand for God is not a body but a spirit or spiritual substance 2. Positively the right hand of God is the Majesty Dignity Dominion Power and â—lâ—â—y of God The right hand of the Lord is exalted Psal 118.15 Exod. 15.6 Psal 89.13 Isa 48.13 the right hand of the Lord doth valianity Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in Power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the enemy Thou hast a mighty arm Strong is thy hand and high iâ— thy right hand Mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens I know some of our Divines make this right hand of God something inferior to God's own power but others speak of it as every way equal and I know no absurdity to follow on it 2. What is it to sit at the right hand of God I answer it is not any corporal Session at Gods right hand as some picture him with a crown of gold on his head sitting on a Throne as if he had no other gesture in Heaven but sitting still which Stephen contradicts Acts 7.56 saying I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on thâ— right hand of God The words sitting or standing are both metaphorical and borrowed
dignity of Worship communicated to him as God and man And hence Divines usually make this one ingredient of Christ's sitting at the right hand of God viz. That Christ God and Man is the object of Divine adoration O it is a great thing and admirable and full of wonder that the man Christ should sit above at God 's right hand and be adored of Angels and Archangels Chry. Hom. 5 in Heb. Before this was the grace of Union conferred on Jesus and so he was adored before he suffered but after he had humbled himself and was made obedient unto death even to the death of the Cross then yea and therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name Phil. 2.8 9 10 11. which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father He was Lord before in that he is the Son of God but now he is Lord again by vertue of his humiliation and Session at God's right hand Trouble not your selves with their objection who say That if adoration be due to Christ as God and man that then the humane nature is to be adored the Person adored is man but the humanity it self is not the proper object of that Worship There is a difference betwixt the concrete and the abstract though the man Christ be God yet his manhood is not God and by consequence not to be worshipped with that worship which is properly and essentially Divine Certainly if adoration agree to the humanity of Christ then may his humanity help and save us but the humanity of Christ cannot help and Save us because omnis actio est suppositi whereas the humane nature of Christ is not suppositum a subsistance or personal being at all 3. That he might intercede for his Saints Heb. 8.1 2. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Summe we have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens and a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men he is set on the right hand of God as an high Priest or Minister to intercede for us For as Christ is not entred into the holy Place made with hands which are the Figures of the true Heb. 9.24 but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us This appearing is an expression borrowed from the custome of human Courts for as in them when the Plaintiff or Defendant is called their Attorney appeareth in their names so when we are summoned by the justice of God to answer the complaints which it preferreth against us we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous John 2.1 Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. and he standeth up and appeareth for us or it may be this appearing hath a respect to the manner of high Priests in the time of the Law for as they used to go into the most holy place with the names of the Children of Israel written in precious stones for a remembrance of them that they might remember them to God in their Prayers so Jesus Christ being gone up to Heaven he there presents to his Father the Names of all his chosen and he remembers them to his Father in his Intercessions Certainly Christ is not gone to Heaven and advanced to the right hand of God only to live in eternal joy himself but also to procure happiness for his Saints it is to excellent purpose and to the great good of his Church that he sits at the right hand of his Father for thereby he governs and protects his people and he continually executes the Office of his Priesthood presenting himself and the sacrifice of himself and the infinite merit of that sacrifice before the eyes of his Father in their behalf 4. That true Believers may assuredly hope by vertue of Christs Session to sit themselves in the Kingdom of Glory Heb. 1.5 It is true that Christ and only Christ hath his seat at the right hand of God to which of the Saints or of the Angels did he ever say sit thou at my right hand It is a prerogative above all Creatures and yet there is something near it given to the Saints Rev. 3.21 for him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also am set down with my Father in his Throne There is a proportion though with an inequality we must sit on Christ's Throne as he sits on his Fathers Throne Christ only sits at the right hand of God but the Saints are to sit at the right hand of Christ Psal 45.9 and so the Psalmist speaks upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir It is enough to greaten the Spirits of Saints how should they tread on earth and contemn the World when they consider that one day they shall judg the World 1 Cor. 6.2 do you not know that the Saints shall judg the World nay 2 Tim. 2.12 when they consider that one day they shall reign with Christ if ye suffer with him ye shall reign with him Christ sitting in Heaven is a very Figure of us Christ's person is the great model and first draught of all that shall be done to his Body the Saints therefore he is said to be the Captain of our Salvation that leads us on he is said to be our fore-runner into Glory he breaks the clouds first he appears first before God he sits down first and is glorified first and then we follow Christ wears the Crown in Heaven as our King and he is united and marryed to God as our proxy And yet there is another ground of hope not only shall we sit with Christ in Glory but even now do we sit with him in Glory Christ is not only gone to heaven to prepare a place for us but he sits in Heaven in our room and God looks on him as the great picture of all that body whereof he is Head and he delights himself in seeing them all Glorified as in his Son To this purpose the Saints are said to sit down with Christ at very present Ephes 2.6 he hath made us to sit together with him in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ in our nature is now exalted this is that admirable thing which carried up Chrysostom into an extasie that the same nature of which God said dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return should now sit in Heaven at God's right hand but not only the human nature but Christ in person sits there as a common person in our stead he is in his Throne and we sit with him in supercelestial places O what structures and pillars of hope are raised up here 5. That he might defend
on the Lord Jesus Christ for some glorious manifestations of himself Come live up to the rate of this great mystery view Christ as entering into glory and thou wilt find the same sparkles of glory on thy heart O this sight is a transforming sight We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 even as by the spirit of the Lord. 2. Consider of Christ's Session at God's right hand no sooner was Christ entered into Heaven but he is brought before his heavenly Father and herein was the vision accomplished I saw in the night visions Dan. 7.13 14. and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom This is that we call his Session at God's right hand a dominion was given him above all creatures yea a dominion above the Hierarchy of all the Angels O the glory of Christ at his first entrance into glory immediatly all the Angels fell down and worshipped him immediately his Father welcomed him with the highest grace that ever yet was shewen Psal 110.1 Come said he sit thou at my riâ—ht hand untill I make thy enemies thy footstool One sweetly observes that usually in the several parts of the performance of Christ's office either God is brought in as speaking to Christ or Christ is brought in as speaking to his Father thus when he chose him first to be our Mediator God speaks to Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech and when Christ came to take upon him our nature Heb. 10.7 Psal 22.1 he spake to his Father Lo I come to do thy will a body hast thou prepared for me Again when Christ hung on the Cross he spakes to his Father Acts 13.33 Heb. 1.13 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but when Christ rose again from the dead God spake to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and when Christ ascended into heaven God spake to him Son sit thou down at my right hand This was the highest point of Christ elevated now was the prophesie accomplished He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high The Caldee Paraphrast reads it thus He shall be exalted above Abraham Isa 52.13 he shall be extolled more than Moses he shall be very high above the highest Cherubin and Saraphin O my soul meditate on this Session of Christ at God's right hand and thence draw down some vertue and sweetness into thy self what was Christ exalted had he a name given him above every name walk then as becomes those that have so glorious a Head O defile not that nature which in thy Christ was so highly honoured 1 Cor. 6.15 it was the Apostles arguing Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot so argue thou shall I take the Nature of Christ that Nature which he in his Person hath so highly glorified and make it in my Person the Nature of a Devil O my soul walk worthy of such a Lord unto all well-pleasing sith now he is in his Throne at God's right hand O kiss the Son honour the Son with divine worship reverence and submission submit chearfully and willingly to the Scepter of his Word bow to his Name as it is written At the Name the Person the Power the Scepter of Jesus Christ â—â—â—l 2.10 every knee should bow 3. Consider of the Mission of the holy Ghost no sooner is Christ inaugurated in his Throne Eph. 4.8 John 4.10 but he scatters his coin and gives gifts When he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men He gave gifts or the gift of gifts the gift of the holy Ghost If thou knewest the gift of God said Christ to the Samaritan woman John 7.39 that gift was the water of Life and that water of life was the spirit as John who knew best his mind gave the interpretation This speak he of the spirit O my soul consider of this princely gift of Christ such a gift was never before but when God gave his Son God so loved the World that he gave his Son and Christ so loved the world that he gave his spirit but O my soul consider especially to whom this Spirit was given Isa 9.6 Rom. 5.5 the application of the gift is the very soul of thy meditation Vnto us a Son is given said the Prophet and Vnto us the holy Ghost is given saith the Apostle And yet above all consider the reasons of this gift in reference to thy self was it not to make thee a Temple and Receptacle of the holy Ghost stand a while on this admire O my soul at the condescending glorious and unspeakable love of Christ in this it was infinite love to come down into our nature when he was incarnate but this is more to come down into thy heart by his holy Spirit he came near to us then but as if that were not near enough he comes nearer now for now he unites himself unto thy person now he comes and dwells in thy soul by his holy spirit O my soul thou hast many in-comes of the world though many are above thee yet many are below thee but Oh what little contentment hast thou in these outward things Come here 's that which will infinitely content thy vast desires Christ is in thee realy in thee by his Spirit will not this content the utmost capacity of an heart surely he is too covetous whom God himself cannot suffice if thou hast Christ thou hast all things and if thou hast the spirit of Christ thou hast Christ himself not notionally not by the habit of grace only but really essentially substantially by his Spirit it is the very spirit of Christ the spirit it self the holy Ghost it self in his own person that is united to thee and dwells in thee nor only comes he in person but he brings along with him all his Train hath he not endowed thee with some gifts hath he not divided a portion and measure to thee in thy place and calling take notice observe it and be thankfull if thou hast a gift of prayer of prophesie of wisdom of knowledge it comes and flows from this holy Spirit Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Eph. 4.7 1 Cor. 12.11 Or according to the measure of the spirit who is the gift of Christ. And all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will But besides a gift hath he not endowed thee with his grace hath he not planted in thy soul the habit the power the seed the spring the principle of grace hast thou not felt sometimes the excitings
quickenings stirrings of the spirit of God commanding thy faith love zeal and other graces to be in exercise hath he not many a time at some dead lift at some mighty straight at some prevailing temptation when thou wast even ready to yield to Satan Heb. 4.16 come in as betwixt the bridge and water and given thee grace to help in time of need O the sweet in-comes of the Spirit of God! as he is an holy Spirit so he makes holy hearts and if there be any holiness in thy heart what is it but an emanation influence effect of the Spirit of God if ever thou hadst any flowings of exciting quickening grace say This is above nature above flesh and blood it comes from the holy and blessed Spirit of God Some other effects thou mayst consider of as of the comforts of the spirit what hast thou not sometimes felt the joyes unspeakable and full of glory hast thou not sometimes known a mornings joy after a nights sorrow an healing of thy broken heart a reviving of thy dead Spirit a drop of heavens joy given thee as the hansel or earnest of thine inheritance why all these are but the workings of the promised comforter And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Another effect is the seal of the spirit and what hast thou not sometimes had the seal of the Spirit stamped on thee I will not say this is absolutely necessary but hast thou not sometimes been assured of thy salvation by a reflect act of faith or by a work of grace habitual or actual or by an irradiation of the spirit on thy graces sometimes the spirit is pleased to shine with its bright and glorious and heavenly beams into our souls and then we are assured hence the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians Eph. 1.17.18 19. That they might have the spirit of revelation And to what end That they might know what is the hope of his calling i.e. that they might know upon what certain grounds and foundation their hopes were built and hence the Psalmist prayes for himself Psal 13.16 Cause thy face to shine upon thy Servant and again God be mercifull unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us psal 67.1 Selah If the spirit shine upon our graces then it seals O consider of this shining-sealing work and leave not till the Spirit dart in a spiritual light and give thee a revelation knowledg and perswasion of thy effectual calling Many other reasons are of the spirits mission but amongst them all consider O my soul and ponder on these few think over Christ's Ascension Session and Mission of the Spirit but in every thought be serious fruitful and particular say Christ is gone up into heaven for me and he is sate down at God 's right hand for me and he hath sent down his spirit into my heart O what workings would there be within if thou wert but lively and active in the meditations of these several passages SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that Respect 3. LEt desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars who seeing Christ to ascend into Heaven would not be glad to ascend up with with him who seeing Christ to sit down at the right hand of his Father would not be glad to sit down with him who seeing Christ to scatter his gifts and spirit amongst his Saints would not cry Come holy spirit O Christ give me thy spirit thou that givest gifts unto me come and bestow those gifts on me even upon me The believing soul cannot hear of Christ in any true discovery of his grace and glory but it must needs send out many breathings after him Oh that Christ were mine Oh that I had any interest in this transaction it is true these transactions are past but the vertue of them continues still and accordingly the vertue power and influence of these transactions must be the object of our desires now what is the vertue of Christ's Ascension but that we might ascend and what the vertue of Christ's Session but that we might sit down with him in his Throne and what the vertue of the mission of his Spirit but that we might partake of the holy Ghost Oh let these be the objects of our desires come let us pant and breath after these things As 1. Let us see Christ ascending and so desire to ascend with him when Christ ascended it was not meerly for himself but also in our stead he ascended as a common person as the high Priest ascending into the Holy of Holies he carried all the names of the Twelve Tribes on his breast so Jesus Christ ascending into heaven he carried the names of all Believers in the world on his Breast thereby shewing that they were likewise to come after him in this case how should we long after him and cry after him as Elisha after Elijah when he saw him ascending My Father my father 2 Kings 2.12 Isa 14.14 15. the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof How should we cry after him O my Lord and my God see that my name be written in thy Breast O that vertually I may ascend with thee and that really and bodily I may at last ascend after thee There are many can say in their heart I will ascend above the heights of the clouds Psal 14.3 4. I will be like the most High but the prophet tells us Such shall be brought down to hell and to the sides of the Pit O the desires and eager pursuits of men after ambition what topping and advancing is there of one over another in the mean time the Psalmist's Question is quite forgotten Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord Isa 14.12 he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity Down O my soul with thy top and top gallant strike sail to God and Christ know that God resists the proud How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning even he that would exalt his Throne above the stars of God is brought down to hell Come come a desire after Christ and his Ascension is the way to Heaven if thou wilt ascend after Christ set thy desires upon Christ if thou wilt arrive at true glory breath after Christ ascending up into his glory let others ascend up into their heaven upon earth but O my soul desire thy interest in Christ's Ascension into the Heaven of Heavens O when will it once be that by the vertue of Christ's Ascension I shall ascend is Christ gone up and am I yet behind is my Head my Husband my Lord in Heaven and am I a poor member of his body grovelling here on earth what is Christ gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet are all the Angels sounding
when he cryed he is come he is come Such an immediate springing of the spirit was in the heart of Master Pecocke who after many dayes of extreamest horrour professed The joy which he felt was incredible Such an immediate work was upon the heart of Mistris Brettergh who after the return of her beloved suddenly cryed out How wonderfull How wonderfull how wonderfull are thy mercies O Lord O the joys the joyes the joyes that now I feel in my soul we feel and acknowledg by daily experience that Satan doth immediately inject and shall not the blessed spirit after his holy and heavenly manner immediately also suggest sometimes As there is in the eye lumen innatum a certain in-bred light Rutherford on Joh. 12. P. 100. to make the eye see lights and colours without and as there is in the ear aer internus a certain in-bred found and air to make it discern the sounds that are without so is there in a gracious heart a new nature an habitual instinct of Heaven to discern the consolations of God's Spirit immediately testifying that we are the Sons of God there are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knows and owns it But for fear of mistakes in this case observe we these Rules 1. That although the spirit may immediately testifie without any express or formal application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the Word If a man that never felt sin a burthen that throws away all duties of Religion that never Prayes Reads Hears or Meditates shall say that he is filled with joy Peace and the assurance of God's Word it is certain the holy Spirit is not the Author of this because the promise of peace belongs to none of this stamp see Math. 11.28 Isa 57.15 Mal. 5.3 4 5 6 7 8. 2. That ordinarily the spirit brings in his testimony either in duty or after duty I have seen his wayes and I will heal him I will lead him also Isa 57.18 19. and restore comforts to him and to his mourners I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him I know there may be a case of grievous temptations and at such a time the spirit of God may come in by a sudden irradiation and chear the soul wonderfully though it knows not how yet usually the spirit brings in his testimony either in duty or not long after duty 3. That such testimonies of the Spirit beget only an actual assurance during the present exigency or in order to some present design that God is working thereby these are extraordinary dainties that God will not have us feed constantly upon a gleam of light in a dark winters night when a man cannot coast the Country and discern his way by those marks which direct him at other times or as a lightning from a thunder-cloud that comes just in the moment when a man is stepping into a pit that would swallow him up now a Traveller will not depend alwayes upon such guides but rather he will choose to travel by day and learn out such way marks as may be standing assurances to him that he is in the way And therefore 2. The spirit witnesseth mediately and that either without or with argumentation But both from the Word 1. Without argumentation and that is when the spirit applies some suitable word to the soul and without more ado enables the soul to close with that suitable word As for instance thou art burthened for sin and thou hast prayed earnestly for pardon of sin and even then a secret whisper of the Spirit casts that word into thy heart Hos 14.4 Mat. 11.28 I will heal thy back-slidings and love thee freely or such a voice as that come un-unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Now this is a direct testimony only I dare not leave it without a caution Some can relate extraordinary passages of providence attending the coming in of such and such a word as that they did not know there was any such Scripture nor did thy know where it was and yet in opening the Book it was the very first place their eye was cast upon or they wanted a Book and in the use of some other means unexpectedly a word was spoken or remembred so pat to the case as if it had been a very message from Heaven certainly the Spirits hinting in of words thus is very observable yet a bare giving in of a word is no warrant that it comes from the spirâ—â— unless the soul come up to some end which the word it self poynteth at there must not only be a word but a closing with the word and improving of the word for the ends it aymeth at as quickning comforting supporting acting of some graces or such like and by this we may know that the testimony is true and proceeds from the Spirit of God 2. With argumentation and that is when the Spirit brings in the testimony of blood and water I may call it a testimony of Faith and other graces of the Spirit written in our hearts and brought out by the spirit in a way of argument as thus He that believeth hath everlasting life but I believe Ergo. The first proposition is the Gospel and in this way it is the first work of the spirit to open our eyes for the understanding thereof The second proposition is thy case or my case and here the Spirit enlightens the soul to see it self under that condition but I believe Indeed many times this is not so easily done and therefore the spirit doth elicite and draw forth the soul to an assent by a further evidence of argument True sayes the soul he that believes hath everlasting life but I am none of those believers and therefore what doth this promise concern such an unbelieving wretch as I am In this case now the Spirits work is longer or shorter even as he pleaseth if it will be no better the Spirit is fain to produce some other proofs of Scripture as evidence faith in the subject in whom it is such as purifying the heart love to God his wayes his people c. and possibly it goes further yet and proves those graces to be in the soul by further marks I know some object if the spirit say thou art a believer because thou hast love the soul may doubt still whether it have love or no and if the spirit say thou hast love because thou delightest in God's Commandments the question may be still whether that delight be sincere or counterfeit pure or mixed and therefore say they There can be no judgment of a man's justification by his sanctification or of his sanctification by the operation of particular graces I Answer it is true that whiles I endeavour to discover these graces meerly
