Heb. 9. 10. For as he took away hardness of heart by the ministration of the spirit so it was correspondent to this that He should take away all remissions and abatements of any part of righteousness which were permitted only because of such hardheartedness Matt. 19. 8. Thus anointed Luk. 4. 18. a little before he began to preach by the Father and publickly proclaimed also by a voice from Heaven to be the son of God at the solemn time of Johns ministration of Baptism Act. 10. 37. who as likewise all the people then called out into the wilderness unto him by this unction of the spirit the third Person in the descent of a Dove and the testimony of the first person in the descent of a voice from Him the greatest appearance of the sacred Trinity that hath been upon earth were to know and discern him whom the Father had ordained to be the light of the world baptizing with the holy Ghost And of whose coming John was sent before to give them notice Jo. 1. 33. Anointed thus with the Holy Ghost and with power Act. 10. 38. Jo. 3. 34. He was in the next place sent from God as an Apostle Heb. 3. 1. of the Christian profession or of the Gospel To whom God committed first and so he to others the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. In which respect he is called the great Shepheard or Pastor by St Paul Heb. 13. 20. Pastor and Bishop of our souls by St Peter 1 Pet. 2. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 13. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 8. In which ministry he was not only to expound the old spoken of before but also to deliver some new messages from the Father To bring life and immortality to light thro his Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10 to revele the great mystery of salvation which God had decreed from all Eternity and shadowed under types to all former ages but yet for the open manifestation of it kept secret sâ—…nce the beginning of the world Rom. 16. 25. and hid from former generations Col. 1. 26. till this time notwithstanding so much longing after it of so many Prophets and Righteous men yea and of the Angels themselves See Matt. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11. Eph. 3. 9. Matt. 11. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9. When the Son who only knew the Father was sent out of his bosome to declare him Jo. 1. 18. Heb. 1. 1. Matt. 11. 27. Esai 11. 3. Col. 2. 3. to preach the Gospel to the poor deliverance to the captives the acceptable year of the Lord Luk. 4. 18 19. The time of his good will towards men to preach peace Act. 10. 36. and salvation and remission of sin for which Baptism was then also instituted and the fulfilling of the promise of God to the Jew that was made unto their fathers but likewise of his new mercy to the Gentiles that the Gentiles too should glorifie God for his mercy Rom. 15. 8 9. And all this to be performed to the world through himself that taught it for as he was the text and subject that was preached of so also was he the preacher Ps. 2. 7. -40. 9 10. Jo. 14. 6. and none could see that light but by the light of it which thought it much stumbled the Jews that he should bear record of himself and He as the truth preach himself as the life Jo. 8. 13. yet both the witness of John besides that of all the Prophets and of his Father from Heaven at his Baptism c. and that of his miracles all which he quoted to them to justify his Commission were abundantly satisfactory And as this Apostle came to preach the Gospel so received he power to remit and absolve from sin Matt. 9. 2 6 11. and that here on earth as man see v. 8. and as Priest Heb. 8. 6 to justify the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Act. 5. 31 and to make sons of God Jo. 1. 12. and admit into the Church and the kingdom of Heaven by the new ceremony of Baptism which he did ordinarily by his Disciples Jo. 4. 2 but yet some conjecture from the practice Act. 19. 5. Jo. 3. 22. that he himself first baptized some of his Disciples at least and so accordingly afterward he ministred the Eucharist To admit I say into the Church all those who repented i. e. confessed their sins and promised amendment of life Matt. 3. 8. And who beleeved in him that he was the Son of God Act. 8. 37. -19. 4. Jo. 3. 18. and in his word that it was truth and he the last teacher sent from God c. and who rejected not the counsel of God sent to them by him Luk. 7. 30. Jo. 5. 24. -8. 31. -12. 48. Lastly to give the holy Ghost Jo 20. 22. Act. 2. 33 38. Eph. 4. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 8. by which to seal his converts unto glory In which respect also he is said to give eternal life to as many as receive him Jo. 17. 3. and to have the key of David as the chief Oeconomist and officer in that family opening and shuting as and to whom he pleased Rev. 3. 7. Esai 22. 22. Rev. 1. 18. and all judgment to be committed unto him Jo. 5. 22. Christus ut homo remittit peccata dat spiritum sanctum vitam aeternam c. potestate tantum communicata delegata sed modo excellentiori quam ministris ejus concessum est Ut homo ad has actiones concurrit tantum instrumentaliter meritorie non efficienter sed tamen ut instrumentum efficienti conjunctum singulare non separatum commune qualia sunt instrumenta Apostoli Prophetae So the Schoolmen And in all this at first he became the Minister of the Circumcision only i. e. of the Jews Rom. 15. 8. Act. 10. 36. and according to his own commission for a certain time he limited his Disciples Matt. 10. 5 6. and began there also in Galilee amongst the meaner sort of the people and remote from the chief Citty the least to provoke the envy of those in power till the appointed time of his passion approached and preached here mostwhat in parables for so it pleased God that till his sufferings were accomplished the peoples ignorance should not be quite dispelled and that this light should rise upon the world by degrees and not all at once Matt. 13. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 8. But when the time drew near of his offering up Jo. 7. 8. He preached more frequently in Jerusalem and in the Temple tho usually not lodging in the City Jo. 8. 1. Lu. 21. 37. and there at the Feasts of the greatest resort and professed more clearly and openly who he was and did his greatest Miracles Jo. 11. and accordingly multiplied exceedingly his Disciples and followers Jo. 12. 19. Upon which the rage of his enemies now heightned to extremity and after three years preaching Lu. 13. 7. and the daies of his Ministry accomplished in the
stronger then he Jo. 12. 31. -16. 11. 1 Jo. 3. 8. Luk. 10. 18 19. Matt. 12. 21. Accordingly since our Saviors coming wee see the Devils former gross religions and delusions except in some out-skirts of the world America and China c. utterly ruined and him abridged most what of all his former inspirations for many of the lying Prophets were possessed and deceived themselves by an evil spirit see Micah 2. 11. 1 King 22. 20. possessions enthusiasms apparitions dictating Oracles by which he being very frequent in these was taken to be the great power of God See Act. 8. 10. 16. 16. comp 17. 1 Sam. 18. 10. 2 King 1. 2. 1 Cor. 12. 10. -14. 29 32. 1 Jo. 4. 1. and sustained by his frequent inanimations of them that gross worship of idols which are since grown contemptible according to the prophecies Zech. 13. 1 2. Esai 46. 1. comp Esa 45. 13 16. Esai 2. 18 20. Hos. 2. 17. So that now he is glad to use more fine and subtle arts for he is not yet utterly to be chained up And the cheif religion abhors idols and worships the true God that made Heaven and Earth but only opposeth the Savior thereof and him too not altogether rejecteth but diminisheth in comparison of the Divels Prophet Mahomet And tho he is not yet quite chained up from seducing the Nations nor tempting also the servants of Christ yet in respect of every one as he is weaker or stronger in grace so by him that sits now at the right hand of God are his temptations moderated and proportioned none suffering above what they are able to repel 1 Cor. 10. 13. And the weaker as they loose the glory of a conquest so have they the security of not being assaulted whereas t is much to be observed that for their greater reward our Savior permits Satan more liberty as it were to try Masteries with those that are stronger even sometimes to visible apparitions as he assaulted first their Lord and there want not examples of this done to many more when eminent in holiness as he did to Holy Job to the Apostles who by this discovered more of Satans wiles and more easily discern'd the spiritual powers that war against Christians and gave readier directions for the fight See Luk. 22. 31. 2 Cor. 12. 7. 2 Cor. 2. 11. Eph. 6. 12 16. Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 4. 27. But when our Redemption is compleated which must not be before our Saviors appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. then shall we have by vertue of this our Redeemers ransom and conquest already performed and the full effects of which are already enjoied in his own person all freedom from them that can be imagined First Concerning sin That quite effaced and we Glorious Holy and without blemish not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but perfectly sanctified and cleansed and so as a pure virgin presented and espoused unto the Son of God Eph. 5. 26 27. 2 Cor. 11. 2. 2. Concerning the law love perfected and we necessitated to good in such a manner that our actions there shall no more be capable of reward or punishment and consequently that there shall be no more place for a law 3. As for death it shall be swallowed up in victory and cast into Hell Rev. 20. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 26. Rev. 22. 2 3. 4. Satan also who now goeth abroad to deceive the Nations shall then be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and the Accuser of the Saints shall then be judged by them and condemned to those everlasting torments which are prepared for him and his Angels from the beginning Rev. 20. 10. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Matt. 25. 41. CHAP. VI. Jesus Christ the second Adam Author to Man-The life kind of life as the First of Death BY Gods good will and pleasure as Adam the first man from the Earth was made a common person by whose disobedience and fall all dyed So there was to be a second Adam from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. made also a Common person by whose obedience and merits mankind should be repaired and have life 1 Cor. 15. 22. And this was the Son of God of whose supreme dignity and equality with the Father as having the same essence and perfection of nature and consequently the same glory power and all other divine attributes see Phil. 2. 6. Jo. 5. 18 23. -10. 29 30. -17. 5. Rev. 1. 4. -4. 8. comp with Rev. 4. 2. 5. which means the Father and Rev. 1. 8 17. this the Son And 't is not to be passed by that whereas there have been several apparitions of the first and second person of the Trinity they are both described much-what alike see Esai 6. Rev. 1. 13. of the Son Jo. 12. 31. comp Rev. 4. 2. c. of the Father as appears Rev. 5. 7. and Dan. 7. 9. comp 13. according to which attributes no person is before or after another And omnia opera Trinitatis essentialia ad extra i. e. such as have some influence into the creature and where there is no relating of one person to another must needs be indivisa i. e. if of one person of all Because all are but one and the same God yet in respect of acts and agency personal even before the Incarnation whether it be by vertue of eternal generation Ordo sine subordinatione cum una tantum sit essentia divina Missio in divinis non jussionem non imperium sed processionem unius personae ab alia cum novi effectus connotatione significat Bell. Judic de lib. Concordiae So Pater dicitur major filio ratione principii non ratione naturae Notatur enim quaedam authoritas in eo quod pater est principium filii non contra Ita Basilius Nazianz. Hilar. multi veteres c. Bell. de Christo l. 1. c. 6. Cur necesse est si dignitate ordine secundus est filius tertius spiritus natura quoque ipsos secundum tertium esse Basil. see Bell. de Christo l. 2. c. 25. In which sense Qui communicat essentiam naturam communicat potestatem scientiam c. as Aquin. recognitione authoritatis paternae donantis as Hilary or whether it be by the particular economy and dispensation of the Divine wisdom in order to the Creation and the Redemption of the World even before the Incarnation I say as the Father doth nothing without but all by the Son both in the Church and in the world and in these both in the creating and in the ordering and sustaining thereof see Jo. 5. 17 22. Heb. 1. 2 3. Jo. 3. 35. Col. 1. 16 17. Therefore is the Son distinctively from the Father called the Lord because of his immediate Dominion over all things Phil. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Act. 2. 36. 1 Cor. 15. 24. Rom. 1. 7. Eph. 4. 5 6. So the Son every where acknowledgeth all he hath
all knowledg of the various wisdom of God and mysteries of his works but being successively in the due time increaâ—…ed in it according to the dispensation of the Almighty see Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. continually receive their greater illumination and perfection of knowledg he being the eternal wisdom of God and light of the whole world Of whom he is head also as he is of the Church therefore called the elect Angels as men 1 Tim. 5. 21. from whom 't is conceived for doubtless they are conserved by and in all things depend on him by whom they were created they possess their present confirmative grace and illuminations Rev. 19. 10. and shall hereafter receive at the end of the world a greater glory see Eph. 1. 10. Col. 2. 10. -1. 20. As over the Church so over the adversaries of it Luk. 19. 27. Rev. 19. 15. -1. 7. 2 Thess. 1 7 8. As over Christian so over Heathen Kingdoms governing them also with his providence and by his Angels Dan. 10. 13 20. Dan. 11. 1. As over bodies so over souls and consciences to know convince to send torment and self-condemnation into them Rom. 2. 16. 1 Cor. 4. 5. -14. 24. 2 Cor. 10. 2 3. c. Act. 5. 5. -2. 37. -24. 25. Jo. 16. 8. Tit. 3. 11. having power over the laws what shall oblige them what not Annulling the former Ceremonials of Moses Lord of the Sabbath c. Col. 2. 8 9 17 21. Act. 15 10. Gal. 5. 1. -4. 3. Eph. 2. 14. Power to remit and to retain sins with the key of David opening and shutting as he pleasetâ—… Joh. 5. 22. Act. 10. 42. Act. 17. 31. Power as over the living so over the dead the Author of the raising again of their bodies 1 Cor. 15. 45. Jo. 5. 28. all that are in the grave shall hear his voice c. and the disposer of eternal life or torments to whom he pleaseth Jo. 6. 54. -10. 28. Phil. 3. 21. The final Judge and this as man Act. 17. 31. Rev. 1. 7. Jo. 5. 22. Act. 10. 42. before whose tribunal all must appear 2 Cor. 5. 10. judging most righteously being the wisdom of the Father the word the truth Most throughly and those things especially which escape all former judgments of men the secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. See what a word it is that we have to do with in that day described Heb. 4. 12 13. Very accurate and punctual in weighing the several worths of every mans works and putting fire to those that are drossy even of those whom he saves See 1 Cor. 3. 13 15. Gal. 6. 4 5. Judging not only men but Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. and these not only the evil to pass their sentence and deliver them up to torments Matt. 8. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 4. but probably the good also for their reward non disquisitione meritorum sed retributione praemiorum for tho from the beginning of the world they both in respect of their own demenor in themselves have had their sentence and the one then confirm'd in grace and goodness the other having left to them no regress from evil yet in quantum actibus hominum communicati ratione eorum quae circa homines operantur as the Schools the one sort here not doing more necessarily good then the other evil nor the other more rejoycing in our straying from God then the other in our Conversion Luk. 15. 10. which argues the diligence of the one for our salvation as of the other for our destruction Therefore I say if these have not all their punishment already but shall suffer also for deceiving men Rev. 20. 10. and who knows whether this likewise in a just proportion why should we imagine the other to have all their advancement Especially since they are not yet freed from many charges and imployments about persons in dignity much inferior unto them and the perfection of blessedness seems to consist in rest and the end of motion which alwaies tends to something yet desired not attained But occulta Domino Deo nostro Meanwhile how terrible this to those who tread the blood of the Covenant under foot to have their violated enemy their Judge 2 Cor. 5. 11 How comfortable this to those who obâ—…y him to have their Brother to have Power as over men so much more over all the other Creatures Seas Winds and Heaven and Earth who as he made the old so hereafter shall make a new world ending with a Creation of it as he began by the same power by which here He to our astonishment or another in his name i. e. by his power Act. 3. 16. did create or repair an eye or leg or some small piece thereof He being the grand Liberator of the whole world at last as well as of the Sons of God Rom. 8. 21. and Heaven and Earth being in his power as well as all the power therein given him See Heb. 5. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. That we may know that there is nothing nor present nor to come nor high nor low from which he cannot defend us out of which he cannot deliver us Rom. 8. 38 39. and over which we also are not rulers and conquerors thro him that being flesh of our flesh loveth us v. 37. But amongst all these over whom he hath power yet his care is now more special toward the Church his body Eph. 1. 21. Heb. 3. 6. sending abroad Teachers Eph. 4. 7 11. c. distributing to several several gifts of the spirit Phil. 4. 13. communicating a great part of his power to them whatever they ask doing it for them c. helping them in miseries afflictions tho not as yet keeping these from them delivering them from the mastery tho not as yet from the assaults of their enemies For tho all power every where is given him and when any is executed t is executed by him and no part almost of this his universal power but hath in a specimen for an essay and testimony of it been executed by Him already even to that highest one of raising the Dead by him and by others also by his power yet this power was not received to be in every part executed all at once but according to the dispensation of the times appointed by the Father who gave him this power See Heb. 2. 8 9. 1 Cor. 15. 23. c. Matt. 20. 23. He governing all according to his Fathers will whose will yet is the same with his own Therefore is he in respect of some acts of his power described sitting down at Gods right hand and resting and expecting Heb. 10. 13. till the time comes of doing every thing in that order that the Prophets have foretold it i. e. that the Father hath fore-ordained it Act. 3. 21. who hath put the times and seasons of every thing in
his own power as our Savior answered his Disciples when they were inquisitive about his Kingdom Act. 1. 7. as in other acts going forth already conquering and to conquer Neither are all his enemies to be subdued at once but one after another First Antichrist then Satan the last death See Rev. 19. 20. -20. 10 14. 1 Cor. 15. 26. And so are the same enemies also overcome by degrees They first hindred from conquering his elect which power over them he received at the very first then hindred from assaulting For already by the power of his spirit neither the flesh nor Satan are suffered to overcome us except by our own default but only permitted for the exercise of our virtues still to assail us And that meanwhile many by these assaults perish 't is not from any defect of the power or goodness of this king who is so dilâ—…gent that of all that his Father gives him he calleth them all by their names goeth before them leadeth them out fleeth not from them when the wolf cometh looseth not one Jo. 10. 13 12. -17. 12. Ps. 23. 1. and in heaven in the presence of the Angels rejoyceth like the woman that had found her lost piece and the shepheard that had regain'd his straying sheep for the recovery of every sinner See Luk. 15. 7 10. But from the eternal wisdom and law of the Father which law his power must not transgress not to take away free will from man which done all further demerit and reward ceaseth and by which left he must still have a possibility to sin till the consummation of the world But this only Free-will being continued to man without which as vice so all virtue expireth and what is there that he could have done for his vineyard that he hath not done for there is nothing in or without us that can oppose him concerning ns if we our selves do not See Rom. 11. 23. When we believe not when we will not Matt. 23. 37. Mark 6. 5. Rom. 11. 23. Jo. 16. 12. These are the bounds the Father not to overthrow the nature of man hath set to the power of his Son they arguing no impotency nor unwillingness in him but incapability in us Else all things that can make man happy shall be accomplished by the omnipotent power of this King of Saints in their proper season But to express the manner of this kingdom yet more fully we are to know that as God by our Saviors coming into the world and first appearance of the kingdom of God removed away the weak elements and imperfections of the former times and by this light caused all those shadows to vanish so he compleats not this kingdom neither all at once but makes it to grow like Elijah's cloud from the bigness of a man's hand till it cover all the earth and like those waters Ezek. 47. 3. c. by which doubtless are meant the larger and larger effusions of the spirit till the day of the Lord come Act. 2. 17 18 comp 19 20. Umbra in Lege Imago in Evangelio veritas in Caelo S. Ambrose and advanceth it by gentle degrees to more and more perfection till the end come therefore compared to a mustard-seed and a piece of leaven Luk. 13. 19 21. It was the Disciples error Act. 1. to think that the Kingdom of Christ that was but then vagient in its infancy should presently appear in its full strength without any intermediate growth which had it then come to pass and so nothing have been capable of any further perfection the world must also presently have concluded the fulness of all perfection being only in the last scene of the last Act thereof For there is no decrease or revolution to imperfection or standing at a stay in the work of God Man his image cannot endure this in his petty contrivances but increasing alwaies and advancing to that just height he hath determined for them A prognostication of which governing the world he hath left us in the 6 daies work of the Creation of it And so our Saviors kingdom is not yet come to its period of perfection See Dan. 7. 14 9. Heb. 2. 8. Rev. 11. 15. -16. 17. -19. 6. Luk. 19. 11. c. 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Dan. 2. 34 44. Act. 3. 21 23. but in a constant progress toward it both in respect of the subduing of his enemies And the more and more enlarging of his dominion till all the Heathen be his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth his possession And for the first To repeat more largely what was briefly said before tho all power in heaven and earth be already givea unto Him in respect of himself Matt. 28. 18. Tho God hath made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. and we see him crowned already with glory and honor Heb. 2. 9. yet all things are not as yet put under him in reference to his body tho sitting at the right hand of God in his person he is suffering still in his members Col. 1. 24. Saul why persecutest tâ—…ou me At his resurrection long ago he then led captivity i. e. Sin Satan and his instruments Death and its associates captive so as to suffer no more at all from them in his own person nor to suffer in his body the Church so far as that it should be conquered by them Luk. 22. 32. Matt. 16. 18. he then disarming them of their formerly mortal weapons but yet not so far that it should by them be no more assaulted nay the stronger assaults are now toward the latter end of the world as his members are more by him enabled to bear them His servants also conquering the same way as himself they never so much as now since he sits on the Throne being given up to martyrdom and overcoming death by death Christianity is yet only under the conduct of their spiritual Moses travailing afresh in the wilderness toward another Canaan expecting not entred into rest Moses was but a type of Christ the Israelites of the Church Egypt and Babylon and Antiochus of Antichrist that is to be revealed in the last times against whom Christ comes first with aids of grace before he comes with the glory of his presence going forth conquering and to conquer but by several degrees and one enemy after another first triumphing over the Beast and then over his image and the false Prophet first by the constancy the witness and blood of the Saints Rev. 12. 11. Then by the sword of vengeance Râ—…v 19. 15. Then over Satan first so far as to bind him from doing hurt then casting him into destruction Rev. 20. 2 10. and last of all over Death the last of all his enemies that shall be destroyed vers 14. And as the subduing of his Enemies so the enlarging of his dominion is effected by certain degrees He brought salvation to all people but not therefore it tendered to all persons
