that sent Jesus Christ and upon Christ that sent them So that it is a rebellion that how ever it seems to begin low in some small piques against their persons or some little quarrels at their parts and Utterance Tones Methods or gestures yet it â—â—ns high even to the Fountain head of the most supream Authority You that set your selves against a Minister of Christ set your selves against God the Father and God the Son Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth meâ— and he that despiseth you despised me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me God expects that yon behave your selves under the word spoken by us as if he himself spake it Yea he expects submission to his word in the mouths of his Ministers from the greatest on earth And therefore it was that God so severely punished Zedekiah because he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord 2 Câ—on 36.12 God was angry with a great King for not humbling himself before a poor Prophet Yet here you must distinguish both of Persons and of Acts. This reverence and submission is not due to them as men but as men in Office As Christs Embassadours and must involve that respect still in it Again we owe it not to them commanding or forbiding in their own names but in Christs Not in venting their own Spleen but the terrors of the Lord. And then to resist is an high rebellion and affront to the Soveraign Authority of Heaven And by the way this may instruct Ministers that the way to maintain that veneration and respect that is due to them in the consciences of their hearers is by keeping close to their Commission Inference 3. Hence also we infer How great an evil it is to intrude into the Office of the Ministry without a due call It 's more than Christ himself would do He glorified not himself The honours and advantages attending that Office have invited many to run before they were Sent. But surely this is an insufferable violation of Christs order Our Age hath abounded with as many Church-Levellers as state-Levellers I wish the Ministers of Christ might at last see and consider what they were once warned of by a faithful watch-man I believe saith he God hath permitted so many to intrude into the Ministers calling because Ministers have too much medled with and intruded into other mens callings Inference 4. Hence be convinced of the great efficacy that is in all Gospel-ordinances duly administred For Christ having received full Commission from his Father and by vertue thereof having instituted and appointed those ordinances in the Church all the power in heaven is engaged to make them good to back and second them to confirm and ratifie them Hence in the censures of the Church you have that great expression Matth. 18.18 Whatsoever ye bind or loose on earth shall be bound or loosed in heaven And so for the Word and Sacraments Matth. 28.18 19 20. All power in heaven and in earth is given to me God therefore c. They are not the appointments of men your Faith stands not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God That very power God the Father committed to Christ is the Fountain whence all Gospel institutions flow And he hath promised to be with his Offices not only the extraordinary Offices of that Age but with his Ministers in succeeding Ages to the end of the world O therefore when ye come to an odinance come not wiâ—h slight thoughts but with great reverence and great expectations remembring Christ is there to make all good Inference 5. Again here you have another call to admire the grace and love both of the Father and Son to your Souls It is not lawful to compare them but it 's duty to admire them Was it not wonderful grace in the Father to Seal a Commission for the death of his Son for the humbling of him as low as Hell and in that Method to save you when you might rather have expected he should have Sealed your Mittimus for Hell rather than a Commission for your Salvation He might rather have set his irreversible Seal to the sentence of your Damnation than to a Commission for his Sons humiliation for you And no less is the love of Christ to be wondred at that would accept such a Commission as this for us and receive this Seal understanding fully as he did what were the contents of that Commission that the Father delivered him thus Sealed And knowing that there could be no reversing of it afterwards Oh then love the Lord Jesus all ye his Saints for still you see more and more of his love breaking out upon you I commend to you a Sealed Saviour this day O that every one that reads these lines might in a pang of Love cry out with the enamored Spouse Cant. 8.6 Set me as a Seal upon thy heart as a Seal upon thy arm for Love is strong as Death Iealousie is cruel as the Grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which have a vehement flame Inference 6. Once more hath God Sealed Christ for you then draw forth the comfort of his Sealing for you and be restless till ye also be Sealed by him First Draw out the comfort of Christs Sealing for you Remember that hereby God stands ingaged even by his own Seal to allow and confirm what ever Christ hath done in the business of your Salvation And on this ground you may thus plead with God Lord thou hast Sealed Christ to this Office and therefore I depend upon it that thou allowest all that he hath done and all that he hath suffered for me and wilt make good all that he hath promised me If men will not deny their own Seals much less wilt thou Secondly Get your interest in Christ Sealed to you by the Spirit else you cannot have the comfort of Christs being Sealed for you Now the Spirit Seals two ways Objectively and Effectually the first is by working those graces in us which are the conditions of the promises The latter is by shining upon his own Work and helping the Soul to discern it Which follows the other both in order of nature and of time And these Sealings of the Spirit are to be distinguisht both ex parti Subjecti by their Subject or the quality of the Person Sealed which always is a Believer Eph. 1.13 For there can be no reflex till there have been a Direct Act of Faith Ex parte materiae By the matter of which that comfort is made Which if it be of the Spirit is ever consonant to the written Word Isa. 8.20 And partly ab effectis by its effects for it commonly produces in the Sealed Soul great care and caution to avoid Sin Eph. 4.30 Great Love to God Ioh. 14.22 Readiness to suffer any thing for Christ Rom. 5.3 4 5. Confidence in addresses to God 1 Ioh. 5.13 14. And great
that any creature was ever yet set upon and inlarged to take in view the most spatious prospect both of sin and misery and difficulties of being saved that ever yet any poor humble soul did cast within it self yea joyn to these all the hindrances and objections that the heart of man can invent against it self and salvation lift up thine eyes and look to the utmost thou canst see and Christ by his intercession is able to save thee beyond the Horizon and utmost compass of thy thoughts even to the utmost Secondly Hence draw abundant encouragement against all heartstraightnings and deadness of spirit in prayer Thou complainest thy heart is dead wandring and contracted in duty O but remember Christs blood speaks when thou canst not it can plead for thee and that powerfully when thou art not able to speak a word for thy self to this sense that Scripture speaks Can. 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the Wilderness in pillars of smoke perfumed with myrh and frankincense all the powders of the Merchant The duties of Christians go up many times as pillars or clouds of smoke from them more smoke than fire Prayers smoked and sullied with their offensive corruptions but remember Christ perfumes them with myrh c. he by his intercession gives them a sweet perfume Thirdly Christs intercession is a singular relief to all that come unto God by him against all sinful damps and slavish fears from the justice of God Nothing more promotes the fear of reverence Nothing more suppresseth unbelieving despondencies and destroys the spirit of bondage So you find it Heb. 10.19 20 21. Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh And having an High-Priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in full assurance of faith Or let us come unto God as a Ship comes with full sayl into the Harbour O what a direct and full gale of encouragement doth this intercession of Christ give to the poor soul that lay a ground or was wind-bound before Fourthly The intercession of Christ gives admirable satisfaction and encouragement to all that come to God against the fears of deserting him again by Apostacy This my friends this is your principal security against these matters of fear With this he relieves Peter Luk. 22.31.32 Simon saith Christ Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy fath fail not q. d. Satan will fan thee not to get out thy chaff but boult out thy flower His temptations are levell'd against thy faith but fear not my prayer shall break his designs and secure thy faith from all his attempt upon it Upon this powerful intercession of Christ the Apostle builds his triumph against all that threatens to bring him or any of the Saints again into a state of condemnation And see how he drives on that triumph from the resurrection and session of Christ at the Fathers right hand and especially from the work of intercession which he lives there to perform Rom. 8.34 35. Who is he that condemneth it 's Christ that died yea rather that 's risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Fifthly It gives sweet relief against the defects and wants that yet are in our sanctification We want a great deal of faith love heavenly mindedness mortification knowledge We are short and wanting in all There are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remains or things wanting as the Apostle calls them 1 Thes. 3.10 Well if grace be but yet in it's weak beginnings and infancy in thy soul this may incourage that by reason of Christs intercession it shall live grow and expatiate it self in thy heart He is not only the author but the finisher of it Heb. 12.2 He is ever begging new and fresh mercies for you in Heaven and will never be quiet till all your wants be supplied He saves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost i. e. as I told you before to the last perfective compleating act of salvation So that this is a fountain of relief against all your fears Vse 3. Doth Christ live for ever to make intercession then let those who reap on earth the fruits of that his work in Heaven draw instruction thence about the following duties to which it leads them as by the hand First Do not forget Christ in an exalted state You see though he be in all the glory above at Gods right hand an enthron'd King he doth not forget you He like Ioseph remembers his brethren in all his glory But alas how oft doth advancement make us forget him as the Lord complains in Hosea 13.5 6. I did know thee in the Wilderness in the Land of great drought but when they came into Canaan According to their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me As if he had said O my people you and I were better acquainted in the Wilderness When you were in a low condition left to my immediate care living by daily faith Oh then you gave me many a sweet visit but now you are filled I hear no more of you Good had it been for some Saints if they had never known prosperity Secondly Let the intercession of Christ in Heaven for you encourage you to constancy in the good ways of God To this duty it sweetly encourages also Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that we have a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Here is incouragement to perseverance on a double account One is that Jesus our head is already in Heaven and if the head be above water the body cannot drown The other is from the business he is there imployed about which is his Priesthood he is passed into the Heavens as our great High-Priest to intercede and therefore we cannot miscarry Thirdly Let it incourage you to constancy in prayer O do not neglect that excellent duty seing Christ is there to present all your petitions to God Yea to perfume as well as present them So the Apostle Heb. 4.16 infers from Christs intercession Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need Fourthly Hence be encouraged to plead for Christ on earth who continually pleads for you in Heaven If any accuse you he is there to plead for you And if any dishonour him on earth see that you plead his interest and defend his honour Thus you have heard what his intercession is and what benefits we receive by it Blessed be God for Iesus Christ. The FOURTEENTH
the Empyrean Heaven the City of God wihther Christ ascended Where the great assembly are met Paradise and Canaan were but the Types of it More excelling and trascending the Royal Palaces of earthly Princes than they do a â—idgeon hold The company also with whom he is enjoyed adds to the glory A blissful society indeed Store of good neighbours in that City There we shall have familiar converse with Angels whose appearances now are insupportable by poor mortals There will be sweet and full closings also betwixt the Saints Luther and Zuinglius are there agreed here they could not fully close with one another And no wonder for they could not fully close with themselves But there is perfect harmony and unity All meeting and closing in God as lines in the Center This is a blessed glimpse of your inheritance Thirdly All this is purchased for Believers hence it 's call'd the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 All is yours for ye are Christs that is the tenure 1 Cor. 3.23 So Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Only those that are Sons are Heirs Rom. 8.17 The unrighteous shall not inherit 1 Cor. 6.9 It 's the Fathers good pleasure to give the Kingdom to the little flock Luk. 12.32 Inference 1. Hath Christ not only redeemed you from wrath but purchased such an eternal inheritance also by the overplus of his merit for you Oh how well content should Believers then be with their lot of providence in this life be it what it will Content did I say I speak too low overcome ravisht filled with praises and thanksgivings how low how poor how afflicted soever for present they are O let not such a thing as grumbling repining freting at providence be found or once named among the expectants of this Inheritance Suppose you had taken a beggar from your door and adopted him to be your Son and made him Heir of a large inheritance and after this he should contest and quarrel with you for a trifle could you bear it how to work the Spirit of a Saint into contentment with a Low condition here I have laid down several rules in another discourse to which for present I refer the Reader Inference 2. With what weaned affections should the people of God walk up and down this world content to live and willing to die For things present are theirs if they live and things to come are theirs if they die Paul expresses himself in a frame of holy indifferencie Phil. 1.23 Which to choose I know not Many of them that are now in fruition of their inheritance above had vitam in patientia mortem in desiderio life in patience and death in desire while they tabernacled with us Oh cried one what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in Christs bosom I cannot tell you what sweet pain and delightful torments are in his love I often challenge time for holding us assunder I profess to you I have no rest till I be over head and ears in Loves Ocean If Christs Love that fountain of delights were laid open to me as I would wish O how drunken would this my soul be I half call his absence cruel and the mask and vail on his face a cruel covering that hideth such a fair fair face from a â—ick soul. I dare not challenge himself but his absence is a mountain of Iron upon my heavy heart O when shall we meet How long is it to the dawning of the marriage day O sweet Lord Jesus take wide steps O my Lord come over mountains at one stride O my beloved flee like a Roe or young Hart upon the mountains of seperation O if he would fold the Heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and make ready in hast the Lambs wife for her husband Since he looked upon me my heart is not mine own Who can be blamed for desiring to see that fair inheritance which is purchased for him But truly should God hold up the soul by the power of faith from day to day to such sights as these who would be content to live a day more on earth How should we be ready to pull down the Prison walls and not having patience to wait till God open the door As the Heathen said Victurosque dii celant ut vivere durant And truly the wisdom of God is in this specially remarkable in giving the new creature such an admirable crasis and even temper as that Scripture 2 Thes. 3.5 expresses The Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God and patient waiting for of Christ. Love inflames with desire patience allays that fervor So that fervent desires as one happily expresses it are allaied with meek submission Mighty love with strong patience And had not God twisted together these two principles in the Christians constitution he had framed a creature to be a torment to it self to live upon a very rack Inference 3. Hence we infer the impossibility of their Salvation that know not Christ nor have interest in his blood Neither Heathens nor meerly nominal Christians can inherit I know some are very indulgent to the Heathen and many formal Christians are but too much so to themselves but union by faith with Jesus Christ is the only way revealed in Scripture by which we hope to come to the heavenly inheritance I know it seems hard that such brave men as some of the Heathens were should be damned but the Scripture knows no other way to glory but Christ put on and applied by faith And it is the common suffrage of modern sound Divines that no man by the sole conduct of nature without the knowledge of Christ can be saved There is but one way to glory for all the world Ioh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by me Gal. 3.14 The blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles through faith Scripture asserts the impossibility of being or doing any thing that is truly evangelically good out of Christ. Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing and Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Scripture every where connects and chains Salvation with vocation Rom. 8.30 and vocation with Gospel Rom. 10.14 To those that plead for the Salvation of Heathens and profane Christians we may apply that tart rebuke of Bernard that while some labour to make Plato a Christian he feared they therein did prove themselves to be Heathens Inference 4. How greatly are we all concerned to clear up our Title to the heavenly inheritance It 's horrible to see how industrious many are for an inheritance on earth and how careless for Heaven By which we may plainly see how vilely the noble soul is depressed by sin and sunk down into flesh minding only the concernments of the flesh Hear me ye that labour for
is called Gods servant they fulfil his will whilst they are prosecuting their own lusts The earth shall help the woman Rev. 12.16 But good men delight to serve providence they and the Angels are fellow-servants in one house and to one master Rev. 19.10 Yea there is not a creature in Heaven or Earth or Hell but Jesus Christ can Providentially use it and serve his ends and promote his designs by it But whatever the Instrument be Christ uses of this we may be certain that his Providential working is Holy Judicious Soveraign Profound Irresistible Harmonious and to the Saints peculiar First It 's holy Though he permits limits orders and overrules many unholy persons and actions yet he still works like himself most holily and purely throughout The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal. 145.17 It 's easier to separate light from a Sun-beam than holiness from the works of God The best of men cannot escape sin in their most holy actions They cannot touch but are defiled But no sin cleaves to God whatever he hath to do about it Secondly Christs providential working is not only most pure and holy but also most wise and Judicious Ezek. 1.20 The wheels are full of eyes they are not moved by a blind impetus but in deep counsel and wisdom And indeed the wisdom of providence manifests it self principally in the choice of such states for the people of God as shall most effectually promote their eternal happiness And herein it goes quite beyond our understandings and comprehensions It makes that medicinal and salutiferous which we judge as destructive to our comfort and good as poyson I remember it is a note of Suarez speaking of the felicity of the other world then saith he the blessed shall see in God all things and circumstances pertaining to them excellently accommodated and attempered Then they shall see that the crossing of their desires was the saving of their souls And that they had if they had not perished The most wise Providence looks beyond us It eyes the end and suits all things thereto and not to our fond desires Thirdly The Providence of Christ is most supream and soveraign Whatsoever he pleaseth that he doth in Heaven and Earth and in all places Psal. 135.6 He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Rev. 19.16 The greatest Monarchs on Earth are but as little bits of clay As the worms of the earth to him They all depend on him Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings raign and Princes decree Iustice by me Princes rule Nobles even all the Iudges of the Earth Fourthly Providence is profound and inscrutable The Judgements of Christ are as the great deeps and his footsteps are not known Psal. 36 6. There are hard texts in the works as well as in the words of Christ The wisest heads have been at a loss in interpreting some providences Ier. 12.1 2. Iob. 21.7 The Angels had the hands of a man under their wings Ezek. 1.8 i. e. They wrought secretly and mysteriously Fifthly Providence is irresistible in its designs and motions for all providences are but the fulfillings and accomplishments of Gods immutable decrees Eph. 1.11 He works all things according to the counsel of his own will Hence Zech. 6.1 The Instruments by which God executed his wrath are called Chariots coming from betwixt two mountains of brass i. e. the firm and immutable decrees of God When the Iews put Christ to death they did but do that the hand and counsel of God had before determined to be done Acts 4.28 So that none can oppose or resist Providence I will work and who shall lett Isa. 43.13 Sixthly The Providences of Christ are Harmonious There are secret chains and invisible connexions betwixt the works of Christ. We know not how to reconcile promises and providences together nor yet providences one with another but certainly they all work together Rom. 8.28 as adjuvant causes or con-causes standing under and working by the influence of the first cause He doth not do and undo Destroy by one providence what he built by another But look as all seasons of the year the nipping frosts as well as halcion days of summer do all conspire and conduce to the harvest so it is in providence Seventhly Lastly The providences of Christ work in a special and peculiar way for the good of the Saints His providential is subordinated to his Spiritual Kingdom He is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 These only have the blessing of providence Things are so laid and ordered as that their eternal good shall be promoted and secured by all that Christ doth Inference 1. If so See then in the first place to whom you are beholding for your lives liberties comforts and all that you enjoy in this world Is it not Christ that takes order for you He is indeed in Heaven out of your sight but though you see him not he sees you and takes care for all your concerns When one told Silentiarius of a plot laid to take away his life he answered Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo if God take not care of me how do I live how have I escaped hitherto In all thy waies acknowledge him Prov. 3.6 It 's he that hath espied out that state thou art in as most proper for thee It 's Christ that doth all for you that is done He looks down from Heaven upon all that fear him he sees when you are in danger by Temptation and casts in a providence you know not how to hinder it He sees when you are sad and orders reviving providences to refresh you He sees when corruptions prevail and orders humbling providences to purge them Whatever mercies you have received all along the way you have gone hitherto are the orderings of Christ for you And you shall carefully observe how the promises and providences have kept equal pace with one another and both gone step by step with you until now Inference 2. Hath God left the government of the whole world in the hands of Christ and trusted him over all then do ye also leave all your particular concerns in the hands of Christ too and know that the infinite wisdom and love which rules the world manages every thing that relates to you It is in a good hand and infinitely better than if it were in your own I remember when Melanchthon was under some despondencies of spirit about the estate of Gods people in Germany Luther chides him thus for it desinat Philippus esse rector mundi let Philip cease to rule the world It 's none of our work to steer the course of providence or direct its motions but to submit quietly to him that doth There is an Itch in men yea in the best of men to be disputing with God Let me talk with thee of thy Iudgements saith Jeremy Jer. 32.1 2. Yea
few particulars of Christs humiliation in his incarnation Next we shall infer somethings from it that are practical Inference 1. Hence we gather the fulness and compleatness of Christs satisfaction as the sweet first fruits of incarnation Did man offend and violate the Law of God Behold God himself is become a man to repair that breach and satisfie for the wrong done The highest honour that ever the law of God received was to have such a person as the man Christ Jesus is to stand before its Bar and make reparation to it This is more than if it had poured out all our blood and built up its honour upon the ruines of the whole creation It is not so much to see all the Stars in Heaven overcast as to see one Sun eclipsed The greater Christ was the greater was his humiliation and the greater his humiliation was the more full and compleat was his satisfaction and the more compleatness there is in Christs satisfaction the more perfect and steady is the Believers consolation If he had not stoopt so low our joy and comfort could not be exalted so high The depth of the foundation is the strength of the superstructure Inference 2. Did Christ for our sakes stoop from the Majesty glory and dignity he was possessed of in Heaven to the mean and contemptible state of a man what a pattern of self-denial is here presented to Christians What objection against or excuses to shift off this duty can remain after such an example as is here propounded Brethren let me tell you the Pagan world was never acquainted with such an Argument as this to press them to self-denial Did Christ stoop and cannot you stoop Did Christ stoop so much and cannot you stoop in the least Was he content to become any thing a worm a reproach a curse and cannot you digest any abasements Do the least slights and neglects rancle your hearts and poyson them with discontent malice and revenge O how unlike Christ are you Hear and blush in hearing what your Lord saith in Joh. 13.14 If I then your Lord and Master wash your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet This example obliges not as a learned man well observes to the same individual act but it obliges us to follow the reason of the example That is after Christs example we must be ready to perform the lowest and meanest Offices of love and service to one another And indeed to this it obliges most forcibly for it is as if a Master seeing a proud sturdy Servant that grudges at the work he is imployed about as if it were too mean and base should come and take it out of his hand and when he hath done it should say doth not your Lord and Master think it beneath him to do it and is it beneath you I remember it is an excellent saying that Bernard hath upon the nativity of Christ. Saith he what more detestable what more unworthy or what deserves severer punishment than for a poor man to magnifie himself after he hath seen the great and high God so humbled as to become a little Child it is intollerable impudence for a worm to swell with pride after it hath seen majesty emptying it self To see one so infinitely above us to stoop so far beneath us Oh how convincing and shaming should it be Ah how opposite should pride and stoutness be to the spirit of a Christian I am sure nothing is more so to the Spirit of Christ. Your Saviour was lowly meek self-denying and of a most condescending Spirit He looked not at his own things but yours Phil. 2.4 And doth it become you to be proud selfish and stout I remember Ierom in his Epistle to Pamachius a godly young noble-man adviseth him to be eyes to the blind feet to the lame yea saith he if need be I would not have you refuse to cut wood and draw water for the Saints and what saith he is this to buffeting and spetting to crowning with thorns scourging and dying Christ did undergo all this and that for the ungodly Inference 3. Did Christ stoop so low as to become a man to save us Then those that perish under the Gospel must needs perish without apology What would you have Christ do more to save you Loe he hath laid aside the robes of Majesty and glory put on your own garments of flesh come down from his Throne and brought Salvation home to your own doors Surely the lower Christ stooped to save us the lower shall we sink under wrath that neglect so great Salvation The Lord Jesus is brought low but the unbeliever will lay him yet lower even under his feet he will tread the Son of God under foot Heb. 10.28 for such as the Apostle there speaks is reserved something worse than dying without mercy What pleas and excuses others will make at the Judgement Seat I know not but once it 's evident you will be speechless And as one well observes the vilest sinners among the Gentiles nay the Devils themselves will have more to say for themselves than you I must be plain with you I beseech you consider how Iews Pagans and Devils will rise up in Judgement against you The Iew may say I had a legal yoak upon me which neither I nor my fathers were able to bear Christ invited me only into the garden of nuts where I might sooner break my teeth with the hard shells of Ceremonies than get the kernel of Gospel-promises In the best of our Sacrifices the smoak filled our Temple smoak only to provoke us to weep for a clearer manifestation We had but the old edition of the Covenant of grace in a character very darkly intelligible you have the last edition with a Commentary of our rejection and the worlds reception and the spirits effusion You had all that heart could wish I perish eternally may the poor Pagan say without all possibility of reconciliation and have only sinned against the Covenant of works having never heard of a Gospel Covenant nor of reconciliation by a Mediator O had I heard but one Sermon had Christ but once broke in upon my soul to convince me of my undone condition and to have shewn a righteousness to me but wo is me I never had so much as one offer of Christ. But so have I must you say that refuse the Gospel I have or might have heard thousands of Sermons I could scarce escape hearing one or other shewing me the danger of my sin and my necessity of Christ but notwithstanding all I heard I wilfully resolved I would have nothing to do with him I could not endure to hear strictness prest upon me It was all the hell I had upon earth that I could not sin in quiet Nay may the Devil himself say it 's true I was ever since my fall malitiously set against God but alas as soon as I had sinned God kickt me out of Heaven and told me
Tree O let the place where you assemble to so see this sight of your crucified Jesus be a Bokim a place of lamentation Inference 3. Moreover hence it 's evident that the believing and affectionate remembrance of Christ is of singular advantage at all times to the people of God For it 's the immediate end of one of the greatest Ordinances that ever Christ appointed to the Church To have frequent recognitions of Christ will appear to be singularly efficatious and useful to Believers if you consider First If at any time thy heart be dead and hard this is the likeliest means in the world to dissolve melt and quicken it Look hither hard heart hard indeed if this hammer will not break it Behold the blood of Jesus Secondly Art thou easily overcome by Temptions to sin This is the most powerful pull back in the world from sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein We are crucified with Christ what have we to do with sin Such a thought as this when thy heart is yielding to Temptations How can I do this and crucifie the Son of God afresh Haâ—h he not suffered enough already on earth shall I yet make him groan as it were for me in Heaven look as David poured the water brought from the Well of Bethlehem on the ground though he was athirst for said he it is the blood of the men i. e. they eminently hazarded their lives to fetch it much more should a Christian pour out upon the ground yea despise and trample under foot the greatest profit or pleasure of sin saying nay I will have nothing to do with it I will on no terms touch it for it is the blood of Christ. It cost blood infinitely pretious blood to expiate it If there were a knife in your house that had been thrust to the heart of your Father you would not take pleasure to see that knife much less to use it Thirdly Are you afraid your sins are not pardoned but still stand upon account before the Lord what more relieving what more satisfying than to see the Cup of the New-Testament in the blood of Christ which is shed for many for the remission of sins Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it 's Christ that died Fourthly Are you staggered at the sufferings and hard things you must endure for Christ in this world doth the flesh shrink back from these things and cry spare thy self What is there in the world more likely to steel and fortifie thy spirit with resolution and courage than such a sight as this Did Christ face the wrath of men and the wrath of God too Did he stand as a pillar of brass with unbroken patience and stedfast resolution under such troubles as never met in the like height upon any mear creature till death beat the last breath out of his nostrils And shall I shrink for a trifle Ah he did not serve me so I will arm my self with the like mind 1 Pet. 2.2 Fifthly Is thy faith staggered at the promises canst thou not rest upon a promise Here 's that will help thee against hope to believe in hope giving glory to God For this is Gods seal added to his Covenant which ratifies and binds fast all that God hath spoken Sixthly Dost thou idle away pretious time vainly and live unusefully to Christ in thy generation what more apt both to convince and cure thee than such a remembrance of Christ as this O when thou considerest thou art not thine own thy time thy tallents are not thine own but Christs When thou shalt see thou art bought with a price a great price indeed and so art strictly obliged to glorifie God with thy soul and body which are his 2 Cor. 5.14 This will powerfully awake a dull sluggish and lazy spirit In a word what grace is there this remembrance of Christ cannot quicken What sin cannot it mortifie What duty cannot it animate O it is of singular use in all cases to the people of God Inference 4. Lastly Hence we infer Though all other things do yet Christ neither doth nor can grow stale Here 's an Ordinance to preserve his remembrance fresh to the end of the world The blood of Christ doth never dry up The beauty of this Rose of Sharon is never lost or withred He is the same yesterday to day and for ever As his body in the grave saw no corruption so neither can his Love or any of his excellencies When the Saints shall have fed their eyes upon him in Heaven thousands and millions of years he shall be as fresh beautiful and orient as at the beginning Other beauties have their prime and their fading time but Christs abides eternally Our delight in creatures is often most at first acquaintance when we come nearer to them and see more of them the edge of our delight is rebated But the longer you know Christ and the nearer you come to him still the more do you see of his glory Every farther prospect of Christ entertains the mind with a fresh delight He is as it were a new Christ every day and yet the same Christ still Blessed be God for Iesus Christ. The TWENTY SECOND SERMON LUK. XXII XLI XLII XLIII XLIV And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done And there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthning him And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground THE hour is now almost come even that hour of sorrow which Christ had so often spoken of Yet a little a very little while and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners He hath affectionately recommended his Children to his Father He hath set his house in order and ordained a memorial of his death to be left with his people as you have heard There is but one thing more to do and then the Tragoedy begins He recommended us he must also recommend himself by prayer to the Father and when that is done he is ready let Iudas with the black guard come when they will This last Act of Christs preparation for his own death is contained in this Scripture wherein we have an account First Of his Prayer Secondly Of the Agony attending it Thirdly His relief in that Agony by an Angel that came and comforted him First The Prayer of Christ in a praying posture he will be found when the enemy comes He will be taken upon his knees He was pleading hard with God in prayer for strength to carry him through this heavy trial when they came to take him And this prayer was a very remarkable prayer both for the solitariness of it he withdrew about a stones cast vers 41. from his dearest intimates
therefore will get the fairest hand he can to manage it with the less suspicion Corollary 11. Did Iudas one of the twelve do this Then certainly Christians may approve and join with such men on earth whose faces they shall never see in Heaven The Apostles held communion a long time with this man and did not suspect him O please not your selves therefore that you have communion with the Saints here and that they think and speak charitably of you All the Churches shall know saith the Lord that I am he that searcheth the heart and reins and will give to every man as his work shall be Rev. 2.23 In Heaven we shall meet many that we never thought to meet there and miss many we were confident we should see there Corollary 12. Lastly Did Iudas one of the twelve a man so obliged raised and honoured by Christ do this Cease then from man be not too confident but beware of men Trust ye not in a friend put no confidence in a guide keep the door of thy lips from her that lieth in thy bosom Mica 7.5 Not that there is no sincerity in any man but because there is so much hypocrisie in many men and so much corruption in the best of men that we may not be too confident nor lay too great a stress upon any man Peters modest expression of Sylvanus is a pattern for us Sylvanus a faithful brother unto you as I suppose 1 Pet. 5.12 The time shall come saith Christ that brother shall betray brother to death Matth. 10.11 Your Charity for others may be your duty but your too great confidence may be your snare Fear what others may do but fear thy self more The TWENTY FOURTH SERMON LUK. XXIII XXIII XXIV And they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucificed and the voices of them and of the Chief-Priests prevailed And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required JVdas hath made good his promise to the High-Priest and delivered Jesus a prisoner into their hands These Wolves of the evening no soonner seize the Lamb of God but they thirst and long to be sucking his pretious inuocent blood Their revenge and malice admits no delay as fearing a rescue by the people When Herod had taken Peter he committed him to prison intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people Acts 12.4 but these men cannot sleep till they have his blood and therefore the preparation of the Passover being come they resolve in all haste to destroy him yet lest it should look like a downright murder it shall be formalized with a trial This his trial and condemnation are the two last acts by which they prepared for his death and are both contained in this context in which we may observe First The Enditement Secondly The Sentence to which the judge proceeded First The Enditement drawn up against Christ wherein they accuse him of many things but can prove nothing They charge him with sedition and blasphemy but faulter shamefully in the proof However what is wanting in evidence shall be supplied with clamour and importunity For saith the Text they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified and their voices prevailed when they can neither prove the sedition or blasphemy they charged him with then crucifie him crucifie him must serve the turn instead of all witnesses and proofs Secondly The Sentence pronounced upon him Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required i. e. he sentenced Christ to be nailed to the Cross and there to hang till he was dead From both these we observe these two doctrinal conclusions Doct. 1. First That the trial of Christ for his life was managed most malitiously and illegally against him by his unrighteous Iudges Doct. 2. Secondly Though nothing could be proved against our Lord Iesus Christ worthy of death or of bonds yet was he condemned to be nailed to the Cross and there to hang till he died I shall handle these two points distinctly in their order beginning with the first namely DOCT. 1. That the trial of Christ for his life was managed most malitiously and illegally against him by his unrighteous Iudges Reader here thou maist see the Judge of all the world standing himself to be judged He that shall judge the world in righteousness judged most unrighteously He that shall one day come to the throne of judgement attended with thousands and ten thousands of Angels and Saints standing as a prisoner at mans bar and there denied the common right which a thief or murderer might claim and is commonly given them To manifest the illegallity of Christs trial let the following particulars be heedfully weighed First That he was inhumanely abused both in words and actions before the Court met or any examination had been taken of the fact For as soon as they had taken him they forthwith bound him and led him away to the High-priests house Luk. 22.54 and there they that held him mocked him and smote him blindfolded him stroke him on the face and bid him prophesie who smote him and many other things blasphemously spake they against him vers 63 64 65. how illegal and barbarous a thing was this When they were but binding Paul with thongs he thought himself abused contrary to law and asked the Centurion that stood by is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned q. d. is this legal What punish a man first and judge him afterwards But Christ was not only bound but horribly abused by them all that night dealing with him as the Lords of the Philistines did with Sampson to whom it was a sport to abuse him No rest had Jesus that night no more sleep for him now in this world O it was a sad night to him And this under Caiphas's own roof Secondly As he was inhumanely abused before he was tried so he was examined and judged by a Court that had no Authority to try him Luk. 22.66 as soon as it was day the elders of the people and the Chief-Priests and the Scribes came together and led him into their Concil This was the Ecclesiastical Court The great Sanhedrim which according to its first constitution should consist of seventy grave honourable and learned men to whom were to be referred all doubtful matters too hard for inferiour Courts to decide And these were to Judge impartially and uprightly for God as men in whom was the Spirit of God According to Gods counsel to Moses Numb 11.16 c. In this Court the Righteous and innocent might expect relief and protection And that is conceived to be the meaning of Christs words Luk. 13.33 It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem that is their Righteousness and Innocency may expect protection But now contrary to the first constitution it consisted of a pack fo malitious Scribes and Pharisees men full of revenge malice and all
