their abused rule power and authority and quite abolished death the last Enemie so that then Christ shall cease to reigne any longer as Mediatour he shall then cease to reigne according to the present dispensation and administring of his Office but not as one God co-essentiall with the Father for his Kingdome according to his God-head shall then be compleate consummate and perfect yea and his humanity also shall reigne then not as by or of it selfe but as joyned in one person with his Godhead and as the common head of all those whom he hath redeemed and sanctified and brought toglory through taking their nature upon him and suffering in it So that the forementioned place in the Corinthians doth not speake of the abolishing of Christs Kingdome but of the perfection of it rather when God whose glory is now much obscured and darkned by Enemies shall be all in all among his Saints and the eternall Father shall triumph eternally in his Sonne as a finall Conquerour The like answer also must be given to the objection which may bee made from the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 28. where he saith that the Sonne also himselfe shall be subject unto him that did put all things under him These words are not so to be understood as if the Father were not for the present well pleased with the Sonne or as if the Sonne were not already subject to the Father as Mediatour but the meaning of them is this that when all things which doe now during the present forme of his administration make opposition and resistance against Christ shall bee subdued unto him and brought under his feet then Christ himselfe also as touching his Mediatorship shall be subject unto the Father and God shall be all in all neither doth this subjection imply a depressing or pulling downe lower but rather Christ and his Saints shall be at the height and top of their glory when they shall be so subject as on the other side whosoever shall not then be so subject they shall be at the bottome of all remedilesse misery and wretchednesse Before I passe away to another head I must needs touch againe upon a place of Scripture before cited 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible c. Here be two words that doe expresse the perpetuity and everlasting duration of Christs Kingdome eternall and immortall and neither of them is idle or superfluous the Holy Ghost doth not use tautalogie or vaine repetition in them I have shewed you already what is meant by immortall namely that the Kingdome of Christ is not subject to succession it is not liable to be devolved and rould downe to after comers which Daniel expresseth thus his Kingdome shall not be left unto other people as the Monarchies of the Babylonians Medes Alexander and the Kingdomes of the Seleucidae which the Prophet had spoken of were they were translated from Nation to Nation and from man to man and at last quite dissolved But Christs Kingdome shall not be pluck't up for others beside himselfe but it shall hold on constantly through all ages and centuries of the world unto the end and when the end commeth it shall not expire and give up the Ghost but it shall attaine to its full beauty and perfection it shall come to its meridian or verticall point as I may say and shall never decline never decay it shall last beyond the world and beyond all time for ever therefore the Apostle calls Christ not onely an immortall King but also an eternall King Thus you see that the Spirit of God doth to good purpose use two words somewhat of kinne iâ— signification one to the other that thereby hee might set forth the excellency of Christs Kingdome above all other Kingdomes by the one word is shewed the course of his Kingdome through this world during the time of his Mediatourshipâ— and by the other word is declared the lasting of it unto all eternity after his Mediatorship is laid downe Lastly Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all Royall vertues endowments and accomplishments First he is a most sapient and wise King called therefore Counsellour by the Prophet and onely wise by the Apostle the wonderfull Numberer he that sealeth up the summe full of wisdome none essentially wise but he none but are depending and beholding for their wisedome but he his foolishnesse is wiser then men they be all doters to him Earthly Kings have their Counsellours but he needs none Solomon was the wisest among them but a greater then Solomon is here Secondly he is Rex armipotens bellicosus a most puissant and warlike King called therefore a man of Warre the Lord of Hosts the Captaine of our Salvation the armies in Heaven Angels and righteous men follow him he is the stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands sent from heaven and acting by no humane but meerely Divine Authority which smote the Image and brake in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the Silver and the Gold the great Monarchies and Kingdomes of the world to make way for his owne Kingdome he is terrible to all the Kings of the Earth that withstand him he is so mighty and so politick that he gets ground of his enemies by giving ground to them The world Hell Death sinne the Accuser of the brethren the enmity of the carnall mind all these are in the Trophes of his victories All his foes are and shall be made his footstoole he will make even the proudest of them to stoope and to hold his stirrup yea he will make them his very stirrup to get on horse-back by as once Sâ—por the Persian served Valerian the Romane Emperour Thirdly Christ is as eminent in peace also as he is in warre called therefore the Prince of Peace When hee was borne warres were husht