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
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
soules nourishment The milk of the mothers breast was not more nourishing to the new-borne Ver. 2. infant then the Doctrine of the Gospel is to the souls of regenerated Christians 2. God had sanctified these to be the meanes of their spiritual growth As the childe grows by sucking the milk of the breast so do Christians grow by drinking in the Doctrine of Ibid. the Gospel 3. The Doctrine of the Gospel containes in it the sweetnesse of the love of God and of Jesus Christ towards them that beleeve he that hath tasted of this sweetnesse cannot but thirst after Ver. 3. it 4. By receiving into their hearts this doctrine they should have the closer communion with Jesus Christ To whom coming as to a living stone ye as lively stones are built up c. This he confirmes by an argument taken out of the Old Testament which is here cited and improved to illustrate the thing in hand This is in the Text wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion c. Two things are considerable in the Text. 1. The denomination or litle given to Christ A chief corner stone 2. The Explication of this Title by the properties of it These are two 1. He is an Elect or chosen stone 2. He is a precious stone I shall first begin with the denomination A chief corner stone The sum is this The Church of God is here compared to a spiritual edifice or building Every true beleever is compared to a mystical stone in this building And Christ is here resembled to the Corner stone The Note from that first particular will be this viz. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the chief Corner stone of the spiritual structure of Gods Church Both Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself give ample Testimony to this truth 1. The Prophets which were before Christ do bear witnesse to this See Esay â—8 16. From this Testimony my Text is borrowed Behold I lay in Sion fâ—r a â—â—undation a stone a tryed stone a preciouâ— corner stone a sâ—â—â—e foundation And the Prophet David long before him Psalme 118. 22. speaking of Christ hath these words The Stone which the builders refused i◠〈…〉 bâ— Headstone of the Corner 2. The Apostles which succeeded Christ they concur with the Prophets See that famous Testimony which is given before the greatest of Christs adversaries by Peter and John two of his Apostles Though Peter was the onely spokeâ—man yet doth John also agree with him Acts 4. 10 11. Be it known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth doth this man stand here before you whole This is the Stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the Head of the Corner Hear also the Testimony of Paul which is both full and clear to this purpose Eph. 2. 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone 3. We may adde to these the Testimony of Christ himself hear it from his own mouth as it is recorded by three of the Evangelists Mat. 21. 42. Mark 12. 10. Luke 20. 17. Jesus said unto them did you never read in the Scriptures the Stone which the builders refused is become the Head of the Corner In the mouth of all these witnesses is this truth fully established Two things I shaâ—l here open 1. In what respects Christ is compared to the Corner stone 2. How he excels all other corner stones 1. For the first Christ is called the Corner stone in foure respects 1. In regard of sustentation The corner stone doth uphold the whole building if the corner of the house fall the whole structure comes to the ground The Holy Ghost speaking of the slaughter of Jobs children saith There came a winde from the Wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead Job 1. 19. Some stones may drop out of the middle of the building and yet the building may stand but if the corners or foundation shrink the whole fabrick is dissolved Jesus Christ is the susteiner and upholder of his Church Therefore he is called the foundation stone as well as the corner stone Esay 28. 16. He is the great pillar that beares up his Elect. The Churches peace the Churches grace the Churches comfort the Churches salvation are all upheld and maintained by him Solomâ—n reared up two pillars of brass in the Porch of the Temple the one he called Jachin that is he shall establish the other Boaz that is strength 1 Kin. 7. 21. These two Pillars amongst other things did typifie the invincible stability and strength of the Church whereof the Temple was a sign and figure The Lord Jesus Christ is to his Church both Jachin and Boaz he is both the establishment and the strength of his Elect he is that golden pillar that beares up all The Poets have a fictitious conceit of Atlas a great Astronomer that he beares up the heaven upon his shoulders That 's but a fable the great body of the heaven is a burden insupportable to any creature Jesus Christ is really the great Atlas that bears the whole burden of the Church with all its concernments upon his shoulders Eliakim was in this a type of Christ the Prophet saith of him Esay 22. 21 22 13 24. that he shall be fastned as a naile in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from vessels of cups to all vessels of flagons This Eliakim was a figure of Christ for Rev. 3. 7. that which is here promised to him is attributed to Christ These things saith he that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and he that shutteth and no man openeth He is that golden naile upon whom all the concernments of the Church both small and great do depend From vessels of cups to vessels of flagons all hang upon him The Prophet Esay foretelling his birth doth attribute this to him Chap. 9. 6. When he saith that the Government shall be upon his shoulder God hath devolved the whole care and weight of his Church upon him and upon him must we roll it 2. In regard of Vnion The corner stone is that Medium by which the walls of the house are united into one building Pull out the corner stones and the two sides of the house are separated one from the other Jesus Christ is he and he alone that doth unite the several stones of the spiritual building one to another This may be considered two ways 1. In reference to the uniting of the Jews and Gentiles Before Christ the Jew and Gentile were divided and separated one from another This separation did commence and begin after the return
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
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
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