hear of such a Christ and are we not all in a burning love in a seraphical love or at least in a conjugal love O my heart how is it thou art not love sick how is it thou dost not charge the daughters of Jerusalem as the spouse did Cant. 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love 2. For his bounty no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but he gives gifts unto men and he sends down the holy Ghost This was the Gift of gifts I shall only weigh two Circumstances in this Gift either whereof both dignifies and casts a sparkle of bounty from the Giver into the heart of the Receiver to move him to love As One Circumstance is the greatness of the Giver certainly the preheminence or dignity of any principle ennobleth and enhanceth the effect a gift coming from a great Person carries ever a scent with it of a certain greatness and relisheth either of excellency or superiority or nobility or all It is storied of Charles the fifth that in his wars being ever prest with want of money and so unable to remunerate the services of divers Dutch Captains and Nobles whom he had entertained he used after any great exploit performed by them to call together his Nobles and Camp into such a field and there in the presence of them all to take a Gold chain from about his own neck and to put it about the neck of such a Captain or such a Collonel and so to embrace him and to give him thanks for his gallant service why this they esteemed a greater favour being Circumstanced by such a Person in such a way than if in very deed he had given them a sufficient pay or remuneration O they valued that Chain more than many bushels of the like Gold the very Person of the Emperour hanged at the Chain such a precious Jewel as in warlike conceits a million of Gold could not countervail O my soul if an Emperour thus gained the affections of men how shouldst thou but love Christ the great Emperour of Heaven and Earth Numb 11 17. it was he that gave thee his Spirit it was he that took off the Spirit which is upon him so is the expression of God to Moses and put it upon thee and doth not the Person of Christ the Dignity of Christ inhance the value of the gift as all gifts are signs of love so the love of a great Personage and the gifts issuing from such a love ought more to be accounted than any gifts of any meaner person whatsoever 2. Another Circumstance is the greatness of the Gift this argueth greatness of good will and consequently deserveth a correspondence of a semblable affection Now what greater gift had Christ in store than to give his own spirit the spirit proceedeth from him and is the same essence with himself the spirit is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and coeternal coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son this appears by those divine Attributes and Properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy spirit As 1. Eternity God never was without his spirit Gen. 1.1 2. In the beginning God created heaven and earth and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 2. Omnipotency because he together with the Father and the Son createth and preserveth all things By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens Job 26.13 33.4 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 the Spirit of God hath made me and all these things worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 3. Omnisciency or the knowledge of all things For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 4. Immutability or unchangeableness Men and brethren Acts 1.16 Rom. 5.5 this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the holy Ghost spake 5. Infinite mercy or love God is love and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 6. Holy indignation even against hiâ—â—en sins They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Isa 63.10 Acts 5.3 4 9. Eph. 4.30 why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the holy Ghost thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God a plain Text for the Divinity of the holy Ghost How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption I might add Miracles Mat. 12.28 28.19 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.38 and the institution of Sacraments and Prophesies and Gifts and Graces as the effects of his Divinity I cast out devils saith Christ by the Spirit of God and baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost And the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith And we are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. See now how the holy spirit is God coeternal coequal and consubstantial with God the Father and God the Son is not this a great gift yea as great a gift as possibly can be given what can he more than to give himself and to give his spirit O the bonds of love that are upon man towards Christ in this respect Come my soul and take a view of the Glory and Bounty of Jesus Christ if thy heart be not all brass and iron and stone if there be any fleshiness softness or pliableness in it why then how shouldst thou chuse but love if either beauty or bounty if either Majesty or magnificence can draw thy affection Christ will have it for in him is all O let him be thy all surely if thou hast any thing besides himself he is the Donor of all he is the beauty of all the sum of all the perfection of all yea he is the Author Preserver and Finisher of all SECT VII Of Joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars there is not a particular under consideration but 't is the object of a Christians joy As 1. How should it heighten my joys and enlarge my comforts when I do but consider that Christ is ascended into glory by this it is clear and evident that Christ is accepted of the Father for me or otherwise he should never have been received into Heaven if any frown had been in the face of God surely Christ coming so near God he should have had it if any exception had been against his satisfaction any flaw in our pardons surely Christ should have heard of it yea without question he must have been turned out of Heaven until he had made a full payment of our debts
I need not doubt of my acceptance at the Throne of Grace when Jesus Christ is accepted for me and that I stand in such a relation to Jesus Christ Oh what joy is in this 2. How should it heighten my joyes and enlarge my comforts when I do but consider that Christ is set down at God's right hand Why now he hath the keys of Heaven delivered into his hands Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth and now he can do what he will God the Father hath given away as it were all his Prerogatives unto Jesus Christ John 5.22 All judgment is committed to the Son for the Father judgeth no man Now he is in a Capacity of acting out all his love and the Father's desire to me in the most glorious way he is highly advanced and thereby he hath the advantage to advance me and to glorifie me God hath given into his hands all the treasures and riches of Heaven in bidding him sit down at his right hand he told him that he would have no more to do with the world but that Christ should have all and that Christ should bestow all he had amongst his Saints and that this should be the reward of his death and when once his Saints were come about him and sate with him in his glory 1 Cor. 15.24 why then Christ should resign up again his place And deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father Oh what joy may enter into this poor dark dungeon disconsolate soul of mine whiles I but think over these glorious passages of my Christ in glory 3. How should it heighten my joyes and fill me with joy unspeakable and full of glory when I do consider that Christ hath sent down his holy Spirit into my heart when sorrow had filled the Apostles hearts John 16.7 because he had told them I must go away he comforts them with this If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you The spirit is the Comforter and where he comes he fills souls with comforts O what comfort is this to know that the spirit of Christ is my Inmate that my soul is the Temple the Receptacle the House and dwelling of the spirit of God that Christ is in me of a truth and that not only by the infusion of his grace but by the in-dwelling of his spirit surely it is some comfort to a sickly man that he hath a Physitian alwayes in the house with him and to a woman that is near her travail that the Midwife is in the house with her but what comfort is it to a poor soul that the spirit of Christ is alwayes in him John 14.16 I will send you another Comforter said Christ that he may abide with you for ever Christ in his bodily presence went away Mat. 28.20 but Christ in his spirit continues still Lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world he is with us and which is more he is in us for our comfort Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory Not Christ in Sermons which we hear nor Christ in Chapters which we read nor Christ in Sacraments which we receive nor Christ in our heads by high notions nor Christ in our mouths by frequent glorious expressions but Christ in our hearts by his spirit is unto us the hope of Glory The grounds of our comforts in this respect is 1. Christ's Presence it is said of Paul that after a sad shipwrack the sight of some Christian brethren so cheated him Act. 28.15 that upon the sight of them he thankâ—d God and took courage it is said of Caesar that he cheared the drooping Mariners in a storm by minding them of his presence You carry Caesar how much more should the in-being of Christ solace Saints Lo I am with you O my soul was it not a cordial to the Disciples in a storm that Christ was with them whom the winds and waves obeyed chear up now for if the Spirit be in thee Christ is with thee 2. Christ's Complacency if his Spirit dwell in us how should he but be well pleased with us a man cannot properly be said to dwell in a prison in which he taketh no delight Psal 132.14 the Spirits in-dwelling imports a delight of Christ in such a soul Here will I dwell for I have desired it or delighted in it saith God of Zion though many times drooping Christians viewing their own beggarliness and vileness judge themselves worthy to be detested and deserted and would relinquish themselves if they possibly could yet Christ looketh to the poor and contrite soul as a meet habitation for himself to dwell in Isa 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit 3. Christ's Communications union is the ground of our communion with Christ and the nearer our union the greater is our communion if Christ were only in a believer by the habit of grace the union would not be so great but if Christ be in us by his spirit the union is nearer and therefore the communion will be greater O my soul remember this in all thy straits there can be no creature-want or danger whatsoever wherein the improvement of this in-dwelling of the Spirit may not refresh thee art thou sick the Physitian both of soul and body is within thee art thou sad the Comforter himself that supplies the stead and room of Christ inhabits in thee art thou in exile in banishment imprisonment at greatest distance from thy dearest Friends see Paul's refreshment when they were ready to pull him in pieces and threw him into the Castle even the night following the Lord stood by him and said be of good chear Paul Acts 23.11 Christ will stand by thee nay Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in thee and will speak to thee comfortable words in thy greatest pressures 4. Christ's Witnessings if his Spirit dwell in us we may then be assured of future glory Christ in you the Hope of Glory 'T is a sweet note of a Divine upon it Col. 1 27. Mr. Ash in his Sermon of Christ the riches of the Gospel Acts 8.13 Mat. 27.3 Heb. 12.17 Heb. 6.5 6. Heb. 10.29 The existency of Christ's Spirit in Believers giveth existence to their hopes of Glory The Spirit in us is God's earnest of Glory the Spirit in us doth prepare us for participation in that Glory I look upon this in-dwelling of the Spirit as that which no Hypocrite in the World can lay any claim unto as for gifts or graces an Hypocrite may attain them or somthing like them it is said of Simon Magus that he believed it is said of Judas that he repented and of Esau that he sought his birth-right with tears it is said of some that they partook of the Heavenly Gift and of the Powers of the
conversation is in heaven Phil 3.20 I do not know any one thing wherein we can be more like to Christ exalted whiles we are upon earth than to have our hearts our affections our conversations with Christ where he is now then if we be vertually risen with Christ and ascended with Christ and set down with Christ in heavenly places let us spiritually ascend and sit down with him in these respects certainly there is a proportion in our heavenly conversation oh let our conversations be in Heaven In prosecution of this I shall examine these Quaeries 1. What do we mean by our conversation in heaven 2. Why must our conversation be in heaven 3. By what means must we come up to this conversation in heaven 1. By our conversation in heaven I mean our aim at heaven as heaven is our home so our eye is there whatever we do our end our scope is to fit us for heaven and to lay in for heaven We look not saith the Apostles at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4.18 for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal We look not that is we aim not at things which are seen invisible things are the only scope and aim of a gracious soul 2. By our conversation in heaven I mean our communion with Christ in heaven Truly our fellowship is with the Father 1 John 1.3 and with his Son Jesus Christ As it is amongst friends that converse together they act mutually for the comfort one of another there is a mutual embracing and opening of their hearts to one another at every turn so in our conversings with Christ there is a communion or a mutual acting of the soul upon Christ and of Christ upon the soul we let out our hearts to Christ and he lets out his heart to us especially when we are with Christ in his Ordinances it 's not enough to call upon God and to use some broken-hearted expressions but oh what communion have I with Jesus Christ I cannot be satisfied except I taste and see how good the Lord is I cannot be quiet except I hear somthing from Heaven this morning Why this is an heavenly conversation 3. By our conversation in Heaven I mean our living according to the Laws of Heaven in all our ways we must still enquire What rule is there from Heaven to guide me in these ways such and such a thing I have a mind to but will the Law of Heaven justifie me in this have I any word from Jesus Christ to guide me in this sometimes indeed my lust my own ends and the common course of the world was my rule but now I dare not act but according to the Will and Scepter of Jesus Christ now I am guided by the Laws of Heaven Why this is an Heavenly conversation 4. By our conversation in Heaven I mean our thoughts and meditations of Heaven and heavenly things When I awake saith David I am always with thee Psal 139.18 the hearts of believers are frequently upon their heavenly treasures as it is storied of Queen Mary that a little before her death she told them if they ript her open they would find Call is in her heart so it may be said of them whose conversation is in Heaven if you rip them up you shall find Heaven in their hearts not a day passes over their heads without some converse with Heaven without some thoughts or meditations of heaven and heavenly things 5. By our conversation in heaven I mean our affections on heaven or on Christ in heaven Set your affections on things above i.e. set your desires loves hopes joys Col. 3.2 breathings on heavenly things our affections are precious things and are onely to be set on precious objects oh what a shame is it to set our affection on the things of this life have we a Kingdom a God a Christ a Crown in Heaven to set our affections upon and shall we set them upon dross and dung and such base things are not all our pleasures and vanities base in comparison of Christ O be not we so base to set our affections on earthly things but rather on God and Christ and this is our heavenly conversation 6. By our conversation in Heaven I mean our tradings our negotiations for Heaven even whilest we are upon Earth the word in the Original points at this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our trading is in Heaven though our bodies be not there yet our tradings are there we carry and behave our selves in this life as free Denizons of the City of Heaven our City whereof we are Citizens and whereunto we have right is in Heaven above in this respect we trade not for strifles as other men do but we trade for great things for high things we merchandize for goodly pearls even for God and for Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God We see now what is meant by our conversation in Heaven 2. Why is the conversation of the Saints in Heaven 1. Because they know full well that the Original of their souls came from God and Heaven the body indeed was of the dust of the ground but the soul was the breath of God so it is said of the first man God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life Gen. 2.7 and man became a living soul The soul had a more heavenly and divine Original than any of the other creatures that are here in this neather World and when God works grace in the soul and so it begins to know it self and to return to it self it then looks on all things here below as vile and as contemptible things it then looks upward and begins to converse with things sutable to its Original As it is with a child that hath a noble birth if transported into another Country and there used like a slave there set to take channels or as the Prodigal to feed swine while he is there and knows not his Original he minds nothing but to get victuals and to do his work that he is set about but if once he come to know from whence he was that he is indeed born heir to such a Prince in such a Country O then his thoughts and mind and longings will be altered O that I were in my own Country O that I were with my Father in his Court Even so it is with the souls of the Sons of men they are the birth as I may so speak of the great King of Heaven and Earth and though by the fall of man they came to be as slaves to Satan yet when God is pleased to convert the soul then he discovers thus Oh man thou art born from on high thy soul is as it were a sparkle of God himself thou art come from God and thou art capable of communion with God even with God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy
Ghost O consider of thy Country whence thou camest at first certainly thou never hadst such a divine and excellent being given thee to delight only in the flesh to be serviceable only to thy body O look up unto Jesus why this it is that turns the heart and sets the conversation on heavenly things 2. Because their best and choice things are already in Heaven As their Father is in Heaven and their Saviour is in Heaven thither he ascended and there now he sits at the right hand of God their Husband is in Heaven their Elder Brother is in Heaven their King is in Heaven their Treasure is in Heaven their Inheritance is in Heaven their Hope is in Heaven their Mansion is in Heaven their chief Friends are in Heaven their Substance is in Heaven their reward is in Heaven their Wages are in Heaven and all these things being in Heaven no marvel their conversations be in Heaven 3. Because they are going towards Heaven even whiles yet they are on Earth If the Nobleman as we formerly supposed do once know his condition and begins his travel homeward towards his Fathers Court will he not every morning that he rises converse with them that come from his father to conduct him home doth it not do him good to hear any man speak of his fathers Country is it not in his thoughts in his talk in his eye in his aim at every step O my soul if thou art indeed travelling towards Heaven how shouldst thou but have it in thy motions affections conversations how shouldst thou but daily commune with thy own heart Heaven is the place that I shall come to ere long I shall be there I know that in this world I am but for a while but in Heaven I shall be for ever and ever 1. Thes 4.17 we shall be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Our very travel towards Heaven implies an heavenly conversation Psalm 84.7 They go from strength to strength till every one of them in Zion appears before God Luke 17.21 Heb. 10.34 4. Because much of Heaven is already in the Saints The Kingdom of Heaven is within you saith Christ And knowing in your selves that ye have a better and an enduring substance Surely if the Saints have much of Heaven within them it must needs be that their conversation is in Heaven but they know this in themselves they know it by what God hath revealed in their own hearts eternal life is already begun in the souls of God's people Heaven is in them and therefore no marvel if their conversation be in Heaven My meaning is not as if the Saints had no other Heaven but that within them I know there is an Heaven above but some pieces or earnests or seeds or beginnings of that Heaven above is within them Is there not a renewed nature an Image of God a spark of life a drop of glory in God's people Surely yes And if so all these will work heaven-ward principles of grace will have some actings of grace till we come to glory 3. By what means should we attain or come up to have our conversation in Heaven 1. Let us watch opportunities for heavenly exercises God now by his Ministers calls Isa 55.1 3. 2 Cor. 6.2 Come ye to the waters come ye buy and eat come buy wine and milk without money come to me and your souls shall live Why now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation whiles Ministers call and we live under the droppings of the Word these are opportunities for Heaven O then he that never prayed let him now pray and he that never heard let him now hear the Lord is now come near to us Christ Jesus is calling and mercy is entreating and love is beseeching and wisdom is even hoarse with crying after us O lay hold on these opportunities for heavenly exercises and then we shall come up to heavenly conversations 2. Take heed of resting in the formality of duties many souls that have enlightnings of conscience dare not but take opportunities for heavenly duties but then comes in the temptations of the Devil and corruptions of their own hearts and they say now duty is done or our task is over and what needs more Alas alas It is not what have we done but where have we been what have our souls been in Heaven with God and with Christ have we had any communion with the Father and with the Son in our duties O take heed of formality it will exceedingly hinder our conversation in Heaven O keep our eye still upon our heart ask in duty what affections have been acted how much are we got nearer Heaven thereby and by this means we shall come to an heavenly conversation 3. Let us look up unto Jesus as hanging on the Cross and as sitting on the Throne this is the Apostles rule Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God These two are the objects of a Christians look who studies an heavenly conversation viz. Christ's Cross and Christ's Session by the Cross he is Author and by the Throne he is the Finisher of our faith in the first is set down his love to us in the second is set down our hope of him with high wisdom hath the Holy Ghost exhorted us with these two motives to run and not to faint first here is love love in the Cross Who loved us Eph. 5.2 and gave himself for us a sacrifice on the Cross secondly Here is hope hope in the Throne To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne Rev. 3.21 After Christ's death he rose again ascended and is now set down at the right hand of the Throne of God and the same is our blessed hope Christ's Throne is not onely his place but ours also the love of his Cross is to us a pledge of the hope of his Throne or of whatsoever else he is worth Come then and settle your thoughts and looks on this blessed object a sight of Christ's Cross but especially of Christ's Throne is a blessed means to wean us from the World and to elevate and raise up our affections to things above yea to form and frame our conversation towards Heaven 4. Let us wait for the appearing of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Where a man's conversation is there his expectations may be and where his expectations are there a man's conversation is and will be if we expect ere long that the Lord Jesus will appear in glory and that we shall see him not with other but with these same eyes the very waiting
I will not say that the very blood which Christ shed on the Cross is now in heaven nor that it speaks in heaven these cryings are merely Mataphorical yet this I maintain as real and proper that the power merit and vertue of Christ's blood is presented by our Saviour to his Father both as a publick satisfaction for our sin and as a publick price for the purchase of our glory 3. Christ's Intercession consists in the presenting of his will his request his interpellation for us John 17.24 grounded upon the vigor and vertue of his glorious merits Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me This was a piece of Christ's prayer while yet he was on earth and some say it is a summary of Christ's Intercession which now he makes for us in his glory he prayed on earth as he meant to pray for us when he came to heaven he hints at this in the beginning of his Prayer for he speaks as if all his work had been done on earth John 17.4 5. and as if then he were even beginning his work in heaven I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was I know it is a question whether Christ now in heaven do indeed and truth and in right propriety of speech pray for us some able Divines are for the Negative others for the Affimative For my part leaving a liberty to those otherwise minded according to their light I am of opinion that Christ doth not only intercede by an interpretative Prayer as in the presenting of himself and his merits to his Father but also by an express prayer or by an express and open representation of his will and to this opinion methinks these Texts agree I will pray the Father John 14.16 John 16.26 27. and he shall give you another Comforter and at that day ye shall ask in my Name and I say unto you that I will pray the Father for you when he saith I say not that I will pray for you it is the highest intimation that he would pray for them as it is our phrase I do not say that I will do this or that for you no not I when indeed we will most surely do it and do it to purpose Austin confirms this orat pro nobis orat in nobis oratur a nobis c. He prays for us he prays in us and he is prayed to by us he prays for us as he is our Priest Aug. Prefat in psalm 85. and he prays in us as he is our Head and he is prayed to by us as he is our God Ambrose tells us That Christ so now prays for us as sometimes he prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail Amb. super ad Roman 8. Methinks I imagine as if I heard Christ praying in heaven in this Language O my Father I pray not for the World I will not open my lips for any one Son of perdition but I imploy all my blood and all my prayers and all my interests with thee for my dear beloved precious Saints it is true thou hast given me a personal glory which I had with thee before the World was and yet there is another glory I beg for and that is the glory of my Saints O that they may be saved why I am glorified in them they are my joy John 17.10 13 24. and therefore I must have them with me where I am thou hast set my heart upon them and thou thy self hast loved them 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 with me where I am If I have any glory they must have part of it this is my prayer that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Why thus Christ prayed while he was on Earth and if this same prayer be the summary of Christ's intercession or interpellation now he is in heaven we may imagine him praying thus it were too nice to question whether Christ's prayer in heaven be vocal or mental certainly Christ presents his gracious will to his Father in heaven some way or other and I make no question but he fervently and immoveably desires that for the perpetual vertue of his sacrifice all his members may be accepted of God and crowned with glory nor only is there a cry of his blood in heaven but Christ by his prayer seconds that cry of his blood an argument is handed to us by Master Goodwin thus As it was with Abel Goodwin Christ set forth so it is with Christ Abels blood went up to heaven and Abels soul went up to heaven and by this means the cry of Abels dead blood was seconded by the cry of Abels living soul his cause cryed and his soul cryed as it is said of the Martyrs that the souls of them that were slain for the Testimony which they held cryed with a loud voice saying how long Lord Holy and True dost thou not judge and avenge our blood that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.9 10. even so it is with Christ his blood went up to heaven and his soul went up to heaven yea his body soul and all his whole person went up to Heaven and by this means his cause cryes and he himself seconds the cry of his cause Jesus Christ in his own person ever liveth to make Intercession for us he ever liveth as the great Master of requests to present his desires that those for whom he dyed may be saved 4. Christ's Intercession consists in the presenting of our persons in his own person to his Father so that now God cannot look upon the Son but he must behold the Saints in his Son are they not members of his body in near relation to himself and are not all his Intercessions in behalf of them and only of them but how are all the Elect carried up into heaven with Jesus Christ and there set down before his Father in Jesus Christ I answer not actually but mystically when Christ intercedes he takes our persons and carries them in unto God the Father in a most unperceiveable way to us for the way or manner I leave it to others for my part I dare not be too inquisitive in a secret not revealed by God only this we say that Christ presents our persons to his Father in his own person and this was plainly shadowed out by that act or office of the high Priest who went into the holy of holies Exod. 28.12 with the names of all the Tribes of Israel upon his shoulders and upon his breast
were to mediate for the people and the people had experience that God would hearken to the cry of their Priest 1 Sam 12.18 19 23. Samuel called unto the Lord and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day And all the people said to Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God And Samuel said unto the people God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Now such an High-Priest as this though with far more eminency is Christ to God he intercedes for his people God forbid that he should ever cease to pray for his people and he hath God's ear in especial manner if ever God lend his ear to any one it must needs be to this High-Priest because of his office to intercede betwixt God and his people Christ stands in the middle or indeed next to God as he is in these Gospel-times our great High-Priest and therefore he must needs prevail with God in every petition he puts up for us Heb. 5.4 5. 2. That Christ was called to this office by God Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest no no but he was called of God as Aaron was it was God the Father that designed him to it and that furnished him for it and that invested him in it Psalm 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Now to what purpose should God call him to this office but especially to intercede for them to whom God was willing to communicate salvation it was God's mind as well as Christ's mind to save his Elect and this was the way where on they agreed that an High-Priest should be appointed and an office of intercession should be erected and by that means the salvation purchased should be applied many times we are apt to conceive legal or law-thoughts of God the Father as that he is just and severe and that Christ his Son is more meek and merciful but this cannot be for there are not two infinite wills not two infinite mercies one in the Father another in the Son but one will and one mercy in both And to that purpose observe but the readiness of God the Father to receive Christ honourably into heaven that he might do the work of the High Priest there no sooner had Christ entred through the gates into the City but presenly sit thou down saith God at my right hand but to what end surely not only to rule as King of which we have spoken before but also to intercede as our great High Priest hence we find in Scripture that Christ's session and intercession his Kingly and Priestly office are joyned together Heb. 8.1 He is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens he who why Christ our High Priest we have such an High Priest who is set down It is as if Christ at his enterance into heaven had said My Father I am come hither as the great High Priest having on his breast-plate the names of all the Elect and I come to intercede for poor sinners what shall I have welcome on these same terms to whom the Father replied Welcome my son my only Son on these very terms come sit thee down and interede for whom thou pleasest I have called thee on purpose to this very office and thou shalt prevail Surely the Father is engaged to purpose to hear the Son in that he is an High Priest to God and called to his office by God 3. That Christ is God's Son and that is more than God's High Priest he is his natural Son his beloved Son his Son that never gave him the least offence sure then when he comes and intercedes for a man he is most like to speed if a gracious child do but cry my Father my Father he may prevail very much especially with a Father who is tender-hearted Jesus Christ is the gracious precious Son of God the father and God the Father is a dear and kind-hearted Father how then should the intercessions of Christ but be most powerful with God hence some gather the prevalency of Christ's intercession because in many places of Scripture where this part of Christ's Priest-hood or intercession is laid down this Sonship is also expressed or set forth Heb. 4.14 Heb. 5.5 6. as we have a great High Priest entered into the heavens Jesus the Son of God And thou art an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech But immediately before Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee O needs must the intercession of such a Son be very prevalent I say of such a Son for was ever any Son like this Son of God was ever any Son so like his Father or so equal with his Father we know he is a begotten Son and yet never begun to be a Son he is the Son of the Father and yet never begun to have a Father he is a branch of the King of ages and yet in all the ages past was never younger surely all the relations of Son and Father in the World are but a shadow of this relation betwixt God and Christ it is so near that though they are two as in all relations there must needs be relatum and correlatum yet Christ speaks of them as if they were but one I and my Father are one John 10.30 if then the Father should deny him any thing he should deny himself or cease to be one with his Son which can never be Christ is God's Son his natural Son his beloved Son Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith God O then how prevalent must Christ's intercession be with God 4. That Christ is God himself not only God's Son but God himself how powerful in this respect must his intercessions be unto the Father it is true that Christ is another subsistence and person from the Father but Christ is one and the same God with the Father Christ is the very essential substantial and noble representation of God himself Christ is the very self of God both God sending and God sent Christ is the fellow of God Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow Zach. 13.7 nay Christ is God and not another God but one God God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Can we imagine now that God himself should be denied any boon of God himself if God sometimes spoke to his servants Ask of me Isa 45.11 command ye me concerning all the work of mine hands will not God much more say to God Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance Psal 2.8 and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession we have brought it now so near that if God be God
and God be Omnipotent that he can do and can have whatsoever he pleases then Christ being one God with his Father he must needs prevail it is but ask and have let him ask what he will 5. That Christ is God's darling upon this very account because he intercedes for his People Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10.17 that I might take it again I lay it down by suffering and I take it again by rising ascending up into heaven and interceding there and therefore doth my Father love me O the love of God to Christ and of God in Christ to all his Saints God so loved the world that he gave his Son and Christ so loved the world that he gave himself and now again because Christ gave himself and his gift is as a sweet smelling savour unto God therefore God loves Christ O what a round of love is here God loves Christ and Christ loves us and the Father loves Christ again for loving of us there is not an act of Christ in his work of our redemption but the Father looks on it with love and liking Mat. 3.17 Isa 53.11 at his baptism lo a voice came from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased at his death He seeth of the travel of his soul and he is satisfied at his ascension he heareth of the intercessions of his soul and he is delighted Christ's intercessions are God's musick and therefore as sometimes Christ spoke to his Spouse Cant. 2.14 so God speaks to Christ Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Now Christ's intercessions must needs prevail when God love's Christ for his intercessions sake if before the world was made Prov. 8.29 30. the Son was his Fathers darling for it is said When he appointed the foundations of the earth then I was by him and as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight In the Original delights intimating that the eternal Son was variety of delights to his Father O then what delights what variety what infinite of delights hath God in Christ now interceding for us what a dear darling is Christ to God when not only he stands by him but he represents to him all the Elect from the beginning to the end of the World q. d See Father look on my breast read hear all the names of those thou hast given me as Adam and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob of the Twelve Tribes and of the Twelve Apostles of all the Martyrs Professors and Confessors of the Law and Gospel I pray for them I Pray not for the World but only for them for they are mine methinks I hear God answer What my Son and what the Son of my womb and what the Son of my vows hast thou begotten me thus many Sons and are all these mine why then ask what thou wilt and have what thou pleasest I am as strongly inclined and disposed to give thee grant as thou wouldst have it it is my joy my delight my pleasure to save these souls and surely the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in thy hands 6. That Christ is God's Commander I speak it with reverence as well as petitioner it is a phraze given to the servants of God command ye me and may we not give it to the Son of God Christians God is as ready to do us service as if we had him at command Isa 45.11 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and in this sense we may boldly say that God the Father is as ready to hear Jesus Christ as if he had him at command not that in deed and reality he commands God but that in deed and truth he commands all below God and he commands all in the stead of God And to this purpose is that voice of God I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Psalm 2.6 and why my King I dare not say he is God's King as if God were Christ's inferior or Christs subject God forbid why then my King I answer he is God's King because appointed by God or he is God's King John 5.22 because he rules in the stead of God The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son God hath given away all his prerogatives unto Jesus Christ so that now the King of Saints can do what he will with God and with all the world only it follows Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance as if the Father should have said I cannot deny thee and yet O my Son I would have thee ask do what thou wilt in Heaven Earth and Hell I have not the heart indeed I have not the power to deny thee any thing onely acknowledg this power to be originally in my self that all that honour the Son may honour the Father and all that honour the Father may honour the Son These are the terms betwixt God the Father and God the Son Oh then how powerfull and prevailing are Christs intercessions with his Father if he ask who hath power to command there is little question of prevailing in his suit We have heard in our days of a suit managed with a petition in one hand and a sword in the other and what the effect is all now can tell As a King who sues for peace backt with a potent Army able to win what he intreats for must needs treat more effectually so Christ sueing to his Father for his Saints with a power sufficient to obtain what he sues for he must needs effect what his desires may be it is well observed that Christ is first said to sit at God's right hand and then to intercede he treats the salvation of sinners as a mighty Prince treats the giving up of some Town which lyes seated under a Castle of his that commands the Town or he treats the salvation of sinners as a Commander treats the surrendring of a person already in his hands it is beyond God's power I speak iâ— with submission to deny his Son in any thing he asks Exod. 32.10 if the Lord sometimes cryed out to Moses like a man whose hands are held Let me alone how much more doth Christ's intercession bind God's hands and command all in Heaven Earth and Hell hence we say that God the Father hath divested himself of all his power and given the keys into Christ's own hands I am he that liveth and was dead Rev. 1.18 and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keys of hell and death there is no man goes to Hell but he is lockt in by Jesus Christ and there is no man goes to Heaven but he is lockt in there by Jesus Christ he hath the keys of all men's eternities hanging
