now shining at the right hand of God we should say the Sun were but like sackcloth in comparison of it how much more bright is he in his Godhead this is so glorious that no man can see it and live The face of Jesus Christ is that which makes and constitutes the very glory of heaven And then 2. His omniscience The Sunne in the firmament travels up and down and beholds every part of the world David saith there is nothing hid from the heat of it Psalm 19. 6. Jesus Christ as he is the Sonne of God is perfectly omniscient The Apostle speaks of his omniscience Heb. 4. 13. There is no creature that is not manifest in his sight c. Yea he sees every thing not by moving up and down as the Sunne doth but by one fixed and constant view There can be no fence made to keep out the sight of his eye he doth simul semel together and at once behold all creatures with all their motions thoughts and imaginations This is the first II. In respect of his effects and workings upon his people There is a great resemblance between the Suns effects upon the creatures and Christs effects upon his people I shall instance in eight particulars 1. The Sunne hath an enlightning vertue The Sunne is the great luminary which God hath appointed and made to carry the light abroad to the inhabitants of the earth The presence of the Sunne makes day The Sunne is the great torch of heaven by which men and other creatures see what to do and where to go Gen. 1. 14 16. By his light we see it and all other things Jesus Christ hath an enlightning power and doth actually enlighten the hearts of men The soul is by nature in darknesse and never sees till Christ beame down his light upon it All men by nature in regard of spiritual light are as that blinde man was John 9. 1. without any spiritual sight They see neither sinnes blacknesse nor their own misery by reason of sinne They see not Christs beauty not graces excellency till their eyes are opened They have thick skales upon their eyes as Paul had before his conversion Act. 9. 18. Therefore they are called darknesse and their state a state of darknesse Eph. 5. 8. Now Christ gives them light When he riseth upon them savingly then and not till then do they see their condition and the way out of it Eph. 5. 14 As the Sun is speculum munds the worlds looking glasse so is Christ speculum Animae the souls looking glasse All spiritual light which is given to the soul is in and thorough Jesus Christ So the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 4. 6. The Gospel is the vehiculum lucis the great chariot that carries this light abroad but the fountaine of it is this bright Sunne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ Spiritual illumination is Christs work This is that which the Evangelist saith John 1. 9. John Baptist carried the â—orch but Christ himself was the light Till this Sun be up the soul lies in grosse darknesse but when it appeares then light comes Presently Esay 60. 1. When the glory of the Lord is risen upon the soule then is darknesse expell'd and the soul shines forth The heart that is as dark as any dungeon when the beames of this Sunne are darted down into it is as light as a Paradise Christ turnes Egypt into Goshen And then 2. The Sunne hath a warming vertue Though it be not formally hot yet it is hot in its effect Psal 19. 6. The beames of the Sunne warme the earth and the ayre the bodies of the rational and irrational creatures Experience teacheth that the Sunne hath a heating power the light and motion of it causes heat The Lord Jesus Christ hath a warning vertue in him The heart that is as cold as yee is heated and warmed by the influences of his Spirit into a good temper The luke-warme heart when Christ shines upon it is set into a burning heat The beames which are cast from Christ in his Ordinances put the cold soul into a spiritual sweat We have an instance of this in the two Disciples Luke 24. 32. They were in a freezing temper till Christ overtook them but when they had continued a while in that spiritual sun-shine their hearts were put into a violent flame Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way The forerunner of Christ tells the Jews that he that came after him did baptize men with the holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. Christ can kindle the sparks of grace which seeme to be as dead and put them into a burning flame Many a Saint hath come to the Ordinances with his heart like the cold earth and before he hath departed Christ hath sent him away like a burning lamp the cold water hath been put into a vehement boyling that the heart hath runne over again eructâ—vit cor meum Psal 45. 1. Peter grew cold at the high Priests fire when the beames of Christ were withdrawn but when Christ shone upon him his cold heart was heated when Elisha had lien a while upon the Shunamites dead childe his flesh waxed warme 2 King 4. 24. Though a soule be as cold as death if Jesus Christ do but once stretch himself upon it it waxes warme And then 3. The Sunne hath a comforting vertue The Sunne is in Scripture put for comfort Job 30. 28. To walk without the Sunne is to walk without comfort and Solomon tells us that it 's a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11. 7. Weak and sickly persons when they are brought into the Sunshine finde their spirits cheered by it The Lord Jesus Christ hath a heart-comforting vertue He is the first inlet of comfort into the soul He is the preserver of joy in the soule and he it is that restores joy unto the soul after dejections and droopings of heart Noah was herein a figure of Christ see what his father Prophecies of him Gen. 5. â—9 Jesus Christ is the true Noah the great comforter of his people in all the griefs and sorrows of this world Christ is the foundation of all true comfort to thy soule Tolle Christum tolle solâ—â—â—um that reconciâ—iation which he hath made between God and man is the very basis of all consolation Whatsoever in God in the Scriptures yeilds any comfort to the soul is so onâ—y in and through Christ that comfort which is not built upon Christ is bastard comfort which will end in terrour The Spirit of God is called the comforter John 15. 20. his office is immediately to cheer the soul How doth he comfort but even by making application to the soul of a sinner of that which is merited for him All the arguments whereby the spirit comforts the heart are drawn from Christ he seales up to the soul that Christ is his and so fills it with comfort And then 4. The Sune hath a
extra sunt indivisâ— Prophets Act. 10. 43. Apostles 1 John 5. 11. Christ himself Joh. 14. 16. do all bear witnesse to this truth That Jesus Christ is life eternal to every true beleever In what respect Christ is our life of glory I shall shew in the following particulars viz. 1. In regard of merit and acquisition Jesus Christ is the procurer of this life of glory Heaven is called a purchased Redemption or Possession Epb. 1â—4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ is the purchaser of this possession and his blood is the price of the purchase As he hath by his death purchased the Elect so hath he also by his blood purchased this life for those redeemed ones 1 John 4. 9. in this was manifested the love of God towards us because he sent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Had not Jesus Christ shed his blood no sinner had ever tasted of this life eternal Eternal life is the free gift of God and yet it is merited by Christ Christ who is the price and meritorious cause of life is the free gift of Gods grace and therefore our salvation is both free and yeâ— merited 2. He is our life efficaciously Though salvation be purchased for the Elect yet must the Elect of God be fitted and prepared for this salvation before they can be put into the possession of it The Apostle speaks of making the soule meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best of men are unfit for salvation as well as unworthy of salvation Though heaven be prepared for them yet cannot they enter into heaven till they be prepared This fitnesse or preparedness stands in the changing of our nature by the working of grace in the heart and in the merciful acceptation of God covering our infirmities and reckoning our weak endeavours for perfect obedience Natura mentis humanae quantumvis perfect a naturalibus donis absque gratiâ non est susceptibilis gloriae Parisiens lib. de vâ—rt cap. 11. The Apostle tells us that a man must be wrought for glory 2 Cor. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elect of God come into the world rough and unpolished filthy and defiled as well as others and they are not fit for this life till they be refined and polished Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of heaven Aquinas saith well Gratia haec divina eò infunditur electis ut peragant actiones ordinatas in finem vitae aeternae Now Jesus Christ doth fit and work the Elect for this glory He doth by his Spirit change their nature he doth by his grace renew the spirit of their minde he doth set up his own image in their soules and by working grace fit them for the enjoyment of that life of glory which he hath purchased 3. He is our life He is the fountaine of our eternal glory 1 John 5. 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne 'T is in him as in the head as in the root as in the fountain or spring All our glory is laid up in Jesus Christ as in a publick treasury Iesus Christ and all beleevers make up one mystical body of which he is the head and they the members therefore is their glory laid up in him 4. Jesus Christ is our life in regard of preparation As he doth prepare us for heaven so doth he prepare heaven for us This is attributed to his Ascension Iohn 14. 2 3. I go to prepare a place for you Not as if the place of glory were not created till the Ascension of Christ There were many souls in heaven glorified before Christ did corporally ascend thither Abel Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Prophets the meaning of it is onely thus much that Iesus Christ did not ascend only for himself to dwell in glory alone but he ascended for our sakes in our stead and place to possesse the purchased inheritance for us and to keep it for us till we actually come to be possessed of it our selves 'T is by way of allusion to the practices of great Kings who send their harbingers before them to make ready for them against their coming Iesus Christ is pleased to stile himself so in reference to the Elect. And therefore the Apostle calls him our forerunner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tells us that he is entred into the vaile for us Heb. 6. 20. and hence it is that we are said to sit down together with Christ in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. 5. He is our life as the way to life He calls himself the way Iohn 14. 16. No man comes to the Father but by Christ This is that new and living way which the Apostle mentions Heb. 10. 19 20. 'T is through the vaile of Christs flesh that we enter into the Holy of Holies Iacob in his vision at Bethel saw a ladder which reached from heaven to earth Gen. 28. 12. upon this ladder the Angels of God ascended and descended This ladder is Iesus Christ so he tells us himselfe Iohn 1. 51. hereafter ye shall see heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Sonne of man He hath not only shewed us the way to heaven by his example but he is the way himself in which we go to God 6. He is our life in regard of distribution and communication As he hath purchased life for us and keeps possession of it for us so he it is that shall put us into possession of it when we come to enjoy it I will come againe and receive you unto my self Iohn 14. 3. The Apostle speaks of this in 2 Tim. 4 8. There is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me in that day 'T is to be understood of Christ he that hath purchased the Crown for us will in that day visibly set it upon our head Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome c. Matthew 25. latter end 7. He is our life formally Iesus Christ is the matter of eternal life Our eternal life and glory stands in the full enjoyment of Iesus Christ in heaven The seeing of God the enjoyment of Christ is our very glory Rev. 22. 3 4. The Throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their foreheads The glory of heaven is called the eating of the tree of life Rev. 2. 7. Iesus Christ is the tree of life the enjoyment of him is the souls glory Iob therefore reckons up all his eternal glory by this very thing I know that my Redeemer liveth c. I shall behold him not with anothers but with these very eyes Full and perfect â— immediate
When Jesus Christ comes to the soul he brings joy to the soule Esay 9. 3. They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as mon rejoyce when they divide the spoile When the Eunuch had his soul bedewed with this raine He went on his way rejaycing Acts 8. 39. The ground of his rejoycing you may see v. 32 33 35. Philip had acquainted him with Christ and Christ upon Philips preaching had rained down a soaking shower upon his soule that created a holy gladnesse in his heart Christ is the onely cheerer of the heart He can remove spiritual melancholy he can take off spiritual heaviness and put unspeakable joy into the soule 'T is true many of the members of Christ want spiritual joy This ariseth either from the restraining of this raine or from their not discerning of this raine When ever the distressed soul shall come to the feeling of these showers it will rejoyce and be no more sad The Doctrine of Christ is a cheering Doctrine The whole Doctrine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine of good tidings All the Ordinances of Christ are cheering Ordinances I will make them joyful in my house of prayer God hath planted Jesus Christ as a root of joy to his people As he is a plant of salvation so he is a plant of consolation no joy is either real or lasting which is not bottomed upon Jesus Christ That soul that hath received this raine into his heart shall have some joy here and he shall have everlasting full soul-satisfying joy in Christ and with Christ and from Christ in the other world This is the second Christ is like raine in respect of usefulnesse 3. Christ is like the raine if we consider the manner of its descending There is a great similitude between the manner of Christs descension upon the soule and the descension of the rain upon the earth I shal instance in seven particulars First The raine comes down successively and gradually now a little and then a little The raine doth not fall down all at once but it comes now a shower and then a shower as the earth stands in need of it God pierces now one cloud and then another in a pleasant succession Jesus Christ comes now a little and then a little as the condition of the soule requires A drop in one Ordinance and a drop in another Ordinance A shower falls in this Sermon and a shower at another Sermon This is that which the Prophet mentions Esay 28. 10. Precept must be upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Now one comforting influence comes down and then another now one quickning impulsion then another now one promise is rained down then another 1 Jesus Christ would have his people in a constant dependance on himself 2 He would have them wait constantly upon every Ordinance 3 He would not have them surfet either upon his Doctrines or comforts therefore he observes a succession in his distillations of good things upon them 4 He would have every Doctrine and every comfort soak into their hearts Luke 9. 44. 5 Christ would have nothing lost which he is pleased to bestow 6 Christ would endear every drop of his grace to his people 7 The soules of his people are like narrow mouth'd vessels they cannot receive much at once without spilling 8 We are such bad husbands that Christ dares not trust us with much at once For these and such like reasons doth he cause all he gives to distill in a way of succession Jesus Christ doth in a way of wisdome parcel out all the good which he raines down upon the souls of his people Secondly The rain comes down irresistibly When God doth by his Word of command speak to the cloud to distil its moisture upon the earth it is not in the power of all the creatures in heaven and earth to hinder its falling down As the clouds cannot open their own veines till God give the word no more can they â—â—â—â—ch themselves when God sets them a bleeding Jesus Christ comes down upon the hearts of men with an irresistible power and efficacy whether we understand it of his Doctrine or of his Scepter or of the influences of his Spirit he doth descend with a forcible and mighty power His Word is called a powerful Word Heb. 4. 12. The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Scepter is called a Scepter of strength Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion His Spirit is a Spirit of might and it s said to work mightily in the hearts of his people Col. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Pelagians and Arminians talk what their wilde fancy dictates of the resâ—stibility of grace the Scripture mentions no such thing the raine will come down whether men will or no and let the earth be never so hard it will soak into it When Christ by his Word and Spirit descends it is with a mighty power that the soul is not able to resist it I shall shew the power of Christs Word Spirit and Scepter in three great works Conviction Conversion Consolation To speak particularly to these 1. For Conviction When Christ comes down with an intention thoroughly to convince the conscience of sinne and righteousnesse the soul though it may stand out for a time yet it is through the mighty smitings of Christs Word and Spirit so powerfully over-ruled that it cannot but yield we have an instance of this in Paul Act. 9. 6. Jesus Christ doth with such an invincible evidence come upon his conscience that though he was in a violent motion carried on in a contrary course yet he yields up himselfe as a prisoner into his hands crying out Lord what wilt thou have me do He hath no strength to stand out any longer nay not so much as to dispute it with Christ Of this convincing power the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Jesus Christ when he comes down with a purpose to bridle the conscience doth deal so effectually that the proudest sinner is brought upon his knees and made to passe sentence against himself Yea with such a mighty power doth he come down upon the soule that even those who are not savingly brought in have their mouths stopped and are unable to say any thing for themselves Thus it was with those that brought the woman taken in the act of Adultery to Christ John 8. 9. They were so mightily convicted by the Word and Spirit of Christ that they were not able to abide in his presence but shrunk away one by one as men self-condemned Thus it was when Christ descended in the word of Stephen Acts 6. 10. Though they would not yield yet they were so powerfully convinced that they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Christ doth so demonstratively smite the conscience that carnal reasoning hath no door of evasion Of this powerful