hopes that our eyes shall still according to Gods promise see Isa 30. 20 our Teachers and that we shall not be left 2 Chr. 15. 3 without God through the want of a true Gospel Ministery 1. Both because of his abiding compassions notwithstanding our ill deservings from whence in former ages his Church hath been supplyed with a succession of faithful painful Embassadors 2 Chr. 36. 15 though there have been therein many people of very high provocations 2. And also because there is a considerable accession of young men rich in gifts and graces who from time to time seek entrance into the Ministery through the right dore of Ordination though it be an Ordinance wofully sleighted by multitudes yea by some who pretend much love unto the Gospel And therefore seeing Christ who holdeth the stars in his right hand is obliged Rev. 1. 16. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. to maintain his own Officers in the Church till his Saints arrive at perfection we his Ministers in reference to our calling may boldly say We shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Reader Ps 118 15 believe it Nothing more endangereth the loss of the Gospel then contempt and none proficiency Therefore once and againe we most heartily entreat thee to prize and to improve a Gospel Ministery and all other means of grace which the God of thy mercies doth yet vouchsafe To him that hath and fruitfully tradeth what he is trusted with shall be given and he shall have abundance Mat. 23. 29 Let not this book be received in vain which the good hand of providence doth now tender unto thee This field is full of Gospel treasures digged out of Scripture mines for thine enriching in the knowledge of Christ and what knowledge is so necessary excellent or profitable For from hence do issue all things which pertaine unto life and godlinesse Hereby our love to Christ is 2 Pet. 1. 3. enflamed our longings after him enlarged our faith in him confirmed our joyes in him raised yea by the knowledge of him he is possessed and improved both for growth in all graces augmenting of all spiritual comforts and preparation for everlasting glory Therefore commending this book which hath by one of us been diligently and carefully compared with the Authors own notes together with all thy other helps for heaven unto thy faithful improvement we commend thee to the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospel Rom. 15. 29 through Jesus Christ in whom we desire alwayes to approve our selves May 28. 1656. The real friends and servants of thy soul Simeon Ashe Edm. Calamy William Tayler A TABLE Of the several DOCTRINES handled in this TREATISE 1. A Prelimunary Sermon to the whole discourse that Christ is All and in All. pag. 1 2. Christ a Christians life 11 3. Christ a Christians food 39 4. Christs righteousnesse the Christians robe 67 5. Christ the Protector 87 6. Jesus Christ the Physician 119 7. Christ the true light 225 8. Jesus Christ the great Shepherd 249 9. Jesus Christ the true Vine 282 10. Christ the horn of salvation 324 11. Christ the dew of heaven 351 12. Christ the chief corner stone 385 13. Christ to the wicked a stone of stumbling 432 14. Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 455 15. Christs Name a precious oyntment 487 16. Jesus Christ the consolation of Israel 509 17. Christ the fountaine opened for penitent sinners 555 Second Part of the Table 18. CHrist the Lamb of God 1 19. Christ a bundle of myrrh 3 20. Christ the way 16 21. Christ the truth 40 22 Christ the glory of his people 80 23. Christ the gift of God 81 24. Jesus the Authour and finisher of our faith 101 25. Christ the rock 121 26. The Word of Christ the sword of the spirit 153 27. Jesus Christ the desire of all Nations 1â—4 28. The Covenant of grace established in Christ 206 29. Christ the hope of salvation 235 30. Jesus Christ as rivers of water in a dry land 258 31. Christ the power of God 288 32. Christ the wisdom of God 306 33. Christ the true brazen Serpent 329 34. Christ the end of the Law 365 35. Christ the holy one of God 379 36. Christ the Christians spiritual Altar 400 37. Christ the Christians Passeover 408 COL 3. last part of ver 11. I. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. May 18. 1651. Christ is all and in all THe Apostle in the two former Chapters perswadeth these Colossians to constancy in the Faith of the Gospel in which they had been instructed against the practice of those false apostles who laboured to draw them away to judaical ceremonies He doth in this Chapter as his manner is give them sundry Exhortations to holinesse of life And first he stirs them up to the more diligent study of heavenly things by many Arguments verse 1 2 3 4. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Secondly he perswades them to mortifie their earthly members those vitious motions and affections of corrupt nature which were still too strong in them he doth not only urge this in general but instances in many particulars all which are pressed by several Arguments verse 5 6 7 8 9 10. Amongst other Arguments this is one They have put off the old man and put on the new man ver 9 10. This new man he describes three wayes First it is the renuing of the holinesse of our nature which we lost in Adam Secondly it consists in the knowledge of the mystery of the Gospel Thirdly the example or Archetype according to which this new man is fashioned is the image of God our Creator This Argument the Apostle follows verse 11. he sets it on two wayes 1. By removing the false opinion of some who neglecting this new man did confide in their external priviledges and contemned all such as wanted them this in the former part of the verse where there is neither Greek nor Jew c. that is in this new man it matters not what Nation a person be of whether he be Jew or Gentile nor doth it matter what outward prerogatives a person have whether he be circumcised or uncircumcised nor doth it matter what his outward state be whether he be bond or free c. none of all these differences are looked at or considered No man is more accepted of God for the having of any of these things nor is any less esteemed of him for the want of them There is neither Jew nor Greek c. 2. By opposing the true opinion But Christ is all and in all Qâ—d All those external things which are accounted so honourable without this new man do not availe to salvation nor will the want of all these hinder a person of salvation and acceptance with God if the great work of regeneration be wrought for Christ is all and in all We have such another expression Gal. 3. 27 28. Ye are all
communion with Christ that is the life the glory of the other world Vid. Rev. 7. 17. the lamb which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters The whole felicity of glorified Saints is held out in those expressions The Uses of this Point Use 1. Away then with the Doctrine of eternal life by the merit of good works If Iesus Christ be our life then cannot the merit of our works be our life or the cause of it either in part or in whole Christ and works are opposites as to this businesse of salvation The affirming of Christ is the denial of works and the affirming of works is the denial of Christ Act. 4. 11 12. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders c. neither is salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven c. And the truth is all the things required to make a work meritorious are wanting in the best of our good works A meritorious work must be 1. Nostrum So are none of our good works Eph. 2. 10. 2. Perfectum So are not our works Our wine is mixed with water We halt upon our best legs Isa 64 6. Remember Lord my good deeds and spare me was Nehemiahs prayer ch 13. 22. we never did any thing we should do perfectly not any one thing Our most sublimated thoughts are full of the dregges of earthly mindednesse our best words are too scanty and light c. 3. It must be indebitum A man cannot purchase your land by paying an old debt All our obedience to God is an old debt which we owe upon another score Remember that Parable Luk. 17. 