at his own girdle if he but say Father I will that this man and that woman shall inherit Heaven the Father cannot but reply my Son I have no power to deny thy suit Thou hast the keys of Heaven in thine own hands be it even as thou wilt 7. I shall only add this on the Fathers part that God is Christ's Commander to this office as well as Christ is God's Commander in this office O why should we have hard thoughts of God the Father more than of God the Son is he not as willing of our salvation as Jesus Christ surely 't was the Oath of God I mean of God the Father As I live saith the Lord I would not have the death of a sinner Ezek. 33.11 but that the wicked turn from his sin and live Was not this the first salute of God to Christ when he first entered into heaven Sit thou here on this throne Psalm 2.7 8. and ask what thou wilt of thy Father nay did not the Father prevent the Son in laying his commands upon him to ask before the Son opened his mouth to speak a word by way of any requests to God his Father Thou art my Son this day even this day of thy resurrection ascension session have I begotten thee ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possessions q. d. Come Son thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee and though I have begotten thee from all eternity yet this day and every day I am begetting thee still I said to thee at thy resurrection this day have I begotten thee and I said to thee at thy ascension this day have I begotten thee and now ask and be not shy or modestly backward in petitioning I command thee to this Office I make thee here the great Master of requests in Heaven others may pray out of charity but none but thy self in a way of Justice Authority and Office and therefore ask boldly and largly open thy mouth wide and I will fill it O what a demonstration of love is this not onely to Christ but to us in Christ that when man had offended his God broke covenant with God and turned enemy to God that then God the Father should seek peace with man offer conditions of peace to man and for that purpose should appoint a Mediator an Intercessor and call his Son to that office and now he is in Heaven that he should bid him do his office and ask freely so that if the Elect be not saved it should be laid on the score of Christ Goodwin Christ exalted for the Father is most willing Surely here 's more than intimation of the Father's inclination to accept of Christs intercessions on our behalf we may read here that the Fathers heart is as much towards us as Christs own heart Oh he is full of bowels he is gentle and easie to be intreated Christ needs not much a do to get his grant Christ adds not by his intercession one drop of love to the heart of God onely he draws it out which otherwise would have been stopt nor doth he broach it before his Father command him to it Oh then how Powerful and prevailing must Christ's intercessions be SECT X. Of the reasons of Christ's Intercession 10. WHat are the reasons of this great transaction of Christ's intercession for his people I answer 1. It is the Fathers will that it should be so he called Jesus Christ to this office Ezek. 36.36 37. the command of God is upon Jesus Christ Ask what thou what wilt for thy redeemed ones I willingly engage my self to grant onely it is my pleasure thou shouldst ask as sometimes he said to the house of Israel I the Lord have spoken and I will do it notwithstanding I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them so saith God to Christ I the Lord have spoken and I will do it only my Son I will be enquired of by thee I look upon this as the main reason of Christ's intercession Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight it 's God's will that Christ should intercede 2. It is the Father's love to engage his Son for his own people O the comfort of a sound Christian in this respect what art thou in temptation or desertion surely Christ is engaged by God to petition for thee thou hast put up many petitions to Christ and he hath put them all up unto God he could do no otherwise for he is in place an Advocate to mention and plead such cases as are moved to him Methinks I imagine God thus bespeaking his Son See thou do this poor soul good my Son here is for him according to all his needs only ask according to what thou knowest will make him happy must he have my Spirit my comforting Spirit will no less no cheaper thing serve his turn then here it is Oh how is Christ engaged now to petition for them whom God loves and for whom he gave himself surely if Christ should leave to intercede for such he would displease his Father which we know he would not do he would undergo Hell first 3. It is Christ's own inclination to do his Office the power that Christ hath for the good of Sinners is necessarily acted as the Sun shines upon all the World and it cannot do otherwise so Christ the Son of righteousness shines or intercedes for all his Saints and he can do no less what is the will of the Father is the will of Christ I mean the will of Christ naturally not artificially in a way of self-denial as God's will it is said to be our will so that what the Father would have Christ own he cannot but own for the same Spirit is in Christ which is is in the Father and in the self-same measure As God is captivated with love towards all captives so am I saith Christ as God would have all be saved and to come to the knowledg of the truth so would I too saith Christ The very same bottomless sea of love that fluctuates in my Father's brest John 10.30 it is in my brest For I and the Father are one 4. It is Christ's honour to intercede hereby is the Crown set on Christ's head much honour and glory redowns to Jesus in this very respect I believe all the work that 's done in Heaven it is Christ interceding and the Saints and Angels praising Christ intercedes for ever and the four beasts and four and twenty-Elders sing for ever Rev. 4.8 9 10 11. an argument of Christ's honour by Christ's intercession is given in thus by Master Goodwin if it were not for Christ's intercession Goodwins Christ set forth how would the Office of Christ's Priesthood be out of work And this reason is more than intimated Heb. 7.24 25. Heb. 7.24 25. This man because he
continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood and the work of his Priesthood is interpreted ver 25. To make intercession for ever The meaning of this is that God would not have him continue to be a Priest in title only or in respect onely of a service past and so to have only the honour of Priesthood perpetuated to him out of the remembrance of what he once had done But God would have him to enjoy as the renown of the old to a perpetual spring of honour by this new work of intercession and so to preserve the verdure of his glory ever fresh and green and the sum of the Apostles reasoning is this that seeing himself was to be for ever so his work of Priesthood should be for ever that so his honour might be preserved and continued for ever also 5. It is Christ's love to his Saints his heart is so inamoured with his Saints that therefore he intercedes for them for ever Love is as strong as death it is never weary of doing good for the party beloved now Christ's Saints are Christ's love My sister my love Cant. 5.2 Mal. 3.17 John 15.19 Isa 43.20 my dove the Saints in Christ's books are so many jewels And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hoasts in that day when I make up my jewels the Saints are Christ's only choyce the very flower of the Earth You have I chosen out of the world and ye are my people my chosen All the World is Christ's refuge and Kings are but morter to him onely the Saints are Christ's chosen they are they whom the Lord in his eternal councels hath set a part for himself But know saith the Psalmist that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly psalm 4.3 The Saints are Christ's image i.e. the resemblance of Christ in all that which is his chief excellency I mean in his righteousness and holiness as if I would take the picture of a man I would not draw it to resemble his back-parts but as near as I could I would draw it to life the very face and countenance so are the Saints the very picture the image the draught of God in his top excellency The Saints are in covenant with Jesus Christ and therefore in nearer relation than any others hence it is that they are called the portion of God the treasure of God the peculiar people of God those that God and Christ satisfie themselves in those that God and Christ have set their hearts on the children of God the Father the very Spouse and bride of God the Son in some respect nearer than the Angels themselves for the Angels are not so married to Christ in a mystical union as God's people are now is it any wonder that those who are so very dear to Christ should be in the prayers of Christ if they were so much in his heart that sometimes be shed his blood for them will he not now intercede for O yes to this end he carries them on his breast or heart as near as near may be that they may be in a continual remembrace before the Lord for ever his very love compels him to this office to intercede for them 6. It is Christ's delight to intercede for his Saints before the world was Prov. 8.31 Psalm 40 7 8. His delights were with the sons of men and when the fulness of time came then said he Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O my God and what was that but to be with the sons of men he knew that was his Fathers pleasure and in respect of himself he had a delight to live with them and to dye for them and no sooner he entred into Heaven but there he delights to officiate still in behalf of the sons of men he carries their names on his heart there and though some of their persons be on earth and he in his bodily presence is in Heaven yet distance of place cannot deaden his delights in the remembrance of them he is ever minding his Father of his people in the neather world he tells him that they are his all in all upon the earth all his joy and all his delight and all his portion as men use to give portions to their children so God having but one Son by eternal generation he hath given the Elect unto him as his portion and hence he makes it his great business in Heaven to provide mansions for his portion to take up God's heart for his portion to beg favour and love for his portion Here 't is the joy of Christ in Heaven in going to his Father and telling him Why Father I have a small portion yet on earth and because they are on earth they are still sinning against thy Majesty but I have suffered and satisfied for their sins and hither am I come to mind Thee of it and contiunally to get out fresh pardons for new sins come look on my old satisfaction didst Thou not promise Isa 53.11 12. is it not in the Articles of agreement betwixt Thee and me that I should see of the travel of my soul and should be satisfied didst Thou not say that because I poured out my soul therefore Thou wouldst divide me a portion with the great and the spoyle with the strong O my Father now I make intercession for the transgressors give me out pardons for an hundred thousand millions of sins Thou hast said and sworn that Thou hast no pleasure in the death of sinners and it is my pleasure my joy my infinite delight to save sinners these are my seed my portion my redeemed ones and therefore let them be saved Thus Christ intercedes and his delight in his Saints as knowing it to be his Fathers mind draws him on to this intercession indeed this reason hangs upon that primary and first reason it is God's will that Christ should intercede as it is Christ's delight to do the will of his Father in Heaven I delight to do thy Will O my God 7. It is Christs compassion that causeth intercession Christ is such an high Priest Heb. 4.15 saith the Apostle as cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmities He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin When he was on earth he felt our infirmities frailties miseries and as a man that hath felt the Stone or Gout or Fever or especially that hath felt soul-troubles cannot but compassionate those that are in the like condition so Christ having had the experience of our outward and inward sufferings he cannot but compassionate us and hence it is his very compassion's moving that he intercedes to his Father in our behalf It is observed that the very office or work of the High-Priest was to sympathize with the people of God onely in the case of the death of his kindred he was not as others to sympathize or mourn but Jesus Christ goes beyond all
wide Ocean of delights there is room enough but herein I must leave thee in the duty for I can but point at the several particulars whereon thou mayst enlarge O think on it that Christ and Christ's blood and Christ's prayers should be all at work that Christ should play the Advocate and plead thy cause and perfume thy duties with his Incense and take thy person in an unperceivable way to God his Father and cry there O my Father be merciful to this sinner pardon his sin and save his soul for the sake of Jesus O blessed mediation O blessed is the man that on this blessed object knows how to meditate both day and night 8. Consider of the power and prevalency of Christ's intercessions with his Father Is he not to this puropose a Priest to God and called thereto by God is he not the Son of God yea God himself is he not God's Darling God's Commander as well as Petitioner nay is not the hand of God himself in this design is not the Fathers heart as much towards us and our salvation as Christ's own heart as sure then as Christ is gone into Heaven with thy name engraven on his heart so sure shalt thou follow him and be with him where he is Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect who is he that condemneth where Christ becomes Patron to defend against the sentence of damnation it is in vain for Sin or Law or Sathan to attempt any thing for as an innocent person is safe so long as he hath his learned Advocate to answer all Objections so it is with Believers who have Christ himself both Judge and Advocate a sure Advocate he ever prevails in whatsoever he undertakes he was never yet cast in any suit he hath for these Sixteen Hundred years carried away all the causes of hundreds thousands and millions of souls why he is so dear and near to his Father that he can work him to any thing he will And O my soul if thou hast any relation to Jesus Christ is not here comfort I dare in the Name of Christ be thy warrant and give it under my hand that if Christ pray for thee Christ will be sure to save thee he never yet failed he never will fail in any of his suits to God Oh consider of this 9. Consider of the reasons of Christ's intercession many are given but this may be sufficient It is Gods own Ordinance the very wisdom of God found out this way to save our souls viz. that an High-Priest should be appointed who should die for sinners and afterward present his death to his Father by way of intercession in their behalf Some may look upon this as needless what could not God have pardoned our sins and saved our souls without a Priest I shall not dispute God's power but if any will let such a one tell me what way could his own wisdome have found out to heaven between the wrath of God and the sin of man I believe it would have posed all the wisdom of the world of Men and Angels to have reconciled God's mercy in the salvation of man and his justice in the condemnation of sin to have poured out hell upon the sin and yet to have bestowed heaven upon the sinner now then if God himself did study to find out this way and that he hath said This is my pleasure that Christ my Son shall be a Priest and that he shall offer himself and Present himself and his offering and his prayer to me for his People O my soul rest on this as the very ordination of God admire at the contrivance of God say O the depth question no further only Meditate and ponder and consider of it till thou feelest Christ's intercession darting its influence and efficacy on thy sin-sick soul SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession I cannot but wonder what a dulness seizeth on my heart and on all the hearts of the Sons of men that we have no more longings after Christ whose heart is ever panting and longing after us Surely we do not set our selves to find out experimentally the sweetness that is in Christ if there were not another object to think upon but only this one of Christ's intercession is not here enough to put us all into a teeming longing frame O my soul rouze up and set this blessed object before thy face take a full view of it untill thy affections begin to warm and thou beginst to cry Oh for my part in Christ's intercession Oh I would not be left out of Christ's heavenly prayers for ten thousand worlds come and be serious the object is admirably sweet and precious long for it pant after it God understands the Rhetorick of thy breathing as well as of thy cry But what is there in Christ's intercession that is so desirable I answer 1. In Christ's intercession lyes the present transaction of our souls salvation Such passages as hitherto we have spoken of are done and past the transactions of eternity were at an end when time began the transactions of Christ promised had their period when Christ was incarnate the transactions of Christ's Birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension are now above a thousand and six hundred years old I know the vertue and influence of all these transactions continue and will continue for ever and ever but the several actings had their periods and only Christ's session and mission of his spirit and his blessed intercession both were and now are the very present imployment of Jesus Christ If it were possible that we could see into Heaven if with Stephen we could look up steadfastly and see the Heavens opened if our eyes by an extraordinary power were carryed through that azure sky and through all till we come to the Holy of Holies and to Jesus Christ in his glory what should we see but Christ interceding Christ busie with his Father in his poor Saints behalf now he prayes now he presents his person merits intercession interpellation q. d. Father here are a company of Rebels justly fallen under thy displeasure they deserve to be set at an eternal distance from thee but I must needs have them pardoned and received into thy bosom come make thine own terms let justice require never so great satisfaction I have paid a price sufficient for all and effectual for them give them what laws thou pleasest I will undertake they shall observe them and to this purpose away away holy spirit go to such and such souls enable them to their duties yea enable them in duty and sanctifie them throughout in souls bodies and spirits Why this is the present transaction of Jesus Christ and therefore most desirable methinks I long to know what Christ is now a doing in Heaven for my soul and is it not thus is not all his time spent either
in reading pardons for his redeemed ones or in presenting petitions from them and pleading for them Surely he is still interceding every day it is his present work for our souls O desirable work 2. In this present transaction lies the application of all Christ's former actings whether of his habitual righteousness or of his active and passive obedience All those passages of Christ's incarnation conception circumcision birth life and death which more especially we look upon as the meritorious causes of our salvation had been nothing to us if they had not been applyed by Christ they were the means of impetration but Christ's intercession is the means of application Christ purchased salvation by those precedaneous acts but he possesseth us of our salvation by this perfective and consummate act of his intercession The order of this is laid down by the Apostle Heb. 5.8 9 10. in that first He learned obedience by the things which he suffered and then being made perfect he became the Author or applying cause of eternal salvation to all them that obey him being to this purpose called of God an High-Priest after the order of Melchizedeck Now is not this the desirable act above all other acts Alas what am I better for a Mine of Gold in such or such or such a field in which I have no propriety at all I am throughly convinc'd that Christ's merits are most precious merits but oh that they were mine Oh that Christ's intercessions would bring the salve and lay it to my sore Oh that I could hear that voice from Heaven My son I was incarnate for thee and conceived for thee and born for thee and circumcised for thee and I did the Law and suffered the penalty for thee and now I am interceding that thy very soul may have the benefit of all my doings and of all my sufferings Why if Christ's intercessions be the applying cause if it bring home to my soul all the former transactions of Christ saying All these are thine even thine oh how desirable must this intercession be 3. In this application lies that communion and fellowship which we have with the Father and the Son John 17.21 I pray for these that as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Understand this soberly we cannot think that there should be that oneness in equalitie betwixt God and us as betwixt God and Christ no no but there is oneness in similitude and reallity even in this life by vertue of Christ's intercession we have oneness with God and Christ not onely in comforts but also in graces I pray you mark this when I speak of communion with God in this life I mean especially the communication of grace between God and the soul on God's part there 's a special influence of grace and favour to man and on man's part there is a special return of grace and honour to God Some trembling souls are apt to think that all communion with God and Christ consists only in the comforts of the holy spirit whereas Christians may as really and advantagiously have communion with God in secret conveyances of grace inward supports in a concealed acceptation of service in the hidden drawings of the soul God-ward as in the more open and comfortable manifestations of God unto the soul communion with God is a familiar friendship I speak it in an holy humble sence now do we not as usually go to a friend for councel and advice as for comfort and cheering in a friends bosom we intrust our sorrows as well as our joys Suppose a soul even spiritually overwhelmed and ready to break be taking it self unto God and venting it self before the Lord now if afterwards the soul hath no more case than by the bare lanching of the sore if God pours in no balm at all but only gives support shall we say that this soul in this case hath no communion with God O yes in God's secret visits of the soul and in the souls restless groping after God though nothing but darkness be apprehended yet that soul lives in the light of God's countenance the Sun shines though a cloud interposeth God smiles though the soul do not perceive it or certainly thou hast his strengthening-supporting presence if not his shining John 17.23 now this is the fruit of Christ's blessed intercession and this is the subject-matter of Christ's intercessions O my Father that these may be one in us I in them and thou in me I in them by the influence and power of my Spirit and thou in me by the fulness and power of the Godhead And is not this a most desirable thing 4. In this communion lyes the vision and fruition of Jesus Christ in glory grace brings to glory If communion here we shall have communion hereafter and this also is a part of Christ's prayer and intercession Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am John 17.24 that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Jesus cannot be in Heaven long without his Saints indeed it is impossible that Christ should be in Heaven and that pieces and bits of Christ-mystical should be in Hell or yet long on Earth Christ will draw in his Legs and Members on earth up nearer to the Head certainly Christ and you that are believers must be under one roof ere long Is not he gone before to prepare a place yea many mansions for you John 14.2 we think them happy on earth that have their many stately Halls and Palaces their summer and their winter-houses O Christians how happy will you be when you come to be Lords and Heirs of many stately Mansions in the streets of Heaven but what speak I of Mansions now I am naming Christ Mansions are nothing many Mansions are but little yea many Mansions in Christ's Fathers house are but created chips of happiness in comparison of that communion which by vertue of Christ's intercession we shall have with Christ It is the saying of an eminently learned holy Divine Sam. Rutherford I should refuse heaven saith he if Christ were not there take Christ away from Heaven and it 's but a poor dark heartless dwelling Heaven without Christ would look as the direful land of death And therefore after Christ had spoke of many Mansions and of a place that he would prepare for his Saints he adds further to increase their joy John 14.3 I will come again saith he and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Mansions are but as places of bryers and thornes without Jesus Christ and therefore I would have Heaven for Christ and not have Christ for Heaven O this communion with Christ is above all desirable and this is the subject-matter of Christ's prayer Father I would have the Saints to be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Why this is the