laid upon him that he cannot walk about and seduce After which conquest first over the ministers and the temptations of Satan he shall also destroy Satan himself and take his Saints also out of the hands of death and raise them again by his power given him from the Father and glorifie them His Kingdom in respect of his members seeming to have three degrees of its growth and his throne 3 steps or ascents one much higher then another The first beginning at his resurrection a kingdom of grace chiefly when our Savior first goes forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 2. The second beginning at the fall of Antichrist and restraint of Satan Rev. 19. 20. -20. 2. The entrance of our Savior into a kingdom of power a kingdom mixt of grace and of glory too his kingdom on earth See Rev. 19. 6. -20. 4. The third which is the consummation of it and the kingdom of absolute glory his kingdom in heaven beginning at the destroying the last enemy Death and the general resurrection Rev. 20. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Matt. 25. 31. Luk. 19. 12. And then he shall give up this kingdom unto the Father when God shall become all in all in him and in us That is when this Vicegerent in a kingdom now full of opposition shall have gathered all Gods elect into safety and felicity destroyed all enemies and gathered out of it all things that offend Matt. 13. 41. finished his business for which he reigned i. e. our salvation Then shall this General give up his Commission as we say there needs no government where nothing can disobey and return with the Father and and the Holy Spirit to govern after a new and in respect of the manner of it if I may so say after an higher way i. e. God shall govern immediately without any appropriated service of Christ or Angels or men his substitutes or use of external means without the least contradiction or opposition of any thing in his kingdom whereby his glory now is as it were violated and diminished himself offended and displeased When God takes again to him as it were his great power see the expression Rev. 11. 17. for God the Father by the wickedness of free will now as it were admits and undergoes some diminution of his glory and governs with as entire and pure a glory as we may imagine he did before the world was and when there was nothing but himself and perfect and infinite glory reflected only from himself Our Savior also having this kingdom resign'd as he then had it with him Jo. 17. 5. So now as then above all and thro all and in all Eph. 4. 6. as all being nothing but himself all So that this resignment of our Saviors government such as now it is is only the transition of it into a greater perfection for it endures for ever and ever Luk. 1. 33. The more things multiplicious are united and things diverse 〈◊〉 into God the more they also being perfected Which as it is true in all other creatures so also according to his humanity may be verified of our Savior blessed for ever more In respect of which consummation of all things that is yet to come all the present things which are consummations of the types of former times are but types themselves and imperfections as also many of those prophecies that are already fulfilled in there are to have a second fuller accomplishment hereafter Our Saviors first coming but a type of the second and the prophecies applyed to this see Mal. 3. 1. Matt. 3. 10 12. much more verified and fulfilled in that Our Sabbaths but types of the rest to come the present communion of Christs body and blood and the present inhabitation of his spirit but types and earnest-pence of a more intimate incorporation and union to him hereafter When whatever he is we shall be like him tho we cannot now imagine what we shall be and our present knowledg and conceit of things seeing them under the law thro a veil under the Gospel thro a glass somewhat clearer but not yet face to face 2 Cor. 3. 14 18. 1 Cor. 13. 12. such as shall hereafter vanish away 1 Cor. 13. 8 12. but by improvement as Stars vanish in a greater light Meanwhile all things under this King of Saints go on apace to their perfection by whom all that is imperfect shall at last be done away And in his Majesty may he ride on prosperously and may his arrows be sharp in the heart of his enemies and the people be subdued unto him and may he remember his poor servants now he is in his kingdom to whom be glory for ever Amen Lastly to conclude this chapter as the rest what is said of his Kingdom is verifyed also of the Saints By whose merits after whose example under whose conduct assisted by his spirit protected by his power all those who depend on him shall also overcome shall have a kingdom thrones reign on Earth rule over the nations judge men and Angels c. only saving to him the primogeniture the preeminence the right hand c. Rev. 2. chap. 3. CHAP. IX The Benefits of our Savior common to all Generations ever since the Creation LASTLY As all these benefits come to mankind by and thro Christ so they came alwaies by him to all generations of men ever since the Creation And as well these before as those since his coming in the flesh attained salvation and were blessed only by in and thro him God perfecting as all his other works so that of our redemption by degrees and still reserving some better thing behind to superinduce upon the former that the precedent without the following times might not be made perfect Heb. 11. 40. appointed not the full-manifestation of his Son for taking away our sin c. nor after the Son reascended the visible and more plenary descension of the Holy Ghost for enabling our obedience c. till the last times indeed But yet he not only promised them I mean to his Church from the beginning where note that in what manner the sending of the Messias or the promised seed so the sending of the spirit wat only promised to former ages See for this which is less taken notice of Gal. 3. 14. Act. 2. 3â—… 39. Esai 32. 15. -44. 3. Jer. 31. 33. -32. 40. Ezek. 11. 19. -36. 27. Joel 2. 29. Zech. 12. 10. c. and raised a continued expectation and longing for them both in men and Angels Mal. 3. â—… 1 Pet. 1. 12. and therefore the faithful were then called the children of the promises and the priviledges of the Jews the then Church of God said to be great in that they had the promises see Rom. 9. 4. -3. 3. Act. 2. 39. But he also exhibited them and this not only in types the figures and representations of what was to come As all former times were almost in all things types of the latter
powerful in working according to the promise Jo. 14. 20. after his departure 2. Of the manner of their conveyance which will much advance our confidence if we consider our near relation For we receive them not by his procurement only from the Father but even from his own hand Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father c. Jam. 1. 17. but thro and by immediate donation of the Son and by the same way as all our praiers and sacrifices ascend and enter in blessings come forth of this Sanctâ—…ary Upon his asking all things are given him Psal. 2. 8. whom the Father alwaies hears and at his own pleasure he dispenseth them Act. 2. 33. â—…ph 1. 3. And this the having in his own power the gift of all things from whose hands we may be sure we shall want nothing belongs peculiarly to the tenure of his Priesthood being Melchisedechial and joyned with Kingship Sacerdotium Regale or Sacerdotale regnum i. e. having royalty and power joyned with it as before the law these two were joyned in the Princes of families so after the law they are united in Christ a King over all but Him whom as a Priest he serves Therefore we find him sitting at the right hand and the promise of having his enemies made his footstool so frequently joined with his Priesthood and intercession for to shew the everlasting power of his Priesthood See Heb. 8. 1. Rom. 8. 34. Ps. 110. 1. comp with 4. Act. 2. 33. Ps. 2. 8. Therefore since he ever liveth to make intercession he is able to save saith the Apostle not willing only Heb. 7. 25. Able to succour Heb. 2. 18. see Jo. 17. 2 24. Father I will that c. Jo. 14. 13 14. If ye shall ask any think in my name his asking or our asking in his name is all to one effect as is shewed before I will do it where he shews both his dependance on his Father as a Priest and power over all things else as a King Besides this officiating as an Intercessor in Heaven as a Sanctuary as he is High Priest wherein he is compared to Aaron Our Savior by the same Apostle in his treatise of his Priesthood is called the Captain of our Salvation bringing many sons of God unto glory Heb. 2. 10. Lord of the houshold of God and conducter of them into a promised place of rest and forerunner entred before them into Heaven as it is the land of promise and this as he is a regal High Priest wherein he is compared to Moses and Joshua his successor conducters of Israel towards Canaan See Heb. 2. 10. -3. 1 2 6. -4. 8 9 14. -6. 20. comp with Heb. 12. 1 2 18 22 25. -11. 14 16. We being in this world after our deliverance from Egypt the dominion of Satan and sin and passing thro the Red Sea of Baptism 1 Cor. 10. 2. yet as in the Wilderness a dry and thirsty land where no water is as the Psalmist spiritually complains of it see Psal. 63. 1. -39. 12. -119. 19. whoever take it for any thing else much mistake it now under Christ I speak of him according to his manhood our Conductor as they were under Moses and Joshua and all things that were done there were examples 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. First therefore as Moses when the mount of God burnt with fire nothing but blackness and darkness and tempest nothing but wrath and judgment towards us and fear least the fire of the Lord should break forth upon us having all sinned as Israel had and none durst draw near to speak for us Behold him coming forth out of the midst of us the true Mediator and going for us into the Mount and there like Moses Exod. 32. 30. making an attonement for us And tho there is yet to come another shaking of all things shaking heaven and earth and all in pieces under this second Moses Heb. 12. 26. far more terrible then that under the first wherein he shall come in judgment to destroy his enemies from which then there shall be no Mediator to hinder him as Exod. 32. 10 11. yet then to those that obey him this Mount Sinai shall be changed into Mount Sion and the city of the living God c. see Heb. 12. 22. c. where are such and such glorious company And thither shall he also carry up his Brethren after the remainder of the 40 daies or 6 weeks of his abode there are expired Meanwhile from thence not from an higher place of the earth but from the highest heaven into which he is gone up he continually speaks unto us not with that terror as the Angels from Mount Sinai gave the law but with the soft voice of his spirit the ministration of which by him is opposed to that of the law by Moses 2 Cor. 3. 8 9. And wo be to all them that refuse to hear him far beyond those that refused to hear Moses Heb. 12. 25. -10. 29. 2. And then as resembled by Joshua or Jesus called so as a type of him he is the Conductor also of the people of God into the true land of promise Heb. 4. 8. the place of rest the rest of God Heb. 4. 5. Into which God hath sworn no unbelievers shall enter And into this our blessed Savior is entred already before us and set down the posture of resting at the right hand of God entred not only as a forerunner Heb. 6. 20. or leader to give an example that we should follow him thither the Anchor of our hope being already cast within the veil by the taking possession of this our forerunner Heb. 6. 19 20. But also a forerunner or Harbinger as Joshua his type also was to view that good land as it were and there to prepare a place for us Jo. 14. 2 3. in that house where are many mansions the heavens that we see being but a center to it from whence God looks down upon them as they upon the earth Ps. 113. not any therefore but an honourable a choice place there see Rev. 4. 4. where the Church-men were sitting on either side of Gods Throne in the midst of all the glorious train of Heaven and the Angels standing in a circle about them Rev. 5. 11. -7. 11. Father I will that those be with me where I am to behold my Glory c. Jo. 17. 24. not in the same region but in the same place of it where his glorious body is not in the Country only but of the Court following and waiting on the Lamb there where ever he goeth which is named as some special honour Rev. 16. 4. -7. 15. -3. 4. And from thence after this place prepared for us and us for it he hath promised to come again and accompany us thither in person Thus is he a forerunner to all the faithful in respect of their bodies entring into that celestial Canaan he being the first-born from the dead but
again forerunner according to the opinion of antiquity of the souls too entring into the heavenly Sanctuary in respect of the spirits not only of all Saints dying since him of this no question but of all those that deceased before him from the beginning the very first into this Sanctuary as none ever entred for the cause but by and in relation to him so none for the time beâ—…ore him which opinion seems to be strengthned from thâ—… expressions of our Savior concerning Lazarus That He i. e. his soul. as Luk. 21. 43. this day shalt thou i. e. thy soul was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom as being Father of the faithful a place of bliss doubtless being opposed to the other's place of torment wherein Lazarus received consolations but now we are said to be gathered unto Christ after this life we and Abraham and all into Christs bosom ours and Abrahams Father See 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. Phil. 1. 23. Act. 7. 59. Eph. 1. 10. Again as 't is said in general Heb. 9. 8. That the way into the holiest was not made manifest under the old Testament so in particular of the Saints of it that they received not the promises before us Which may be interpreted not only of the promises of the Messias but also of those obtained thro him spoken of vers 13 14 16. that they without us were not made perfect Heb. 11. 40. and perhaps in respect of this is the same term used Heb. 12. 23. of the spirits of just men now made perfect i. e. admitted into the Holiest by and with our Savior according to the hymn having overcome death thou openedst the kingdom of heaven to all Therefore none of tâ—…e old Testament Celestial visions have any representation of any Church there none of the new are without it See Rev. 4. 4. Heb. 12. 22 23. where setting down the Court of Heaven he numbers the spirits of just men and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probably the same with those primitiae Rev. 14. 4. To this purpose some apply Zech. 9. 11 12. comp 9. Jo. 14. 3. Matt. 25. 6 10. Into which notwithstanding the good tidings this Joshuah hath told us of it many fail to enter in partly thro unbelief of the glory and riches of that place beyond this Egypt or Wilderness like those Numb 14. chap. longing and lusting after denyed Onyons and Garlick whilst they are fed with Manna and partly thro cowardliness of not fighting their carnal lusts and withstanding the pleasures of this present life the enemies and Gyants which hinder them from possessing this Holy land which notwithstanding this Joshua and his faithful Souldiers have in many battails discomfited before them But seeing there remaineth a rest Heb. 4. 9. and seeing we have a great High Priest tâ—…at is passed c. v. 14. let us lay aside every weight and run with patience c. looking unto Jesus c. who is set down there Heb. 12. 1 2. that at the last we may be made partakers of of Christ. Heb. 3. 14. Thus much of our Saviors officiating in this perpetual Office of Priest above But 1. As God also still retains Sanctuaries on Earth there are certain persons substituted by him in the same sacred office to do that in these earthly which their Master doth in the Heavenly Church 1. By whom first the sacrifice of his body and blood is presented here unto God for a remembrance of him unto the Father in the consecrated elements for all the same purposes for which it is presented by our great High Priest there i. e. for all the purposes for which he offered it first on the Cross. See Mal. 1. 11. Gal. 3. 1. Itaque veteres in hoc mystico sacrificio non tam per actae semel in cruce oblationis cujus hic memoria celebratur quam perpetui sacerdotii jugis sacrificii ad quotidie in coelis sempiternus sacerdos offert rationem habuerunt cujus hic imago per solennes Ministrorum preces exprimitur Cassand p. 169. 2. By whom is Intercession made both by presenting their own praiers for the people and also the peoples prayers to God thro Christ. For God accepteth no praiers but thro Christ nor yet all those that are made in Christs name except either they come from persons deputed by him who is so dearly loved to which persons God hath made extraordinary promises as those I conceive are Matt. 18. 18 19. Jo. 16. 23. c. or from those that are holy and like unto him For sinners God heareth not till reformed The emploiment of the Saints in heaven as we have any notice of it is praier and praises For first since the spirits of Saints departed hence are in paradise Luk. 23. 43. and with Christ Phil. 1. 23. are now said to be made perfect Heb. 12. 23. and clothed with white garments Rev. 6. 11. that is advances in charity and purity greater then here are described in Priests habits having in their hands vials of incense doubtless to offer it which is interpreted by St. John to be praiers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8 -8. 3. have a zeal to Gods glory in mens salvation beyond ours or their own whilst on earth and more charity which grace is not decayed by death but perfected 1 Cor. 13. 8. 2. Since their interpellations there can prejudice our Saviors no more then the Priests intercessions here 1 Tim. 2. 1. and if any ask what needs theirs we may as justly reply what need these nay what need any praiers at all see Matt. 6. 8. Tho little concerning this their interpellation is revealed and those Christians who have implored it seeming to have grounds partly on Miracles pretended to be done by them But probably true ones done and that frequently at their memorials See Austin Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. and partly on pretended apparitions of them after deceased yet in general it seems piously credible that as Christs members on earth now suffer as he did on earth so his members in heaven intercede for these sufferers at least in general as he doth there and echo unto the King of Heaven the words of their Master as the Angels do to the Church Rev. 5. 12. comp with 9. Rev. 7. 11 12. comp with 9 10. And that petition Rev. 6. 10. I cannot imagine so circumscribed to themselves that it did not represent to God also the sad condition of their Brethren on earth mentioned vers 11. See Rev. 5. 9. where the Presbyters give praise for the salvation of others as well as of themselves for those of every tongue kindred people and Nation See Rev. 11. 17 18. Thus much of our Saviors officiating in the heavenly Sanctuary and his Ministers here Now this discourse as the former must be concluded with the communicating of this honour also unto us who look whatever he is that we also shall be for we shall be like him 1 Jo. 3. 2.