hath taken up a prejudice though they be never so deserving Ahabs prejudice against the Prophets of the Lord would not suffer him to heare them 1 Kings 22. 8. 1 PET. 2. 6. XXII SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Febr. 20. 1652. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precious I Proceed to the Uses which are 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. For Information This teacheth a twofold lesson 1. The exceeding great glory of the Church of Christ. The Scripture tells us that the Church of God is a glorious body Though the Church taken in its more large acception as it contains all visible professors be in many respects lesse glorious because o◠the mixture that is in it it being a field wherein is both wheat and tares Mat. 13. 24 25. Mat. 3. 13. Mat. 13. 48. a barn floore wherein is both good corn and chaff a net in which are fishes good and bad yet the Church of God more strictly taken for the number of them that are effectually called the invisible Church is a very glorious society The Apostle calls it a glorious Church Eph. 5. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's glorious as in regard of the holinesse of the members so chiefly in regard of Christ the glorious foundation A house whose corners are laid with precious stones and whose superstructory stones are all lively stones must needs be glorious Never such a building in the world as the Church of God is See how the Evangelical Prophet describes it Esay 54. 11. O you afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphires c. 'T is much like that description which is made of it Rev. 21. 10 11 12 c. Every thing which is in the Church makes for the glory of it Glorious in its members who are cloathed with the glory of God glorious in regard of the worship which is there used and of the Ordinances there dispensed in regard of the Doctrine there there maintained Calvin I remember understands by those precious stones mentioned Esay 54. 11 12. The variety of the gifts and graces of God to his people Paul understands by the same precious stones the doctrine taught in the Church 1 Cor. 3. 11. The Church is glorious both in respect of the doctrine and of the various gifts and graces of God dispensed amongst the members of it But the great glory of all lies in the foundation-stone Jesus Christ That must needs be a precious building which hath its foundation on such a precious stone as Jesus Christ is who it as far above all precious stones and a great deale more then they are above common stones For the setting out of this consider how Christ excels all other precious stones 1. He excels them in largenesse Other precious stones are but of a small dimension and of a very little weight You may put many of the largest that ever were seen into a small Cabinet but Jesus Christ is very great As God he is infinite without dimension filling heaven and earth with his presence See how the Prophet speaks of the infiniteness and incomprehensiblenesse of Christ in regard of his divine nature Esay 40. 12 13. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out the heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in scales and the hills in a ballance That all this is spoken of Christ appeares from verse 11. where he is prophecied of as the Shepherd of his flock 2. He excels them in duration Other pearles and precious stones are of a perishing nature they may be defaced broken dissolved they may lose their beauty There 's a day coming when they shall be melted away into nothing Cleopatra dissolved a pearle of very great worth by the Art of Chymistry and drank it at one draught to her Antonius But Jesus Christ is a durable precious stone Neither time nor eternity will be able to dissolve this stone His beauty cannot be lost or dimished He never will have any flaw or crack or spot in him in the eyes of those that are able to judge aright of him His brightnesse is an unfading brightnesse The heavens and the earth fade and wax old like a garment but Jesus Christ is still the same and his years have no end Heb. 1. 11 12. And 3. He excels them in the multiplicity and perfection of his properties There is not any precious stone that hath all excellencies and vertues in it Some excel in one property some are excellent for another vertue Whether their medicinal vertues be considered or their other excellencies as their colour their forme their roundnesse c. One excels most in this kinde another in that But the vertues and excellencies of all pearls and precious stones meet in Christ Whatsoever perfection is to be found in any created stone the same is to be found in Christ The properties of the Saphire the Diamond the Chrysolite the Sardonix the Amethist and of all other stones meet in Christ alone And then they are all in him in a farre more transcendent manner then they are in any of these His brightnesse is above the brightnesse of the Diamond his whitenesse far exceeds the whitenesse of the Pearl The medicinal and physical properties that are in Christ are far more excellent then those that are in other precious stones Some Pearls they say do strengthen the heart others clear the sight others remove the vertigo or dizzinesse of the head and many other useful properties are recorded by learned men but none of them are so excellent in any of these kindes as Christ is for he removes and heales the distempers of the soule and minde as well as of the body he cures the spiritual eye-sight Rev. 3. 18. He cures the troubles of the conscience which no other precious stone can do being never so artificially used He being rightly applyed and taken cures the soul of sinne removes guilt which none other precious stone can do The neck-lace of pearle cannot cure the wounds of conscience the girdle of diamonds cannot remove tremblings from the spirit the costly jewel in the bosome cannot quiet the heart throbbing for sin or Gods departure all this Christ can do And 4. He excels them in this that he hath no hurtful qualities Other precious stones have a killing quality powder of diamonds they say is poysonful put in the bowels or throat takes away life presently But Jesus Christ hath no destructive quality He is occasion of hurt to none but to him that refuseth him Put all these together and it will appeare that the Church of God which is erected upon and united unto such a precious foundation must needs be a glorious Church 2. The great riches of true beleevers A member of Christ how poore soever he is in regard of outward riches yet he is the richest man in
healing vertue this is in the text There would be no health amongst men or any other living creatures if there were no Sunne The world would be a Hospital if the Sunne were not First the Sunne dries up cold moistures exhales vapours which would infect the bodies of men and other creatures Secondly the Sunne helps on the growth and vegetation of all healing plants and in both these respects hath healing in his wings The Lord Jesus Christ hath a healing vertue he heals both as medicine and Physician His blood is the Physick that heals and he himself is the Physician that applies it to the soul The Scripture speaks of Christ as a healer Esay 61. 1. He heals the soul of the guilt of sinne by the grace of justification and he heales it of the filthinesse of sin by the grace of sanctification The Prophet Esay speaks of this chap. 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed If Christ do but lay his hands upon the diseased soul it is cured whatsoever infirmitie be upon it The very border of his garment if it be but touched with a hand of faith cures all the bloody issues of the soul You have a rare cure done by the touch of Christs garment Mat. 9. 20. There are thousands of soules in heaven that have found perfect cure of strange diseases under the wings of Christ And then 5. The Sun hath a melting and softning vertue Though it patch and harden the clay yet it softens the wax the hot beames of the Sunne melt the yee and mollifie the ground when it 's frozen into hardnesse The Sunne when it was up melted the Manna Exod. 16. 21. The Lord Jesus Christ hath a melting and softning vertue if he do but send down one hot gleam upon the soul it 's dissolved and melted like wax We have an example of Christs softning vertue in Peter Luke 22 61 62. his heart was grown as hard as yee by his threefold denial of Christ and yet one beame from the eye of Christ thawed this yee into teares The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and he went out and wept bitterly Christs eyes are like a flame of fire Rev. 1. 14. These heavenly beames of Christ are able to turne the flint-stone into springs of water Those three thousand mentioned Acts 2 37. were as hard as marbles for they had their hands in the blood of Christ v. 36. yet when Christ did shine upon them in the minstery of Peter they are so soft that any frame may be put upon them Men and brethren what shall we do The Jaylor a rough hardned sinner that drew blood from the backs of the Apostles yet when Jesus Christ did but spread his hot wings upon him even at midnight how is he softned Acts 16. 29. 30. he that was lately like a stone is now like wax any impression may be put upon him There is not the most stiff necked sinner in this or any other Congregation but if Christ put out his power he can distil him into tears of repentance And then 6. The Sunne hath a vegetative vertue It doth bring on the growth of plants and flowers and all vegetables The Sunne darws the sap from the root into the branches and makes it thâ—ust out into buds blossomes and fruit and when the fruit is knit it ripens it and brings it on to perfection This is mentioned Deut. 33. 14. To this Bildad alludes Job 8. 16 He is green before the Sunne and his branch shooteth forth in his garden Though the soyle be never so good and the husbandry never so exact yet without the Sunne nothing comes to perfection the fruitfulnesse of the earth is to be ascribed to the Sun more then to the Earth or Tillage Jesus Christ hath a vegetating vertue he brings on the spiritual growth of every grace in the soul did not this Sunne send down his beams the spiritual plantation would come to nothing The Scripture attributes all Christian growth to Christ he is the root which feeds grace All supplie comes from him God hath stor'd all our nourishment in Christ from him to be communicated as we stand in need The Apostle sets this out in two texts Col. 2. 19. Ephes 4. 16. And the Prophet in the text makes it one effect of Christs rising upon the Saints They shall grow up as the calves of the stall You may thank Jesus Christ for the thriving of your graces as well as for the planting of your graces John 15. 5. And then 7. The Sunne hath a purifying vertue When your garments are mouldy you hang them out in the Sunne when your roomes are musty you set open the windows to let in the Sunne that they may be sweeten'd Jesus Christ hath a purifying vertue he makes the heart sweet and he keeps it sweet See how this Prophet describes him Chap. 3. 2 3. he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope c. When the heart hath gathered any defilement when it growes mouldy and musty there 's no way to get the ill favour out but to bring it under the shine of Jesus Christ And then 8. The Sunne hath an elevating vertue By the heat and power of the Sunne are many things exhaled and lifted up from the earth which otherwise would lie there many meteors and impressions there are in the aire which are exhaled from the earth by the power of the Sunne Jesus Christ hath an elevating vertue he it is that doth exhale and lift up the earthly hearts of men to heavenly things and heavenly meditations The heart of man naturally is so deep buried in the earth that if Christ did not by his heat which he sends down in his ordinances lift it up it would never have one thought of heaven he hath an attractive power to draw up the hearts of men to himselfe John 12. 32. It is from Jesus Christ that ever you had one serious thought of heaven or heavenly things The Apostle applies our spiritual raisednesse to Christ Col. 3. 1 2. It is from Christ as the merit of it and it is from him as the worker of it in us the power of our spiritual resurrection at first is from Christ and the power of Christ is that that helps us to raise our selves higher from day to day did not Christ send down his exhaling power we should lie like stones and never ascend he descends and then we ascend III. Christ is called the Sunne to shew the cleernesse of the Gospel worship in respect of the legal dispensation God used towards the Fathers This is Calvins Note upon the text God did never shine so clearly to the sonnes of men in the person of Christ The Ceremonial Law with all the appendixes thereof was but dark Gospel worship is clear The Apostle compares the Law to a shadow Heb. 10. 1. that was but Moon light or star light Gospel worship is Sun-light 2 Cor. 3. 10. The Patriarchs saw Christ and hoped in him and were
the Gospel The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious Gospel or the Gospel of glory 1 Tim. 1. 11. The Gospel is exceeding full of glory there 's nothing in it but that which is very glorious This is enough to proclaim the glory of it because in it the Lord Jesus Christ is discovered the Gospel is the Orbe in which the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth it is the Chariot in which Christ rides It is the Golden vessel which carries this glorious light about the world The Gospel is the true Bethshemesh or house of the Sunne it is called the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. Because by this Word Jesus Christ is discovered and manifested to the world David doth admire the heavens for this that in them God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sunne Psal 19. 4. The Gospel is that glorious Tabernacle which God hath set and established for this great Sunne of righteousnesse Where the Gospel is not Christ is not known remove the Gospel and Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse is totally removed 2. The exceeding great glory of heaven The Scripture makes mention of heaven as of a glorious place Amongst other things this shewes the glory of it that this Sunne of righteousnesse shines in it Rev. 21. 23. and 22. 3 This will further appear if we consider how far Christs shining in heaven dazzels his shining here on earth I will instance in these three particulars 1. In heaven Christ shines upon the soul immediately There is nothing to interpose between Christ and the soul his shinings in this life are immediate through the Ordinances We see his beames in this life through the thick glasse of Ordinances the Churh tells us the manner of his shining in this life Cant. 2. 9. We have his beames here only by reflection but in heaven they are immediately darted down upon the soul There is no Temple in heaven Rev. 21. 22. Christ himselfe is the Temple Now if the mediate beamings of Christ upon the soul he so glorious What abundant glory will there be in his immediate shinings 2. In heaven he shines with his full strength upon the soul All have here on earth but small beames of this Sunne A beam in one Ordinance and a beam in another here a little and there a little as we are able to bear it the eye of the soul while it is unglorified is not able without dazling to look upon Jesus Christ shining in his full strength Thou shalt see my back parts but my face cannot be seen Exod. 33. 22 23. but in heaven the soul shall be able to take a full view of Christs face 1 Cor. 12. 12. All that ever we have seen of Christ in this world will be but darknesse in respect of that full sight of his glory we shall have in heaven 3. In heaven Christ shines without intermission The soul here doth often lose the sight of Christs face every day is not a Sunne-shine day There are some dark and gloomy dayes even to them that have the greatest interest in Christ Esay 50. 10. but in heaven the Sunne is alwayes up There are no clouds to Eclipse the light of Christs face in that region There 's no night in heaven Rev. 27. 25. That which causes the soul here to lose the sight of Christ shall not be in heaven No sinne enters into that holy place if the immediate perfect uninterrupted shining of Christ can make a place glorious heaven is a most glorious place 3. The miserable condition of those that have no interest in Jesus Christ The Scripture makes it the top of all misery to be without Christ Eph. 2. 