communion which the Saints shall have with Christ never will their eyes be off-him never will their thoughts wander after any other objects O the intimacy that will be then betwixt Christ and Christians Oh what communication of glory will there be to each other These shall walk with me saith Christ for they are worthy Rev. 3.4 O my soul if this be the business of Christ's intercession if all these particulars are contained in the bowels of this one transaction how is it that thou art not in a fainting swoon how is it that thou art not gasping groaning sick unto death with the vehement thirst after thy part and portion in Christ's intercession if there be such a thing as the passion of desire in this heart of mine O that now it would break out Oh that it would vent it self with mighty longings and infinite aspirings after this blessed Object why Lord I desire but help thou my faint desires blow on my dying spark it is but little and if I know any thing of my heart I would have it more Oh that my spark would flame why Lord I desire that I might desire Oh breath it into me and I will desire after thee SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in this respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession It is good that a man should hope Indeed if it were not for hope Lam. 3.26 the heart would not hold only look that our hope be true hope very hypocrites have a kind of hope but if God's Word be true The hope of unjust men shall perish Prov. 11.7 Job 27.8 9. Job 8.13 14. What is the hope of the hypocrite Will God hear his cry whe◠trouble cometh upon him No no The hypocrites hope shall perish his hope shall be cut off and his trust shall be as a Spiders web O my soul hope in Jesus but rest not till thou canst give a reason of thy hope till thou canst prove that they are the hopes which Grace and not only Nature hath wrought that they are grounded upon Scripture-promises and sound evidences that they purifie the heart that the more thou hopest the less thou sinnest that they depend on sure and infallible causes as on the truth power and mercy of God on the merits mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ what is this last amongst the rest I mean the intercession of Christ the spring of thy hope canst thou follow the stream till it brings thee to this Fountain or Well-head of hope that now thou canst say O this intercession is mine come search and try it is worth the pains and to put thee out of question and in a more facile way of discerning I shall lay down these signs As 1. If Christ's intercession be mine then is the Spirits intercession mine or if thou wouldst rather argue from the effect to the cause then thus if the Spirit 's intercession be mine then is Christ's intercession mine In this case we need not to ascend up into Heaven to learn the truth rather let us descend into our own hearts and look whether Christ have given us of his spirit which makes us cry unto God with sighs and groans which cannot be expressed he that will know whether the Sun shine in the Firmament he must not climb into the clouds to look rather he must search for the beams thereof upon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the Sun shines in the Firmament O come and let us ransack our own consciences let us search whether we feel the Spirit of Christ crying in us Abba Father certainly these two are as the cause and the effect Christ's intercession in Heaven and his Spirits intercession on earth are as twins of a birth or rather such is the concatenation of these two that Christ's intercession in Heaven breeds another intercession in the hearts of his Saints It is the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all his Members that moves and stirs them up to cry Abba Father Here then is my Argument if Christ hath put his spirit into thy heart and if the Spirit hath set thine heart on work to make incessant intercessions for thy self then is Christ's intercession thine There is a kind of a round in the carrying on of this great work of intercession as 1. Christ intercedes for his people O that my Spirit might go down 2. God harkens to the intercession of Christ Away holy spirit get thee down into the hearts of such and such 3. The spirit waits on the pleasure of them both and no sooner down but he sends up his intercession back again Christ cries to God and God sends the spirit and the spirit goes and ecchoes in the hearts of Saints to the cries of Christ Gal. 4.6 Much of this is contained in that one Text God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crying as if he meerly acted our tongues Abba Father here is God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost and all are acting their parts on the elect people of God the Son intercedes O that my spirit may be given to these the Father willingly grants Away holy spirit and as my Son asketh enter and take possession of those sinful hearts the holy spirit obeys and no sooner in the hearts of his Saints but he cryes in them Abba Father God hears Christ and the spirit hears God and the Elect hear the spirit and now because the Spirit speaks in the Elect Mosea 2.21 God hears the Elect much like unto this is that of the prophet And it shall come to pass in that day I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and wine and oyl and they shall shall hear Jezreel O my soul to the test hath God sent forth the spirit of his Son into thy heart hast thou the in-dwelling of the Spirit and now by the help of the spirit canst thou pray with earnestness confidence and an holy importunity canst thou cry Abba Father Canst thou cry with earnestness Father with confidence and Abba Father or Father Father with an holy importunity why these are the very signs of the spirits intercession O my soul that thou wouldst deal faithfully with thy own self canst thou by the help of the spirit go to the Father in the name of Christ as Christ is gone before into the holy of holies to intercede so canst thou with boldness follow after Heb. 10.19 and enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Canst thou say God hath given me his spirit and his spirit hath shewed me Christ as my Mediator at the right hand of God and now under the wing of such a Mediator I can by the Spirits assistance go with boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with assuming a liberty to speak any thing I
Christ's intercession why this is the most perfect and consummate act of Christ's Priestly office this argues thy Christ to be a perfect Mediator and being a perfect Mediator no condition can be desperate And being made perfect saith the Apostle he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 9.5 now therefore lead up thy faith to this blessed object and thou hast under consideration the whole of Christ and the total of Christ's actings in this world from first to last in respect of mediation this is the Coronis the up-shot the period the consummation the perfection of all 8. Faith in going to Christ as interceding for us it is principally and mainly to look to the purpose end intent and design of Christ's intercession now the ends of Christ as in the reference unto us are these 1. That we might have communion and fellowship with the Father and the Son I pray for these that as thou Father art in me and I in thee John 17.21 they also may be one in us 2. That we might have the gift of the Holy Ghost I will pray the Father John 14.16 17. and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth 3. That we might have protection against all evil John 17.15 I pray saith Christ that thou wouldst keep them from the evil Some may object are not the faithful Subject to evils corruptions and temptations still how then is that part of the intercession of Christ made good unto us I answer the intercession of Christ is presently available only it is conveyed in a manner suitable and convenient to our present condition so as there may be left room for another life and therefore we must not conceive all presently done it is with us as with Malefactors doomed to death suppose the Supreme power should grant a pardon to be drawn though the grant be of the whole thing at once yet it cannot be written but word after word and line after line so the grant of our protection against all evil is made unto Christ at first but in the execution thereof there is line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little we know Christ prayed for Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not yet Peter's faith did shake and totter the prayer was not that there might be no failing at all but that it might not utterly and totally fail and in that respect Peter was protected Heb. 4.14 16. 4. That we might have free access to the Throne of Grace So the Apostle Seeing then we have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Heb. 10.23 and come boldly to the Throne of grace And again Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and having an high Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in a full assurance of faith 5. That we might have the inward interpellation of the Spirit which is as it were the Eccho of Christ's intercession in our heart Rom. 8.26 The Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It is the same Spirit groans in us which more distinctly and fully in Christ John 17.13 prayeth for us These things I speak in the world saith our Saviour that they might have my joy filled in themselves q. d. I have made this prayer in the world and left a record and pattern of it in the Church that they feeling the same heavenly desires kindled in their own hearts may be comforted in the workings of that Spirit of prayer in them which testifieth to their souls the quality of that intercession which I make for them in the Heaven of Heavens certainly there is a dependance of our prayer on Christ's prayer as it is with the Sun though the body of it abide in the Heavens yet the beams of it descend to us here on earth so the intercession of Christ though as tyed to his person it is made in Heaven yet the groans and desires of the touched heart as the beams thereof are here on earth 6. That we might have the sanctification of our services of this the Levitical Priests were a type Exod. 28.38 Rev. 8.3 For they bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel that they might be accepted and he is the Angel of the Covenant who hath a golden Censer to offer up the prayers of the Saints Some observe a three-fold evil in man of every of which we are delivered by Christ First an evil of state or condition under the guilt of sin Secondly an evil of nature under the corruption of sin Thirdly an evil in all our services by the adherency of sin for that which toucheth an unclean thing is made unclean thereby Now Christ by his righteousness and merits justifieth our persons from the guilt of sin and Christ by his Grace and Spirit doth in measure purifie our faculties from the corruption of sin and Christ by his incense and intercession doth cleanse our services from the adherency of sin so that in them the Lord smells a sweet favour and both we and our services find acceptance with God 7. That we might have the pardon of all sin It is by vertue of Christ's intercession that a Believer sinning of infirmity hath a pardon of course for Christ is his Advocate to plead his case or if he sin of presumption and the Lord give repentance he hath a pardon at the hands of God the Father by vertue of this intercession in a way of justice And to this end rather is Christ called an Advocate than a Petitioner 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father The work of an Advocate differs from the work of a Petitioner an Advocate doth not meerly petition but he tells the Judge what is Law and what ought to be done and so doth Christ O my Father saith Christ this soul hath indeed sinned but I have satisfied for his sins I have payed for them to the full now therefore in a way of equity and justice I do here call for this mans pardon If this were not so our estate would be most miserable considering that for every sin committed by us after repentance we deserve to be cast out of the love and favour of God our Father for ever and ever 8. That we might have continuance in the state of grace I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22.32 Some that dissent from us in the point of perseverance object that in our Saviour's Prayer for Peter there was somewhat singular but we say that in this Prayer there is nothing singular which is not common to all the faithful and unto such as are given unto Christ of the Father they
in his Kingly but now he must be fully honoured in his Kingly office Rev. 11.15 now especially The Kingdoms of this world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and so he shall reign for ever and ever Certainly there is a difference betwixt Christ's reign before and his present reign at the day of judgment Christ hath a double Throne wherein he sits and reigns Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne That Kingly rule that Christ hath from his ascension is upon his Fathers Throne but the Kingdom that Christ shall have at the day of judgment and ever after it is the joynt reign of him with the Father he shall have a Throne himself and the Saints shall sit with him in his own Throne And now saith the Father John 5.22 Sit thou at my right hand q. d. sit on thy own Throne by me go on to judge the Nations I will not judge them but only in thee and by thee Lo I have committed all judgment unto the Son and do thou judge them until thou hast rewarded thy friends and made thine enemies thy footstool Mark He hath committed all judgment unto the Son the Father gives the Son a Commission wherein is written as it were these words My Son now is the time or season which I had put in my own power and my pleasure is 2 Pet. 3.10 13. that all the world shall be set on fire these heavens under thee shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and I will have new heavens and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousness go too then put on thy robes appear in thy glory empty thiâ— heaven of all those glorious spirits that are therein and let them wait on thee to thy judgment seat go pass thy doom upon all flesh and send reprobates to hell and bring up hither all thy Saints that they may live with thee and here behold thy glory for ever and ever Lo here is thy commission be gone and return no more hither until it be accomplished Christians I cannot but wonder at this joy and exultation in Heaven Vse and that we have so little or none of this on earth we say with cold lips and frozen hearts Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven but if our prayers were real and fervent if we could but imitate those heavenly Citizens what longings would be in our hearts after Christ's coming how should we rejoyce at the very thoughts hereof Christ comforting his Disciples in respect hereof he speaks these words Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up said he and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The fulness of our redemption is a ground of consolation all the spirits above are sensible of this God and Christ and the Angels and Saints rejoyce Rev. 12.19 Ver. 20. and again rejoyce The Spirit and the Bride say come and Christ himself saith Surely I come quickly O let us say Amen to it Even so come Lord Jesus SECT II. Of Christ coming to judgment 2. FOr Christ's coming to judgment no sooner Christ prepared and all in readiness but down he descends from his Imperial throne to the Judgment-seat In this passage I shall observe these particulars 1. He descends with his Train He comes with his Royal Attendants out of Heaven This is the glory of a Prince that hath so many Nobles waiting on him and this is the glory of Jesus Christ that when he comes to judge the world he shall have his Saints and Angels the glory of the creation to be his Attendants in that work Behold the Lord comes with mighty Angels 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14. Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all Certainly a numberless number shall wait upon him Daniel tells us of a thousand thousand that this day Minister unto Christ A thousand thousands ministred unto him Dan. 7.10 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him or if Heaven have more I believe Heaven will empty it self of all the Saints and all the Angels not one Spirit whether Saint or Angel shall stay behind when Christ descends Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him Oh what a glorious day will this be if one Sun make the morning Sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious morning will that be when so many thousands of Suns shall shine over all our heads the glorious Body of our Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory here 's a new Heaven of Sun and Stars such as this nether-world never saw Lo yond the Sun of righteousness with all his Morning-stars singing and shouting for joy Heaven now empties it self of all its created Citizens and cleaves asunder to make way for Christ and all his Train Matth. 24.29 2. In his descent through the Heavens he shakes the Heavens And the powers of the heaven shall be shaken The whole frame of Heaven most strong and immutable in its being and motion or the mighty bodies thereof most mighty in their substance lastingness motion and operation shall be shaken I know by the powers of heaven some mean the Angels who at this wonderful descent of Christ shall admire and move but I rather think the Heavens themselves are meant hereby whose very nature shall be moved Job 26.11 and shaken at that day At his nod the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished As yet they are Subject to vanity and therefore 't is no wonder if at the coming of Christ they tremble and are moved In this moving or shaking the Evangelists adds that the glorious lights of Heaven shall be altered Matth. 24.29 The Sun shall be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light Adventum Christi tantam lucem allaturam ut ea solis lunae splendor obscuretur Aretius in loc Certissimum autem diem judicii magna majestate sore ut rede sol luna dicantur obscurandi Aretius in loc Psal 50.3 and the Stars shall fall Many interpretations are given of this I am not for Allegories but rather conceive these things are real the very coming of Christ shall bring with him such a light that the splendor of the Sun and Moon shall be obscured this is most certain saith Aretius that both Sun and Moon shall really be darkened at that day it is the glory of his Majesty that will dazle those Candles 3. As he passes through the Elementary world a fire doth usher him Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very