who shall be saved in that day yet this salvation shall be much more difficultly attained by some then others 1 Cor. 3. 15. It cannot be imagined that the state of all the souls of those who rest in peace are alike blissful in the interval between death and judgment or equally comforted of some of whom such a severe examen is afterwards to be passed It cannot be that such a difference of the salvandi being to be in judgment there should be none before it nor the same soul so much in bliss at one time as some other see Rev. 20. 4. -14. 1. -7. 4 9 14 15. comp Rev. 6. 10 11. Yet it seems plain I say that the soul in general severed from the body doth afterwards of it self subsist That it is still intelligent and hath use of its faculties That it because other spirits are is capable 〈◊〉 â—…wing things corporeal That it certain of salvation passeth at least those of the more perfect carried thither by Angels Luk. 16. 22. comp Matt. 24. 31. Luk. 16. 9. comp Luk. 12. 20. into a place of rest consolation inchoative bliss or certain of its damnation of imprisonment and inchoated pain till the resurrection of the body Secondly That the souls of the faithful since his resurrection are gathered to Christ and do tho not all in the same proximity and degrees of consolations then see and behold him and the blessed Angels See 2 Cor. 5. 7. comp with 6. 8. for if St. Paul desires this change because here we walk by faith not by sight therefore we walk there by sight not by faith See 1 Cor. 13. 12. comp with 10. and Heb. 12. 23. So Calvin who spake very warily in this point Animae piorum militiae labore defunctae in beatam quietem concedunt ubi cum felici laetitia fruitionem promissâ—… gloriae expectant and again Christus illis praesens est eas recipit in paradisum ut consolationem percipiant c. Reproborum vero animâ—… the furthest removed from God and light cruciatus quales meritae sunt patiuntur vinctae catenis ut etiam diaboli Jude 6. tenentur donec ad supplicium cui addictae sunt trabantur It is plain I say from these texts well considered Matt. 10. 28. Job 1. 8. 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Heb. 12. 23. Act. 7. 59. Luk. 23. 43 46. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Phil. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. comp 6. and 8. Luk. 16. 22. 〈◊〉 20. Rev. 19. 22. comp 20. 12. In some of which tho some things are said of the person yet they must needs be understood only of the soul Animus cujusque est quisque And indeed it were unreasonable to deny to the soul in its state of separation that converse with God those favors revelations c. from him which we must grant to it in an extasy wherein the body lies as it were dead and unserviceable unto it which St. Paul experienced in his raptures 2 Cor. 12. 2. and to the Prophets in their dreams These things granted to see a little further whether any thing can be discovered concerning the imployments c. of the souls of the Blessed that are with Christ. First we find the Court of Heaven as now it is since our Saviors Ascension described by the Apostle Heb. 12. 22. c. to consist of God Christ Angels a Church or general assembly of the first-born and spirits of just men made perfect called by him in other places the Family in Heaven Eph 3. 15. Thâ—… Jerusalem above our Mother-City Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. In respect of which we are said to have our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven Phil. 3. 20. And perhaps that text Eph. 2. 〈◊〉 where we are said to be set down with Christ may be meant of that part of the Church which now resides in Heaven Again in all St. Johns visisions we find besides all the usual appearances of the old Testament first the representation of a Church or Ecclesiastical Senate now in heaven described before Heb. 12. 22. and these there praising God for the Creation Rev. 4. 10 11. then the Lamb Rev. 5. 8. for his mercy to the Church and for his judgment upon its enemies for all the works of God are one of these two for the reward they had received Redemption of the whole Church out of every nation and people amongst which still this comes in that they were made Priests and Kings as we find it every where frequent see Rev. 1. 6. -7. 15. -20. 6. and for that they should receive reigning upon earth i. e. in the new Jerusalem descending from Heaven Rev. 21. 2. after the execution of Gods judgments upon their the Churches enemies See Rev. 5. 9 10. -11. 16 17 18. which praise in the 4. and 11. chap. the 24. Presbyters singly perform and tho in the 5th the Cherubims joyn with them 't is in the worshiping not in the song as drawn in that form for else the Angels every where glorify God as fellow Servants Rev. 19. 10. -22. 9. for his mercies to the Church 2dly Besides this Senate we find mention of souls first of the primitive Martyrs those slain for the witness of Jesus appearing under the Altar where sacrifices were slain and the blood which is the life or soul Lev. 17. 14. poured out at foot thereof and here crying out How long before the time of vengeance Rev. 6. 10. not that they thirst after Revenge but their reward yet this thirst void of impatience which it seems was not to be bestowed till the accomplishment of the rest of their Brethren yet under persecution and the destruction of their enemies see Rev. 20. chap. as Gods reward and punishments have their solemn and set times and are not of men single but of many together thus it is in the first resurrection Rev. 20. 4 5. after destruction of the Beast c. Rev. 19. 20. those sooner and later martyred crowned at once and thus in the second Resurrection Rev. 20. 12. At the destruction of Satan and death those long and lately dead raised at once Meanwhile there are given them white Robes and rest Rev. 6. 11. white robes implying both the righteousness innocency holiness of these Saints which they bring with them from the Earth see Rev. 19. 8. -7. 4. -3. 4. and the glory and light and beauty which is given to this innocency from God after this upon their number accomplished and judgment ready to be executed upon those who killed them See Rev. 8. 7. c. we find these souls clothed with white robes and palms in their hands standing before the Throne c. and praising God and admitted to serve him in his Temple and to follow the Lamb c. Rev. 7. 9 15. c. Next we find the souls of those who living in latter times had gotten the victory over the Beast first with patience resting and their good works i. e. their white linnen following them
resisted his will but that he chose rather to found his kingdom over Creatures of reason in another way i. e. in a voluntary free and chosen submission unto him which might be to them an obedience of more reward and to their Soveraign of greater honor but they straight abused it to his great dishonor and their own shame to repair therefore this kingdom of his Father again in the way God first established it i. e. in mans free submission to and elected service of God And out of a zeal to his Fathers greater glory in procuring him also to be glorified by us his Creatures as he also glorified him For his chief end of his now-to-be-acquired Kindom was the glorifying of his Father not himself see Jo. 17. 1. -13. 31 32. -14. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 28. comp 24 25. where after perfecting of our salvation he resigns his kingdom and as man becomes a subject for what glory could he purchase a new which he had not before voluntarily quitted see Jo. 17. 5. 2. Next out of the singular honour he destined for man to carry up our nature and set it above all principalities and powers c. and to give us those near relations to God as no Creature besides is honored with to be the Lambs wife to sit down with him and judge the nation nay Angels c. made lower then the Angels to be crowned in Him with majesty and Honor above them Ps. 8. Heb. 2. 3. Again out of compassion to man who at the beginning made in Gods image had a kingdom and immortality promised him and by his folly lost it to give him a pattern and shew him the way how he might regain it 4. Lastly to exercise his kingdom which he alwaies had over the Church now with more tenderness of love by contracting new relations unto his subjects and investing their nature and making it a dominion fraternal and with if I may so say more pity and compassion from his experirience by tasting the same infirmities with them by which he might also much more strengthen their hope and confidence in him and so advance their endeavors For these and many more reasons foreseen by this the wisdom of the Father He emptied Himself of all his eternal glories forgat his Creation of all things laid aside his Crown his right to any thing so rich and having all things became poor and having nothing For which how lively doth he resemble his type Abraham in his leaving his own Country and his Fathers house and coming to sojourn as it were into a strange land That so he might be made likewise for the promise to Abraham was chiefly performed to Christ Heyr of the world and Lord of all Nations Till God should rebestow all these upon him as a reward to a Creature of yielding obedience to his Commands and exercising all sinless patience in all temptations according to those promises of a kingdom upon the like patience and obedience made to man For God from the beginning had destined man unto a kingdom Matt. 25. 34. comp 41. but according as his eternal wisdom had decreed mutatability and variation in the things here below and the building by degrees of perfection out of imperfection and the bringing forth of good out of the womb of evil this kingdom and this glory was to be attained by man thro free will thro temptations of the threefold enemy and by a conquest over them Therefore the first man also to come to this happiness was first to encounter the world the flesh and the devil A tree set afore him in the very midst of the Garden standing by the tree of life Gen. 3. 3. -2. 9. good for food pleasant for sight soveraign for its virtue being called the tree of knowledg and desirable saith the text to make one wise Gen. 3. 6. A woman of the same flesh with him and Satan setting her on c. And as he if standing thro all these so his posterity ever since whosoever of them shall pass thro these temptations in all obedience and patience are to have a kingdom c. But so it happened That the first man created to this hope yet weakly failed under those assaults and forsaking Gods word and believing the divels lyes sought a kingdom indeed but not by the way of humility and obedience and shutting his eyes which God had prescribed but by the ambition of wisdom and having his eyes open and knowing good and evil and being as Gods which the devil suggested and so both he and his posterity were defeated of it Our Savior therefore to repair this loss became man to win a kingdom upon the same promises and this second Adam conquered where the first was foiled and for this victory was afterward crowned To this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord c. Rom. 14. 9. see Jo. 5. 27. Because or as he is Phil. 2. 6 7 8. c. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Jo. 13. 3. Luk. 1. 32. Esai 9. 6. Heb. 2. 9 10 14. Psal. 45. 7. Act. 2. 36. -10. 42. -17. 31. Matt. 28. 18. c. to shew to man the truth and performance of Gods promises and to be an example of the possibility of attaining them and being made perfect to be a Joseph in the Court of heaven and an Author of salvation unto his Brethren who animated by his example assisted by his spirit and protected by his power thro the same way of obedience and sufferings shall attain the same reign and dominion and kingdom as the man Christ Jesus hath See Luk. 12. 32. -22. 30. Rev. 2. 26 27. -3. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Rev. 20. 4. -5. 10. Dan. 7. 22. And this by the everlasting appointment of the Father Matt. 25. 34. thro the Son Luk. 22. 29. And now to view the greatness and extent of this kingdom of the man Christ Jesus bestowed upon him for his perfect obedience and willing sufferings we find it as large as that of God the Father who is for this universal dominion given him of the Father stiled ordinarily in scripture the Lord as the Father God See Rom. 1. 7. Act. 2. 36. Phil. 2. 11. All power that can be named over every name that can be named in Heaven Earth under earth As over the evil Angels not only to quel them in all opposition but also to imploy them in his service see 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 1 Tim. 1 20. and to dispose of them in their motions See Matt. 8. 31 32. so over all the good and that for his humiliations Phil. 2. 9 10. comp with 8. 1 Pet. 3. 22. whom he imploies as his Ministers and servants in all 〈◊〉 of his government See Matt. 13. 41. Rev. 1. 1. called his Angels as well as of God Act. 12. 11. Jo. 5. 28. comp with 2 Thess. 4. 16. whom they all adore Hâ—…b 1. 6. And from whom they not having naturally or originally
last place he laid down his life and died a Martyr for the Truth he had taught 1 Tim. 6. 13. Rev. 1. 5. -3. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now after his resurrection from the Dead by the Divine power in Justification also of the truth of doctrine He being to return to God from whence he came and the same truth being necessary to be preached sins remitted Sacraments administred the Holy Ghost conferred c. to the end of the world to one Country after another and in them to one generation after another the last thing he did here on Earth was the ordaining some others for these offices in his name after he had now finished the work of our Redemption which was to be the subject of their preaching For his former mission of them was only preparatory Matt. 10. to tell men that the Kingdome of Heaven was near at hand which now after his conquest of Sathan and of death by his death was fully come erected and compleated Jo. 12. 31. Jo. 19. 30. At which time also he was to receive as he had before in his own person so now the promise of the Father so long expected the effusions of the Holy Spirit upon his seed even the whole Church but these especially upon his Apostles A type of which was Moses's spirit taken part of it and put upon the 70 Elders Num. 6. 11. which Apostles were to minister this spirit to others Gal. 3. 2 5. The solemnity of whose Ordination and Commission we find Jo. 20. 21 22 23. Matt. 18. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. Luk. 24. 47. Therefore is our Lord named for the Author of administrations and offices as the Father of miracles and the Holy Ghost of gifts 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. To these as his Vicegerents he derived the Doctrine the Authority the Spirit the anointing himself had received of the Father See Jo. 15. 15. -17. 8 18. Eph. 3. 9 10. 1 Cor. 2. 10 13. Eph. 4. 7 8. Act. 2. 33. Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 21. Concerning whom also he left this Testimony to the world as the Father had done of him He that heareth you heareth me Matt. 10. 40. Luk. 10. 16. Matt. 17. 5. and as the Father sent me so I you Jo. 20. 21. -17. 18. Hence also are his own attributes frequently communicated to them They called foundations Matt. 16. 18. compared with 19. 24. Eph. 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14. And they also said to save men Jude 23. Rom. 11. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 16. Job 33. 24. and at the last day to sit on a Throne as He to judge men as he See Jo. 5. 22. Matt. 19. 28. Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor 6. 3. To these he gave power to Baptize i. e. admit into the Church those they saw fit which implies their power also to refuse the unfit see Act. 10. 47 48. the Apostle ordering and others ministring Baptism And this again infers power to exclude out of the Church the backsliding and those not observing the conditions upon which they were admitted To these he gave power to preach and to declare to the world all the counsel of God which he had manifested to them and to be Ambassadors to men about their reconciliation to God for Christ and in his stead 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. Act. 20. 27. 2 Cor. 10. 8. Gal. 4. 14. Therefore they are said to speak in Christ. 2 Cor. 2. 17. To be received as Angels of God and as Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 14. and in their ministry to be a sweet savour of Christ unto God 2 Cor. 2. 15. He Authorizing them to make Ecclesiastical Laws and to order all the affairs of the Church See 1 Cor. 11. 34. -14. chap. 1 Cor. 16. 1. Act. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 4. 17. To these also he committed his keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to take confessions and submissions to bind and absolve to remit sin or revenge it and that by his power and in his person Matt. 18. 18. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 2 Cor. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 6. 2 Cor. 13. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 23. called the glory of Christ i. e. His representation and image see 1 Cor. 11. 7. To continue the dispensation of his sacred Body and Blood to the worlds end 1 Cor. 11. 26. which his Sacred hands first administred to them to all the Faithful and as to admit the worthy so to exclude the unworthy from that holy Communion 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. see 1 Cor. 10. 16. Act. 20. 11. Luk. 22. 19. The Hoc facite having been alwaies understood to have special reference to the Apostle's and their successours consecrating or blessing breaking and delivering it as well as to others receiving it To intercede for the people and procure remission of their sins from God by their prayers Jam. 5. 14 15. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Job 42. 8. Gen. 20. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 1. And the promises of hearing their requests Matt. 18. 19 20. Jo. 16. 23. seem to be made to them not in general as Christians but more especially as Gods Ministers and Apostles and that both for binding and loosing the people from their sins So see the Presbyters in the description of the Church triumphant holding in their hands the prayers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. to be offered up to him that sitteth on the Throne as Incense is These He enlightned with the spirit tho others also see Jer. 31. 34. Jo. 6. 45. yet them extraordinarily for knowledge of the truth For I imagine those expressions Jo. 16. 13 25. comp with Jo. 15. 16 20 26 27. like to which are those 1 Jo. 2. 20 27. to belong to the Apostles specially as Christs ministers Therefore the stile of their whole Body in a Council runneth It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us See Act. 15. 28. -5. 3. -7. 51. 2 Cor. 6. 4 6. As also those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit at or after Baptism bestowed by laying on of the Apostles hands were not onely for Sanctification of the person see Matt. 7. 22. 1 Cor. 13. 1. but also for the publick benefit further edification of the Church by them Rom. 12. 6 7. 1 Cor. 12. 7. And enabling them by it that which all humane wisdom is too weak to effect see 1 Cor. 5. 10 12 13. -4. 19. to convince mens consciences convert their minds cast down throughout the world imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and with terrors of conscience with Sathan himself to revenge all disobedience and this by the power of Christ who speaketh and acteth in them 2 Cor. 13. 3. See 2 Cor. 10. 2 3 4 5. c. -13. 2 4 10. Jo. 16. 8. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Act. 2. 37. Matt. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 4. 21. 3 Jo. 10. 2 Jo. 10. Tit. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5. On the