every where and all the world was at peace Jacob beheld him as a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven and what was this but the Image of a Peace-maker between God and man the Angels of God ascended and descended by that ladder signifying that by Christ wee have the benefit of the Ministry of Angels they ascend to receive new commission from God concerning the Saints and again descend to execute it by Christ also our prayers as Intelligencers and signifiers of our wants doe ascend into the presence of God and againe his blessings as Angels and Messengers of his good will towards us doe descend and light upon us Thus is Christ a ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven partaking of both God and man in one person our blessed Reconciler and Peace-maker he died to purchase peace for us when he went away he left his peace with us and he reignes for ever to maintaine our peace Melchisedec was King of Salem that is King of Peace nominally and in a figure onely but Christ is the very body and substance of that shadow Fourthly Christ is a most just and righteous
of all qualities are admittable into the Kingdome of Christ This likewise was sweetly represented unto Peter by a sheet knit at the foure corners wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts Acts 10. 12. of the Earth and wild Beasts and creeping things and foules of the aire and the Apostle was bid to arise and to slay and eate Now by this he was taught that not onely the Gentiles as well as the Jewes were to be received into the Kingdome of Christ but also that in every Nation as himselfe afterwards expounds it He that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him Acts 10 35. Let him be of what trade and occuptation of what ranke and quality of what state and condition soever he will be Christ will not refuse him coming unto him and submitting unto the Scepter of his Kingdome Thirdly the Kingdome of Christ is universall in respect of the ages and times of the world it runnes through all ages and it lasts from generation to generation And hence it is that Christ is called a King immortall 1 Tim. 1. 17. having spoken of the long suffering of Jesus Christ toward him in the precedent verse he addes immediately now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever amen Jesus Christ then is that God and King and he is called immortall to distinguish him from all other Kings The Kings of the world are mortall they die and leave their Kingdomes to others but Christ is an immortall King hee never dieth his Kingdome knowes no period it passes through all Epoches and tracts of time Precious is Christ that hath such a Kingdome and happie are his Saints that have such a King When friends die when Estates are gone when the Sword rages when sicknesse and death comes when any trouble or affliction is upon them yet to their unspeakable comfort they know that their mighty King liveth and reigneth and so long as he is up they cannot be so downe but they shall rise againe Christ is a King in all ages of the world from the beginning God is my King of old saith the Church Psal 74. 12. and Christ is God there spoken of as appeares by the words that follow God is my King of old working salvation in the midst of the Earth it is Christ the Mediatour that workes salvation in the midst of the Earth for the Father hath committed all Judgement unto him he then is King of old from the very first founding of the world and so shall continue to be while the Sunne and Moone indure as 't is prophecied of him Fourthly Christs Kingdome is universall in respect of all Creatures all power is given into him both in heaven and in earth In respect of his providence the creatures are subject to him as God but as they serve to further the salvation of his elect and to beautifie his Kingdome so they are subject unto him as Mediatour In Ephes 1. 22. It is said of Christ that the Father hath put all things under his feet and hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church that is so farre forth as they conduce to the good of the Church so they are under the Kingdome of Christ as Mediatour Thirdly Christ rules as King alone he alone is caput Ecclesiae the head of the Church When the Romane Empire was growne vast and unweldy there were colleagues in government two men of equall Authority one to rule the East and another to sway the West And in some places during the minority of the King they chose a Regent who hath Kingly Authority and is pro tempore as a King But it is not so in the Kingdome of Christ he rules alone without a partner Vnum non capit Regnum duos is a most true saying here this one Kingdome will not beare two Kings at once Ridiculous is the Popes challenge to be the Ministeriall head of the Church Christ rules alone without any such Image of his government he rules alone as head without either colleague in the largenesse of his dominion or Regent in his minority sole or Vice-Roy in his absence hee hath indeed Officers that rule under him but the headship and royalty he reserves as peculiar to himselfe he carries the government upon his owne shoulders as wee reade Isaiah 9. 6. he alone hath soveraigne power and Authority in governing of his Church he alone hath supremacy of Regiment he alone is Claviger the Key-carrier to his Church Isa 22. 