think they had never been better provided to cope with them Lot fell after yea presently after the Lord had thrust him out of Sodom and his eyes had seen the direful punishment of sin Hell as it were rained upon them out of Heaven Noah in like manner immediately after Gods wonderful and astonishing preservation of him in the Ark when he saw a world of men and women perishing in the floods for their sins David after the Lord had setled the Kingdom on him which for sin he rent from Saul and given him rest in his house Hezekiah was but just up from a great sickness wherein the Lord wrought a wonderful salvation for him Did such men and at such times when one would think no temptations should have prevailed fall and that so fouly Then let him that thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall O be not high-minded but fear Inference 2. Did Christ stand his ground and go through with his suffering-work when all that had followed him forsook him Then a resolved adherence to God and duty though left alone without company or encouragement is Christ-like and truly excellent You shall not want better company than that which hath forsaken you in the way of God Elijah complains 1 Kings 19.10 They have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away And yet all this did not damp or discourage him in following the Lord for still he was very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts Paul complains 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood by me all men forsook me nevertheless the Lord stood with me And as the Lord stood by him so he stood by his God alone without any aids or support from men How great an Argument of integrity is this He that professes Christ for company will also leave him for company But to be faithful to God when forsaken of men to be a Lot in Sodom a Noah in a corrupted generation oh how excellent is it 'T is sweet to travel over this Earth to Heaven in the company of the Saints that are bound thither with us if we can but if we can meet no company we must not be discouraged to go on It 's not unlike but before you have gone many steps farther you may have cause to say as one did once never less alone than when alone Inference 3. Did the Disciples thus forsake Christ and yet were all recovered at last Then though believers are not priviledged from back-slidings yet they are secured from final apostacy and ruine The new creature may be sick it cannot die Saints may fall but they shall rise again Mica 7.8 The highest flood of natural zeal and resolution may ebb and be wholly dried up but saving grace is a well of water still springing up into everlasting life Ioh. 4.14 Gods unchangeable Election the frame and constitution of the New Covenant the meritorious and prevalent intercession of Jesus Christ does give the believer abundant security against the danger of a total final apostacy My Father which gave them me saith Christ is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.29 And again the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Every person committed to Christ by the Father shall be brought by him to the Father and not one wanting God hath also so framed and ordered the New Covenant that none of those souls who are within the blessed clasp and bond of it can possibly be lost It 's setled upon immutable things and we know all things are as their foundations be Heb. 6.18 19. Among the many glorious promises contained in that bundle of promises this is one I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And as the fear of God in our hearts pleads in us against sin so our potent Intercessor in the heavens pleads for us with the Father and by reason thereof we cannot finally miscarry Rom. 8.34 35. Upon these grounds we may as the Apostle in the place last cited doth triumph in that full security which God hath given us and say what shall separate us from the love of God Understand it either of Gods to us as Calvin Beza and Martyr do or of our Love to God Ambrose and Augustine do it 's true in both senses and a most comfortable truth Inference 4. Did the Sheep flie when the Shepherd was smitten such men and so many forsake Christ in the trial Then learn how sad a thing it is for the best of men to be left to their own carnal fears in a day of temptation This was it that made those good men shrink away so shamefully from Christ in that Trial the fear of man brings a snare Prov. 29.25 in that snare these good souls were taken and for a time held fast Oh what work will this unruly passion make if the fear of God do not overrule it Is it not a shame to a Christian a man of faith to see himself out done by an Heathen Shall natural Conscience and courage make them stand and keep their places in times of danger when we shamefully turn our backs upon duty because we see duty and danger together When the Emperour Vespasian had commanded Fluidius Priscus not to come to the Senate or if he did to speak nothing but what he would have him The Senator returned this brave and noble answer that as he was a Senator it was fit he should be at the Senate and if being there he were required to give his advice he would speak freely that which his Conscience commanded him The Emperour threatning that then he should die he returned thus did I ever tell you that I was immortal Do you what you will and I will do what I ought It is in your power to put me to death unjustly and in me to die constantly O think what mischiefs your fear may do your selves and the discovery of them to others O learn to trust God with your lives liberties and comforts in the way of your duty and at what time you are afraid trust in him and do not magnifie poor dust and ashes as to be scared by their threats from your God and duty The politick design of Satan herein is to affright you out of your Coverts where you are safe into the net I will enlarge this no farther I have else where laid down fourteen Rules for the cure of this in what of mine is publick Inference 5. Learn hence how much a man may differ from himself according as the Lord is with him or withdrawn from him Christians do not only alwaies differ from other men but sometimes
cause Eccles. 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosom of fools Seneca would allow no place for passion in a wise mans breast Wise men use to ponder consider and weigh things deliberately in their Judgements before they suffer their affections and passions to be stirred and engaged Hence comes the constancy and serenity of their Spirits As wise Solomon hath observed Prov. 17.27 A man of understanding is of an excellent or as the Hebrew is a cool Spirit Now wisdom filled the soul of Christ. He is wisdom in the abstract Pov. 8. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2.3 Hence it was that he was no otherwise moved with the revilings and abuses of his enemies than a wise Physitian is with the impertinencies of his distempered and crazy patient Thirdly And as his patience flowed from that his perfect wisdom and knowledge so also from his foreknowledge He had a perfect prospect of all those things from eternity which befell him afterwards They came not upon him by way of surprizal And therefore he wondered not at them when they came as if some strange thing had happened He foresaw all these things long before Mark 8.31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be killed Yea he had compacted and agreed with his Father to endure all this for our sakes before he assum'd our flesh Hence Isay 50.6 I gave my back to the siniters and my cheeks to them that pulled off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Now look as Christ in Iob. 16.4 obviates all future offences his Disciples might take at sufferings for his sake by telling them before hand what they must expect These things saith he I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them So he foreknowing what himself must suffer and had agreed so to do he bare those sufferings with singular Patience Iesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him went forth and said unto them whom seek ye Joh. 18.4 Fourthly As his patience sprang from his foreknowledge of his sufferings so from his Faith which he exercised under all that he suffered in this world His Faith looked through all those black and dismal clouds to the joy proposed Heb. 12.2 He knew that though Pilate condemned God would Justifie him Isa. 50.4 5 6 7 8. And he set one over against the other He ballanced the glory into which he was to enter with the sufferings through which he was to enter into it He acted Faith upon God for divine support and assistance under sufferings as well as for glory the fruit and reward of them Psal. 16.7 8 9 10 11. I have set or as the Apostle varies it I foresaw the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth There 's Faith acted by Christ for strength to carry him through And then it follows My flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou wilt shew me the path of Life In thy presence is fullness of Ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more There 's his Faith acting upon the glory into which he was to enter after he had suffered these things This fill'd him with peace Fifthly As his Faith eyeing the glory into which he was passing made him endure all things so the Heavenliness of his Spirit also fill'd him with a Heavenly tranquility and calmness of Spirit under all his abuses and injuries It 's a certain truth that the more heavenly any mans spirit is the more sedate composed and peaceful As the higher Heavens saith Seneca are more ordinate and tranquil There are neither clouds nor winds storms nor tempests they are the inferior Heavens that lighten and thunder The nearer the earth the more tempestuous and unquiet Even so the sublime and heavenly mind is placed in a calm and quiet station Certainly that heart which is sweetned frequently with heavenly delightful communion with God is not very apt to be imbittered with wrath or soured with revenge against men The peace of God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appease and end all strifes and differences as an Umpire So much that word Col. 3.15 Imports The heavenly spirit marvelously affects a sedate and quiet breast Now never was there such a heavenly soul on earth since man inhabited it as Christ was He had most sweet and wonderful communion with God He had meat to eat which others yea and those his greatest intimates knew not of The Son of Man was in heaven upon earth Ioh. 3.13 Even in respect of that blessed heavenly communion he had with God as well as in respect of his immense Deity And that his heart was in heaven when he so patiently endured and digested the pain and shame of the Cross is evident from Heb. 12.2 For the Ioy set before him he endured the Cross despised the shame See where his eye and heart was when he went as a Lamb to the slaughter Sixthly And lastly as his meekness and patience sprang from the heavenliness and sublimity of his spirit so from the compleat and absolute obedience of it to his Fathers will and pleasure He could most quietly submit to all the will of God and never regret at any part of the work assign'd him by his Father For you must know that Christs death in him was an act of obedience he all along eyeing his Fathers command and counsel in what he suffered Phil. 2.7 8. Ioh. 18.11 Psal. 40.6 7 8. Now look as the eyeing and considering of the hand of God in an affliction presently becalms and quiets a gracious soul as you see in David 2 Sam. 16.11 Let him alone it may be God hath bid him curse David so much more it quieted Jesus Christ who was privy to the design and end of his Father with whose will he all along complyed looking on Jews and Gentiles but as the Instruments ignorantly fulfilling Gods pleasure and serving that great design of his Father This was his patience and these the grounds of it Vse I might variously improve this point but the direct and main Use of it is to press us to a Christ-like patience in all our sufferings and troubles And seeing in nothing we are more generally defective and that defects of Christians herein are so prejudicial to Religion and uncomfortable to themselves I resolve to wave all other Uses and spend the remaining time wholly upon this branch Even a perswasive to Christians unto all patience in tribulations To imitate their Lamb-like Saviour Unto this Christians you are expresly call'd 1 Pet. 2.21.22 Because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Who did no sin
been long preparing for it but the suddenness and greatness of the change is amazing to our thoughts For a soul to be now here in the body conversing with men living among sensible objects and within a few moments to be with the Lord. This hour on earth the next in the third heavens Now viewing this world and anon standing among an innumerable company of Angels and the Spirits of the Just made perfect O what a change is this What! but wink and see God! Commend thy soul to Christ and be transferred in the arms of Angels into the invisible world the world of Spirits To live as the Angels of God! To live without eating drinking sleeping To be lifted up from a bed of sickness to a Throne of Glory To leave a sinful troublesom world a sick and pained body and be in a moment perfectly cured and feel thy self perfectly well and free from all troubles and distempers You cannot think what this will be Who can tell what sights what apprehensions what thoughts what frames believing souls have before the bodies they left are removed from the eyes of their dear surviving friends Inference 2. Are believers immediatly with God after their dissolution Where then shall unbelievers be and in what state will they find themselves immediatly after death hath closed their eyes Ah what will the case of them be that go the other way To be pluckt out of house and body from among friends and comforts and thrust into endless miseries into the dark vault of Hell never to see the light of this world any more Never to see a comfortable sight Never to hear a joyful sound Never to know the meaning of rest peace or delight any more O what a change is here To exchange the smiles and honours of men for the frowns and fury of God To be cloathed with flames and drink the pure unmixed wrath of God who was but a few days since cloathed in silks and fill'd with the sweet of the creature how is the state of things altered with thee It was the lamentable cry of poor Adrian when he felt death approaching Oh my poor wandring soul alas whither art thou now going Where must thou lodge this night Thou shalt never jest more never be merry more Your term in your houses and bodies is out and there is another habitation provided for you but 't is a dismal one When a Saint dyes heaven above is as it were moved to receive and entertain him at his coming he is received into everlasting habitations Into the inheritance of the Saints in light When an unbeliever dies we may say of him alluding to Isa. 14.9 Hell from beneath is moved for him to meet him at his coming it stirreth up the dead for him No more sports nor plays no cups of wine nor beds of pleasure The more of these you enjoyed here the more intolerable will this change be to you If Saints are immediately with God others must be immediatly with Satan Inference 3. How little cause have they to fear death who shall be with God so soon after their death Some there are that tremble at the thoughts of death That cannot endure to hear its name mentioned That would rather stoop to any misery here yea to any sin than die because they are afraid of the exchange but you that are interessed in Christ need not do so You can lose nothing by the exchange The words Death Grave and Eternity should have another kind of sound in your ears And make contrary impressions upon your hearts If your earthly Tabernacles cast you out you shall not be found naked You have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens And it is but a step out of this into that O what fair sweet and lovely thoughts should you have of that great and last change But what speak I of your fearlesness of death Your Duty lies much higher than that far Inference 4. If Believers are immediatly with God after their dissolution then it 's their Duty to long for their dissolution And cast many a longing look towards their Graves So did Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better The advantages of this exchange are unspeakable You have Gold for Brass Wine for Water Substance for shadows solid Glory for very Vanity O if the dust of this earth were but once blown out of your eyes that you might see the divine glory how weary would you be to live How willing to die But then be sure your title to heaven be sound and good Leave not so great a concernment to the last For though it is confessed God may do that in an hour that never was done all your days yet it is not common Which brings us to our Third and Last observation DOCT. 3. That God may though he seldom doth prepare men for glory immediately before their dissolution by death There is one parable and no more that speaks of some that were called at the last hour Matth. 20.9 10. And there is this one instance in the text and no more that gives us an account of a person so called We acknowledge God may do it his grace is his own He may dispense it how and where he pleaseth We must always salve divine prerogative Who shall fix bonds or put limits to free grace but God himself whose it is If he do not ordinarily shew such mercies to dying sinners as indeed it doth not yet it is not because he cannot but because he will not Not because their hearts are so hardned by long custom in sin that his grace cannot break them but because he most justly withholds that grace from them When blessed Mr. Bilney the martyr heard a Minister preaching thus O thou old sinner that hast lain these fifty years rotting in thy sin dost thou think now to be saved That the blood of Christ shall save thee O said Mr. Bilney what preaching of Christ is this If I had heard no other preaching than this what had become of me No no old sinners or young sinners great or small sinners are not to be beaten off from Christ but encouraged to repentance and faith For who knows but the bowels of mercy may yearn at last upon one that hath all along rejected it This thief was as unlikely ever to have received mercy but a few hours before he died as any person in the world could be But surely this is no encouragement to neglect the present seasons of mercy because God may shew mercy hereafter To neglect the ordinary because God sometimes manifests his grace in ways extraordinary Many I know have hardened themselves in ways of sin by this example of mercy But what God did at this time for this man cannot be expected to be done ordinarily for us And the reasons thereof are Reason 1. First Because God hath vouchsafed us the ordinary and standing means of
triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 song of deliverance 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Deâ—truction Our Graves would not be so sweet and comfortable to us when we come to lie down in them if Jesus had not layen there before us and for us Death is a Dragon the Grave its Den a place of dread and terror but Christs goes into its Den there grapples with it and for ever overcomes it Disarms it of all its terror and not only makes it cease to be enemical but to become exceeding beneficial to the Saints A bed of rest and a perfumed bed They do but go into Christs bed where he lay before them For these ends he must be buried Secondly Next let us inquire what manner of funeral Christ had And if we intently observe it we shall find many remarkable properties in it First We shall find it to be a very obscure and private funeral Here was no external pomp or gallantry Christ affected it not in his life and it was no way suitable to the ends and manner of his death Humiliation was designed in his death And state is inconsistent with such an end Besides he dyed upon the Tree and persons so dying don 't use to have much ceremony and state at their funerals Three things shew it to be a very humble and obscure funeral as to what concerned outward glory with which the great ones of the earth are usually interred For First The dead body of the Lord was not brought from his own house as other mens commonly are but from the Tree They beg'd it of his Judge As who should say go bring the Corps from Tyburn Had they not obtained this favour from Pilate it must have been buried in Golgotha It had been tumbled into a pit digged under the Cross. Secondly As it was first beg'd then buried so it was attended with a very poor train A few sorrowful women followed the Bier Other men are accompanied to their Graves by their Relations and Friends The Disciples were all scattered from him Affraid to owne him dying and dead Thirdly And these few that were resolved to give him a funeral are forced by reason of the straights of time to do it in shuffling haste Time was short they take the next sepulcher they can get and hurry him away that evening into it For the preparation for the Passover was at hand This was the obscure â—uneral which the body of the Lord had Thus was the Prince of the Kings of the earth who hath the Keys of Death and Hell laid into his Grave Secondly Yet though men could bestow little honour upon it the heavens bestowed several marks of honour upon it Adorn'd it with divers Miracles which wiped off the reproach of his deaâ—h from him These Miracles were antecedent to his interment or concomitants of it First There was that extraordinary and preternatural Eclipse of the Sun Such an Eclipse as was never seen since it first shone in heaven The Sun fainted at the sight of such a ruful spectacle and cloathed the whole heaven in black The sight of this caused a great Philosopher who was then far from the place where this unparallel'd Tragedy was acting to cry out upon the sight of it either the God of nature now suffers or the frame of the world is now dissolved The same Dionysius writing to Apollophanes a Philosopher who would not embrace the Christian Faith thus goes about to convince him What thinkest thou saith he of the Eclipse when Christ was Crucified Were we not both of us then at Heliopolis and standing in the same place did we not see the Moon in a new manner following the Sun and not in the time of conjunction but from the ninth hour until the evening by a reason unknown in nature directly opposite to the Sun Didst thou not then being greatly terrified say unto me O my Dionysius what strange commutations of the heavenly bodies are these Such a preternatural Eclipse is remembred in no other History For it was not in time of conjunction but opposition the Moon being then at full From the sixth to the ninth hour the Sun and Moon were together in the midst of heaven but in the evening she appeared in the East her own place opposite to the Sun And then miraculously returning from East to West did not pass by the Sun and set in the West before it but kept it company for the space of three hours and then returned to the East again And whereas in all other natural Eclipses the Eclipse alwaies begins on the western part of the body of the Sun and that part is also first cleared it was quite contrary in this for though the Moon were opposite to the Sun and distant from it the whole breadth of heaven yet with a miraculous swiftness it overtook the Sun and darkned first the Eastern part of it and soon prevailed over its whole body Which caused darkness over all the the Land that is say some over the whole Earth or as others over the whole Land of Iewry Or as others over the whole Horizon and all places of the same altitude and latitude Which is most probable Secondly And as Christs funeral was adorned with such a miraculous Eclipse which put the heavens and earth into a mourning so the rocks did rend the vail of the Temple rent in twain from top to bottom The graves opened and the dead bodies of many Saints arose and went into the holy City and were seen of many The rending of the Rocks was a sign of Gods fierce indignation Nahum 1.6 And a discovery of the greatness of his power shewing them what they deserved and what he could do to them that had committed this horrid fact though he rather chose at this time to shew the dreadful effects of it upon inanimate Rocks than Rocky hearted sinners But especially it served to convince the world that it was none other but the Son of God that dyed Which was farther manifested by these concomitant Miracles As for the rending in twain of the vail It was a notable Miracle plainly shewing that all ceremonies were now accomplished and abolished No more vails now As also that believers have now most free access into heaven At that very instant when the vail rent the High Priest was officiating in the most holy place and the vail which hid him from the people being rent they might freely see him about his work in the holy of holies A lively Emblem of our High Priest whom now we see by faith in the heavens there performing his intercession work for us The opening of the Graves plainly shew'd the design and end of Christs going into it That it might not have dominion over the bodies of the Saints but being vanquisht and destroyed by Christ le ts go all that are his whom he ransomed from the Grave as a prey out of its paws A Specimen whereof was given in
when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Surely it cannot be supposed but he is able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by him Seeing he ever lives to make intercession Heb. 7.25 Think how safe the people of God in this world are whose head is in Heaven It was a comfortable expression of one of the Fathers incouraging himself and others with this truth in a dark day Come said he why do we tremble thus do we not see our head above water If he live believers cannot die Ioh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also And let no mans heart suggest a suspicious thought to him that this wonderful advancement of Christ may cause him to forget his poor people groaning here below under sin and misery For the temper and disposition of his faithful and tender heart is not changed with his condition He bears the same respect to us as when he dwelt among us For indeed he there lives and acts upon our account Heb. 7.25 1 Ioh. 2.1 2. And how seasonable and comfortable will the meditations of Christs Exaltation be to the believer when sickness hath wasted thy Body wither'd its beauty and God is bringâ—ng theâ— to the dust of Death Ah think then that that vile Body shall be conformed to the glorious Body of Christ Pâ—al 3.21 As God hath glorified and highly exalted 〈◊〉 Son whose form was mar'd more than any mans so will he exalt thee also I do not say to a parity or equality in glory with Christ for in heaven he will be discerned and distinguished by his peculiar glory from all the Angels and Saints as the Sun is known by its excelling glory from the lesser Star But we shall be conform'd to this glorious head according to the proportion of members O whither will Love mount the believer in that day Having spoken this much of Christs exalted state to cast some general light upon it and engage your attentions to it I shall now according to the degrees of this his wonderful exaltation briefly open it under the forementioned heads viz. His Resurrection Ascension Session at the Fathers right hand and his return to Judge the World The THIRTY NINHTH SERMON MATTH XXVIII VI He is not here for he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay WE have finished the Doctrine of Christs humiliation wherein the Sun of righteousness appeared to you as a setting Sun gone out of sight but as the Sun when it 's gone down to us begins a new day in another part of the world so Christ having finisht his course and work in this world rises again and that in order to the acting another glorious part of his work in the world above In his death he was upon the matter totally Eclipsed but in his Resurrection he begins to recover his light and glory again God never intended that the darling of his soul should be lost in an obscure Sepulchre An Angel descends from heaven to roll away the stone and with it the reproach of his death And to be the heavenly Herald to proclaim his Resurrection to the two Mary's whose love to Christ had at this time drawn them to visit the Sepulchre where they lately left him At this time the Lord being newly risen the keepers were trembling and become as dead men So great was the terrible Majesty and awful solemnity attending Christs Resurrection but to encourage these good souls the Angel prevents them with these good tidings He is not here for he is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay q. d. Be not troubled though you have not the end you came for one sight more of your dear though dead Iesus yet you have not lost your labour for to your eternal comfort I tell you he is risen as he said And to put it out of doubt come hither and satisfie your selves see the place where the Lord lay In which word we have both a Declaration and Confirmation of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead First A Declaration of it by the Angel both Negatively and Affirmatively Negatively he is not here Here indeed you laid him here you left him and here you thought to find him as you left him but you are happily mistaken he is not here However this giving them no satisfaction for he might continue dead still though removed to another place as indeed they suspected he was Ioh. 20.13 Therefore his resurrection is declared Positively and Affirmatively he is risen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word imports the active power or self quickening principle by which Christ raised himself from the state of the dead Which Luke takes notice of also Acts 1.3 Where he saith he shewed or presented himself alive after his Passion It was the divine nature or God-head of Christ which reviv'd and rais'd the man-hood Secondly Here is also a plain confirmation of Christs Resurrection and that first from Christs own Prediction he is risen as he said He â—oretold that which I declare to be now fulfill'd Let it not therefore seem incredible to you Secondly by their own sight come see the place where the Lord lay The Grave hath lost its guest it 's now empty death hath lost its prey It receiv'd but could not retain him Come see the place where the Lord lay Thus the Resurrection of Christ is declar'd and confirm'd Hence our Observation is DOCT. That our Lord Iesus Christ by the Almighty power of his own God-head revived and rose from the Dead to the terror and consternation of his enemies and the unspeakable consolation of Believers That our Lord Jesus Christ though laid was not lost in the Grave but the third day revived and rose again is a truth confirmed to us by many infallible proofs as Luke witnesseth Act. 1.3 We have Testimonies of it both from heaven and earth and both infallible From Heaven we have the Testimony of Angels and to the Testimony of an Angel all credit is due for Angels are holy Creatures and cannot deceive us The Angel tells the two Mary's in the Text he is risen We have Testimonies of it from men holy men who were eye witnesses of this truth to whom he shew'd himself alive by the space of forty days after his Resurrection by no less than nine solemn Apparitions to them Sometime five hundred Brethren saw him at once 1 Cor. 15.6 These were holy persons who durst not deceive and who confirmed their Testimony with their blood So that no point of Religion is of more confessed truth and infallible certainty than this before us And blessed be God it is so For if it were not then were the Gospel in vain 1 Cor. 15.14 Seeing it hangs the whole weight of our Faith hope and salvation upon Christ as risen from the dead If this were
not so then would the holy and divinely inspired Apostles be found false witnesses 1 Cor. 15.15 For they all with one mouth constantly and to the death affirmed it If Christ be not risen then are believers yet in their sins 1 Cor. 15.17 For our Justification is truly ascribed to the Resurrection of Christ Rom. 4.25 While Christ was dying and continued in the state of the dead the price of our Redemption was all that while but in paying the payment was compleated when he revived and rose again Therefore for Christ to have continued alwaies in the state of the dead had been never to have compleatly satisfiâ—d hence the whole force and weight of our Justification depends upon his Resurrection Nay had not Christ risen the dead had perished 1 Cor. 15.17 Even the dead who dyed in the Faith of Christ and of whose salvation there now remains no ground to doubt Moreover Had he not revived and risen from the dead how could all the Types that prefigured it have been satisfied Surely they must have stood as insignificant things in the Scriptures and so must all the predictions of his Resurrection by which it was so plainly foretold See Matth. 12.40 Luk. 24.46 Psal. 16.10 1 Cor. 15.4 To conclude had he not risen from the dead how could he have been install'd in that glory whereof he is now possessed in heaven and which was promised him before the world was upon the account of his death and sufferings For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14.9 And that in this state of dominion and glorious advancement he might powerfully apply the vertues and benefits of his blood to us which else had been as a pretious Cordial spilt upon the ground So then there remains no doubt at all of the certainty of Christs Resurrection it was so and upon all accounts it must needs be so for you see how great a weight the Scriptures hang upon this nail And blessed be God it 's a nail fastned in a sure place I need spend no more words to confirm it but rather choose to explain and open the nature and manner of his Resurrection which I shall do by shewing you four or five properties of it And the first is this First Christ rose from the dead with awful Majesty So you find it in Matth. 28.2 3 4. And behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel ef the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it his countenance was like lightning and his rayment white as Snow and for fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men Humane infirmity was not able to bear such heavenly Majesty as attended the business of that morning Nature â—ank under it This Earthquake was as one calls it Triumphale Signum A sign of Triumph or token of Victory given by Christ not only to the Keepers and the neighbouring City but to the whole world that he had overcome Death in its own dominions and like a conqueror lifted up his head above all his enemies So when the Lord fought from heaven for his people and gave them a glorious though but Temporal deliverance see how the Propheâ—ess drives on the triumph in that Rhetorical Song Iudg. 5.4 5. Alluding to the most awful appearance of God at the giving of the Law Lord when thou wentest out of Seir when thou marchedst out of the field of Edome the Earth trembled and the heavens droped the clouds also droped water The mountains melted before the Lord even that Sinai from before the lord God of Israel Our Lord Jesus went out of the Grave in like manner and marched out of that bloody field with a pomp and Majesty becoming so great a conqueror Secondly And to increase the splendor of that day and drive on the Triumph his Resurrection was attended with the Resurrection of many of the Saints who had slept in their Graves till then and then were awakned and raised to attend the Lord at his rising So you read Matth. 27 52 53. And the Graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many This wonder was designed both to adorn the Resurrection of Christ and to give a specimen or handsel of our Resurrection which also is to be in the vertue of his This indeed was the Resurrection of Saints and none but Saints the Resurrection of many Saints yet it was but a special Resurrection intended only to shew what God will one day do for all his Saints And for present to give Testimony of Christs Resurrection from the dead They were seen and known of many in the City who doubtless never thought to have seen them any more in this world To enquire curiously as some do who they were what discourse they had with those to whom they appeared and what became of them afterwards is a vain thing God hath cast a vail of silence and secresie upon these things that we might content our selves with the written Word and he that will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will he believe though one arise from the dead as these Saints did Thirdly As Christ rose from the dead with those Saâ—ellites or attendants who accompanied him at his Resurrection so it was by the power of his own God-head that he quickned and raised himself and by the vertue of his Resurrection were they raised also who accompanied him It was not the Angel who rolled back the stone that revived him in the Sepulchre but he râ—sumed his own life so he tells us Ioh. 10.18 I lay down my life that I might take it again Hence in 1 Pet. 3.18 He is said to be put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit i. e. by the power of his God-head oâ— divine nature which is opposed there to flesh or his humane nature By the eternal Spirit he offered himself up to God when he dyed Heb. 9.14 i. e. by his own God-head not the third person in the Trinity for then it could not have been ascribed to him as his own act that he offer'd up himself And by the same spirit he was quickned again And therefore the Apostle well observes Rom. 1.4 That he was declared to be the Son of God with power by his Resurrection from the dead Now if he had been raised by the power of the Father or Spirit only and not by his own how could he be declared by his Resurrection to be the Son of God What more had appeared in him than in others For others are raised by the power of God if that were all So that in this respect also it was a marvellous Resurrection Never any did or shall rise as Christ rose by a self-quickning principle For though many dead Saints
Earth and risen again from the Dead we must in this Discourse follow him back again into Heaven and lodge him in that bosom of ineffable delight and love which for our sakes he so freely left For it was not his end in rising from the Dead to live such a low animal life as this is but to live a most glorious life as an enthroned King in Heaven upon which state he was now ready to enter as he tells Mary in the Text and bids her to tell it to the Disciples go tell my Brethren that I ascend to my Father c. In the former verses you find Mary waiting at Christs Sepulchre in a very pensive frame exceedingly troubled because she knew not what was become of Christ. Vers. 15. in the next verse Christ calls her by her name Mary she knowing the voice turned her selâ— and answered Rabboni And as a soul transported with joy rushes into his arms as desirous to clasp and embrace him but Iâ—sus said touch me not c. In which words we have Christs inhibition touch me not strange that Christ who rendred himself so kind and tender to all and not only admittted but commanded Thomas to put his finger into his wounds should sorbid Mary to touch him but this was not for want of love to Mary for he gives another reason for it presently I am not yet ascended i. e. say some the time for embracing will be when we are in Heaven Then and there shall be the place and time we shall embrace one another for ever more So Augustin Or thou detest too much upon my present state as if I had now attained the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 culminating point of my Exaltation When as yet I am not ascended so Camero and Calvin expound it Or lastly Christ would signifie hereby that it was not his pleasure in so great a juncture of things as this to spend time now in expressing this way her affections to him but rather to shew it by hasting about his service Which is The second thing observable viz. his injunction upon Mary to carry the tidings of his Resurrection to the Disciples in which injunction we have First The persons to whom this message was sent my Brethren so he calls the Disciples A sweet compellation and full of love much like that of Ioseph to his Brethren Gen. 45.4 Save only that there is much more tenderness in this than that for he twits them in the same breath with what they had done against him I am Ioseph your Brother whom ye sold but in this it is go tell my Brethren without the least mention of their Cowardize or unkindness And Secondly The message it self Tell my Brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I ascend It 's put in the present Tense as if he had been then ascending though he did not ascend in some weeks after this but he so expresses it to shew what was the next part of his work which he was to act in Heaven for them and how much his heart was set upon it and longed to be about it I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Not our Father or God in Common but mine and yours in a different manner Yours by right of dominion mine in reference to my humane nature not only by right of Creation though so too but also by special Covenant and Confaederation By Praedestination of my manhood to the grace of personal union by designation of me to the glorious office of Mediator My Father as I am God by eternal generation As man by collation of the grace of union And your Father by spiritual Adoption and regeneration Thus he is my God and your God my Father and your Father This is the substance of that comfortable message sent by Mary to the pensive Disciples Hence the Observation is DOCT. That our Lord Iesus Christ did not only rise from the Dead but also ascended into Heaven there to dispatch all that remained to be done for the compleating the Salvation of his people So much the Apostle plainly witnesseth Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens i. e. all the aspectable Heavens A full and faithful account whereof the several Evangelists have given us Mark 16.19 Luk. 24.51 This is sometimes called his going away as Ioh. 16.7 Sometimes his being exalted Acts 2.33 Sometimes his being made higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 And sometimes his entring within the vail Heb. 6.19 20. All which are but so many Synonymous phrases expressing his ascension in a pleasant variety Now for the opening this act of Christ we will bind up the whole in the satisfaction of these six Questions First who ascended Secondly whence did he ascend Thirdly whither Fourthly when Fifthly how And lastly why did he ascend And these will take in what is needful for you to be acquainted with in this point First Who ascended This the Apostle answers Eph. 4.10 The same that descended viz. Christ. And himself tells us in the Text I ascend And though the ascension were of Christs whole person yet it was but a figurative and improper expression with respect to his divine nature but it agrees most properly to the humanity of Christ which really changed places and conditions by it And hence it is that it 's said Ioh. 16.28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father He goes away and we see him no more As God he is spiritually with us still even to the end of the world But as man the heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things Acts 3.21 Secondly Whence Christ ascended I answer more generally he is said to ascend from this world to leave the world That is the terminus à quo Joh. 16.28 But more particularly it was from mount Olivet near unto Ierusalem The very place where he began his last sorrowful Tragedy There where his heart began to be sadded there is it now made glad O what a difference was there betwixt the frame Christ was in in that Mount before his Passion and this he is now in at his ascension But Thirdly Whither did he ascend It 's manifest it was into the third Heavens The Throne of God and place of the blessed Where all the Saints shall be with him for ever It 's said to be far above all heavens That is the heavens which we see for they are but the pavement of that stately Palace of the great King He is gone saith the Apostle within the vail i. e. into the most holy Place And into his Fathers house Ioh. 14.2 And he is also said to go to the place where he was before Joh. 6.62 Back again to that sweet and glorious bosom of delight and Love from whence at his incarnation he
the Church as breathed on earth till Christ gave him into its bosom by conversion and then no meer man ever did the Lord and his people greater service than he Men of all sorts Greater and smaller lights have been given to the Church Officers of all sorts were given it by Christ. Extraordinary and temporary as Prophets Apostles Evangelists ordinary and standing as Pastors and Teachers which remain to this day Eph. 4.8 9. And those stars are fixed in the Church heaven by a most firm establishment 1 Cor. 12.28 Thousands now in heaven and thousands on earth also are blessing Christ at this day for these his ascension gifts Fourthly Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended most comfortably for whilst he was blessing his people he was parted from them Luk. 24.50 51. Therein making good to them what is said of him Ioh. 13.1 Having loved his own he loved them to the end There was a great deal of love manifested by Christ in this very last act of his in this world The last sight they had of him in this world was a most sweet and encouraging one They heard nothing from his lips but love they saw nothing in his face but love till he mounted his triumphant Chariot and was taken out of their sight Surely these blessings at parting were sweet and rich ones For the matter of them they were the mercies which his blood had so lately purchased for them And for their extent they were not only intended for them who had the happiness to be upon the place with him from whence he ascended but they reach us as well as them and will reach the last Saint that shall be upon the earth till he come again For they were but representatives of the future Churches Matth. 28.20 And in blessing them he blessed us also And by this we may be satisfied that Christ carried an heart full of love to his people away with him to heaven since his love so abounded in the last act that ever he did in this world And left such a demonstration of his tenderness with them at parting Fifthly He ascended as well as rose again by his own power He was not meerly passive in that his ascension but it was his own act He went to heaven Therefore it 's said Act. 1.10 He went up viz. by his own dâ—vine power And this plainly evinceth hâ—m to be God for no meer Creature ever mounted it self from earth far above all heavens as Christ did Sixthly And lastly why did Christ ascend I answer his ascension was necessary upon many and great accounts For First If Christ had not ascended he could not have Interceded as now he doth in heaven for us And do but take away Christs intercession and you starve the hope of the Saints For what have we to succour our selves with under the daily surprises of sin but this that if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father mark that with the Father A friend upon the place One that abides there on purpose to transact all our affairs and as a surety for the peace betwixt God and us Secondly If Christ had not ascendâ—d you could not have entred into heaven when you die For he went to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 He was as I said before the first that entred into heaven directly and in his owâ— name and had he not done so we could not have entred when we die in his name The fore-runner made way for all that are coming on in their several generations after him Nor could your bodies have ascended after their Resurrection but in the vertue of Christs ascension For he ascended as was said before in the capacity of our head and representative To his Father and our Father For us and himself too Thirdly If Christ had not ascended he could not have been inaugurated and installed in the glory he now enjoys in heaven This world is not the place where perfect felicity and glory dwells And then how had the promise of the Father been made good to him Or our glory which consists in being with and conformed to him where had it been Ought not Christ to suffer and to enter into his glory Luk. 24.25 Fourthly If Christ had not ascended how could we have been satisfied that his payment on the Cross made full satisâ—action to God and that now God hath no more Bills to bring in against us How is it that the spirit convinceth the world of righteousness Ioh. 16.9 10. But from Christs going to the Father and returning hither no more which gives evidence of Gods full content and satisfaction both with his person and work Fifthly How should we have enjoyed the great blessings of the Spirit and Ordinances if Christ had not ascended And surely we could not have been without either If Christ had not gone away the Comforter had not come Joh. 16.7 He begins where Christ finished For he takes of his and shews it to us Joh. 16.14 And therefore it 's said â—oh 7.39 The Holy Ghost was not given because Iesus was not yet glorified He was then given as a sanctifying spirit but not given in that measure as afterward he was to furnish and qualifie men with gifts for service And indeed by Christs ascension both his sanctifying and his ministring gifts were shed forth more commonly and more abundantly upon men These fell from him when he ascended as Eliâ—ahs mantle did from him so that whatsoever good of conversion edification support or comfort you receive from spiritual Ordinances he hath shed forth that which you now see and feel It 's the fruit of Christs ascension Sixthly And lastly if Christ had not ascended how had all the Types and Prophesies that figured and fore-told it been fulfilled And the Scriptures cannot be broken Joh. 10.35 So that upon all these accounts it was expedient that he should go away It was for his glory and for our advantage Though we lost the comfort of his bodily presence by it yet if we loved him we would rejoyce because he went to the Father Joh 14.28 We ought to have rejoyced in his advancement though it had been to our loss but when it is so much for our benefit as well as his Glory it 's matter of joy on both sides that he is ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and to our God From the several blessings flowing to us out of Christs ascension it was that he charged his people not to be troubled at his leaving of them Ioh. 14. And hence learn Inference 1. Did Christ ascend into Heaven Is our Iesus our treasure indeed there Where then should the hearts of believers be but in Heaven where their Lord their Life is Surely Saints it is not good that your Love and your Lord should be in two several Countries said one that is now with him Up up after your Lover that he and you may be together Christians you ascended with him virtually when he