tempestuous round about him Whence this fire should come I shall not dispute only one tells us with some confidence * Suarez de renovatione mundi in 3. part Thomae Psal 97.3 Isa 66.15 2 Thes 1 7 8. Dan. 7.9 10. 2 Pet. 3.10 2 Pet. 3.11 12. that 't is begotten in the middle Region of the Air by Divine command and that first it goes before him ushering the Judge to the Judgment-seat and that there it stayes during the judgment and that ended and the doom passed on all flesh then it sets on fire all the world Let this pass as it may Scripture goes thus far that a fire goeth before him Behold the Lord will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire In which respect Daniel saw his throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him and at last this fire shall have that effect that the very Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up O Christians what cause have we to make the Apostles use on this point Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 4. He descends lower and lower till he is inwrapt with clouds Matth. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven When he went up into Heaven it is said that a cloud received him out of their sight Act. 1.9 and the Angels then said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come Act. 1.11 12. Dan 7.13 in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come down in clouds I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven Here is the first sight of Christ to men on the earth when once he is come down into the clouds then shall they lift up their eyes and have a full view of Jesus Christ a cloud first received him out of their sight and a cloud now discovers him to their sight Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven Matth. 24.30 and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory is it not plain that the first appearings and sight of Christ at his second coming from Heaven is in the midst of clouds Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 and they also which pierced him Some controversie there is about these clouds as whether they be Angels when the Psalmist speaks of all sorts of Meteors as of Waters Clouds Winds Flames some say all these are Angels and of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire For my part I take it in the literal sense that upon the very backs of clouds Christ shall come riding along at the general day and howsoever this may seem a small matter unto us yet I cannot look on any circumstance of this transaction as small and trifling the very clouds on which Christ rides speaks terror and comfort 1. Oh what a terror is this to the wicked Heb. 1.7 Matth. 24.30 Id de impiis solum intelligo ad quos planctus luctus ille miserandus solum pertinet Aretius in locum They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn These Tribes of the Earth are the Tribes of the wicked no sooner shall they look up and see Christ in his clouds but with unconceivable horror will they cry it out O yonder is he whose blood we neglected whose grace we resisted whose counsels we refused whose government we cast off O yonder is he that comes now in clouds in tempestuous clouds O see how he storms do not those very clouds in which he rides speak or threaten a storm In the eighteenth Psalm is a description of Christ's coming to judgment But O how terrible in the seventh verse we find the earth trembling in the eighth verse a fire devouring in the ninth verse the heavens bowing downwards in the 12 13 14 15. verses are thick clouds darkning the skie thunders lightnings hailestones flying through the air the foundations of the world discovered thus the Mighty God our Jesus descends Oh how should the wicked but tremble at this when but a consideration of this hath sometimes startled God's own people behold Habakkuk with quivering lips trembling joynts Hab. 3.16 bones mouldering into dust when he had onely a Prophetick representation of Christ's second appearance all the dreadful things that attended the presence of God in Egypt at the red Sea on Mount Sinai through the Wilderness are made but types but shadows of the terrible march of the Captain of the Lord of Hosts and therefore shall the wicked mourn 2. Here is the patience and faith and joy of Saints Rev. 1.7 And all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn over him even so Amen This I cannot but understand of the wicked onely some tell us of a double mourning on that day the one of joy and love and the other of sorrow and despair I shall not deny but there may be some sweet tears upon this sweet Subject Christ's apparition in the clouds Such a shine will be from Christ in the cloud that the very shine will pierce the hearts of men with the golden-headed arrow of love and how may this work tears Rev. 1.7 Hinc consequitur Christum in eo judicio cicatrices vulnerum ostensurum tanquam trophaeum infallibile contra omnes suos bostes Aret. in loco from this Text of John Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle c. Some Divines gather that Christ at that day will shew in his glorified body the wounds of his crucifying as an infallible trophy of his victory over all his enemies and hence the wicked who pierced or crucified the Lord of glory by their sins will weep and waile I can think no less but that Christ at that day will open his bosom and shew those wounds of love which he had in his heart from all eternity together with those wounds which he received on the Cross as they are glorified in his eternal love and then as at the discovery of Joseph he and his brethren fell upon the necks
ascension that have been interceding for thee and making ready the Bride-chamber where thou and I must live for ever and ever and now I come higher into the clouds to meet thee more than half the way and my meaning is to take thee by the hand and to bring thee to my Father now do I take thee for my own O my Sister my Spouse thou art as dear to me as my own dear heart come see into my bosom see here Love written in the golden letters of free-grace come near for I must have thee with me and I will never more be so strange to thee as to this day sometimes thy sins have made a wall of partition between me and thee sometimes I withdrew and was gone and I hid my self beyond the curtains and for a time thou hast layen hid in the closset of the grave but now wee 'l never part more anon I will bring thee to my Father and I will say to him Father behold here my Spouse that I have married unto my self in the mean time welcome to thy Jesus I have purchased thee with my blood I have paid dear for thee and now I 'll wear thee as a Crown and ornament for ever 5. Christ sets them on his right hand Psal 45.9 Vpon thy right hand doth stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir This is the sign of Christ's love and respect to his Saints when he himself ascended up into Heaven then said the Father to him Son sit thou down at my right hand and no sooner the Saints are ascended up to Christ but he speaks the same to them Sit thou down at my right hand Christ entertains them as God the Father entertained him he at the right hand of God and they at the right hand of Christ And herein is set forth the great exaltation of the Saints as Christ being set at God's right hand God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name so now are the Saints highly exalted by Jesus Christ now are they filled with unmatchable perfections now is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulness of perfection and fulness of honour and glory conferred upon them Vpon his right hand is set the Queen in gold of Opnir i e. in the best richest finest Gold the Lord now puts upon his Saints heavens glory he adorns them with all his ornaments fit for the marriage day and indeed here is the beginning of the solemnity of the marriage of the Lamb not but that the contract was before but the solemnity was reserved for this day and all the glory of this day is for nothing else but to set out the solemnity of the marriage As the Bridegroom on the day of nuptials comes forth in his glory and as the Bride on the marriage-day comes forth in her best array and as the servants and parents and friends and all appear on the marriage-day in as much glory as they can so Christ on this day comes forth in his glory with all his Angels in their glory and the Saints the Lambs wife The Kings Daughter is all glorious without and within Psal 45.13 Though Stars may lose their shining when the Sun ariseth yet the glory of the Saints shall be no less because of the Sun of righteousness but rather more This is the day that Christ shall honour his Saints before all the world come will he say and sit you down at my right hand as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats so will I separate you from wicked reprobates why you are they for whom the eternal councels of my Father did work you are they in whom I am now to be gloryfied for ever and therefore now will I exalt and advance and honour you sit here or stand here on my right hand O come come hither to the right hand of your Saviour 6. Hereupon Christ fully and actually joys in them and they in him he joys in them because now he sees of the travail of his soul he sees the issue of all his doings and sufferings hereon earth he sees now the great work he hath brought about to wit the glory of his Saints and he cannot but rejoyce therein As a man that makes a work that is very curious and glorious he takes abundance of delight to look upon it when God made the world he lok't upon what he made and he saw it was good and he delighted in it So Christ looks on his Saints and when he sees what he hath done in raising so poor a worm to so high an excellency he takes infinite delight therein now he sees that he hath attained his end in that great design and deepest councels that he had before the world he was then resolved to save a number of sinners and to bring them at last to himself that they might behold him in his glory and manifest the riches of his grace and to that purpose hath he still been carrying on the great work of souls salvation as we have heard and now that he sees it accomplished and fulfilled in them he must needs delight Ephes 3.17 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and to Zion let not thy hands be faint for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save thee he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing And as he joys in them so they cannot but rejoyce in him as he delights in their glory so they cannot but delight in his glory are they not at Christ's right hand and is not that the place of pleasure the Paradise of God Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore The very setting them on Christ's right hand is the beginning of Heavens joy Jude 24. The presence of Christ makes joy exceeding joy saith Jude oh but what joy what fulness of joy what exceeding joy will it be to be set at Christ's right hand now begins that joy that never never shall have end O the complacency which the blessed feel in their seeing knowing loving and being beloved of Jesus Christ O my Christ let me have tribulation here let me here spend my days in sorrow and my breath in sighings punish me here cut me in pieces here burn me here so that I may there be placed at thy right hand for then joy will come and sorrow will vanish sorrow is but for a night this night of life but joy will come in the morning of the resurrection and it never shall be night again SECT V. Of Christ's sentencing his Saints 5. FOR Christ sentencing of his Saints no sooner are they set on his right hand but he prepares for sentence in the opening of which we must consider 1. The preparative 2. The sentence it self 1. The preparative before sentence will be some exploration or trial of the parties to be sentenced
now shall pass away with a great noise 11 12. that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and that the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up and doth he not infer thereupon in the eleventh and twelfth verses that all these things shall be dissolved and in the thirteenth verse that we are therefore to look for new heavens and a new earth dissolution mends not a fabrick but destroyes it how then should that which is dissolved be said to be reserved and let stand surely if Peter had thought of this refining only some words of his would have intimated so much The end of these creatures was for man's use and man using them no more to what end should they be reserved to say for a monument of what hath been or for the habitation of the Saints or for an out-let for the Saints descending sometimes from the highest heavens to solace themselves here below are but groundless surmises and deserve no answer at all 2. Positively by new heavens and a new earth is meant the heaven of heavens and place of glory Now these heavens are termed new not in regard of their new making but of our new taking possession of them for our new habitation and they are called heavens and earth because they come in stead of that heavenly covering and that earthly habitation which we now enjoy so that the Text may well bear this paraphrase we look for new heavens i.e. the supreme court of God's presence and a new earth i.e. a new habitation for us which shall infinitly exceed the commodities and happiness of these heavens and earth which we now enjoy thus John in his Revelations Rev. 21.1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more Sea This new heaven and new earth is the place or habitation prepared for the blessed Saints and people of God A new heaven where the Moon is more glorious then our Son and the Sun as glorious as he that made it for it is he himself the Son of God the Son of righteousness the Son of Glory a new earth where all their waters are milk and all their milk honey where all their grass is corn and all their corn is Manna where all their glebe and clods of earth are Gold and all their Gold of innumerable Carats where all their minutes are ages and all their ages Eternity where every thing is every minute in the higest exaltation as good as can be Of these new heavens and this new earth I can never say enough not know enough till I come there to inhabit it Something only we shall discover of it in our next Sections for now are the Saints entred in with Jesus Christ Vse Only one word of use Christians what 's the matter that we are so busie about this world why look about you not one of these visible objects shall that day remain or have a being those houses wherein we dwell these Temples wherein we meet this Town this Country this Isle and the Seas and waters that surround it shall be all on fire and consume to nothing the Sea shall be no more and time shall be no more or if we look higher yond Sun and Moon and Star shall be no more that glorious Heaven which rolls over our heads shall be rolled together as a scrol Isa 34.4 Isa 51.6 and all the hoast shall fall down as a leaf falleth from the Vine and as a falling Fig from the Fig-Tree the heavens shall vanish away like smoak saith Isaiah comminuentur in nihilum as Hierome reads it they shall be battered into nothing Alas alas what do we toyling all the day it may be all our life for a little of this little almost nothing earth you that have an hundred or two hundred or a thousand Acres if every acre were a Kingdom all will be at last burnt up so that none shall say here was Preston or here was London or here was England or here was Europe or here was the Globe of Earth on which men troad let others bâ—ast as they will of their inheritances but Lord give me an inheritance above all these visibles heaven shall remain when earth shall vanish that Empyreal Heaven those seats of Saints those mansions above prepared by Jesus Christ shall never end but for my riches lands possessions moveables goods real or personal they will end in smoak in nothing what wilt thou set thine eyes upon a thing that is not Prov. 23.5 upon this the primitive Christians took joyfully the spoiling of their goods it was but a loss a little before the time and they knew in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance O let this be our care here we have no abiding City but O let 's seek one to come even that one that will abide for ever and ever Amen SECT VIII Of Christ's surrendring and delivering up the Kingdom to God even the Father 8. FOR Christ's surrendring and delivering up the Kingdom to God even the Father no sooner is he in heaven but these things follow 1. He presents the Elect unto his Father of this the Apostle speaks you hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable Col. 1.12 22. and unproveable in his sight to this end Christ dyed that he might wash us and cleanse us by his blood and then that he might present us without spot unto his Father We may imagine Christ as going to his Father with his bride in his hand and saying thus O my Father here is my Church my Spouse my Queen here are the Saints concerning whom I covenanted with thee from Eternity concerning whom I went down from heaven and dyed on earth and ascending up I have interceded these many hundred years concerning whom I went down to Judge the World and having sentenced them to life eternal I now bring them in my hand to give them the possession of thy self These are they whom thou gavest me in the beginning of the World and now I restore them to thy self at the end of the World for they are thine Thus he presents them to his Father Indeed we read that Christ presents the Saints to himself as well as to his Father Eph. 5.25.27 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle but this I take it was done before when first a Soul believes it is contracted to Christ when the soul is sentenced to glory then is the solemnity and consummation of the Marriage then doth Christ present the Soul to himself and I know not but that the Ministers of Christ may have a part in this matter for I have espoused you to one husband said Paul to his Corinthians that I may present you as a chast Virgin to
Christ 2 Cor. 11 2. And after this when Christ takes the bride home brings her into Heaven and leads her by the hand into his Fathers presence then is his last presentation then he presents her faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy The word signifies leaping springing exalting joy O what springing leaping exalting is in heaven when Christ takes the hand of his Bride and gives her into the hand of his Father q. d. O my Father see what a number I have brought home to thee thou knowest what I have done and what I have suffered and what offices I have gone through to bring these hither and now my Mediatourship is done I resign all my charge to thee again see what a goodly Troop what a noble Army I have brought thee home why all these are mine and all mine are thine and all thine are mine Joh. 17.10 12. and I am glorified in them all those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost see here is Adam and Abel and Noah and Sem and every Saint from the beginning to the end of the World the Nuptial between them and me is solemnized and whither should I lead them but to my Father's house and into my Father's presence I have already pronounced them blessed and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them Joh. 17.22.23 that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Here take them from mine hands now give them a welcome into glory and let them know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me 2. He presents all his Commissions to his Father as he is a Mediatour at least by Destination from all Eternity Eph. 1.4 were not the Saints chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World then was he a Mediatour in the business of Election and then was he Predestinated to be a Mediatour of Reconciliation Prov. 8.23 I was set up from Everlasting i.e. I was appointed and designed to be a Mediatour from all Eternity Howsoever he was a Mediatour virtually and inchoatively from the Fall of Adam then did he undertake that great Negotiation of reconciling God to man and man to God and actually he was a Mediatour after his Incarnation for then was he manifested in the flesh then was he manifested to be what before he was then did he act that part visibly upon earth which before he had acted secretly and invisibly in heaven then he entred upon the work of his active and passive obedience then he discharged his Prophetical and Priestly office here on Earth which having done then he entred upon his Kingly Administration in Heaven Now as to this work he was called by God him hath God the Father sealed John 6.27 it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself Colos 1.19 And as to these offices severally he had Commission from God the Lord hath annoynted me to Preach good tydings unto the meek and the Lord hath sworn Isa 61.1 Psal 110.4 Psal 110.1 and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever and the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool So now he comes with all his Commissions in his hand and he delivers them all up unto his Father again In this case it is with Christ as with some General whom the King sends forth with Regal Authority to the War who having subdued the Enemy he returns in Triumph and all being finished he makes a surrender of his place thus Christ having discharged all his offices imposed on him now the work is finished he leaves his function by delivering up his Commissions to his Father Rev. 21.23 In Heaven there is no need of Sun or Moon that is as some interpret there is no need of Preaching or Prophesying of the Word or Sacraments for the Lamb is the light thereof Christ is the only means of all the communication that the Elect there shall have and as for his Regal Office 1 Cor. 15.24 the Apostle is express then shall he deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father Only here is the question how is Christ said to resign his Kingdom to God the Father Luk. 1.33 Heb. 1.8 for saith not the Scripture that Christ's Kingdom shall have no end and that Christ's Throne is for ever and ever for answer I see no contradiction but that Christ may both resign his Kingdom and yet reserve it See a like case Mat. 28.18 All Power saith Christ in heaven and earth is given to me of my Father shall we say now that the Father himself was quite stript of it no but as the Kingdom which the Father gave the Son is nevertheless called the Father's Kingdom or the Kingdom of God so Christ shall return it yet retain it also Two things we say are contained in the Term of Reign sci Dominion and Execution to wear the Crown and to bear the Scepter now Christ in the former sense shall reign for ever the honour of dominion and of wearing the Crown he shall never resign up to his Father for his Fathers Throne disturbs not his there are both their Thrones at once Rev. 7.11 but the functions of a King to sit in Judgment to reward deservers to punish evil-doers to rescue the oppressed to fight with the enemy Christ in this sense shall cease to reign and shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father More particularly Christ is said to deliver up the Kingdom in three respects 1. Because he ceaseth to execute that Authority which nevertheless he hath as a Judge that goeth from the Bench is a Judge still although he giveth no judgment but imployeth his time about other occasions so Christ is said to resign his place not that his Authority is subject to Diminution but in that he makes no shew for when his enemies are all put under there is no need that any more blows should proceed from his Kingly power 1. Because the manner of his Kingdom after the judgment day shall be wholly changed he shall not Reign in the same fashion that he did before there 's no need in heaven of good Laws to keep men from starting into wickedness the orders of this life are changed into a new kind of Government and in that respect he is said to give over the Kingdome 3. Because he ceaseth to increase his Dominion In this World Christ was still gaining more souls to his Kingdom by the Preaching of his Word and so he spread his dominion further and further but when the Lord shall have made up the number of his Servants to his mind then he will end the World and give up the Kingdom i.e. he will cease to enlarge his confines any more he will be content with the number of his Subjects that he hath already Here is