22. It is written thus of Eliakim the Key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open Now herein was this Saint a lively figure and type of Christ the words of the Prophecie are applyed to Christ in his advertisement to Philadelphia Revel 3. and the sense is this that looke as Eliakim was made Steward or Treasurer under Hezekiah that is the next unto the King in government all over the Land to command to forbid to permit to reward to punish to doe Justice and to represse all disorder of which Authority the bearing of a Key on the shoulder was a badge so Christ as Mediatour under his Father hath regall power and Authority over his Church where hee commands in chiefe as I may say and no man may lift up his hand or foote without him he hath the Key of the house of David upon his shoulder to prescribe to inhibit to call to harden to save and to destroy at his pleasure such a Monarch and King is Christ over his Church neither hath any such rule and soveraignty beside him Fourthly Christ is an eternall and everlasting King he receives a Kingdome that cannot be shaken there shall be no end of it his Throne endureth for ever God rent away the Kingdome from Soul and others and Mene Mene was upon Belshazzars Kingdome a full â—umbring and finishing the dayes of it but Christs Kingdome is everlasting and shall never expire let the enemies thereof use what art and craft they will they shall never destroy it or pluck it up The God of Heaven saith the Prophet shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed neither shall it be left to other people but it shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. If that of the Apostle be objected where â—e saith that Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. I answer that this doth nothing at all impeach the everlastingnesse of Christs Kingdome for the meaning of it is this that at the generall Resurrection and the end of the world Christ shall lay downe his Mediatorship and shall deliver up all his Elect and faithfull Members of whom now his Kingdome consists unto his Father to be eternally crowned and glorifyed and this shall be then when hee shall have reconciled some of his Enemies spoyled desperate ones of
drops of bloud which hee did sweat in his agony had nothing availed without death Death is the summe of the curse due to us in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Christ then dying for us here was the accomplishment of all his sufferings and the height of his love towards us Surely that bloud must needs be very precious which could not be let out but the vitall spirits must follow after it Those that professe skill in words doe derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloud from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to burne or to kindle whether this be a true etymologie or not I will not dispute the heate that is in the bloud of a living creature if at leastwise in good temper speakes for it sure I am that the bloud of Jesus Christ shed for our sinnes both testifies his ardent and burning love toward us and requires a like affection in us the kindling and fiering of our love toward him Fourthly the preciousnesse of Christs bloud appeares likewise from the personall union of his manhood with his God-head The Divine and humane natures of Christ subsisting together in one and the same person is called an hypostaticall union properly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a placing or standing under when the Godhead stands under the manhood and the manhood is taken into the same person with the God-head this is hypostaticall Now from this marvellous and wonderfull union floweth though not a reall communication of properties yet a promiscuous predication of them as if they were all alike common and naturall to both natures Hence the manhood is said to be in heaven even while it was circumscribed compassed with a place on earth John 3. 13. and on the other side the bloud of the humane nature is called the bloud of God Acts 20. 28. and else where by reason of this union God himselfe is said to be crucified Oh how precious was the bloud of Christ then doubtlesse it had more worth in it then all the creatures in Heaven and earth Angels and men and all the world beside The uniting and consequently the cooperation and compliance of the impassible Deity in the same person with that soule and body which suffered must needs put infinite dignity and preciousnesse beyond all account upon the bloud of Christ yet this was not thought too deare for his Saints Fiftly and lastly the blessed effects of Christs bloud is another strong Argument of the inestimable value and price of it It justifies our persons in the sight of God It frees us from the guilt from the punishment and from the power of all sinne It saves us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that wrath that is to come 1 Thessalonians 1. 10. Wicked people are Light and merry-hearted and never dreame of an after recoming but there is a thunder shower of Gods wrath to come which will light heavily upon the heads of unbeleeving ones Wee are all of us by nature obnoxious to and involved in this danger therefore the Apostle useth the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snatching or pulling us out from the wrath to come even wee of the children of God wee of the Corporation and society of the Saints we Beleevers as well as others were liable to this wrath but Christ hath dâ—livered us this is his tender loving kindnesse and good will to his Elect. Againe the bloud of Christ obtaines eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. whence it is that the Apostle opposes it to Gold and Silver though these be among the most precious things that the Earth affords yet being corruptible and transitory they cannot purchase incorruption and eternity for us The bloud of Christ is the price of our Redemption yee are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 23. and a like