12. This text beares witnesse to it How uncomfortable would the world be if there were no Sunne If God had not made the Sunne the world would have been but an uncomfortable prison What a muse and astonishment are men put into when the Sunne is Eclipsed but for a few houres How doleful is their condition upon whom the Sunne of righteousnesse hath never risen They have neither spiritual light nor spiritual warmth nor spiritual healing nor spiritual softnesse that are without Christ They want both the righteousnesse of justification and of sanctification that have not a saving interest in this Sunne of righteousnesse There are no people upon the earth that stand in more need both of your compassions and prayers then those that want Jesus Christ And they are so much the more miserable because they want eyes to see their misery 4. That there is no righteousnesse either of justification or sanctification without Christ he is called the Sunne of righteousnesse in both these respects and therefore till he arise upon the soule it hath no righteousnesse in either of these respects 1. For the righteousnesse of justification The Papists they teach and maintain that a person must have in himself inherent righteousnesse to justifie him before Gods tribunall They say that Christs righteousnesse is not the proper cause of justification but that whereby God is pleased to accept of the habits of righteousnesse in us placing the matter of justification either in something habitually inherent in us or flowing from us This Doctrine doth devest Jesus Christ of this name which God hath here given him He is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. If he be our righteousnesse then we are not our own righteousnesse I would not be found saith a good Divine in the righteousnesse of the best prayers I ever made at the day of judgement To take off men from this Popish doctrine I shall lay down these Arguments against it 1. The righteousnesse of God and the righteousnesse of man are opposed in Scripture as things inconsistent in the matter of justification Phil. 3. 9. To mingle these two together were to wear a garment of linnen and woolen which God forbade in his Law He that submits to the one cannot submit to the other So the Apostle teacheth us expresly Rom. 10. 3. he that trusts to the righteousnesse of man cannot trust to the righteous of God Our righteousnesse is that which we do in obedience to the Law but Christs righteousnesse is that by which we are reckoned righteous in the sight of God 2. If righteousnesse be by workes then it is not of free grace but of due debt This is the Apostles argument Rom. 11. 6. The Papists answer this by understanding by works there the works of nature and unregeneracy only and not of works flowing from faith But this is a meer falshood for the Apostle proves Rom. 4. 2. that works flowing from faith cannot justifie before God Abraham was regenerate Abrahams works were works flowing from faith yet were not those works his righteousnesse but Christ apprehended by faith 3. That righteousnesse by which and for which a person is justified must exactly answer Gods justice It must be so every way perfect that justice it self can require no more but the best of our works are imperfect and
the preaching of the Gospel Thus Iesus Christ was manifested to all that received the Gospel and is still manifested The Apostle speaks of this manifestation Gal. 3. 1 O foolish Galatians c. before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set forth crucifyed among you And of this the Apostle makes mention 1 Iohn 1. 2. The life Venit in homines was manifested we have seen it 2 Tim. 1. 10. Neither of these appearances are to be understood in this Text for it speaks of an appearance that is yet to be made Therefore 3. A glorious manifestation of Christ yet to be made at his second coming to judgement And this is that appearance of which the Apostle here Venict contra homines August speaks for then it shall be and not till then that the Saints shall appear with Christ in glory So the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth it laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me in that day and not to me only but to all them also that love his appearing 'T is at this day of Christs appearing that the Saints shall be perfectly glorious Having found out what is meant by Christs appearing I shall in the prosecution of the Point handle these five particulars 1. That there shall be such an appearance of Christ 2. Why Christ shall thus appear the ends of this appearance 3. After what manner Christ shall appear 4. When shall be the time of this appearance of Christ 5. Why it is deferred I. That Iesus Christ shall appear I shall evince this 1. By many expresse testimonies of Scripture There is not any Article of our Faith more clearly set down in the Book of God then this Mat. 24. 30. Then shall appear the signe of the Sonne of man in heaven and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of heaven Act. 1. 11. This same Iesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven The Apostle Paul asserts this truth in expresse termes Heb. 9. 28. Vnto them that look for him he shall appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation 1 Iohn 3. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And as the Scripture doth expressely affirme it So 2. God hath taught his people to wait for it and to pray for it Cant. 8. 8. Come away my beloved c. Rev. 22. 20. the last prayer of the Church is for this very thing Even so come Lord Iesus And Luk. 12. 35 36. they are commanded to wait for this appearance Let your loynes be girded and your lamps burning And you your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord c. God never commanded his people to pray and wait for a fiction or dream which shal never come to passe 3. From the absurdities which would follow upon the denial of it We may say of this as the Apostle saith of the denial of the resurrection of the body 1 Cor. 15. 17 18 19. If Christ should not appear our faith would be in vaine The dead in Christ were perished and we should onely have hope in Christ in this life and of all men should be most miserable The whole comfort of a Christian turnes upon the hinge of this Doctrine of Christs appearing Ioh. 14. 18. II. The ends of Christs appearing are such as these 1. To declare that sin is abolished This is the meaning of that Heb 9. 28. 2. That he may be admired in his Saints c. This end of his coming the Apostle sets down 2 Thes 1. 10. he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that beleev One end of the second coming of Iesus Christ is to communicate his glory to his Saints that have beleeved in him He shall put his glory upon them and so shall be glorified in them Iesus Christ is glorified in his Saints now That holinesse and grace which he hath communicated to them already doth render them very glorious but at his second coming his glory will shine in them with greater splendor then now it doth He will then communicate unto them all his glory and make them glorious as he is glorious Our Saviour mentions this Iohn 14. 3. I will come again and receive you unto my self He comes to fetch all his Elect to heaven and to reveale his glory both to their soules and bodies He shall then actually put soule and body into the full possession of that glorious redemption which he hath purchased for them 'T is called the day of redemption Luke 21. 28. 3. To execute the sentence of his wrath upon all his enemies and the enemies of his people Iesus Christ hath severely threatned all wicked men that he will visibly take vengeance on them for the dishonours they have done to him and the wrongs they have done to his people And in this second manifestation of himself he will put all those threatnings into execution Of this the Apostle speaks 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God c. And of this Enoch prophecyed long ago Iude 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement on all c. Wicked men are now secure they reproach God and wrong his people but Iesus Christ will one day visibly come from heaven to punish these contempts and injuries The evil Angels and sinful men shall then be publickly adjudged to suffer that torment which they have deserved 4. To put an end to his Churches sufferings Rev. 20. 10. Then shall the devil that deceived the world be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever 5. To gather together his Elect. This the Evangelist sets down Mat. 24. 30. 31. They shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds And he shall send his Angels and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds c. The Elect of God are scattered up and down in the several quarters of the world scarce two or three of them are now together in one family at the same time but then they shall be collected never to part asunder to all eternity III. What manner of appearing this shall be Consider for that these four things 1. It shall be a real and corporal appearance Christ shall not appear imaginarily as some have thought nor shall he only appear according to his Divine nature but he shall appeare bodily and truly the same humane nature which was in the grave and afterwards ascended into heaven shall descend from heaven Mat. 24. 30. Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man The humanity
shall appear so the Angels tell the Disciples at his Ascension Act. 1. 11. This same Jesus which is taken into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven As he did really and bodily ascend so shall he really and corporally descend God will honour the humane nature of Christ in the world They shall look upon him whom they have pierced The same flesh of Christ which was pierced shall be manifested in his second coming 2. It shall be a sudden appearing His coming is compared to a sudden flash of lightning Mat. 24. 27. The appearance of Christ is compared to the lightning in two respects 1. For the evidence of it It shall be as clear to the eyes of men as the lightning is 2. For the suddennesse of it A flash of lightning doth suddenly break forth and in an instant shines from one end of the heaven to another so shall the appearance of Christ be And for this very cause is it compared to the coming of a thiefe in the night Luk. 12. 39 40. As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be when the Son of man cometh They ate they drank c. Mat. 24. 37. when men say peace c. 3. It shall be a very glorious appearance He shall come with power and great glory Mat. 24. 30. He was not so mean and despicable in his first coming as he shall be majestical and renowned in this his second coming His first appearance was in the form of a servant He came not to be ministred unto but to minister A low kinde of appearance was most fit for such work but when he appeares again he shall come as a Judge as King of kings and Lord of lords therefore Majesty is fit for him The Scripture doth set out the glory of his coming sundry wayes 1. He shall come in the clouds of heaven The bright cloud shall be his chariot Mat. 24. 30. 2. He shall come attended with an innumerable company of glorious Angels Those glorious spirits shall come in full regiments attending upon his person to do him service and to execute his will Mat. 25. 31. He had the beasts to attend on him at his first coming but he shall have Angels to wait upon him at this coming 3. He shall come with the voice of the Archangel with a mighty shout and with the trumpet of God 1 Thes 4. 16. All these expressions are used to set out the glory of it All outward glory which ever man beheld is but darknesse in this respect 4. It shall be a very dreadful and terrible appearance Full of Majesty and therefore full of terror His first coming was dreadful Mat. 4. 5. The Scripture sets out the dreadfulnesse of it by the Antecedents Concomitants Consequents of it The Antecedents are in Matthew 24. 29. such an alteration shall be made upon the creatures being that Sunne Moon and Starres being obscured by the glory of Christ shall cease from their service and not be able to shew their glory as before The Concomitants the firing of the world The Apostle speaks of this 2 Pet. 3. 10. what a dreadful sight will this be to the wicked The consequents of it are the raising of the dead the setting up of the Thrones the summoning of all the world to judgement Well doth the Scripture call it the terrible day of the Lord. IV. When shall this appearing be you cannot imagine that I should be so bold as to say any thing of the particular day moneth or yeare of Christs coming Our Saviour hath for ever silenced all curious enquirers about it Mar. 13. 32. The Scripture tells us thus much about the time of it that it shall be when the time of the Churches tribulation is ended Matth. 24. 29. When the number of Gods elect is converted In the end oft dayes Dan. 12. 13. It is one of those Novissima or last things which is to be expected in the world V. Why is it deferred 1. Because the Elect of God are not yet called All the Vessels of glory are not borne into the world Christ stayes till these flowers be sprung up The fetching of these to heaven is one end of his coming And he will not come till these are brought forth As the world was made at first so doth it stand and continue for their sakes 2. That space and time for repentance may be afforded unto sinful men This reason the Apostle renders of it 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack c. but is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance He defers his coming that sinners may have more tenders of salvation made to them that so they may be inexcusable if they do not returne 3. That the faith hope patience of his own children may be exercised The delaying of Christs coming is a very great help both to exercise faith watchfulnesse and patience We may say of this as the Prophet doth of the delaying of another day of the Lord Hab. 2. 4. Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry And the just shall live by his faith 4. That all other of Gods decrees for and about the things which must come to passe before this day may be accomplished Many things God hath decreed shall be done before his appearance which are not yet done in the world The preaching of the Gospel to all Nations Mat. 24. 14. The overthrowing of Antichrist 2 Thes 2. 3 8. The making of the Jewes and Gentiles into one Church c. Christ stayes because these decrees must be accomplished The Uses of this Point Use 1. Away with those Atheists and Epicures who deny this Doctrine In the very dayes of the Apostles there were some scoffers that did mock at this doctrine of Christs appearing 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. where is the promise of his coming we have many such scoffers in our dayes that deride the Doctrine of the resurrection of eternal life of Christs second coming The Apostle tells us the reason of this scoffing in the same place 1. The impurity of their hearts They walk after their own lusts That 's one great ground of Atheistical and wicked opinions Such Doctrines curb and check their lusts and because they cannot have their lusts by retaining such doctrines they therefore reject and scoffe at such doctrines 2. They walk more by sense then by the testimony of the Word of God Since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation because they cannot apprehend with their sense any such doctrine or any ground of it therefore they reject it Such as these who will not be convinced by Scripture we shall leave to feel the severity of that coming which they will not beleeve They that now scoffe will have time enough sadly to bewaile their scoffing they shall then feele what they will not now