the creation of the World and what is Six thousand years to Eternity certainly the truth of Origen's opinion touching the existency of other worlds before this Orig. l. de Prin cipiis 3. c. 5. and the future succession of other Worlds after this will then be known If no worlds before this yet if God in Christ hath done such great things in only Six thousand years what he may do in the next Six thousand years and so in the next Six thousand years who now can tell we see not these things but the Saints in seeing the face of Christ shall see all things 4. They shall see Christ in all his glory ways counsels decrees executions transactions as working for their happiness Now this 〈◊〉 more then the former there 's a great deal of difference in seeing an object as excellent in it self and in seeing an object as conducing to my happiness As one that is a stranger and another is an heir rides over such a demesgne the stranger rides over it and takes delight to see the situation rivers trees and fruits but the heir looks upon it after another manner this saith he is the land for which my Father laid out so much and all to enrich me and all to bestow it on me as my Inheritance So the Saints admitted into the glorious sight of Christ they take not only a view of Christ of the Essential glory of Christ of the transactions of Christ things excellent in themselves but they see all these as to make them happy they say of Christ and of all his actings these are mine and for my happiness A stranger may look upon a King and see beauty and Majesty and glory and honour in him but the Queen looks upon the King and his beauty as her own so the Saints look upon the King of Heaven they see Christ and all in Christ as their own to make them happy for ever and ever 5. They shall see Christ as he is but what do we not see him now as he is oh no 1 John 3.2 we now see him not as he is indeed and truth but only as he is in hear-say and report we now see him only as he is shadowed out to us in the Gospel of peace and what is the Gospel but the pourtraiture of the King which he sent to another Land to be seen by his Bride so Kings and Queens on earth wooe one another whilst the Bride is on earth she never seeth him as he is in his best Sabbath-Royal Robe of immediate glory she seeth him rather by the second hand i.e. by messengers words mediation he rather sends his pourtraiture then comes himself but in heaven the Saints see him as he is they see Christ himself in his own very person they see the red and white in his own face they see all the inside of Christ and thousands of excellencies shall then be revealed that we see not now the mysteries of that glorious Ark shall then be opened his Incarnation his two Natures in one person his Suffering as Man and his sitting in the seat of God as God all these shall be seen 6. They shall see Christ without interruption and without intermission to all Eternity If once the eye be set on the face of Jesus Christ it will never be taken off again Some conceive this to be the reason why the Saints in heaven can never fall away because they shall have a continual view of Christ as God Surely to have but one glimpse of Christ in this respect though it were gone presently it were a great happiness beyond all that the World affords it was sometimes the desire of a Philosopher to see the nature of the Sun though he were to be burnt by it so if Christ should but grant us this happiness you shall come to see me but the sight of me will destroy you this were a desirable thing but to have such an excellent glorious sight as shall never end that Christ should not only pass by but stand still so as the soul shall never lose his sight O how glorious is this if a man do but look upon a delightful Object he is loath to have his eye drawn from it surely the eye of Saints shall be eternally opened to see the divine nature of Christ turn them which way they will they shall never turn aside the busied eyes of their understanding from off the Deity of Christ he fills heaven he is that fair Tree of life the branches whereof in all that huge and capacious borders of heaven have not room to grow in for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him O the wonders of heaven There is Abraham Moses Elias the Prophets the Apostles and the glorified Martyrs but the Saints have neither leisure nor hearts to feed themselves with beholding of creatures no no all the eyes of heaven which are a fair and numerous company are upon only only upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Father hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to his Son the Husband hath no leasure to look over his shoulder to his Wife Christ takes all eyes off from such created things surely 't is enough for the Saints and Angels in heaven to study Christ for all Eternity it shall be their only labour to read Christ to smel Christ to hear see and taste Christ to love joy and enjoy Jesus Christ for ever and ever Thus far of the second point how the Saints shall behold the glory of Christ 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all I answer 1. It comprehends the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which Jesus Christ hath 2 Cor. 5.7 In this sense Paul took it when he complained we walk by faith not by sight q. d. on earth we have faith and in heaven we have sight it is some comfort that now I see Jesus Christ by faith but comparatively to that sight which the Saints have in heaven it is as no comfort at all alas I am not I cannot be satisfied so long as I am absent from the Lord I look upon my self as one from home And as a Prince in a strange Land sits down sadly because he hath not the sight of his Father so I am forced to complain O I cannot see my Lord I would fain behold him I am a stranger on earth a Pilgrim in this world I am not where I would be I am absent from him whom I most desire O I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ I walk with him here on earth by faith but to walk with him in the streets of heaven by sight is far better O I long I pant I breath I desire I think every day a year and every year an age till I be in heaven at home in my Father's arms that I may behold and see him and that immediately I say immediately in his glory This
Paradise Oh what a goodly sight is here In this meditation I may see with John Rev. 21.2 The new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Down comes Christ and down come the Angels and down come the spirits of the just made perfect and as they come along see how they shake the Heavens and dim and dark the very lights of Heaven see what a flood of fire goes before them see how they pass into the cloud where Christ makes a stand and erects a Throne for himself to sit on Sure 't will be a guilded glorious cloud when Christ with all his celestial servants shall sit upon it a mornings cloud guilded with the beams of the Sun is admirably fair and shining but what a shining cloud is that where the Sun of righteousness with all his morning stars do sit and shine here 's enough to dazzle my eyes and to take up my thoughts O my soul think on it 3. Consider Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment no sooner in the cloud but He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Mat. 24.31 and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to another Will not this be a strange sight to see Christ a coming with Trumpets sounding before him causing all the dead to awaken out of their sleeps of death the very sound of this Trumpet was ever in Jerom's ears Arise ye dead and come to Judgment and no question but thy ears shall be filled with the blast thereof the Trumpet shall found that shall bp heard over all the World and then shall the dead arise out of their graves and every Saints soul shall re-enter into his own body by vertue of the resurrection of Christ their Head Can I pass this meditation without some reflection on my self O my soul how joyfully wilt thou greet thy body when thou shalt enliven it again how wilt thou say O my dear Sister whom I left behind me in the dust when I went to Heaven how sweet is thy carcass how comely is thy countenance how do I enter into thee and animate thee and I will never more leave thee thou wast my yoke-fellow in the Lords Labours and my companion in persecution and wrong now shall we enter together into our Masters joy see lift up thy head behold Jesus Christ yonder sitting in the cloud and lo here the Angels waiting on us and coming to take us with the rest of the Saints into the Air to meet our Redeemer there Could I but realize this summons this resurrection this meeting of the soul and body and going with the Angels into the judgment-seat oh how would it work and what work would it make within 4. Consider Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day oh how shall the Saints look and stare and gaze at the beauty of Jesus Christ oh how will they break out into admiration at the first view of those glories which never before appeared on this side Heaven is not this he will they say of whom we read so often that he was fairer than the sons of men that he was white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands that his countenance was as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars glorious as when the Sun shineth in his strength but was ever the half told us of what now we see and behold O the super-excellent transcendent beauty of this Son of righteousness O the treasures of loveliness in this Jesus Christ never seen before And thus as they admire so they adore now they begin those Hallelujahs that never never shall have end they fall at the feet of Christ and the Lord Christ takes them up with his hands and folds them in his arms oh what mutual reciprocal salutations are these betwixt Christ and his members oh my head and oh my body oh my husband and oh my spouse oh my dear and oh my darling never two lovers met with such heat of love as Christ and his Saints come saith Christ and sit you down here at my right hand and let the world be on my left hand it was otherwise with you in your life-time my gold and my jewels were then cast in the dust you were then cloathed with infamy and the vilest of men were then guilded with honour but now I will set all right now the dust shall be swept away and the jewels of my Kingdom shall be gathered up now the Goats shall be driven into the desart and you who are the Sheep shall be brought into my fold Oh my soul what a meeting is this what a sight will this be to behold the Saints in this condition and thy self amongst them couldst thou but realize this one very passage it were enough to quench thy lust and to kindle a flame of pure love in thy heart to Jesus Christ it is a quickning rouzing rising rejoycing consideration 5. Consider Christ sentencing the Saints for eternal glory then shall the books be opened and all the good works of the Saints shall be revealed and made known and then shall the Judg from his Throne of Majesty in the sight and hearing of all the world pronounce that sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Mat. 25.34 q. d. Come my Saints come with me into glory come now from labour to rest from disgrace to glory from the jaws of death to the joys of eternal life for my sake ye have been railed on reviled and cursed but now it shall appear to all those cursed Esaus that you are the true Jacobs that shall receive the blessing and blessed shall you be come now and possess with me the inheritance of Heaven where you shall be for love Sons for birth-right heirs for dignity Kings for holiness Priests come you may boldly enter in for my Father hath prepared and kept it for you ever since the first foundation of the World was laid O my soul dost thou not remember when sometimes thou hast been at the feet of Christ in the beauty of holyness and there tookest in those droppings of his spirit which were better to thee than the feasts of Kings dost thou not remember when sometimes thou hast had the very beams of light darted from the face of Jesus Christ when he whispered to thy soul the forgiveness of thy sins saying Fear not thy sins shall not hurt thee I am thy salvation oh what joy was then what meltings movings stirrings leapings of heart were then in thy bosom but was that joy any thing to this or to be compared with this that was a drop but here 's an Ocean here 's fulness of joy oh what leapings of heart what ravishments will be within when thou shalt see thy self in the arms of Christ and shalt receive words of life from the mouth of Christ in the face of
all the World what a thing will this be when Christ shall pass a sentence of death on others and speak words of life unto thee when thou shalt see him frowning upon the world and oh those frowns will break the heart and shalt behold him smiling in the fulness of his love upon thy self that Christ at such a time should be delighting-thee with all the imbraces of love and with this sweet invitation to Heaven Come thou blessed inherite the Kingdom it were enough to a spirit a soul half dead the very meditation of this must needs be sweet 6. Consider Christ and the Saints Judging the rest of the world no sooner are the Saints sentenced but Christ turns to the wicked and bids them go into everlasting fire in which sentence the Saints shall joyn with Christ himself Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World 1 Cor. 6.2 when the Saints appear it is not only by a Summons but with commission not only to be judged but to judge not only shall they stand at Christs right hand but they shall sit down on the Throne of the Son of God to judge the wicked Angels and the World O the torment O the vexation of wicked men and Devils when they shall see those very men whom they scorned oppressed persecuted to be now advanced not onely to glory but to be their judges it is as if some Noble man had wronged some Poor man and that the King should therefore deliver the Noble man into the power of the poor man Psal 112.10 to take his own revenge Surely The ungodly shall see this and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth for indignation and melt away but on the contrary Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his foot-steps in the blood of the ungodly O my soul dost thou believe this truth and art thou confident that thou shalt sit with Christ on his very Throne to judge the World why then be joyfull in afflictions exercise thou patience in the censures and judgments of the World know thou for thy comfort that there is a turn and time of judging and therefore say 1 Cor. 4. â— With me it is a small matter that I should be judged of you or of man's Judgment as the original hath it of man's day Is it not enough to command patience if God's day be at hand when I shall judge my unjust judges hark what the Apostle saith Jam. 5.7 8 9. Be patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh behold the judge standeth before the door Come exercise patience let the World be judging if they will needs slander reproach and persecute thy soul they had better abuse any judge on earth than thee though thou art the poorest weakest meanest of God's Saints upon the earth they will know one day that they have abused their own judge in abusing thee And therefore be thou quiet silent patient Say as David let him alone and let him curse yea let him judge for the Lord hath bidden him it may be the Lord will look on mine affliction and will requite good for his Judging this day this is his day but the day of the Lord is my day and then shall I sit with Christ on his Throne to judge the World Oh the sweet that I may suck from this hony-comb of Christ and his Saints judging the World 7. Consider Christ and his Saints going up into Heaven No sooner hath he done his work with the World and sent them away but then he shall conduct all his flock like a faithful shepherd to their fold then shall he go with all his troops following him into Heaven Hath not Christ said so If I go away I will come again John 14.3 and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also O those songs of joy and shouts of praise that will fill the World at that day And thus as they go along Heaven opens unto them and they enter in what welcomes they have there is past my telling if we may imagine and guess O the welcome that Christ will give Come my spouse and come my dear come all my Saints here be those Mansions that I went before to prepare and make ready for you here be those everlasting habitations wherein you and I will dwell together here is your Fathers house the building of the wall is all of Jasper Rev. 21 18. and the worst piece of it is all of pure Gold like unto clear Glass why this is your home your house made without hands here you and I will spend our time eternity it self in joying enjoying and beholding of each other And as thus Christ salutes them so will the Angels those Created Citizens of Heaven salute them too for if joy be in Heaven at the conversion of one sinner what joy will there be at the glorification of all these Saints what welcome entertainment will the Angels give to these new guests at their first enterance into Heaven O my soul if thou art one of them that shalt have this welcome what wilt thou say when thou art admitted in thither if weeping were in Heaven wouldst thou not weep for joy sure these things are no fictions of man's brain but truths and realities and as they are true and real so they are exceeding full of joy all the excellencies of this World are but a dream in comparison of them even the Sun in its brightness is but darkness to this glory that shall then be seen Come think over these things and be so enlarged in thy thoughts that before they go thou mayest feel the sweet and taste of this goodness of the Lord. 8. Consider all the several transactions that will follow in Heaven then will Christ present all his elect to God his Father then will he give in all his commissions which he hath received from his Father Then will the Son himself be subject to the Father that God may be all in all I cannot stay to enlarge on these Onely remember though God may be all in all that excludes not Christ for he also is All in all to all his Saints even to all eternity Immediate visions and fruitions of Christ as God is the very top of Heavens joy Christ is all and in all Christ is the center of Heavens happiness Christ is the well-spring that fills the capacities of Saints and Angels Christ is the object of happiness it self there is as much happiness in Christ as happiness is what ever belongs to glory is in Christ In him dwels all the fulness whatever excellency is in Heaven it is in Christ not onely in perfection but connexion for all those
shall thy God rejoyce over thee look how the joy of a Bridgroom is over his Bride upon the wedding-day surely then if ever all is love and joy so is Christ's joy over his Saints at the last day then begins that joy that never never shall have end there shall be no moment of time wherein Christ will not rejoyce over his Saints for ever after 9. It is the day of Christs perfection Christ as Mediator is not fully perfect till all his members be in glory united to him As an head that wants an arm or hand or leg we say is lame so it is a kind of mistical lameness that Christ our head hath not with him all his members the Saints are little pieces of mystical Christ and it shall not be well till Christ gather in his arms and thighs and pull them nearer to himself in glory and is not this desirable to see the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church in his perfection to see the Son of righteousness with every beam united to him O desirable day Hos 2.18 10. It is Christ's Wedding-day or the Marriage day of the Lamb. The Saints are betrothed to Christ when first they believe in Christ that is Christ's word I will betroth thee unto me Cant. 4.10 and thou art my sister my spouse not my Wife thou art not yet married onely contracted here but at that day the marriage of the Lamb will be compleat and then will the voyce be heard Rev. 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready O the joy that Christ and Saints and Angels and all that belong to Heaven will make at this marriage Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. One of the seven Angels that came to John in visions Rev. 21 9. talked with him saying Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife If the espoused Virgin be willing to be married how is it that we cry not Come Lord Jesus come quickly 1 Cor. 5.24 11. It is Christ's day of presenting his Saints unto his Father he delivers up the Kingdom to God even the Father Then shall he take his Bride by the hand and bring her to his house and present her in all state and solemnity to the Father Is not this a desirable day surely Christ rejoyceth and his very heart even springs again to present his Church unto his Father Father here behold my Bride that I have marryed unto my self It is true a Child may sometimes marry such a one as he may be ashamed to think of bringing to his Fathers house but how mean and sinful soever we are of our selves when once we are marryed unto Christ he will not think it any dishonour no not before his Father that he hath such a bride Father will he say lo here all my Saints of all that thou hast given me I have lost none but the children of perdition these are mine dearly bought thou knowest the price O welcome them to glory 12. It is the day of Christ's glory What glorious descriptions have we in scripture of Christs coming to Judgment The Son of man shall come from heaven with power and great glory and the work no sooner done Math. 24.30 but he shall return again into Heaven with power and great glory Not to mention the essential glory of Christ O the glory of Christ as Mediator all the glory that Ahashuerus could put upon his favourites was nothing to this spiritual and heavenly glory which the Father will put upon the Son it is a glory above all the glories that ever were or ever shall be it is an eternal glory not but that Christ shall at last give up his Kingdom to his Father he shall no more discharge the acts of an Advocate or intercessor for us in heaven onely the glory of this shall alwayes continue it shall to all eternity be recorded that he was the Mediator and that he is the Saviour that hath brought us to life and immortality and upon this ground the tongues of all the Saints shall be imployed to all eternity to celebrate this glory This will be their everlasting Song Vnto him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Now is not this a desirable thing do we believe there is such a thing as Christ's mediatory glory and Christ's essential glory as Christ's humane glory and Christ's divine glory and have we no desires to behold this glory surely Christ himself desired it of God he would have his Saints with him where he is that they might behold his glory and shall not we desire it whom it most concerns O the sweet temper of the spouse when she cryed out Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be thou like a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Come now and run over these particulars surely every one is motive enough to desire this day it is a day of refreshing a day of restoring a day of manifestation of the sons of God a day of adoption and of the redemption of our bodyes a day of Christs coming of Christ's revealing of Christ's appearing of Christ's joy of Christ's perfection of Christ's Wedding of Christ's presenting of his Saints of Christ's glory what are we not yet in a longing frame the wife of youth that wants her husband for some years and expects that he should return from over Sea-lands she is often on the shore her very heart loves the wind that should bring him home every Ship in view that is but a drawing near the shore is her new joy and new reviving hopes she asks of every passenger O saw you my husband what is he a doing when will he come is he not yet Shipped and ready for a return souls truly related to the Lord Jesus Christ should methinks long no less O what desire should the Spirit and the Bride have to hear when Christ shall say to his Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the Heavens I 'le gather my prisoners of hope unto me I cannot want my Rachel and her weeping Children any longer behold I come quickly to judge the Nations Methinks every spouse of Christ should love the quarter of the sky that being rent asunder should yield unto her husband methinks she should love that part of the heavens where Christ puts through his glorious hand and comes riding on the Rain-bow and Clouds to receive her to himself I conclude this with the conclusion of the Bible He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so Rev. 22.20 come Lord Jesus SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that