see his excellency and glory to the full than to enjoy the flower the bloom and chiefest excellency of the glory and riches of ten worlds And you know how the Queen of the South fainted at the sight of Solomon in his glory But this sight you shall have of Christ will change you into his likeness We shall be like him saith the Apostle for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 He will place us as it were in his own throne with him So runs the promise Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne and so 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him The Father set Christ on his right hand and Christ will set the Saints on his right hand So you know the sheep are placed by the Angels at the great day Matth. 25. and so the Church under the figure of the daughter of Aegypt whom Solomon married is placed on the Kings right hand in God of Ophyr Psal. 45. This honour have all the Saints O amazing Love What we set on thrones while as good as we by nature howl in flames O what manner of love is this These expressions indeed do not intend that the Saints shall be set in higher glory than Christ or that they shall have a parity of glory with Christ for in all things he must have the preheminence but they note the great honour that Christ will put upon the Saints as also that his glory shall be their glory in Heaven As the glory of the Husband redounds to the Wife and again their glory will be his glory 2 Thes. 1.10 And so it will be a social glory O it 's admirable to think whither free grace hath already mounted up poor dust and ashes To think how nearly we are related now to this Royal princely Jesus but how much higher are the designs of grace that are not yet come to their parturient fulness they look beyond all this that we now know Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be 1 Joh. 3.2 Ah what reason have you to honour Christ on earth who is preparing such honours for you in Heaven Inference 2. Is Iesus Christ thus enthroned in Heaven then how impossible is it that ever his interest should miscarry or sink on earth The Church hath many subtil and potent enemies True but as Haman could not prevail against the Iews whilst Hester their friend spake for them to the King no more can they whilst our Iesus sits at his and our Fathers right hand Will he suffer his enemies that are under his feet to rise up and pull out his eyes think you Surely they that touch his people touch the very Apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He must reign till all his enemies are under his foot 1 Cor. 15.25 The enemy under his feet shall not destroy the children in his arms He sits in Heaven on purpose to manage all to the advantage of his Church Eph. 1.22 Are our enemies powerful lo our King sits on the right hand of power Are they subtil and deep in their contrivance he that sits on the Throne over-looks all they do Heaven over-looks Hell He that sits in the Heavens beholds and derides their attempts Psal 2.4 He may permit his enemies to straighten them in one place but it shall be for their enlargement in another For 't is with the Church as it is with the Sea what it loses in one place it gets in another and so really loses nothing He may suffer them also to distress us in outwards but that shall be recompenced with inward and better mercies and so we shall lose nothing by that A foot-stool you know is uâ—eful to him that treads on it and serves to lift him up the higher so shall Christs enemies be to him and his albeit they think not so What singular benefits the oppositions of his enemies occasion to his people I have else-where discovered to which I refer my Reader and pass to the Inference 3. Is Christ set down on the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven O with what awful reverence should we approach him in the duties of his Worship Away with light and low thoughts of Christ. Away with formal irreverent and careless frames in Praying Hearing Receiving yea in conferring and speaking of Christ. Away with all deadness and drowsiness in duties For he is a great King with whom you have to do A King to whom the Kings of the earth are but as little bits of clay Lo the Angels cover their faces in his presence He is an Adorable Majesty When Iohn had a vision of this inthroned King about sixty year after his ascension such was the over-powering glory of Christ as the Sun when it shineth in its strength that when he saw him he fell at his feet as dead and died it's like he had if Christ had not not laid his hand on him and said fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Rev. 1.17 18. When he appeared to Saul in the way to Damascus it was in glory above the glory of the Sun which over powered him also and laid him as one dead upon the ground O that you did but know what a glorious Lord you Worship and Serve Who makes the very place of his Feet glorious where ever he comes Surely He is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him There is indeed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldness or free liberty of speech allowed to the Saints Eph. 3.12 But no rudeness or irreverence We may indeed come as the Children of a King come to the Father who is both their awful soveraign and tender Father which double relation causes a due mixture of love and reverence in their hearts when they come before him You may be Free but not Rude in his presence Though he be your Father Brother Friend yet the distance betwixt him and you is infinite Inference 4. If Christ be so gloriously advanced in the highest Throne then none need to reckon themselves dishonoured by suffering the vilest things for his sake The very chains and sufferings of Christ have a glory in them Hence Moses esteemed the very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 He saw such an excellency in the very worst things of Christ his reproaches and sufferings as made him leap out of his Honours and Riches into them He did not as one saith only endure the reproaches of Christ but counted them Treasures To be reckoned among his honours and things of value So Thuanus reports of Ludovicus Marsacus a noble Knight of France when he was led
may find this case learnedly and solidly handled by Dr. Twisse Vindiciae graâ—iae Digress 8. Nulia alia ratione palam fâ—â—ripotest odium adversus peratum diciâ—um quam poenae commeritae inflictione Brad. de Justific p. 61. Hinc igitâ—r apparet quam neâ—essariâ—m fuit ut Christus mediator â—sset Deus homo nisi enim hâ—moâ—non fuisset iâ—oneum sacrificiâ—â— nisi Deus fuisset sacrificium illud non fuisseâ— sâ—ffâ—iâ—ntis virtutis Ames med p. 92. Synopsis purioris Theologiâ—e p. 318. Sacerdotium Christi est functio qua coram Deo appa et ut legem ab ipso acceptam nostro noniâ—e observeâ— scipsum victiman reconciliationis pâ—o nostris peccatis ipsi ofserat fua que apud Deam intercessione opâ—n ipsius perennem ac doâ—ationem spiritus sancti nobuÌ„ impetâ—et atque efficiter ap liâ—â— Certò aâ— statim morieris Dâ—ct Râ—ynoldâ— on Psâ—l 1.10 p. 409. Ob. Sol. Cor. 1. Cor. 2. Ponetâ— manum significaâ—s se scelera sua poenamque iis debitum conjicere in caput victimae Ut Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genus est imprecationis Drusius Menochius Heroâ— 2.39 It is a rule that where there is a total and sufficient cause in act there the effect must needs follow But if they be partial causes then the causes which suceâ—d in order do not produce their compleat effect until the last cause be in act Cor. 3. Cor. 4. Serm. 12. Opens the excellency of our High-Priests Oblation being the first act or part of his Priestly Office Oblatâ—o Christi unica est non tantum specie sed etiam numero quia nulla potest esse Oblatio Christi nisi intercedente morte ipsius eoque falsa est Sacrificii incruentem incruentem distinctâ—o Trelcatus Instit. p. 79. Doct. Sic Oblationes iâ— vase mundo offerebantur Esa 66.20 Ravan Bilson and Fevardentius affirm that Christ only offered up his body not his soul upon this weak ground that if he had offered both he had not offered one but two Sacrifices Against whom the Learned Parker in his excellent book de dâ—s 〈◊〉 urgeth my text and thus frees it from that corrupt gloss Pulchrè quasi boloca stum non unum fuit Sacrificium quia ex plur bus partibus constabit Sacrificium Christi unicum dicitur non in oppositione corporis ad animam sed in oppositione corporis animae semel Oblati ad multa illa Sacrificia quae non semel sed multotiâ—s in Lege Mosis offerebantur Parker de descensu Lib. 111. p. 146. Id â—olù◠rationem poenae babere potest quod infligitur à judice legi convenienter Non convenit autâ—m legi quae mortem denunciat â—t ob ejus violationem id infligatâ—r tantum ex quo guttula sanguinâ—s manet Joh. Camero p. 364. Virtus gratia Christi qâ—ate tuâ— mundi redemptor est omnium aetatum communis fâ—iâ— Calv. in Loc. Causa physica precedit effâ—câ—uÌ„ sâ—um tempoâ—pore non iteâ— caâ—sa mo alis Cameâ—onis opera p. 361. Nâ—nâ— servatâ—r no â—est ita ut olin non fuâ—rit atque ut non â—it servator in aeternum Camer myrothâ—â— p 337. Dâ—â—on â—n Loc. Odoratus Deo tribultur quo itidem Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complacencia gratia denotatur Sicut odore bono homo recreaâ—â—r coque delectatur pertinet hâ—c appellatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 odor quietis seu suavitatis quae crebrò Sacrificiisâ— Deo oblatis tribâ—itur Exod. 29. â— 25. Levit. 1.9 S. Glats Philolog Sacra Doccâ—t â—heâ—logâ— Christum pâ—o omnibus sufficienter pro Electis duntaxat Efficaciter mortâ—um esse Camero ubi supra p. 535. Mr. Strong Zanch de tribius Elohim Infer 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attollere vel sursum ferre Sic Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 julavit sursum tulit Beza Grec Annot. in 1 Pet. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Infer 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita Theophilâ—ctus pul herimè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nolo Dâ—um absolutum Mr. William Lâ—ford Infer 3. Serm. 13. Opens the Intercession of Christ our High-Priest being the second Act or Part of Christs Priestly Office Redemptio quam operatus est fundamentum sit intercessionis ac propterea redemptioâ—em intercessionem tanquan duas individuas Christi Sacrificii partes Scriptura commemorare solet Ravenella ad verbum intercedere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ifferunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjecta matâ—riâ non differunt Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proâ—riè perpetuitatem temporis significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non â—anc solam verùm etiam omnimodam â—â—â—fectionem Cameâ—â—â— Doct. See Dâ—odati and our English Annot. in Loc. Pet. Lombard Lib. 4. dist 45. Quid vâ—ò sibi veâ—it hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro nobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videndum est Reâ—â—icit ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portificis veteris qui i gressus intra velum dâ—cebatur apparere in consfectu Dei pro populo quatenus se cum sanguine hâ—rei piacularis presentabat Deo precibus suis supplex orabat uâ— propter sanguinem non illum hircinâ—m sed il o representatum Christi Mediatoris fundendum propitius esset peccatis suis populi Doct. Pereus in loc Voluntate ac desiderio s o ardenti quâ—nadmodum in terris antea secerat ita iâ— Coelis apud patrem morâ—is sâ—a vim atque â—fficatiam novis ad salutem appliâ—aâ—i postulâ—t Synops purior Theol. p. 346. Aelian Hist. lib 5 cap. 19. Deâ—daâ—i iâ— Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though he cannot weep or grieve now as he did on earth yet he can â—ove now as much as ever he loved and therefore he looks down from Heaven upon every particular mâ—mber He seeth that this man wantâ— this grace and that man wants that and the othâ—r is in danger of this corruption or that tempâ—atiâ—n Aâ—d iâ— daily caryiâ—g on the cure You see nâ—t your Physitian he stands out of your sight but he seeth you and it is he that doth all fâ—r you that is done â—â—xters Treatise of Coâ—version Vse 1. Vse 2. Goodwins Triumph p. 263. If Jesus be the Media or of the New covenant Believers may go with boldness and look the justice of God in the face for your debt is satisfied So long as a man is in debt he steals by the prison door in the dark but if his surety have paid the debt he dares come as you say and whet his knife at the Counter-door Christ your â—urety hath paid the debt you may go with boldness and look justice in the face the Devil and all the Serjeants of Hell in the face Mr. W. B. in his Treatise of Christ and the Covenant p. 98. Vse 3. He doth not forget us though he be exalted to his glory for he is not like the poor silly creature that cannot bear exaltation without being puffed up and forgeting both themselves their
of conversing with and enjoying God in Prayer is by acting faith on him through a Mediator so much of faith and Christ as is in a Duty so much comfort and true excellency there is in it and no more Oh then how indispensible is the knowledge of Christ to all that do adress themselves to God in any Duty Thirdly It 's fundamental to all comforts all the Comforts of believers are streams from this Fountain Jesus Christ is the very object-matter of a believers Joy Phil. 3.3 our rejoycing is in Christ Iesus take away the knowledge of Christ and a Christian is the most sad and melancholy creature in the world again let Christ but manifest himself and dart the beams of his light into their souls it will make them kiss the stakes sing in flames and shout in the pangs of death as men that divide the spoil Lastly this knowledge is fundamental to the eternal happiness of souls as we can perform no duty enjoy no comfort so neither can we be saved without it Joh. 17.3 this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent and if it be eternal life to know Christ then it is eternal Damnation to be ignorant of Christ as Christ is the door that opens Heaven so knowledge is the key that opens Christ. The excellent gifts and renowned parts of the Moral Heathens though they purchased to them great esteem and honour among men yet left them in a state of perdition because of this grand defect they were ignorant of Christ 1 Cor. 1.21 thus you see how fundamental the knowledge of Christ is and essentially necessary to all the graces duties comforts and happiness of souls Thirdly The knowledge of Christ is profound and large all other Sciences are but Shallows this a boundless bottomless Ocean no creature hath a line long enough to fathom the depth of it there is height length depth and breadth ascribed to it Eph. 3.14 yea it passeth knowledge there is a manifold wisdom of God in Christ Eph. 3.10 It is of many sorts and forms of many folds and plights it is indeed simple pure and unmixed with any thing but it self yet it is manifold in degrees kinds and Administrations though something of Christ be unfolded in one age and something in an other yet eternity if self cannot fully unfold him I see something said Luther which blessed Austin saw not and those that come after me will see that which I see not it is in the studying of Christ as in the planting of a new discovered Country at first men sit down by the Sea side upon the skirts and borders of the Land and there they dwell but by degrees they search farther and farther into the heart of the Country ah the best of us are yet but upon the borders of this vast Continent Fourthly The study of Jesus Christ is the most noble Subject that ever a soul spent it self upon those that rack and toture their brains upon other studys like Children weary themselves at a low game the Eagle plays at the Sun it self the Angels study this Doctrine and stoop down to look into this deep abyss what are the Truths discovered in Christ but the very secrets that from eternity lay hid in the bosom of God Eph. 3.8 9. Gods heart is opened to men in Christ Ioh. 1.18 this makes the Gospel such a glorious dispensation because Christ is so gloriously revealed therein 2 Cor. 3.9 and the studying of Christ in the Gospel stamps such a Heavenly glory upon the contemplating soul v. 18. Fitâ—hly It is the most sweet and comfortable knowledge to be studying Jesus Christ what is it but to be digging among all the veins and springs of comfort and the deeper you dig the more do those springs flow upon you how are hearts ravished with the discoveries of Christ in the Gospel what extasies meltings transports do gratious souls meet there doubtless Philips extasie Ioh. 1.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have found Jesus was far beyond that of Archimedes a believer could fit from Morning to Night to hear Discourses of Christ his mouth is most sweet Cant. 5.16 Secondly Let us compare this knowledge with all other knowledge and thereby the excellency of it will farther appear First All other knowledge is natural but this wholly supernatural Matth. 11.27 no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any the father save the Son and he to whom so ever the Son will reveal him the wisest Heathens could never make a discovery of Christ by their deepest searches into nature the most Eagle-eyed Philosophers were but Children in knowledge compared with the most illiterate Christians Secondly Oâ—her knowledge is unattainable by many all the helps and means in the world would never enable some Christians to attain the Learned Arts and Languages men of the best wits and most pregnant parts are most excellent in these but here is the mysterie and excellency of the knowledge of Christ that men of most blunt dull and contemptible parts attain through the teaching of the spirit to this knowledge in which the more acute and ingenious are utterly blind Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 1. Cor. 1.26 27. you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise c. Thirdly Other knowledge though you should attain the highest degree of it would never bring you to Heaven being defective and lame both in the integrity of parts the principal thing viz. Christ being wanting and in the purity of its nature for the knowing Heathens grew vain in their imaginations 1 Rom. 21. and in the efficacy and influence of it on the heart and life they held the truth in unrighteousness their lusts were stronger than their light 1 Rom. 18. but this knowledge hath potent influences changing souls into its own image 2 Cor. 3.18 and so proves a saving knowledge unto men 1 Tim. 2.4 and thus I have in a few particulars pointed out the transcendency of the knowledge of Christ. The use of all this I shall give you in a few Inferences on which I shall not enlarge the whole being only praeliminary to the Doctrine of Christ only for the present I shall hence infer The â—â—sufficiency of the Doctrine of Christ to make men wise unto salvation Paul deâ—ired to know nothing else and indeed nothing else is of absolute necessity to be known a little of this knowledge if saving and effâ—ctual upon thy heart will do thy soul more service than all the vain speculations and profound parts that others so much glory in poor Christian be not dejected because thou seest thy self out-stript and excelled by so many in other
loved him even so believers hath he loved you Ioh. 17.22 what manner of love is this whoever loved as Christ loves whoever denyed himself for Christ as Christ denyed himself for us Hence we are informed that interest in Iesus Christ is the true way to all spiritual preferment in Heaven do you covet to be in the heart in the favour and delight of God get interest in Jesus Christ and you shall presently be there what old Israel said of the Children of his beloved Ioseph thy Children are my Children the same God saith of all the dear Children of Christ Gen. 48.5 9. you see among men all things are carryed by interest persons rise in this world as they are befriended preferment goes by favour 't is so in Heaven persons are preferred according to their interest in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Christ is the great favourite in Heaven his image upon your souls and his name in your prayers makes both accepted with God How worthy is Jesus Christ of all our love and delight you see how infinitely the Father delighteth in him how he ravishes the heart of God and shall he not ravish our hearts I present you a Christ this day able to ravish any soul that will but view and consider him O that you did but see this lovely Lord Jesus Christ then would you go home sick of love surely he is a drawing Saviour Ioh. 12 32. why do we lavish away our pretious affections upon vanity none but Christ is worthy of them when you spend your pretious affections upon other objects what is it but to dig for dross with golden Mâ—ttocks the Lord direct our hearts into the love of Christ. O that our hearts loves and delights might meet and concenter with the heart of God in this most blessed object O let him that left Gods bosom for you be embosomed by you though yours be nothing to Gods he that left Gods bosom for you deserves yours If Christ be the beloved darling of the Father's soul think what a grievous and unsufferable thing it is to the heart of God to see his dear Son despised slighted and rejected by sinners verily there is no such cut to the heart of God in the whole world unbelievers trample upon Gods darling tread under foot him that eternally lay in his bosom Heb. 10.29 smite the apple of his eye and how God will bear this that parable Matth 21.37 to the 40. will inform you surely he will miserably destroy such wretched sinners if you would â—tudy to do God the greatest despight there is none like this what a dismal word is that 1 Cor. 16.22 if any man love not our Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i. e. let the great curse of God lye upon that man till the Lord come O sinners you shall one day know the price of this sin you shall feel what it is to despise a Jesus that is able to compel love from the hardest heart O that you would slight him no more O that this day your hearts might fall in love with him I tell you if you would set your love to sale none bids so fair for it as Christ. 2. Vse of Exhortation To Saints if Christ lay eternally in this bosom of love and yet was content to forsake and leave it for your sakes then 1. Be you ready to forsake and leave all the comforts you have on earth for Christ famous Galleacius left all for his enjoyment Moses left all the glory of Aegypt Peter and the other Apostles left all Luk. 18.28 but what have we to leave for Christ in comparison of what he left for us Surely Christ is the highest pattern of self-denyal in the world 2. Let this confirm your faith in prayer if he that hath such an interest in the heart of God intercede with the Father for you then never doubt of audience and acceptance with him surely you shall be accepted through the beloved Eph. 1.6 Christ was never denyed any thing that he asked Ioh. 11.42 the Father hears him always though you are not worthy Christ is and he ever lives to make intercession for you Heb. 7.25 3. Let this incourage thy heart O Saint in a dying hour and not only make thee patient in death but in a holy manner impatient till thou be gone for whither is thy soul now going but to that bosom of love whence Christ came Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am and where is he but in that bosom of glory and love where he lay before the world was ver 5. O then let every believer incourage his soul comfort ye one another with these words I am leaving the bosom of a creature I am going to the bosom of God To sinners exhorting them to embrace the bosom-Son of God poor wretches whatever you are or have been whatever guilt or discouragement at present you lye under embrace Christ who is freely offered you and you shall be as dear to God as the holiest and most eminent believer in the world but if you still continue to despise and neglect such a Saviour sorer wrath is treasured up for you than for other sinners even something worse than dying without mercy Heb. 10.28 O that these discoveries and overtures of Christ may never come to such a fatal issue with any of your souls in whose eyes his glory hath been this day opened The THIRD SERMON ISAI LIII XII Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors IN this Chapter the Gospel seems to be epitomized the subject matter of it is the death of Christ and the glorious Issue thereof by reading of it the Eunuch of old and many Jews since have been converted to Christ. Christ is here considered absolutely and relatively absolutely and so his innocency is industriously vindicated ver 9. though he suffered grievous things yet not for his own sins for he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth but relatively considered in the capacity of a surety for us So the Justice of God is as fully vindicated in his sufferings vers 6. the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all how he came to sustain this capacity and relation of a surety for us is in these verses plainly asserted to be by his compact and agreement with his Father before the worlds were made ver 10 11 12. In this verse we have 1. His Work 2. His Reward 3. The Respect or Relation of each to the other 1. His Work which was indeed a hard work to pour out his soul unto death aggravated by the companions with whom being numbred with transgressors the capacity in which bearing all the
my heart O see with what a full consent the heart of Christ closeth with the Fathers Offers and Proposalls like some Eccho that answers your voice twice or thrice over So doth Christ here answer his Fathers call I come I delight to do thy will yea thy Law is in my heart And thus you see the Articles to which they both Subscribed or the Terms they agreed on I will briefly shew how these Articles and agreements were on both parts performed and that precisely and punctually to a tittle For 1. the Son having thus consented accordingly he applies himself to the discharge of his work He took a body in it fulfill'd all righteousness even to a tittle Math. 3.15 And at last his soul was made an offering for Sin So that he could say as it is Ioh. 17.4 Father I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do He went through all the parts of his active and passive obedience chearfully and faithfully 2. The Father made good his engagements to Christ all along with no less faithfulness than Christ did his He promised to assist and hold his band and so he did Luke 22.43 And there appeared to him an Angell from heaven strengthening him That was one of the sorest brunts that ever Christ met with it was seasonable aid and succour He promised to accept him in his work and that he should be glorious in his eyes so he did For he not only declared it by a voice from heaven Luk. 3.22 Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But it was fully declared in his resurrection and ascention which were a full discharge and Justification of him He promised him that he should see his seed and so he did for his very birth dew was as the dew of the morning and ever since his blood hath been fruitfull in the world He promised gloriously to reward and exalt him and so he hath Phil. 2.9 10 11. And that highly and supereminently giving him a name above every name in heaven and earth Thus were the Articles performed Lastly when was this compact made betwixt the Father and Son I answer It bears date form eternity Before this world was made then were his delights in us While as yet we had no existance but only in the infinite mind and purpose of God who had decreed this for us in Christ Jesus as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 1.9 What grace was that which was given us in Christ before the world began but this grace of redemption which from everlasting was thus contrived and designed for us in that way which hath been here opened Then was the council or consultation of peace betwixt them both As some sence that Scripture Zach. 6.13 Next let us apply it to our selves Vse The first Use that offers it self to us from hence is the abundant security that God hath given the Elect for their salvation and that not only in respect of the covenant of Grace made with them but also of this Covenant of redemption made with Christ for them which indeed the foundation of the covenant of Grace Gods single promise is security enough to our faith his covenant of grace adds ex abundanti further security but both these viewed as the effects and fruits of this covenant of redemption makes all fast and sure In the covenant of grace we question not the performance on Gods part but are often stumbled at the grand defects on our parts but when we look to the covenant of Redemption there 's nothing to stagger our faith both the foederates being infinitly able and faithfull to perform their parts so that there is no possibility of a failure there Happy were it if puzled and perplext Christians would turn their eyes from the defects that are in their own obedience to the fullness and compleatness of Christs obedience and see themselves compleat in him when most lame and defective in themselves Hence also be informed that God the Father and God the Son do mutually rely and trust to one another in the business of our redemption The Father relies upon the Son for the performance of his part as it is Isa. 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold Montanus turns it on whom I lean or depend As if the Father had said behold what a faithful Servant I have chosen in whom my soul is at rest I know he will go through with his work I can depend upon him And to speak plain the Father so far trusted Christ that upon the credit of his promise to come into the world and in the fulness of time to become a Sacrifice for the Elect he saved all the old Testament Saints whose faith also respected a Christ to come with reference whereunto it is said Heb. 11.39 40. That they received not the promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect i. e. without Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh in our times though believed on as to come in the flesh in their times And as the Father trusted Christ so doth Christ in like manner depend upon and trust his Father For having performed his part and left the world again he now trusteth his Father for the accomplishment of that promise made him Isa. 53.10 That he shall see his seed c. He depends upon his Father for all the Elect that are behind yet unregenerated as well as those already called that they shall be all preserved unto the heavenly Kingdom according to that Ioh. 17 11. And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come unto thee holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me And can it be imagined that the Father will fail his trust who every way accquitted himself so punctually to the Father It cannot be Vse 3. Moreover hence we infer the validity and unquestionable success of Christs intercession in heaven for believers You read Heb. 7.25 That he ever lives to make intercession And Heb. 12.24 That his blood speaks for good things for them Now that his blood shall obtain what it pleads in heaven for is undoubted and that from the consideration of this covenant of redemption for here you see that the things he now asks of his Father are the very same which his Father promised him and Covenanted to give him before this world was so that besides the interest of the person the very equity of the matter speaks its success and requires performance whatever he asks for us is as due to him as the wages of the hyrling when the work is ended if the work be done and done faithfully as the father hath acknowledged it is then the reward is due and due immediatly and no doubt but he shall receive it from the hands of a righteous God Vse 4. Hence in like manner you may be informed of the consistency of
hands of Justice to be punished Even as condemned persons are by sentence of Law given or delivered into the hands of executioners So Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate counsell of God ye have taken and with wicked hands have slain And so he is said Rom. 8.32 To deliver him up to death for us all The Lord when the time was come that Christ must Suffer did as it were say O all ye roaring Waves of my incensed Justice now swell as high as heaven and go over his soul and body Sink him to the bottom let him go like Ionah his Type into the belly of Hell unto the roots of the Mountains Come all ye raging storms that I have reserved for this day of wrath beat upon him beat him down that he may not be able to look up Psal. 40.12 Go Justice put him upon the rack torment him in every part till all his bones be out of joynt and his heart within him be melted as wax in the midst of his bowels Psal. 22.14 And ye assembly of the wicked Jews and Gentiles that have so long gaped for his blood now he is delivered into your hands you are now permitted to execute your malice to the full I now loose your chain and into your hand and power is he delivered 4. Gods giving of Christ implys his application of him with all the purchases of his blood and setling all this upon us as an inheritance and portion Ioh. 6.32 33. My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world God hath given him as bread to poor starving creatures that by faith they might eat and live And so he told the Samaritaness Ioh. 4 10. If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living waters Bread and water are the two necessarys for the support of natural life God hath given Christ you see to be all that and more to the spiritual Life How this gift of Christ was the highest and fullest manifestation of the love of God that ever the world saw And this will be evidenced by the following particulars 1. If you consider how near and dear Jesus Christ was to the Father He was his Son his only Son saith the Text. The Son of his Love The darling of his soul. His other self Yea one with himself The express Image of his person The brightness of his Fathers glory In parting with him he parted with his own heart with his very bowels as I may say Yet to us a Son is given Esa. 9.6 And such a Son as he calls his dear Son Col. 1.13 A late writer tells us that he hath been informed that in the Famine in Germany a poor family being ready to perish with Famine the Husband made a motion to the Wife to sell one of the Children for bread to relieve themselves and the rest The Wife at last consents it should be so but then they began to think which of the four should be sold. And when the eldest was named they both refused to part with that being their first born and the beginning of their strength Well then they came to the second but could not yield that he should be sold being the very picture and lively image of his Father The third was named but that also was a child that best resembled the mother And when the youngest was thought on that was the Benjamin The child of their old age And so were content rather to perish altogether in the Famine than part with a child for relief And you know how tenderly Iacob took it when his Ioseph and Benjamin were rent from him What is a child but a piece of the parent wrapt up in another skin And yet our dearest children are but as strangers to us in comparison of the unspeakable dearness that was betwixt the Father and Christ. Now that he should ever be content to part with a Son and such an only one is such a manifestation of Love as will be admired to all Eternity And then 2. let it be considered to what he gave him even to death and that of the Cross to be made a curse for us To be the scorn and contempt of men To the most unparalell'd sufferings that ever were inflicted or born by any It melts our bowels it breaks our hearts to behold our children striving in the pangs of death But the Lord beheld his Son struggling under agonies that never any felt before him He saw him falling to the ground groveling in the dust sweating blood and amidst those agonies turning himself to his Father and with an heart rending cry beseeching him Father if it be pâ—ssible let this cup pass Luk. 22.42 To wrath to the wrath of an infinite God without mixture to the very torments of hell was Christ delivered and that by the hand of his own Father Sure then that love must needs want a name which made the Father of mercies deliver his own only Son to such miserys for us 3. It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ that in giving him he gave the richest Jewel in his Cabinet A mercy of the greatest worth and most inestimable value Heaven it self is not so valuable and precious as Christ is He is the better half of heaven And so the Saints account him Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee Ten thousand thousand worlds saith one as many worlds as Angels can number and then as a new world of Angels can multiply would not all be the balk of a ballance to weigh Christs Excellency Love and sweetness O what a fair one What an only one What an excellent lovely ravishing one is Christ. Put the Beauty of ten thousand Paradices like the garden of Eden into one put all Trees all Flowers all Smells all Colours all Tasts all Ioys all Sweetness all Loveliness in one O what a fair and excellent thing would that be And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well beloved Christ than one drop of rain to the whole Seas Rivers Lakes and Fountains of ten thousand Earths Christ is heavens wonder and earths wonder Now for God to bestow the mercy of mercys the most precious thing in heaven or earth upon poor sinners and as great as lovely as excellent as his Son was yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us what manner of love is this 4. Once more let it be considered on whom the Lord bestowed his Son Upon Angels No but upon men Upon man his friend No but upon his enemies This is Love And on this consideration the Apostle lays a mighty weight in Rom. 5.8 9 10. But God saith he commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for
sinners such a fair Foundation to rest their trembling Consciences upon While poor distressed Souls look to themselves they are perpetually puzled That 's the cry of distressed natural conscience Mica 6.6 Where with shall I come before the Lord the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how shall I prevent or anticipate the Lord and so Montanus renders it in quo preoccupabo Dominum conscience sees God arming himself with wrath to avenge himself for sin crys out O how shall I prevent him If he would accept the fruit of my body those dear pledges of nature for the sin of my Soul he should have them But now we see God coming down in flesh and so intimately uniting our flesh to himself that it hath no proper subsistance of its own but is united with the Divine person hence it 's easie to imagine what worth and value must be in that blood and how eternal love springing forth triumphantly from it flourishes into Pardon Grace and Peace Here is a way in which the sinner may see Justice and Mercy kissing each other and the latter exercised freely without prejudice to the former All others Consciences through the world lie either in a deep sleep in the Devils arms or else are rouling Sea sick upon the waves of their own fears and dismal presages O happy are they that have dropt Anchor on this ground and not only know they have peace but why they have it Vse 5. Oh how great concernment is it that Christ should have Vnion with our particular persons as well as with our common nature For by this Union with our nature alone never any man was or can be Saved Yea let me add that this Union with your natures is utterly in vain to you and will do you no good except he have union with your persons by faith also It is indeed infinite mercy that God is come so near you as to dwell in your flesh and that he hath fitted such an excellent Method to save poor sinners in And hath he done all this Is he indeed come home even to your own doors to seek Peace Doth he vail his unsupportable glory under flesh that he might treat thee more familiarly And yet do you refuse him and shut your hearts against him Then hear one word and let thine ears tingle at the sound of it thy sin is hereby aggravated beyond the sin of Devils who never sin'd against a Mediator in their own nature who never despised or refused because indeed they were never offered terms of Mercy as you are And I doubt not but the Devils themselves who now tempt you to reject will to all Eternity upbraid your folly for rejecting this great Salvation which in this excellent way is brought down even to your own doors Vse 6. If Jesus Christ have assumed our nature Then he is sensibly toucht with the infirmities that attend it and so hath pity and compassion for us under all our burdens And indeed this was one end of his assuming it that he might be able to have compassion on us as you read Heb. 2.17.18 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them hat are tempted O what a comfort is this to us that he who is our High-Priest in Heaven hath our nature on him to enable him to take compassion on us Vse 7. Seventhly Hence we see To what an height God intends to build up the happiness of man in that he hath layed the Foundation thereof so deep in the incarnating of his own Son They that intend to build high use to lay the Foundation low The happiness and glory of our Bodies as well as Souls is founded in Christs taking our flesh upon him For therein as in a Model or Pattern God intended to shew what in time he resolves to make of our Bodies For he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transform our vile Bodies and make them one day conformable to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.21 This flesh was therefore assumed by Christ that in it might be shewn as in a Pattern how God intends to honour and exalt it And indeed a greater honour cannot be done to the nature of man than what is already done it by this grace of union Nor are our persons capable of an higher glory than what consists in their conformity to this glorious head Indeed the flesh of Christ will ever have a distinct glory from ours in Heaven by reason of this Union For being the the Body which the word assumed it is two ways advanced singularly above the Flesh and Blood of all other men viz. Subjectively and Objectively Subjectively it is the Flesh and Blood of God Acts 20.28 And so hath a distinct and incommunicable glory of its own And Objectively it is the Flesh and Blood which all the Angels and Saints adore But though in these things it be supereminently exalted yet it is both the Medium and Pattern of all that glory which God designs to raise us to Vse 8. Lastly How wonderful a comfort is it that he who dwells in our Flesh is God! What Joy may not a poor believer make out of this What comfort one made out of it I will give you in his own words I see it a work of God saith he that experiences are all lost when Summons of improbation to prove our Charters of Christ to be counterfeit are raised against poor Souls in their heavy Tryals But let me be a sinner and worse than the chief of Sinners yea a guilty Devil I am sure my well beloved is God And my Christ is God And when I say my Christ is God I have said all things I can say no more I would I could build as much on this My Christ is God as it would bear I might lay all the world upon it God and Man in one Person Oh thrice happy conjunction As Man he is full of experimental sence of our Infirmities Wants and Burdens and as God he can support and and supply them all The aspect of Faith upon this wonderful Person how relieving how reviving how abundantly satisfying is it God will never divorce the believing Soul and its comfort after he hath marryed our nature to his own Son by the Hypostatical and our persons also by the blessed Mystical Union The SIXTH SERMON JOH VI. XXVII For him hath God the Father Sealed YOU have heard Christs compact or agreement with the Father in the Covenant of Redemption As also what the Father did in pursuance of the ends thereof in giving his Son out of his bosom c. Also what the Son hath done towards it in assuming Flesh. But though the glorious work be thus far advanced yet all he