9. Doth he thank that servant because he did that which was commended I tell you no. That which will not deserve thanks cannot merit heaven We are fallen into an erroneous age mans will is cried up much High Arminianisme is within a few dayes journey of this piece of Popery 'T is time to give antidotes when such deadly poyson is scattered and drunk in by many injudicious Christians Let Papists make works their life let Arminians make free-will their life but let us make Christ our life He that will not live by Christ solely shall die for ever without Christ I shall conclude this with that of the Apostle Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Use 2. The cerâ—ainty of the salvation of beleevers They shall so certainly be saved that Scripture speaks of their salvation as of a thing already done 1 Cor. 1. 18. the Preaching of the crosse is unto us that are saved the power of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is reported as a thing in facto and not in fierâ— Eph. 2. 5. By grace ye are saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He writes as if they were already in glory All this to shew the certainty of their salvation This depends on many things upon this in the text for one If Christ be their life they shall live He that will keep them out of heaven must first pluck Iesus Christ out of heaven because I live ye shall live also John 14. 19. if the Sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed if the Sonne be your life ye shall live and that for ever in despight of devil in despight of corruption he is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 25. Use 3. Let this provoke all men to get an interest in Christ There 's nothing but eternal death without him He that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him 1 Iohn 5. 12. There 's no way to glory but by him Deceive not your selves cling to him lay fast hold on him and on him alone Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid already even Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. We hope we have an interest in Christ Well He that hath a good assurance that Christ is his for life must have these three things else he deceives himself 1. He must be a true beleever in Christ vid. Ioh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life c. 2. He must be an obedient subject to Christ Though we exclude obedience from the cause of salvation yet we do make it a qualification of the person that shall be saved Christ is the Author of eternal life unto them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Christ will be King where-ever he is Saviour 3. He must live the life of grace Christ is the Author of spiritual life before he be the Author of life eternal We must live in Christ before we live with Christ Christ must live in us before we live with him Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. if Christ be not in you a fountain of grace he will never be yours for glory 4. You that have Christ for life eternal carry your selves as those that beleeve this truth 1. Despaire not No sinne disparageth Christ so much as despair there is more ground of hope and confidence in Christ then there can be of distrust in our selves The sacrifice is sufficient for the guilt Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. a ransome a full ransome 2. Let salvation be so much the more precious to you for his sake who is the Author of it 3. Attribute your salvation to Christ onely 4. Live to Christ 5. The greatnesse of Gods love to the Elect. He gave Christ to be their life to die for them Rom. 5. 8. 6. Live with Christ here as much as you can 7. The greatnesse of mans misery he could not be saved without Christ COL 3. 4. When Christ our life shall appear then IV. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. June 8. 1651. shall we also appeare with him in glory I Have handled the first Proposition that Jesus Christ is a beleevers life both in regard of the life of grace and of the life of glory I proceed to the second viz. Doct. Jesus Christ who is a beleevers life shall certainly appear There will be a manifest appearance of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of a threefold appearance of Christ 1. A bodily appearance in the flesh Thus Iesus Christ appeared in his Nativity when in the fulnesse of time he took our nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifested in the flesh Old Simeon in his song rejoyceth for this Luk. 2. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Venit ad homines salvation Venit ad homines 2. A spiritual appearance of Christ in
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
20. 20. 1 Kings 11. 36. 12. For God himself 1 Job 1. 5. 13. For Christ so 't is used in the Text. In what respects we shall afterwards see The World The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—ndus from that real and orderly digestion and composition of things that are in the world God hath made all things in number weight and measure The world is an orderly beautiful piece It 's used here some think to take away the difference between Jewes and Gentiles Others think it 's taken for the world of the Elect But I rather think in this place it 's taken for all sorts of men to whom this light is offered This benefit saith Calvin is not offered to one or a few but to all the world though few receive it yet the tender of it is made to all according to that of our Saviour Mark 16. 15. The words are a Proposition In 〈…〉 1. The Subject Jesus Christ 2. The Predicate The light of the world 3. The Copulate joyning these together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All put together make this Observation Doct. That Jesus Christ is the spiritual light of the world Jesus Christ in three respects is the natural light of the world as he is God 1. He created the light The first light that ever shined in the world was his creature The Sunne Moon and Starres which are the vessels of natural light are the works of his hands He as well as the Father is that Jehovah who at first said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. For all things were made by him and without him was not made any thing that was made John 1. 3. All the luminaries of heaven which carry the light of nature abroad are his creatures 2. He preserves the light The sinne of mankinde would extinguish those vessels of light those lamps of the world did not the Lord Jesus Christ by his Divine power and Providence keep them burning When the Sunne is set and darknesse spread upon the world it would never rise again if Christ did not give it a Command 3. He it is that created the eye of man and endued it with power to set the light It is he that as God formed the eye of man and gave it power to behold the light of the Sunne It is he also that by his providence opens the eye when it is by sleep shut up in darknesse These windows of the body would be pitched up for ever if Christ did not open them morning by morning Davids prayer Psal 13. 3. must be our daily prayer Lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death In all these respects Christ according as he is God is the natural light of the world And as Mediator he is the spiritual light of the world He was so when he was on earth and that both by his Doctrine and by his example And he is still the spiritual light of men The Scripture doth often affirme this of Christ See a few places John 1. 9. that was speaking of Christ the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 12. 