Christ Zeale for Christ. The aforesaid Mary having had experience of the great love of Christ in forgiving her so many and great sins she returns an answerable affection she loved much Luk. 7 47. And Paul after he had seene that great light shining round about him from heaven and heard the Lord Iesus speake unto him how Zealous was he ever after for Christ Not more Zealous against him before then now for him Now he calleth out Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Act. 9 3 6. And not only do but suffer I am readie not only to be bound but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21 13. Thus doth this Sun shining upon the heart in its strength it draweth up ardent Affections towards it self I might go on and yet instance in some other particulars wherein the Lord Iesus is like the Sun in his strength As viz. In drying up of sinful Corruption and inordinate lusts in the soule even as the Sun in the Summer season dryeth up those waters wherewith the face of the earth was before surcharged to the prejudice of it And so in diverse other But I shall harken to the Counsell which Aretius writing upon the Text giving to those that handle it which is that whilst they prosecute this Allegorie betwixt Christ and the Sun wherin he acknowledgeth there are many very apt resemblances to be found yet ne modum excedant they take heed of following it too far so as to extort that from it which it will not naturally yield Taking this advice I shall pass to Application That consisteth of many Branches but I shall graft them upon one stock reducing all to one head which shall be onely to exhort and excite every of us to seeke the face of this Son of man Seeke the face of Iesus Christ. This is that which the Lord calleth upon his people to doe in that foresaid Text Psal. 27 8. Seeke ye my face And wherefore was it that this Son of man here shewed his face in this glorious manner in the midest of the Churches but that they should be invited to seek his face And this doe wee Having heard how glorious this face of Iesus Christ is let all of us seeke it This is the Psalmists resolve there in the Text last named Hearing what God sayed unto him and other beleevers Seeke ye my face his heart ecchoeth backe againe Thy face O Lord I will seeke And let there be the like mind in every of us Hearing how Christ shewed his face here unto his servant Iohn in the midest of the Churches seeke we this face of his Q. How seeke it A. Take the Answere in two words Seeke it that we may See it and seeke it that we may feele it 1. That we may See it A sight worth the seeing His face was as the Sun saith the Text Now what more desirable sight then this Truely the light is sweet saith the Preacher and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun Eccles. 11. 7 How pleasant to beholde this Sun the Sun of righteousness It is so to the Saints in heaven who behold this Sun shining in his strength see Iesus Christ as he is in the fulness of his glory they are never wearie of beholding him That we may also in due season be made partakers of that beatificall vision to see Christ in his Kingdom of glory seeke we his face now in his Kingdom of grace that we may see it This was that which some were so desirous to see when he was upon earth to see the face of Christ though then to the bodily eye it was scarce worth the seing there being no beautie in him that he should be desired as the Prophet hath it Yet Zacheus gets up into a tree to see him as he passed by Luk. 19. 3. And this is the request which those Greekes which came to worship in the Temple made unto Philip Sir we would see Iesus Ioh. 12. 21. What they desired to see with the bodily eye every of us labour to see with the eye of our soules This is the vision which maketh the eye of the beholder happie and blessed Blessed are your eyes for they see saith our Saviour to his Disciples Math. 13. 16. And what did they see that should make them so blessed why they sawe Christ in the flesh But did not others so also Yes but not as they did They saw him not onely with their bodily eyes as the multitude did many of which sawe him but beleeved not in him as our Saviour tells some of them Ioh. 6. 36. Yee also have seene me and beleeve not nay multi viderunt oderunt many saw him and hated him but they sawe him also with the eye of their minde they saw his inside who he was and what he was they so saw him as that they beleeved on him which is the true seeing of Christ. This is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life saith our Saviour vers 40. of the same Chapter They sawe not only that meane out side of his as others did who were thereby prejudiced against him Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. but they saw the glorie which was hid under that veile The word was made flesh aâ—d dwelt amongst us and we saw his glory the glory as of the onely begotten sonne of the father saith Saint Iohn Ioh. 1. 14. O that all our eyes may be blessed with this vision with the beholding of the glory of Christ that wee may see this face of his shining as the Sun That so we may give unto him the glory of those Personall Properties wherein hee resembles the Sun the glory of his Sole Lordship and Mediatorship by submitting to him and resting wholly upon him the glory of his transcendent Dignitie by adoring and Worshipping him the glory of his Omnisciens by indeavouring to approve our selves unto him and that not onely our actions but our secretest Counsels and intentions â—he glory of his absolute Puritie by striving to be like him holy as he is holy Q. But where or how shall wee thus see him A. Take the Answer first Negatively Do not looke to see him as Saint Iohn here did by way of vision immediate Revelation Thus indeede Christ here shewed himselfe to this his servant but this was an extraordinary favour and so not to bee expected by us Nay thus wee cannot see him see his face When Moses desired to see the glory of God Exod. 33. 18. The Lord returnes him answere verse 20. Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see mee and liue And our Apostle here upon the sight of the face of this Son of man fell down as dead Such is the glory of this face that no mortall eye is capable of beholding it in an immediate way Q. How then A.