Thâ—se Priests were made without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him the Lord Sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever Because his Sacrifice is vertually continued in his living for ever to make intercession As it is vers 24. Yea he call'd him to his Regal office he was set upon the highest throne of Authority by his Fathers commission as it is Matth. 28.18 All power in heaven and earth is given to me To all this was Christ Sealed and Authorized by his Father What doth the Fathers Sealing of Christ to this work and office imply There are divers things implyed in it As First The validity and efficacy of all his mediatory acts For by vertue of this his Sealing what ever he did was fully ratified And in this very thing lies much of a believers comfort and security For as much as all acts done without commission and authority how great or able so ever the person that doth them is yet are in themselves null and void But what is done by commission and authority is Authentick and most allowable among men Had Christ come from heaven and entred upon his Mediatory work without a due call our Faith had been stumbled at the very threshold but this greatly satisfies Secondly It imports the great obligation lying upon Jesus Christ to be faithful in the work he was Sealed to For the Father in this commission devolves a great trust upon him and relies upon him for his most faithful discharge thereof And indeed upon this very accompt Christ reckons himself specially obliged to pursue the Fathers design and end Ioh. 9.4 I must work the works of him that sent me And Joh. 5.30 I seek not my own will but the will of the Father which sent me Sâ—ill his â—ye is upon that Work and Will of his Father And he reckons himself under a necâ—ssity of punctual and precise obedience to it And as a faithful servant will have his own will swallowed up in the Fathers will Thirdly It imports Christs compleat qualification or instumental fitnâ—ss to serve the Fathers design and end in our recovery Had not God known him to be every way fit and qualified for the Work he would never have Sealed him a commission for it Mâ—n may but God will not Seal an unfit or incapable person for his work And indeed what ever is desirable in a servant was eminently found in Christ. For faithfulness none like him Moses indeed was faithful to a Pin but still as a Servant but Christ as a Son Heb. 3.2 He is the faithful and true witnâ—ss Rev. 1.5 For Zeal none like him The Zeal of Gods house did eat him up Ioh. 2.16 17. He was so intent upon his Fathers work that he forgat to eat bread counting his work his meat and drink Ioh. 4.32 Yea and love to his Father carryed him on through all his work and made him delight in the hardest piece of his service For he served him as a Son Heb 3.5 6. All that ever he did was done in love For wisdom none like him The Father knew him to be most wise and said of him before he was imploy'd Behold my Servant shall deal prudently Isa 52.13 To conclude for self-denial never any like him he sought not his own glory but the glory of him that sent him Ioh. 8.50 Had he not been thus faithful Zealous full of love prudent and self-denying he had never been imployed in this great affair Fourthly It implys Christs sole authority in the Church to appoint and enjoyn what he pleaseth And this is his peculiar prerogative For the Commission God Sealed him in the Text is a single not a joynt Commission he hath Sealed him and none beside him Indeed there were some that pretended a call and commission from God but all that were before him were Thieves and Robbers that came not in at the door as he did Ioh. 10.8 And he himself foretels that after him some should arise and labour to deceive the world with a feigned Commission and a counterfeit Seal Matth. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. But God never commissionated any besides him neither is there any other name under heaven Acts 4.12 Thus you see how the validity of his Acts his obligation to be faithful His compleat qualifications and sole Authority in the Church are imported in his Sealing Next Let us enquire how God the Father Sealed Jesus Christ to this work and we shall find that He was Sealed by four acts of the Father First By Solemn designation to this work He singled him out and set him apart to it and therefore the Prophet Isaiah cap. 42. vers 1. Calls him Gods Elect. And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2.4 Chosen of God This word which we render Elect doth not only signifie one that in himself is eximious worthy and excellent but also one that is set apart and designed as Christ was for the work of mediation And so much is carryed in Ioh. 10.36 Where the Father is said to sanctifie him i e. to separate and devote him to this Service Secondly He was Sealed not only by Solemn designation but also by Supereminent and unparalell'd Sanctification He was annointed as well as appointed to it The Lord filled him with the spirit and that without measure to qualify him for this Service So Isa. 61.1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to Preach c. Yea the spirit of the Lord was not only upon him but he was full of the Spirit Luk. 4.1 And so full as never was any beside him For God annointed him with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal. 45.7 Believers are his fellows or copartners of this Spirit They have an annointing also but not as Christ had In him it dwelt in its fullness in them according to measure It was poured out on Christ our head abundantly and ran down to the hem of his garment God gave not the Spirit to him by measure Ioh. 3.34 God filled Christs humane nature to the utmost capacity with all fulness of the Spirit of knowledge wisdom love c. Beyond all Creatures for the plenary and more effectual administration of his mediatorship He was full extensively with all kinds of grace And full intensively with all degrees of grace It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col 1.19 As light in the Sun or water in a Fountain that he might not only fill all things as the Apostle speaks Eph. 1.22 But that he might be prompt expedite and every way fit to discharge his own work which was the next and mediate end of it So that the holy oyl that was poured out upon the heads of Kings and Priests whereby they were consecrated to their offices
learn hence what an horrid evil it is to use Christ or his Blood as a common and unsanctified thing Yet so some do as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.29 The Apostate is said to tread upon the Son of God as if he were no better than the dirt under his Feet and to count his Blood an unholy or common thing But woe to them that so do they shall be counted worthy of something worse then dying without mercy As the Apostle there speaks And as this is the Sin of the Apostate so is it also the Sin of all those that without Faith approach and so prophane the Table of the Lord unbeleivingly and unworthily handling those awfull things Such eat and drink judgement to themselves not discerning the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 Whereas the body of Christ was a thing of the deepest sanctification that ever God created Sanctified as the Text tells us to a far more excellent and glorious purpose than ever any Creature in Heaven or Earth was sanctified It was therefore the great sin of those Corinthians not to discern it and not to behave themselves towards it when they saw and handled the signs of it as so holy a thing And as it was their great Sin so God declared his just indignation against it in those sore strokes inflicted for it As they discerned not the Lords body so neither did the Lord discern their bodies from others in the judgements that were inflicted And as one well observes God drew the Model and Plat-form of their punishment from the structure and proportion of their sin And truly if the moral and spiritual Seeds and originals of many of our outward afflictions and sicknesses were but duly sifted out possibly we might find a great part of them in the Bowels of this sin The just and righteous God will build up the breaches we make upon the honour of his Son with the ruines of that beauty strength and honour which he hath given our Bodies O then when you draw nigh to God in that ordinance take heed to sanctifie his name by a spiritual discerning of this most holy and most deeply sanctified Body of the Lord. Sanctified beyond all Creatures Angels or Men not only in respect of the Spirit which fill'd him without measure with inherent holiness but also in respect of its dedication to such a service as this It being set apart by him to such holy solemn ends and uses as you have heard And let it for ever be a warning to such as have lifted up their hands to Christ in an holy profession that they never lift up their Heel against him afterwards by Apostacy The Apostate treads on Gods dear Son and God will tread upon him for it Thou hast troden down all that err from thy Statutes Psal. 119.118 Inference 3. What a choice pattern of love to the Saints have we here before us calling all that are in Christ to an imitation of him Even to give our selves up to their service as Christ did Not in the same kind so none can give himself for them but as we are capable You see here how his Heart was affected to them that he would sanctifie himself as a Sacrifice for them See to what a height of duty the Apostle improves this example of Christ 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought also to lay down our lives for the Brethren Some Christians came up fairly to this pattern in the Primitive times Priscila and Aquila laid down their Necks for Paul Rom. 16.4 i. e. eminently hazarded their lives for him and even he himself could rejoyce if he were offered up upon the Sacrifice and service of their Faith Phil. 2.17 And in the next times what more known even to the Enemies of Christianity than their fervent love one to another Ecce quam mutuò se deligunt mori volunt pro alterutris See how they love one another and are willing to dye one for another But alas that Primitive Spirit is almost lost in this degenerate Age. Instead of laying down life how few will lay down twelve pence for them I remember it 's the observation of a late Worthy upon Matth. 95.40 that he is perswaded there is hardly that man to be found this day alive that fully understands and fully believes that Scripture O did men think what they do for them is done for Christ himself it would produce other effects than are yet visible Inference 4. Lastly if Christ sanctified himself that we might be sâ—nctied by or in the truth then it will follow by found consequence that true sanctification is a good evidence that Christ set apart himself to dye for us In vain did he â—anctifie himself as to you unless you be sanctified Holy Souls only can claim the benefit of the great Sacrifice O try then whether true holiness and that is only to be judged by its conformity to its pattern 1 Pet. 1.15 As he that called you is holy so be ye holy whether such an holyness as is and acts according to its measure like Gods holiness in the following perticulars be â—ound in you First God is universally holy in all his ways so Psal. 145.17 His works are all holy what ever he doth it 's still done as becomes an holy God He is not only holy in all things but at all times unchangeably holy Be ye therefore holy in all things and at all times too if ever ye expect the benefit of Christs sanctifying himself to dye for you O Brethren let not the Feet of your conversation be as the Feet of a lame man which are unequal Prov. 20.7 be not sometimes hot and sometimes cold at one time carefull at another time careless One day in a spiritual rapture and the next in a fleshly frolick but be ye holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.15 in all manner of conversation in every creek and turning of your lives And let your holiness hold out to the end Let him that is holy be holy still Rev. 22.11 not like the Hypocrites paint but as a true natural complexion Secondly God is examplarily holy Jesus Christ is the great pattern of holiness Be ye examples of holiness too unto all that are about you Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works Matth. 5.16 as wicked men infect one another by their examples and diffuse their poison and malignity whereever they come so do ye diffeminate godliness in all places and companies and let those that frequently converse with you especially those of your own Families receive a deeper Dye and Tincture of heavenlyness every time they come nigh you as the cloth doth by every new dipping into the Fat. Thirdly God delights in nothing but holiness and holy ones he hath set all his pleasure in the Saints Be ye holy herein as God is holy Indeed there is this difference betwixt
fits and capacitates him to stand in the midst betwixt God and us This I say is the proper sence of the word Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mediator be rendred variously Sometimes an Umpire or Arbitrator Sometimes a Messenger that goes betwixt two Persons Sometimes an Interpreter imparting the mind of one to another Sometimes a Reconciler or Peace-maker And in all these sences Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle Person in his mediation of reconciliation o◠intercession that is either in his mediating by suffering to make peace as he did on Earth or to continue and maintain peace as he doth in Heaven by meritorious intercession Both these ways he is the only Mediator and he manageth this his mediation First As an Vmpire or Arbitrator One that layeth his hands upon both Parties as Iob speaks Iob. 9.33 so doth Christ he layeth his hands speaking after the manner of men upon God and saith Father wilt thou be at peace with them and readmit them into thy favour If thou wilt thou shalt be fully satisfied for all that they have done against thee And then he layeth his hand upon man and saith poor sinner be not discouraged thou shalt be justified and saved Secondly As a Messenger or Ambassadour so he came to impart the mind of God to us and so he presents our desires to God And in this sence only Socinus would allow Christ to be Mediator But therein he endeavours to undermine the Foundation and to exclude him from being a Mediator by suretyship Which is the Third way of this mediation So the Apostles speaks Heb. 7. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the surety or pledge Which as the learned David Pareus well expresseth it is one that engageth to satisfie another or gives caution or security by a Pledge in the hand for it And indeed both these ways Christ is our Mediator by suretyship viz. in a way of satisfaction coming under our obligation to answer the Law this he did on the Cross and in a way of caution A surety for the peace or good behaviour but to be more explicite and clear I shall In the next place enquire what it implys and carries in it for Christ to be a Mediator betwixt God and us And there are mainly these five things in it First At the first sight it carries in it a most dreadful breach and jar betwixt God and Men else no need of a Mediator of Reconciliation There was indeed a sweet League of amity once between them but it was quickly dissolved by sin the wrath of the Lord was kindled against man pursuing him to destruction Psal. 5.5 thou hatest all the works of iniquity And man was fill'd with unnatural enmity against his God Rom. 1.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of God This put an end to all friendly commerce and intercourse between him and God Reader say not in thy heart that it 's much one sin and that seemingly so small should make such a breach as this And cause the God of mercy and goodness so to abhor the works of his hands and that assoon as he had made man for it was an hainous and aggravated evil It was upright perfect man created in the Image of of God that thus sinned He sinned when his mind was most bright clear and apprehensive His Conscience pure and active His Will free and able to withstand any temptation His Conscience pure and undefiled Yea he was a Publique as as well as perfect man and well knew that the happiness or misery of his numberless offspring was involved in him The condition he was placed in was exceeding happy No necessity or want could arm and edge a temptation He lived amidst all natural and spiritual pleasures and delights the Lord most delightfully conversing with him Yea he sinned while as yet his Creation-mercy was fresh upon him and in this sin was most horrible ingratitude yea a casting off the yoke of obedience almost assoon as God had put it on God now saw the work of his hands spoiled a race of Rebels now to be propagated who in their successive Generations would be fighting against God He saw it and his just indignation sparkled against man and resolves to pursue him to the bottom of Hell Secondly it implys a necessity of satisfaction and reparation to the Iustice of God For the very design and end of this mediation was to make Peace by giving full satisfaction to the party that was wronged The Photinians and some others have dreamed of a reconciliation with God founded not upon satisfaction but upon the absolute mercy goodness and free-will of God But conceiving that absolute goodness and mercy of God reconciling sinners to himself there is a deep silence throughout the Scriptures And whatever is spoken of it upon that account is as it works to us through Christ Eph 1.3 4 5. Acts 4.12 Ioh. 6.40 and we cannot imagine either how God could exercise mercy to the prejudice of his Justice which must be if we must be reconcil'd without full satisfaction or how such a full satisfaction should be made by any other than Christ. Mercy indeed moved in the Heart of God to poor man but from his heart it found no way to vent it self for us but through the Heart Blood of Jesus Christ. And in him the Justice of God was fully satisfied and the misery of the Creature fully cured And so as Augustine speaks God neither lost the severity of his Justice in the goodness of mercy nor the goodness of his mercy in the exactness of his severity But if it had been possible God could have found out a way to reconcile us without satisfaction yet it 's past doubt now that he hath picht and fixt on this way And for any now to imagine to reconcile themselves to God by any thing but Faith in the Blood of this Mediator is not only most vain in it self and destructive to the Soul but most insolently derogatory to the wisdom and grace of God And to such I would say as Tertullian to Marcion whom he calls the Murtherer of Truth spare the only hope of the whole world O thou who destroyest the most necessary glory of our Faith All that we hope for is but a Phantasm without this Peace of Conscience can be rationally settled on no other Foundation but this For God having made a Law to govern man and this Law violated by man either the penalty must be levyed on the delinquent or satisfaction made by his surety As good no Law as no penalty for disobedience and as good no penalty as no execution He therefore that will be a Mediator of Reconciliation betwixt God and Man must bring God a price in his hand and that adequate to the offence and wrong done him else he will not treat about Peace and so did our Mediator Thirdly Christs being a Mediator of reconciliation and intercession implys the infinite value
of his Blood and sufferings as that which in it self was sufficient to stop the course of Gods Iustice and render him not only placable but abundantly satisfied and well pleased even with those that before were Enemies And so much is said of it Coll. 1.21 And ye that were sometime alienated and Enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his Flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Surely that which can cause the holy God justly incensed against Sinners to lay aside all his wrath and take an Enemy into his bosom and establish such an amity as can never more be broken but to rest in his love and to joy over him with singing as it is Zeph. 3.17 this must be a most excellent efficatious thing Fourthly Christ being a Mediator of reconciliation implys the ardent love and large pity that filled his Heart towards poor Sinners For he doth not not only mediate by way of intreaty going betwixt both and perswading and beging Peace but he mediates as you have heard in the capacity of a surety by putting himself under an obligation to satisfie our debts O how compassionately did his Heart work towards us that when he saw the arm of Justice lifted up to destroy us would interpose himself and receive the stroke though he knew it would smite him dead Our Mediator like Ionah his Type seeing the stormy Sea of Gods wrath working tempestuously and ready to swallow us up cast in himself to appease the storm I remember how much that noble Act of Marcus Curtius is celebrated in the Roman Story who being informed by the Oracle that the great breach made by the Earthquake could not be closed except something of worth were cast into it heated with love to the Commonwealth he went and cast in himself This was looked upon as a bold and brave adventure but what was this to Christ Fifthly Christ being a Mediator betwixt God and Men implys as the fitness of his Person so his authoritative call to undertake it And indeed the Father who was the wronged Person call'd him to be the Umpire and Arbitrator trusting his honour in his hands Now Christ was invested with this office and power virtually soon after the breach was made by Adams fall for we have the early promise of it Gen. 3.15 ever since till his incarnation he was a virtual and effectual Mediator and on that account he is call'd the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 And actually from the time of his incarnation But having discussed this more largely in a former discourse I shall dismiss it here and apply my self to the third thing proposed which is Thirdly How it appears that Jesus Christ is the true and only Mediator betwixt God and Men I reply it 's manifest he is so First because he and no other is revealed to us by God And if God reveal him and no other we must receive him and no other as such Take but two Scriptures at present that in 1 Cor. 8.5 the Heathen have many Gods and many Lords i. e. many great Gods supream powers and ultimate objects of of their worship and lest these great Gods should be defiled by their immediate and unhallowed approaches to them they therefore invented Heroes Demigods intermediate Powers that were to be as Agents or Lord Mediators betwixt the Gods and them to convey their Prayers to the Gods and the blessings of the Gods back again to them But unto us saith he there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we by him i. e. one supream Essence the first Spring and Fountain of blessings and one Lord i. e. one Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom are all things and we by him By whom are all things which come from the Father to us and by whom are all our addresses to the Father so Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved No other name i. e. no other authority or rather no other person authorized under Heaven i. e. in the whole World for Heaven is not here opposed to Earth as though there were other Intercessors in Heaven besides Christ no no in Heaven and Earth God hath given him and none but him to be our Mediator One Sun is sufficient for the whole World And one Mediator for all men in the world So that the Scriptures affirm this is he and exclude all others Secondly because he and no other is fit for and capable of this Who but he that hath the divine and humane nature united in his single Person can be a fit Days-man to lay his hand upon both who but he that was God could support under such sufferings as were by divine Justice exacted for satisfaction take a person of the greatest Spirit and put him but an hour in the case Christ was in when he sweat Blood in the Garden or utter'd that heart rending cry upon the Cross and he had melted under it as a moth Thirdly because he is alone sufficient to reconcile the world to God by his Blood without accessions from any other The vertue of his Blood reacht back as far as Adam and reaches forward to the end of the world and will be as fresh vigorous and efficatious then as the first moment it was shed The Sun makes day before it actually rise and continues day to us sometimes after it is set So doth Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever so that he is the true and only Mediator betwixt God and Men. No other is revealed in Scripture No other sufficient for it No other needed beside him The last thing to be explained is in what a capacity he executed his mediatory work About which we affirm according to Scripture that he performs that work as God-man in both natures Papists in denying Christ to act as Mediator according to his divine nature do at once spoil the whole mediation of Christ of all its efficacy dignity and value which rises from that nature which they deny to co-operate and exert its vertue in his active and passive obedience They say the Apostle in my Text distinguishes the Mediator from God in saying there is one God and one Mediator Ours aptly reply that the same Apostle distinguishes Christ from Man Gal. 1.1 not by Man but by Iesus Christ. Doth it thence follow that Christ is not true man or that according to his divine nature only he call'd Paul But what need I stay my Reader here Had not Christ as Mediator power to lay down his life and power to take it up again Ioh. 10.15 18. had he not as Mediator all power in Heaven and Earth to institute Ordinances and appoint Officers Matth. 28.18 to baptize men with the Holy Ghost and Fire Matth. 3.11 to
study upon his knees Those truths that are got by Prayer leave an unusual sweetness upon the heart If Christ be our Teacher it becomes all his Saints to be at his Feet Inference 4. If Christ be the great Prophet and Teacher of the Church We may thence discern and Iudge of Doctrines and it may serve us as a test to try them by For such as Christ is such are the Doctrines that flow from him Every errour pretends to derive it self from him but as Christ was holy humble heavenly meek peaceful plain and simple and in all things alien yea contrary to the wisdom of the world the gratifications of the flesh such are the truths which he teacheth They have his Character and Image ingraven on them Would you know then whether this or that Doctrine be from the Spirit of Christ or no Examine the Doctrine it self by this rule And whatsoever Doctrine you find to incourage and countenance sin to exalt self to be accommodated to earthly designs and interests to wrap and bend to the humours and Lusts of men in a word what Doctrine soever directly and as a proper cause makes them that profess it carnal turbulent proud sensual c. You may safely reject it and conclude this never came from Jesus Christ. The Doctrine of Christ is after godliness His truth sanctifies There is a gustus Spiritualis judicii a Spiritual taste by which those that have their sences exercised can distinguish things that differ The Spiritual man Iudgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 His ear tryes words as his mouth tasteth meats Job 34.3 Swallow nothing let it come never so speciously that hath not some relish of Christ and holyness in it Be sure Christ never reveal'd any thing to men that derogates from his own glory or prejudices and obstructs the ends of his own Death Inference 5. And as it will serve us for a test of Doctrines so it serves for a test of Ministers and hence you may Judge who are authorized and sent by Christ the great Prophet to declare his will to men Surely those whom he sends have his Spirit in their Hearts as well as his words in their Mouths And according to measures of grace received they faithfully endeavour to fullfil their Ministry for Christ as Christ did for his Father as my Father hath sent me saith Christ so send I you Joh. 20.21 They take Christ for their pattern in the whole course of their Ministration and are such as sincerely endeavour to imitate the great Shepherd in these six particulars following First Jesus Christ was a faithful Minister the faithful and true witness Rev. 1.5 He declared the whole mind of God to men Of him it was Prophetically said Psal. 40.10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy Salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation To the same sence and almost in the same words the Apostle Paul professed in Acts 20.20 I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you and vers 35. I have shewed you all things Not that every faithful Minister doth in the course of his Ministry anatomize the whole body of truth and fully expound and apply each particular to the People no that is not the meaning but of those Doctrines which they have opportunity of opening they do not out of fear or to accommodate and secure base low ends withhold the mind of God or so corrupt and abuse his words as to subject truth to their own or other mens Lusts. They Preach not as pleasing men but God 1 Thes. 2.4 For if we yet please men we cannot be the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 Truth must be spoken though the greatest on earth be offended Secondly Jesus Christ was a tender hearted Minister Full of compassion to souls He was sent to bind up the broken in heart Isa. 61.1 He was full of bowels to poor sinners He grieved at the hardness of mens hearts Mark 3.5 He mourned over Ierusalem and said O Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I have gathered thy Children as a Hen gathers her brood under her wings Matth. 23.37 His bowels yearned when he saw the multitude as Sheep having no Shepherd Matth. 9.36 These bowels of Christ must be in all the under Shepherds God is my witness saith one of them how greatly I long after you all in or after the pattern of the bowels of Christ Iesus Phil. 1.8 He that shews a hard heart unaffected with the dangers and miseries of souls can never shew a commission from Christ to authorize him for ministerial work Thirdly Jesus Christ was a laborious painful Minister he put a necessity on himself to finish his work in his day A work infinitely great in a very little time Ioh. 9.4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work O how much work did Christ do in a little time on earth He went about doing good Acts 10.38 He was never idle When he sits down at Iacobs Well to rest himself being weary presently he falls into his work Preaching the Gospel to the Samaritaness In this must his Ministers resemble him Striving according to his working that worketh in them mightily Col. 1.28 29. An idle Minister seems to be a contradiction in adjecto as who should say a dark light Fourthly Iesus Christ delighted in nothing more than the success of his Ministry To see the work of the Lord prosper in his hand this was meat and drink to him When the seventy returned and reported the success of their first Embassie Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy name Why saith Christ I behold Satan fall as lightning from heaven As if he had said you tell me no news I saw it when I sent you out at first I know the Gospel would make work where it came And in that hour Iesus rejoyced in Spirit Luk. 10.17 18 21. And is it not so with those sent by him Do'nt they value the success of their Ministry at an high rate it is not saith one the expence but the recoyling of our labours back again upon us that kills us Ministers would not die so fast nor be gray-headed so soon could they but see the travel of their Souls My littlle Children saith Paul of whom I travel again in birth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4.19 As for those that have the name of Shepherds only who visit the flock only once a year about shearing time who have the instruments of a foolish Shepherd â—fâ—rcipes mulctra the shears and pail Zech. 11.15 Woful will be their condition at the appearing of this great Shepherd Fifthly Iesus Christ was a Minister that lived up to his Doctrine His Life and Doctrine harmonized in all things He pressed to holiness in his Doctrine and was the great Pattern of
satisfaction of Christ to render it needless when they say many wâ—re saved without it even as many as were saved before the death of Christ. For they say the effect cannot be before the cause which is true of physical but not of moral causes and such was Christs satisfaction As for Example a captive is freed out of prison from the time that his surety undertakes for him and promises his Ransom here the Captive is actually delivered though the ransom that delivered him be not yet actually paid So it was in this case Christ had engaged to the Father to satisfie for them and upon that security they were delivered And the vertue of this Oblation not only reaches those believers that lived and died before Christs day but it extends it self forward to the end of the world Hence Heb. 13.8 Christ is said to be the same yesterday to day and for ever that is he is not so a Saviour to us that now live as that he was not their Saviour also that believed in him before us from the beginning Nor yet so a Saviour both to them and us as that he shall not be the same to all that shall believe on him to the worlds end To the same sence are those words Heb. 11.40 rightly Paraphrased God having povided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect q. d. God hath appointed the accomplishment of the promise of sending the Messiah to be in the last times That they viz. that lived before Christ should not be perfected that is justified and saved by anything done in their time but by looking to our time and Christs satisfaction made therein whereby they and we are perfected together No tract of time can wear out the vertue of this eternal Sacrifice It is as fresh vigorous and potent now as the first hour it was offered And though he actually offers it no more yet he virtually continues it by his intercession now in Heaven For there he is still a Priest And therefore about sixty years after his Assention when he gave the Revelation to Iohn he appears to him in his Priestly garments Rev. 1.13 Cloathed in a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle in illusion to the Priestly Ephod and curious girdle And as the vertue of this Oblation reaches backward and forward to all ages and to all believers so to all the sins of all Believers which are fully purged and expiated by it This no other Oblation could do The legal Sacrifices were no real expiations but rather remembrances of sins Heb. 9.9 12. Heb. 10.3 And all the vertue they had consisted in their Typical relation to this Sacrifice Gal. 3.23 Heb. 9.13 And separate from it were altogether weak unprofitable and insignificant things Heb. 7.18 but this blood cleanseth from all sins 1 Ioh. 1.7 all sin originating or originated or actual flowing from them both It expiates all fully without exception and finally without revocation So that by his being made sin for us we are made not only righteous but the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Thirdly and Lastly to name no more being so pretious in it self and so efficacious to expiate sin it must needs be a most grateful Oblation to the Lord highly pleasing and delightful in his eyes And so indeed it is said Eph. 5.2 He gave himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Not that God took any delight or content in the bitter sufferings of Christ simply and in themselves considered but with relation to the end for which he was offered even our redemption and salvation Hence arose the delight and pleasure God had in it this made him take pleasure in bruising him Isa. 53.10 God smelt a savour of rest in this Sacrifice The meaning is that as men are offended with a stench and their stomachs rise at it and are on the contrary delighted with sweet odors and fragrancies so the blessed God speaking after the manner of men is offended and filled with loathing and abhorrence by our sins but infinitely pleased and delighted in the offering of Christ for them which came up as an odor of a sweet smelling savour to him whereof the costly perfumes under the Law were Types and shadows This was the Oblation Thirdly This Oblation he brings before God and to him he offers it up So speaks the Apostle Heb. 9.14 through the eternal spirit he offered himself without spot to God As Christ sustained the capacity of a surety so God of a Creditor who exacted satisfaction from him That is he required from him as our surety the penalty due to us for our sin And so Christ had to do immediately with God yea with a God infinitely wronged and incensed by sin against us To this incensed Majesty Christ our Priest approacheth as to a devouring fire with his Sacrifice Fourthly The persons for whom and in whose stead he offered himself to God was the whole number of Gods Elect which were given him of the Father neither more nor less So speak the Scriptures He laid down his life for the sheep Joh. 10.15 For the Church Act. 20.28 For the Children of God Joh. 11.50 51 52. It is confessed there is sufficiency of vertue in this Sacrifice to redeem the whole world and on that account some Divines affirm he is called the Saviour of the world Joh. 40.42 alibi We acknowledge also that he purchased the services of others beside the Elect to be useful to them as they many ways are In which sense others take those Scriptures that speak so universally of the extent of his death We also acknowledge that the Elect being scattered in all parts and among all ranks of men in the world and unknown to those that are to tender Jesus Christ to men by the Preaching of the Gospel The stile of the Gospel as it was necessary is by such indefinite expressions suited to the general tenders they are to make of him But that the efficacy and saving vertue of this alsufficient Sacrifice is coextended with Gods Election so that they all and no others can or shall reap the special benefits of it is too clear in the Scriptures to be denyed Eph. 5.23 Ioh. 17.2 9 19 20. Ioh. 10.26 27 28. 1 Tim. 4.10 Fifthly The design and end of this Oblation was to attone pacify and reconcile God by giving him a full and adequate compensation or satisfaction for the sins of these his Elect. So speaks the Apostle Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven So 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Reconciliation is the making up of that breach caused by sin between us and God and restoring us again to his favour and
tree full of all delectable fruits of holiness yet if the fire of his indignation thus seize upon me what will be your condition that are both barren and guilty void of all good fruit and full of all unrighteousness and so like dry seary wood are fitted as fewel to the fire Consider with thy self man how canst thou imagine thou canst support that infinite wrath that Christ grapled with in the room of Gods Elect He had the strength of a Deity to support him Esa. 42.1 behold my servant whom I uphold He had the fulness of the Spirit to prepare him Isa. 61.11 He had the ministry of an Angel who came post from Heaven to relieve him in his agony Luk. 22.43 He had the ear of his Father to hear him for he cryed and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 He was assured of the victory before the combat he knew he should be Justified Isa. 50.8 And yet for all this was sore amazed and sorrowful even to death and his heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels If the case stood thus with Christ notwithstanding all these advantages he had to bear the wrath of God for a little time How dost thou think a poor worm as thou art to dwell with everlasting burnings or contend with devouring fire Luther saw ground enough for what he said when he cryed out I will have nothing to do with an absolute God i. e. with a God out of Christ. For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Wo and alas for evermore to that man that meets a just and righteous God without a Mediator Whoever thou art that readest these lines I beseech thee by the mercies of God by all the regard and love thou hast to thy own soul neglect not time but make quick and sure work of it Get an interest in this Sacrifice quickly what else will be thy state when vaste ternity opens to swallow thee up What wilt thou do man when thine eye-strings and heart-strings are breaking O what a fearful scriech will thy Conscience give when thou art presented before the dreadful God and no Christ to screen thee from his indignation Happy is that man who can say in a dying hour as one did who being desired a little before his dissolution to give his friends a little tast of his present hopes and the grounds of them cheerfully answered I will let you know how it is with me then stretching forth his hand said Here is the grave the wrath of God and devouring flames the just punishment of sin on the one side and here am I a poor sinful soul on the other side but this is my comfort the Covenant of grace which is established upon so many sure promises hath salved all There is an act of oblivion passed in Heaven I will forgive their iniquities and their sins will I remember no more This is the blessed priviledge of all within the Covenant among whom I am one O 't is sweet at all times especially at such a time to see the reconciled face of God through Jesus Christ and hear the voice of peace through the blood of the Cross. Inference 3. Hath Christ offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for us then let us improve in every condition this Sacrifice and labour to get hearts duly affected with such a sight as faith can give us of it Whatever the condition or complaint of any Christian is the beholding the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world may give him strong support and sweet relief Do you complain of the hardness of your hearts and want of love to Christ behold him as offered up to God for you and such a sight if any in the world will do it will melt your hard hearts Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourn It is reported of Iohannes Milius that he was never observed to speak of Christ and his sufferings but his eyes would drop Art thou too little touched and unaffected with the evil of sin is it thy complaint Christian that thou canst not make sin bear so heard upon thy heart as thou would consider but what thou hast now read realize this Sacrifice by faith and try what efficacy there is in it to make sin for ever bitter as death to thy soul. Suppose thy own Father had been stab'd to the heart with such a knife and his blood were upon it wouldst thou delight to see or endure to use that knife any more Sin is the knife that stab'd Christ to the heart this shed his blood Surely you can never make light of that which lay so heavy upon the soul and body of Jesus Christ. Or is your heart prest down even to despondency under guilt of sin So that you cry how can such a sinner as I be pardoned My sin is greater than can be forgiven Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Remember that no sin can stand before the Efficacy of his blood 1 Joh. 1.7 the blood of Iesus cleanseth from all sin This Sacrifice makes unto God full satisfaction Are you at any time staggering through unbelief Filled with unbelieving suspicions of the promises Look hither and you shall see them all ratified and established in the blood of the cross So that hills and mountains shall sooner start from their own bases and centers than one tittle of the promise fail Heb. 9.17 18 19. Do you at any time find your hearts fretting disquieted and impatient under every petty cross and trial See how quietly Christ your Sacrifice came to the Altar How meekly and patiently he stood under all the wrath of God and men together This will silence convince and shame you In a word Here you will see so much of the grace of God and love of Christ in providing and becoming a Sacrifice for you you will see God taking vengeance upon sin but sparing the sinner You will see Christ standing as the body of sin alone for he was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him That whatever corruption burdens this in the believing application will support Whatever grace be defective this will revive it Blessed be God for Iesus Christ. The THIRTEENTH SERMON HEB. VII XXV Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them HAving dispatcht the first part or Act of Christs Priesthood consisting in his Oblation we come to the other branch of it consisting in his Intercession which is nothing else but the vertual continuation of his offering once made on earth That being medium reconciliationis the means of reconciling this medium applicationis the way and means of his applying to us the benefits purchased by it This second part or branch of his Priesthood was Typified by