phrase he uses in the end of the precedent chapter yet there is neither a pleonasme in the words that is to say a fulnesse of speech though that sometimes be rhetoricall enough nor impropriety or unfitnesse of Language as if a thing could be bought without a price though I confesse the Scripture in some respects doth sometimes speake so neither is there an hebraisme whereby words of the same signification are itterated and repeated ob vehementiam to set the matter on with the greater vehemency and force but the word price is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew the superlative excellency and dignity of the price wherewith the Saints are bought so that ye are bought with a price is as much as to say yee are dearely bought 't was a price with a witnesse that was given for you a price of inestimable value a price past the number of a man it cannot be calculated or summed up it is so infinite such a rich and exceeding price is the bloud of Jesus Christ costly and chargeable were our soules that required such a ransome This is the price wherewith wee are bought from the earth bought out of Hell and bought into Heaven and everlasting glory This is the price that redeemeth us from condemnation and this is it that cleanseth us from the filth and staine of sinne This is it that purgeth our Consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb 9. 14. The Apostle in that place draweth an Argument â— minori ad majus as the Logician speakes If typicall rites and sacrifices as the bloud of Bulls and goates and the ashes of an Heifer sprinckled upon the uncleane availed for externall Sanctification namely for the purifying of the flesh legally and ceremonially how much more shall the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon our Consciences purge away the guilt of sinne and avayle to the internall spirituall and everlasting sanctifying of our persons Againe by this bloud it was that Christ as the high Priest of our profession that is of Christians entred into Heaven so saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 12. Christ entred â—y his owne bloud into the holy place hee did not enter into the presence of God as the high-priest of old did with the bloud of Goates and Calves what should those slender things doe in the Tabernacle made without hands there are no such meane and poore offerings there Neither did Christ enter to offer for himselfe as well as for his Family as Aaron did Levit. 16. 6. he had no need of expiation himselfe but he went into the holiest to offer for his people only whom he hath for ever washed justified and sanctified not with bloud of others as the Apostle speakes but with his owne bloud Lastly from the precious bloud of Christ we also that are so cleansed and purged have boldnesse to enter into the holiest Heb. 10. 19. 20. The bloud of Christ breeds us and begets us this confidence The Apostle in that place doth covertly oppose the liberty of Christians unto the restraint of them that lived under the Law The Jewes of old might not presse into the Holy of Holies it
cut off the race and succession of them There is a remarkable passage to this purpose In Josephus * Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 4. At that time saith he meaning when Pilate was Governour was Jesus a wise man if it be lawfull to call him a man for he was the performer of diverse admirable workes and the instructure of those who willingly entertaine the truth And he drew unto him divers Jewes and Greekes to be his followers this was Christ who being accused by the Princes of our Nation before Pilate and afterward condemned to the crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbeare to love him for the ignominy of his death for he appeared unto them alive the third day after according as the Divine Prophet had before testified the same and divers other wonderfull things of him And from that time forward the race of Christians who have derived their name from him hath never ceased Here you see what an honourable testimony this Jew that was no Christian gives of Christ and his Disciples so precious and desirable was hee notwithstanding his suffering notwithstanding all the shame and trouble that came upon his followers for him that they never would forsake him neither could the generations of them be rooted out of the Earth unto this day This is my beloved and this is my friend ô daughters of Jerusalem Secondly from complacency or wel-pleasednes flowes another thing in love viz. a desire of union or enjoymeÌ„t When the soule eyes a tempting or tickling object as I may say it presently covets the possession and fruition of it there is by and by a kinde of clasping or closing with it or a strong appetion of peculiarity or private Intrest Whence it is that the French Divine writeth Molinus thus of love Love saith he is that point of our spirits whereby it joyneth it selfe unto objects That which is weight in heavie things love is the very same in our soules for as weight moveth earthly bodies toward the place of their rest so love moveth our soules toward that object which promiseth rest and contentment Now Beleevers highly esteeming Christ desire nothing more then the possession and enjoyment of Christ Now Christ is enjoyed In his Ordinances In his secret and sweet appearances to the soule and in his personall presence First Christ is enjoyed in his Ordinances The Ordinance is as I said before a walke wherein Christ is wont to meet with his people a Beleever therefore doth with great delight and study put himselfe upon that way that he may enjoy Christ in it But Secondly Christ is enjoyed in his secret and sweet