be perswaded to beleeve Use 2. The deare love of Jesus Christ to his people As his departure was a rich testimony of his love 'T is expedient for you that I go away so is his returning I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come unto you Joh. 14. 18. Never think of Christs returning but meditate upon the greatnesse of his love Use 3. That Christ is not now corporally in the world The Scripture speaks of his corporal appearance as of a future thing The Papists they make him corporally present in the Sacrament His body shall descend but once and that shall never be till he come to take his people into glory with himself The doctrine of the real corporal presence of Christ is a doctrine of real falshood Use 4. This is a very sad doctrine to all ungodly sinners Christ shall appear It were well for wicked men if this Doctrine were an untruth The very end of his appearing is to bring you to a publick tryal for all your acts of High-treason against his Crown and dignity He will appeare and then you shall appeare before him to render an account of and to suffer punishment for all your hard words and cruel actings against him and against his in the world when he appeares you shall wish that the mountaines might fall upon you to hide you from his sight The appearance of Christ to you will be as the appearance of a severe Judge to a convicted malefactor Consider of it before-hand that by timely and thorough repentance you may prevent that dreadful sentence which will be denounced and executed upon the wicked in that day Falix trembled when he heard this doctrine Acts 24. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the hearing of it work such fear how great fear will the sight of it work be humbled and converted that ye may stand when the Sonne of Man appears You cannot hide any wickednesse from him You cannot bribe him to excuse your wickednesse Use 5. Let the friends and favourites of Christ draw comfoâ—t from hence Lift up your heads saith our Saviour when he is preaching of this very Doctrine Luke 21. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a day of lifting up the head to you Think of it and gather comfort from it 1. Against all the shame you meet with here That day shall wipe off all your shame Isa 66. 5. 2. Against all false judgements and accusations In that day all shall be judged over again Christ shall appear and he will judge righteous judgement 3. Against all slanders 4. The appearing of Christ is a general antidote against all evils you suffer 2 Pet. 2. 9. beleeve it meditate much upon it Mar. 13. 35. Luke 12. 42. 5. Prepare for it JOHN 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed and my VI. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Decem. 14. 1651. blood is drink indeed IN this Chapter we have something Historical and something Doctrinal The Historical part relates two great miracles done by our Saviour his feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes ver 1. to 15. his walking upon the water v. 15. to 22. The Doctrinal part is from v. 22. ad finem The first and principal Doctrine he handles is to prove himself to be the bread of life He is occasioned to preach this Doctrine from the peoples flocking after him to be fed with miraculous bread v. 22 23 24 25. seeing a great multitude resort after to Capernaum he knowing their intentions tells them v. 26. that they followed not because they saw his Divine power in the late miracle but that they might satisfie their natural appetite with bread and thereupon v. 27. adviseth them that they would minde that spiritual bread which did excel the other as far as the soule did the body v. 27. And after some debate with them when he saw their hearts a little raised after it he doth openly declare and professe himselfe to be that spiritual bread And when there was some contention among the Jewes how he could give them himselfe to eate v. 52. he doth v. 53. shew the misery of them that did not eat him and v. 54 the happinesse of those that did feed upon him and thereupon layes down this assertion in the Text For my flesh is meat indeed c. The worâ—s taken absolutely and excluding the causal particle for containe in them a double Proposition 1. That Christs flesh is meat indeed 2. That his blood is drink indeed I begin with the first My flesh c. in which we have 1. The subject My flesh 2. The predicate Meat indeed EXPLICATION My flesh Flesh when it is spoken in relation to Christ as here in the Text signifies two things 1. Sometimes the manhood alone So you have it Joh. 6. 63. It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing In this place the flesh signifies onely the humanity of Christ So Austin expounds it and Calvin after him The humanity is without advantage if it be separated from the spirit that is à spiritus virtute quâ perfusa est caro Calvin 'T is the Divinity that gives efficacy to the humanity It is from the Spirit that the flesh hath any feeding vertue 2. Sometimes the whole person of Christ God-man And so it is to be understood in the Text. My flesh is meat that is I am meat I God and man in one person Now why flesh is mentioned here Cameron gives the reason because our life is in the flesh and blood of Christ Si enim carnem sanguinem Christo tollas non erit amplius cibus noster For that he might be food for our soules it was necessary that he should satisfie the justice of God and so purchase for us remission of sinnes Therefore because by the shedding of his blood and by the sacrificing and offering up of his body upon the crosse he purchased this for us Heb. 9. 22. his flesh is said to be our meat and his blood our drink Is meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is translated sometimes rust Mat. 6. 19 20. Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies any thing that by rust or fretting doth eat into metal or other creatures and so consumes them It is also translated meat and signifies generally all kinde of food which is for the support of life 2 Cor. 9. 10. he that ministreth seed to the sower both minister bread to your food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and multiply your seed sowen c. And so 't is used in the Text. Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flesh of Christ is called meat indeed in a twofold respect 1. In respect of all other food All other food in respect of this is but cibi tantummodo umbra vana imago as Cameron saith As natural life in respect of the spiritual is but a shadow of
feed the inward man Those that have the fattest bodies have not alwayes the fattest soules But Christ is spiritual meat and drink He feeds the soul the conscience the spiritual part His blood purgeth the conscience Heb. 9. 14. it refreshes the conscience it chears the conscience his body strengthens the soul repaires the decayes of the inward man 2. Christ is heavenly meat and drink Joh. 6. 32. My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven Other meat and drink is terrene and earthly Your bread grows out of the bowels of the earth Your wine is the blood of an earthly grape The flesh you eat is fed of the tender grasie that springs out of the earth If the earth should prove barren you would soone feele a famine The King himself is served by the field Eccles 5. 9. 'T is true the blessing comes from heaven but all the materials of meat and drink are earthly But Jesus Christ is the bread of heaven and the wine of heaven The Manna came from the clouds onely but Christ from the beatifical heaven even from the bosome of the Father 3. Christ is incorruptible meat and drink All earthly meat and drink is of a fading perishing nature The best bread grows mouldy in a little time the best flesh in time putrifies and taints the best wine growes eager and sowre in a little time and becomes unfit for the body of man The very Manna it self when it was kept till the morning of the next day contrary to Gods command bred wormes and standk Exod. 16. 20. But Jesus Christ knows no corruption His flesh blood is now as sweet and pleasant after so many Ages as it was the first houre it was eaten and drank John 6. 27. And it will be as farre from corruption at the end of the world as now it is The Manna in the golden pot corrupted not though kept for many Generations Christ is Manna in that golden-pot the humanity in the golden pot of the Divinity shall see no corruption 4. Christ is such meat and drink as preserves from death Other meat and drink cannot keep man from the grave That rich man that fared deliciously every day was not made immortal The rich man died and was buried Luke 16. 22. All that Generation that fed on Manna and drank the water out of the rock died John 6. 49. But Christ preserves the soul from Death John 6. 50. This is the bread of God that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die It immortalizes the soule that feeds on it He that beleeveth on me hath eternal life ver 51. And then 5. Christ is soul-satisfying meat and drink He that beleeveth on me shall never hunger and he that cometh to me shall never thirst John 6. 35. There is a hunger of desire and a hunger and thirst of total emptinesse and want He that hath this meat and drink shall never totally want him It is not so with other meat and drink A man may have his belly filled with other meat and drink and may have a good quantity before-hand and yet may at last want a morsel and die for want of a draught of water But he that once hath this spiritual meat and drink though he eat but a little shall never be utterly destitute Jehn 7. 37 38. The widows handful of meal and spoonful of oyle was never spent till God sent raine upon the earth 1 Reg. 17. 16. He that hath but a handful of Christs flesh and a spoonful of his blood shall never see want but shall have enough to satisfie him to all eternity 6. Christ is such meat and drink as gives life to the Dead Other meat and drink cannot preserve a living body from death much lesse can it give life and restore breath to a dead body Put the most delicate meat the strongest drink into the mouth of a dead man and they will not give him life if the soul be quite departed They may recover from a swoon they cannot from death But the flesh and blood of Christ quicken the dead Christ by putting his flesh and blood into the mouth of the dead soul conveys life into it His flesh and blood make the lips of the dead to speak As the Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them so the Son quickneth whom he will John 5. 21. if thou hast any spiritual life in thee thou didst receive it from the enlivening vertue of Christs flesh and blood communicated to thee by the Spirit of life 7. Christ is such meat and drink as will never surset All other meat and drink if it be taken immoderately and unseasonably tends to sicknesse and suâ—fetting The more lushious and delicate they are the sooner do they surfet the body Hence is Solomons advice Prov. 25. 16. drunkennesse and surfeting bring more to their long home then pining famine But the flesh and blood of Christ never surfet A man cannot eat and drink too much of Christ nor can they eat and drink him unseasonably There is no killing no annoying vertue in Jesus Christ this meat and drink will never clog never cloy the stomack Christ is an occasion of death to none but to those that refuse him 8. Christ is such meat and drink as is suitable for all persons at all times Other meat and drink is not fit for all persons nor for the same person in all conditions That that will nourish a man may kill a childe That that strengthens a man in health may kill him in sicknesse There is meat for strong men milk for babes c. But Jesus Christ is meat and drink for all persons for all conditions He is meat for the strong man he is milk for the babe He is proper for the healthful person and he is fit for the sickly person He is the labouring mans food and he is the sick mans diet His blood is Physical drink to him that is sick cooling drink to him that is parched with heat he is strong cordial-drink to him that faints He is a suitable nourishment 9. Jesus Christ is meat and drink that is freely bestowed He is not purchased by our money nor procured by our industry but freely communicated Other meat and drink is procured at dear rates Men must Till and Plow and Sowe their land men must breed up cattel men must plant vines dig springs and fountaines otherwise they can expect neither meat nor drink The Egyptians in a time of famine pawn'd their lands for food they gave their cattel for bread and at last sold their land out-right that they might have food Gen. 47. 15 16 17 18 19 20. But Christ is meat and drink though the most costly in himselfe yet costlesse to us Nothing is required on our part but receiving of him If any should offer money Christ would say as Peter to Simon Magus Act. 8. 20. Thy money perish with thee He that will not take this meat and drink as an
he suffers Satan to tempt he doth not suffer them to be utterly overcome Thus he was a hiding place to Peter Luke 22. 31. Thus he was a hiding place to Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. Though he did not hide him from being buffetted yet he hid him from being vanquished by those buffettings 3 He hides their graces Their faith their hope their patience their humility c. were not Christ a hiding place to their very graces they would wither they would die they would come to nothing he hides the root of grace keeps that warme that it perish not yea he so hides it as that he makes it fructifie 4 He hides their joy their peace of conscience Our comforts have need of Christs protection as well as our graces Should not he be a hiding to our inward peace and joy the winde of terrour and temptation would soone blow them away In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace John 16. 33. Our peace is built upon Christ our peace is laid up in Christ our peace is preserved and defended by Christ The Devil would soone quench our joy if Christ were not a hiding place to it Jesus Christ is in every place and in every thing a hiding place to his people 3. Why Christ is a hiding place to them There is a double ground of it Necessity Convenience I. It 's necessary that Christ should be their hiding place This necessity is grounded upon a double consideration 1. Beleevers want a hiding place They are exposed to many enemies to many dangers The world the devil the flesh are assailing pursuing making attempts upon them every day and that several wayes Luther was wont to compare the Church to a poor weak Virgin in a wilde Wildernesse where there is nothing but ravenous creatures that seek her life Our Saviours comparison is somewhat like it Lak 10. 3. Behold I send you forth as sheep among wolves Joseph is a fruitful bough The Archers have shot at him c. Gen. 49. 23 24 25. Beleevers are in this world in a strange land they are not of the world and therefore the world hates them They want a hiding place for their bodies for their soules for their graces for their comforts The chicken doth not want the wing and the nest more then they do a hiding place 2. There is none other besides Jesus Christ that can be a hiding place for them First they cannot be hiding places to themselves They are weak and foolish they expose themselves to danger they know not well how to hide themselves in Christ much more unable are they to be protectors to themselves Should Christ leave the best of us to our selves we should be our own Butchers not Protectours Secondly no other creature can protect and hide them Kings and Princes they cannot hide us Psalme 146. 3. and if they cannot inferiour men are much more unable Horses and Armies they cannot be a hiding place to us Psalme 33. 16 17. They are soon routed and scattered If they could be hiding places to our bodies yet surely to ouâ— soules they cannot Gold and Silver cannot be a hiding place to us Though men say to their wedge of Gold thou art my confidence Job 31. 24. yet will not mountains of Gold and silver be safe hiding places in the day of trouble The Holy Angels cannot be hiding places to us They are but subprotectors they do but spread Christs wings over us The truth is all creatures want hiding places for themselves The best of creatures are but as the Dyal they cast no shadow unlesse the Sunne shine upon them The best of creatures is like Jonahs Gourd the least worm eats them thorough and thorough in a short time II. There is Convenience as well as Necessity It 's very expedient that Christ should be a hiding place to beleevers First he hath all qualifications that may fit him for this work 1. He hath strength A hiding place must be locus munitissimus Paper houses will never be good hiding places Houses made of reeds or rotten timber will not be fit places for men to hide themselves in Jesus Christ is a place of strength He is the rock of ages His name is the Mighty God Esay 9. 6. 2. He hath height A hiding place must be locus excelsissimus Your low houses are soon scaled Jesus Christ is a high place he is as high as Heaven He is the Jacobs ladder that reacheth from earth to Heaven Genesiâ— 28. 12. He is too high for men too high for Devils no creature can skale these high Walls 3. He hath secret places A hiding place must be locus abditissimus The more secret the more safe Now Jesus Christ hath many secret chambers that no creatures can ever finde Caâ—â—icles 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the secret places of the staires As Christ hath hidden comforts which no man knows but he that receiveth them so he hath hidden places of secrecy which none can finde out but he that dwells in them Come my people enter into thy chambers and shut the doors upon thee Esay 26. 20. 4. Christ is faithful He that will hide others had need be very faithful A false hearted Protector is worse then an open pursuer Will the men of Keilah deliver me up saith David They will deliver thee up saith the Lord but now Christ is faithful Revelations 3. 14. He is the faithful witnesse He cannot be bribed to surrender up any creature that comes to hide himself with him Christ will die before he will betray his trust 5. Christ iâ— diligent Diligence is as necessary in those that will hide others as faithfulnesse A sleepy Guard may betray a Castle or Garison as well as a faithlesse Guard But Jesus Christ is very diligent and watchfull he hath his Intelligencers abroad yea his own eyes runne to and fro in the earth to see what contrivances are made and set on foot against those who are hid with him Psal 121. 3 4. He that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth 2. Ground Christ is fit in regard of that propriety he hath in his Saints All his Relations make him a fit hiding place First He is the Captaine General of the Church The Church is compared to an Army with Banners Christ is the General of this Army Joshuah 5. 13 14. It was Christ the Angell of the Covenant whom God hath made a Leader and Commander to the people as the Prophet calls him Esay 55. 4. Who should secure the Souldiers but the General Secondly He is the Churches King Psalme 2. 6. The Kings Court is the Subjects hiding place Nebuchadnezzars dream Dan. 4. 12. shews that Kings should be shelters to their Subjects Thirdly He is the Churches shepherd John 10. 11 12. Shepherds are to secure their flocks David slew the Lion that tore the flock Fourthly He is the Churches Father Isaiah 9. 6. The Fathers house is the childes Castle The childe when