the High-Priests entring with the blood of the Sacrifice and sweet incense into the holy place Levit. 16.12 13 14. And he shall take the censer full of burning coals of fire from off the Altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the vail and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the Testimony that he die not And he shall take the blood of the bullock and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat Eastward c. Christs offering himself on earth answered to the killing of the Sacrifice without and his entring into Heaven there to intercede was that which answered to the Priest going with blood and his hands full of incense within the vail So that this is a part yea a special part of Christs Priesthood and so necessary to it that if he had not done this all his work on earth had signified nothing nor had he been a Priest that is a compleat and perfect Priest if he had remained on earth Heb. 8.4 Because the very design and end of sheding his blood on earth had been frustrated which was to carry it before the Lord into Heaven So that this is the principal perfective part of the Priesthood He acted the first part on earth in a state of deep abasement in the form of a servant but he Acts this in glory whereinto he is taken up that he may follow on his design in dying and give the work of our Salvation its last compleating Act. So much is imported in this Scripture which tells us by reason hereof he is able to save to the uttermost c. The words contain an incouragement to believers to come to God in the way of faith drawn from the intercession of Christ in Heaven for them In which you may take notice of these three principal parts First The quality of the persons here incouraged who are described by a direct act of faith as poor recumbents that are going out of themselves to God by faith but conscious of great unworthiness in themselves and thence apt to be discouraged Secondly The incouragement propounded to such believers drawn from the ability of Jesus Christ in whose name they go to the Father to save them to the uttermost i. e. fully perfectly compleatly For so this Emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies The saving us wholly throughly compleatly and altogether giving our Salvation its last act and complement Thirdly The ground or reason of this his saving ability Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession i. e. he hath not only offered up his blood to God upon the tree as a full price to purchase pardon and grace for believers but lives in Heaven and that for ever to apply unto us in the way of intercession all the fruits blessings and benefits that that pretious blood of his deserves and hath procured as a price for them The words thus opened that point I shall single out from among many that lie in them as most suitable to my design and purpose is this DOCT. That Iesus our High-Priest lives for ever in the capacity of a potent intercessor in Heaven for believers Here we will enquire First what it is for Christ to be an intercessor Secondly By what acts he performs that work in Heaven Thirdly Whence the potency and prevalency of his intercession is Fourthly and Lastly How he lives for ever to make intercession for us First What it is for Christ to be an intercessor for us To intercede in general is to go betwixt two parties to intreat argue and plead with one for the other And of this there are two sorts First ex charitate ut fratres That whereby one Christian prays and pleads with God for another 1 Tim. 2.1 Secondly Ex officio mediatorio that whereby Christ as an act of office presents himself before God to request for us Betwixt these two is this difference that the former is performed not in our own but anothers name we can tender no request to God immediately or for our own sake either for our selves or for others Joh. 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you But the latter which is proper to Christ is an Intercession with God for us in his own name and upon the account of his proper merit The one is a private act of Charity the other a publick act of Office And so he is our Advocate or Court-friend as Satan our accuser or Court-adversary Satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that charges us before God 1 Pet. 5.8 And continually endeavours to make breaches between us and God Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Attorney Advocate or Lidger that pleads for us and continues peace and friendship between us and God 1 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And thus to make intercercession is the peculiar and incommunicable prerogative of Jesus Christ. None but he can go in his own name to God And in that sense we are to understand that place Ezech. 44.2 3. Then said the Lord unto me this gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut It is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord c. The great broad gate called here the Princes gate signifies that abundant and direct entrance that Christ had into Heaven by his own merits and in his own name this faith the Lord shall be shut no man shall enter in by it all other men must come thither as it were by collateral or side doors which looked all towards the Altar viz. by vertue of the Mediator and through the benefit of his death imputed to them And yet though God hath for ever shut up and bar'd this way to all the children of men telling us that no man shall ever have access to him in his own name as Christ the Prince had How do some notwithstanding strive to force open the Princes gate So do they that found the intercession of Saints upon their own works and merits thereby robbing Christ of his peculiar glory but all that so approach God approach a devouring fire Christ only in the vertue of his blood thus comes before him to make intercession for us Secondly We will inquire wherein the Intercession of Christ in Heaven consists or by what acts he performs this Glorious Office there And the Scriptures place it in three things First In his presenting himself before the Lord in our names and upon our accounts So we read in Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us The Apostle manifestly alludes to
the High-Priests appearing in the Holy of Holies which was the figure of Heaven presenting to the Lord the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel which were on his breast and shoulders Exod. 28.9 12 28 29. to which the Church is supposed to allude in that request Cant. 8.6 set me as a seal upon thine heart as a seal upon thine arm Now the very sight of Christ our High-Priest in Heaven prevails exceedingly with God and â—urns away his displeasure from us As when God looks upon the Rainbow which is the sign of the Covenant he remembers the earth in mercy So when he looks on Christ his heart must needs be towards us upon his account and therefore in Rev. 4.3 Christ is compared to a Rainbow encompassing the Throne Secondly Christ performs his intercession-work in Heaven not by a naked appearing in the presence of God only but also by presenting his blood and all his sufferings to God as a moving plea on our account Whether he make any proper oral intercession there as he did on earth is not so clear some incline to it and think it 's countenanced by Zech. 1.12 13. where Christ our intercessor presents a proper vocal request to the Father in the behalf of his people Saying O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and on the Cities of Iudah against whom thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years and the Lord answered him with good and comfortable words And so Act. 2.23 As soon as he came to Heaven he is said and that as the first fruits of his Intercession to obtain the promise of the Holy-Ghost But sure I am an Interceding voice is by an usual prosopopeia attributed to his blood which in Heb. 12.24 is said to speak better things than the blood of Abel Now Abels blood and so Christs do cry unto God as the hire of the Labourers unjustly detained or the whole creation which is in bondage through our sins are said to cry and groan in the ears of the Lord. Iam. 5.4 Rom. 8.22 not vocally but efficatiously A rare illustration of this Efficatious Intercession of Christ in Heaven we have in that famous story of Amintas who appeared as an Advocate for his brother Aechylus who was strongly accused and very likely to be condemned to die Now Amintas having performed great services and merited highly of the Common-Wealth in whose service one of his hands was cut off in the Field he comes into the Court on his brothers behalf and said nothing but only lifted up his arm and shewed them cubitum sine manu an arm without an hand which so moved them without a word speaking that they freed his brother immediately And thus if you look into Revel 5.6 you shall see in what posture Christ is represented visionally there as standing between God and us And I beheld and loe in the midst of the Throne and four beasts and in the midst of the Elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain i. â— bearing in his glorified body the marks of his death and sacrifice Those wounds he received for our sins on earth are as it were still fresh bleeding in Heaven A moving and prevailing argument it is with the Father to give out the mercies he pleads for Thirdly and Lastly He presents the prayers of his Saints to God with his merits and desires that they may for his sake be granted He causes a cloud of incense to ascend before God with them Revel 8.3 All these were excellently Typed out by the going in of the High-Priest before the Lord with the names of the Children of Israel on his breast with the blood of the Sacrifice and his hands full of incense as the Apostle explains them in Heb. 7. and Heb. 9. Thirdly And that this Intercession of Christ is most potent successful and prevalant with God will be evinced both from the qualifications of this our Advocate from his great interest in the Father from the nature of the pleas he useth with God and from the relation and interest believers have both in the Father to whom and the Son by whom this intercession is made First our Intercessor in the Heavens is every way able and fit for the work he is ingaged in there What ever is desirable in an Advocate is in him eminently It is necessary that he who undertakes to plead the cause of another especially if it be weighty and intricate should be wise faithful tender-hearted and one that concerns himself in the success of his business Our Advocate Christ wants no wisdom to manage his work He is the wisdom of God yea only wise Jude 25. There 's much folly in the best of our duties we know not how to press an argument home with God but Christ hath the art of it Our business is in a wise hand He is no less faithful than wise therefore he is called a faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2.17 He assures us we may safely trust our concerns with him Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you Q. D. do you think I will deceive you Men may cheat you but I will not your own hearts may and daily do deceive you but so will not I. And for tender heartedness and sensible resentments of our conditions there is none like him Heb. 4.15 For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin We have not one that cannot sympathize so it is in the Greek and on purpose that he might be the better able to sympathize with us he came as near to our conditions as the holiness of his nature could permit He suffered himself to be in all points tempted like as we are sin only excepted And then for his concernment and interest in the success of his suit he not only reckons but hath really made it his own interest Yea more his own than it is ours For now by reason of the mystical union all our wants and troubles are his Eph. 1.23 Yea his own glory and compleatness as mediator is deeply interessed in it And therefore we need not doubt but he will use all care and diligence in that work If you say so he may and yet not speed for all that for it depends on the fathers grant True but then Secondly Consider the great interest he hath in the Father with whom he so intercedes Christ is his dear Son Col. 1.13 the beloved of his soul Eph. 1.6 betwixt him and the Father with whom he intercedes there is an unity not only of nature but will and so he always hears him Ioh. 11.42 Yea and he said to this his dear Son when he came first to Heaven Ask of me and I will give thee Psal. 2.8 moreover Thirdly He must needs speed in his suit if you
in its worth and dignity Since then there is not a whole world no not half but the far less part of the world redeemed by the blood of Christ which was sufficient for so many how great must be the surplusage and redundancy of merit Here our Divines rightly distinguish betwixt the substance and accidents of Christs death and obedience Consider that Christs suffering as to the substance of it it was no more than what the Law required For neither the justice nor love of the Father would permit that Christ should suffer more than what was necessary for him to bear as our surety but as to the circumstances the person of the sufferer the cause and efficacy of his sufferings c. it was much more than sufficient A super legale meritum a merit above and beyond what the Law required For though the Law required the death of the sinner who is but a poor contemptible creature it did not require that one perfectly innocent should die It did not require that God should shed his blood It did not require blood of such value and worth as this was I say none of this the Law required though God was pleased for the advancement and manifestation of his Justice and Mercy in the highest to admit and order this by way of commutation admitting him to be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ransomer by dying for us And indeed it was a most gratious relaxation of the Law that admitted of such a commutation as this for hereby it comes to pass that Justice is fully satisfied and yet we live and are saved which before was a thing that could not be imagined Yea now we are not only redeemed from wrath by the adequate compensation made for our sins by Christs blood and sufferings substantially considered but to a most glorious inheritance purchased by his blood considered as the blood of an Innocent as the blood of God and therefore as most excellent and efficatious blood above what the Law demanded And this is the meaning of Athanasius when he saith that Christ recompensed or made amends for small things with great He means not that sin considered absolutely and in it self is small O no but compared with Christs blood and the infinite excellency and worth of it it is so And Chrysostom to the same purpose Christ paid much more saith he than we owed and so much more as the immense Ocean is more than a small drop So that it was rightly determined by holy Anselme no man saith he can pay to God what he owes him Christ only paid more than he owed him And by this you see how rich a treasure there lies by Christ to bestow in a purchase for us beyond and above what he paid to redeem us even as much as his soul and body was more worth than ours for whom it was sacrificed and that is so great a sum that all the Angels in Heaven and men on earth can never compute and sum up so as to shew us the total of it And this was that inexhaustible treasure that Christ expended to procure and purchase the fairest inheritance for Believers Having seen the treasure that purchased let us next enquire into the inheritance purchased by it Secondly This inheritance is so large that it cannot be surveyed by creatures nor can the boundaries and limits thereof be described for it comprehends all things 1 Cor. 3.22 All is yours ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Revel 21.7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things And yet I do not think or say that Dominium fundatur in gratia that Temporal Dominion in founded in grace No that 's at the cast and dispose of providence but Christ by his death hath restored a right to all things to his people But to be more particular I shall distribute the Saints inheritance purchased by Christ into three heads All Temporal good things all Spiritual good things and all Eternal good things are theirs First All Temporal good things 1 Tim. 6.7 He hath given us all things richly to enjoy Not that they have the possession but the comfort and benefit of all things Others have the sting gall wormwood bayts and snares of the creature Saints only have the blessing and comfort of it So that this little which a Righteous man hath is in this among other respects better than the treasures of many wicked Which is the true key to open that dark saying of the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.10 as having nothing and yet possessing all things They only possess others are possessed by the world The Saints do uti mundo frui Deo use the world and enjoy God in the use of it Others are deceived defiled and destroyed by the world but these are refresht and furthered by it Secondly All Spiritual good things are purchased by the blood of Christ for them As justification which comprizes remission of sins and acceptation of our persons by God Rom. 3.24 Being Iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ. Sanctification is also purchased for them Yea both initial and progressive sanctification For of God he is made unto us not only wisdom and righteousness but sanctification also 1 Cor. 1.30 These two viz. our Justification and Sanctification are two of the most rich and shining robes in the wardrobe of free-grace How glorious and lovely do they render the soul that wears them These are like the Bracelets and Jewels Isaack sent to Rebecca Adoption into the family of God is purchased for us by this blood For ye are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ Gal 3.26 Christ as he is the Son is haeres natus the heir by nature as he is Mediator he is haeres constitutus the heir by appointment appointed heir of all things as it is Heb. 1.2 By this Sonship of Christ we being united to him by faith become Sons and if Sons then heirs O what a manner of love is this that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 That a poor beggar should be made an heir yea an heir of God and a joynt heir with Christ. Yea that very faith which is the bond of union and consequently the ground of all our communion with Christ is the purchase of his blood also 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like pretious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. This most pretious grace is the dear purchase of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea all that peace joy and spiritual comfort which are sweet fruits of faith are with it purchased for us by this blood So speaks the Apostle in Rom. 5.1 2 3. Being Iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ c. moreover the Spirit himself who is the Author Fountain and Spring of all these graces and comforts is procured for us by his death and resurrection Gal. 3.13 14. Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith That spirit that at first sanctified and since hath so often sealed comforted directed resolved guided and quickned your souls had not come to perform any of these blessed Offices upon your hearts if Christ had not died Thirdly All Eternal good things are the purchase of his blood Heaven and all the glory thereof is purchased for you that are Believers with this price Hence that glory whatever it be is called an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you to the lively hope whereof ye are begotten again by the resurrection of Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Not only present mercys are purchased for us but things to come also As it is 1 Cor. 3.22 Man is a prudent and prospecting creature and is not satisfied that it 's well with him for present unless he have some assurance it shall be well with him for time to come His mind is taken up about what shall be hereafter and from the good or evil things to come he raiseth up to himself vast hopes or fears Therefore to compleat our happiness and fill up the uttermost capacity of our souls all the good of eternity is put into the account and Inventory of the Saints Estate and Inheritance This happiness is ineffable It 's usually distinguisht into what is essential and what is accessory to it The essentials of it as we in our embodied state can conceive is either the Objective Subjective or Formal happiness to be enjoyed in Heaven The Objective happiness is God himself Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee If it could be supposed saith one that God should withdraw from the Saints in Heaven and say take Heaven and divide it among you but as for me I will withdraw from you the Saints would fall a weeping in Heaven and say Lord take Heaven and give it to whom thou wilt it 's no Heaven to us except thou be there Heaven would be a very Bokim to the Saints without God In this our glory in Heaven consists to be ever with the Lord. 1 Thes. 4.17 God himself is the chief part of a Saints inheritance in which sence as some will understand Rom. 8.17 they are called heirs of God The Subjective glory and happiness is the attemperation and suiting of the soul and body to God This is begun in sanctification perfected in glorification It consists in removing from both all that is indecent and inconsistent with a state of such compleat glory and happiness and in super-induceing and cloathing it with all Heavenly qualities The immunities of the body are its freedom from all natural infirmities which as they come in so they go out with sin Thenceforth there shall be no diseases deformities pains flaws monstrosities their good physitian death hath cured all this And their vile bodies shall be made like unto Christs glorious body Phil. 3.21 And be made a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15.44 For agility like the Chariots of Aminadab For Beauty as the top of Lebanon for incorruptibility as if they were pure Spirits The Soul also is discharged and freed from all darkness and ignorance of mind being now able to discern all truths in God that Chrystal Ocean of truth The leaks of the memory stopt for ever The roving of its fancy perfectly cured The stubbornness and reluctancy of the will for ever subdued and retained in due and full subjection to God So that the Saints in glory shall be free from all that now troubles them They shall never sin more nor be once tempted so to do for no serpent hisses in that paradise They shall never grieve or groan more for God shall wipe all tears from their eyes They shall never be troubled more for God will then recompense tribulation to their troubles and to them that are troubled rest They shall never doubt more for fruition excludes doubting The Formal happiness is the fulness of satisfaction resulting from the blessed sight and enjoyment of God by a soul so attemper'd to him Psal. 17.15 When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness This sight of God in glory called the beatifical vision must needs yield ineffable satisfaction to the beholding soul in as much as it will be an intuitive vision The intellectual or mental eye shall see God 1 Ioh. 3.2 The corporeal glorified eye shall see Christ. Iob 19.26 27. What a ravishing vision will this be And how much will it exceed all reports and apprehensions we had here of it Surely the one half was not told us It will be a transformative vision it will change the beholder into its own image and likeness We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 As Iron put into the fire becomes all fiery so the soul by conversing with God is changed into his very similitude It will be an Appropriative vision whom I shall see for my self Job 19.26 27. In Heaven interest is clear and undoubted fear is cast out No need of marks and signs there for what a man sees and enjoys how can he doubt of It will be a ravishing vision these we have by faith are so how much more those in glory How was Paul transported when he was in a visional way wrapt up into the third Heaven and heard the unutterable things though he was not admitted into the blessed society but was with them as the Angels are in our assemblies a stander by a looker on If a spark do so inflame what is it to lie down like a Phoenix in her bed of Spices Like a Salamander to live and move in the fire of love It will also be an eternal vision vacabimus videbimus as Augustin said we shall then be at leisure for this imployment and have no diversions from it for ever No evening is mentioned to the seaventh days sabbath no night in the new Ierusalem And therefore Lastly It will be a fully satisfying vision God will then be all in all Etiam ipsa curiositas satietur curiosity it self will be satisfied The blessed soul will feel it self blessed filled satisfied in every part Ah what an happiness is here to look and love to drink and sing and drink again at the fountain head of the highest glory And if at any time its eye be turned from a direct to a reflex sight upon what it once was how it was wrought on how fitted for this glory how wonderfully distinguished by special grace from them that are howling in flames whilst himself is shouting aloud upon its bed of everlasting rest all this will enhaunce the glory And so also will the Accessories of this blessedness The place where God is enjoyed
the world as if Heaven were in it What will ye do when at death you shall look back over your shoulder and see what you have spent your time and strength for shrinking and vanishing away from you When you shall look forward and see vast eternity opening its mouth to swallow you up O then what would you give for a well grounded assurance of an eternal inheritance O therefore if you have any concernment for your poor souls If it be not indifferent to you what becomes of them whether they be saved or whether they be damned give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.12 Remember it is Salvation you work for and that 's no trifle Remember it 's your own Salvation and not anothers It is for thy own poor soul that thou art striving and what hast thou more Remember now God offers you his helping hand now the Spirit waits upon you in the means but of the continuance thereof you have no assurance for it is of his own good pleasure and not at yours To your work souls to your work Ah strive as men that know what an Inheritance in Heaven is worth And that as for you that have sollid evidence that it is yours Oh that with hands and eyes lifted up to Heaven you would adore that free grace that hath entitled a child of wrath to a heavenly inheritance Walk as becomes heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Be often looking Heaven-ward when wants pinch here Oh look to that fair estate you have reserved in Heaven for you and say I am hastning home and when I come thither all my wants shall be supplied Consider what it cost Christ to purchase it for thee and with a deep sense of what he hath laid out for thee let thy soul say Blessed be God for Iesus Christ. The SIXTEENTH SERMON II COR. X.V. Casting down imaginations and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. WE now come to the Regal Office by which our glorious Mediator executes and dischargeth the undertaken design of our Redemption Had he not as our Prophet opened the way of Life and Salvation to the children of men they could never have known it and should they have clearly known it except as their Priest he had offered up himself to impetrate and obtain Redemption for them they could not have been Redeemed virtually by his blood and if they had been so Redeemed yet had he not lived in the capacity of a King to apply this purchase of his blood to them they could have had no actual personal benefit by his death For what he revealed as a Prophet he purchased as a Priest and what he so revealed and purchased as Prophet and Priest he applies as King First Subduing the souls of his elect to his spiritual government then ruling them as his subjects and ordering all things in the Kingdom of providence for their good So that Christ hath a twofold Kingdom the one spiritual and internal by which he subdues and rules the hearts of his people The other providential and external whereby he guides rules and orders all things in the world in a blessed subordination to their eternal Salvation I am to speak from this text of his Spiritual and internal Kingdom These words are considerable two ways either relatively or absolutely Considered relatively they are a vindication of the Apostle from the unjust censures of the Corinthians who very unworthily interpreted his gentleness condescention and winning affability to be no better than a fawning upon them for self ends and the authority he excercised no better than pride and imperiousness But hereby he lets them know that as Christ needs not so he never used such carnal Artifices The weapons of our warfare saith he are not carnal but mighty through God c. Absolutely considered they hold forth the efficacy of the Gospel in the plainness and simplicity of it for the subduing of rebellious sinners to Christ and in them we have these three things to consider First The oppositions made by sinners against the assaults of the Gospel viz. imaginations or reasonings as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be fitly rendred He means the subtilties slights excuses subterfuges and arguings of fleshly minded men in which they fortifie and entrench themselves against the convictions of the word Yea and there are not only such carnal reasonings but many proud high conceits with which poor creatures swel and scorn to submit to the abasing humble self-denying way of the Gospel These are the fortifications erected against Christ by the carnal mind Secondly We have here the conquest which the Gospel obtains over sinners thus fortified against it It casts down and overthrows and takes in those strong holds Thus Christ spoils Satan of his armour in which he trusted by shewing the sinner that all this can be no defence to his soul against the wrath of God But that 's not all in the next place Thirdly You have here the improvement of the victory Christ doth not only lead away these enemies spoiled but brings them into obedience to himself i. e. makes them after conversion Subjects of his own Kingdom obedient useful and serviceable to himself and so is more than a Conqueror They do not only lay down their arms and fight no more against Christ with them but repair to his Camp and fight for Christ with those reasons of theirs that were before imployed against him as it 's said of Ierome Origen and Tertullian that they came into Canaan laden with Aegyptian gold That is they come into the Church full of excellent learning and abilities with which they eminently served Jesus Christ. O blessed victory where the Conqueror and conquered both Triumph together And thus enemies and rebels are subdued and made subjects of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ. Hence the Doctrinal note is DOCT. That Iesus Christ exercises a Kingly power over the souls of all whom the Gospel subdues to his obedience No sooner were the Collossians delivered out of the power of darkness but they were immediately translated into the Kingdom of Christ the dear Son 1 Col. 13. This Kingdom of Christ which is our present subject is the internal spiritual Kingdom which is said to be within the Saints Luk. 17.20 21. The Kingdom of God is within you Christ sits as an enthroned King in the Hearts Consciences and affections of his willing people Psal. 110.3 And his Kingdom consists in Rightâ—ousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 And is properly Monarchical as appears in the Margent In the prosecution of this point I will speak Doctrinally to these three heads First How Christ obtains this throne
a debased state but was really and indeed humbled and that not only before men but God As man he was humbled really as God in respect of his manifestive glory And as it was real so also voluntary It is not said he was humbled but he humbled himself He was willing to stoop to this low and abject state for us And indeed the voluntariness of his humiliation made it most acceptable to God and singularly commends the love of Christ to us That he would choose to stoop to all this ignominy sufferings and abasement for us Secondly The degrees of his humiliation it was not only so low as to become a man a man under law but he humbled himself to become obedient to death even the death of the Cross. Here you see the depth of Christs humiliation both specified it was unto death and aggravated even the death of the Cross. Not only to become a man but a dead corpse and that too hanging on the tree Dying the death of a malefactor Thirdly The duration or continuance of this his humiliation It continued from the first moment of his incarnation to the very moment of his vivification and quickning in the grave So the terms of it are fixed here by the Apostle From the time he was found in fashion as a man that is from his incarnation unto his death on the Cross which also comprehends the time of his abode in the grave So long his humiliation lasted Hence the observation is DOCT. That the state of Christ from his Conception to his Resurrection was a state of deep abasement and humiliation We are now entring upon Christs humbled state which I shall cast under three general heads viz. his Humiliation in his incarnation in his life and in his death My present work is to open Christs Humiliation in his incarnation imported in these words he was found in fashion as a man By which you are not to conceive that he only assumed a body as an assisting form to appear transiently to us in it and so lay it down again It is not such an apparition of Christ in the shape of a man that is here intended but his true and real assumption of our nature which was a special part of his Humiliation as will appear by the following particulars First The Incarnation of Christ was a most wonderful humiliation of him in as much as thereby he is brought into the ranck and order of creatures who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 This is the astonishing mysterie 1 Tim. 3.16 that God should be manifest in the flesh That the eternal God should truly and properly be called the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 It was a wonder to Solomon that God would dwell in that stately and magnificent Temple at Ierusalem 2 Chron. 6.18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house which I have built But it 's a far greater wonder that God should dwell in a body of flesh and pitch his Tabernacle with us Ioh. 1.14 It would have seemed a rude blasphemy had not the Scriptures plainly revealed it to have thought or spoken of the eternal God as born in time The worlds Creator as a Creature The Ancient of daies as an Infant of daies The Heathen Chaldeans told the King of Babel that the dwelling of the Gods is not with flesh Dan. 2.11 But now God not only dwells with flesh but dwells in flesh Yea was made flesh and dwelt among us For the Sun to fall from its Sphear and be degraded into a wandring Attom For an Angel to be turned out of Heaven and be converted into a silly fly or worm had been no such great abasement for they were but Creatures before and so they should abide still though in an inferiour order or species of creatures The distance betwixt the highest and lowest species of creatures is but a finite distance The Angel and the worm dwell not so far assunder But for the infinite glorious Creator of all things to become a creature is a mystery exceeding all humane understanding The distance betwixt God and the highest order of creatures is an infinite distance He is said to humble himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven What a humiliation then is it to behold the things in the lower world But to be born into it and become a man Great indeed is the mysterie of Godliness Behold saith the Prophet Isai. 40.15 18. The nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing All nations before him are as nothing and they are accounted to him less than nothing and vanity If indeed this great and incomprehensible Majesty will himself stoop to the state and condition of a creature we may easily believe that being once a creature he would expose himself to hunger thirst shame spetting death or any thing but sin For that once being man he should endure any of these things is not so wonderful as that he should become a man This was the low stoop a deep abasement indeed Secondly It was a marvelous humiliation to the Son of God not only to become a creature but an inferiour creature a man and not an Angel Had he took the Angelical nature though it had been a wonderful abasement to him yet he had staid if I may so speak nearer his own home and been somewhat liker to a God than now he appeared when he dwelt with us For Angels are the highest and most excellent of all created Beings For their nature they are pure spirits for their wisdom Intelligencies For their dignity they are called principalities and powers For their habitations they are stiled the Heavenly Host and for their imployment it is to behold the face of God in Heaven The highest pitch both of our holiness and happiness in the coming world is expressed by this we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to the Angels Luk. 20.36 As man is nothing to God so he is much inferiour to the Angels So much below them that he is not able to bear the sight of an Angel though in an humane shape rendring himself as familiarly as may be to him Iudg. 13.22 When the Psalmist had contemplated the Heavens and viewed the Coelestial bodies the glorious Luminaries the Moon and Stars which God had made he cries out Psal. 8.5 what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him Take man at his best when he came a perfect and pure piece out of his Makers hand in the state of innocency yet he was inferiour to Angels They alwaies bare the image of God in a more eminent degree than man as being wholly spiritual substances and so more lively representing God than man could do whose noble soul is immerst
of blessing but he knew the effect the real blessing it self depended upon God And though he blessed authoritatively yet not potestatively i. e. he could as the mouth of God pronounce blessings but could not confer them Thus he blessed his Children as his Father Isaack has also blessed him before he died Gen. 28.3 and all these blessings were delivered prayerwise Now when Jesus Christ comes to die he will bless his Children also And therein will discover how much dear and tender love he had for them having loved his own which were in the world he loved them to the end Joh. 13.1 the last Act of Christ in this world was an act of blessing Luk. 24.50 51. To prepare this point for use I will here open First The mercies which Christ requested of the Father for them Secondly The Arguments used by him to obtain these mercies Thirdly Why he thus pleaded for them when he was to die Fourthly and Lastly How all this gives full evidence of Christs tender care and love to his people First We will enquire what those mercies and special favours were which Christ beg'd for his people when he was to die And we find among others these five special mercies desired for them in this context First The mercy of preservation both from sin and danger so in the text Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me which is explained vers 15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil We in ours and the Saints that are gone in their respective generations have reaped the fruit of this prayer How else comes it to pass that our souls are persecuted amidst such a world of Temptations and these assisted and advantaged by our own corruptions How is it else that our persons are not ruined and destroyed amidst such multitudes of potent and malitious enemies that are set on fire of Hell Surely the preservation of the burning bush of the three children amidst the flames of Daniel in the den of Lyons are not greater wonders than these our eyes do daily behold As the fire would have certainly consumed and the Lyons without doubt have rended and devoured had not God by the interposition of his own hand stopt and hindered the effect so would the sin that is in us and the malice that is in others quickly ruine our souls and bodies were it not that the same hand gardâ— and keeps us every moment To that hand into which this prayer of Christ delivered your souls and bodies do you owe all your mercies and Salvations both Temporal and Spiritual Secondly Another mercy he prays for is the blessing of union among themselves This he joins immediately with the first mercy of preservation and prays for it in the same breath vers 11. that they may be one as we are And well might he joyn them together in one breath for this union is not only a choise mercy in it self but a special means of that preservation he had prayed for before Their union one with another is a special means to preserve them all Thirdly A third desirable mercy that Christ earnestly prayed for was that his joy might be fulfilled in them vers 13. He would provide for their joy even when the hour of his greatest sorrow was at hand Yea he would not only obtain joy for them but a full joy that my joy may be fulfilled in them It is as if he had said O my Father I am to leave these dear ones in a world of troubles and perplexities I know their hearts will be subject to frequent despondencies O let me obtain the cordials of divine joy for them before I go I would not only have them live but live joyfully Provide for their fainting hours reviving cordials Fourthly And as a continued spring to maintain all the forementioned mercies He prays they all may be sanctified through the word of truth vers 17. i. e. more abundantly sanctified than yet they were by a deeper radication of gratious habits and principles in their hearts This is a singular mercy in it self to have holiness spreading it self over and through their sâ—uls as the light of the morning Nothing is for it self more desirable And it 's also a singular help to their perseverance union and spiritual joy which he had prayed for before and are all advanced by their increasing Sanctification Fifthly Lastly As the complement and perfection of all desireable mercies he prays that they may be with him where he is to behold his glory vers 24. This is their best and ultimate priviledge they are capable of The end of his coming down from Heaven and returning thither again All runs into this to bring many Sons and daughters unto glory You see Christ asks no trifles no small things for his people No mercies but the best that both worlds afford will suffice him on their behalf Secondly Let us see how he follows his requests and with what arguments he pleads with the Father for these things And among others I shall single out six choice ones which are urged in this Text or the immediate context First Argument is drawn from the joint interest that both himself and Father have in the persons for whom he prays All mine are thine and thine are mine vers 10. As if he should say Father behold and consider the persons I pray for they are not aliens but children yea they are thy children as well as mine The very same on whom thou hast set thy eternal love and in that love hast given them unto me So that they are both thine and mine Great is our interest in them and interest draws care and tenderness Every one cares for his own provides for and secures his own Propriety even amongst creatures is fundamental to our labour care and watchfulness They would not so much prize life health estates or children if they were not their own Lord these are thine own by many ties and titles O therefore keep comfort sanctifie and save them for they are thine What a mighty plea is this Surely Christians your Intercessor is skilful in his work your Advocate wants no eloquence or ability to plead for you The Second Argument and that a powerful one treads as I may say upon the very heel of the former in the next words And I am glorified in them q. d. My glory and honour is infinitely dear to thee I know thy heart is set intently upon the exalting and glorifying of thy Son now what glory have I in the world but what comes from my people Others neither can nor will glorifie me Nay I am daily blasphemed and dishonoured by them These are they from whom my active glory and praise in the world must rise 'T is true both thou and I have glory from other creatures objectively the works that we have made and imprest our power wisdom and goodness upon do so glorifies us And honour
Father As if Christ did not present our pleas and arguments as well as simple desires to God As if the choisest part of our prayers must be kept back because Christ presents our prayers to God No no Christs pleading is one thing ours another His and ours are not opposed but subordinated His pleading doth not destroy but makes ours successful God calls us to plead with him Isai. 1.18 come now let us reason together God as one observes reasoneth with us by his word and providences outwardly and by the motions of his Spirit inwardly but we reason with him by framing through the help of his Spirit certain holy arguments grounded upon allowed principles drawn from his nature name word or works And it is condemned as a very sinful defect in Professors that they did not plead the Churches cause with God Jer. 30.13 There is none to plead thy cause that thou maist be bound up What was Iacobs wrestling with the Angel but his holy pleading and importunity with God And how well it pleased God let the event speak As a Prince he prevailed and had power with God On which instance a Worthy thus glosseth Let God frown smite or wound Iacob is at a point a blessing he came for and a blessing he will have I will not let thee go saith he unless thou bless me His limbs his life might go but there is no going for Christ without a pawn without a blessing This is the man now what is his speed the Lord admires him and honours him to all generations What is thy name saith he q. d. I never met with such a man titles of honour are not worthy of thee Thou shalt be called not Iacob a shepherd with men but Iacob a Prince with God Nazianzen said of his sister Gorgonia that she was modestly impudent with God There was no putting her off with a denial The Lord on this account hath honoured his Saints with the title of his Recorders men fit to plead with him as that word mazkir signifies Isai. 62.6 Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence give him no rest it notes the office of him that recorded all the memorable matters of the King and used to suggest seasonable Items and Memorandums of things to be done By these holy pleadings the King is held in his Galleries as it is Cant. 7.5 I know we are not heard either for our much speaking or our excellent speaking 't is Christs pleading in Heaven that makes our pleading on earth available but yet surely when the spirit of the Lord shall suggest proper arguments in prayer and help the humble suppliant to press them home believingly and affectionately when he helps us to weep and plead to groan and plead God is greatly delighted in such prayers Thou saidst I will surely do the good Said Iacob Gen. 32.12 It 's thine own free promise I did not go on mine own head but thou bidst me go and encouragest me with this promise O this is taking with God When by the spirit of Adoption we can come to God crying Abba Father Father hear forgive pity and help me am I not thy Child thy Son or Daughter to whom may a Child be bold to go with whom may a Child have hope to speed if not with his Father Father hear me The Fathers of our flesh are full of bowels and pity their children and know how to give good things to them when they ask them when they ask bread or cloaths will they deny them And is not the Father of Spirits more full of bowels more full of pity Father hear me This is that kind of prayer which is melody in the ears of God Corollary 3. What an excellent pattern is here for all that have the charge and government of others committed to them whether Magistrates Ministers or Parents to teach them how to acquit themselves towards their relations when they come to die Look upon dying Jesus see how his care and love to his people flamed out when the time of his departure was at hand Surely as we are bound to remember our Relations every day and to lay up a stock of prayers for them in the time of our health so it becomes us to imitate Christ in our earnestness with God for them when we die Though we die our prayers die not with us They out-live us and those we leave behind us in the world may reap the benefit of them when we are turned to dust For my own part I must profess before the world that I have a high value for this mercy And do from the bottom of my heart bless the Lord who gave me a Religious and tender Father who often poured out his soul to God for me He was one that was inwardly acquainted with God and being full of bowels to his children often carried them before the Lord prayed and pleaded with God for them wept and made supplication for them This stock of prayers and blessings left by him before the Lord I cannot but esteem above the fairest inheritance on earth O it is no small mercy to have thousands of fervent prayers lying before the Lord filed up in Heaven for us And oh that we would all be faithful to this duty Surely our love especially to the souls of our Relations should not grow cold when our breath doth O that we would remember this duty in our lives and if God give opportunity and ability fully discharge it when we die considering as Christ did we shall be no more but they are in this world In the midst of a defiled tempting troublesom world It 's the last office of Love that ever we shall do for them After a little while we shall be no longer sensible how it is with them for as the Church speaks Isai. 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not what Temptations and troubles may befal them we do not know O imitate Christ your pattern Corollary 4. To Conclude Hence ye may see what an high esteem and pretious value Christ hath of Believers this was the treasure which he could not be quiet he could not die till he had secured it in a safe hand I come unto thee holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me Surely Believers are dear to Jesus Christ. And good reason for he hath paid dear for them Let his dying language this last farewel speak for him how he prized them The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the Lott of his inheritance Deut. 32.9 They are a peculiar treasure to him above all the people of the earth Exod. 19.5 What is much upon our hearts when we die is dear to us indeed O how pretious how dear should Jesus Christ be to us were we first and last upon his heart did he mind us did he pray for us did he so wrestle with God about us when the sorrows