then to carry the wood only the instrument whereon he was to suffer and to have his arms tyed But this sacrifice was not only offered up but the Altar much changed from that of the sacrifices under the Law That he might undergo a more accursed and painful and publick and long mactation Hang'd in a common place of execution full of skulls Matt. 27. 33. by the Highway side ver 39. between two thieves stript naked and surely which never happened to any besides whilst he was suffering those acute pains whilst the Serpent and death were thrusting their stings into him instead of pitty which is then but humanity all the world deriding him Ps. 69. 20. He looked for some to take pitty but there was none mocked reviled by the chief Priests Scribes Elders vers 41. by the Soldiers with their bitter gall vers 34. Luk. 23. 35. by the passengers vers 39. and that nothing might be a wanting by those miserable creatures too that were executed with him whilst his acquaintance stood a far off See Psal. 88. 7 8. c. Thus therefore he as the Lamb of God slain from the beginning in the types of other Sacrifices bestowed Himself on us and was offered unto his Father by us and for us a Lamb without spot and without blemish the only sacrifice acceptable unto God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. being an oblation devoted and consecrated to the Lord not only in his death but in all his life Rom. 12. 1. which said of us is much more true of him Nor only in his sufferings see Esai 53. 5. by his stripes we are healed but in all his obedience and service not pleasing himself Rom. 15. 3. or doing his own will in any thing but his Fathers Therefore saith he sacrifice thou wouldst not have Then said I lo I come to do thy will Ps. 40. 9. And this to fulfil not only one but all those ends for which those spiritual sacrifices under the Law were ordained and which they only obumbrated the body being of Christ. Col. 2. 17. Thro which sacrifice now we do not only receive remission of his sins pardonable only thro him but present all our Devotions praises thanksgivings acceptable only through him and obtain readmission into amity and fellowship with God and receive all deliverances and blessings temporal and eternal from God only derivable unto us through Him To whom be glory for ever Amen 1. Then He was the real Expiatory sacrifice for the sins of the world Matt. 26. 28. 1 Jo. 3. 1. answering to and fulfilling the type of the Legal sin-offerings both of that slain and burnt without the Camp according to which he also suffered without the gate Heb. 13. 11 12. the blood of which was carried and sprinkled before the Lord into the innermost Sanctuary upon the solemn day of Expiation once a year Levit. 16. cap. and into the outer Sanctuary at all other times Levit. 4. and 5. cap. according to which His also is now presented in the Heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 10. 19. -9. 12. -8. 2. of which the other place was but a shaddow and type Heb. 8. 5. And of that other scape-sacrifice Levit. 16. 21 22. which after the Priest had laid his hands upon its Head and confessed over it all the iniquities of himself and of the people was let go into the wilderness the like to which was also done in purifying of bodily uncleanness in a scape-bird Lev. 14. 7. according to which He also is said to be the Lamb of God that took and carried away the sins of the world after God had laid on him the iniquities of us all Esai 53. 6. who died so as that he also was delivered from death and as he was resembled by the one sin-offering in his being slain so by the other in his being raised again In which respect also leaven and honey which hath the same nature with it suddenly fermenting altering and corrupting things were forbidden and contrarily salt preserving things commanded to be used in all Sacrifices being types doubtless of that which is said of and was fulfilled in the true sacrifice Ps. 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul c. which resurrection to life was a sign of Gods accepting this offering made for us as the Angel ascending to Heaven in the flame of the Altar was unto Manoah Judg. 13. 20 23. of the acceptation of his 2. Again he was the Real answering to the typical sacrifice under the Law the purifying of corporal uncleanness See Lev. 14. and 15. cap. As the blood of Bulls and the ashes of an Heifer sanctified to the purifying of the flesh so the sprinkling of his blood offered without spot to God purging the conscience from dead works c. Heb. 9. 13 14. see Heb. 9. 21 23. comp with Eph. 1. 10. Col. 1. 20. with which blood also as with that other cleansing composition there was running down from the Cross a mixture of water Jo. 19. 34. He not suffering the ordinary punishment of other Malefactors but as on one side a bone of him was not broken which was usual to represent the paschal Lamb so on the other side his pericardium and his very heart was pierced contrary to custome that blood and water the compound of our purification might be drawn out of his sacred side one for the expiation of us from the guilt of punishment for our justification in respect of sins past and the other for washing out of us the stain of sin for our sanctification from living in sin for the time to come Blood signifying our redemption by the effusion of his life and water signifying our regeneration by his effusion of the Holy Spirit Act. 2. 33. Jo. 7. 39. Matt. 3. 11. Therefore this was he saith the Apostle 1 Jo. 5. 6. that came by water and blood not by water only but by water and blood and he that saw them bare record Jo. 19. 35. And these also bear record the two Sacraments of the new Testament water in Baptism and blood in the Lords supper by which Sacraments in vertue of his passion our sins are now also remitted and cleansed See Act. 2. 38. Matt. 26. 28. And these two together with the operations of the Spirit â—…oyned with them shall bear witness on earth and seal the effects of this Sacrifice unto us to the end of the world 1 Joh. 5. 8. see Eph. 5. 26 27. 3. He was the Real Holocaust fulfilling the type of the legal burnt-offering In burnt-offerings and sacrifice for sin thou hadst no pleasure then said I Lo I come Heb. 10. 4 5. His only sacrifice being of a sweet smelling Savor unto God Eph. 5. 2. comp with Lev. 19. Exod. 29. 41. which the sin-offering alone was not Lev. 5. 11. Mumb. 5. 15. and therefore might have no Frankincense nor Oil upon it Lev. 5. 11. Numb 5. 15. In which only the Father was well pleased Matt. 3. 17. -12.
life knowledge power to the gift and Communication and all he doth to the command and appointment and exemplar of the Father Himself to live by him to have life in himself as the Father hath but from his gift to be sent by him not only the man Christ Jesus to be sent to us in the flesh and human nature but the second Person in the Trinity then the only begotten Son of God the Father see 1 Jo. 4. 9. comp Jo. 3. 13 17. Jo. 6. 38 39. -17. 5. Heb. 1. 2 3. to be first also sent into the flesh and to take human nature upon him for he that was sent descended from Heaven and was made flesh see 1 Jo. 4. 2. Jo. 16. 28. Heb. 2. 14 16. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Jo. 6. 38. Again to judge do as he hears from him as he is taught by him Jo. 8. 28. as he hath seen him do the works he shews him operating as it were after his pattern see Jo. 5. 6. 7. 8. chapters Jo. 14. 28. -17. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 27. Jo. 10. 18. -5. 30. -8. 15. -10. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Many of which places if not all cannot be understood of his human nature Neither are these expressions incongruent to the second person of the Trinity since the like are granted to be used of the third the Holy Ghost See Jo. 15. 26. -16. 13 14 15. 2. But secondly which is more to our purpose in the mystery of the Incarnation here God the Father only represents the whole Deity in its Glory and Majesty and God the Son then divested stripped and emptied Himself of that form of God in which he was and in respect of the use and exercise of it further then as the Father pleased to dispense it unto him of all the Majesty and power of his Divinity In which thing our blessed Lord was fore-typified by Sampson for thus was he for the love of an Harlot we were no better willing to part with and to lay aside all his strength to be bound by his own Nation and delivered up to his enemies Judg. 15. 11. to be blinded and made sport with and to be put to death but by his death as Sampson destroying his enemies and getting the victory See Judg. 16. Thus he became in fashion only as a man Luk. 12. 50. undertaking all the imperfections that are without sin of human nature such as others have and receiving all the perfections of it from the gift of God the Father so as others do c. Suffering the imperfection and infirmities not only of the body but those innocent ones of the Soul too and these not only in the sensitive and appetitive faculties as fear sorrow Mark 14. 34. horror of death c. In so much that he was capable of being strengthened by one of those Angels whom he had made Luk. 22. 43. not to name that treating with him by Ambassadors from Heaven Luk. 9. 31. one from the law and another from the Prophets about his sufferings Besides those natural inclinations and velleities if I may so say that appeared in him of the lower faculties solliciting for things convenient to them tho alwaies ordered by reason and the Spirit to conformity with the will of God see Jo. 6. 38. Rom. 15. 3. Matt. 26. 39. Where we discover natural propensions diverse from those of the Spirit tho these proposing their own desires not opposing the others resolves But some think in the Intellectual part also either 1. The absence of some knowledge supernatural to man non debitoe inesse for some time by the suspension of the light of his Divinity from it as it is clear the Beatifical vision was suspended from it in the time of his sad and dolorous passion Which knowledg increased in him according to the dispensation of the Father See Luk. 1. 80. -2. 52. where Christ is said to increase in wisdom and spirit c. not in appearance only but with God as well as men see Mark. 13. 32. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and this with Rev. 5. 5 6. c. where the Lamb is said to be worthy to c. to have prevailed to open the book Of all future events and to look thereon c. and v. 12. To receive wisdom this being signified vers 6. by the 7 eyes as power by the 7 horns for that he was slain c. and Mark 6. 6. Matt. 8. 10. where he is said to wonder as if some thing happened unexpected Or 2. The absence of that experimental knowledg which he afterward acquired by sufferings see Heb. 5. 8. -2. 17 18. Or 3. at least see Jo. 16. 30. -21. 17. some restraint of the effects and external manifestations of his knowledge till the time the Father had appointed for them to be opened See Act. 17. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and Mark. 13. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Therefore he is said in his youth to have heard the Doctors of the Law and conferred with them tho by this doubtless he learned not from but imparted wisdom to them Luk. 2. 46 47. Nor did he offer to teach till the age allowed for Doctors to profess And not then till after he had as it were prepared himself for it in six Weeks solitude silence watching fasting prayer For he who prayed whole nights when all the day wearied with emploiments certainly omitted it not in that long vacation And so for the external operations of the Spirit it self tho he was by the Holy Ghost conceived and had it not stinted and given by measure as others Jo. 3. 34. Col. 1. 19. who yet are said also to be filled with the Holy Ghost as the blessed Virgin and St Stephen and some even from the womb as St John Baptist. See Luk. 1. 15. Act. 7. 55. yet the more publick functions of it were restrained till at 30 years of age that he was baptized that it at the solemnity visibly descended on him and then he began in the strength of it to preach do Miracles c. Luk. 4. 1. Jo. 2. 11. -4. 54. And so his power tho alwaies as God equal to the Fathers Jo. 3. 35. yet for the actual exercise and execution of it as man successively given him according to the fore-appointments of the Father In which respect he saith more emphatically and with signification of some enlargement of it I mean as Man All power is given me c. Matt. 28. 28. Jo. 5. 20. Jo. 14. 12. -17. 12. -16. 7. Matt. 11. 25. Eph. 4. 10. Rev. 1. 18. And it shall be yet more fully said by him at his second coming till when his fulness and his Kingdom in respect of his members is not prefected See 1 Cor. 15. 28. Eph. 1. 23. 2. Again receiving all perfections of this human nature not from the donation of the Word the second person united to it but from the Donation of the Father For tho as 't is shewed before he hath all dependence on the
Father even in those perfections wherein he is equal to the Father by reason of his eternal generation as the Son yet now he hath another dependence also in this emptied condition as his creature in which respect he became so much his inferior It was the Spirit called also the power the glory of the Father Rom. 6. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. Luk. 1. 35. that overshadowed the Virgin at his conception that anointed and sanctified Jo. 10. 36. him at his Baptism Luk. 4. 18. Act. 10. 38. for he did not anoint or glorifie himself Heb. 5. 4 5. that sealed him Jo. 6. 27. comp Eph. 1. 13. that carried him into the Wilderness Matt. 4. 1. Luk. 4. 14. by which he fasted so long and did so many Miracles Act. 2. 22. Matt. 12. 28. by which he was said to be in the Father and the Father in him as he prayeth his Disciples also might be Jo. 17. 21 23. -8. 29. and these only by the Spirit could be so By which he had power to lay down and take up his life when he pleased in respect of mens power Jo. 10. 18. -2. 19. and to give and to Communicate life to whom he pleased c. for he received both this life and this Commandement to lay it down from the Father Jo. 10. 18. -2. 19. -5. 26. By which he offered up himself Heb. 9. 14. This is it that raised him from the dead Rom. 1. 4. -6. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Heb. 5. 5. and that justified him that he was all that he pretended to be 1 Tim. 3. 16. And the final justification of all the Saints also and declaration of them to be accepted by God will be by the same Spirit at their Resurrection glorifying them at last that exalted him to Heaven For from the Father it was that he received his glory and his Kingdom Act. 2. 23. Phil. 2. 8 9. Heb. 1. 9. -2. 9. and the administration thereof he shall one day also again give up unto the Father 1 Cor. 15. 28. So God is said to be his head as he ours 1 Cor. 3. 23. -11. 3. and dying into his hands he resigned his Spirit Luk. 23. 46. As Stephen afterward his into our Saviors Thus he received all things from the Father And from him after the ordinary way of Prayers Which he very often used and those very long ones Luk. 6. 12. as before the election of the Apostles Matt. 14. 23 25. after dismissing his Auditors Luk. 9. 1. and likely for the same purpose he usually retired out of the City at night to Mount Olivet see Luk. 21. 37. Mark 11. 17. which custome of his was observed by Judas Prayer both for himself and for others see Jo. 17. 15. where he praies that his Father would deliver them from the evil c. Luk. 22. 32. That Satan might not overthrow Peters faith and Matt. 16. 17. where he imputed Peters confession to the Revelation of his Father He praied to the Father for all things when wanted and returned thanks for them when received Jo. 11. 41. where his giving thanks that he was heard implies he praied the Father about raising of Lazarus tho this not set down Matt. 11. 25. see Matt. 26. 30. In which praiers too tho the Father heard him alwaies Jo. 11. 42. for all things he asked with a deliberate and plenary will 1 Jo. 5. 14. which was alwaies conformed to the Divine yet not for all the velleities of his sense and Humanity looking on things simply according to the bare inclinations of nature As in the request of the Cup passing from him And some think in that petition of exemplary charity Luk. 22. 34. Thus much of our Savior the eternal Son of God the Father his ungoding himself as it were and professing man which the Apostles sometimes speak so Emphatically 1 Tim. 2. 5. Act. 2. 22. and call the Father his God as he is ours See Eph. 1. 17. Ps. 45. 7. Jo. 20. 17. And sometimes distinguish him from God i. e. either as he is man or as God the Father is the fountain as it were of the blessed Trinity See 1 Cor. 8. 6. Jo. 17. 3. Eph. 4. 5 6. -5. 20. Col. 2. 2. Rom. 15. 6. 2 Cor. 11. 31. Eph. 3. 21. Of which descent of his I may say that this putting on so great weakness and then against all assaults of it so faithfully in all things serving his Father renders him if it were possible more capable of his Fathers love for this my Father loveth me because I lay down my life c. Jo. 10. 17. Jo. 15. 10. Because I keep his Commandements not seeking my own will but the will of my Father Jo. 5. 30. as a Saint obtains more here on Earth then when he serveth God in Heaven i. e. procureth a reward by his service on Earth which yet he cannot increase hereafter by his service in Heaven or as Mans infirmity is also said in the glorifying God to have some advantage of the Holy Angels perfection that it can suffer for him But however this good use we may make of this exinanition and incarnation namely to argue of it as St James of Elias Jam. 5. 17. Jesus a man subject to like passions as we so weak so tempted as we He assisted by the same spirit of the Father as we he did he endured he received so great things therefore we should and may do and suffer by the same spirit the like and if we do so shall receive the like 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. such as that man now is such men may be if such they now be as he was who was pleased to be in all things as they are saving the preeminences he hath from the hypostatical union Having shewed how and how far he became man to pass now from the form to the virtue of his manship and to shew how he was the second man to repair with advantage all the mischiefs coming to mankind by the first being made such a common person to them as none besides him but the first man was who in all things was a type and figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. 14. And the parallel between them we may read at large Rom. c. 5. from the 12. v. to the end And 1 Cor. 15. 20. c. 45. c. to the 50th And such a Covenant as was made with Adam of Reward for obedience Reward to him and to his seed if being enabled by the same spirit they should follow his steps In whom we may gather all the world should have been blessed had he stood because all were cursed in his fall unless Gods justice be larger then his mercies The same Covenant upon the first mans miscarriage we find enter'd into by the early promised seed of him that fell Christ that as by one man to us came death so by another might come life and that the second might conquer the Serpent by which the first