them Therefore Watch. Ministers should be vigilant at all times knowing that that Roaring Lion is still walking about But when such Wolves and Foxes subtile and dangerous Seducers are abroad they had need then to look out sharp as the STARS heavens sentinels do in the dark of the night But I fear I have wearied your attentions with what I confess doth immediately concern but a few of this present Audience You have have heard what ones the Ministers of Christ ought to be But shall we now give way to an Enquiry Are the Ministers and Teachers in this our Church I mean the Church of England at this day such Such Stars Blessed be God such there are and that not a few But how many far otherwise Such as go for Stars being set in the firmament of the Church but are unworthy of that name having little light or if they have yet hiding it less zeal no purity but are rather like those spots in the Moon no small blemish in the Churches face I might go on But I have no pleasure in discovering of what I have here no opportunity to rectifie Besides these how many Meteors such as would be taken for Stars but are nothing less in truth Comets they are 1. Being first not set in the firmament of the Church ascending of themselves But meer Exhalations ascending of themselves and drawn up by some sinister respects of Honour or Profit or the like and fed with those earthly vapours I mean men taking this office upon themselves not being called thereunto by God not being set apart to the work whether Actually or yet Intentionally 2. Blazing-stars Such were the false Apostles in Saint Pauls time and such there are too many in ours Men who make a great glare a great shew and as Gamaliel once said of Theudas Acts 5. 36. they boast themselves to be some body no ordinary Teachers And thereupon they hold forth new and strange lights new and strange doctrines such as the world cannot but stand amazed at the beholding hearing of as much as in them lieth setting the Church on fire therewith By which means it cometh to pass that the truly Orthodox Ministers with their old light their old truths comes to be the less regarded and by some slighted Even as it is when there is a blazing-star flaming in the heavens the world stands at gaze at that all tcome out of their doors to look upon that whilest the true Stars in the mean time are little passed by without any observation 3. To these add in the third place Falling-stars Such are Comets they shine for a time and that it may be very brightly out-shining all the stars about them but in a little time having spent their stock of vapour they fall down to the earth from whence they came and thereby are discovered to be what they were not stars but Comets Quae cecidit stella non fuit Cometa fuit And such stars how many have we seen of late times falling-stars Time was when they shone and that brightly like Lucifers sons of the morning but now how are they fallen from heaven as the Prophet saith of the Babylonion Monarch and Empire Isaiah 14. 13 Fallen from their Principles Such a Star we read of Revel 9. 1. I saw a star fallen from heaven saith Saint Iohn which some understand of some eminent Minister of the Church who fell from the true Religion of God and turned Apostate And elsewhere he tels us of the Stars of heaven falling to the earth Revel 6. 13. Ministers falling from the truth into Errours And such stars how many have we seen or heard of Men sometime of special note in the Church shining like Stars in the firmament thereof But now are they fallen from heaven to earth I had almost said to Hell but I would be as charitable as I may hoping however desiring that God would give them repentance unto salvation that they remembring from whence they are fallen may repent and do their first works as the spirit counsels the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Revel 2. 5. fallen from the truth of God into dangerous desperate damnable Errours and Heresies some of them even denying the Lord that bought them as Saint Peter foretelleth it of some 2 Pet. 2. 1. Besides these how many fallen from their purity and how many from their zeal being with the Laodicean Angel grown remiss Luke-warme having lost their first love as the spirit chargeth it upon the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 4. 4. To these I might yet add many more Among other I take notice of one star which being fallen from heaven was a bitter star Of this you read Rev. 8. 10. 11. There fel a great Star from heaven and his name was called Wormewood Of whome that is there meant I shall not now stand to enquire which if I should I should finde it verie mysterious Verely I wish there were but one such a star to be found in this our Horizon But alass how many of this kind such as being fallen from their principles do now justly deserve that name to be called Wormwood as it is for the most part with Apostates having their spirits imbittered against the truthes of God and the wayes of God and the servants of God sometimes their fellow Brethren against whome they shoote their Arrowes even bitter words as David saith his Enemies did against him Psal. 64. 