appearances to the soule What are all holy Ordinances but dead and heartlesse things without such revelations Job tells us of Ordinances of Heaven and Jeremiah in like manner of the Ordinances of the Sun of the Moone and of the Starres these are naturall Ordinances but to what purpose were they if this inferiour world did not partake of their light and heat and sweet influence Wee read also of politick and Judiciall Ordinances which God constituted and set in the common-wealth of Israel but to what purpose were these likewise or what benefit could an Israelite reape by them if he lived in such corrupt and lawlesse times that he could not have them administred so what are all heavenly and sacred Ordinances to a Beleever if he finde not the vertue the life and the power of them enjoying Christ in the Ordinance and finding an influence of his spirit and grace flowing in upon his soule As there is a desire in a Beleever to communicate his heart unto Christ so Christ communicates his grace unto a Beleevers heart Christ as a Fountaine sends forth his streames of comfort and joy and as a Sunne sends forth his glorious beames of grace and love into a Beleevers soule Now a Beleever doth account prayer preaching Sacraments and all other meanes of his soules welfare to be nothing unlesse the Spirit of Christ comply with them flowing in upon the soule with such heart-ravishing discoveries of his grace as no tongue can possible expresse Hence it is that a Beleever sets open the windowes of his soule desiring that Christ may shine into it with the bright and glorious beames of his grace and favour but if Christ eclipse and hid himselfe from the soule there is nothing but darknesse and complaining sorrow and mourning and no rest at all untill the mist be dispelled and the cloud blowen over and the day-starre arise in the heart againe untill Christ come and refresh the soule with new supplies of revelations The Church never left off seeking Christ untill she had found him till the King had brought her into his bed-chamber and into the banqueting-house and imparted some of his love unto her Oh how precious is that sweet and secret communion which a Beleever enjoyes with Christ ô what a delight is it to sit under Christs shadow and to enjoy him in such a way at this is Thirdly Christ is enjoyed in his personall presence at his second coming The Saints are described to be such as long and looke for Christs appearing 1 Cor. 1. 7. you come behind in no gift saiâ—h the Apostle waiting for the comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revelation of Jesus Christ It is called the revelation of Christ because the glory and Majesâ—y of Christ it now hid but then his brightnesse shall appeare and be manifested for he shall come in the clouds and great glory And the Apostle saith in 1 Thess 2. 10. that Christ shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve that is the Saints seeing themselves to shine as the Starres for evermore and to be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ they shall infinitely admire his grace and Mercy unto them Hence it is Beleevers wait for the consolation of the second coming of Christ as they did for the consolation of his first coming because here they receive good in promise but then they shall receive it in the fruit of the promise here they receive the first fruites of his Spirit then a full harvest of joy and blessednesse here they see Christs glory at a distance and through the lattesse but then in the luster and brightnesse of it Christ is the object of a Beleevers affections and nothing but fruition will give him satisfaction his heart is never at rest untill it come to his proper place of rest and repose agreeable to that of the Father fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescit in te thou hast made us ô Lord for thy selfe and our heart is never at rest till it rest in thee Now whence is it that a Beleever desires to enjoy Christ in his Ordinance in that sweet and secret communion in his personall presence but from this love of union when he sees such a glorious object as Christ is
Jesus Christ the eternall Son of God The Elect are called the sâ—ede of Christ Esa 53. 10 and his children Heb. 2. 13. Now as wee were in Adams loyns when he transgressed so as touching the decree and counsaile of God we were as I may say in the loynes of Christ from all eternity and before the world began and so the promise was made to him for us or to us in him before all moments or measures of time But you will aske mee perhaps where we finde such a promise I answer that wee have such a promise Psal 2. 7 8. I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession In this Scripture marke two things First That God the Father saith of his Sonne this day have I begotten thee And this day signifies both time and eternity Time as touching the resurrection of Christ from the dead that was done in time as you know and the Apostle applyes the words of the Psalmist unto that very matter of Christs resurrection Acts 13. 33. And to the same purpose he is called elsewhere the first begotten of the dead Againe this day signifies eternity It is most certainly to be beleeved that God did beget his Sonne before all time even from everlasting There is a place to this purpose Heb. 1. 