was stung I come saith he to do thy will O God which the First disobeyed Thy law is within my heart Ps. 40. 8. Heb. 8. 10. Matt. 6. 17. And accordingly he was made under the law all the law that might be both Moral and Ceremonial And to him thus undertaking on the one part the promise was made by God on the other the promise not only for himself which needs not to be doubted see Heb. 11. 6. but for his seed also See Gal. 3. 16 19 22. Namely that all the world should be blessed in him as in the first they were cursed Blessed first in receiving the promise of the spirit as the earnest and seal of the inheritance Gal. 3. 14. Act. 2. 32. and then the inheritance it self of eternal life which promises he upon his obedience received first himself and then traduced to his posterity Of whom indeed Abraham and afterward David for with him also was a Covenant made concerning his seed were but types the promise of being Father of the faithful and heir of the world Rom. 4. 13. being made to Abraham only in this seed see Heb. 1. 2. Gal. 3. 17. and so said to be fulfilled now in his Resurrection or rewardment Act. 13. 32 33. In which seed the Gentiles as well as the Jews were first blessed according to the promise Gal. 3. 8. And so only he the true Father of all the faithful Heb. 2. 13 14. Esai 9. 6. of whom Abraham their Father was also a Son And this second Adam coming to perform this obedience and to obtain these promises for undone man that he might destroy the former works both of the Devil and of man by his instigation 1 Jo. 3. 8. and shew that our standing is by humility as our fall was by pride was made in a quite contrary way to the first For as the first came out of the Earth of no worth in himself So he came from Heaven no less then the eternal Son of God And as the first being from so mean an extraction made Lord of all the world and placed in a Garden of pleasure yet hearkning to the Serpent who represented the Divel whose wiles still tempt us and to his wife who being also his own flesh then represented the flesh which now tempts us and enticed likewise by the fairness of the forbidden fruit which represents the pleasures of the world now tempting us whilst he thought by tasting of this to attain I know not what wisdom and happiness in the event lost himself and us by his ambition and pride after the similitude of whose transgression his posterity daily offends by the same temptations So this second Adam of so noble a descent by the contrary waies to these conquered and recovered all the former's losses that is 1 By annihilating himself when he was before Lord of all things to answer the other's magnifying Himself being nothing and by assuming also amongst men a low and afflicted condition His kindred so mean the people were much offended at it that a Prophet should have such a poor alliance Mark 6. 3 4. By becoming a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs without form or comliness despised and rejected of men abhorred of his own Nation of his kindred laughed to scorn and made mouths at see Esai 49. 7. -53. 2 3. Ps. 22. 7. one of a manual trade a Carpenter Mark 6. 5. Jo. 7. 15. and a long time an Apprentice at it for anything we know till 30 years old so much time passed in obscurity and silence Luk. 3. 23. for any thing that is mentioned of him except his three daies spent at Jerusalem when twelve years old about his heavenly Fathers business In the time of his preaching afterwards by being of such professed poverty as that he had not where at night after his toilsome work to rest his head Matt. 8. 20. as he told a Scribe what he was to expect if he follow'd him but when he had taught all day in the City went at night and lay on an hill Luk. 21. 37. Mark 11. 17. even depriving himself of that ordinary provision which his Father makes for the Beasts and for the Fowles And as for his followers their eating green Corn and that on no fasting day argued they made many hungry meales Matt. 12. 1. So that to follow him might well be called taking up a daily Cross Luk. 9. 23. therefore 't is observed he chose men hardy not learned to endure all labors Especially when as they were likewise to do all their work preach cure diseases c. gratis gratis accepistis gratis date and without taking any thing for their labour tho mens charities by Gods providence were not awanting unto them Matt. 10. 8 9. Again by being of such professed and wonderful humility so avoiding of all honor or applause that besides the living so obscurely and unknown of this wisdom and power of God for 30 years he afterwards resorted to no Princes Courts at all was seldom amongst the Rabbins not often in great Cities very rarely at Jerusalem except a little before his passion chid for it by his Friends Jo. 7. 4. Made no ostentation of his knowledge but veiled and covered it in Parables and Proverbs which was not without some prejudice to him see Jo. 16. 29 30. and when they admired it he told them he spake not of himself It was not his own wisdom but his that sent Him Jo. 7. 16. and this over and over again No ostentation of his works so miraculous but 〈◊〉 them as much as he could and when brought once before a King to do some altogether forbare them No ostentation of his holiness but used a common and free conversation neither strict for his diet nor his company for he was not to avoid the encountring of any temptation called therefore a Wine-bibber and keeper of ill company questioned for not fasting and He and his Disciples disesteemed in comparison of the Baptist and his Matt. 9. 14. In his riding in triumph into Jerusalem at the same time when other paschal Lambs also destined for the slaughter were solemnly brought in see Exod. 12. 3 6. taking only an Asse nay possibly only a little Colt of an Asse to ride on in this his great time of State from which the Prophet long before noted his great humility and lowliness Zech. 9. 9. Learn of Him for he was meek and lowly By coming in the quality of a Servant a voluntary Servant to secular Rulers Esai 49. 7. to his servants even to washing their feet Matt. 20. 28. to his Father in all things see Esai 50. 4 5 6. tho he were a Son saith the Apostle yet learning obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. In nothing pleasing Himself nor seeking his own will Jo. 5. 30. but doing alwaies whatever pleased his Father Jo. 8. 29. Obedient when by him commanded death such a death Phil. 2. 8. as the other disobedient merited
tho threatned with it And in his glorifying afterward intending chiefly that of his Father and making Gods glory the end of his own See Jo. 17. 1 19. Phil. 2. 11. Jo. 13. 31 32. -14. 13. But not hearkning to Satans like ambitious proposals made to him as to our first Parent with a purpose to beget in him also some pride See the parallel between them in many things The Devil tempting both about eating contrary to the good pleasure of God as may be gathered from our Saviors answer Matt. 4. 4. saying to one yea hath God said ye shall not eat and to the other Command that these Stones be made Bread encouraging both to presumption saying to one He hath given his Angels charge over thee to the other ye shall not dy and alluring both with fair and false promises Eritis sicut Dii and Omnia haec tibi dabo But indeed supposing our Savior in a condition much more liable to the temptation in offering meat and that usual not prohibited food as Adam's was to one hungry not to one satiated with all other delicacies Honor and wealth to one poor and despised and suggesting special care of Angels to one that was the Son of God tho then having voluntarily abbridged himself for his Fathers greater Honor the priviledg thereof Yet he not hearkening to these wiles so much as to do any thing for his own reputation tho Satan fail'd not to prompt him who and how great he was no not to shew his power in flying down from a pinnacle or in producing bread by Miracle tho both in a seeming case of necessity but answering he must live by the word of God in every thing doing as God appointed him for that was his bread to do the will of his Father and accordingly he made not bread for himself who made it for others but God sent Angels to minister it unto Him So that the Prince of this world had no such thing in him as he had in the first man Jo. 14. 30 Again by not being entised here by any false beauty of this world set before and presented unto him Matt. 4. 8. nor indulging so much as the innocent inclinations of the flesh by whose necessities sleep hunger rest he was often importuned but versed in continual mortifications of it watching fasting weeping and all the inconveniences of poverty and travailing by denying to himself many useful things permitted as the other longed after unnecessary things forbidden By earnestly desiring and so chearfully entertaining all sufferings and that cruel passion tho he shewed how easily he could have avoided it when at his speaking but one word to them his apprehenders went backward and fell to the ground Jo. 18. 6. till by his own leave like Sampson they took and bound him also that he had the full sense and reluctance of nature towards it that we have without which his sufferings had not been so meritorious in that passionate deprecation of it in the Garden where he in his own person described unto his Disciples the battel of Sense to shew them the victory of the Spirit calling it his baptism his Eucharist See Luk. 22. 15. -12. 50. Jo. 14. 31. Mark 10. 32. where he outwent and lead towards Jerusalem the place of this Tragedy his Disciples afraid and drooping because of that storm he had told them was coming led them on tho he foresaw and numbred and foretold so punctually every opprobrious circumstance thereof of which other Martyrs are happily ignorant even to the Soldiers spitting upon him vers 33. see Jo. 18. 4 8. How he sought to save his Disciples and I had almost said prevented Judas's betraying him for whom he was so much troubled in spirit Jo. 13. 21. by meeting the Soldiers and offering himself and charging them astonished to let the others go by his soveraign authority securing from harm all but himself Jo. 18. 9. and giving himself for them not only in his passion but to it In which sufferings he did not one Miracle before the King to save his life nor spoke a word to defend so innocent a cause but invited as it were their condemnation with a resolute silence And when as he had power at any time to have laid down his life yet by his former avoiding stoning and precipitation preserved he himself for a more open shame and greater torments Thus by contraries he undid the works of the Devil in the first Adam and conquered and triumphed by humility and afflictions as the other fell by pride and Paradise leaving this special lesson to the world Learn of me for I am meek and lowly After the similitude of whose righteousness also all his posterity since do overcome namely by resistance of temptations by humility and by sufferings See Phil. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 10. Gal. 6. 7. Col. 1. 12. Gal. 5. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 11. c. 2 Cor. 6. 4. c. Well might he therefore proclaim learn of me for I am lowly c. And as it is said of the Saints in glory quanto altiores tanto humiliores and as himself said the greatest must be as it were a child Matt. 18. 4. So doubtless never was there man thus perfectly humble in all things as was this the Son of God The meekness of whose spirit may be clearly seen in this that many whom the ill nature of his Disciples repulsed he continually entertained never denying any help he could give to any that sought to him See Matt. 19. 13 14. -15. 23 24. Mark 10. 48 49. -9. 38 39. Luk. 9. 54 55. Matt. 14. 15. comp Mark 8. 2 3. And after this performance of all this humility and obedience without sin He also received the reward promised for which he had took this pains and endured this shame Heb. 12. 2. even eternal life and glory see Phil. 2. 8 9. Act. 8. 33. for his humility c. Luk. 24. 26. Ps. 18. 20. -110. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 21. -3. 22. Heb. 2. 9. -1. 9. Rev. 5. 9 12. being restored to all that was lost by or promised to the first Adam For his having been a servant now made Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. now made the Son of God being said to be begotten on the day of his Resurrection Act. 13. 33. Luk. 1. 32. Rom. 1. 4. and so at his transfiguration the preludium of his glorification it was celebrated with a voice from Heaven this is my beloved Son Matt. 17. 5. see 2 Sam. 7. 14. comp Heb. 1. 5. and as at his Nativity so at his resurrection called the first born Col. 1. 18. giving then to the Disciples the appellation of brethren Jo. 20. 17. Of whom death was in labour as it were while she had him in her womb Act 2. 24. and at last by the power of his Spirit was delivered of him By which we are also begotten again c. 1 Pet. 1. 3. He also was stiled Heb. 1. 3. the Image and character
a Fountain springing up and a sowing to everlasting life a progress from glory to glory see Rom. 8. 23. Heb. 6. 4 5. 2 Cor. 1. 22. -5. 5. â—…o 4. 14. Gal. 6. 8. Eph. 1. 13 14. According to which those prophecies of the effusions of the spirit which are fulfilled in part upon our Saviors first coming yet seem not to have their full accomplishment till his second appearing which in those texts is joyned with the first See Act. 2. 17 18. comp 19 20. Joel 2. 28. c. comp Joel 3. 2. c. Mal. 3. 1. c. comp Mal. 4. 1 5. Esai 40. 3 5 10. And the plentiful flowing of those waters of life our Saviors ordinary Metaphor in St Johns Gospel for the Spirit which shall be from the Temple or the Throne of God and the Lamb mentioned Rev. 22. 1. -21. 6. Ezec. 47. 1 3. c. Joel 3. 18. Ezec. 13. 1. -14. 8. Ps. 36. 8 9. for all these prophecies wonderfully accord and speak of the state of the new world yet to come expressing heavenly things by earthly and the truths of the Gospel veil'd under the Ceremonies of the law must needs be understood of the fuller Communications of the holy spirit yet to come Blessed be God for his unspeakable gift The next operation of this spirit is upon our body but upon this as upon our Saviors not till the blessed Resurrection when we shall begin to bear the image of the heavenly Adam as we now bear the image of the earthly 1 Cor. 15. 49. and this vile body shall be changed and made like to his glorious body like it I mean not as it appeared after his rising again to his Disciples with a wound to thrust ones hand in eating and drinking c. where to shew the truth of his resurrection that it was the same body that was crucified he was glad to veil the glory of it But as it appeared to St. Paul in the way to Damascus which glory struck him blind Act. 9. 3. comp Act. 22. 14. or as to St. Stephen the reflection of which made his face to shine as an Angels or as Moses's in the Mount or to his Disciples Matt. 17. 2. at his transfiguration where God to qualifie the sad relation of his sufferings gave them an anticipated sight of that glory which in the apparitions after his Resurrection was necessary to be eclipsed upon which moment of Beatifick vision his transported Disciples quite forgetting all former relations to the world would gladly have set up there their perpetual abode Or as it appeared to St. John Rev. 1. 13 17. at the sight of whose Majesty that beloved Disciple fell at his Masters feet as dead c. And after our body is thus made glorious as his in the resurrection it shall also have an ascension just like his Our bodies caught up in the Clouds c. 1 Thess. 4. 17. as his was Act. 1. 9. And when this perfection is produced in the body as well as the soul then it is that we are properly called the Sons and children of God being the children of the resurrection Luk. 20. 36. as is also noted of our Savior And as the Angels from their spirituality like God are called his Sons Job 1. 6. So is at that time said to be our adoption Rom. 8. 23. The regeneration the restitution to the state before sin the manifestation of the Sons of God see Matt. 19. 28. Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19. comp with 1. 4. Rev. 21. 7. and mean while our life said to be in Christ to be hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 4. 1 Jo. 5. 11. For this state was such a longing of the Apostle to attain once the resurrection such a waiting of the Saints for the coming of the Lord such a groaning and being burdened in this earthly Tabernacle not to be shut of it and have none but to be clothed upon it with another house from Heaven see Phil. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. Rom. 8. 23. The same individual this shall be which our Savior kept his wounds to shew and perhaps will do for the honorable marks of his sufferings see Rev. 1. 7. Rev. 5. 6. he appearing in glory with them but by the operation of the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. strangely changed For we sow not in the grave that body that shall be 1 Cor. 15. 37. no more saith St. Paul then the seed we sow in the field is the flower or plant that comes of it who can guess at the beautiful colors of a Tulip by looking on its seed therefore the Apostle speaks of the body raised as a superstructure upon this 2 Cor. 5. 4. as the seed is clothed upon by the flower or the tree sown then in shame it shall come up glorious weak come up in power natural come up spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 42. For there are bodies spiritual and we know not but the Angels are such so spiritual as that there shall be no more belly at least as for meats nor no more meats for it 1 Cor. 6. 13. As Moses and Elias here for the 40 daies they enjoyed Gods presence needed no food There shall be no flesh nor blood 1 Cor. 15. 50. No heaviness 1 Thess. 4. 17. nor grosness Luk. 24. 31. Jo. 20. 19. and so no sensual pleasure suiting to corruptible substances of which for the most part some foregoing pain is the parent Luk. 20. 36. what then shall we be like Angels nay like the Son of God the second Adam our Father like him when he shall appear in his greatest glory 1 Jo. 3. 2. but what this likeness shall be we know not yet nor how far the spirit shall be united to us in similitude of that unity which Christs human nature now hath with the deity but as in some kind we are now partakers so much more then shall we be of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. nay filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 19. Glorious in body Esai 13. 12. and enriched with all knowledg wisdom holiness joy security in soul after the similitude of that wisdom and holiness and glory which Christs humanity hath received from the Deity some beams of that Sun being united to us the body of which dwells in him Col. 2. 9. Jo. 17. 21 23. To whom be all preeminence and glory for ever by all the partakers of his glory O foelix culpa said one quoe talem meruit habere redemptionem Ad aliquid majus humana natura perducta est per peccatum And God permitted that great evil of mans fall to raise him to a far greater honor finishing all his works in goodness and mercy Meanwhile as not we so neither is our Savior compleat every way before our resurrection being without us a Head glorified without its body Therefore is the Church called His fulness Eph. 1.