are described by such termes as set out the sensiblenesse of their condition The meek the broken-hearted the captives them that are bound them that mourne in Zion them that sit in ashes them that are under the spirit of heavinesse The cure is set down in expressions suitable to the nature of these sicknesses To the meek good tydings to the broken hearted binding up to the captives liberty to them that are bound the opening of the prison to them that mourne comfort the oile of joy to them that are in ashes beauty to the spirit of heavinesse the garment of praise The Authority enjoyning this is the Divine unction of the Father by the Spirit The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me the Lord hath anointed me So Esay 50. 4. Jesus Christ is a very exact observer of his Fathers Commandment He hath his 〈…〉 not onely in his hand but even in hi◠〈◊〉 Psalm 40. 8. in the middest of his bowels Now because God hath in so peculâ—ar â— manner recommended these to his â—are therefore doth he apply himself to them for their cure 2. From the instigation of his own mercifulnesse Jesus Christ is very tender-hearted he is full of the bowels of compassion The Apostle calls him a merciful and faithful High Priest Heb. 2. 17. He could not be a compleat High Priest if he wanted either of these Now being so merciful and compassionate he will not turne away his bowels from them that are in so dejected a condition This is rendred as the reason why he was so ready to heale the wounded travellor Luke 10. 33 34. When he saw him he had compassion on him and bound up his wounds Jesus Christ hath lost none of his tendernesse by going into heaven He is still touched with the sensible feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. this inclines him to this readinesse 3. That he may not lose the glory of that work which he hath begun The humbling and convincing of proud sinners is as truly the work of Christ as the restoring of humbled sinners 'T is his work to prick the heart as well as to comfort the heart Now if he should humble and convince a sinner and then leave him and proceed no farther he would lose the honour of what he hath done The soule doth not heartily praise Christ for conviction till conviction be carried on to conversion The soul so long as it abides onely under the paines of conviction apprehends no love but onely wrath and anger and so long as the love of Christ is unseen the glory of Christ is not proclaimed Now Christ will not lose the glory of the first work therefore is he so careful and ready to carry on the second work The Uses of this Point 1. Let this preserve all that are in such a condition from despaire Satans great plot upon convinced and humbled sinners is to drive them to despaire As he endeavours to heighten and harden unbroken sinners to presumption so his great designe is to afright humbled sinners to despaire This Doctrine is a good preservative against such temptations you that see sinne and complaine of your spiritual sicknesses know this to your comfort that as Christ hath prepared you for healing so he will be ready to heale you Object I have been a long time under these heart-pricking convictions and yet cannot finde any healing my wounds are as wide and as deep as ever they were I have lyen many moneths yea many yeares under the apprehensions of sinne and wrath and yet am not healed How shall I beleeve this Doctrine Sol. 1. Many sinners are healed who do not apprehend themselves to be healed Many wounded sinners will not beleeve themselves to be healed unlesse they could finde no skarre or spot of sinne upon them They think they are not healed of sinne 〈◊〉 they are not quite delivered both from the being and acting of sinne They even look to finde as perfect healing on earth as they shall have in Heaven But we must know that a person may be healed both of the guilt of sinne by Justification and of the dominion of sinne by Sanctification and yet still finde many sores of sinne upon and new sores breaking out every day in him Paul was healed when he cried out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Romans 7. 24. David was healed and yet he cries out My wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishnesse Psalme 38. 5. and againe verse 7. My loynes are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundnesse in my flesh When the love of sinne the secret delight in sinne the allowance of sinne the commanding rule of sinne are removed though there continue many wounds and scarres too upon the soule the cure of sinne is wrought and that which is wanting shall perfectly be finished 2. Many sinners keep themselves from being healed by their own default They do keep terrour and apprehensions of wrath upon their soules because they will not close with the promises of the Gospel Though the comforts of the Gospel be held out never so clearly and with never so much perswadingnesse yet they will have none of them They are not humbled enough as they think they are not so prepared as they should be therefore they will not come to Christ to close with him as with a Saviour nor apply the promises of the Gospel but reject them and put them away as none of their portion This is the case of abundance of sinners Is it any wonder if such say they are not healed 'T is because they will not be healed They are not worthy of mercy and therefore they will have none They do not consider that all our worthinesse stands in the sense of our own unworthinesse They do not consider that they do not come to bring fulnesse to Christ but to draw out of Christs fulnesse John 1. 14. if such sinners would but lay aside this spiritual pride and close with Christ because they see they are unworthy of him they should finde that he would in a short time spiritually heale them For he is willing to heale and willing to do it speedily Jesus Christ never did never will put any sinne-lamenting sinner to any unnecessary trouble to any unnecessary delay 2. Let all the people of God especially the Ministery of God be ready to follow Christs example When you see or know of any soul that is wounded with sinne apply what healing medicines you can that they may be healed 'T is given in charge to the Ministers of God both in the Old and in the New Testament Esay 35. 3. and 1 Thes 5. 14. As it is cruel mercy to prostitute the comforts of the Gospel to proud sinners so is it great cruelty to with-hold the cordials of the Gospel from such sinners as are burthened with their sinnes Jesus Christ will take it very kindly at any mans hand that will help forward the
the light Jesus Christ hath a penetrating and searching power No heart so close but his eye is in it no conscience so dark but he sees to the bottome of it See what the Apostle saith of him Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes and every creature is manifest in his sight 4. Light hath a chearing and 〈…〉 The light contributes much 〈…〉 and growth and life of 〈…〉 creatures Light and motion are the câ—me of that heat which the heavenly bodies send down upon the earth Light is that instrument whereby all the influences of heaven are communicated and dispensed to the world The motions of nature are both quickned and comforted by the light and by it all the births of nature are cheared and comforted Jesus Christ hath a chearing comforting and quickning vertue 'T is by influences from Christ spiritual life and comfort are obtained and preserved The Prophet speaks of this vertue of Christ under this very Metaphor of light Mal. 4. 2. All that spiritual livelinesse and brisknesse that beleevers have at any time in their hearts is from the beaming wings of Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse He is a heart-chearing a heart-warming a heart-quickening Saviour 5. Light hath a Purifying vertue Fogs and Mists that are gathered in darknesse are dispersed and scattered when the light comes When a candle is lighted and set up in a room if there be any damps they gather about it Light is the fining pot of Nature The world would be an unwholsom Pest-house if it had not light Jesus Christ hath a purifying and cleansing vertue By vertue from him it is that those nasty filthinesses of sinne which are in the soul are purged away Heb. 8. 14. All the Levitical Ceremonial purifications used in the Law were types of him The Prophet compares him to a refiner and purifier of silver Mal. 3. 3. By his blood he purifies the soul from the guilt of sin By his grace he cleanseth the soul from the filth of sinne The Prophet compares him to a fountaine set open for purification Ezek. 13. 1. All that ever were all that ever shall be cleansed from the filthinesse of sin are cleansed by Jesus Christ 6. Light is of an undefilable nature Though it passe through sinks and the most polluted places yet it contracts no defilement It cleanseth all things but is defiled by nothing It is a quality so spiritual that nothing can fasten upon it to pollute it Jesus Christ is fitly resembled to light in this respect He is not capable of any defilement He assumed sinful nature without the least sinne He had the likenesse of sinful flesh Rom 8. 3. but not the least sinne in his flesh In the dayes of his flesh he did as a spiritual Physician repaire to all sorts of sinners but he carried away from them no pollution at all He conversed with Mary Magdalen with Zacheus the Publican and other Publicans and sinners without the least taint of corruption He was born he lived and died in a corrupt generation in a very Pest-house of sinne without the least tincture of sinne He lived and died holy harmlesse undefiled and separated from sinners as the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 26. 7. The nature of the light is hard to be known The Philosophers are much troubled about the defining and describing of it 'T is not a substantial forme because it is perceived by the sight which no substantial forme is 'T is not a body because then when the light passeth through a perspicuous body two bodies would be in one place which is against 〈…〉 and reason Nor is it an 〈◊〉 from a luminous body for then the Sonne by his continual shining would be deprived of â—igâ—t but it is an accidental forme or a patibâ—e quality and so very hard to be described The Scripture speaks of the difficulty of searching out the nature of the light perfectly by any mortal man Job 38. 19 20 21 24. Onely he who is the Father of lights doth perfectly understand it Jesus Christ is not perfectly to be understood by any living man Who can declare his generation as he is the Sonne of God Esay 53. 8. Who can declare his conception exactly as he is the Sonne of man the Holy Ghost hath overshadowed it Luke 1. 35. He that created the flesh of Christ is onely able perfectly to understand the manner of it Who is able to declare the mystery of the hypostatical union of the two natures in one person exactly We beleeve these things comprehend them perfectly we are not able His Name is wonderful Esay 9. 6. there are such wonderful mysteries in the nature of this light as no man no creature can fully and perfectly comprehend Secondly Christ dispenses this light these two wayes 1. By the preaching of his Gospel in the publick Ministery thereof The Ministers are called Stars and the Ministery or preaching of the Gospel is that Orb in which this light shines and by which it is communicated and dispensed to the world We preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Where the Gospel hath never been preached this light hath never yet shined This is the chariot in which this glorious light is carried about ordinarily in the world 2 Cor. 4. 3 4 5 6. 2. By the vertuous efficacy of his Spirit in the Ministery The most powerful preaching of Christ that can be will be to no purpose without these inward workings of the Spirit By the Spirit of Christ three things are done 1 The blindnesse of the minde is removed The holy Ghost causes the skales to fall off the eyes 2 A visive faculty is bestowed This is that which the Apostle calls the enlightening of the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1. 18. 3 Power is given actually to close with the light The soule is enabled to follow the light or to walk in the light as our Saviours phrase is John 12. 35. So that by these two meanes this light is communicated By the preaching of the Gospel the object is made present and by the Spirit of Christ the object is made visible the faculty of sight is bestowed and a power of following the light is created Thirdly Christ is differenced from all other lights viz. Prophets Apostles who are called lights Mat. 5. 14. He is differenced from all them five ways 1. They are lights onely Ministerially They are lights onely as they do by their office hold out this light They are lights as the candlestick may be called a light because it carries the candle where the light is But Christ is a light of and in himselfe He is a light not Ministerially but Originally The fountaine of light 2. They are small lights Christ i◠〈…〉 light They were but like little â—â—thing 〈◊〉 Christ is as a great Torch which teacheth from heaven to earth They are light as the Stars are light a little glimmering borrowed light Christ is light as the Sunne and therefore he is called The
is called That great Shepherd First the parallel between Christ and a shepherd stands in these five particulars viz 1. A shepherd â—â—ed this stock 'T is his work to provide both pasture and water for his sheep Pastour â— Pascâ—ndâ— Ezek. 34. 2. Should not the shepherds feed the flocks A good shepherd will take care that his flock may have both grasse and water When they have eat one place bare he drives them to another when one fountaine is dry he leads them to another he had rather want bread himself then that his sheep should want provision He feeds them with his own flesh and blood John 6 5. Jesus Christ provides sufficient food and nourishment for his sheep Three things 〈…〉 1 He hath provided Ordinanâ—◠〈…〉 very Ordinance is a spiritual 〈…〉 fountaine for the feeding of Chris◠〈…〉 Psalmist speaks of this Psal 23. 2. He 〈…〉 to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters What are those pastures of tender grasse What are those waters of quietnesse but the Ordinances of the Gospel the fields where Christs sheep feed the rivers where they drink The variety of the Ordinances shewes the variety of â—eeding the richnesse and fulnesse of the Ordinances shewes the plentifulnesse of Christs feeding here are many pastures and every pasâ—ure so rich that it can never be eaten bare here are many streames and every streame so deep and broad that it can never be drawn dry the sheep have been eating in these pastures ever since Christ had a Church on earth and yet they are as full of grasse as ever The sheep have been drinking at these streams ever since Adam and yet they are brim full to this very day they will so continue till the sheep be above the use of them in heaven 2 He hath provided shepherdâ— to dâ—spense these Ordinances The sheep can neither feed themselves nor water themselves unlesse they have some to help them The Ministers of the Gospel do by vertue of their office open these pastures and lead the sheep into them they roll away the stone from the mouth of these Wells and draw water for them that they may drink and be satisfied The Apostle tells us that Pastouâ—s and Teachers are given of Christ for the edification of his Church Eph. 4. 11 12. This was the work of the Prophers in their 〈…〉 Apostles and Evangelists in their generaâ—on and of Pastours and Teachers the present Ministers of the Church yea we shall finde how severely Christ bath charged them under the paine of his highest displeasure to be diligent in feeding the flock See 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. and he â—ath allured them by the most glorious promises that they should be careful in this work See 1 Pet. 5. 2 4. and John 21. 15 16. And he furnisheth them with gifts and abilities for this very purpose Vid. Luke 12. 42. 3 He doth by his Spirit blesse the feeding which he hath provided He hath promised to be present with the sheep and shepherds when ever they come to feed in these pastures and drink at these waters he hath promised I say to be present to blesse their foâ—d and water for the good or their soules He promised it Mat. 28. ult and he doth to this day make it good he doth walk and he will walk in the middest of the Golden Candle sticks to bless the seeding of the sheep to the end of the world He hath purchased the Holy Ghost to be bestowed both on the sheep and shepherds for this very purpose 2 A Shepherd kâ—owes 〈◊〉 He knows the number of his sheep and he knows them particularly 〈…〉 sheep Those phrases which are 〈…〉 concerning the sheeps pâ—ssing 〈…〉 rod â— ev 27. 32. and of passing under the 〈◊〉 of him that telâ—eth them Jer. 33. 13. shew â—â—e knowledge that good Shepherds have of their flocks they know one of their own sheep though it be in the midst of a strange flock Jesus Christ knows his sheep exactly He knows his people quâ—t sint quinam sint both the 〈…〉 ticular persons John 10. 11. 〈…〉 dungeons prisons though the 〈…〉 off and the skin torne by persecution yet 〈◊〉 they are within the knowledge of Christ Consider four things First He knows them as they are given to him by the Father in his eternal Election God the Father hath given all the Elect unto Christ from eternity Iohn 17. 6. By vertue of this donation doth Christ know them He hath taken them by number from the Father and he is to surrender them by number to him againe Their names are all written from eternity in the Lambs book of life Rev. 21. 27. while this book continues they cannot wear out of the knowledge of Christ Secondly He knows them as he sees in them his own image Every sheep of Christ doth partake by grace of the image of Christ There is a conformity of likenesse between him and them His Fathers Name is written upon their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. What is this Name of God but that Divine nature which is from Christ communicated to every sheep of the fold So long as this Name abides on their foreheads and it shall abide for ever they cannot weare out of the knowledge of Christ Thirdly He knows them as he sees the sprinklings of his own blood upon them Every sheep of Christ is washed white in the Lambs blood Rev. 7. 14. They are cloathed with his righteousnesse for the justification of their persons They have his merits in which they are invested Now so long as this garment remaines 〈…〉 and it can never be worn off or â—â—ollen off Jesus Christ must needs know them Fourthly He knows them as he remembers the service they have done fox him in the world Every sheep of Christ that hath attained unto years of discretion hath with care served Christ in its generation They have often prayed to him they have often worshipped him they have to their very uttermost laid out themselves for his glory in the world c. Jesus Christ hath recorded and set down all their good actions and as long as he rememberâ— their works he cannot forget or be igâ—orant of their persons This we may gather from that which stands on record Mat. 25. 34 â—5 c. They have fed him in his hungry members they have cloâ—thed him in his naked mâ—mbers c. Christ will never forget these holy actions therefore he can never forget the persons of them by whom they were performed They have both done for him and sufâ—ered for him therefore he knows them and will know them 3. A Shepherd preserves his stâ—ck 'T is the work of â— Shepherd to defend his sheep David bazarded his own liâ—e to deâ—end his sheep from the invâ—ding â—â—on and â—â—venous bear 1. Sam. 17. 34. Shepherds watch their flocks by night as well as by day to preâ—erve thâ—m from the devâ—uring creatures So did Jacob Gen. 31. 40. So did those Shepherds to