their signal lest they should mistake the man For they aimed neither at small nor great save only at the King of Israel The King of glory Here was much ado you see to take a harmless Lamb that did not once start from them but freely offered himself to them Fourthly and Lastly When was this treasonable design executed upon Christ And it was executed upon him while he stood among his Disciples exhorting them to prayer and watchfulness Dropping Heavenly and most seasonable counsels upon them While he yet spake lo Judas and with him a multitude came with swords and stave Surely 't is no better than a Iudas trick to disturb and afflict the servants of God in the discharge of their duties This was the Traytor and his Treason thus it was executed and at this time Hence we observe DOCT. That it was the Lot of our Lord Iesus Christ to be betrayed into the hands of his mortal enemies by the assistance of a false and dissembling friend Look as Ioseph was betrayed and sold by his brethren David by Achithophel his old friend Sampson by Dalilah that lay in his bosom So Christ by Iudas one of the twelve A man his friend his familiar that had been so long conversant with him He that by profession had lifted up his hand to Christ now by treason lifts up his heel against him He bids the Souldiers bind those blessed hands that not long before had washt the Traitors feet In the point before us we will First Consider Iudas according to that eminent station and place he had under Christ. Secondly We will consider his Treason according to the several aggravations of it Thirdly We will inquire into the Cause or motives that put him upon such a dreadful hellish design as this was Fourthly and Lastly We will view the Issue and see the event of this treason both as to Christ and as to himself and then apply it First As for the person that did this he was very eminent by reason of that dignity Christ had raised him to He was one of the twelve A person retained not in a more general and common but the nearest and most intimate and honourable relation and service to Jesus Christ. There were in Christs time several sorts and ranks of persons that had relation to Christ. There were secret Disciples men that believed but kept their stations and abode with their relations in their callings There were the seventy also whom Christ sent forth but none of these were so much with Christ or so eminent in respect of their place as the twelve They were Christs family day and night conversant with him it was the highest dignity that was conferred upon any and of this number was Iudas The Antients have much extolled the Apostolical dignity Some stiled these twelve pedes Christi the feet of Christ because they as it were carried Christ up and down the world Others oculi Dei the very eyes of God they were his watchmen that took care for the concernments of his name and Gospel in the world Others mammae Ecclesiae the breasts of the Church They fed and nourisht the children of God by their doctrine Now to be one of this number one of the twelve what a dignity was this 2. Yea he being one of the twelve was daily conversant with Christ. Often joined with him in prayer often sate at his feet hearing the gratious words that came forth of his mouth It was one of Austins three wishes that he had seen Christ in the flesh Iudas not only saw him but dwelt with him travelled with him eat and drank with him And during the whole time of his abode with him all Christs carriages towards him were very obliging and winning yea such was the condescention of Christ to this wretched man that he washed his feet and that but a little before he betrayed him 3. He was a man of unsuspected integrity among the Apostles When Christ told them one of you shall betray me none thought on him but every one rather suspected himself Lord is it I saith one and so said they all But none pointed at Iudas saying thou art he 4. To conclude in some respect he was preferred to the rest For he had not only a joint commission with them to preach the Gospel to others though poor unhappy wretch himself became a cast away but he had a peculiar office He bare the bag i. e. he was Almoner or the Steward of the family to take care to provide for the necessary accommodations of Christ and them Now who could ever have suspected that such a man as this should have sold the blood of Christ for a little mony that ever he should have proved a perfidious Traytor to his Lord who had called him honoured him and carried himself so tenderly towards him and yet so it was lo Judas one of the twelve came and with him a multitude O whither will not a busie Devil and a bad heart carry a man Secondly But what did this man do And what are the just aggravations of his fact Why he most basely and unworthily sold and delivered Christ into his enemies hands to be butchered and destroyed and all this for thirty pieces of silver Blush O Heavens and be astonished O Earth at this in this fact most black and horrid aggravations appear First Iudas had seen the majesty of a God on him whom he betrayed He had seen the Miracles that Christ wrought which none but Christ could do He knew that by the finger of God he had raised the dead cast out Devils healed the sick He could not choose but observe and see the raies and awful beams of divine Majesty shining in his very face in his doctrine and in his life To betray a man to sell the blood of the poorest innocent in the world is horrid but to sell the blood of God O what 's this here 's a wickedness that no epithete can match yea Secondly This wickedness he committed after personal warnings and praemonitions given him by Christ. He had often told them in general that one of them should betray him Mark 14.20 He had also denounced a dreadful wo upon him that should do it vers 21. The Son of man goeth indeed as it is written of him but wo to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed good had it been for that man if he had never been born This was spoken in Iudas his presence And one would have thought so dreadful a doom as Christ passed upon the man that should attempt this should have affrighted him far enough from the thoughts of such a wickedness Nay Christ comes nearer to him than this and told him he was the man For when Iudas who was the last that put the question to Christ asked him Master is it I Christs answer imports as much as a plain affirmation Thou hast said Matth. 26.25 Moreover Thirdly He doth it not out of a blind zeal against
Christs death was Justice and Mercy In respect of man it was murder and cruelty In respect of himself it was obedience and humility Hence our note is DOCT. That our Lord Iesus Christ was not only put to death but to the worst of deaths even the death of the Cross. To this the Apostle gives a plain testimony Phil. 2.8 He became obedient to death even the death of the Cross where his humiliation is both specified he was humbled to death and aggravated by a most emphatical reduplication even the death of the Cross. So Act. 5.30 Iesus whom ye slew and hanged upon a tree q. d. it did not suffice you to put him to a violent but you also put him to the most base vile and ignominious death you hanged him on a tree In this point we will discuss these three particulars viz. the nature or kind the manner and reasons of Christs death upon the tree First I shall open the kind or nature of this death by shewing you that it was a violent painful shameful cursed slow and succourless death First It was a violent death that Christ died Violent in it self though voluntary on his part He was cut off out of the land of the living Isai. 53.8 And yet he laid down his life of himself no man took it from him Joh. 10.17 I call his death violent because he died not a natural death i. e. he lived not till nature was consumed with age as it is in many who live till their balsamum radicale radical moisture like the oyl in the Lamp be quite consumed and then go out like an expiring Lamp It was not so with Christ. For he was but in the very flower and prime of his time when he died And indeed he must either die a violent death or not die at all partly because there was no sin in him to open a door to natural death as it doth in all others Partly because else his death had not been a sacrifice acceptable and satisfactory to God for us That which died of it self was never offered up to God but that which was slain when it was in its full strength and health The Temple was a Type of the body of Christ. Now when the Temple was destroyed it did not drop down as an antient structure decayed by time but was pulled down by violence when it was standing in its full strength Therefore he is said to suffer death and to be put to death for us in the flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 That 's the first thing It was a violent though a voluntary death For violent is not opposed to voluntary but to natural Secondly The death of the Cross was a most painful death Indeed in this death were many deaths contrived in one The Cross was a Rack as well as a Gibber The pains Christ suffered upon the Cross are by the Apostle emphatically stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2.24 the pains of death but properly they signifie the pangs of travail yea the birth pangs the most acute sorrows of a travailing woman His soul was in travail Isai. 53. His body in bitter pangs and being as Aquinas speaks optime complectionatus of the most excellent Crisis exact and just temperament his sences were more acute and delicate than ordinary and all the time of his suffering so they continued not in the least blunted dulled or rebated by the pains he suffered The death of Christ doubtless contained the greatest and acutest pains imaginable Because these pains of Christ alone were intended to equalize all that misery which the sin of man deserved all that pain which the damned shall and the Elect deserved to feel Now to have pains meeting at once upon one person equivalent to all the pains of the damned Judge you what a plight Christ was in Thirdly The death of the Cross was a shameful death Not only because the crucified were stripped quite naked and so exposed as spectacles of shame but mainly because it was that kind of death which was appointed for the basest and vilest of men Their Free-men when they committed capital crimes were not condemned to the Cross. No that was looked upon as the death appointed for slaves Tacitus calls it servile supplicium the punishment of a slave and to the same sense Iuvenal speaks pone crucem servo put the Cross upon the back of a slave As they had a great esteem of a Free-man so they manifested it even when they had forfeited their lives in cutting them off by more honourable kinds of death This by hanging on the tree was alwaies accounted most ignominious To this day we say of him that 's hanged he dies the death of a dog And yet it 's said of our Lord Jesus Heb. 12.2 he not only endured the Cross but also despised the shame Obedience to his Fathers will and zeal for your Salvation made him digest the shame of it and despise the baseness that was in it Fourthly The death of the Cross was a cursed death Upon that account he is said to be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Gal. 3.13 This refers to Deut. 21.23 His body shall not remain all night upon the Tree but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God The very Symbol of lifting them up betwixt heaven and earth carryed much shame in it For it implied this in it that the person so used was so execrable base and vile that he deserved not to tread upon the earth or touch the surface of the ground any more And the command for burying them that day doth not at all mitigate but rather aggravates this curse speaking the person to be so abominable that as he is lifted up into the air and hanging between heaven and earth as unworthy ever to set foot more upon the earth so when dead they were to hasten to bury him that such an abominable sight might be removed assoon as might be from before the eyes of men And that the earth might not be defiled by his lying on the surface of it when taken down However as the Learned Iunius hath Judiciously observed that this curse is only a Ceremonial curse For otherwise it 's neither in it self nor by the Law of nature or by civil Law more execrable than any other death And the main reason why the Ceremonial Law affixed the curse to this rather than any other death was principally with respect to the death Christ was to die And therefore Reader see and admire the providence of God that Christ should die by a Roman and not by a Iudaick Law For Crucifying or Hanging on the Tree was a Roman punishment and not in use among the Jews But the Scriptures cannot be broken Fifthly The death of the Cross was a very slow and lingering death They died leisurably
God and plenteous redemption for the greatest of Sinners that by Faith apply the blood of the Cross to their poor guilty Souls So speaks the Apostle Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins And 1 Ioh. 1.7 The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Two things will make this demonstrable First That there is sufficient efficacy in this blood of the Cross to expiate the greatest Sins Secondly That the efficacy of it is designed and intended by God for believing sinners How clearly do both these propositions lie in the Word First That there is sufficient efficacy in the blood of the Cross to expiate and wash away the greatest sins This is manifest for it is pretious blood as it 's call'd 1. Pet. 1.18 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the pretious blood of the Son of God This pretiousness of the blood of Christ rises from the union it hath with that person who is over all God blessed for ever And on that account is stiled the blood of God Acts 20.28 And so it becomes Royal Princely blood Yea such for the dignity and efficacy of it as never was created or shall ever run in any other veins but his The blood of all the creatures in the world even a Sea of humane blood bears no more proportion to the pretious and excellent blood of Christ than a dish of common water to a Rivâ—r of liquid Gold On the account of its invaluable pretiousness it becomes satisfying and reconciling blood to God So the Apostle speaks Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven The same blood which is Redemption to them that dwell on earth is Confirmation to them that dwell in Heaven Before the efficacy of this blood guilt vanishes and shrinks away as the the shadows before the glorious Sun Every drop of it hath a voice and speaks to the soul that sits trembling under its guilt better things than the blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 It sprinkles us from an evil i. e. an unquiet and accusing conscience Heb. 10.22 For having enough in it to satisfie God it must needs have enough in it to satisfie conscience Conscience can demand no more for its satisfaction nor will it take less than God demands for his satisfaction And in this blood is enough to give both satisfaction Secondly As there is sufficient Efficacy in this blood to expiate the greatest guilt so it 's as manifest that the vertue and efficacy of it is intended and designed by God for the Use of believing sinners Such blood as this was shed without doubt for some weighty end That some might be the better for it Who they are for whom it is intended is plain enough from Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses That the remission of the sins of believers was the great thing designed in the pouring out of this pretious blood of Christ appears from all the Sacrifices that figured it to the ancient Church The sheding of that Typical blood spake a design of pardon And the putting of their hands upon the head of the Sacrifice spake the way and Method of believing by which that blood was then applyed to them in that way and is still applyed to us in a more excellent way Had no pardon been intended no Sacrifices had been appointed Moreover let it be considered this blood of the Cross is the blood of a surety that came under the same obligations with us and in our name or stead shed it and so of course frees and discharges the principal offender or debtor Heb. 7.22 Can God exact satisfaction from the blood and death of his own Son the surety of Believers and yet still demand it from Believers It cannot be Who saith the Apostle shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that Iustifieth Who shall condemn It is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 34. And why are faith and repentance prescribed as the means of pardon Why doth God every where in his word call upon sinners to repent and believe in this blood Encouraging them so to do by so many pretious promises of remission and declaring the inevitable and eternal ruine of all impenitent and unbelieving ones who despise and reject this blood What I say doth all this speak but the possibility of a pardon for the greatest of sinners and the certainty of a free full and final pardon for all believing sinners O what a Joyful sound is this What ravishing voices of peace pardon grace and acceptance come to our ears from the blood of the Cross The greatest guilt that ever was contracted upon a trembling shaking Conscience can stand before the efficacy of the blood of Christ no more than the sinner himself can stand before the Justice of the Lord with all the guilt upon him Reader The word assures thee what ever thou hast been or art that sins of as deep a die as thine have been washt away in this blood I was a blasphemer a persecutor in urious but I obtained mercy saith Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 but it may be thou wilt object this was a rare and singular instance and it 's a great question whether any other sinner shall find the like grace that he did No question of it at all if you believe in Christ as he did for he tells us vers 16. For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter belief on him to life everlasting So that upon the same grounds he obtained mercy you may obtain it also Those very men who had an hand in the sheding of Christs blood had the benefit of that blood afterwards pardoning them Act. 2.36 There is nothing but unbelief and impenitency of heart bars thy soul from the blessings of this blood Inference 2. Did Christ die the cursed death of the Cross for believers then though there may be much of pain there is nothing of curse in the death of the Saints It still wears its dart by which it strikes but hath lost its sting by which it hurts and destroys A Serpent that hath no sting may hiss and affright but we may take him in our hand without danger Death poured out all its poison and lost its sting in Christs side when he became a curse for us But what speak I of the innocency and harmlesness of death to believers It is certainly their friend and great benefactor As there is no curse so there are many blessings in it Death is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 Yours as a special priviledge and favour Christ hath not only conquered it but is more than a conqueror
and their Manacles bracelets I remember it 's storied of Ludovicus Marsacus a Knight of France that when he with divers other Christians of an inferiour rank and degree in the world being condemned to die for Religion and the Jaylor had bound them with chains but did not bind him being a more honourable person than the rest He was offended greatly by that omission and said why do not you honour me with a Chain for Christ also and create me a Knight of that illustrious order To you saith the Apostle it 's given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 There is a twofold honour attending the cross of Christ. One in the very sufferings themselves another as the reward and fruit of them To be called out to suffer for Christ is a great honour Yea an honour peculiar to the saints The damned suffer from Christ the wicked suffer for their sins The Angels glorifie Christ by their active but not by their passive obedience This is reserved as a special honour for saints And as there is a great deal of honour in being called forth to suffer on Christs account so Christ will confer special honour upon his suffering saints in the day of their reward Matth. 10.32 He that confesses me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven O Sirs one of these days the Lord will break out of Heaven with a shout accompanied with Myriads of Angels and ten thousands of his Saints those glistering Courtiers of Heaven The heavens and earth shall flame and melt before him And it shall be very tempestious round about him the graves shall open the sea and earth yield up their dead You shall see him ascending the awful throne of Judgement and all flesh gathered before his face even multitudes multitudes that no man can number And then to be brought forâ—h by Christ before that great assembly of Angels and Saints and there to have an honourable mention and remembrance made of your labours and sufferings your pains patience and self-denial of all your sufferings and losses for Christ and to hear from his mouth well done good and faithful servant O what honour is this Yet this shall be done to the man that now chooses sufferings for Christ rather than sin that esteems his reproaches greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt I tell you it 's an honour the Angels have not I make no doubt but they would be glad had they bodies of flesh as we have to lay their necks on the block for Christ. But this is the Saints peculiar priviledge The Apostles went away from the council rejoyoing that they were honoured to be dishonoured for Christ or as we translate counted worthy to suffer shame for him Act. 5.41 Surely if there be any stigmata laudis marks of honour they are such as we receive for Christs sake If there be any shame that hath glory in it it is the reproach of Christ and the shame you suffer for his name Inference 5. Did Pilate so stiffly assert and defend the honour of Christ what doubt can then be made of the success of Christs interest and the prosperity of his cause when the very enemies thereof are made to serve it Rather than Christ shall want honour Pilate the man that condemned him shall do him honour And as it fared with his person just so with his interest also How often have the people of God received choice mercies from the hands of their enemies Rev. 12.16 the earth helped the woman i. e. wicked men did the Church service So that this may singularly relieve us against all our despondencies and fears of the miscarriage of the interest of Christ. That people can never be ruined who thrive by their losses conquer by being conquered multiply by being diminished Whose worst enemies are made to do that for them which friends cannot or dare not do See you a Heathen Pilate proclaiming the honour and innocency of Christ God will not want instruments to honour Christ by If others cannot his very enemies shall Inference 6. Did Pilate vindicate Christ in drawing up such a Title to be affixed to his cross then hence it follows that God will sooner or later clear up the innocency and integrity of his people who commit their cause to him Christs name was clouded with many reproaches Wounded through and through by the blasphemous tongues of his malitious enemies He committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 and see how soon God vindicates him That 's sweet and seasonable counsel for us when our names are clouded with unjust censures Psal. 37.5 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy Iudgement as the noon day Ioseph was accused of incontinency David of treason Daniel of disobedience Elijah of troubling Israel Ieremy of revolting Amos of preaching against the King The Apostles of sedition rebellion and alteration of Laws Christ himself of gluttony sorcery blasphemy sedition But how did all these honourable names wade out of their reproaches as the Sun out of a cloud God clear'd up their honour for them even in this world Slanders saith one are but as soap which though it soils and daubs for the present yet it helps to make the garment more clean and shining When hair is shaven it comes the thicker and with a new increase So when the Razor of censure hath saith one made your heads bare and brought on the baldness of reproach be not discouraged God hath a time to bring forth your righteousness as the light by an apparent conviction to dazel and discourage your adversaries The world was well changed when Constantine kissed the hollow of Paphnutius eye which was ere while put out for Christ. Scorn and reproach is but a little cloud that is soon blown over But suppose you should not be vindicated in this world but die under a cloud upon your names Be sure God will clear it up and that to purpose in that great day Then shall the righteous even in this respect shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Then every detracting mouth shall be stopped And no more cruel arrows of reproach shot at the white of your reputation Be patient therefore my Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. The Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Iudgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed And of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. Then they shall retract their censures and alter their opinions of the Saints If Christ will be our Compurgator we need not fear who are our Accusers If your names for his sake be cast out as evil and spurned in the dirt Christ
in Hell for ever Rom. 2.5 6 7 8 9 10. Thou treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Iudgement of God Who shall render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life but unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil c. So 2 Thes. 1.4 5 6 7. So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure Which is a manifest token of the righteous Iudgement of God That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire c. To these plain testimonies multitudes more might be added if it were needful Heaven and Earth shall pass away but these words shall never pass away Arg. 3. Thirdly As the Scriptures reveal it so the Consciences of all men have some resentments of it Where is the man whose Conscience never felt any impressions of hope or fear from a future world If it be said these may be but the effects and force of discourse or education we have read such things in the Scriptures or have heard it by Preachers and so raise up to our selves hopes and fears about it I demand how the Consciences of the Heathens who have neither Scriptures nor Preachers came to be imprest with these things Doth not the Apostle tells us Rom. 2.15 That their Consciences in the mean while work upon these things Their thoughts with reference to a future state accuse or else excuse i. e. their hearts are cheared and encouraged by the good they do and terrified with fears about the evils they commit Whereas if there were no such things Conscience would neither accuse or excuse for good or evil done in this world Arg. 4. Fourthly The incarnation and death of Christ is but a vanity without it What did he propose to himself or what benefit have we by his coming if there be no such future state Did he take our nature and suffer such terrible things in it for nothing If you say Christians have much comfort from it in this Life I answer the comforts they have are raised by faith and expectation of the happiness to be enjoyed as the purchase of his blood in Heaven And if there be no such heaven to which they are appointed No Hell from which they are redeemed they do but comfort themselves with a Fable and bless themselves in a thing of nought Their comfort is no greater than the comfort of a Beggar that dreams he is a King and when he awakes finds himself a Beggar still Surely the ends of Christs death were to deliver us from the wrath to come 1 Thes. 1.10 Not from an imaginary but a real Hell to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 To be the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Arg. 5. Fifthly and lastly The immortality of humane souls puts it beyond all doubt The soul of a man vastly differs from that of a Beast which is but a material form and so wholly depending on must needs perish with the matter But it is not so with us Ours are reasonable spirits that can live and act in a separated state from the body Eccles. 3.21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of a Beast that goeth downward to the earth So that look as if a man dispute whether man be rational that his very disputing it proves him to be so so our disputes hopes fears and apprehensions of eternity prove our souls immortal and capable of that state Inference 1. Is there an Eternal State into which souls pass after this Life How pretious then is present time upon the improvement whereof that State depends O what a huge weight hath God hanged upon a small wyer God hath set us here in a State of Tryal according as we improve these few hours so will it fare with us to all Eternity Every day every hour nay every moment of your present time hath an influence into your Eternity Do ye believe this What and yet squander away pretious time so carelesly so vainly How do these things consist When Seneca heard one promise to spend a week with a friend that invited him to recreate himself with him He told him he admired he should make such a rash promise what said he cast away so considerable a part of your Life How can you do it Surely our prodigallity in the expence of time argues we have but little sence of great Eternity Inference 2. How rational are all the difficulties and severities of Religion which serve to promote and secure a future Eternal Happiness So vast is the disproportion betwixt Time and Eternity things seen and not seen as yet the present vanishing and future permanent state that he can never be justly reputed a wise man that will not let go the best enjoyment he hath on earth if it stand in the way of his eternal happiness Nor can that man ever escape the just censure of notorious folly who for the gratifying of his appetite and present accommodation of his flesh le ts go an eternal glory in heaven Darius repented heartily that he lost a Kingdom for a draught of water O said he for how short a pleasure have I sold a Kingdom It was Moses choice and his choice argued his wisdom he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Men do not account him a fool that will adventure a Penny upon a probability to gain ten thousand pounds But sure the disproportion betwixt Time and Eternity is much greater Inference 3. If there certainly be such an Eternal State into which souls pass immediately after Death How great a change then doth Death make upon every man and woman O what a serious thing is it to die It 's your passage out of the swift river of Time into the boundless and bottomless Ocean of Eternity You that now converse with sensible objects with men and women like your selves enter then into the world of Spirits You that now see the continual revolutions of daies and nights passing away one after another will then be fixed in a perpetual NOW O what a serious thing is Death You throw a cast for Eternity when you die If you were to cast a Dye for your natural life oh how would your hand shake with fear how it would fall but what is that to this The souls of
men are as it were asleep now in their bodies at Death they awake and find themselves in the world of realities Let this teach you both how to carry your selves towards dying persons when you visit them and to make every day some provision for that hour your selves Be serious be plain be faithful with others that are stepping into Eternity be so with your own souls every day O remember what a long word what an amazing thing Eternity is Especially considering DOCT. 2. That all believers are at their death immediately received into a State of glory and eternal happiness This day shalt thou be with me This the Atheist denies he thinks he shall die and therefore resolves to live as the Beasts that perish Beryllus and some others after him taught that there was indeed a â—uture state of happiness and misery for souls but that they pass not into it immediatly upon death and separation from the body but shall sleep till the Resurrection and then awake and enter into it But is not that soul asleep or worse that dreams of a sleeping soul till the Resurrection Are souls so wounded and prejudiced by their separation from the body that they cannot subsist or act separate from it Or have they found any such conceit in the Scriptures Not at all The Scriptures take notice of no such interval but plainly enough denies it 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Mark it no sooner parted from the body but present with the Lord. So Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better If his soul was to sleep till the Resurrection how was it far better to be dissolved than to live Sure Pauls state in the body had-been far better than his state after death if this were so for here he enjoyed much sweet communion with God by Faith but then he should enjoy nothing To confirm this dream they urge Ioh 14.3 If I go my way I will come again and receive you to my self As if the time of Christs receiving his people to himself should not come until his second coming at the end of the world But though he will then collect all believers into one body and present them solemnly to his Father yet that hinders not but he may as indeed he doth receive every particular believing soul to himself at death by the Ministry of Angels And if not how is it that when Christ comes to judgement he is attended with ten thousands of his Saints that shall follow him when he comes from heaven Iude 14. you see then the Scriptures put no interval betwixt the dissolution of a Saint and his glorification It speaks of the Saints that are dead as already with the Lord. And the wicked that are dead as already in Hell calling them Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 20. assuring us that Iudas went presently to his own place Acts 1.25 and to that sence is the Parable of Dives and Lazarus Luk. 16.22 But let us weigh these four things more particularly for our full satisfaction in this point Arg. 1. First Why should the happiness of believers be deferred since they are immediatly capable of enjoying it assoon as separated from the body Alas the soul is so far from being assisted by the body as it is now for the enjoyment of God that it 's rather clog'd and hindred by it so speaks the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord i. e. our bodies prejudice our souls obstruct and hinder the fulness and freedom of their communion When we part from the body we go home to the Lord. Then the soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Cage or Snare Here I am prevented by an excellent Pen which hath judiciously opened this point To whose excellent observations I only add this that if the intanglements snares and prejudices of the soul are so great and many in its embodied estate that it cannot so freely dilate it self and take in the comforts of God by communion with him then surely the laying aside of that clog or the freeing of the soul from that burden can be no bar to its greater happiness which it enjoys in its separated state Arg. 2. Secondly Why should the happiness and glory of the soul be deferred unless God had some farther preparative work to do upon it before it be fit to be admitted into glory But surely there is no such work wrought upon it after its separation by death All that is done of that kind is done here When the compositum is dissolved all means duties and ordinances are ceased The working day is then ended and night come when no man can work Ioh. 9.3 To that purpose are those words of Solomon Eccles. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no wisdom nor knowledge nor devise in the Grave whither thou goest So that our glorification is not deferred in order to our fuller preparation for glory If we are not fit when we die we can never be fit All is done upon us that ever was intended to be done For they are called Heb. 12.23 The Spirits of the Just made perfect Arg. 3. Thirdly Again why should our Salvation slumber when the damnation of the wicked doth not slumber God defers not their misery and surely he will not defer our glory If he be quick with his enemies he will not be slow and dilatory with his friends It cannot be imagined but he is as much inclined to acts of favour to his Children as to acts of Justice to his enemies these are presently damned Iud. 7. Acts 1.25 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and what reason why believers all believers as well as this in the Text should not be that very day in which they die with Christ in Glory Arg. 4. Fourthly And lastly how do such delays consist with Christs ardent desires to have his people with him where he is And with the vehement longings of their souls to be with Christ You may see those reflected flames of Love and desire of mutual enjoyment betwixt the Bridegroom and his Spouse in Revel 22.17 20. Delays make their hearts sick The expectation and Faith in which the Saints die is to be satisfied then and surely God will not deceive them I deny not but their glory will be more compleat when the body their absent friend is reunited and made to share with them in their happiness Yet that hinders not but mean while the soul may enjoy its glory whilst the body takes its rest and sleeps in the Dust. Inference 1. Are believers immediatly with God after their dissolution then how surprizingly glorious will Heaven be to believers Not that they are in it before they think of it or are fitted for it no they have spent many thoughts upon it before and
we deserved to be forsaken of God This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just recompence and demerit of Sin And indeed here lies the principal evil of sin that it separates betwixt God and the soul. This separation is both the moral evil that is in it and the poenal evil inflicted by the righteous God for it By sin we depart from God and as a due punishment of it God departs from us This will be the dismal Sentence in the last day Matth. 25. Depart from me ye Cursed Thenceforth there will be a gulph fixed betwixt God and them Luk. 16.20 No more friendly interccurses with the blessed God for ever The eternal shriek of the damned is Woe and alas God hath forsaken us for ever more Ten thousand worlds can no way recompence the loss of one God Beware sinners how you say to God now depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways lest he say depart from me you shall never see my face Inference 2. Did Christ never make such a sad complaint and out-cry till God hid his face from him Then the hiding of Gods face is certainly the greatest misery that can possibly befall a gracious soul in this world When they scourged buffetted and smoâ—e Christ yea when they nailed him to the Tree he opened not his mouth but when his Father hid his face from him then he cryed out yea his voice was the voice of roaring this was more to him than a thousand cruci yings And surely as it was to Christ so it is to all gratious souls the saddest stroke the heaviest burden that ever they felt When David forbad Absolom to come to jerusalem to see his Father he complains in 2 Sam. 14.32 Wherefore said he am I come from Geshur if I may not see the Kings face So doth the gratious soul bemcan it self wherefore am I redeemed called and reconciled if I may not see the face of my God It 's said of Tully when he was banished from Italy and of Demosthenes when he was banished from Athens that they wept every time they looked towards their own Country And is it strange that a poor deserted believer should mourn every time he looks heaven ward Say Christian did the tears never tricle down thy cheeks when thou lookedst towards heaven and couldst not see the face of thy God as at other times If two dear friends cannot part though it be but for a season but that parting must be in a shower blame not the Saints if they sigh and mourn bitterly when the Lord who is the life of their life departs though but for a season from them for if God depart their sweetest enjoyment on earth the very crown of all their comforts is gone and what will a King take in exchange for his crown what can recompence to a Saint the loss of his God! Indeed if they had never seen the Lord or tasted the incomparable sweetness of his presence it were anâ—ther matter but the darkness which follows the sweetest light of his countenance is doubl darkness And that which doth not a little increase the horror of this darkness is that when their souls are thus benighted and the Sun of their comfort is set then doth Satan like the wild Beaâ—ts of the desert creep out of his den and roars upon them with hideous temptations Surely this is a sad state and deserves tender pity Pity is a due debt to the distressed and the world shews not a greater distress than this If ever you have been in troubles of this kind your selves you will never slight others in the same case Nay one end of Gods exercising you with troubles of this nature is to teach you compassion towards others in the same case Do they not cry to you as Iob 19.21 Have pity have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me Draw ferch bowels of mercy and tender compassion to them for either you have been or are or may be in the same case your selves however if men do not to be sure Christ that hath felt it before them and for them will pity them Inference 3. Did God really forsake Jesus Christ upon the Cross then from the desortion of Christs singular consolation springs up to the people of God yea manifold consolation Principally it 's a support in these two respects As it is preventive of your final desertion and a comfortable pattern to you in your present sad desertions First Christs desertion is preventive of your final desertion Because he was forsaken for a time you shall not be forsaken for ever For he was forsaken for you And Gods forsaking him though but for a few hours is equivalent to his forsaking you for ever It is every way as much for the dear Son of God the darling delight of his soul to be forsaken of God for a time as if such a poor inconsiderable thing as thou art shouldst be cast off to eternity Now this being equivalent and born in thy room must needs give thee the highest security in the world that God will never finally withdraw from the. Had he intended to have done so Christ had never made such a sad cut-cry as you hear this day my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Secondly Moreover this sad desertion of Christ becomes a comfâ—rcaâ—le pattern to poor deserted souls in divers respects and the proper business of such soul at such times is to eye it believingly in those fix respects First Though God deserted Christ yet at the same time he powerfully supported him His omnipotent arms were under him though his pleased face was hid from him He had not indeed his smiles but he had his supportations So Christan just so shall it be with thee Thy God may turn away his face he will not pluck away his arm When one asked of holy Mr. Baines how the case stood with his soul he answered Supports I have though suavities I want Our Father in this deals with us as we our selves sometimes do with a Child that is stubborn and rebellious We turn him out of doors and bid him be gone our of our sight and there sighs and weeps but how ever for the humbling of him will not presently take him into house and favour yet we order at least permit the servants to carry him meat and drink Here is fatherly care and support though no former smiles or manifested delights Secondly Though God deserted Christ yet he deserted not God His Father forsook him but he could not forsake his Father but followed him with this cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And is it not even so with you God goes off from your souls but you cannot go off from him No your hearts are mourning after the Lord. Seeking him carefully with tears Complaining of his absence as the greatest evil in this world This is Christ like So it was with the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2.