required of us A Configuration to all his vertuous and holy life here many singular patterns of which are set down before a Configuration to his sufferings and death Phil. 3. 10. as it is first in our Baptism and for sins after Baptism ought to be in the painful fruits of repentance abstaining from worldly pleasures using the body hardly c. which are therefore called mortifications A Configuration to his resurrection and life after it In having our conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. living to God only no more to affections of this life ever worshipping praising loving admiring glorifying offering up and dedicating our selves to God For so Saints live that are dead See Rev. 4. 8. c. -5. 9 12. c. -7. 9. c. Quicquid gestum est in sepultura resurrectione c. ita gestum est ut configuretur vita humana quae hic geritur For our participation of Christs merits is only by being his members they can be communicated to none else and our being members necessarily implies conformity in actions suffering c. to the Head For that one should suffer and not the other is quite contrary to the nature of members 1 Cor. 12. 26. and argues schism in the body Should any member therefore so presume on the obedience or sufferings of the head as that himself now needs nor suffer nor obey such a one without bearing its part and proportion therein Col. 1. 24. either never was or is ceased to be a true member Christ did nothing for our salvation which we are not for it in some sense to do also our selves Gal. 6. 14. -9. 19 20. CHAP. VII Jesus Christ the Melchizedechical Holy Priest passed into the Heavens and making Intercession c. for ever for us with God GOD being of infinite Holiness and purity to shew his hatred against sin would not admit the approach of sinners into his Sanctuary and presence nor accept immediately of their praiers and service offered to him which if any after Discipline was settled should have presumed to do they were no less then to dy for it See Lev. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 6. 7. Numb 4. 15. -16. chap. Job 9. 31. -42. 8. But yet being of infinite mercy too not to shut out sinners thus from all commerce with his goodness he selected from the beginning some singular persons taken from the rest of men no man taking this honor to himself but he that was called of God Heb. 5. 1 4. and being first anointed consecrated and sanctified after an extraordinary manner and cleansed with great Ceremony after the more express delivering of his pleasure in the promulgation of the law see Exod. 29. chap. Lev. 8. 12. who should be ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5. 1. -2. 17. who should have the administration of holy things and nearer access to Gods presence should bring unto the Lord the peoples gifts and offerings Heb. 5. 1. make attonement and reconciliation for their sins and errors c. Heb. 2. 17. Heb. 5. 2. Amongst which ministers of the Sanctuary some were kept at a greater distance as the Levite who had the charge of the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof and was to minister to the Priest but might not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary or the Altar that they dy not Numb 18. 3. Some approached nearer as the Priest confined to Aaron and his seed who had the charge of the Sanctuary and of the Altar who were to preserve themselves continually undefiled Lev. 21. 1. c. and amongst them all such to be excluded from attendance as had any corporal blemish tho but a squint eye or a flat nose or a dwarf Lev. 21. 18. c. The same perfection being required for the sacrificer that was for the Sacrifice Lev. 22. 20. to whom only it belonged to offer the daily morning and even Sacrifice and all other the peoples offerings upon it and to make attonements for them to sound with Trumpets which none else might use over the burnt and peace-offerings that they might be for a memorial to the people before the Lord. Numb 10. 10. In sin-offerings to carry some of the blood into the outer Sanctuary and to sprinkle part thereof before the Lord before the Veil and to put also of it on the horns of the Altar of Incense before the Lord Morning and Evening at the time of the sacrifice to burn incense before the Veil upon the Altar of the Sanctuary to dress the Lamps morning and evening and every Sabbath to renew the shew-bread before the Lord to discern between clean and unclean holy and unholy At the coming out of the Sanctuary lifting up their hands towards the people and putting Gods name upon them solemnly in a set form Numb 6. 6 24. c. 2 Chron. 30. 27. Ecclus. 50. 5 19. c. 1 Chron. 23. 13. to give the sacerdotal benediction And as solemnly to bless so also to curse Deut. 27. 14. This for the Priest But the High Priest approached yet nearer to the Lord much distinguished from the rest in his typical garments who once yearly on the grand day of Expiation was to enter within the Veil into the Sanctum Sanctorum before the glory of the Lord appearing between the Cherubims he first making a cloud of Incense and there to present and sprinkle with his finger 7 times upon the mercy-seat it self and seven times on the floor before it Lev. 16. 14. the blood of the sacrifice made for the Priest and the people before the Lord and to make attonement with it for the Priests and for all the people and not only for them but also for all the holy things the Tabernacle the Holy Sanctuary the Altar it self to purge and resanctify and as if God was also displeased with these for sin to reconcile them Lev. 16. 20. with blood to hallow them saith the Lord from the uncleannesses and transgressions of the children of Israel in the midst of whom they remained Such a contagion is our sin to the whole creation See Levit. 16. 16 19. and when he went in he was to bear the names of the children of Israel engraven and upon his two shoulders and again engraven like the engraving of a Signet upon the brestplate of judgment upon his heart for a memorial of them before the Lord continually Exod. 28. 12 21 29. He was also to have engraven upon the front of his Miter in Gold Holiness unto the Lord. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead that he may bear the iniquity of the Holy things of the children of Israel See Numb 18. 1. Lev. 16. 16. And it shall be alway upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Exod. 28. 38. And besides these Urim and Thummim were likewise to be upon his heart and in any thing doubtful the people were to repair unto him and he by Urim was to ask counsel for them before
being all-sufficient never any more sin-offering required after it nor never any beneficial before it but only thro it nor for the nearness and dearness of it to the Sacrificer Abraham the rigidst example we have only offering to offer his son But this Priest offered himself and that voluntarily and that coming out of the bosom of his Father from the glory he had with him long before the world i. e. coming out of the Sanctum Sanctorum to do it as wanting something when he was there before notwithstanding those rivers of blood of Bulls and Goats that were shed before with which to appease his Fathers justice out of the infinite love he bare to sinners Now once saith the Apostle in the end of the world he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 26. and that sacrifice of himself by himself offered See Heb. 7. 27. Eph. 5. 2. Jo. 10. 17 18. But his high and that Melchisedechical i. e. eternal Priesthood did not so much consist in this transitory act at the Altar which any Priest might execute but in the second carrying and appearing with the blood in the Sanctum Sanctorum before the Lord c. only performed by the High Priest Therefore the Apostle placeth upon him Priesthood after Melchisedecks order which could not be till he was King as well as Priest not till after he was first risen from the dead and made perfect at which time also he was made King and Lord when ascended and made higher then the Heavens he had now no more conversation with sinners was harmless i. e. no more to be hurted undefiled i. e. that needed not to intermit for this at any time his office See Heb. 7. 26. when as before he had become weak suffered and dyed for us so now he lived for evermore and was set down on the Majesty on high in the Sanctuary which the Lord had pitched and there had received all power to help to protect us all gifts to showre down upon us We have such an High Priest saith he Such an High Priest becomes us In this was his honor and glory above all Priests before him and in this the certainty of our Salvation when he is not only the meritorious cause but the efficient nor only the price but Author of it See Heb. 5. 4 5. comp 9. Heb. 5. 5. comp Act. 13. 33. and Ps. 2. 7. comp 8. ask of me c. Heb. 5. 9 10. being made perfect called c. Heb. 6. 20. forerunner made c. See Heb. 8. 1 2 4. and 7. 26. Ps. 110. 4. comp 1 2. Heb. 8. 6. such a ministry following such a mediatorship Our Saviors death perfected his Oblation indeed but not his office nor our Salvation And it is since that that he daily procures as we repent and believe the application of the meritorious sacrifice to us which he then made for us and we are said no less to be saved by the sprinkling of his blood which is done in the sanctuary now continually then by the shedding of it which was done on the Cross. See Heb. 12 24. â—… Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 9. 19 23. -13. 12. The price of our redemption was then laid down sufficient to satisfie justice but not yet carried in and accepted by grace for tho the sacrifice was sufficient for all yet it is effectual only to some i. e. Believers for whom as it was provided at first by meer grace so by meer grace the satisfaction thereof being none of theirs is to them applied Heb. 2. 9. from whence Gods free grace notwithstanding our Saviors merits is so often put for the cause of our Salvation see Rom. 4. 4 16. before the throne of which grace he now went to appear with it But then many things there are besides the expiation of sins past also necessary for the compleating of our salvation which we are said to owe chiefly to our Saviors intercession therefore as we find our justification and remission of our sins committed before our conversion ordinarily imputed to Christs death and resurrection so our salvation all the strengthning of us in our new life that abundance of grace whereby we now serve God our consolation and protection in all afflictions from all our enemies in the service of him the remission of our sins when after baptism and conversion relapsing into any faults c. are ascribed to our Saviors living evermore in this office of intercession and to his sitting now at Gods right hand with all power See 1 Jo. 2. 1. Rom. 5. 10. -8 31. yea rather that he is now at the right hand c. and who now can separate for he is able to the uttermost Heb. 7. 21. Jo. 14. 10. This that we may not so look on the past benefits of our Savior as not also to acknowledge give thanks and rejoyce in his present service for us which remainder of service to be performed after his passion he seems to intimate in that somewhat obscure speech to Mary Magdalene Jo. 20. 17. Touch me not for I am not yet c. i. e. the time of embraces and your full enjoyment of me is not as you suppose it is yet come see Rev. 19. 7. for all my business is not done c. and may behave our selves as gratefully toward one from whom we have received so rich favors so also dutifully towards one on whom we depend for more Now then to view in order the several offices this High Priest after his sacrificing did and doth for us First then the Holy Priest entring into the Sanctum Sanctorum thro the vail so the flesh of the Son of God being a vail Heb. 10. 20. which contained within it and hid his Deity was then rent and this Holy Priest now thro it Heb. 9. 12. reentred into his former Majesty and glory before covered by it Again upon the renting of this vail Matt. 27. 50 51. presently that in the Temple that severed the Holy from the most holy place was rent also by which the place within being now laid open and made common was signified both a voiding of that former service of the Levitical High-Priesthood and that the way was now admitted for this new Priest having already slain his sacrifice Heb. 9. 8. into another true Sanctuary into a Sanctuary of the Lords own erecting not at all made with hands Higher then the heavens to which sanctuary he passed thro the outer Tabernacle of these which likewise was not made with hands see Heb. 8. 2. -7. 26. -9. 11 24. of which supercelestial sanctuary both that which was pitched by Moses and that built by Solomon were representations figures examples shadows Heb. 9. 23 24. -8. 5. both made one according to the pattern shewed to Moses in the Mount where Moses saw God as in a Sanctuary See Ps. 68. 17. And God is said to descend upon it Exod 34. 5. -33. 21. as afterward upon the
other in a cloud to speak with Moses the other to David 1 Chron. 28. 19. in a design Of which heavenly Sanctuary we may have a divine sight a far-off from the several visions and apparitions of Gods glory both those in the old Testament see Esai 6. 1. Ezech. 1. 4. -10. 1. c. and those in the new to St. John For 't is worth the noting that not only Gods glory on the Mount to Moses Ps. 68. 17. but in the heavens to St. John appeared still as in a Temple or Sanctuary see Rev. 6. 9. -7. 15. -8. 3. -9. 13. -11. 1 19. -13. 8. -14. 15 18. -4. 5 4. where is mention of the Court of the Altar of burnt-offerings Rev. 11. 1. and 6. 9. of the Altar of Incense upon which were offered Incense together with the Saints prayers see Luk. 1. 9 10. comp Rev. 8. 3. of the Ark of the Covenant upon the top or covering of which was the Mercy-Seat or propitiatory or throne of grace For the Ark Cherubims c. did alwaies represent a Throne or triumphant Charet which besides the Cherubims winged for flying and footed in such a manner for running had wheels also for which see besides Ezek. 1. chap. in whose visions were oftentimes removals of this Charet or Throne from place to place and Dan. 7. 9. 1 Chron. 28. 18. where the Ark is called the Charet of the Cherubims The Cherubims the 4 Beasts the same with Ezekiels and Esaiahs by whom Gods Throne was supported of all Creatures his nearest and most vigilant Rev. 4. 6. Ezek. 1. 10. attendants who gave out Gods orders to the rest of the Angels Rev. 15. 7. of the Candlestick with 7 Lamps of fire burning before the Throne the representation of the Holy Ghost as appears by Rev. 1. 4. -5. 6. Ezek. 4. 2 10. comp with 6. Act. 1. 3. And which never appeared in the former visions of the old Testament of a Lamb that was slain before the Throne and about the Throne on either side of it of 24 Presbyters in a Semicircle sitting on seats representing the Church Triumphant and the Session of the President and the Elders in the Jewish Synagogue or Consistory and afterward of the Bishop and his Presbyters in the Christian Churches these encircled with a guard of millions of Angels Rev. 7. 11. Rev. 5. 11. Habited all like Priests as also our Savior himself was in another vision Rev. 1. 13. Exod 28. 40. in linnen garments to the foot white and resplendent and girt about the paps Crowns on their heads See Exod. 28. 40. like those of the Priests for ornament and for glory Bearing his name on their foreheads Rev. 22. 4. as the High Priest did holiness unto the Lord Palms and Instruments of Musick and Vials full of Incense in their hands celebrating divine service in this Temple praising God and the Lamb and offering to him as the Clergy here do the praiers of the Saints Praising the Lamb for the redemption of themselves and of mankind Rev. 5. 9 10. comp with 1. 6. Ready to comfort John about the power of the Lamb Rev. 5. 5. and to instruct him concerning his suffering Brethren Rev. 7. 13. see Rev. 4. 4. -6. 11. -7. 9. -15. 6. Having thus made a description of the place the heavenly Sanctuary and the propiatory or throne of grace there over the Ark compassed with 4 Cherubims c. according as the Lord Jesus was pleased to represent it to St. John Here first now let us imagine to enter and present himself this great High Priest soon after his work finisht upon the Altar of the Cross such as he is described Heb. 7. 26. Holy unharmable undefiled separate from sinners needing no washing first as the Legal did arrayed with all the truth and substance of those things which were typified by the ornaments of the legal High Priest bearing our names upon his shoulders Esai 53. 6. -9. 6. Esai 63. 9. and again engraven as a Signet upon his heart according to Cantic 8. 6. Hagg. 2. 23. for a memorial of us before the Lord continually Exod. 28. 12 21. Having engraven upon his Miter Holiness pure and never stained unto the Lord that so his holiness may bear the iniquities of our holy things and we in and by it may be accepted before the Lord he being made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Numb 18. 1. Exod. 28. 38. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 19. appearing again a Priest with the restord Urim and Thummim Ezra 2. 63. upon his heart light and perfection perfect wisdom and perfect righteousness opening the book of all Gods secrets and shewing them as he pleaseth to his Brethren Rev. 5. 5. -1. 1. Numb 27. 21. by the Holy Ghost Jo. 16. 13 14. as it first hears and receives from him thus passing thro the outer Sanctuary of the heavens Heb. 9. 11. whilst it is proclaim'd before him Behold the Lamb of God c. my servant whom I have chosen my Beloved in whom my soul is well pleased Let us imagine him I say in such equipage to appear in this Sanctum Sanctorum before that Mercy-Seat that throne of grace and to appear in the presence of God there not for himself but for us saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 24. -8. 1. for himself had that glory there with his Father before the world was and came down out of his bosom for this purpose for he that would ascend thus must be such a one that descended first that he might return thither with these new engagements upon him with a great many names besides his own new relations and new kindred entring in thither now for his poor Brethren Thus entred first into this Sanctuary he carries with him not only the blood but the whole sacrifice being restored unto him after he had offered it as an entire Holocaust and poured out all the blood thereof at the foot of the Altar to offer it here a second time to the acceptation of his Father See Heb. 8. 3. comp 9. 7. carries it with all the wounds and piercings made in it as honourable marks of his sufferings and remembrances thereof to his Father which 't is probable that his glorified body still retains appearing in his Father sight a Lamb as it had been slain See Rev. 5. 6. as also he appeared before for confirming the faith of his Disciples Jo. 20. 27. to which the Apostle alludes Gal. 6. 17. and likely shall appear at the last day to the everlasting reproach of his enemies See Rev. 1. 7. In memory whereof also the very Altar the Cross is imagined to be that which is called the sign of the son of man Matt. 24. 30. and which shall appear in the heavens and be carried before as his royal Ensign in his procession to the last judgment Which Sacrifice since he appoints here in the consecrated elements to be shewed forth by his Priests in our Sanctuaries before God in