and the beleever are made one not by mixture as water and wine are made one but by marriage as the husband and wife are made one Next to the union of the three persons in one nature and the union of the two natures of Christ in one person this spiritual union between Christ and the beleever is the most glorious This is the first inference 2. We may from hence learn the high descent of true Beleevers They are of a very eminent extraction However they be mean in regard of their natural birth yet in respect of their spiritual birth they are nobly descended They are the off-spring of the great family of heaven See what the Apostle saith of them 1 Pet. 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Heraldry is comparable to this They are buds of the coelestial Vine They are Branches of Christ and by vertue of their union with Christ they come to be made one both with the Father and the Holy Ghost John 17. 21. That they may be all one with us They are of the blood royal of heaven They are of â—in to all the persons of the 〈…〉 'T is an honour which the 〈…〉 Heaven are not advanced unto To which 〈◊〉 the Angels said Christ at any time 〈…〉 Vine ye are the Branches Though they he above us in regard of their nature yet are we above them in regard of our union Tâ—â—e Saints are not contemptible persons whatever they be as men yet as Saints as new men they are better descended then the best borâ—e of the Sonnes of men This is the second Inference 3. That it is an union wrought by God not by us What doth the Branch contribute to its union with the Root What do we contribute to our union with Christ we neither cut off our selves nor graffe in our selves Man is passive in his first conversion Ephes 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. For Exhortation I shall direct it first to them that are Branches Secondly to all others that grow upon their first Stock 1. To the branches of Christ I have from this Doctrine these foure things to commend to them which I would intreat them to lay to heart 1 That they would be very thankful for this great priviledge Blesse the Lord that hath made you branches Ye are not branches by your natural birth but ye are made Branches by your spiritual birth There is this difference between the natural branches and the mystical The natural branch is ordinarily better then the stock into which it is ingraffed Your Gardiners if they can but get a good graffe they care not much how mean the root be A crab-tree is good enough to grasse upon but here it is quite contrary the Stock is better then the Branches The best of us by nature are wilde vines as the Apostle saith of the Gentiles Rom. 11. 24. We were cut out of the Olive-tree which is wilde by nature the more cause have we to admire the goodnesse of God the great Husbandman that such crabbed sowre knotty crooked branches as we were by nature should be implanted into such a sweet glorious honourable root as Christ is Behold here as the Apostle saith concerning the implanting of the Gentiles the goodnesse of God Rom. 11. 22. Our visible external implantation is a very great mercy our spiritual implantation far greater We were made Branches of Christ When we were by nature very unfit When we were very unwilling And When others as good as the best of us were passed by and suffered still to grow on the sowre stock of nature Blesse God for your rooting in Christ your rooting in him is the ground of all other blessings This is the first And then 2 That they would be fruitful The Scripture calls frequently for plentifulnesse of fruit from the Saints of God Phil. 1. 11. he would have us to be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Great reason there is why it should be so We are ingraffed into a fruitful Vine God may well expect we should be fruitful Branches Reade what the Prophet speaks by way of prediction concerning this very thing Ezek. 47. 12. By the river shall grow all trees for meat c. We should be careful to fulfil this Prophecy God may 〈…〉 made us branches of such a Stock 〈…〉 very fruitful branches We may well 〈…〉 our implantation if we be not 〈…〉 in is the excellency of the mystical 〈…〉 that they are not any of them barren 〈◊〉 â—â—leevers fruitfulnesse doth greatly honour 〈◊〉 the Husbandman and Christ the Vine 〈◊〉 his unfruitfulnesse dishonours both John 1â— 8. Herein is my heavenly Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit c. Fruitfulnesse doth distinguish between the nominal disciple and the real Disciple He that is a Disciple indeed is a fruitful Disciple We are therefore made Branches that we may be fruitful Of all branches the Vine branch is good for nothing if it be not fruitful I beseech you be fruitful Let the fulnesse of the root appear in the fruitfulnesse of the Branches And be sure of this that ye bring forth the fruits of the Stock Here is another difference between the natural branch and the mystical The natural branch brings forth its own fruits not the fruits of the stock into which it is ingraffed but the fruits of its own kinde but the mystical Branch must bring forth the fruits of the root the fruits of Christ His meeknesse his patience his heavenlinesse c. The end of this and all other priviledges is our fruitfulnesse So the Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation c. To what end That ye should shew forth the vertues of him that called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light This is the second And then 3. That they â—â—â—ld be very holy Take heed of wickednesse you that are the Branches of Christ Mean and sordid employment is not fit for persons that are of noble or royal descent Sinne is an unmeet employment for a Branch of Christ Holinesse becometh thy house O Lord for ever Psal 93. 5. The Apostle presseth it from this very Doctrine 1 Cor. 6. 15. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid For a Branch of Christ to lie or cheate or defraud how unseemly For shame let it not be so He that is borne of God sinneth not 1 John 3. 9. He that abideth in him sinneth not ver 6. He sinneth not that unpardonable sinne He committeth no sinne as others do with delight with allowance with deliberation c. Either disown sinne or disown to be Branches of Christ When Satan tempts you when the flesh stirs you up to sinne say to them and say with resolution of spirit such dishonourable employment is very unfit for him who is a Branch of Christ Let them that are branches of the devil do the devils work but let them that are branches of Christ do the work of
At another time the raine falls plentifully when no shower is expected Jesus Christ comes down upon the soules of his people many times when they look for no influences from him the Church observes this Cant. 6. 11 12. I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded Or ever I was aware my soul made me like the chariots of Aminadab Here a shower fell upon her head when she did not look for it The soul sometimes comes to an Ordinance ful of misgiving thoughts expecting no good and before it depart it 's wet from top to toe with the distillations of Christs Spirit The Church found it so when she had the least reason that could be to expect it Cant. 5. 5. She might have expected to have found flames of brimstone in regard of her dealings with Christ and behold she findes the droppings of sweet-smelling myrrh Sometimes in the night-watches Christ raines upon the soule when it never expects any such thing David made his bed to swim Psalme 6. 6. he could not have watered his couch with his teares if Christ had not first watered his heart with his grace Sometimes the soule comes to the Throne of grace parched with hardnesse perhaps as dry as the rock in the Wildernesse and Christ suddenly sends down a shower that it goes savourâ—y weeping from his presence Did not our hearts burne within us while he talked with us by the way Luke 24. 32. Jesus Christ did desâ—end suddenly upon them while they were in conference with him Sometimes a servant of God takes the book of God into his hand when his soul is dry and withered and before he hath read half a Chapter he findes the clouds melting and his soul bedewed with a shower of grace never did a shower comedown so suddenly as the grace of Christ hath sometimes comedown upon the soul Fifthly The raine comes down not for its own benefit but for the benefit of the earth What advantage hath the cloud by all the moisture that drops down from it It empties it selfe that it may enrich the ground Jesus Christ doth by his Word and Spirit and Scepter descend for the benefit of men His Doctrine the influences of his Grace are for the enriching of his Elect. Christ came down at first in his incarnation for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. and all his other descensions are for our good For the filling of our empty soules for the quickning of our dead souls for the comforting of our straitned and distressed souls it is that Christ comes still down into the world His preaching his knocking his striving is onely and meerly for our benefit What profit is it to God that thou are righteous Job 22. 3. Christ hath no more advantage by all the drops he sends down upon thy soule then the clouds have for all the showers they let fall upon the earth Sixthly The rain comes down variously sometimes after a more stormy manner sometimes after a milder manner Christ comes down somtimes by promises comforts enlargments in a way of mildness sometimes he descends in a way of severity by rebukes threatnings The Church hath as much need of stormy showers as milder showers of cold raine as of warmer drops Christs more angry drops are as useful for his people as his more pleasant drops His chiding and frowning distillations make his comforting droppings more sweet His milder showers comfort us but his stormy showers try us more If Christ should not rebuke us as well as comfort us he would indeed lose us The great raine of his anger keeps us from stragling when â—he small raine of his love occasions us to wander Seventhly The raine comes down plentifully Not a drop or two but whole showers Though it come not down all at once yet as much comes down as is useful for the earth Jesus Christ comes down plentifully he doth not scant the soul he doth not give one comfort but many comforts Eat O friends drink abundantly Cant. 5. 1. He hath enough in him to give The soul wants more then a little He is not niggardly but bountiful therefore he gives plentifully and then as the raine falls down in many places at once so doth Christ All the earth for many miles together is sometimes rained upon at oâ—e and the same time the rain waters many fields at once Jesus Christ comes down abundantly he can if he please water many soules yea many Congregations at once So many Churches so many Fleeces so many Congregations so many Pastures Christ can rain upon this Congregation and he can water other Congregations at the same time Jesus Christ if â—e pleaseâ—â— an send down such a shower as shall water every Congregation yea every soul in the world aâ— one and the same time As the drops of a shower cannot be numbred no more can the drops which fall from Jesus Christ upon his Church If we receive not plentifully from Christ 't is because we ask not plentifully For the third particular Quae disproportio And here I shall shew the excellency of Christ above all material raine in six particulars 1. Christ comes down from the highest heavens The raine descends from the visible heavens Philosophers divide the aire into three Regions the highest the middle and the lowest Region Now they all hold that the raine descends onely from the middle Region there it is generated and from thence it descends upon the earth But now Jesus Christ comes down from the invisible Heavens There he sits at the right hand of God Acts 5. 31. and from thence doth every drop which distills upon the hearts of men descend This is that which Peter tells the Jewes Act 2. 33. Being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which now ye see and hear All the good of his Word of his Scepter of his Spirit comes down from the Heaven of heavens There the royal throne is and from thence doth the raine fall You must look above the highest Region of the aire yea above the highest star in the firmament if you expect any drop from Jesus Christ 2. The raine that descends upon the earth doth first ascend from the earth A cloud which is the womb of the raine is a cold and moist vapour exhaled by the heat of the Sunne out of the earth or waters into the middle Region of the aire where it is by the cold condensed and there hangeth till by the heat it be dissolved into a shower So that the showers which do drop upon the earth are first drawn out of the earth Psal 135. 7. But now all the drops which distil from Christ are generated in heaven Jesus Christ is not beholden to the earth to furnish him What ever he distils either in his Word or by his Spirit is originally in and from himself
of the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan which place was assigned unto them by lot as we reade in the book of Joshuah Then were the Jews in a more conspicuous manner formed into one Polity or Common-wealth and from that time the separation began That which made this separation was the Ceremonial worship which God established in that Church or Nation according to which they and their posterity were to worship God This separation continued from that time untill the death and resurrection of Christ During all this long tract of time there was a manifest separation between the Jew and the Gentile But now Christ hath as a corner stone made a firme union between these two so that the Jew and Gentile are brought together under the same worship This is done by the abolition of the Ceremonial Law Christ hath taken down this wall of separation and so made both one Church The Apostle treats largely of this in Eph. 2. 13 14 15 16. He is our peace who hath made both one and broken down the middle wall of partition between us c. The Jew and the Gentile are now made one house by the death of Christ 2 In reference to the spiritual union of beleeleevers one with another We reade often in Scripture of spiritual fellowship and communion between beleevers The Apostle Phil. 2. 1. speaks of the fellowship of the Spirit and Phil. 1. 5. He makes mention of their fellowship in the Gospel So 1 John 1. 7. saith the Apostle If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another This spiritual communion or fellowship doth consist First In mutual affection one to another One Saint loves another though they have never seen the faces one of another Secondly In participation of the same graces and priviledges They are all like one another They partake of the same gifts of the same Graces the same Reconciliation the same Adoption the same Sanctification the same Salvation that belongs to one belongs to them al. This is that which the Apostle mentions Eph. 4. 4 5 6. From hence it is that the Scripture calls the salvation of the Elect Common-salvation Jude 3. because it's common to all the Elect. The same graces which are wrought in one Saint are wrought in another though perhaps different in degree Thirdly In the performing of mutual offices one to another They pray one for another they give thanks for the good of one another they grieve for one anothers evils they beare one anothers burthens they rejoyce in one anothers comforts they supply one anothers wants both outward and inward as far as they are able The Apostle speaks of these mutual offices which beleevers by vertue of that fellowship which is between them owe one to another in that 1 Cor. 12. 26 Now it is in and through Christ that union and communion of Saints one with another is made Our communion with Christ is the foundation of our mutual communion which we have one with another John 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one 'T is this uniting corner stone that brings every particular stone of the building into one For our mutual union one with another is in him who is the head of the union The Apostle speaks fully to thâ—s in Eph. 1. 