freely with respect to her own delight and contentment in thaâ— work So it 's said of Christ and that by his own mouth Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commandment have I received of my Father He liked the work for the ends sake When he had a prospect of it from eternity then were his delights with the Sons of men Then he rejoyced in the habitable parts of the earth Prov. 8.30 31. And when he came into the world about it with what a full and free consent did his heart eccho to the voice of his Father calling him to it Just as you shall sometimes hear an eccho answering your voice two or three times over Psal. 40. Lo I come I delight to do thy will thy Law is within my heart He finished the work freely Thirdly As he finished it freely so he finished it diligently He wrought hard from the morning of his life to the end of it he was never idle whereever he was but went about doing good Act. 10.38 Sometimes he was so intent upon his work that he forgat to eat bread Joh. 4.30 31. As the life of some men is but a diversion from one trifle to another from one pleasure to another so the whole life of Christ was spent and eaten up betwixt one work or another Never was a life so filled up with labour The very moments of his time were all imployed for God to finish this work Fourthly and Lastly he finished it compleatly and fully All that was to be done by way of impetration and meritorious redemption is fully done No hand can come after his Angels can add nothing to it That is perfected to which nothing is wanting and to which nothing can be added Such is the work Christ finished Whatever the Law demanded is perfectly paid Whatever a sinner needs is perfectly obtained and purchased Nothing can be added to what Christ hath done He put the last hand to it when he said it is finished Thus you see what the work was and how Christ finished it Thirdly In the Last place let us consider what assurance or evidence we have that Christ hath so finished redemption-work And if you pursue that enquiry you will find these among other plain evidences of it First When Christ died redemption-work must needs be finished in as much as the obedience and blood of Christ was of infinite value and efficacy sufficiently able to accomplish all the ends for which it was shed And that not by divine acceptation but upon the account of its proper value This effect viz. the finishing redemption-work meritoriously by Christ doth not exceed the power of the cause to which we assign it viz. the death of Christ. And if there be a sole sufficient cause in act what hinders but the effect should follow There was certainly enough in Christs blood to satisfie the uâ—most demand of Justice when that therefore is actually shed justice is fully paid and consequently the souls for whom and in whose names it 's paid fully redeemed from the curse by the merit thereof Secondly It 's apparent that Christ finished the work by the discharge or acquittance God the Father gave him when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand If Christ the sinners Surety be as such discharged by God the Creditor then the debt is fully paid Now Christ was justified and cleared at his resurrection from all charges and demands of Justice Therefore it 's saâ—d 1 Tim. 3.16 that he was Iustified in the spirit i. e. openly discharged by that very act of the Godhead his raising him from the dead For when the grave was opened and Christ rose it was to him as the opening of the Prison doors and setting a Surety at liberty who was clapt up for another mans debt To the same sense Christ speaks of his ascention Joh. 16.10 The spirit saith he shall convince the world of righteousness i. e. of a compleat and perfect righteousness in me imputable to sinners for their perfect Justification and whereby shall he convince and satisfie them that it is so why by this because I go to the Father and ye see me no more There 's a great deal of force and weight in those words because you see me no more For it amounts to this much by this you shall be satisfied I have fully and compleatly performed all Righteousness and that by my active and passive obedience I have so fully satisfied God for you as that you shall never be charged or condemned because when I go to Heaven I shall abide there in glory with my Father and not be sent back again as I should if any thing had been omitted by me And this the Apostle gives you also in so many plain words Heb. 10.12 13 14. After he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God And what doth he infer from that but the very truth before us vers 14. that by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thirdly It 's evident Christ hath finished the work by the blessed effects of it upon all that believe in him For by vertue of the compleatness of Christs work finished by his death their Consciences are now rationally pacified and their souls at death actually received into glory Neither of which could be if Christ had not in this world finished the work If Christ had done his work imperfectly he could not have given rest and tranquillity to the labouring and burdened souls that come to him as now he doth Matth. 11.28 Conscience would still be hesitating trembling and unsatisfied And had he not finished his work we could not have entrance through the vail of his flesh into Heaven as all that believe in him have Heb. 10.19 20. If he had but almost done that work we had been but almost saved that is certainly damned And thus you see briefly the evidences that the work is finished Inference 1. Hath Christ perfected and compleatly finished all his work for us how sweet a relief is this to us that believe in him against all the defects and imperfections of all the works of God that are wrought by us There 's nothing finished that we do All our duties are imperfect duties they come off lamely and defectively from our hands It 's Christs charge against the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.2 I have not found thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect or filled up before God Oh there is much emptiness and vanity in the best of our duties but here 's the grand relief and that which answers to all the grounds of our doubts and fears upon that account Jesus Christ hath finished all his work though
it self upon its God and Father Father into thy hands God is the center of all gratious Spirits While they tabernacle here they have no rest but in the bosom of their God When they go hence their expectation and earnest desires are to be with him It had been working after God by gratious desires before it had cast many a longing look heaven-ward before but when the gratious soul comes near its God as it doth in a Dying hour then it even throws it self into his arms As a River that after many turnings and windings at last is arrived to the Ocean it pours it self with a central force into the bosom of the Ocean and there finishes its weary course Nothing but God can please it in this world and nothing but God can give it content when it goes hence It is not the amoenity of the place whither the gratious soul is going but the bosom of the blessed God who dwells there that it so vehemently pants after Not the Fathers house but the Fathers arms and bosom Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Whom have I in heaven but thee And oâ— earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee Psal. 73.24 25. Thirdly It also implies the great value believers have for their souls That 's the pretious treasure And their main solicitude and chief care is to see it secured in a saâ—e hand Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit they are words speaking the believers care for his soul. That it may be safe what ever becomes of the vile body A believer when he comes nigh to death spends but few thoughts about his body where it shall be laid or how it shall be disposed of he trusts that in the hands of friends but as his great care all along was for his soul so he expresses it in these his very last breathings in which he commends it into the hands of God It is not Lord Jesus receive my body take care of my dust but receive my spirit Lord secure the Jewel when the Casket is broken Fourthly These words implie the deep sense that dying believers have of the great change that is coming upon them by death when all visible and sensible things are shrinking away from them and failing They feel the world and the best comforts in it failing Every creature and creature comfort failing For at death we are said to fail Luk. 16.9 Hereupon the soul clasps the closer about its God clings more close than ever to him Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Not that a meer necessity puts the soul upon God Or that it cleaves to God because it hath then nothing else to take hold on No no it chose God for its portion when it was in the midst of all its outword enjoyments and had as good security as other men have for the long enjoyment of them but my meaning is that although gratious souls have chosen God for their portion and do truly prefer him to the best of their comforts yet in this compounded state it lives not wholly upon its God but partly by faith and partly by sense Partly upon things seen and partly upon things not seen The creatures had some interest in their hearts alas too much but now all these are vanishing and it sees they are so I shall see man no more with the inhabitants of the world said sick Hezeckiah hereupon it turns it self from them all and casts it self upon God for all its subsistance Expecting now to live upon its God intirely as the blessed Angels do And so in faith they throw themselves into his arms Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Fifthly It implies the attonement of God and his full reconciliation to believer by the blood of the great sacrifice Else they durst never commit their souls into his hands For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 12.29 i. e. of an absolute God a God unattoned by the offering up of Christ. The soul dare no more cast it self into the hands of God without such an attoning sacrifice than it dares approach to a devouring fire And indeed the reconciliation of God by Jesus Christ as it is the ground of all our acceptance with God for we are made accepted in the beloved So it 's plainly carried in the order or manner of the reconciled souls committing it self to him for it first casts it self into the hands of Christ then into the hands of God by him So Stephen when dying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit And by that hand it would be put into the Fathershand Sixthly And lastly It implies both the efficacy and excellency of Faith in supporting and relieving the soul at a time when nothing else is able to do it Faith is its conduct when it is at the greatest loss and distress that ever it met with It secures the soul when it is turned out of the body When heart and flesh fail this leads it to the rock that fails not It sticks by that soul till it see it safe through all the territories of Satan and safe Landed upon the shore of Glory and then is swallowed up in vision Many a favour it hath shewn the soul while it dwelt in its body The great service it did for the soul was in the time of its espousals to Christ. This is the marriage knot The blessed bond of union betwixt the soul and Christ. Many a relieving sight secret and sweet support it hath received from its faith since that but surely its first and last works are its most glorious works By faith it first ventured it self upon Christ. Threw it self upon him in the deepest sense of its own vileness and utter unworthiness when sense reason and multitudes of temptations stood by contradicting and discouraging the soul. By faith it now casts it self into his arms when it 's lanching out into vast eternity They are both noble acts of Faith but the first no doubt is the greatest and most difficult For when once the soul is interessed in Christ it 's no such difficulty to commit it self into his hands as when it had no interest at all in him It 's easier for a child to cast himself into the arms of its own Father in distress than for one that hath been both a stranger and enemy to Christ to cast it self upon him that he may be a Father and a friend to it And this brings us upon the second enquiry I promised to satisfie sc. What warrant or incouragement have gratious souls to commit themselves at death into the hands of God I answer much every way all things encourage and warrant its so doing For First This God upon whom the believer rolls himself at death is its Creator The Father of its being He created and inspired it and so it hath relation of a creature to a Creator yea of a creature now in distress to a faithful Creator
that is believe they shall be made good to you so far as God sees them good for you Do you but labour to come up to those conditions required in you and thereby God will have more glory and you more comfort If your prayers for these things proceed from pure ends the glory of God not the satisfaction and gratification of your lusts If your desires after them be moderate as to the measure content with that proportion the infinite wisdom sees fittest for you If you take Gods way to obtain them and dare not strain Conscience or commit a sin though you should perish for want If you can patiently wait Gods time for enlargements from your straits and not make any sinful haste You shall be surely supplied And he that remembers your souls will not forget your bodies But we live by sense and not by faith Present things strike our affections more powerfully than the invisible things that are to come The Lord humble his people for this Diduction 4. Is this the priveledge of believers that they can commit their souls to God in a dying hour then how pretious how useful a grace is faith to the pleople of God both living and dying All the graces have done excellently but faith excels them all Faith is the Phoenix grace the Queen of graces Deservedly is it stiled pretious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 The benefits and priviledges of it in this life are unspeakable and as there is no comfortable living so no comfortable dying without it First While we live and converse here in the world all our comfort and safety is from it for all our union with Christ the fountain of mercies and blessings is by faith Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith No faith no Christ. All our communion with Christ is by it He that cometh to God must believe Heb. 11.6 The souls life is wrapt up in this communion with God and that communion in faith All communications from Christ depend upon faith for look as all communion is founded in union so from our union and communion are all our communications All communications of quicknings comforts joy strength and whatsoever serves to the well-being of the life of grace are all through that faith which first knit us to Christ and still maintains our communion with Christ believing we rejoyce 1 Pet. 1.8 The inner man is renewed whilst we look to the things that are not seen 2 Cor. 4.18 Secondly And as our life and all the supports and comforts of it here are dependent on faith so you see our death as to the safety and comfort of our souls then depends upon our faith He that hath no faith cannot commit his soul to God but rather shrinks from God Faith can do many sweet offices for your souls upon a death bed when the light of this world is gone and all joy ceases on earth It can give us sights of things invisible in the other world and those sights will breathe life into your souls amidst the very pangs of death Reader do but think what a comfortable foresight of God and the joys of salvation will be to thee when thine eye-strings are breaking Faith cannot only see that beyond the grave which will comfort but it can cling about its God and clasp Christ in a promise when it feels the ground of all sensible comforts trembling and sinking under thy feet My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength or rock of my heart and my portion for ever Reeds fail but the rock is firm footing Yea and when the soul can no longer tabernacle here it can carry the soul to God cast it upon him with Father into thy hands I commend my spirit O pretious faith Diduction 5. Do the souls of dying believers commend themselves into the hands of God Then let not the surviving relations of such sorrow as men that have not hope A Husband a Wife a Child is rent by death out of your arms well but consider into what arms into what bosom they are commended Is it not better for them to be in the bosom of God than in yours Could they be spared so long from Heaven as to come back again to you but one hour how would they be displeased to see your tears and hear your cries and sighs for them They would say to you as Christ said to the daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your children I am in a safe hand I am out of the reach of all storms and troubles O did you but know what their state is who are with God you would be more than satisfied about them Diduction 6. Lastly I will close all with a word of counsel Is this the priviledge of dying believers to commend their souls into the hands of God Then as ever you hope for comfort or peace in your last hour see that your souls be such as may be then fit to be commended into the hands of an holy and just God See that they be holy souls God will never accept them if they be not holy Without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.24 He that hath this hope viz. to see God purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Indeavours after holiness are inseparably connected with all rational expectations of blessedness Will you put an unclean filthy defiled thing into the pure hand of the most holy God O see they be holy and already accepted in the beloved or wo to them when they take their leaves of those tabernacles they now dwell in The gratious soul may confidently say then Lord Iesus into thy hands I commend my spirit O let all that can say so then now say Thanks be to God for Iesus Christ. The THIRTY SEVENTH SERMON JOH XIX XL XLI XLII Then took they the body of Iesus and wound it in linen cloaths with the spices as the manner of the Iews is to bury Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new Sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid There laid they Iesus therefore because of the Iews preparation day for the Sepulchre was nigh at hand YOU have heard the last words of dying Jesus commending his spirit into his Fathers hands and now the life of the world hangs dead upon a Tree The light of the world for a time muffled up in a dismal cloud The Son of Righteousness set in the region and shadow of Death The Lord is dead and he that wears the keys of the grave at his girdle is now himself to be lockt up in the grave All you that are the friends and Lovers of Jesus are this day invited to his â—â—neral Such a funeral as never was since Graves were first digged Come see the place where the Lord lay There are six remarkable particulars about this funeral in these three verses The preparations that were made for it and
those holy ones that rose at that time and appeared to many in the holy City Thus was the funeral of our Lord performed by men Thus was iâ— adorned by Miracles from heaven Vse And now we have seen Jesus interred He that wears at his girdle the Keys of Hell and Death himself locked up in the Grave What shall I say of him whom they now laid in the Grave Shall I undertake to tell you what he was What he did suffered and deserved Alas The tongues of Angels must pause and stammer in such a work I may truly say as Nazianzen said of Basil no tongue but his own can sufficiently commend and praise him He is a Sun of righteousness a fountain of life a bundle of Love Of him it might be said in that day Here lies the lovely Jesus in whom is treasured up whatsoever an angry God can require for his satisfaction or an empty creature for his perfection Before him was none like him and after shall none arise comparable to him If every leaf and spire of grass saith one nay all the Stars Sands and Atomes were so many Souls and Seraphims whose love should double in them every moment to all eternity yet would it fall infinitly short of what his worth and excellency exacts Suppose a creature compos'd of all the choice endowments that ever dwelt in the best of men since the Creation of the World in whom you find a meek Moses a strong Sampson a faithful Ionathan a beautiful Absolom a rich and wise Solomon nay and add to this the understanding strength agility splendor and holiness of all the Angels it would all amount but to a dark shadow of this incomparable Jesus Who ever weighed Christ in a pair of ballances saith another who hath seen the foldings and plyes the heights and depths of that glory which is in him O for such a heaven as but to stand afar off and see and love and long for him while times thred be cut and this great work of Creation dissolved O if I could yoke in among the thick of Angels and Seraphims and now glorified Saints and could raise a new Love song of Christ before all the world I am pained with wondering at new opened treasures in Christ. If every finger member bone and joynt were a torch burning in the hottest fire in hell I would they could all send out love praises high songs of praise for ever more to that plant of renown to that Royal and high Prince Jesus my Lord. But alas his love swelleth in me and finds no vent I marr his praises nay I know no comparison of what Christ is and what he is worth All the Angels and all the glorified praise him not so much as in halves Who can advance him or utter all his praise O if I could praise him I would rest content to die of Love for him O would to God I could send in my praises to my incomparable well beloved or cast my Love songs of that matchless Lord Jesus over the walls that they might light in his lap before men and Angels But whâ—n I have spoken of him till my head rive I have said just nothing I may begin again A God-head a God-head is a worlds wonder Set ten thousand thousand new made worlds of Angels and Elect men and double them in number ten thousand thousand thousand times let their hearts and tongues be ten thousand times more agile and large than the hearts and tongues of the Seraphims that stand with six wings before him when they have said all for the glorifying and praising of the Lord Jesus they have spoken little or nothing O if I could wear this tongue to the stump in extolling his highness But it is my daily sorrow that I am confounded with his incomparable Love Thus have his enamoured friends faintly expressed his excellencies and if they have therein done any thing they have shewn the impossibility of his due praises Come and see believing souls look upon dead Jesus in his winding-sheet by Faith and say Lo this is he of whom the Church said my beloved is White and Ruddy his ruddiness is now gone and a death pale hath prevailed over all his body but still as lovely as ever yea altogether lovely If David lamenting the death of Saul and Ionathan said Daughters of Ierusalem weep over Saul who cloathed you in Scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of Gold upon your apparel Much rather may I say children of Sion weep over Jesus who cloathed you with righteousness and garments of Salvation This is he who quitted the throne of glory left the bosom of unspeakable delights came in a body of flesh produced in perfect holiness brake through many and great impediments thy great unworthiness the wrath of God and man by the strength of love to bring salvation home to thy soul. Can he that believingly considers this do less than faint at the sense of that love that brought him to the dust of death and cry out with that Father my Love was Crucified But I will insist no longer upon generals but draw down the particulars of Christs Funeral to your use in the following Corollaries Corollary 1. Was Christ buried in this manner then a decent and mournful Funeral where it can be had is laudable among Christians I know the souls of the Saints have no concernment for their bodies nor are they solicitous how the body is treated here yet there is a respect due to them as they are the Temples wherein God hath been serv'd and honoured by those holy souls that once dwelt in them As also upon the account to their relation to Christ even when they lie by the walls And the glory that will be one day put upon them when they shall be changed and made like unto Christs glorious body Upon such special accounts as these their bodies deserve an honourable treatment as well as upon the account of humanity which owes this honour to the bodies of all men To have no funeral is accounted a Judgement Eccles. 7.4 Or to be tumbled into a pit without any to lament us is lamentable We read of many solemn and mournful funerals in Scripture wherein the people of God have affectionatly paid their respects and honours to the dust of the Saints as men that were deeply sensible of their worth and how great a loss the world sustains by their remove Christs funeral had as much of decency and solemnity in it as the time would permit though he was a stranger to all pomp both in life and death Corollary 2. Did Ioseph and Nicodemus so boldly appear at a time of so much danger to beg the body and give it a funeral let it be for ever a caution to strong Christians not to despise or glory over the weak You see here a couple of poor low spirited and timorous persons that were afraid to be seen in Christs company when the
us through faith and so we are actually reconciled And by the virtual continuation of the sacrifice of Christ in heaven by his potent and eternal intercession and so our state of reconciliation is confirmed and all future breaches prevented But all depends as you see upon the death of Christ. For had not Christ died his death could never be applied to us nor pleaded in heaven for us How the death of Christ meritoriously procures our reconciliation is evident from that forecited Scripture Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son i. e. Christs death did meritoriously or virtually reconcile us to God who as to our state were enemies long after that reconciliation was made That the application of Chriâ—t to us by faith makes that virtual reconciliation to become actual is plain enough from Eph. 2.16.17 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby And came and Preached peace to you that were afar off and to them that were nigh Now therefore as it is added vers 19. Ye are no more strangers and foraigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints c. And that this state of friendship is still continued by Christs intercession within the vail so that there can be no breaches made upon the state of our peace notwithstanding all the daily provocations we give God by our sins is the comfortable truth which the Apostle plainly asserts after he had given a necessary caution to prevent the abuse of it in 1 Ioh. 2.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation c. Thus Christ reconciles us to God by his death Secondly And if you enquire why this reconciliation was made by the death of Christ rather than any other way Satisfaction is at hand in these two answers First That we can imagine no other way by which it could be compassed And Secondly If God could have Reconciled us as much by another way yet he could not have Obliged us so much by doing it in another way as he hath by doing it this way Surely none but he that was God manifest in our flesh could offer a sacrifice of sufficient value to make God amends for the wrong done him by one sin much less for all the sins of the Elect. And how God should especially after a peremptory threatening of death for sin re-admit us into favour without full satisfaction cannot be imagined He is indeed inclin'd to acts of mercy but none must suppose him to exercise one attribute in prejudice to another That his Iustice must be Eclipsed whilst his mercy shines But allow the infinite wisdom could have found out another means of reconciling us as much can you imagine that in any other way he could oblige us as much as he hath done by reconciling us to himself by the death of his own Son It cannot be thought possible This therefore was the most effectual just honourable and obliging way to make up the peace betwixt him and us Thirdly This reconciliation purchased by the blood of Christ is offered unto men by the Gospel upon certain Articles and conditions upon the performance whereof it actually becomes theirs and without which notwithstanding all that Christ hath done and suffered the breach still continues betwixt them and God And let no man think this a derogation from the freeness and riches of Grace for these things serve singularly to illustrate and commend the grace of God to sinners As he consulted his own glory in the terms on which he offers us our peace with him so 't is his grace which brings up souls to those terms of reconciliation And surely he hath not suspended the mercy of our reconciliation upon unreasonable or impossible conditions He hath not said if you will do as much for me as you have done against me I will be at peace with you But the two grand Articles of peace with God are Repentance and faith In the first we lay down arms against God and it 's meet it should be so before he re-admit us into a state of peace and favour in the other we accept Christ and pardon through him with a thankful heart yielding up our selves to his government Which is equally reasonable These are the terms on which we are actually reconciled to God Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God And surely it would not become the holy God to own as his friend and favorite a man that goes on perversely and impenitently in the way of sin not so much as acknowledging or once bewailing the wrong he hath done him purposeing to do so no more or to receive into amity one that slights and rejects the Lord Jesus whose pretious blood was shed to procure and purchase peace and pardon for sinners But if there be any poor soul that saith in his heart it repents me for sinning against God and is sincerely willing to come to Christ upon Gospel terms he shall have peace And that peace Fourthly Is no common peace The reconciliation which the Lord Jesus died to procure for broken hearted believers it is First A firm well bottom'd reconciliation putting the reconciled soul beyond all possibility of coming under Gods wrath any more Isai. 54.10 Mountains may depart and hills be removed but the Covenant of this peace cannot be removed Christ is a surety by way of caution to prevent new breaches 2 Iohn 1.2 Secondly This reconciliation with God is the fountain out of which all our other comforts flow to us this is plainly carried in those words of Eliphaz to Iob. Chap. 22.21 Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee As trade flowrishes and riches come in when peace is made betwixt States and Kingdoms so all spiritual and temporal mercies flow into our bosoms when once we are reconciled to God What the comfort of such a peace will be in a day of straights and dangers and what it will be valued at in a dying day who but he that feels it can declare And yet such a one cannot fully declare it for it passes all understanding Phil. 4.7 We shall now make some improvement of this and pass on to the third end of the death of Christ. Inference 1. If Christ died to reconcile God and man How horrid an evil then is sin And how terrible was that breach made betwixt God and the creature by it which could no other way be made up but by the death of the Son of God! I remember I have read that when a great chasm or breach was made
in the earth by an earthquake and the Oracle was consulted how it might be closed this answer was returned that breach can never be closed except something of great worth be thrown into it Such a breach was that which sin made it could never be reconciled but by the death of Jesus Christ the most excellent thing in all the Creation Inference 2. How sad is the state of all such as are not comprized in the Articles of peace with God! The impenitent unbeliever is excepted God is not reconciled to him and if God be his enemy how little avails it who is his friend For if God be a mans enemy he hath an Almighty enemy in him whose very frown is destruction Deut. 32.40 41 42. I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on judgement I will render vengeance to my enemies and I will reward them that hate me I will make mine arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh and that with the blood of the slain and the Captives from the beginning of revenge upon the enemy Yea he is an unavoidable enemy Fly to the utmost parts of the earth there shall his hand reach thee as it is Psal. 139.10 The wings of the morning cannot carry thee out of his reach If God be your enemy you have an immortal enemy who lives for ever to avenge himself upon his adversaries And what wilt thou do when thou art in Sauls case 1 Sam. 28.15 16. Alas whither wilt thou turn To whom wilt thou complain But what wilt thou do when thou shalt stand at the Bar and see that God who is thine enemy upon the throne Sad is their case indeed who are not comprehended in the Articles of peace with God Inference 3. If Christ died to reconcile us to God give diligence to clear up to your own souls your interest in this reconciliation If Christ thought it worth his blood to purchase it it 's worth your care and pains to clear it And what can better evidence it than your conscientious tenderness of sin lest you make new breaches Ah if reconciled you will say as Ezra 9.14 And now our God seeing thou hast given us such a deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments If reconciled to God his friends will be your friends and his enemies your enemies If God be your friend you will be diligent to please him Iohn 15.10 14. He that makes not peace with God is an enemy to his own soul. And he that is at peace but takes no pains to clear it is an enemy to his own comfort But I must pass from this to the third End of Christs death End 3. You have seen two of those beautiful births of Christs travail and lo a third cometh namely the sanctification of his people Typical blood was shed as you heard to purifie them that were unclean and so was the blood of Christ shed to purge away the sins of his people so speaks the Apostle expresly Ephes. 5.25 26. Christ gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it And so he tells us himself Joh. 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self i. e. consecrate or devote my self to death that they also might be sanctified through the truth Upon the account of this benefit received by the blood of Christ is that Doxology which in a lower strain is now sounded in the Churches but will be matter of the Lambs song in Heaven Rev. 1.5 6. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood be glory and honour for ever Now there is a twofold evil in sin the guilt of it and the polution of it Justification properly cures the former Sanctification the latter but both Justification and Sanctification flow unto sinners out of the death of Christ. And though it 's proper to say the spirit sanctifies yet it is certain it was the blood of Christ that procured for us the spirit of sanctification Had not Christ died the spirit had never come down from Heaven upon any such design The pouring forth of Christs blood for us obtained the pouring forth of the spirit of holiness upon us Therefore the spirit is said to come in his name and to take of his and shew it unto us Hence it 's said 1 Joh. 5.6 he came both by blood and by water by blood washing away the guilt by water purifying from the filth of sin Now this fruit of Christs death even our sanctification is a most incomparable mercy For do but consider a few particular excellencies of holiness First Holiness is the Image and glory of God His image Coll. 3.10 and his glory Exod. 15.11 who is like unto thee O Lord glorious in holiness Now when the guilt and filth of sin is washt off and the beauty of God put upon the soul in sanctification O what a beautiful Creature is the soul now So lovely in the eyes of Christ even in its imperfect holiness that he saith Cant. 6.5 Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me So we render it but the Hebrew word signifies they have made me proud or puffed me up It 's a beam of divine glory upon the Creature enamouring the very heart of Christ. Secondly As it 's the souls highest beauty so it 's the souls best evidence for heaven Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 And without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 No gifts no duties no natural endowments will evidence a righâ— in heaven but the least measure of true holiness will secure heaven to the soul. Thirdly As holiness is the souls best evidence for heaven so it 's a continual spring of comfort to it in the way thither The purest and sweetest pleasures in this world are thâ— results of holiness Till we come to live holily we never live comfortably Heaven is Epitomized in holiness Fourthly And to say no more It is the peculiar mark by which God hath visibly distinguished his own from other men Psal. 4.3 The Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself Q. D. this is the Man and that the Woman to whom I intend to be good for ever This is a man for me O holiness how surpassinâ—ly glorious art thou Inference 1. Did Christ die to sanctifie his people how deep then is the polution of sin that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse it All the tears of a penitent sinner should he shed as many as there have fallen drops of rain since the Creation to this day cannot wash away one sin The everlasting burnings in Hell cannot purifie the flaming conscience from the least sin O guess at the wound by the largeness and length of this Tent that follows the mortal weapon sin Inference 2. Did Christ die to sanctifie his people Behold then the love
illumination Ier. 31.34 Gratious softness and tenderness of heart Ezek. 11.19 The awful dread and fear of God Ier. 32.40 The Copy or transcript of his Laws on your hearts in gratious correspondent principles Ier. 31.33 These things speak you the Children of the Covenant the persons on whom all these great things are settled Inference 2. To conclude it is the indispensible duty of all on whom Christ hath settled such mercies to admire his Love and walk answerably to it First Admire the Love of Christ. O how intense and ardent was the Love of Jesus who designed for you such an inheritance with such a settlement of it upon you These are the mercies with which his Love had travailed big from eternity and now he sees the travail of his soul and you also have seen somewhat of it this day Before this Love let all the Saints fall down astonished-humbly professing that they owe themselves and all they are or shall be worth to eternity to this Love Secondly And be sure you walk becoming persons for whom Christ hath done such great things Comfort your selves under present abasures with your spiritual priviledges Iam. 2.5 And let all your rejoycing be in Christ and what you have in him whilst others are blessing themselves in vanity Thus we have finished the state of Christs humiliation and thence proceed to the second state of his Exaltation HAving finished what I designed to speak to about the work of Redemption so far as it was carried on by Christ in his humbled state we shall now view that blessed work as it is further advanced and perfected in his State of Exaltation The whole of that work was not to be finished on earth in a state of suffering and abasure therefore the Apostle makes his Exaltation in order to the finishing of the remainder of his work so necessary a part of his Priesthood that without it he could not have been a Priest Heb. 8.4 If he were on earth he should not be a Priest i. e. if he should have continued alwaies here and had not been raised again from the dead and taken up into glory he could not have been a compleat and perfect Priest For look as it was not enough for the sacrifice to be slain without and his blood left there but after it was shed without it must be carried within the vail into the most holy place before the Lord Heb. 9.7 So it was not sufficient that Christ shed his own blood on earth except he carry it before the Lord into heaven and there perform his intercession work for us Moreover God the Father stood engaged in a solemn Covenant to reward him for his deep humiliation with a most glorious and illustrious advancement Isa. 49.5 6 7. And how God as it became him made this good to Christ the Apostle very clearly expresses it Phil. 2.9 Yea Justice required it should be so For how could our surety be detained in the prison of the Grave when the debt for which he was imprisoned was by him fully discharged so that the Law of God must acknowledge it self to be fully satisfied in all its claims and demands His Resurrection from the dead was therefore but his discharge or acquittance upon full payment Which could not in Justice be denyed him And indeed God the Father lost nothing by it for there never was a more glorious manifestation made of the name of God to the World than was made in that work Therefore it 's said Phil. 2.11 Speaking of one of the designs of Christs Exaltation it was saith the Apostle That every Tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father O how is the Love of God to poor sinners illustriously yea astonishingly displayed in Christs Exaltation When to shew the Complacency and delight which he took in our recovery he hath openly declared to the world that his exalting Christ to all that glory such as no meer creature ever was or can be exalted to was bestowed upon him as a reward for that work that most grateful work of our Redemption Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him there is an Emphatical Pleonasmus in that word our English is too flat to deliver out the elegancy of the Original it is Super-Exaltation The Seriack renders it he hath multiplyed his Sublimity The Arabick he hath heightened him with an height Iustin he hath famously exalted him Higher he cannot raise him a greater Argument of his high satisfaction and content in the recovery of poor sinners cannot be given For this therefore God the Father shall have glory and honour ascribed to him in Heaven to all Eternity Now this singular Exaltation of Jesus Christ as it properly respects his humane nature which alone is capable of advancement for in respect of his divine nature he never ceased to be the most high So it was done to him as a common person and as the head of all believers their representative in this as well as in his other works God therein shewing what in due time he intends to do with the persons of his Elect after they in Conformity to Christ have suffered a while What ever God the Father intendeth to do in us or for us he hath first done it to the person of our representative Iesus Christ. And this if you observe the Scriptures carry in very clear and plain expressions through all the degrees and steps of Christs Exaltation viz. his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God And returning to Iudge the World Of which I purpose to speak distinctly in the following Sermons He rose from the Dead as a common person Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ saith the Apostle so that the Saints have Communion and fellowship with him in his Resurrection He Ascended into Heaven as a common person for so it 's said in Eph. 2.6 He hath raised us up or exalted us together with Christ. He sits at Gods right hand as a common person for so it follows in the next clause and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus We sit there in our representative And when he shall come again to Judge the World the Saints shall come with him So it is Prophesied Zech. 14.6 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And as they shall come with Christ from Heaven so they shall sit on Thrones with him judging by way of suffrage They shall be assessors with the Judge 1 Cor. 6.2 This deserves a special remark that all this honour is given to Christ as our head and representative for thence results abundance of comfort to the people oâ— God Carry it therefore along with you in your thoughts throughout the whole of Christs advancement Think when you shall hear that Christ is risen from the dead and is in all that glory and authority in Heaven How sure the salvation of his Redeemed is For if
came Fourthly When did Christ ascend was it presently as soon as he rose from the dead No not so for after his Resurrection saith Luke he was seen of them forty daies speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God And truly the care and love of Christ to his people was very manifest in this his stay with them He had ineffable glory prepared for him in heaven and awaiting his coming but he will not go to possess it till he had settled all things for the good of his Church here For in this time he confirmed the truth of his Resurrection gave charge to the Apostles concerning the Discipline and order of his house or Kingdom which was but needful since he intended that their Acts should be rules to future Churches So long it was necessary he should stay And when he had set all things in order he would stay no longer lest he should seem to affect a terrene life And besides he had work of great concernment to do for us in the other world He desired to be no longer here than he had work to do for God and souls A good pattern for the Saints Fifthly How did Christ ascend into Heaven Here it 's worthy our Observation that Christ ascended as a publick person or fore-runner in our names and upon our accounts So it 's said expresly Heb. 6.20 Speaking of the most holy place within the vail whither saith he the fore-runner is for us entred His entring into heaven as our fore-runner implies both his publick capacity and precedency First His publick capacity as one that went upon our business to God So he himself speaks Ioh. 14.2 I go before to prepare a place for you To take possession of heaven in our names The fore-runner hath respect to others that were to come to heaven after him in their several generations for whom he hath taken up mansions which are kept for them against their coming Secondly It notes precedency He is our fore-runner but he himself had no fore-runner Never any entred into heaven before him but such as entred in the name and through the vertue of his merits He was the first that ever entred heaven directly immediately in his own name and upon his own account But all the Fathers who died before him entred in his name To the holiest of them all God would have said as Elisha to Iehoram 2 King 3.14 Were it not that I had respect to the person of my Son in whose name and right you come I would not look upon you You must back again heaven were no place for you No not for you Aâ—raham nor for you Moses Secondly He ascended Triumphantly into heaven To this good Expositors refer that which in the Type is spoken of David when he lodged the Ark in its own place with musical instruments and shoutings but to Christ in the Antitype when he was received up Triumphantly into glory Psal. 47.5 God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet sing praises to God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises A Cloud is prepared as a Royal Chariot to carry up this King of Glory to his Princely pavillion A Cloud received him out of their sight And then a Royal guard of mighty Angels surround the Chariot if not for support yet for greater state and solemnity of their Lords ascension And oh what Jubilations of the blessed Angels were heard in heaven How was the whole City of God moved at his coming For look as when he brought his first begotten into the world he said let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 So at his return thither again when he had finished Redemption work there were no less demonstrations given by those blessed Creatures of their delight and joy in it The very heavens ecchoed and resounded on that account Yea the Triumph is not ended at this day nor ever shall It 's said Dan. 7.13.14 I saw saith the Prophet in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the ancient of daies and they brought him near before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him This Vision of Daniels was accomplisht in Christs ascension when they i. e. the Angels brought him to the ancient of daies i. e. to God the Father who to express his welcome to Christ gave him glory and a Kingdom And so it is and ought to be expounded The Father received him with open arms rejoycing exceedingly to see him again in heaven therefore God is said to receive him up into glory 1 Tim. 3.16 For that which with respect to Christ is called ascension is with respect to the Father called assumption He went up and the Father received him Yea received him so as none ever was received before him or shall be received after him Thirdly Christ Ascended munificiently shedding forth abundantly inestimable gifts upon his Church at his ascension As in the Roman Triumphs they did Spargere missilia bestow their largesses upon the people so did our Lord when he ascended wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave gifts unto men The place to which the Apostle refers is Psal. 68.17.18 where you have both the triumph and munificence with which Christ went up excellently set forth together The Chariots of God saith the Psalmist are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received gifts for men Yea for the rebellious also that God might dwell among them Which words in their literal sense are a Celebraâ—ion of that famous victory and triumph of David ever the enemies of God recorded 2 Sam. 8. These conquered enemies bring him several sorts of presents all which he dedicated to the Lord. The spiritual sense is that just so our Lord Jesus Christ when he had overcome by his death on the Crâ—ss and now triumphed in his ascension he takes the parts and gifts of his enemies and gives them by their conversion to the Church for its use and service Thus he received gifts even for the rebellious i. e. sanctâ—fies the natural gifts and â—aculties of such as hated his people before dedicating them to the Lord in his peoples service Thus as one observes Tertullian Origen Austin and Ierome came into Canaan laden with Aegyptian Gold Meaning they came into the Church richly furnished wiâ—h natural learning and abilities Austin was a Manichee Cyprian a Magician learned Bradwardine a scornful proud naâ—urallist who once said when he read Pauls Epistles dedignabar esse parvulus He scorned such childish things but afterwards became a very useful man in the Church of God And even Paul himself was as fierce an enemy to