35 36 46. What can be more expresse The Prophets who Prophecyed of him spake of him as a light Esay 42. 6. I give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles And Esay 49. 6. I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the earth He is therefore compared to the day-star Luke 1. 78. To the Sunne Mal. 4. 2. As all natural light is collected into the vessel of the Sunne and by it dispensed to the world so all spiritual light is gathered together and placed in Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse and by him communicated unto all those whom God hath given him In the opening of this Doctrine I shall handle three things 1. Wherein the proportion between Christ and light stands 2. How Christ doth dispense the light which is in him 3. How Christ is differenced from all â—ther lights First the resemblance between Christ and light stands in seven things 1. Light hath a manifestative quality It doth discover and cause to appear things that do in darkness lie unseen Darkness is a thick veile and shadow under which things and persons are concealed but light removes that shadow and shews both it self and every other thing in its own nature When you would see what a thing is if you do not know it you bring it forth to the light and then it appears Whatsoever doth make manifest the same is light Eph. 5. 13. Jesus Christ in this respect is well compared to light He discovers and makes manifest to men that which they never saw before How many rare mysteries hath Christ discovered to the sonnes of men When he came into the world he revealed those secrets that before were either not known or not so fully known The Apostle speaks of this Eph. 3. 2. 3 4 5 6 8 9. When Christ comes to a soul what discoveries doth he make there 1 That sin which lay hid for many years is now manifest that pride that unbelief that covetousnesse which was not discovered before is now made manifest The very secrets of the heart are made known when this light begin to shine 1 Corinth 14. 25. The soule wonders that so much wickednesse should be so long undiscerned 2 That shining beauty which is in grace which was not before discerned is now made manifest He sees godlinesse to be another kinde of thing then he ever apprehended it to be He sees a lovelinesse in every duty of Gods worship a lovelinesse in every act of holinesse which he could have not believed so that he is able to say with the blinde man restored by Christ This I know that whereas I was blinde now I see Christ hath the discovering quality of light 2. Light hath a Directive vertue It guids men in their way The Traveller by the benefit of the light sees what path to keep which way to turne to his intended journey Our Saviour mentions this effect of light John 11. 9 10. Now Christ is fitly called a light in this regard He it is that doth direct the sonnes of men in the way to life And therefore he is called not onely the light by which we see but the guide that leads us Luke 1. 79. Yea he is called not onely the light and the guide but the way in which we walk John 14. 6. Jesus Christ is sent by his Father from heaven to direct his Elect to heaven He is the great Pilot of his Church that doth steer it through the tempestuous seas of this world to the Haven of glory 3. Light hath a Penetrating vertue Light is of all creatures that are material the most immaterial it is of so subtile a nature that it conveys it selfe into the least crevise You can hardly make any fence so close as wholly to keep out
Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. All the Prophets and Apostles were but Scintillulae lucis little sparks of light meer glow-worms but Jesus Christ is an immense incomprehensible light Esay 9. 2. 3. They are lights that have some darknesse in them The clearest and brightest of the Prophets and Apostles were not without some darknesse and obscurity But Jesus Christ is light and in him there is no darknesse at all Christ is a light that hath no snuff in him He ever burns and shines brightly 4. They were lights that could not give sight They were not able to make men either see their light or follow their light They could not give eyes to the blinde but Jesus Christ is such a light as can give sight He can open the blinde eyes He can over-power the soul to follow the light 5. They were setting lights They when they had runne their course left shining they were wasting decaying lights John Baptist was a burning and shining light but now he is neither as to this world onely his example and Doctrine shines still in the Scripture But Jesus Christ is an everlasting light He hath been shining ever since that promise made to Adam Gen. 3. 15. and he shall be a light for ever and ever He is the light of grace here and he shall be the light of glory in heaven The Uses are Information Exhortation Consolation 1. Information In foure particulars First Behold the necessity of Christ He is as necessary for the soul as light is for the body Light is a very needful and pleasant thing Jesus Christ is as necessary as he is pleasant Secondly The miserable condition of such as want an interest in Christ Whether they be Nations or Persons their condition is marvellous sad They are indeed in a state of darknesse The Scripture affirmes all to be in darknesse that are without Christ Eph. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse c. Luke 1. 79. Esay 9. 2. The people that sate in darknesse have seen a great light Where this day-star did never yet shine 't is yet mid-night with that soul A dark condition is a very miserable condition The misery of it will appear in three particulars 1 A dark condition is a condition of feare Those that can be bold in the light are usually surprized with feares in darknesse A black day is a terrible day Job 3. 5. Let the blackness of the day terrifie it Those that are without Jesus Christ are subject to many terrours and fears which the children of light are delivered from The Scripture makes mention of horrible dread which the wicked are exposed unto The name of Pashur may be given to every one that is without Christ Magor Missabib Jer. 20. 3. because they are liable to such shaking pannick feares Prov. 28. 1. The â—â—cked 〈◊〉 when no man pursueth them God threatens fears to the wicked as their portion Lev. 26. 3â— I will send a faintnesse in their hearts the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them Wicked men are sometimes without actual shakings they have some kinde of Joy Peace and Security But 1 They are alwayes liable to feares They are under guilt which lays the foundation of fear 2 Their peace when it seems to be most strong and settled is presently upon the least spark of Gods anger thrown into their consciences turned into terror We have an instance of it in Belshazzar Dan. 5. 5 6. The least manifestation of Gods anger dashes all their joy and creates great trembling in their spirits The Prophet sets out this terrour by an excellent Metaphor Esay 5â— 20. The sea is sometimes so calme and smooth that you may cast a dye upon the face of it but one quarter of an houres tempest puts it into a dreadful combustion 2 A dark condition is a misguiding condition 'T is full of wandrings When men want the light of this world how do they mislead others how easily are they mislead by others He that walketh in darknesse saith our Saviour knoweth not whither he goeth John 12. 