10. That he might gather together in him all things both which are in heaven and which are in earth The Greek word is very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather to a head All the Saints of God that are were or shall be both those that are gloriously triumphing in heaven and those that are yet militant on earth are gathered together to a head in Jesus Christ Membership with him is the foundation of mutual membership which we have one with another This is the second 3. In regard of Direction The corner stone is that which gives the builders direction how to lay and place all the other stones If the several stones of the wall be not laid level to the corner stone the whole building is spoiled He that would build right must have his eye to the corner stone Jesus Christ is a beleevers Direction and Rule in all spiritual things that which is not done by Christs Command or example or by some direction from him is not wel done Learne of me saith our Saviour for I am lowly and meek-hearted and ye shall finde rest to your souls Mat. 11. 29. Jesus Christ is the beleevers pattern His Word and his example we must have an eye continually upon if we would not miscarry He that saith he abideth in Christ he ought so to walk as he walked 1 John 2. 6. Lay all things level to Christ and then act vigorously I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you John 13. 15. Nothing will either be lasting or comfortable which doth not runne parallel with the line of Christ 4. In regard of Beauty Skilful builders place the strongest stones in the corner because of bearing and the fairest stones because of beauty If the corner stones be graceful the whole building is the more comely Psal 144. 12. More Art is bestowed on the corner stone then on any other part of the building Iesus Christ is the beauty of the spiritual building If this one stone were taken away the whole building would be an uncomely heap One Christ hath more bâ—auty in him then ten thousand Sainâ—s Psalm 45. 2. Thou art fairer then the children of men The fairest Saint is but an Ethiopian if compared with Christ He is in respect of his beauty compared to the Lily and Rose which are the most beautiful of all flowers Cant. 2. 1. The blinde world looked upon him as deformed Esay 53. 2. There is no forme nor comelinesse in him but those that know him admire his beauty Look upon him in his Divine Nature and so he is more beautiful then the Sunne Look upon him as man and so he is exceeding beautiful No doubt but his body for the outward feature of it was very comely 'T is a Rule which Divines have That which God doth immediately he doth most exactly And for his soule that had more grace in it then is in all the sons of men laid together His soul was unsoyl'd by sinne and it was richly furnished with all grace God shewed more of his Art and skill in Iesus Christ then upon all the stones of the building besides The beautiful Angels are black if compared with Christ This is the first particular 2. For the second Christ differs from all other corner stones in five respects 1. He is a living stone The corner stones of all material buildings are inanimate But Christ hath life in him 1 Pet. 1. 4. He hath life in himself and he communicates life unto the whole building From him all the stones of the spiritual house are called lively stones ver 5. Ye also
as lively stones are built up a spiritual house 2. He is a stone of Gods immediate laying God himself did both polish and place this stone Other corner stones are fashioned and laid by men but this is fashioned by God himselfe This is in the Text Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone He is therefore called by the Prophet Dan. 2. 34. A stone cut out of the mountaine without hands that is without the hands of men There was no humane help for the polishing of this stone God himself is the chiefe and onely Architect 3. He is a Corner stone that can never drop out of the building Other corner stones will in time loosen and fall the corner stones of that Temple did at last fall but this corner stone can neither fall nor be weakned Christ sticks as fast now as he did the first day he was placed 4. He receives no strength from the other stones All material corner stones as they strengthen the building so they receive strength from the building The other stones are some defence to the corner stone but Christ receives no strengthening from any stone of the building What need hath Christ of support If he had what can weak Saints do to support him The Saints help to strengthen one another they contribute no strengthening at all to him 5. Christ is a Corner stone that reaches from the bottome to the top In other buildings there are many corner stones because no one is large enough to serve for all But Christ is so large that there is no need of any other The building is a carrying on every day and will be till all the number of the Elect be brought in but let it rise never so high there will not need one corner stone more If there were but one corner stâ—nâ— in other buildings the whole structure would be spoiled This spiritual structure would he spoiled if there should be one corner stone more One Christ supplies the need of the whole Church 1 PET. 2. 6. A chief corner stone elect precious XIX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Decem. 26. 1652. I Proceed to the Application which is for Information which is for Exhortation which is for Consolation 1. For information It teacheth seven lessons 1. The perpetssity of the Church The Church of Christ is a stable building it may shake and totter and be ready to fall but it cannot utterly fall The Church of God may erre both in Doctrine and manners The best of men are but enlightned and sanctified in part there is a remainder of blindnesse and ignorance in their minde and of rebellion and stubbornesse in their wills and affections therefore they may erre both in Doctrine and manners The Church of Ephesus is charged by our Saviour that she had left her first love Rev. 2. 4. The Church of Galatia is said to be removed to another Gospel And that which befals Chap. 1. 6. one or two Churches may befal an hundred Churches Our Divines prove against the Papists that general Councels have erred The Church of God may sometimes he hid under persecution it may want the publick preaching of the Word with the publick Administration of the Sacraments Our Divines prove against the Papists that the Church of God is not alwayes so apparently visible as they would have it In the dayes of the Prophet Elijah the Church of God was under a great eclipse See what he saith 1 King 19. 10. The children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant c. The Church was very low when so intelligent a Prophet could not finde one besides himself that cleaved to God yet what answer doth God give him v. 18 Yet have I left me seven thousand in Israel all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth which hath not kissed him Hear what the Prophet Azariah saith to King Asa to this very purpose 2 Chron. 15. 3. For a long season Israel hath been without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law As the Sunne and Moon do not alwayes visibly shine out to the world but sometimes suffer an eclipse so doth the Church of God yet neverthelesse the Church of God can never be utterly exterminated If we consider the nature of the thing the Church may be abolished and cease to have a being in the earth but if we consider the Decree of God so the Church can never cease God ever had since the promise made to Adam in Paradise a Church in the world and he ever will have a Church in the earth till all the members thereof be made triumphant in heaven The gates of hell shall never prevaile against it Mat. 16. 18. It may be brought low but it cannot be thrown down These material fabricks where the Church of God meet for holy worship may be thorough the fury and covetousnesse of men be taken down that one stone shall not be left upon another See how the Church complains of the havock made by those Sacrilegious invaders Psal 74. 7 8. The Church was not destroyed though the Temple and Synagogues were destroyed This spiritual building of the Church shall stand though all other structures fall The great reason is because Christ is the foundation and corner stone Other buildings may fall though the foundation stand but this building cannot fall unlesse the foundation be destroyed 2. That the Church of God is a very glorious building Amongst many other titles which are given to the Church this is one it 's called a glorious Church Eph. 5. 27. It shall be glorious when it comes to heaven of which that Text is properly to be understood And it is glorious even here on earth I am black but comely O ye daughters of Jerusalem as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon Cant. 1. 5. A glorious and high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary Jer. 17. 12. All the Edifices and Palaces on earth are but ugly cottages it they be compared with this spiritual building the Church The Temple of Solomon was the most excellent fabrick that ever the earth carried It s called a glorious and beautiful house Isa 64. 11. and yet that was but a type of this building See how it is described in the Revelations chap. 21. 10 11 c. It must needs be glorious because all the stones are living stones Every stone hath the glory of God on it and then besides which makes it beautiful indeed Christ himself is the corner stone How gloriouâ— must that building be where Christ himself lies as the foundation stone To be the least stone in this building is far better then to be the greatest pillar of any material building 3. The Beleevers union with Jesus Christ The Scripture doth frequently tell us the mystery of the spiritual union of Christ and Beleevers They are not onely one by participation of gifts and graces they are not onely one in will and affection as the
Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 19. 'T is precious not onely because of the dignity of the person who shed it called therefore the blood of God Acts 20. 28. but because of the great value and merit of it and because of the precious effects of it By the vertue of this blood which Christ shed remission of sin is purchased the redemption of the Elect is perfected Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entred once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us By the preciousnesse of this blood is God and man reconciled Col. 1. 20 21 32. By this blood is the conscience sanctified Heb. 9. 14. By this blood is the way to heaven opened for all the Elect Heb. 10. 19. The sufferings of Christ are so precious that if ten thousand worlds were there would be redundancy of merit in Christ to save them all This is the third 2. For the second Christ is so meanly esteemed of by men of the greatest part of men because of three things viz. Ignorance Pride Prejudice 1. They are ignorant of him The greatest part of the world is quite blinde in spiritual things 1 Cor. 2. 14. As in other spiritual things so in this of the worth of Christ A blinde man can see no more excellency in a precious stone then in a common stone A blinde Christian can see no more worth in Christ then in another person This you may see from that question which is propounded by the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved O thou fairest among women c. Their very question bewrays their ignorance had they known any thing of him they would not have said What is thy beloved The wisdome of the Gospel whereby Jesus Christ is made known is hidden wisdom 'T is wisdom in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. which none can understand but those that are savingly enlightened This ignorance of Christ under which the greatest part of men are held ariseth 1 Partly from the negligence and slothfulnesse that is in men They are idle and will not take paines to study the Word of God which sets out Christ They cast the Scriptures from them Our Saviour saith John 5. 39. That the Scriptures testifie of him men do not search this blessed book as they should either they read not at all or else they reade superficially they do not pray that God would discover Christ to them in and by the Word Hence they are ignorant of him 2 Partly from their Atheistical unbelief of what they heare reported by others Though they cannot but hear sometimes the reports of Christ in the publick Ministry yet they will give no assâ—nt of faith to them but oppose and reject them as the fancies of men This is that which the Prophet alledgeth Esay 53. 1. Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Ex iis qui Evangelicum audiunt vix centesimum quemque fidelem fore saith Calvin upon the place Scarce the hundreth part of those that heare the Gospel do yeild a cordial assent to the Gosspel 3 Partly from a judiciary hand of God upon them God usually punisheth voluntary blindnesse with a penal and judiciary blindnesse This is that which the Prophet is taught of God Esay 6. ult Go and preach to this people saying Seeing ye shall see and not perceive and hearing ye shall heare and not understand c. The Apostle makes application of this Text to the unbeleeving Jewes who would not receive what he had with so much clearnesse proved concerning Jesus Christ both out of Moses and out of the Prophets Acts 28. 23 24 25 26. When men that live under the Gospel shut their own eyes God doth ratifie it by an act of his justice and saith Be thou blinded for ever When a man hardens his own heart God is pleased to ratifie it in heaven and saith Let that heart never be softned See that of our Saviour to this purpose John 12. 37 c. Now because men neglect the study of the Gospel which shewes what Christ is because they refuse to assent to and close with what the Ministers of God report out of the Gospel concerning Christ because God punisheth the voluntary blinding their eyes with a judicial blinding therefore do they remaine ignorant of the preciousnesse of Christ And because they are ignorant of him therefore they disesteeme him 2. Their pride The greatest part of men even of those that live under the Gospel are puft up with arrogancy and self-conceit They dreame that they are in so good a condition already that Christ cannot make them better They are ful of vaine confidences some fleshly boasting or other they have in their hearts some carnal City of refuge they erect for themselves besides Christ and this makes Christ lesse precious to them then he would otherwise he We are the circumcision saith the Apostle which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. He that creates any fleshly ground of confidence to himself and all confidences are fleshly which are not bottom'd on Christ such a man will not much rejoyce in Christ Jesus Now there are in the mindes of men abundance of false confidences and carnal imaginations the Apostle hints at them though he do not expresly name them 2 Corinth 10. 4 5. There are many significant words used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munitions fortifications strongs holds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings Abundance of fond reasonings are in the mindes of men they reason themselves into heaven upon very poor and slender premisses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange heightnings of themselves have men in which they rejoyce which will be found groundlesse another day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Swarmes of foolish thoughts have men by nature which they bandy up and down in their soules One man makes wealth his strong hold Another reasons himselfe into heaven because of some Church Priviledge A third is mightily heightned upon his civil righteousnesse A fourth thinks all is well with him because others have a good opinion of him Every man by nature abounds with some or all of these Therefore is Christ so mean and inconsiderable in their esteeme 3. They are prejudiced against Christ Though no man hath any reason or good Argument against Christ yet have they many prejudices which they take up against him And these prejudices lay him low in their hearts What those prejudices are I shall name when I come to handle that in the eighth Verse where Christ is said to be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence I shall shew what prejudices men have against his Doctrine worship followers c. And while prejudices lie against Christ he will never finde that esteeme which is meet A man can never think highly of any person or thing against which he