4 5. where the Apostle saith that Christ hath a more excellent Name then the Angells because God the Father said of him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which he never did say unto any of the Angells And marke I pray the Apostle saith that Christ obtained this more excellent name by inheritance as being Gods naturall Sonne and therefore he had it from everlasting Secondly In this day of eternitie if I may so call it God makes unto his Sonne a promise of a Church to be gathered among the Heathen This promise was stipulated in the nature and manner of a decree and all Gods decrees are eternall and co-etaneous with himselfe most true is the theoreme of the Philosopher a voluntate antiqua non procedit actio nova from the ancient will he means from Gods will there doth not proceed any new act God doth not begin to will any thing he doth not will any thing afresh because whatsoever he wills from all eternitie he will'd it his will from everlasting to everlasting is one most pure and simple act it is sometimes called a decree but yet in respect of himselfe it is no such thing for a decree supposeth some intervall of time to be between the purpose and the execution and so there is I confesse in respect of us but to God it is not so for he is without all predicament of time one day is as a 1000 yeares and a thousand years as one day with him those things that are past and to come with us are eternally present with him But to come to the point Though the counsells of God be not properly decrâ—es in respect of himselfe fâ—r the reason before alledged yet they are from eternitie and that is the thing that we drive at The forementioned decree of gathering a Church from among the Heathen was made when the Sonne of God was begotten and he was begotten of old from everlasting as we have prooved And it was not onely a decree but a promise also it runnes plainly in the forme and tenor of a promise Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Now then consider how precious is that promise that was made in a familiar parlie and conference between the Father and the Sonne from all eternity Christ was foreseene and ordained even of old to be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mediator upon this ground God makes even then a gracious promise to him for us a promise of giving us to him and consequently of giving us eternall life through him So that here wee have plainly the reason why the Apostle saith that God promised eternall life before the world began Namely because Christ was even then in the counsell and purpose of God our Mediaâ—our And hence in another place he saith that the grace of God whereby wee are called with an holy calling and consequently everlastingly saved was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Christ Jesus was even then lookt upon as our Redeemer God stipulates and promises to him and he againe restipulates to undertake for us Certainly then the promise of eternall life must needs be exceeding precious being the substance of that Dialogue as I may say and communication which passed between the Father and the Sonne before the world was created And if that great promise be so ancient then questionlesse so are all promises because eternall life doth eminently containe in it all other blessings just as the heaven of heavens doth all inferiour parts of the world Now how should the consideration of this stirre up our hearts to love Jesus Christ who received promises for us not onely before wee our selves were but even before there was any time or creature made Thirdly Consider the precious things that are couched in the promises and they appertaine either to temporall life or to spirituall grace or to eternall glory First Great and precious are the promises which doe appertaine unto this life Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come And even in this respect God hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us Heb. 13. 5. There are in this place no lesse then five negatives to strengthen and confirme our faith in the truth of the promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still upon thee and I will watch over thee for good continually And marke I pray what the Prophet saith Esa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitie hee redeemed them and carried them all the dayes of old The place may be read interrogatively thus Was he not afflicted c. That is did he not take to heart the wrongs done to his people in Aegypt Was not Christ the Angel of Gods presence their Conductor and Saviour Did hee not beare them as a tender Mother or Nurse doth her young childe Did he not carry them as the Eagle doth her broode with such care that shee her selfe may not hurt them and at such a height as others may not reach them In such manner doth Christ for ever protect his people In Zech. 2. 5. he promises to be a wall of fire round about them where the Holy-Ghost alludeth to the practice of
Travailers in the Wildernesse who by surrounding themselves with a fire did thereby fray away the wilde beasts and kept them off from annoying them now such a defence will Christ be unto his Saints he will be with them in most deadly dangers When they passe through the water and when they walke through the fire Esa 43. 2. Fire and water are two most devouring elements good servants but bad masters as we say and therefore here they are put for all other perilous and dangerous kindes Christ will save and deliver his people from them all Wee reade Dan. 3. 