commemoration of him how much more in that above is it solemnized for us by himself our High Priest That as the bow was set in the Cloud that God looking upon it might remember his Covenant and forbear to bring a second deluge upon the earth Gen. 9. 16. and the blood of the Paschal Lamb was stricken on the door posts that the Lord seeing it there might pass over them with his plague So when he beholds these wounds given our Savior for our sin displaid before him he may forbear to revenge sin any more upon his Brethren And if Pilate shewing that our suffering Savior with an Ecce Homo thought the beholding such a pitiful and cruel spectacle was enough to have melted the hardhearted Jews his malicious enemies into some mercy and compassion so as to prosecute his death no further How much more will such a pale and wanner sight as was seen afterward upon the Cross of an only Son voluntarily undergoing all this for our sin move a pitiful and merciful father no further to prosecute the vengeance thereof upon his brethren upon his own members A second Action there is sprinkling of his blood upon and before the Mercy-Seat not 7 nor 77 times but continually and note that all blood-shed when it comes before the Lord hath a loud cry See the blood of the Saints Rev. 6. 10. And Abels Gen. 4. 10. And the Apostle compares the sprinkling of our Saviors blood for its speaking and crying unto the sprinkling of Abel's tho His cried not the same way for it pleaded for mercy as the other for vengeance For we receive a true attonement are sanctified are purifyed as many of us as serve the Lord by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus See 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 12. 24. -13. 12. Not that our Savior there really sprinkled his blood for us let none grossly imagine this for flesh and blood enter not into heaven 1 Cor. 15. but that he now by it poured out by him on the Cross in the heavenly Sanctuary procures all the effects obumbrated by the former sprinkling of the blood of the legal Sacrifices Therefore t is observed that the Apostle saith he entred by it not with it Heb. 9. 12 23. Who is therefore called for this Celestial ceremony before the propitiatory or throne of grace our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiation 1 Jo. 2. 2. and our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiatory Rom. 3. 25. Thus he sprinkled his blood to make attonement for and to sanctify us but as we read that the legal High Priest purified also the Sanctuary it self and reconciled the Holy place said to be defiled by being in the midst of the peoples uncleanness See Lev. 18. 25 28. the Apostle makes this also run parallel for our Savior Heb. 9. 23. by which as is signifyed the purifying of all the Creatures and particularly of all our imperfect holy services unto us so perhaps something more may yet be gathered from Col. 1. 16 20. -2. 10. Job 15. 15. -4. 18. -25. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 7 12. Rom. 8. 22. well considered for all Principalities and Thrones i. e. Angels were made by him at first and for him and by him they now consist and of them also he is the head and by him they are said to be reconciled thro him they are now confirm'd in grace and perhaps at the last day thro him shall be advanced in glory And perhaps the upper regions of the world may be said in some sense to be contaminated as the earth by mans or the faln Angels sin to which heavenly things also the vanity bondage groaning of the Creatures mentioned Rom. 8. may extend which also are said by Peter to be reserved and that they shall be dissolved and as it were purified by fire But abscondita Domino Deo nostro manifesta nobis 3. After this appearing there with this Sacrifice and sprinkling of his blood follows his Intercession also there for us Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. Esai 53. 12. -59. 16. another office of the Priest for the People whose making attonement was not without praier since this also is called making attonement Exod. 32. 30. and so where we translate making attonement the vulgar renders it praying for c. See Lev. 16. 7 34 17. Quando Pontifex sanctuarium ingreditur ut roget prose pro universo coetu Israel see Job 42. 8. Gen. 20. 7. which appears also by the continual practise of the Priests and Prophets praying foâ—… the people Jer. 7. 16. -27. 18. Ezra 10. 4. Joel 1. 13 14. -2. 17. 2 Chron. 30. 27. 1. And this first in presenting continually his own praiers to the Father for us in which respect he is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Advocate with the Father as well as the Holy Ghost is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Advocate to the Father here on earth with or in us As the spirit is also stiled by his title of Intercessor here as he there Rom. 8. 26 27. and therefore what office in prayer when any one sins or suffers this Advocate doth here on earth residing with us 1 Jo. 5. 7 8. see Rom. 8. 26. the other Advocate doth the same in heaven residing with the Father and with the same unexpressible zeal The better to conceive which imagine Aaron Numb 16. 47. when wrath was gone out from the Lord standing with his Censer in his hand between the living and the dead and staying the plague or Moses that great type of him Deut. 18. 15. like unto me his pathetical intercessions and deprecations so many times for the sinning Israelites continuing 40 daies at a time with the Lord in supplication for them and for their Priest see Exod. 32. comp with Deut. 9. 18 20. Numb 14. 13. c. and proceeding even to wishing himself accuâ—…ed in their stead as also did St. Paul but our Savior only was he that really became also a curse for others and then be sure our High Priest now makes the same nay far greater as much more concerned in our safety being Master over the house in which Moses tho a faithful yet was but a servant The exact matter and manner of whose intercessions above tho it is not manifested unto us yet what esteem of it and confidence in it may we not have therefore our Mother the Church thinks fit to finish all her prayers in it if we consider first that infinite love wherewith he now loveth us How can it be silent Eph. 3. 19. from which neither things present nor things to come neither heights nor depths c. can ever separate us Rom. 8. 38 35. comp with 34. 2. The promises which he made in that last comforting Sermon immediately before his death and departure from hence the summ of which is to assure his Disciples and consequently all believers see Jo. 17. 20. of the great care he would take for them in heaven where also he particularly
general i. e. in respect of all persons and of all Covenants made with and promises made to them but only to those times in respect of the covenant of works which then by the errour of many of the Jews the children of works was generally more looked after then the Covenant of faith which had then but few followers see Rom. 9. 31 32. when also the one Covenant was more largely and legibly drawn in great Characters the other put forth more obscure and in a lesser Print and a veil drawn over it 2 Cor. 3. 14. till the fulness of time was come Therefore also the former times had the denomination of the times of the law the latter of the Gospel And again in respect of the literal promise under the law of felicity in the earthly Canaan Therefore where the Apostle saith established on better promises understand there those typical ones of earthly Canaan made to Israel at the promulgation of the law Or opposed to those times in general but this only first in respect of the diverse administrations of the former times with many troublesome ceremonials and types to be afterward abolished and of the degrees of the greater manifestations in the latter times of the way of salvation being void of shadows types and figures all these now being brought to perfection and accomplishment in the incarnation of the Son effusions of the Spirit enlargement of the Church promulgation of an Heavenly country instead of an Earthly Canaan and from these greater manifestations many more of the children of works becoming now the children of faith And from its stronger beams as well those illuminated who before sate in darkness Luk. 1. 79. and midnight as this light increased to those who had before some dawnings thereof And secondly in respect of the accomplishment of those promises to the faithful of the former ages which are made thro Christ spoken of Heb. 11. 13 14 16. In which they could not be compleated and perfected before the times of the Gospel neither in respect of the body they waiting for the restorement of that till those of the Gospel are glorified with them nor according to the reverend opinion of Antiquity in respect of the soul they not having the kingdom of heaven laid fully opened unto them till our Saviour was first entred in thither See Eph. 1. 10. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 11. 39 40. -12. 23. For indeed the performance and perfection of the mystery of mans redemtion was a thing only received in the last daies And tho the virtue of Christs incarnation is communicated alwaies to all men yet not the latter times on the former but the former depend on the latter for the substance and ground of their hope and salvation Jesus Christ come in the flesh These having the body of which body coming toward them the other had the shadow Col. 2. 17. And in these respects the times of the Gospel are said to have so much advantage of those of the law we seeing in a clear glass Gods glory they thro a thick veil we 2 Cor. 3. 13. standing in a clear whereas the best of them in a dim light and the most of them in utter darkness See Matt. 13. 17. -11. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 10. c. 2 Cor. 3. 7. c. Here note that the oppositions of the times that are used in the other heads preceding in which I follow only the phrase of the Holy Scriptures are by these limitations so to be interpreted as that they no way contradict the doctrine of this last chapter FINIS §. 1. Jâ—…sus Christ the truth in the fulness of time Sent. § 2. § 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. §. 4. § 5. Anointed §. 6. A new Law-giver for the law moral 1. Expounding it 2. Requiring stricter obedience 3. Denouncing heavier judgments §. 7. Ministring the spirit § 8. Abrogating the letter § 9. For the law ceremonial Cancelling it § 10. 2 An Apostle of the Gospel §. 11. Preaching it §. 12. Remitting sins giving the Holy Ghost admitting into the kingdom of Heaven §. 13. Before his departure ordaining others §. 14. Transferring his authority to them §. 15. § 16. §. 17. Assisting them from Heaven §. 18. §. 19. Those ordaining others to the end of the world §. 20. He assisting their Successors for ever §. 21. The Apostles also delegating to them the authority received from Him §. 22. The truth of our Saviours doctrines c. attested by 1. Scripture 2 Spirâ—…t 3. Miracles 4. Death §. 23. And a resurrection The way § 1. Christ an Example 1 In doing the work In all obedience to Gods commandements Moral §. 2. Ceremonial § 3. 2 In all sufferings for righteousness sake §. 4. 2 In receiving the reward §. 1. Christ Mediator of the new Covenant §. 2. Enlarged Established 〈◊〉 â—…tter promises §. 4. § 5. The blood of this â—…ovenant §. 6. The Death ratifying this Testament § 7. Performance of tâ—…e promiâ—…es put into his hands revived §. 1. Christ the Sacrifice §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. â—… 〈◊〉 1 Sin-offering for remission of guilt §. 6. 2 For puriâ—…ing uncleannesses §. 7. 3 Holocavst §. 8. 4 Eucharistical Peace or thank-offering §. 9. §. 9. §. 10. By eating of which we have Communion 1. with God 2 With his Son and all that is his §. 11. 3 With the Saints and all that is theirs §. 12. And are preserved in both soul and body unto life eternal §. 13. 4 The â—…over § 1. 5. Mans debt to and bondage under 1 Sin §. 2. 2 The law §. 3. 3 Death § 4. 4 Satan 1 As the executioner of Gods justice 2 As Prince of this world §. 5. §. 6. Christ our Redeemer 1 By paying a ransom freeing us from debt §. 7. 2 By making a Conquest freeâ—… us from slavery §. 8. Our Redemption not yet fully perfected §. 9. And why §. 10. How much already performed 1 In respect of sin §. 11. 2 Of the law §. 12. Of Death §. 13. Of Satan § 〈◊〉 §. 1. Christ the second Adam Dependent 〈◊〉 God the Father Before his Incarnation §. 2. Much more after it §. 3. Assuming the infirmities of human nature § 4. Receiving the perfections of it from God his Father §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. A Covenant made with the second Adam as with the first involuving his seed §. 8. He fulfils it By walkâ—… 〈◊〉 a quite contrary way to the first §. 9. §. 10. Receives the reâ—…ard For himself For â—…is sâ—…d 1 The Spirit 2 Life §. 11. His particular benefits 1 As our â—…ead communicates absolution from sin by his death for it § 12. Baptism incorporating us into his death The Sacrament of pardon §. 13. 2 As our â—…ead communicates righteousness or life spiritual by his Resurrection 1 〈◊〉 us to perform 〈◊〉 2 Compleating our imperfect righteousness 3 As our head communicates glory or life eternal in our resurrection §. 14. 1 Effected by the same spirit