defective They are so in our own sight much more in the sight of God Esay 64. 6. Not only our righteousnesse but our righteousnesses are a silthy ragge Psal 130. 4. David was a man after Gods own heart yet doth he acknowledge that if God should weigh iniquity none should stand Job had a very high testimony from God Chap. 1. 1. yet he durst not stand upon such termes Chap. 9. 3. 15. 20. 30 31. Nehemiah did many good works yet he comes to a Psalme of mercy chap. 13. 22. 4. This Doctrine makes a man his own justifier which is contrary to Scripture The Scripture ascribes the work of justification to God Rom. 3. 26. and Rom. 8. 33. To make mans works the cause of his justification is to make him a justifier which is the work of God alone 5. This Doctrine makeâ— the merit and sacrifice of Christ either needlesse or insufficient This is the Apostles Argument Gal. 2. ult To affirme either of these is a great wickednesse To say it was needlesse is to make God cruel to his Sonne Why should he poure out his blood if there was no necessity of it To say it is insuffiâ—ient is to vilifie his person to contradict Scriptures which saith he is able to save to the uttermost 6. This Doctrine establisheth boasting Now the great designe of God in the justification of a sinner is to exclude boasting Rom. 3. 27. The Law of works layes a foundation of boasting but the Law of faith excludes boasting 7. This Doctrine robs the soul of all consolation and leaves it unsetled and perplexed A man can never be free from troubles that builds the hopes of his justification upon himself Rom. 10. 6 7. The scope of the Apostle in that place is to put a difference between the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of faith Amongst other this is one the righteousnesse of faith settles the heart it saith not who shall ascend c It knows Christ hath ascended and descended that he hath done all and suffered all and so quiets the conscience He that trusts to his own righteousness can never be setled but will be still disputing And therefore the Papists who cry up justification by their own works cry down assurance of salvation And they cannot do otherwise for justification by our own righteousnesse and assurance of salvation are inconsistent Thus I have proved the righteousness of justification to be from Christ 2. For the righteousnesse of sanctification This is also from Christ he that is without Christ is without sanctification Till this Sunne be risen upon the soul there is no holinesse in the soul A Christlesse condition is an unsanctified condition A man must prove himself interested in Christ before he can be able to assert his Sanctification we are said to be sanctified in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 2. you must thank Christ as well for the righteousness of sanctification as for that of justification Till these beames shine upon you you have no grace in you 2. For exhortation 1. To all in general 2. To you that have no interest in Christ 3. To them that have an interest 1. To all men in general I would recommend two things 1. Blesse God for Jesus Christ We have great cause to blesse God for the light of the Sunne innumerable are those benefits we receive by this creature 'T is our guid 't is our life by the influences of it nature is revived the body is cheered and all things usefull for our life are refreshed the world had been an Egypt for darknesse a Wildernesse for barrennesse an Hospital of diseases if God had not made the Sunne the beauty of the creation would have been hid the benefit of the creation would have been lost if this lamp of heaven had not been hung out much more cause have we to blesse God for his mystical Sunne Eph. 1. 3. This will be the work of heaven to all eternity had not this Sun from heaven visited us our condition had been as miserable as the condition of devils 2. Never see the Sunne but meditate on Jesus Christ A spiritual Christian may learn very much Divinity from the works of creation Though the whole book of Creation without that revelation of the Gospel could not have made Christ known to the world the Phylosophers turn'd over every page of that great book but they could spell nothing of Christ out of it Yet now we that have the Gospel may help our knowledge of Christ by the book of creation Christ is resembled to so many creatures that we can hardly see any creature but it preacheth something of him when your eyes behold the light of the Sunne when you feel the warmth of the Sunne when you perceive the influential vertue of the Sunne upon the creatures then think on Christ the very Sun in the Firmament wil rise up in judgment against us that have Christ revealed in the Gospel as a Sunne if we do not fill our hearts with daily thoughts of him 2. To them that are without the saving beams of Christ I have onely one thing to presse upon them That they would endeavour that this Sunne may shine upon them yea that it may shine into them be not contented to live without the Sunne I know it will be said what shall we do that Christ may arise upon our hearts 1. Be sensible of your want of Christ he that sees and bewailes his own darknesse will hardly dye without light One reason why Christ doth not shine upon us is because we think we have light in our selves we think we saw Christ without the Sunne therefore we are suffered to walk in blindness without the Sun This our Saviour declares expresly Joh 9. 3â— 2. Stand in those places where the Sunne usually shines He that would have the Sunne shine on him must not keep in dark Cellers and Vaults but must come into the open aire The ordinary place of Christs shining is where his Gospel is preached the preaching of the Gospel is the East where this Sunne ariseth 2 Cor. 4. 4. 6. The Gospel is the Orbe of this Sunne be that constantly waits here will at lâ—st feeâ— the warm beams of Christ coming down upon him especially if he make it his designe to enjoy the beams of Christ in his Gospel 3. Take heed of shutting your eyes when the Sunne begins to appear He that shuts his eyes will never see the Sunne though it shine in all its brightnâ—sse Stand with your eyes open yea with your eyes fixed looking for Christs appearing and he will cause his beames at last to fall upon you To you on whom this Sunne hath arisen I have things to recommend to you 1. Do you wâ—lk as the children of the Light Put away darknesse ignorance blindnesse and be full of spiritual light God may well expect much light from those on whom Christ hath shined Stumbling in a childe of God is worsâ— then falling in another man If
the Holy Ghost Our Saviour was anointed with the Holy Ghost Esay 61. 1. This Peter mentions in his Sermon Act. 10. 38. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Now this ointment was shed upon the Lord Jesus in such great plenty that he may well be called by the name of ointment Psal 45. 7. he had more of this spirituall ointment poured upon his humane nature then all the Saints put them altogether The Spirit was not given him by measure but above measure Joh. 3. 34. He was from his conception filled with the holy Ghost He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. He had not only drops but whole rivers of Oyle poured upon his head He may be denominated ointment from that abundance of spiritual ointment wherewith he was filled his God-head anointed the manhood with an unspeakable fulnesse Col. 1. 19. And 2. Christ is ointment in regard of the excellent vertues which are in him He hath all the good properties of ointment I name five As 1. Oyntment is very fragrant and odoriferous Precious oyntment yeilds a very sweet small When the woman in the Gospel had poured her box of oyntment upon the head of Christ the text saith the whole house was filled with the odour of it John 12. 3. The Lord Jesus Christ is very odoriferous he is sweet in himself and he is exceeding sweet in the nostrils of his Saints the perfume in the Law was type of him Exod. 30 34. He doth perfume all persons and places where ever he comes If there be but one drop of Christ poured upon the soul the whole soul is perfumed with the smell of it When Christ had but put his finger into the hole of the door how was the hand of the Spouse perfumed as with sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 5. That soul wants its spiritual smelling which doth not finde a sweetnesse in Jesus Christ Every thing in Jesus Christ is very fragrant 1 There is a fragrancy in his person He is a bundle of precious myrrh Cant. 1. 13. His life and holy conversation yeilded a sweet smell in the world Psal 45. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrh aloes and cassia The graces of the Spirit of which his life was full His righteousnesse meeknesse piety patience what a sweet smell do they cast abroad in the Gospel to this very day 2. There is fragrancy in his death His death was a sweet favour unto God Eph. 5. 2. His dead body was enbalmed with sweet spices John 19. 39. not that he had need of any such His body did never see corruption Psal 16. 10. So fragrant was the death of Christ that he hath perfumed the grave and made it as a bed of roses to all the Saints 3 There is a sweet fragrancy in his intercession The intercession of Christ is so sweet that it perfumes heaven it self See how it was typified under the Law Lev. 16. 12 13. The odours of the sweetest incense are not so fragrant to the nostrils of men as the odours of Christs intercession are to God So fragrant is his intercession that the services of his people which are unsavory in themselves come up as a cloud of incense before the Lord. See this Cant. 3. 6. It 's spoken of the Church because it 's the feminine gender Quae ista All this sweetnesse which is upon the Church and in her services is because they are perfumed with the incense of Christs mediation 4 There is a fragrancy in the word of Christ The breath of Christs mouth is sweeter then any perfume in the world this is that which the Church mentions Cant. 5. 16. His mouth or palate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetnesses so it is in the original all his promises all his precepts are very favoury 5. There is a fragrancy in all his Ordinances Prayer Sacraments Preaching singing of Psalmes are in themselves and to a gracious heart like sweet smelling oyntment The Church mentions this Cant. 2. 3. No such sweet aire bloweth under heaven as doth in the Church of God where the Ordinances of Christ are dispensed in power and purity In one word there is nothing of Christ but is more sweet then the best oyntment that ever was compounded by man This is the first property of oyntment it 's very sweet 2. Oyntment hath an exhilarating vertue It cheeres the spirits and makes the heart glad This is observed by Solomon Prov. 27. 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart When Solomon exhorts men to a cheerful life he makes mention of oyntment let thy head want no ointment alluding to the custome of the ancients who in their banquettings and feastings used such signes of joy And the Prophet expressing the jovialty of those Epicures Amos 6. 6. saith they anoint themselves with the chief oyntments The Lord Jesus Christ hath a cheering vertue The heart of a sinner is never truly merry till it be anointed with the graces of Christ and the comforts of Christ Christ is the onely remover of spiritual heavinesse The oyntment is the onely cure for spiritual melancholy Mat. 11. 28. All spiritual refreshing is from Jesus Christ He was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse that he might work gladnesse in the hearts of others This work is committed to him by God the Father Esay 61. 3. There 's not one drop of the oyle of joy but what comes out of this great olive tree the Lord Jesus that gladnesse which doth not proceed from Christ and which is not bottom'd on Christ is worldly madnesse not true joy He is called the consolation of Israel Luke 2. 25. He hath laid the foundation of Israels comfort and he it is that doth convey to them all their comfort 3 Oyntment hath a mollifying and suppling vertue If there be any hard tumour or swelling upon the body we use oyntment to soften it The holy Ghost alludes to this Esay 1 6. Where speaking of the state diseases he saith they have not been mollified with oyntments Jesus Christ hath a mollifying vertue let a heart of Adamant be but once anointed with this oyntment and it becomes an heart of flesh It was by this oyntment that the hard heart of Manasseh was softned God by his Spirit chafed this oyntment into it and it became tender And it is by the Application of this unction through the warm hands of the Spirit of God that the stony hearts of sinners are softened from day to day Thou that hast now a tender heart wouldest have carried thy stony heart with thee to thy grave if this precious oyntment had not been spread upon it 4. Oyntment is of a shining nature It hath a brightning and beautifying vertue Those Virgins that were prepared for the Persian King did use divers oyntments to make themselves beautiful Est 2. 12. they used six moneths sweet odours and six moneths oyle of myrrh This oyle as those that write of it say had
Iohn 13. 10. he that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet He that hath the least measure of this oyntment shall as certainly finde all the effects of it as if he had the whose vessel poured upon him 5. He excels all other oyntments in the manner of composition All other oyntments are compounded and made by men they are called the oyntments of the Apothecary Eccles 10. 1. God created the materials and he it is that hath given man skil and understanding how to make use of them but the composition is made by men But this precious oyntment is not made by men but by God It is he that hath compounded this golden box of oyntment It was God that anointed Christ with the holy unction of the Spirit Psal 45. 7. and it is he that hath designed him to be oyntment unto others Yea the truth is this oyntment is God himself Though the humanity be a creature yet the Divinity is the Creator Christ is not only unguentum Dei the oyntment of God but unguentum Deus that oyntment which is God himself The Uses These I shall draw 1. From the general Doctrine 2. From the particular resemblances First In general We may take notice of 1. The excellency of Christ He is compared in Scripture to all things that are necessary and to all things that are pleasant and delightful One great piece of the study of Christians in this life is to search into the excellency of Christ To know what Christ is in himself and what he is to us comprehends a very great part of a Christians study in this life Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. This one resemblance shews him to be a precious one he is so excellent that all the choice things in nature are made use of to shadow out his glory His Name saith the Prophet shall be called wonderful Esay 9 6. how wonderful is that Name which is comâ—â—sed of so many excellent things 2. This should draw our hearts exceedingly towards the Lord Iesus It should beget in us desire after him and delight in him Precious oyntment draw the affections of men towards them The best oyntment is but a drug to Jesus Christ If we be not enamoured with him we do despise him He that looks on him as oyntment cannot but be greatly delighted in him It follows in the text Therefore do the virgins love thee draw me we will runne after thee That man doth not value Christ as oyntment that doth not love him and desire to be drawn after him 3. The excellency of grace 'T is the graces of the Spirit in Christ that makes him compared to ointment his sweet oyntments are his meeknesse patience holinesse and the rest of those heavenly graces True grace is a choise thing the Scripâ—ure compares it to the choisest things in all the world Cant. 4 13 14. Next to God and Christ and the Spirit there 's nothing in heaven or earth comparable to Christ 4. That the grace of Christ is not a thing common to all His common graces are communicated to all his special grace is more confined His Name is oyntment The holy oyntment in the Law was poured upon none but upon consecrated things and persons Exod. 30. 2â— 24 25 30. It must not be poured on mans flâ—sh v. 32. Christ is compared here to this oyntment A select number the Elect of God onely those that are spiritual Priests these and these onely â—e made partakers of Christ and his graces Thuâ— much for the general doctrine Secondly particularly First from the fragrancy of Christ 〈◊〉 may learne four thing 1. How unsavoury they are that want Christ Wicked men have animam pro salâ— their soules keep their bodies sweet but what have they then to keep their soules sweet the holy Ghost compares men that are in the state of nature to that which is most unsavory Psal 14. 3. They are unsavory both in their persons and in services that want this oyntment A heart unanointed casts the worst smell of any corrupt thing in the world 2. Acknowledge from whence it is that all your fragrancy proceeds If there be any good smell upon your souls it is because this oyntment hath been poured forth upon you Jesus Christ mentions the sweet smell of his Spouse Cant. 4 10 11. and indeed every beleever is a sweet savour unto God The precious oyntment of the graces of Christ poured upon your head at your conversion is the onely reason of this good savour 't is great pride and ingratitude not to own it 3. This teacheth us all how to make and keep the soul sweet Satan labours to make it musty by breathing the ill ayre of sinne into it and if you would have it smell sweetly you must anoint it with this oyntment every day Drop but every day a drop of this oyntment upon it by prayer meditation or some other holy duty and it will preserved sweet notwithstanding the thick fogs of sinne and temptation Carry Christ in your bosome and you will smell very sweet in every company 4. When ever you smell any sweet savour think on Christ The best use which we can make of perfumes and oyntments is to make them remembrancers to put us in mind of him who perfumes both earth and heaven And then Secondly from the cheering vertue of this oyntment learne two things 1. Whither to go for heart reviving When you finde your spirits dull and melancholy when your hearts are tired out and your souls languish smell to this precious oyntment and it will revive you It 's Christs work to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite The smell of the oyntment either of Christs satisfaction or of his promises or of his intercession is the speediest and surest way to be rid from the power of spiritual heavinesse 2. Let them that have this oyntment maintaine spiritual cheerfulnesse God calls for spiritual gladnesse as well as spiritual sorrow Phil. 3. 1. A well grounded cheerfulnesse honours religion as much as holinesse The Scripture was written for consolation as well as for conversion John 15. 11. Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit is a comforter as well as a sanctifier John 15. 26. You that have this oyntment maintaine a holy light-heartednesse There is a vaine mirth and there is a sinful and sensual mirth avoid these but the holy mirth must be kept up It s a disparagement to the holy oyntment to see anointed ones droop in the blackest seasons And then Thirdly from the mollifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. The Scripture remedy against hardnesse of heart It 's a disease the best are troubled with lesse or more chafe this suppling oyntment 〈◊〉 to it and it will grow soft This oyntment was never used aright but it did in time remove the spirituâ—l hardnesse of the soul 2. Ascribe all heart softnesse to Christ Had not this