35. Those that are without Jesus Christ are in a spirituall maze or labyrinth They mislead all that follow them they are mislead by every blinde guide that goes before them Men that are without Christ are great wanderers You may easily carry them into the most dangerous wayes This is the true reason of all those sad â—andâ—ings and deviations of men from the truth of God and from the old wayes of holinesse which are at this very day Though they pretend not onely light but a greater measure of light then others have attained unto yet the truth is they want this true light this coelestial light and therefore are carried away after the shining of every ignis fatuus that Satan casts in their way They wander from verity to falshood from a seeming strictnesse to prophanenesse from one corrupt principle to another till they turn meere Skepticks meere Atheists without all Religion The Apostle calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 13. to whom if they returne not from their wandrings is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever 3 A dark condition is a condition unfit for action We call darknesse blinde mans holy-day because in darknesse a seeing man can work no more then a blinde man When that fearful darknesse was over the land of Egypt they did not stir from their seats for three dayes together Exod. 10. 23. Man goeth forth to his work and labour until the evening Psal 104. 23. When the black shadow of the night hath drawn the curtaine of nature over the world then are instruments of working laid aside Those that are without Jesus Christ are unfit for any spiritual work They can neither pray nor repent nor beleeve c. Whatever work of this nature they take in hand they spoile it utterly They mar all the work of God for want of light John 15. 5. The Apostle tells us that the natural man doth not understand the things of the Spirit neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 〈…〉 to polishâ— a jewel a◠〈…〉 as man that i◠〈…〉 is able handsomly to perfect any 〈…〉 This is the second inference the misery of men without Christ 3 The excellency of Jesus Christ Light is a very excellent and glorious creature Truly light is pleasant saith Solomon and a joyful thing it is for the eyes to see the Sun Eccl. 11. 7. Jesus Christ is an excellent and precious person He is very pleasant and desirable to those that have eyes to behold him He is all things spiritually to the soule which it wants which it can desire bread drink physick life rayment light all in all The Scripture speaks much of his glory and brightnesse No creature comparable to the light for glory God is therefore said to be cloathed with light as with a garment Psalme 104. 2. Christ is unglorious to the eyes of blinde men so the Prophets foretold Esay 53. 2 3. But
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
He shall come down like the rain upon the mowen grasse This seems to be more agreeable to the meaning of the Holy Ghost especially because of the clause following which is added by way of Explication As the showers that water the earth As the showers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rain and showers differ onely as lesse and more raine signifies smaller showers and showers signifie greater raine Deut. 32. 2. Raine falling in multitude of drops is called a shower That water the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word Zarziph which is here translated water is onely used in this place in all the Bible it signifies to water by dispersion to water by drops The showers are dispersed in drops all over the face of the earth in a very regular and artificial way God hath divided saith Job a water course for the overflowings of waters Job 38. 25. The raine is from the cloud spouted out by drops after such a manner that every part hath its share Thus much for Explication The Observation is this Doct. Jesus Christ is to his Church as the rain to the mowen grasse as the showers of rain that drop down upon the earth Jesus Christ is the spiritual raine of his Church Jesus Christ is a mystical shower to the hearts of his people When God gave Christ out of his bosome he did then if ever raine a golden shower upon the world The Prophets do use this Metaphor in their predictions of Christ Esay 45. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies poure down righteousnesse c. Though it be expressely a prediction of that great return of the Church from their captivity Yet as Calvin well observes it relates to the spiritual Kingdome of Christ when all this should be compleatly fulfilled The heavens did never drop down salvation they never rained righteousnesse so abundantly as when they rained down him who is the Lord our righteousnesse In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open three things 1. What that is which in Christ may be compared to the rain 2. Wherein lieth the resemblance between Christ and rain 3. Wherein lies the disproportion there I shall shew how Christ excels all other raine For the firste This Metaphor of raine doth relate to three things of Christ It respects three particulars 1. It hath relation to his Doctrine It is usual in Scripture for Doctrines to be compared to the raine My Doctrine saith Moses shall 〈◊〉 at the raine my speech shall distil as the dew 〈◊〉 Ordinarily the preaching of the Prophets Deut. â—â— â— â—â— câ—lled Dropping Ezek. 20. 46. Drop thy word â—oward the south and Prophecy Ezek. 21. 2. Drop â—â—y word toward the holy places Prophecy against the land of Israel I finde divers Expositors interpreting that Text of Christs Doctrine Saith Chrysostome the coming down of the rain upon the grasse or upon the fleece of wool as he renders it signifies the preaching of Christ in the Synagogue And certainly Christs Doctrine if ever the Doctrine of any person may be well compared to the raine His Doctrine is from above and it hath all the properties of raine The Prophet makes the comparison Esay 55. 10 11. 2. It hath relation to the spiritual Government of his Kingdome The administration of judgement is many times set out by the descending of the raine Job speaking of himselfe as a Magistrate useth this Metaphor Chap. 29. 22 23. My speech saith he dropped upon them They waited for me as for the raine and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter raine Evill Governours are compared to a parching drought whereby the estates of the Subjects are withered they are like those destroying Gardeners that pluck up the very roots of the herbs but good Governours are like Gardeners that do daily water the flowers and so cause them to thrive Jesus Christ is such a Governour as seeks the wealth of all his Subjects he drops down rain upon them whereby they are multiplied and increase The Prophet speaks of this Hos 6. 3. His going forth is prepared as the morning he shall come unto us as the raine as the latter and former raine unto the earth Christs government tends not to the impoverishing but to the enriching of his Subjects In his dayes shall the righteous flourish verse after the Text. Jesus Christ is not a waster but a waterer of the spiritual estates of those that are under the Government of his Scepter The Psalmist compares his Scepter to dew Ps 110. 3. It hath relation to the influences of his Spirit The influences of Christs Spirit are compared to the raine The Prophet useth this Metaphor to set out the distillations of his Spirit upon his Câ—uâ—â—h Joel 3. 