25. that the three Children were cast into the fiery furnace But what said the Tyrant I see foure saith he and the fourth is like the Sonne of God and in all probabilitie it was so it being usuall under the old Testament for Christ upon some weightie occasions to appeare in humane shape Thus Christ will be with his people in the furnace of affliction and either he will provide that it shall not be over-heate or else he will worke a miracle to restraine the power of the flames he will both preserve them in and deliver them out of trouble he will so sanctifie affliction that it shall prove a very blessing and mercy to them Secondly Great also and precious are the promises which appertaine unto spirituall grace The Apostle saith That by them we partake of the divine or godly nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He doth not meane it of the essence or substance of God as some of the Heathen conceited affirming man to be aurae divinae particula a little piece of the divine Spirit Thus did the Platonicks dreame and also the Manichees and Priscillianists not so I say for the essence of God is incommunicable but wee are to understand it of the graces of the Spirit whereby the image of God is stampt againe and restored in man therefore the Apostle doth not call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the essentiall nature of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly nature as if he had expressed it in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sainthood or a nature approaching to Gods resembling and like unto Gods So that Beleevers through Christ have in their soules a lively image and representation of the perfections of the vertues and of the life of God according to that of the Apostle Colos 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him he puts knowledge which is the incipient part of regeneration for the whole including under that both holinesse and righteousnesse And answering to this is that precious promise Esa 65. 17. where the Lord saith That he will make new heavens and a new earth This is meant of the spirituall excellency of the Church in regard both of doctrine of discipline and of life and therefore it holds forth a promise concerning the renewing of the soule by the Spirit of the Lord where doctrine is sound discipline wholesome and life holy there are new Heavens and a new earth as I may say and there the soule is become a new creature by the sanctifying Spirit of God Lastly great and precious also are the promises appertaining to eternall glory they containe in them that heavenly inheritance of the Saints in Light where they shall have blessed communion with God with Christ with the Holy Spirit with elect Angels and with one another for ever where they shall have the quintessence of all good things the sweetnesse of all Mercy and consolation where they shall have the splendour and bright rayes of everlasting honour where after this life and this life is but a bubble a smoake a wind a shadow they shall have that unutterable immortall Crowne of glory set upon their heads which Christ hath promised in a word where they shall have totum quod volunt nihil quod nolunt all that they would have and nothing that they would not have Hence it is that the Gospel which holdeth forth the promise of these things is termed glorious and the ministration thereof likewise glorious And therefore as the Apostle makes the comparison between the Law and the Gospel if the ministration of death and condemnation be glorious saith he how shall not the ministration of the Spirit and of righteousnesse be rather glorious so may I say if the glory of Christ be so splendent and shining so attractive and alluring even in the promise and expectation of it what then will it be in the full fruition and enjoyment thereof if so excellent and surpassing at a distance and through the lattice as I may say what will it be in the neerest touch and vision thereof when wee shall come our selves to participate of that glory Now wee see but in a glasse darkely saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. that is here wee see God but as we see our owne Image in a glasse and not the very face it selfe here wee see him by a kinde of reflection and at second hand as I may say in the Ordinances in the creatures and such like dimme representations which at the farthest are in some sense aenigmaticall full of intricacy and obscurity But then wee shall see God face to face and then we shall know him as we our selves are knowne by him that is to say perfectly I meane with such a perfection as a glorified creature is capable of Thus have I shewed unto you what excellent and precious things are contained in the Promises for our soules and for our bodies for this life and for the life to come for ever ô then how much more precious and excellent how much more to be desired and longed for is Jesus Christ by whom so manifold and unspeakeable blessings are conveyed unto us Fourthly Christ hath bestowed up-Beleevers Mot 4 precious love and precious it is because Infinite Gracious Liberall Everlasting First the love of Christ unto his Saints is infinite and unmeasurable it is beyond all imagination or conception As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you saith Christ Joh. 15. 9. Now who can understand with what love the Father hath embraced his Sonne who can dive into the bottomelesse depth of that tender affection which the infinite God beareth unto Christ no more can wee define and fully set forth what the love of Christ unto his Saints is The Apostle indeed would have the Ephesians able to comprehend with all Saints the breadth and length the depth and height of the love of God in Christ but yet for all that hee concludes that it passeth knowledge Ephes 3. 18. 19. Secondly Christs love is a gracious love That which the Lord speakes by his Prophet concerning Jerusalem may fitly be applyed to all his people When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted or troden under foot as the word signifieth in thine owne bloud I said unto thee live That is as we use to apply it spiritually when we