promiseth to pray the Father for them who was greater then he and therefore they might rejoyce they had such a friend with him see Jo. 14. 16 28. -16. 7 26. tho he assured them of his Fathers great affection to them for his sake even in case himself should not pray for them 3. His long many whole nights and assiduous practises of prayer here on earth doubtless for them and us tho importuned with so much other business S. Peters suddain repentance and tears Matt. 26. 75. came from his intercession Luk. 22. 32. 4. If we consider the matter of that one only long praier of his that is set down Jo. 17. after his work was finisht here and he was to leave his Disciples here on earth to the custody of his Father Ver. 12 13. And some part of his Church now and till the end of the world having the same necessities Many sheep that were not of that fold of whom he saith also that he must bring them in Jo. 10. 16. How can he not continue for them the same petitions till he be made compleat also in the whole Church his body Neither praied he then for his Apostles alone but for them also that should believe on him thro their word vers 20. for our sanctification vers 17. for our perfecter union with him and the Father in this world vers 11. 21. for our glorification with him in heaven vers 24. Perfectly knowing every ones infirmities A particular Advocate as any one of his Servants Heb. 5. 9. sinneth procuring remission 1 Jo. 2. 1. and infinitely pitying every ones condition An Advocate as any one of his is tempted and afflicted procuring succour and watching that their suffering may not be beyond their ability Heb. 2. 18. and perfectly foreseeing all their dangers An Advocate begging deliverance from future evils as he did here on earth for Peter when Satan would have sifted him but I have praied for thee that thy faith fail not Luk. 22. 23. and going away for his Disciples left behind Father I desire not to have them quite taken out of the world but keep thou them in it from the evil vers 15. from their powerful and invisible enemy and from all those wolves among among whom I leave them Think we then the Shepheard of Israel now sleepeth But we must not let this pass un noted That his Intercession who is alwaies heard for he asketh according to the will of God Rom. 8. 27. never asketh such things as God hath decreed by no praiers to be exorable in As to be capable of his mercies and favors there are some dispositions prerequisite in the person See Ezek. 14. 3 5 14. For such therefore as want these our Savior perfectly knowing his Fathers will can ask nothing absolutely that is against it Tho with a velleity if you will now as when he praied in the Garden for himself or for his enemies when on the Cross Luk. 23. 34. he desires or wisheth mercy even for all even for those who shall never receive any Velleity I say qua hoc vellet si aliud non obsisteret but his intercession with an absolute will which is alwaies conform to his Fathers and so alwaies fulfilled by his Father is not general and for all so we might think it frustrated but for those that are or will be rightly disposed and are or are to be of his Church even as the High Priest carried in before the Lord only the names of the twelve Tribes I pray for them saith he I pray not for the world Jo. 17. 9. not for those who have the devil for their Father 1 Jo. 3. 8. not for the man of sin and those persecutors of his Church Against whom we may imagine he now deprecates his Fathâ—…r in behalf of the Church in that form Rev. 6. 10. How long Lord c. Ps. 44. 9 17. and Zech. 1. 12. How long c. which Angel was the Son of God and receives from him that answer in the Psalmist Ps. 110. 1. Sit thou on my right hand till I make c. whom he will at last uttâ—…rly destroy at his coming for there is a sin we may not therefore neither doth he pray for 1 Jo. 5. 16. And this much more indears his intercessions unto his since they are not common for all and let us take heed least there be in any of us an heart of unbelief Heb. 3. 12. either not to enter at all or to run out of this fold either not to be ingrafted into or to be cut off from his body and so be made uncapable and loose our share of such dear intercessions and omnipotent praiers by virtue of which 't is not possible for the elect to miscarry Matt. 24. 24. 2. And as this our High Priest intercedes and offers up his own praiers for us so he offers up all ours too For God under the Gospel is served with spiritual sacrifice as under the law he was with carnal both with sin-offerings our Confessions and peace-offering our giving of thanks of praise and glory unto him and Free-will-offerings our restraint of some lawful liberty when this any way conducing more to his service and whole burnt-offerings our resignation and dedicating of all we have and are to the promoting of his glory So our praiers are called Incense and the morning and evening Sacrifice Rev. 5. 8. Ps. 141. 2. Our praise the calves of our lips See Heb. 13. 15. comp with Hos. 14. 2. Ps. 50. 14 15. preferred before all the Herds on the Mountains all our words and actions even to our eating and drinking required to have a special dedication to God Col. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 10. 31. And as all our actions that are by the soul so all our passions and sufferings that are by the body are sacrifices too and much more properly such then the former so both those mortifications and crucifyings of the flesh by our selves whether for the wiping away or for the prevention of sin and killing of our brutish lusts now instead of slaying of beasts or our patient and contented undergoing those sent from God for sin are no mean sacrifices see Ps. 51. 16 17. Thou delights not c. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart c. And those sufferings in the flesh from others for righteousness sake or for the glory of God or for the benefit of our Brethren when we instead of the blood of Beasts offer up our own to God and undergo Martyrdom for his sake this is the highest sacrifice of all and so St. Paul calls his 2 Tim. 4. 6. Phil. 2. 17. 2 Cor. 12. 15. And these sufferings also our Savior presents to God as he doth those of his own body for we also are his body and as he offers up himself so us to the Father Tota congregatio societasque sanctorum universale sacrificium offertur deo per sacerdotem magnum Aug.
our God! Thus much of the same obedience and sufferings required alwaies of the children of faith under the times of the law and Prophets as since under the times of Christ even the same from the beginning Next these required alwaies upon the same rewards promised and punishments denounced i. e. eternal bliss or torments which that they were alwaies believed hoped feared by the most of men for now also some there are who believe them not we may learn from the ancient universality of this opinion for so much as concerns the soul even amongst false religions which must either be borrowed from the relations of it made to the Church as all false religions were but several corruptions of the true or from the common light of nature as such a thing there is Rom. 2. 14 15. For indeed how could at any time right reason allowing only a God and reward and punishment for virtue and vice as 't is Gen. 4. 7. argue otherwise For they seeing the wicked many times here prosperous and the righteous suffer even the first good man murdered by his own brother and then holding after death no second state there remains no punishment c. for temporal death passing upon all can be no punishment of any ones sin except Adams any more then it is of the sins of all Now the light we find amongst the ancient Heathens we may not deny to have shined much more in the Church But secondly That not only future bliss and pains but a resurrection also was commonly believed in the Church before our Saviours times encouraging the good affrighting the wicked see 2 Maccab. 12. 44. Wisd. 4. 16. and all the 5th cap. 2 Maccab. 7. 9 36. which tho not Canonical yet are convincing to shew the Jews ancient opinion in this point and the last place seems to be verified by the Apostle Heb. 11. 35. see Martha's ready answer Jo. 11. 20. and the opprobrium of the Sadduces for denying it Matt. 22. 23 29. Of whom note that they were a Sect not numerous counted generally Hereticks among the people as the Pharisees the Orthodox that for the evidence of these truths therein they were forced to reject the writings of the Prophets and were told also by our Saviour that they understood not the writings of the law Matt. 22. 29. And again that this belief amongst them was of no later date see Heb. 11. 12. c. whence may be collected the quality of that faith mentioned vers 6. which compared with the end of the 4th vers and beginning of 13. must needs be believing God to be a rewarder after this life or else is nothing worth see vers 35 40. vers 26. of the reward i. e. eternal else Egypt was to be preferred before the Wilderness See Luk. 1. 54 72. Rom. 3. 21. -1. 2. Next let us consider the old Testamenâ—… and the many places therein declaring this truth tho the cleer light we have of these things since the Gospel makes us fancy the darkness of former times to be far greater then it was Concerning which our Saviour chides the Sadduces not only for not knowing the point but not knowing the scriptures Matt. 22. 29. as the Apostle likewise doth the Corinthâ—…ns 1. ep 15. 34. I speak it to your shame and quotes Exod. 3. 6. for the proof of it as also St. Peter 2 Ep. 3. 13. for the new creatioâ—… quotes Esai 65. 17. See for this day of judgment and new Creation Esai 66. 15 22. -51. 6 8. Psal. 102. 25. -50. 1. c. And the righteous living after it Psal. 102. 28. comp 26. Esai 51. 6. -66. 22. Therefore is God also himself said to be their reward Gen. 15. 1. Psal. 73. 26. -142. 5. Eccles. 11. 8 12 14. Eccles. 2. 3. See first then that clear expression Dan. 12. 2 3 13. Esai 13. 12. where note that the term of sleeping for death used so frequently in the new see 1 Thess. 4. 13. is borrowed from the old Testament and not only intimated rest but argued a rewaking whence also the resurrection is called the morning Psal. 49. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 19. and seeing light again Psal. 16. 9 10 11. spoken of the resurrection Act. 13. 35. in the first place of Christs but also of Davids by him Psal. 17. 15. comp with 14. and with Psal. 16. 11. Psal. 49. 15. comp with 14. Psal. 73. 24 26. Psal. 36. 8 9. comp with the rest Job 19. 25. c. Job 13. 15. Fsâ—…i 26. 19. opposed to 14. Hos. 13. 14. Esal 25. 8. -51. 6 8. quoted 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. Exod. 32. 32. Ps. 69. 28. comp with Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 20. 12. Luk. 10. 20. where keeping this memorial of them is upon their being first by death removed out of sight see Mal. 3. 16 13. where this registring of them differenceth the righteous from the prospering wicked Add to these Enoch's assumtion to another life before Elias under the law as Christ after it Add the raising of several other to life 2 King 8. 5. -4. 35. Heb. 11. 35. Arguments to the old world both of Gods power and purpose Esai 13. 9 10 11 12. comp with Matt. 24. 29. Enough of the resurrection of the just to life but what of the wicked to eternal torments First these seem to follow necessarily upon concession of the other sins being our own more then righteousness is and therefore if this in us obtains a reward the other will punishment Again this punishment is not a temporally miserable life as appears before oftner undergon by the good then the bad nor can it be a temporal death because there is no more undergon by the profanest then the holiest and is so far from deterring the unbelievers of future torments from sin as 't is made an argument for it Let us eat c. to morrow we dy Esai 22. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 32. I may go further Neither could the loss of a pleasure to come tho greater yet unknown and a far off sufficiently sway most men to loose and forego a pleasure present and acquainted the worth of the one being counterpoised by the nearness of the other Yet more Neither could the danger of incurring of some future pains make men forbear the pursuit of some present delights if all their joy must be bought with some sorrow It seeming to them no wisdom to be in pain to avoid it T is therefore the wisdom and also mercy of the Lawgiver to appoint a penalty so high as may abundantly serve to deter men from the fault and this can be only future pains not only great but eternal The severity of which by how much it seems to us super-proportioned to sin so much more is it necessary and justified since neither the fear thereof can yet keep the most men from sin and many also for fear of these escape sin here and attain to heaven who upon a less penalty
would have entertained the enticements of vice and lost the promised reward and voluntarily as it were contracted for present delight a future misery had it not been so unmeasurably great 2. T is plain that the wicked of the old world suffer eternal torments see Matt. 11. 22 24. 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. comp with 5 6. and with 1 Pet. 3. 19. Jude 7. where the unclean false teachers are threatned with the same destruction to come as the divels the old world or the Giants Sodom Cain Core c And hence it follows that either from the evidence of Conscience or of Tradition or of Scripture these were sufficiently made known unto them For tho Gods bounty may be greater then his engagement yet not his punishments then his threats least he should seem to hide the hook of our misery only to make us swallow the bait of sin But thirdly Did not Israel know c. Yes See Luk. 16. 29. Abrahams answer to Dives in these torments who it seems having not believed till felt them himself would fain have some warning of them sent to his Brethen and the Patriarch answered him they have Moses and the Prophets And indeed we scarce find any or no expressions of these future pains in the new Testament but taken out of the old Matt. 5. 22. Gehenna or the valley of Hinnon a pleasant vale near Jerusalem in which was Toâ—…het a place where children were burnt alive to the honor of the idols 2 King 23. 10. Jer. 7. 31. taken out of Esai 30. 30. where Tophet is set to signify these eternal pains Mark 9. 43. fire unquenchable and never dying worm alluding to that of the grave out of Esai 66. 24. Râ—…v 19. 20. out of Gen. 19. 24 28. comp with Jude 7. And these and many other expressions are used also in â—…he old Testament not to signifie but the same tâ—…ing as they are in the new which the better to discover we are to take notice 1. That all the expressions mentioning going down into darkness into Hell and the pit the place of Giants the place of the uncircumcised of the slain under or into the lower parts of the earth where in the inferiour spatious concavity thereof the Diameter of its body amounting at least to 7000 miles in all likelyhood is the place of those torments It being farthest from light and the mansion of the Blessed which place seems to be intimated Luk. 8. 31. where the Divels desire they may not be sent into the deep but live on the earth Mark 5. 10. going into destruction death gnawing upon them their grave worms never dying never seeing light perishing like the beasts their iniquity being upon their bones being had no more in remembrance and being blotted out of the book of the living c. signify not simply the common lot of the grave where the righteous are said to sleep Esai 57. 2. comp 1. or only a suddainer descent thither by an untimely death for the righteous also many times have an early decease but the place of a prison and torment 2. That the frequent threats there of Gods coming to judgment are often not meant of some particular temporal executions of his wrath upon the living but of that last general that shall be upon all the world called by the Baptist the wrath to come Matt. 3. 7. as appears by the quotations of them in the new Testament applyed to that day See 2 Pet. 3. Rev. 20. 21 22. chap. compared with the last chapters of Esai Ezek. Zech. c. Esai 13. 9. comp Matt. 24. 29. 3. That the future misery of the wicked as it is expressed in some places by the paena sensus so not unoften by the paena damni only by privation of light of life i. e. future of remembrance c. see Psal. 73. 18 20. awakest i. e. in the morning of the resurrection as Psal. 39. 14. and Psal. 17. 15. comp with 24. 4. and with Job 21. 13. in a moment i. e. without such languishing pains as Job had 32. where they are intimated to dy without much pain as well as live in much prosperity If therefore after such pleasures their destruction means only death death many times peaceable and easy what preeminence over them at any time hath the Godly why may he not then bless himself and others also praise his providence Psal. 49. 18. Psal. 49. 14 19 20. where by perishing like beasts and death gnawing upon them and never again seeing light is expressed their paena damni their condemnation to utter darkness and non-restorement to life eternal as appears comparing them with vers 15. and Psal. 16. 11. And such are those expressions Psal. 9. 5 17 7 8. chiefly intending the last day of judgment and vengeance See Psal. 69. 27 28. comp with Exod. 32. 33. and Phil. 4. 3. Psal. 17. 14. Esai 26. 14. comp 19. But for their opinion of paena sensus too See the opinion of latter times Wisd. 4. 20. comp with 5. 1. -6. 6 8. of the former in the ancientest testimony in the world that of Enoch the Prophet Jude 14 15. He speaketh so early of the last judgment frequently appeal'd to in the old Testament tho mistaken see Ps. 2. 9. compar'd with Rev. 2. 27. -19. 15. See Fsai. 30. 33. -33. 14. comp 16. -66. 24. These compared with Job 26. 5 6. where the Vulgar and Diodat 〈◊〉 gigantes gemunt sub aquis qui habitant cum eis and 1 Pet. 3. 19. and Esai 14. 9 12. suscitavit tibi gigantes 15 18 19. Prov. 2. 18. and 9. 18. The dead the Giants as in the other i. e. the wicked of the old world and condemnation to the place where these are is the future punishment of the unchast and signifies not death or the grave but hell and torment See the like expressions Ezek. 32. 18 19. c. 28. 10. -31. 18. Prov. 7. 26 27. Esai 10. 18. Psal. 63. 9 10. Thus in all times the same way of salvation the same God never changing his counsels the same Son of God Patron of the Church the same Spirit illuminating and sanctifying it the same Covenant of Grace the same Gospel the same benefits by looking forward as of old upon the seed promised or looking backward as in these latter times upon the promise fulfilled And as Heb. 8. 8. shews that the Gospel was a Covenant of the latter daies in respect of Christ exhibited so Gal. 3. 16 17. shews it was of the former in respect of Christ promised And those places where we read of new and better Covenants Heb. 8. 9 10. better promises Heb. 8. 6. better Hope Heb. 7. 19. c. are not so to be understood as if there were now produced and made known some way of salvation to the world when as there was none before or some new way of salvation when as there was another before But are opposed either not to the former times in