a gracious power to a gracious end in a gracious manner are sins and not such works as shall have the rewards of Heaven Some may object this is an hard saying who then shall be saved I answer 1. By concession very few What is the whole company of Christians besides a very few said Salvian but a sink of vices are they only good works which are thus and thus qualified it were enough to make us all fear all the works that ever we have done But secondly here 's all our hope that in a Gospel-way Christ looks at our good works in the truth of them and not in the perfection of them Rom. 7.18 19 no man goes beyond Paul who when he would do good found evil present with him Alas there 's a perpetual opposition and conflict betwixt the flesh and the spirit so that the most spiritual man cannot do the good things he would do and yet we must not conclude that nothing is good in us because not perfectly good Sincerity and truth in the inward parts may in this case hold up our hearts from sinking as he in the Gospel cryed I believe Lord help my unbelief So if we can but say I I do good works Lord help me in the concurrence of all needful circumstances here will be our evidence that our hopes are sound and that Christ will sentence us to eternal life Come ye Blessed c. and why so For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. 5. If we believe in Christ then shall we live with Christ if we come to him and receive him by Faith then will he come again and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also Good works are good evidences but of all works those of the Gospel are clearest evidences and have clearest promises come then let us try our obedience to the Commandments of Faith as well as Life let us try our submission to the Lord by believing as well as doing Surely the greatest work of God that ever any creature did it is this Gospel-work when it apprehends its own unworthyness and ventures it self and its estate upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ if we were able to perform a full exact and accurate obedience to every particular of the moral Law it were not so great a work nor so acceptable to God nor should be so gloriously rewarded in heaven as this one work of believing in his Son Jesus Christ This is the work to which in express terms salvation John 3.36 Heaven and glory is promised He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that heareth my wordâ— and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but he hath passed from death to life And this is the will of him that sent me John 5.24 that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life And these things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God John 6.40 John 20.31 Acts. 16.31 and that believing ye might have life through his name Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead Rom. 10.9 Heb. 10.39 thou shalt be saved And we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe unto the saving of the soul And these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God 1 John 5.13 that ye may know that ye have everlasting life Why this above all is the Gospel work to which are annexed those gracious promises of eternal life So that if we believe in Christ how may we be assured that we shall live with Christ O my soul gather up all these characters and try by them Every one can say that they hope well they hope to be saved they hope to meet Christ with comfort though they have no ground for it but their own vain conceits but hope on good ground is that hope that maketh not ashamed say then art thou born again Rom. 5.5 dost thou look and long for the coming of Christ in the clouds dost thou love his appearing art thou rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate dost thou obey the commandments of faith as well as life sure these are firm and sound and comfortable grounds of an assured hope Content not thy self with an hope of possibility or probability but reach out to that plerophory or full assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 the hope of possibility is but a weak hope the hope of probability is but a fluctuating hope but the hope of certainty is a setled hope such an hope sweetens all the thoughts of God and Christ of death and judgment of Heaven yea and of Hell too whiles we hope that we are saved from it and are not the Scriptures written to this very purpose That we might have this hope are we not justified by his grace Rom. 15.4 Tit. 3.7 Psal 119.166 psalm 24.11 that we might be heirs in hope heirs according to the hope of eternal life and was not this David's confidence Lord I have hoped for thy salvation why then art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God If I may here enter into a Dialogue with my own poor trembling wavering soul Person why art thou hopeless O my soul wouldst thou not hope if an honest man had made thee a promise of any thing within his power and wilt thou not hope when thou hast the promise the oath and the covenant of God in Christ Soul Yes methinks I feel some little hope but alas it is but a little a very little Person Ay but go on my soul true hope is called a lively hope and a lively hope is an efficacious hope no sooner faith commends the promise unto hope but hope takes it and hugs it and reckons it as its Treasure and feeds on it as Manna which God hath given to refresh the weary soul in the desart of sin go on then till thou comest up to the highest pitch even to that triumphant joyfull expectation and waiting for of Christ in glory Soul Why methinks I would hope I would ascend the highest step of hope but alas I cannot Oh I am exposed to many controversies I am prone to many unquiet agitations though I have a present promise yet I extend my cares and fears even to eternity Alas I cannot comprehend and therefore I am hardly satisfied my sinfull reason sees not its own way and end and because it must take all on trust and credit therefore it falls to wrangling nay Sathan himself so snarles the question and and I am so
shall be quenched But I have in some measure already discovered all those acts of his grace and love till his second coming and therefore I begin there 1. Christ will come is not this love as his departure was a rich testimony of his love John 14.18 It is expedient for you that I go away so is his returning I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Oh how can we think of Christ's returning and not meditate on the greatness of his love might he not send his Angels but he must come himself is it not state and majesty enough to have the Angels come for us but that he himself must come with his Angels to meet us more than half the way what King on Earth would adopt a beggar and after his adoption would himself go in person to fetch him from the dunghil to his Throne we are filthy lazars from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet we are full of sores and yet the King of Heaven puts on his best attire and comes in person with all his retinue of glory to fetch us from our graves to his own Court of Heaven Oh the loves of Christ in this one act he will come again he is but gon for a while but he will come again in his own person 2. Christ will welcome all his Saints into his presence and is not this love after he is come down from Heaven he stays for them a while in the Clouds and commanding his Angels to bring them thither anon they come and oh how his heart springs within him at their coming what throbs and pangs of love are in his heart at the first view of them as they draw near and fall down at his feet and worship him so he draws near and falls upon their necks and welcomes them Methinks I hear him say Come blessed souls you are my purchase for whom I Covenanted with my Father from eternity O you are dearly welcome to your Lord in that now I have you in my arms I feel the fruit of my death the acceptation of my Sacrifice the return of my prayers for this I was born and dyed for this I rose again and ascended into Heaven for this I have interceded a Priest in Heaven these many years and now I have the end and design of all my actings and sufferings for you how is my joy fulled look as at the meeting of two lovers there is great joy especially if the distance hath been great and the desires of enjoying one another vehement so is the meeting of Christ with his Saints the joy is so great that it runs over and wets the fair brows and beauteous locks of Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Angels have a part of this banquet at this day 3. Christ will sentence his Saints for eternal life here is love indeed every word of the sentence is full of love it contains the reward of his Saints a reward beyond their work and beyond their wages and beyond the promise and beyond their thoughts and beyond their understanding it is a participation of the joyes of God and of the inheritance of the Judge himself Come enter into your Masters joy inherit the Kingdom Oh but if all the Saints have only one Kingdom where is my room fear not O my soul thou shalt have room enough though but one Kingdom yet all the Inhabitants there are Kings whole Heaven is such a Kingdom as is intirely and fully injoyed by one glorified Saint all and every one hath the whole Kingdom at his own will every one is filled with God as if there were no fellows there to share â—ith him Oh that I may come under this blessed sentence never was more love expressed in words than Christ expresseth in this sentence Come ye blessed c. 4. Christ will take up all his Saints with him into glory where he will present them to his Father and then be their all in all to all eternity This is the heigâ—t of Christ's love this is the immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of Jesus Christ this is that Zenith of love when sensibly and feelingly it burns at hottest it is true that Christ's love breaks out in all those precedaneous acts we have already spoken Oh but what loves will he cast out from himself in glory the more excellent the Soyl is and the nearer the Sun is the more of Summer and the more of day the more delicious must be the Apples the Pomgranates the Roses the Lillies that grow there surely Christ in glory is a blessed soyl Roses and Lillies and Apples of love that are eternally Summer-green and sweet grow out of him the honey of Heaven is more than honey the honey of love that is pure and unmixt and glorious in Christ must needs be incomparable I cannot say but that Christ's love like himself is the same yesterday and to day and for ever there is no intension 1 John 4.8 or remission of his love as in it self for God is love he is essentially love and therefore admits of no degrees yet in respect of the sense or manifestation of this love of Christ there must needs be a difference thus if he loved his spouse on earth how much more will he love her when his Bride in Heaven If he loves us while sinners and enemies to his holiness how much more will he love us when we are sons and perfected Saints in glory he that could spread his arms and open his heart on the Cross will he not then open arms and heart and all to them that reign with him in his Kingdom if in this life such is loves puissance that we usually say of Christ Though the head be in heaven yet he hath left his heart on earth with sinners what shall we say of Christ in glory where love like the Sun ever stands in the Zenith Deut. 33.27 where the eternal God is the souls everlastiâ—g refuge and underneath are his everlasting arms 5. And if Christ love thus how should we love again for such a love Lord what a sum of love are we indebted to thee is it possible that ever we should pay the debt can we love as high as deep as broad as long as love it self or as Christ himself no no all we can do is but to love a little and Oh that in the consideration of his love we could love a little in sincerity Oh that we were but able feelingly to say Why Lord I love thee I feel I love thee even as I feel I love my friend or as I feel I love my self Such arguments of love have been laid before us as that now I know no more we have seen whole Christ cap-a-pe we have heard of the loves of Christ from eternity to eternity we have had a view of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ wherein his love is represented to us as hot as death or as
be one person and in that person he was born and lived and died and rose again and ascended into Heaven there now he hath been sitting sending down the Holy Ghost and interceding for his Saints for above one thousand six hundred years And in this last work he will continue till the end of the World and then he will come again to judge the World and to receive his Saints to himself that where he is they may be with him to see and enjoy him to all eternity This is the epitome of all I have said onely in every particular I have set down Christ's actings towards us and our actings towards Christ in various formes and out-goings of his love he hath acted towards us and in various formes and out-goings of our souls we have been taught fitly and suitably to act towards him Now in all these actings How doth the free grace of God in Christ appear Ye are saved by grace Ephes 2.5 saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 the decree the means the end of our salvation is grace and onely grace The decree is grace and therefore it is called the election of grace Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 Rom. 6.23 Eph. 1.7 Eph. 2.7 the means are of grace and therefore we are called according to his grace and we are justified freely by his grace And the end is of grace for eternal life is the gift of God both beginning and progress and execution is all of grace This is the riches of his grace the exceeding the hyperbolical riches of his grace the conclusion of all is this God's free grace which was first designed will at last be manifested and eternally praised by Saints and Angels the same free grace which from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting drove on the saving plot and sweet design of our salvation will at last be glorified to purpose when Heavens inhabitants will be ever digging into this golden-mine ever rolling this soul-delighting and precious stone ever beholding viewing enquiring and searching into the excellency of this same Christ and this free grace Now all is done shall I speak a word for Christ or rather for our selves in relation to Christ and so an end if I had but one word more to speak in the World it should be this Oh let all our spirits be taken up with Christ let us not busie our selves too much with toyes or trifles with ordinary and low things but look unto Jesus Surely Christ is enough to fill all our thoughts desires hopes loves joys or whatever is within us or without us Christ alone comprehends all the circumference of all our happiness Christ is the pearl hid in the large field of God's Word Christ is the scope of all the Scriptures all things and persons in the old World were Tipes of him all the Prophets foretold him all God's love runs through him all the gifts and graces of the Spirit flow from him the whole eye of God is upon him and all his designs both in Heaven and Earth meet in him Eph. 1.10 the great design of God is this That he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him All things are summed up in one Jesus Christ if we look on the creation the whole world was made by Christ if we look on providences all things subsist in Christ they have their being and their well-being in him Where may we find God but in Christ where may we see God but in this essential and eternal glass 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Christ is the face of God the brightness of his glory the express image of his Fathers person the Father is as it were all Sun and all Pearl and Jesus Christ is the substantial rayes the eternal and essential irradiation of this Sun of glory Christ outs God as the seal doth the stamp Christ reveals God as the face of a man doth reveal the man so Christ to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father q. d. I am as like the Father John 14.9 as God is like himself there is a perfect indivisible unity between the Father and me I and the Father are one one very God he the begetter and I the begotten Christ is the substantial Rose that grew out of the Father from eternity Christ is the essential wisdom of God Christ is the substantial Word of God the intellectual birth of the Lord 's infinite understanding Oh the worth of Christ compare we other things with Christ and they will bear no weight at all cast into the ballance with him Angels they are wise but he is wisdom cast into the ballance with him men they are lyars lighter than vanity but Christ is the Amen the faithful witness cast into the scales Kings and all Kings and all their glory why he is King of Kings cast into the scale millions of tallents-weight of glory cast in two Worlds and add to the weight millions of Heavens of Heavens and the ballance cannot down the scales are unequal Christ out-weighs all Shall I yet come nearer home what is Heaven but to be with Christ what is life eternal but to believe in God and in his Son Jesus Christ where may we find peace with God and reconciliation with God but onely in Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 where may we find compassion mercy and gentleness to sinners but onely in Christ it is Christ that takes off infinite wrath and satisfies justice and so God is a most lovely compassionate desirable God in Jesus all the goodness of God comes out of God through this golden pipe the Lord Jesus Christ It is true those essential attributes of love grace mercy goodness are onely in God and they abide in God yet the Mediatory manifestation of love grace mercy and goodness is onely in Christ Christ alone is the Treasury Store-house Magazene of the free goodness and mercy of the God-head In him we are Elected Adopted Redeemed Justified Sanctified Saved he is the ladder and every step of it betwixt Heaven and Earth he is the way the truth and the life he is honour riches beauty health peace and salvation he is a suitable and rich portion to every man's soul that which some of the Jews observe of the Mannah that it was in taste according to every man's pallate it is really true of Christ that he is to the Soul whatsoever the soul would have him to be All the spiritual blessings wherewith we are enriched are in and by Christ God hears our prayers by Christ God forgives our iniquities through Christ all we have and all we expect to have hangs onely on Christ he is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns Oh how should all hearts be taken with this Christ Christians turn your eyes upon the Lord Look and look again unto Jesus Why stand ye gazing on the toyes of this World when such a Christ is offered to you in the Gospel can the World dye for you can the World reconcile you to the Father can the World advance you to the Kingdom of Heaven As Christ is all in all so let him be the full and compleat subject of our desire and hope and faith and love and joy let him be in your thoughts the first in the morning and the last at night Shall I speak one word more to thee that believest Oh apply in particular all the transactions of Jesus Christ to thy very self remember how he came out of his Fathers bosom for thee wept for thee bled for thee poured out his life for thee is now risen for thee gone to Heaven for thee sits at God's right hand and rules all the World for thee makes intercession for thee and at the end of the World will come again for thee and receive thee to himself to live with him for ever and ever Surely if thus thou believest and livest thy life is comfortable and thy death will be sweet if there be any Heaven upon Earth thou wilt find it in the practise and exercise of this Gospel-duty in Looking unto Jesus A Poem of Mr. George Herbert in his Temple JESV JESV is in my heart his sacred Name Is deeply carved there but th' other week A great affliction broke the little frame Ev'n all to pieces which I went to seek And first I found the corner where was J After where ES and next where V was graved When I had got these parcels instantly I sate me down to spell them and perceived That to my broken heart he was I ease you and to my whole is JESV FINIS