the account of his Office and the benefits we receive by him We are obliged even on the score of gratitude and ingenuity to obey him For he is sent in the quality of an Advocate to help us to pray To indite our requests for us To teach us what and how to ask of God Rom. 8.26 He comes to us as a Comforter Ioh. 14.16 And none like him His work is to take of Christs and shew it to us i. e. to take of his death Resurrection Ascension yea of his very present Intercession in Heaven and shew it to us He can be with us in a moment he can as one well observes tell you what were the very last thoughts Christ was thinking in Heaven about you It was he that formed the body of Christ in the womb and so prepared him to be a sacrifice for us He filled that humanity with his unexampled fullness So fitting and anointing him for the discharge of his Office 'T is he thaâ— puâ—s efficacy into the Ordinances and without him they would be but a dead letter 'T was he that blessed them to your conviction and câ—nversion For if Angels had been the Preachers no conversion had followed without the Spirit 'T is he that is the vinculum unionis bond of union betwixt Christ and your souls without which you could never have had interest in Christ or Communion with Christ. 'T was he that so often hath helped your infirmities when you knew not what to say Comforted your hearts when they were overwhelmed wiâ—hin you and you knew not what to do Preserved you many thousand times from sin and ruine when you have been upon the slippery brâ—nk of it in temptations 'T is he in his sanctifying work that is the best evidence your souls have for Heaven It were endless to enumerate the mercies you have by him And now Reader dost thou not blush to think how unworthily thou hast treated such a friend For which oâ— all these his Offices or benefits dost thou grieve and quench him O grieve not the holy Spirit whom Christ sent assoon as ever he came to Heaven in his Fathers name and in his own name to perform all these Offices for you Inference 5. Is Christ ascended to the Father as our fore-runner then the door of Salvation stands open to all believers and by vertue of Christs ascension they also shall ascend after him far above all visible Heavens O my friends what place hath Christ prepared and taken up for you What a splendid habitation hath he provided for you God is not ashamed to be called your God for he hath prepared for you a City Heb. 11.16 In that City Christ hath provided mansions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resting places for your everlasting abode Ioh. 14.2 and keeps them for you till your coming O how August and glorious a dwelling is that where Sun Moon and Stars shall shine as much below your feet as they are now above your heads Yea such is the love Christ hath to the believer that as one saith if thou only hadst been the chosen of God Christ would have built that house for himself and thee Now it is for himself for thee and for many more who shall inherit with thee God send us a joyful meeting within the vail with our fore-runner and sweeten our passage into it with many a fore-sight and fore-tast thereof And mean time let the Love of a Saviour inflâ—me our hearts so that when ever we cast a look towards that place where our fore-runner is for us entred our souls may say with melting affections Thanks be to God for Iesus Christ and again Blessed be God for his unspeakable Gift The FORTY FIRST SERMON HEB. I.III. part of the Verse When he had by himself purged our sins sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high CHrist being returned again to his Father having finished his whole work on earth is there bid by the Father to sit down in the seat of honour and rest A seat prepared for him at Gods right hand that makes it honourable and all his enemies as a footstool under his feet that makes it easie How much is the state and condition of Jesus Christ changed in a few days Here he groaned wept laboured suffered sweat yea sweat blood and found no rest in this world but when he comes to Heaven there he enters into rest Sits down for ever in the highest and easiest throne prepared by the Father for him when he had done his work When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down c. The scope of this Epistle is to demonstrate Christ to be the fulness of all Legal Types and Ceremonies and that whatever light glimered to the world through them yet it was but as the light of the day Star to the light of this Sun In this Chapter Christ the subject of the Epistle is described and particularly in this third verse he is described three ways First By his Essential and primaeval glory and dignity he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of his Fathers glory the very splendor of glory the very refulgency of that Son of glory The primary reason of that appellation is with respect to his eternal and ineffable generation light of light as the Nicene Creed expresses it As a beam of light proceeding from the Sun And the secondary reason of it is with respect to men for look as the Sun communicates its light and influence to us by its beams which it projects so doth God communicate his goodness and manifest himself to us by Christ. Yea he is the express Image or Character of his person Not as the impressed Image of the Seal upon the Wax but as the engraving in the Seal it self Thus he is described by his essential glory Secondly He is described by the work he wrought here on earth in his humbled state and it was a glorious work and that wrought out by his own single hand when he had by himself purged our sins A work that all the Angels in Heaven could not do but Christ did it Thirdly and Lastly He is described by his glory the which as a reward of that work he now enjoys in Heaven When he had by himself purged our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high i e. the Lord cloathed him with the greatest power and highest honour that Heaven it self could afford for so much this phrase of sitting down on the right hand of Majesty imports as will appear in the explication of this point which is the result of this clause viz. DOCT. That when our Lord Iesus Christ had finished his work on earth he was placed in the seat of the highest honour and authority at the right hand of God in Heaven This truth is transformingly glorious Stephen had but a glimpse of Christ at his Fathers right hand
and it caused his face to shine as it had been the face of an Angel Act. 7.56 this his high advancement was foretold and promised before the work of redemption was taken in hand Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool And this promise was punctually performed to Christ after his resurrection and ascension in his supream exaltation far above all created beings in Heaven and earth Ephes. 1.20 21 22. We shall here open two things in the doctrinal part viz. what is meant by Gods right hand and what is implied in Christs sitting there with his enemies for a footstool First What are we to understand here by Gods right hand It 's obvious enough that the expression is not proper but figurative and borrowed God hath no hand right or left but it 's a condescending expression wherein God stoops to the Creatures understanding and by it he would have us to understand honour power and nearness First The right hand is the hand of honour the upper hand where we place those whom we highly esteem and honour So Solomon placed his Mother in a seat at his right hand 1 King 2.19 So in token of honour God sets Christ at his right hand which on that account in the Text is called the right hand of Majesty God hath therein exprest more favour delight and honour to Jesus Christ than ever he did to any creature To which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand Heb. 1.13 Secondly The right hand is the hand of power we call it the weapon hand and the working hand And the setting of Christ there imports his exaltation to the highest authority and most supream dominion Not that God the Father hath put himself out of his Authority and advanced Christ above himself no for in that he saith he hath put all things under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him 1 Cor. 15.27 But to sit as an enthroned King at Gods right hand imports power Yea the most soveraign and supream power and so Christ himself calls the right hand at which he sits Matth. 26.64 hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power Thirdly And as it signifies honour and power so nearness in place as we use to say at ones elbow and so it is applied to Christ in Psal. 110.5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath that is the Lord who is very near thee present with thee he shall subdue thine enemies This is that then we are to understand by Gods right hand Honour power and nearness Secondly In the next place let us see what is implied in Christ sitting at Gods right hand with his enemies for his footstool And if we attently consider we shall find that it implies and imports divers great and weighty things in it As First It implies the Complement and Perfection of Christs work that he came into the world about After his work was ended then he sat down and rested from those labours Heb. 10.11.12 Every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins but this man when he had once offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God Here he assigns a double difference betwixt Christ and the Levitical Priests they stand which is the posture of Servants he sits which is the posture of a Lord. They stand daily because their sacrifices cannot take away sin he did his work fully by one offering and after that sits or rests for ever in Heaven And this as accurate and judicious Dr. Reynolds observes was excellently figured to us in the Ark. which was a lively Type of Jesus Christ and particularly in this it had rings by which it was carried up and down till at last it rested in Solomons Temple with glorious and Triumphal sollemnity Psal. 132 8 9. 2 Chron. 5.13 So Christ while he was here on earth being anointed with the Holy Ghost and wisdom went about doing good Act. 10.38 and having ceased from his works did at last enter into his rest Heb. 5.10 which is the heavenly Temple Rev. 11.19 Secondly His sitting down at Gods right hand notes the high content and satisfaction of God the Faâ—her in him and in his work The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand the words are brought in as the words of the Father welcoming Christ to Heaven and as it were congratulating the happy accomplishment of his most difficult work And it is as if he had said O my Son what shall be done for thee this day thou hast finished a great work and in all the parts of it acquitted thy self as an able and faithful servant to me what honours shall I now bestow upon thee the highest glory in Heaven is not too high for thee come sit at my right hand O how well is he pleased with Christ and what he hath done He delighted greatly to behold him here at his work on earth and by a voice from the excellent glory he told him so when he called out of Heaven to him saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 2 Pet. 1.17 and himself tells us Joh. 10.17 therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life c. for it was a work that the heart of God had been upon from eternity He took infinite delight in it Thirdly Christs sitting down at Gods right hand in Heaven notes the advancement of Christs humane nature to the highest honour even to be the object of adoration to Angels and men For it is properly his humane nature that is the subject of all this honour and advancement and being advanced to the right hand of majesty it 's become an object of worship and adoration Not simply as it is flesh and blood but as it is personally united to the second person and enthroned in the supream glory of Heaven O here 's the mysterie that flesh and blood should ever be advanced to the highest throne of Majesty and being there installed in that glory we may now direct our worship to him as God-man and to this end was his humanity so advanced that it might be adored and worshipped by all The Father hath commited all Iudgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father And the Father will accept of no honour divided from his honour Therefore it 's added in the next clause he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5.22 23. Hence the Apostles in the salutations of their Epistles beg for grace mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and in their valedictions they desire the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Churches
Fourthly It imports the soveraignty and supremacy of Christ over all The investiture of Christ with authority over the Empire of both worlds For this belongs to him that sits down upon this throne When the Father said to him sit at my right hand he did therein deliver to him the dispensation and oeconomy of the Kingdom Put the awful scepter of government into his hand and so the Apostle interprets and understands it 1 Cor. 15.25 He must raign till he have put all his enemies under his feet And to thâ—s purpose the same Apostle accommodates if not expounds the words of the Psalmist thou madest him a little lower than the Angels i. e. in respect of his humbled state on earth thou Crownnedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the work of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet Heb. 2.7 8. He is over the spiritual Kingdom the Church absolute Lord there Matth. 28.18 19 20. He also is Lord over the providential Kingdom the whole world Psal. 110.2 and this providential Kingdom being subordinate to his spiritual Kingdom he orders and rules this for the advantage and benefit of that Ephes. 1.22 Fifthly To sit at Gods right hand with his enemies for a footstool implies Christ to be a Conqueror over all his enemies To have ones enemies under his feet notes perfect conquest and compleat victory As when Iosuah set his foot upon the necks of the Kings So Tamberline made proud Bajazet his footstool They trampled his name and his Saints under their feet and Christ will tread them under his feet 'T is true indeed this victory is yet incompleat and inconsummate for now we see not yet all things put under him saith the Apostle but we see Iesus Crowned with glory and honour and that 's enough Enough to shew the power of his enemies is now broken and though they make some opposition still yet it is to no purpose at all for he is so infinitely above them that they must fall before him It is not with Christ as it was with Abiâ—ah against whom Ieroboam prevailed because he was young and tenderhearted and could not withstand them His incapacity and weakness gave the watchful enemy an advantage over him I say 't is not so with Christ he is at Gods right hand And all the power of God stands ready bent to strike through his enemies as it is Psal. 110.5 Sixthly Christs sitting in Heaven notes to us the great and wonderful change that is made upon the state and condition of Christ since his ascention into Heaven Ah 't is far otherwise with him now than it was in the days of his humiliation here on earth quantum mutatus ab illo Oh what a wonderful change hath Heaven made upon him It were good as a Worthy of ours speaks to compare in our thoughts the Abasement of Christ and his Exaltation together as it were in Columes one over against the other he was born in a Stable but now he raigns in his Royal Palace Then he had a Manger for his Cradle but now he sits on a Chair of State Then Oxen and Asses were his companions now thousands of Saints and ten thousand of Angels minister round about his throne Then in contempt they called him the Carpenters Son now he obtains by inheritance a more excellent name than Angels Then he was led away into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil now it is proclaimed before him let all the Angels of God worship him Then he had not a place to lay his head on now he is exalted to be heir of all things In his state of Humiliation he endured the contradiction of sinners in his state of Exaltation he is adored and admired of Saints and Angels Then he had no form nor comliness and when we saw him there was no beauty why we should desire him now the beauty of his countenance shall send forth such glorious beams that shall dazel the eyes of all the Coelestial inhabitants round about him c. O what a change is here Here he sweat but there he sits Here he groaned but there he triumphs Here he lay upon the ground there he sits in the throne of glory When he came to Heaven his Father did as it were thus bespeak him My dear Son what an hard travail hast thou had of it What a world of wo hast thou past through in the strength of thy love to me and mine Elect Thou hasâ— been hungry thirsty and weary scourged crucified and reproached ah what bad usage has thou had in the ungrateful world Not a days rest and comfort since thou wentest out from me but now thy suffering days are accomplisht now thy rest is come rest for evermore Henceforth sit at my right hand Henceforth thou shalt groan weep or bleed no more Sit thou at my right hand Seventhly Christs sitting at Gods right hand implies the advancement of believers to the highest honour For this session of Christs respects them and there he sits as our representative in which regard we are made to sit with him in heavenly places as the Apostle speaks Ephes. 2.6 How secure may we be saith Tertullian who do now already possess the Kingdom meaning in our head Christ. This saith another is all my hope and all my confidence namely that we have a portion in that flesh and blood of Christ which is so exalted and therefore where he reigns we shall reign where our flesh is glorified we shall be glorified Surely it 's matter of exceeding joy to believe that Christ our head our flesh and blood is in all this glory at his Fathers right hand Thus we have opened the sence and importance of Christs siâ—ting at his Fathers right hand Hence we Infer Inference 1. Is this so great an honour to Christ to sit enthroned at Gods right hand What honour then is reserved in Heaven for those that are faithful to Christ now on the earth Christ prayed and his prayer was heard Joh. 17.24 That we may be with him to behold the glory that God hath given him and what heart can conceive the felicity of such a sight it made Stephens face shine as the face of an Angel when he had but a glimpse of Christ at his Fathers right hand Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isai. 33.17 which respected Hezekiah in the Type Christ in the truth But this is not all though this be much to be spectators of Christ in his Throne of glory we shall not only see him in his Throne but also sit with him inthroned in glory To behold him is much but to sit with him is more I remember it was the saying of a heavenly Christian now with Christ I would far rather look but through the hole of Christs door to see but the one half of his fairest and most comly face for he looks like Heaven suppose I should never win in to
discry Land crying with loud and united voices A shore A shore As the Poet describes the Italians when they saw their native Country lifted up their voices and making the Heavens ring again with Italy Italy or as Armies shout when the signal of Battle is given Above all which as some expound it shall the voice of the Archangel be distinctly heard And after this shout the trump of God shall sound By this Tremendous blast sinners will be affrighted out of their Graves but to the Saints it will carry no more terrour than the roaring of Cannons when Armies of friends approach a besieged City for the relief of them that be within The dead being raised they shall be gathered before the great Throne on which Christ shall sit in his glory and there divided exactly to the right and left hand of Christ by the Angels Here will be the greatest Assembly that ever met Where Adam may see his numerous off-spring even as the sand upon the Sea-shore which no man can number And never was there such a perfect division made how many divisions soever have been in the world none was ever like it The Saints in this great Oecumenical assize as the same Author stiles it shall meet the Lord in the air and there the Judge shall sit upon the Throne and all the Saints shall be placed upon bright clouds as on Seats or Scaffolds round about him the wicked remaining below upon the earth there to receive their final doom and sentence These preparatives will make it awful And much more will the work it self that Christ comes about make it so For it is to Iudge the secrets of men Rom. 2.16 To sever the Tares from the Wheat To make every mans whites and blacks appear And according as they are found in that Tryal to be sentenced to their everlasting and immutable state O what a solemn thing is this And no less will the execution of the Sentence on both parts make it a great and solemn day The heart of man cannot conceive what impressions the voice of Christ from the Throne will make both upon believers and unbelievers Imagine Christ upon his glorious Throne surrounded with Myriads and Legions of Angels his Royal guard a poor unbeliever trembling at the Bar. An exact scrutiny made into his heart and life The dreadful Sentence given And then a cry And then his delivering them over to the Executioners of Eternal vengeance never never to see a glimpse of hope or mercy any more Imagine Christ like the General of an Army mentioning with honour in the head of all the hosts of Heaven and Earth all the services that the Saints have done for him in this world Then sententially justifying them by open proclamation Then mounting with him to the third Heavens and entring the gates of that City of God in that noble train of Saints and Angels intermixed And so for ever to be with the Lord. O what a great day must this be Secondly As it will be an awful and solemn Judgement so it will be a Critical and Exact Judgement Every man will be weighed to his ounces and drams The name of the Judge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of hearts The Judge hath eyes as flames of fire which pierce to the dividing of the heart and reins It 's said Matth. 12.36 That men shall then give an account of every idle word that they shall speak It is a day that will perfectly fan the world No Hypocrite can escape Justice holds the ballances in an even hand Christ will go to work so exactly that some Divines of good note think the day of Judgement will last as long as this day of the Gospels administration hath or shall last Thirdly It will be a Vniversal Iudgement 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Iudgement Seat of Christ. And Rom. 14.12 Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Those that were under the Law and those that having no Law were a Law to themselves Rom. 2.12 Those that had many Talents and he that had but one Talent must appear at this Bar those that were carried from the Cradle to the Grave with him that stooped for Age. The rich and poor the Father and the Child the Master and the Servant the believer and unbeliever must stand forth in that day I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God and the Books were opened Rev. 20.12 Fourthly It will be a Judgement full of convictive clearness All things will be so sifted to the bran as we say that the Sentence of Christ both on Saints and sinners shall be applauded Righteous art thou O Lord because thou hast Iudged thus His Judgements will be as the light that goeth forth So that those poor sinners whom he will condemn shall be first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self condemned Their own consciences shall be forced to confess that there is not one drop of injustice in all that Sea of wrath into which they are to be cast Fifthly And lastly It will be a supream and final Iudgement from which lies no Appeal For it is the Sentence of the Highest and only Lord. For as the ultimate resolution of Faith is into the Word and truth of God so the ultimate resolution of Iustice is into the Judgement of God This Judgement is supream and imperial For Christ is the only potentate 1 Tim. 6.5 And therefore the Sentence once past its execution is infallible And so you find it in that judicial process Matth. 25. ult Just after the Sentence is pronounced by Christ it is immediatly added those shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into Life Eternal This is the Judgement of the great day Thirdly In the last place I must inform you that God in ordaining Christ to be the Judge hath very highly exalted him This will be very much for his honour For in this Christs Royal dignity will be illustrated beyond what ever it was since he took our nature till that day Now he will appear in his glory For First This act of Judging pertaining properly to the Kingly Office Christ will be glorified as much in his Kingly Office as he hath been in either of the other We find but some few glimpses of his Kingly Office breaking forth in this world as his riding with Hosannahs into Ierusalem His whipping the buyers and sellers out of the Temple His Title upon the Cross c. But these were but faint beams now that Office will shine in its glory as the Sun in the midst of the Heavens For what were the Hosannahs of little Children in the streets of Ierusalem to the shouts and acclamations of thousands of Angels and ten thousands of Saints What was his whipping the prophane out of the Temple to his turning the wicked into Hell and sending his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom every thing that offendeth What was a Title
written by his Judge and fixed on the ignominous Tree to the name that shall be now seen on his Vesture and on his Thigh Lord of Lords and King of Kings Secondly This will be a display of his glory in the highest before the whole world For there will be present at once and together all the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth and Hell Angels must be there to attend and minister those glistering Courtiers of Heaven must attend his person So that Heaven will for a time be left empty of all its Inhabitants Men and Devils must be there to be judged And before this great Assembly will Christ appear in Royal Majesty that day He will to allude to that Text Isa. 24.23 raign before his Ancients gloriously For he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.10 The inhabitants of the three Regions Heaven Earth and Hell shall rejoyce or tremble before him that day And acknowledge him to be supream Lord and King Thirdly This will roll away for ever the reproach of his death For Pilate and the High Priest that Judged him at their bars shall now stand quivering at his bar with Herod that set him at nought the Souldiers and Officers that traduced and abused him There they that reviled him on the Cross wagging their heads will stand with trembling knees before his Throne For every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him Rev. 1.7 O what a contemptible person was Christ in their eyes once As a worm and no man Every vile wretch could freely tread and trample on him but now such will be the brightness of his glory such the awful beams of Majesty that the wicked shall not stand in his presence or be able to rise up as that word imports Psal. 1.5 before him So that this will be a full and Universal vindication of the death of Christ from all that contempt and ignominy that attended it We next improve it Inference 1. Is Jesus Christ ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead great then is the security believers have that they shall not be condemned in that day Who shall condemn when Christ is Judge If believers be condemned in Judgement Christ must give Sentence against them Yea and they must condemn themselves too I say Christ must give Sentence for that is the proper and peculiar Office of Christ. And to be sure no Sentence of condemnation shall in that day be given by Christ against them For First He died to save them and he will never cross and overthrow the designs and ends of his own death That cannot be imagined nay Secondly They have been cleared and absolved already And being once absolved by divine Sentence they can never be condemned afterward For one divine Sentence cannot cross and rescind another He justified them here in this world by Faith Declared in his Word which shall then be the rule of Judgement Rom. 2.16 That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 And surely he will not retract his own Word and give a Sentence quite cross to his own Statute-book out of which he hath told us they shall be Judged Moreover Thirdly The far greatest part of them will have past their particular Judgement long before that day and being therein acquitted by God the Judge of all and admitted into Heaven upon the score and account of their Justification it cannot be imagined that Christ should now condemn them with the World Nay Fourthly He that Judgeth them is their head husband friend and brother who loved them and gave himself for them Oh then with what confidence may they go even unto his Throne And say with Iob though he try us as fire we know we shall come forth as Gold We know that we shall be justified Especially if we add that they themselves shall be assessors with Christ in that day And as a Judicious Author pertinently observes not a Sentence shall pass without their Votes So as that they may by Faith not only look upon themselves as already in Heaven sitting with Christ as a common person in their right but they may look upon themselves as Judges already So that if any sin should arise to accuse or condemn yet it must be with their Votes And what greater security can they have than this that they must condemn themselves if they be condemned No no it is not the business of that day to condemn but to absolve and pronounce them pardoned and justified according to the sence of Act. 3.19 and Matth. 12.32 So that it must needs be a time of refreshing as the Scriptures call it to the people of God You that now believe shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 5.24 You that now Judge your selves shall not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Inference 2. If Christ be ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead how miserable a case will Christless Souls be in at that day They that are Christless now will be speechless helpless and hopeless then How will their hands hang down and their knees knock together O what pale faces quivering lips fainting hearts and roaring consciences will be among them in that day O dreadful day O astonishing sight To see the World in a dreadful conflagration the Elements melting the Stars falling the Earth trembling the Judgement set the Prisoners brought forth O who shall endure in this day but those that by union with Christ are secured against the danger and dread of it Let me demand of poor Christless Souls whom this day is like to overtake unawares First Do ye think it possible to avoid appearing after that terrible citation is given to the World by the Trump of God Alas how can you imagine it Is not the same power that revived your dust able to bring you before the bar There is a necessity that you must come forth 2 Cor. 5.10 We Must all appear It is not at the sinners choice to obey the Summons or not Secondly If you must appear are there no Accusers nor Witnesses that will appear against you and confront you in the Court What think you was Satan so often a Tempter to you here and will he not be an Accuser there Yes nothing surer for that was the main design of all his Temptations What think you of your own Consciences Are they not privy to your secret wickedness Don't they now whisper sometimes in your ears what you care not to hear of If they whisper now they will thunder then Rom. 2.15 16. Will not the Spirit accuse you for resisting his motions and stifling thousands of his convictions Will not your Companions in sin accuse you who drew or were drawn by you to sin Will not your Teachers be your accusers How many times have you made them complain Lord they are Iron and Brass they have made their faces harder than a
also You see how the Rivers in their course will not be checkt but bear down all obstacles in their way Saevior ab obice ibit A stop doth but make them rage the more and run the swifter afterwards There is a Central force in these natural motions which cannot be stopt And the like may you observe in the motions of a renewed soul Ioh. 4.14 It shall be in him as a Well of water springing up And is it not hard for you to keep it down or turn its course How hard did Ieremy and David find that work If you do not live holy lives you must cross your own new nature violate the Law that 's written in your own hearts and engraven upon your own bowels To this purpose a late Writer speaks Till you were converted saith he the flesh was predominant and therefore it was impossible for you to live any other than a fleshly life for every thing will act according to its predominant principle Should you not therefore live a spiritual life Should not the Law of God witten in your hearts be legible in your lives O should not your lives be according to the tendency of your hearts thus he Doubtless this is no swall advantage to practical holiness But Secondly Besides this principle within you have no small assistance for the purity of life by these excellent patterns before you The path of holiness is no untrodden path to you Christ and his Servants have beaten it before you The life of Christ is your Copy and it is a fair Copy indeed without a blot Oh what an advantage is this to draw all the lines of your actions according to his example This glorious grand example is often prest upon you for imitation Heb. 12.2 Looking to Iesus he hath left you an example that ye should tread in his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 His life is a living rule to his people and besides Christs example for you may say who can live as Christ did His example is quite above us you have a cloud of witnesses A cloud for its directive Use and these men of like passions temptations and constitutions with you who have gone before you in exemplary holiness The Holy Ghost intending therein your special help and advantage hath set many industrious pens awork to write the lines of the Saints and preserve for your use their holy sayings and heavenly actions He bids you take them for an example Jam. 5.10 Oh what excellent men are past on before you What renowned Worthies have led the way Men whose conversations were in Heaven whilst they Tabernacled on earth Whilst this lower world had their bodies the world above had their hearts their affections their actions their designs were all for Heaven Men that improved troubles and comforts losses and gains smiles and frowns and all for Heaven Men that did extract Heaven out of Spirituals out of Temporals out of all things their hearts were full of heavenly meditations their mouths of heavenly communications and their practices of heavenly inclinations O what singular help is this Where they followed Christ and kept the way they are propounded for your imitation and where any of them turned aside you have a mark set upon that action for your caution and prevention Doth any strange or unusual tryal befall you in which you are ready to say with the Church Lam. 1.12 Was there ever any sorrow like unto my sorrow Here you may see the same affliction accomplisht in your brethren 1 Pet. 5.9 Here 's store of good company to encourage you Doth the world and Devil endeavor to turn you from your duty by loading it with shameful scoffs or sufferings In this case you may look to Iesus who dispised the shame and to your Brethren who counted it their honour to be dishonoured for the name of Christ as the Original of the Text Act. 5.41 may be translated Is it a dishonour to thee to be rankt with Abraham Moses David and such as were the glory of the Ages they lived in Art thou at any time under a faint fit of discouragement and ready to despond under any burden oh how maist thou be animated by such examples when such a qualm comes over thy heart Some sparks of their holy courage cannot choose but steal into thy breast whilst thou considerest them In them God hath set before thee the possibility of overcoming all difficulties thou seest men of the same mould who had the same tryals discouragements and fears that thou now hast and yet overcame all How is thy unbelief checkt when thou saist Oh I shall never reach the end I shall one day utterly perish Why dost thou say so Why may not such a poor creature as thou art be carried through as well as they Had not they the same temptations and corruptions with you Were not they all troubled with a naughty heart an ensnaring world a busie Devil as well as you Alas when they put on the divine they did not put off the humane nature but complained and feared as you do and yet were carried through all Oh what an advantage have you this way They that first trusted in Christ had not such an help as you You stand upon their shoulders You have the benefit of their experiences You that are fallen into the last times have certainly the best helps to holiness And yet will not you live strictly and purely Will you put on the name and profession of Christians and yet be lofty in your spirits earthly in your designs neglective of duty frothy in your communions Pray from which of all the Saints did you learn to be proud Did you learn that from Christ or any of his From which of his Saints did you learn to be earthly and covetous passionate oâ— censorious over-reaching and crafty If you have read of any such evils committed by them have you not also read of their shame and sorrow their repentance and reformations If you have found any such blots in their lives it was left there designedly to prevent the like in yours Oh what an help to holiness is this Thirdly And this is not all You have not only a principle within you and a pattern before you but you have also an Omnipotent assistant to help and encourage you throughout your way Are you feeble and infirm and is every temptation even the weakest strong enough to turn you out of the way of your Duty Lo God hath sent his Spirit to help your infirmities Rom. 8.26 no matter then how weak you are how many and mighty your difficulties and temptations are as long as you have such an assistant to help you Great is your advantage for a holy life this way also For 1. First When a temptation to sin presses sore upon you he pleads with your consciences within whilst Satan is tempting without How often hath he brought such Scriptures to your remembrance in the very nick of opportunity as have saved
he would never have mercy upon me and though I lived in the time of all manner of gratious dispensations I saw Sacrifices offered and Christ in the flesh and the Gospel preached yet how could all this choose but enrage me the more to have God as it were say look here Satan I have provided a remedy for sin but none for thine This set me upon revenge against God as far as I could reach him but alas alas had God entred into any Covenant with me at all had God put me on any terms though never so hard for the obtaining of mercy had Christ been but once offered to me what do you think would I have done c. O poor sinners your Damnation is Just if you refuse grace brought home by Christ himself to your very doors The Lord grant this may not be thy case who readest these lines Inference 4. Moreover here it follows that none doth or can love like Christ. His love to man is matchiess The freeness strength antiquity and immutability of it puts a luster on it beyond all examples Surely it was a strong love indeed that made him lay aside his glory to be found in fashion as a man to become any thing though never so much below himself for our Salvation We read of Ionathans love to David which passed the love of women Of Iacobs love to Rachel who for her sake endured the heat of summer and cold of winter Of Davids love to Absalom Of the Primitive Christians love to one another who could die one for another But neither had they that to deny that Christ had nor had he those inducements from the objects of his love that they had His love like himself is wonderful Inference 5. Did the Lord Jesus so deeply abase and humble himself for us what an engagement hath he thereby put on us to exalt and honour him who for our sakes was so abased It was a good saying of Bernard by how much the viler he was made for me by so much the dearer shall he be to me And O that all to whom Christ is dear would study to exalt and honour him these four ways First By frequent and delightful speaking of him and for him When Paul had once mentioned his name he knows not how to part with it but repeats it no less than ten times in the compass of ten verses in 1 Cor. 1. It was Lamberts motto none but Christ none but Christ. It 's said of Iohannes Molius that after his conversion he was seldom or never observed to mention the name Iesus but his eyes would drop so dear was Christ to him Mr. Fox never denied any begger that asked an alms in Christs name or for Jesus sake Iulius Palmer when all concluded he was dead being turned as black as a coal in the fire at last moved his scorched lips and was heard to say sweet Iesus and fell a asleep Plutarch tells us that when Titus Flaminius had freed the poor Graecians from the bondage with which they had been long ground by their oppressions and the Herald was to proclaim in their audience the Articles of peace he had concluded for them they so pressed upon him not being half of them able to hear that he was in great danger to have lost his life in the press at last reading them a second time when they came to understand distinctly how their case stood they so shouted for Joy crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour a Saviour that they made the very heavens ring again with their acclamations and the very Birds fell down astonisht And all that night the poor Graecians with instruments of musick and songs of praise danced and sang about his Tent extolling him as a God that had delivered them But surely you have more reason to be exalting the Author of your Salvation who at a dearer rate hath freed you from a more dreadful bondage O ye that have escaped the eternal wrath of God by the humiliation of the Son of God extol your great Redeemer and for ever celebrate his praises Secondly By acting your faith on him for whatsoever lies in the promises yet unaccomplished In this you see the great and most difficult promise fulfilled Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Which contained this mercy of Christs incarnation for us in it I say you see this fulfilled and seeing that which was most improbable and difficult is come to pass even Christ come in the flesh methinks our unbelief should be strangled for ever and all other promises the more easily believed It seemed much more improbable and impossible to reason that God should become a man and stoop to the condition of a creature than being a man to perform all that good which his incarnation and death procured Unbelief usually argues from one of these two grounds can God do this or will God do that It 's questioning either his power or his will but after this let it cease for ever to cavil against either His power to save should never be questioned by any that know what sufferings and infinite burdens he supported in our nature And surely his willingness to save should never be put to a question by any that consider how low he was content to stoop for our sakes Thirdly By drawing nigh to God with delight through the vail of Christs flesh Heb. 10.19.20 God hath made this flesh of Christ a vail betwixt the brightness of his glory and us It serves to rebate the insupportable glory and also to give admission to it as the vail did in the Temple Through this body of flesh which Christ assumed are all out-lets of grace from God to us and through it also must be all our returns to God again It 's made the great medium of our communion with God Fourthly By applying your selves to him under all temptations wants and troubles of what kind soever as to one that is tenderly sensible of your case and most willing and ready to relieve you Oh remember this was one of the inducements that perswaded and invited him to take your nature that he might be furnished abundantly with tender compassion for you from the sense he should have of your infirmities in his own body Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethen that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people You know by this argument the Lord pressed the Israelites to be kind to strangers for saith he you know the heart of a stranger Exod. 23.9 Christ by being in our natures knows experimentally what our wants fears temptations and distresses are and so is able to have compassion O let your hearts work upon this admirable condescention of Christ till they be filled with it and your lips say Thanks be to God for Iesus Christ. The
corruptions of his people Nothing tends more to the killing of sin than this doth Christs blood as it's food to faith so it 's poyson to our Lusts. O what a Pill is wrapt up in that Bread what an excellent Potion is in that Cup to purge the soul One calls that Table an Altar on which our corruptions are sacrificed and slain before the Lord. For how can they that there see what Christ suffered for sin live any longer therein Fourthly Moreover his care and Love appear in providing such bellows as these to excite and blow up his peoples Love into a lively flame When Ioseph made himself known to his Brethren I am Ioseph your Brother whom ye sold be not grieved Oh what a showr of tears and dear affections was there How did they fall upon each others necks so that the Aegyptians wondred at the matter How doth the soul if I may so speak passionately love Jesus Christ at such a time O what a Christ is my Christ the fairest among ten thousand What hath he done what hath he suffered for me what great things hath my Jesus given and what great things hath he forgiven me a world a thousand worlds cannot shew such another Here it 's melted down by Love at his feet It 's pain'd with Love Fifthly To conclude Christs care and Love are farther manifested to his people in this Ordinance as it is one of the strongest bonds of union betwixt themselves that can bee 1 Cor. 10.17 We being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread And though through our corruptions it falls out that that which was intended for a bond of union proves a bond of contention yet in as much as by this it appears how dearly Christ Loved them for as much also as here they are sealed up to the same inheritance their dividing corruptions here slain their Love to Christ and consequently to each other here improved it is certainly one of the strongest ties in the world to wrap up gratious hearts in a bundle of Love And thus I have dispatcht the doctrinal part of this point The improvement of it is in the following Inferences Inference 1. Did Christ leave this Ordinance with his Church to preserve his remembrance among his people then surely Christ foresaw that notwithstanding what he is hath done suffered and promised yet to do for his people they will for all this be still apt to forget him A man would think that such a Christ should never be one whole hour together out of his peoples thoughts and affections that where ever they go they should carry him up and down with them in their thoughts desires and delights That they should let their thoughts work towards Christ as the longing thoughts of her that is with Child do work after that she longs for That they should lie down with Christ in their thoughts at night and when they awake be still with him That their very dreams in the night should be sweet visions of Christ and all their words savour of Christ. But O the baseness of these hearts Here we live and converse in a world of sensible objects which like a company of thieves rob us of our Christ and lay the dead Child in his room Woe is me that it should be so with me who am so obliged to Love him though he be in the highest glory in Heaven he doth not forget us he hath graven us upon the palms of his hands we are continually before him He thinks on us when we forget him The whole honour and glory paid him in Heaven by the Angels cannot divert his thoughts one moment from us but every trifle that meets us in the way is enough to divert our thoughts from him Why do we not abhor and loath our selves for this What is it a pain a burden to carry Christ in our thoughts about the world as much a burden if thy heart be spiritual as a Bird is burdened by carrying his own wings Will such thoughts intrude unseasonably and thrust greater things than Christ out of our minds For shame Christian for shame let noâ— thy heart play the wanton and gad from Christ after every vanity In Heaven nothing else takes up the thoughts of Saints to eternity and yet there is no tireing no saciety O learn to live nearer that heavenly life Never leave praying and striving till thou canst say as it is Psal. 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips whilst I remember thee on my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Inference 2. Hence also we infer that Sacrament seasons are heart melting seasons because therein the most affecting and heart-melting recognitions and representations of Christ are made As the Gospel offers him to the ear in the most sweet affecting sounds of grace so the Sacrament to the eye in the most taking visions that are on this side Heaven There hearts that will not yield a tear under other Ordinances can pour out floods Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn Yet I dare not affirm that every one whose heart is broken by the believing sight of Christ there can evidence that it is so by a dropping eye No we may say of tears as it 's said of Love Cant. 8.7 If some Christians would give all the treasures of their house for them they cannot be purchased Yet they are truly humbled for sin and seriously affected with the grace of Christ. For the support of such I would distinguish and have them to do so also betwixt what is essential to spiritual sorrow and what is contingent Deep displeasure with thy self for sin hearty resolutions and desires of the compleat mortification of it this is essential to all spiritual sorrow but tears are accidental and in some constitutions rarely found If thou have the former trouble not thy self for want of the later though 't is a mercy when they kindly and undisâ—embledly flow from a heart truly broken And surely to see who it is that thy sins have pierced How great how glorious how wonderful a person that was that was so humbled abased and brought to the dust for such a wretched thing as thou art cannot but tenderly affect the considerating soul. If it was for a lamentation in the Captivity that Princes were hanged up by the hands and the faces of the Elders were not reverenced Lam. 5.12 And if at the death of Abner David could lament and say a Prince and a great man is fallen in Israel this day 2 Sam. 3.38 If he could so pathetically lament the death of Saul and Ionathan saying Daughters of Israel weep over Saul who cloathed you in scarlet The beauty of Israel is slain upon the high places Ah how much more should it affect us to see the beauty of Heaven fallen the Prince of life hang dead upon a