18. It shall come to passe in that day that the mountains shall drop down â—â—to â—iâ—e and the â—illâ— shall flow with milk c. When Jesus Christ hâ—d communicated his Spirit to the Church See whâ—t she saith Cant. 5. 5. I opened to my beloved and my hands dropped with myrrh and my fingers with sweet â—â—â—â—lling myrrh upâ—n the handles of the lock Christ did there come down as the raine by the secret vertue of his Spirit he caused many precious drops to fall upon the soul of his Church Calvin expounds this Text of the secret distillations of Christs grace upon his people so that whether we respect Christs Doctrine or his spiritual Government or the secret influx of his Spirit in regard of all these doth he come down as the raine upon the mowen grasse and as the showers that water the earth This is the first thing Qui respectus For the second Quae propoâ—tio Wherein stands the resemblance between Christ and raine I shall mention three particulars 1. The raine is the immediate and proper work of God The Scripture doth by this put a difference between the true God and Idols Jer. 14. 22. Man can neither set abroach the vessels of heaven to cause raine nor can he stop them when God hath set them abroach The key of the raine hangs at Gods girdle Man may speak long enough to the clouds before they give a drop of moisture but if God do but lift up his finger they are dissolved As he brings forth the wine our of his treasures so doth he draw the raine out of his Cellars Jesus Christ comes down like the raine in this respect for he is the immediate and proper gift of God This raine had never fallen from heaven if God had not of his own accord bestowed it had all the Angels of God been conven'd in an Assembly how to restore lost man they could never have found out this way The Scripture attributes the whole work of giving Christ to God alone My Doctrine is not mine Joh. 7. 16. but his that sent me His Doctrine is from God John 12. 49 His Scepter is from God Psal 110. 2. His King he is called Psal 2. 6. He prepared him a body Heb. 10. 5.
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
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
the world for he doth possesse Christ who is a stone of invaluable worth If you knew a man had an estate worth all the precious stones in the world you would account him a very rich man A believer hath one precious stone in his possession which is of greater worth then all the precious stones which now are or ever were in the world When other men boast of their jewels do you boast of your Christ When others tell you what rich sparkling diamonds they have do you bring out this precious stone and lay it before them When you hear other men speaking of the costly foundation of their houses do you think what a glorious foundation your soules are built upon He that wants Christ is the truly poore man whatever he enjoyes He is rich we say whom God loves he is rich that inherits Christ if thou haddest thy house full of diamonds thou wouldest judge thy self a wealthy man If Christ be thine thou hast much more I counsel thee to buy of â—ne Gold that thou mayest be rich Rev. 3 18. 'T is not the gold of the earth but Christs gold that makes men rich Though thou hast no house to put thy head in not a footbredth of land to tread upon though thou hast not one penny in thy purse yet if thou art a true beleever thou art more wealthy then the greatest Emperour or Monarch in the world that hath not Christ for his portion Thou hast a precious stone which wil serve to spend upon to eternity never waste nor diminish Thus much for Information 2. For Examination Let us try whether Jesus Christ be precious to us Many are deceived in their thoughts about Christ Abundance think they esteeme him to be a precious stone who do indeed account him but an ordinary stone It will be necessary therefore to lay down some notes to distinguish a true esteeme of Christ from a false esteeme I shall name these four viz. 1. Whether you are willing to part with every thing you have that you may enjoy Christ Our Saviour layes this down as an evidence of a real prizing of Christ Mat. 13. 46. he went and sold all that he had and bought it Not as if Christ were our purchase for he is the Fathers free gift John 3. 16. but the meaning is that he that esteemes Christ as a pearle of price will let nothing stand in the way between him and Christ he will part with every thing rather then go without him By this the Apostle Paul evidences his esteeme of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8. What things were gaine to me those I counted losse for Christ c. He that esteemes Christ aright will leave all his sinnes for Christ He will leave his honours and preferments in the world when he cannot keep them and Christ together as that noble Marquess 〈◊〉 did he will part with all his morality civil righteousnesse rather then not enjoy Christ No termes are hard no conditions difficult so that Christ may be possessed He that will not let every thing go that hinders him from Christ doth not esteeme Christ truly precious That young man in the Gospel did declare that Christ was not precious to him because he would not part with his riches to enjoy him Luke 18. 23. He went away sorrowful for he was very rich 2. What desire have you of fellowship with Christ He that esteems Christ precious indeed thinks he hath never enough of Christ The Church testifies her dear esteeme of him by her passionate desire of communion with him Cant. 1. 13. Abundle of myrrh is my welbeloved to me he shall lodge all night between my breasts The breast is the place of affections There the heart is that shall be Christs Chamber precious stones that are valued are laid up in the safest Cabinet Where Christ is valued aright he is laid up in the best Cabinet the very heart The soul that values him aright is never weary of his presence He will neglect no opportunity he will misse willingly no meeting where he thinks Christ may be found Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest Cant. 1. 7. Jesus Christ is much in the thoughts of him that truly esteemes him he is never at ease but when Christ lies with him he likes no discourse so well as that that hath Christ in it He is a man even swallowed up with the meditations of Christ 3. Is every thing of Christ precious to you He that hath right appreciations of Christ doth account him every way precious His precepts are as precious as his promises his life is as precious as his death his holy steps are as precious as his blood Many men think they account very highly of Christ who do indeed account meanly of him They cry him up in his sufferings and satisfaction and cry him down as much in his obedience The promises of Christ are sweet but the precepts of Christ are bitter His meritorious death is highly extold but his exemplary life is but meanly accounted of his Priestly office is glorious to them but his Kingly and Prophetical offices are contemptible They would have Christ to save them but they desire not Christ to sanctifie them They do indeed cry up Jesus but they cry down Christ They prize his blood but they despise his graces They like Christs intercession but they do not like his Sovereignty they would have him glorifie them in heaven but they will not allow him to command them on earth All such partial prizing of Christ is no prizing of Christ As the right receiving of Christ is to receive him wholly so the right prizing of Christ is to prize him wholly He is not prized at all if he be any way despired The Apostle tells us that Christ is made unto us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification redemption in 1 Cor. 1. 