3. upon all occasions letting flye bitter Invectives against them And others there are who though they be not so fallen but may be looked upon as stars still yet they have too much of this Wormwood in them too much of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaketh of Iames. 3. 14. Bitter Zeale Which upon all occasions they are readie to express against their Brethren who differ from them though it be but in matters of lesser concernment Now surely this doth not favour of a truly Ministeriall spirit which should be as I have showne a spirit of gentleness and meekness Not a bitter spirit But I will not wearie you and my selfe in following of this Chase any further I shall rather now come to that which may be more usefull unto you And that shall be to shew you what your duty is in reference to these starres in reference to the true Ministers of Jesus Christ. Which take in three or foure particulars 1. Take notice of them as set over you by God So are the Stars and so are these Stars both set over you by the same hand And that both to a like end viz. to overlook you and to guide you To these ends are the Stars set over this inferiour world as Ouerseers and Guides to overlooke it and Governe it which in some sense they do Astra regunt homines And to a like end are the Ministers of God set over the Church as Overseers as Guides Overseers so Saint Paul calleth
from them No more can the machinations and designs of these his enemies how closely how covertly soever they be carried Though covered under never so specious pretences yet cannot they be hid from these piercing and alseeing eyes Next for his Feet they were like unto fine brasse burning in a furnace strong and terrible terrible to look upon much more to feel able to trample upon all his enemies And in his right hand are these stars which also is as I have shewed you a powerful and a terrible hand when it meeteth with his enemies Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Psal. 45. 4. And for his Mouth behold a sharpe two edged sword going out of it Now who is there that beholding these will be so hardy as to dare grapple with such an adversarie to attempt the pulling of these stars out of his hand which whilest they go about let them take heed of his feet and take heed of the sword in his mouth both which are engaged for the defending of these stars This by way of Dehortation In the third place by way of Instruction let them in the want of faithful Ministers see whither to repair for them Go uuto Jesus Christ and beg them from him So they are by him directed to do in that place forecited Matth. 9. last Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Now who is this Lord of the harvest but himself whose field the Church is whereof he is the Lord. O beg it from him that he would send forth labourers able and faithful labourers into it And truly great reason there is why all that wish well unto the Church of God in this nation should do this at this day in as much as what our Saviour saith there in the ve following suits but too well with the present times The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few Labourers indeed such as have both skill and will to labour able and faithful Ministers Yea and like to be fewer There being divers of them already fallen asleep and some others following after them being already laid aside as broken vessels no longer useful Besides those many discouragements cast in the way by those that are no wellwillers to a learned Ministery so as that there may be just cause to fear a dearth a scarcitie of such labourers O pray the Lord of this harvest that he would give out of this store which he hath in his right hand that he would furnish his Church in this Nation as elswhere with an able and faithful Ministerie sending forth store of such as may gather in the rest of his harvest that so the number of his Elect being brought in there might be an end made of these sinful and miserable dayes This in the want of Ministers Fourthly In the inoying of them give these respects to them which are due to them upon this account so esteeming of them as the Ministers of Iesus Christ. This Paul requireth for himself and fellow labourers in that place foreâ—ited 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man i. e. every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so account or esteeme 〈◊〉 us as of the Ministers of Christ. And so let all 〈◊〉 of their successours First Not undervaluing them not esteeming 〈◊〉 meanly of them but highly Know them saith the Apostle in that Text forementioned 〈◊〉 Thes. 5. 