30. He that doth esteem him aright must esteem him in this latitude he is to be honoured as much as he is a Sanctifyer as he is to be honoured as a Redeemer The Church values Christ wholly Cant. 5. 11 12 c. His head his lockâ— his eyes his hands his lips c. Many do much value the hands of Christ by which he gives rewards but they do not value the lips of Christ by which he gives commands A true prizer of Christ esteemes his mouth as much as his hands yea he esteems the precepts of his mouth as well as the promises of his mouth 4. What opinion have you of those that are like Christ It is an eternal truth that whosoever hath a right esteeme of Christ cannot but value those that are like him and that meerly because they have his image Heare what the Apostle saith expresly to this purpose 1 Joh. 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him He that saith he looks upon Christ as precious and hates them that are like him is a lyar the truth
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
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
every 〈◊〉 beleever doth very much resemble Jacob 〈◊〉 that 1. In regard of their godly simplicity It was the commendation of Jacob that he was a plain man Gen. 25. 27. It relates not so much to his outward condition as to the inward frame of his heart Beleevers are a single hearted generation That which our Saviour saith of Nathaniel is true of them at least in desire and affection they are not only without gall but even without guile John 1. 47. they study plainnesse rather then greatnesse they put away deceit far from their Tabernacles 2. In regard of their holy zeal Jacob was a man full of the fire of heavenly zeal How earnest was he in reforming his family Gen 35. 2 3. Here is true zeal it begins reformation at home all true beleevers have sparks of this coelestial fire in their bosomes Tit. 2. 14. They desire that they and theirs may be reformed who ever walk disorderly They resolve as Joshuah I and my house will serve the Lord Joshuah 24. 15. 3. In regard of their wrestlings with God Jacob had the Name of Israel given him because of his violent wrestlings with God by prayer Gen. 32. 28. The Prophet doth fully interpret what this wrestling was Hosea 12. 3 4. His prayers and teares were the two armes by which he wrestled with God Every true beleever is frequent in this exercise I give my self to prayer saith David Psal 109. 4. he that hath true grace loves no exercise better then this of holy wrestling with God Epaphias is described by his frequency in these holy wrastlings with God both for himself and others Col. 4 12. In all holy vertues true beleevers are like Israel and therefore may well be called by his name 2. For the second Christ is the consolation of Israel in two respects By way of purchase By way of conveyance First By way of purchâ—se and merit Whatsoever is an ingredient or cause of true consolation is by the purchase and procurement of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of many grounds of spiritual consolation To instance some particulars 1. Reconciliation with God There can be no true comfort till God and the sinner be made one Reconciliation is the first bottom of Consolation Rom. 5. 2. The begining of his Prodigals joy was the reconciliation of his father to him Luke 15. latter end Now the Scripture tells us that reconciliation is the purchase of Christs blood he is the only atonement of the soule Col. 1. 21 22. There had never been any pacification between heaven and earth if Jesus Christ had not interposed himself He was contented that the Father should make war with him that his fury towards us might cease He is our peace-offering by whom we have peace with God and with our selves 2. The work of grace in the heart Sanctification is one ground of consolation The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. That comfort which is true is builded upon righteousnesse The effect of righteousnesse shall be peace and the fruit of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for 〈◊〉 Esay 32. 17. Now all our holinesse and grace is the purchase of Jesus Christ The shedding of his blood doth not onely procure for us glory hereafter but grace here The conscience is purified by the streames of his blood Heb. 9. 14. He is as properly our sanctification as our salvation 3. The pardon of sinne Remission is an inlet of Consolation Esay 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people tell them that their iniquity is forgiven Sence of pardon is the true ground of spiritual laughter Our Saviours usual receipt for the working of comfort is this Be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven So he saith to the paraâ—ytick Mat. 9. 2. the heart may be light in heavinesse when sinne is once remitted Now we know Christs blood is the meritorious cause of the remission of sinne 'T is he that hath expiated our sinnes Col. 2. 13 14. He that will be forgiven any other way shall never be forgiven His blood is the onely bath for the washing away of sin Eph. 1. 7. 4. Right to the promises The promises of the Gospel are the wells of true Comfort The Apostle makes mention of the comfort of the Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. If there be any comfort in the Scriptures it is in the promises Precepts are written for direction threatnings for terror promises chiefly for consolation The Prophet mentions the breasts of the Churches consolation Esay 66. 11. The promises of the Gospel are the breasts of the Churches consolation by sucking at these breasts the heart is made glad Now who but Christ purchased the promises The Apostle saith that all the promises of God are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are in him as the procuring and meritorious cause of them all The Covenant of grace which is nothing else but a bundle of rich promises is the purchase of Christs blood The world had never heard of a promise of any good if it had not been for Jesus Christ 5. Hope of salvation Hope is the door of consolation We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 2. There 's more cause of rejoycing in this then in being able to cast out devils Luke 10. 20 Now we know that it was none but Jesus Christ that did or could unlock the way to heaven He is the way to heaven He is the purchaser â—f heaven God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. He is called the salvation of God in this song v. â—0 There would have been no entrance for any of Adams lost seed into glory if Christ had not set the door open it is be that opened the Kingdome of heaven to all beleevers 6. The gift of the Spirit The holy Ghost is called the Comforter John 14. 26. His office is to work consolation â—â—â—he hearts of Gods people Spiritual comfort is therefore called joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. because the holy Ghost doth create it in the soul Now we know the in-dwelling of the holy Ghost in us is the purchase of Christ John 15. 26. When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father The third person had never been our comforter if the second person had not been our Redeemer There is nothing can be thought on which hath any causality or efficiency in our consolation but it is of Christs procurement This is the first Secondly By way of conveyance As all our grace is communicated and conveyed unto us from Christ so is also our consolation Jesus Christ doth by his Spirit in the Ordinances of grace actually convey comfort unto his people as he sees them stand in need of it The Apostle speaks of the beleevers consolation abounding by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. All comfort is in Christ as a fountaine in him God hath put it
fountain of his blood as a laver for sin When thy heart hath any good thoughts of sin remember this way of expiation and it will appear very hainous 2. Behold the dignity and merit of Christs blood The Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 19. precious blood It 's precious blood in regard of the dignity of his person it is the blood of God himself that is of that person who is true and very God Acts 20. 28. And its precious in regard of the vertue and effect of it By this blood God and man are reconciled By this blood the Church of God is Redeemed And by this blood sin is expiated and perfectly done away Consider these three things 1 The multitude of sinners that are cleansed by Christ An innumerable company all the Elect of God in all ages 2 The multitude of sinnes in every person not one but many every sinner is full of sores not one free part either of soul or body 3 The perfection of the cure Every sinner is as perfectly healed as if he had never been wounded He is said to cleanse from all sinne in 1 Joh. 1. 7. He is said to take away the sinnes of the world He is said for ever to perfect them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. All these expressions shew the compleatnesse of the sinners cleansing Were not his blood of infinite value it could never have wrought such an effect The blood of all the men in the world could not expiate one sin â—ut the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth multitudes of sinners from millions of sins and every one of them mortal 3. Behold the exceeding greatnesse of the love both of God the Father and of Christ to man-kind The Evangelist admires it John 3. 16. It is admired by the Saints in heaven Rev. 5. 9 10. and it may well be admired by the Saints on earth That God should let out the blood of his own Son to make a spiritual fountain for us to wash in This argues not onely exâ—ctnesse of justice but abundance of love It will appear to be love indeed if we consider what Christ must endure before he could expiate sinne He must drink up the deep fountaine of his Fathers wrath before he could be a fountaine for us to wash in He shall drink of the brook in the way saith the Prophet of Christ Psal 110. 7. This brook is the wrath of God it was a large brook and a deep brook the streames of it were very fierce and very muddy This brook Christ did not onely saile over or swim thorough but he drank it up even the thickest dregs of it That God should cause his Sonne and that the Son should be willing to drink up such a brook of wrath that he might become a fountain to wash away our sin this argues love unspeakable and stupendious in both towards elect men 4. The Church of God shall never want sufficient means for spiritual purification Here is a fountaine opened and being once opened it shall never be shut again and as it shall never be shut so it can never be drawn dry The streams of it shall perpetually flow out in the Gospel whilest the Church hath need of washing Other fountains may faile through continuance of drought but this fountaine can never faile God promises to his Church perpetual springs Esay 5â— 1â— Thâ—â— shalt be as a watered garden and like aspring of water whose waters faile not This continuance of the fountaine is intimated in the circumstance of time mentioned in the text in that day The whole time of the Churches pilgrimage in this life is comprehended under that expression The fountaine stands open and runnes all the day long in a full and plentiful streame It is the Churches misery that she contracts defilement continually but it is her comfort that the purifying fountaine doth and shall run continually 5. How inexâ—â—sable those are that die in their filthinesse under the Gospel Those who live and die with their filthinesse upon them where the Gospel is not shall be without excuse at the day of judgement because God made them at first cleane and they did wilfully defile themselves Mans first â—â—â—â—ling in the mire of sin was his own voluntary act he can blame none but himself therefore none of mans defiled posterity can be acquitted but of all men those that live under the Gospel shall be without excuse For to them a fountain is set wide open and they are dayly invited to wash themselves therein their sinne iâ— double They do not onely sinne in pollâ—ting themselves but they sin in keeping the pollution upon them They are filthy noâ— because they want water but because they want a heart to make use of water The â—â—reames of Christs blood runne by their doors and therefore if their guilt abide nothing can be pleaded by way of excuse They were told of their 〈◊〉 they were invited to wash they saw others by washing were cleansed therefore their guilt remaineth If Nâ—â—â—â— after the Propheâ— directed him to wash in Jordan had returned without washing who would have pitied him if he had died a leper Those that are brought to this spiritual Jordan if they will not wash 't is pity but their sinful leproâ—ie should remaine upon them They do shut that fountain against themselves that God hath graciously opened Thus much for the first Use of Information 2. For Exhortation It commends several duties which we should carefully practise As 1. Take heed of despising this fountaine The Prophet foretelling of Christ did long since by way of complaint speak of the despising and rejecting of him Isa 53. 3. We have cause to joyne with him in the same complaint the fountaine of Christs blood is exceedingly despised 1. The Iews they keep open the typical fountain 2. The Papists despise this fountaine in that Heb. 10. 14 they make other expiatory fountaines They instead of going to the fountaine of Christs blood 1. They go to the Masse which they call a propitiatory sacrifice And 2. To the merit of their own works thinking thereby to expiate sinne purchase the favour of God Jesus Christ may complaine against the Papists as God doth against his people of old because of their apostasie Jer. 2. 13. My people have commited two evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and have hewen them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water The Scripture makes not good works but Christs blood our ransome and propitiation Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Our good works are so farre from cleansing us from the guilt of sinne that they themselves have need of cleansing Domine lava lachrymas meas was the prayer of that father and it must be our prayer Doth not the Scripture attribute filthinesse to the best of our works Esay 64. 6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy râ—gs Thy repentance thy prayers thy duties must be sprinkled in this fountain else God will loath