13. Which labour among you and are â—ver you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem â—hem very highly in Love for their workes sake Though not for their own sake yet for their â—orkes their office sake For this esteem them and â—â—at highly yea very highly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nely let it be in Love Men oft times esteem â—ery highly of men in high place but it is for â—ar fear of their power Now there is no reason why the Ministers of â—hrist should thus be feared who doe not lay â—aim to any secular jurisdiction Let that estiâ—ation which is afforded them be the issue of â—ove Love for their Masters sake and their â—orks sake For which let them be respected â—noured Honour to whom honour saith the Aâ—ostle Rom. 13. 7. Now that this is due to the â—ithfull Ministers of Christ such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as Rule well and â—â—bour in the Word and Doctrine as the Apostle describeth them in that known forecited Text 1 Tim. 5. 17. He will there also tell you They are worthie of honour yea double honour both of Reverence and Maintenance which let them not want And great Reason there is why the faithfull Ministers of Christ should be thus honoured seeing Christ himself hath honoured them So it was proclaimed before Mordecay Hest. 6. 9. Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour him should the people honour also And so let it be done to the men whom the King of Heaven the Lord Iesus delighteth to honour his faithfull Ministers whom he holdeth as Stars in his right hand The right hand is a place of Honour and Dignitie Hence it was that Solomon placed his Mother there 1 King 2. 19. She sate on the right hand And his Queen Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queen Psal. 45. 9. And this is the honour which Christ will give to his sheep his Elect at the last day to set them on his right hand Matth. 25. 33. Now such is the honour which this Sonne of man here giveth the Stars he placeth them in his right hand And seeing their Lord and Master thus honoured them to afford them his right hand let not his servants set them on the left thinking too meanly of them Secondly Nor yet on the other hand too highly not above that which is meete Remembring still that they are but Ministers Instruments in the hand of Christ by whom he operateth worketh Is it so then that their Ministry is made effectuall for the good of any let them see whither to give the glory Not to them Who is Paul who is Apollos but Ministers c. But unto Christ in whose hand they are and who is pleased thus to put forth his power in them and by them Thus when we see a curious piece of manifacture we admire not the tool but the hand that wrought it Such are the Ministers Tooles Instruments in the hand of Christ what work is done by them give the honour of it not to them but him S. Peter directed the people Act. 3. 12. when they stood gazing upon him as ready to adore him for that great Cure which he had wrought upon the lame man When he saw it saith the Text he answered unto the people Ye men of Israel why look ye so earnestly on us as if by our own power or holiness we had made this man whole By what power then why the power of Iesus
in the Church yet is there but one Sun but one Lord. One Lord one faith sayth the Apostle Ephes. 4. 5. True it is there have been others which have been so called and owned This the Apostle elswhere taketh notice of 1. Cor. 8. 5. There be Gods many and Lords many saith he viz. so called as he there explaines himselfe Such were the Gods of Baal to which the Apostle may be conceived there to allude all which were called by their masters name Bagnatim which signifieth Lords As Baal-Zebub Zebub Baal-Peor Baal-Berith Baal-Berozim and divers others These were the Heathens Lords which they worshipped and served as their Patrons and Protectors But these were all as the name of the first of them Baal-Zebub imparts Flye-Lords Mock-Lords not unlike some of those Lords which were wonte to be set up at this season of the yeare a strange honour to such a Master Lords of misrule as they were vulgarly but truly called Lords in name nothing less in truth In truth in the Church there is but one Lord In the Church I say In the common-wealth indeed there are many Lords and those not only Titular but Reall Thus we read of the Lords of the Philistines and of the King and his Lords Dan. 5. 10. Such are all Rulers and Governours who have Authoritie and dominion over the estates liberties lives of others But in the Church but one Lord which is Iesus Christ. So the Apostle there goeth on in that Text forenamed 1 Cor. 8. 6. Vnto us there is but one God One Lord Iesus Christ. Whatever there be to others to us Christians there is but one Lord One Mediatour There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. One Saviour Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. But one Sun One true Sun I mean sometimes indeed there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call them half Suns appearing in the heavens which are nothing but reflections of the Sun shining upon some thick clouds And so there are false mediatours such as those which Romish superstition hath set up as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partners with Iesus Christ as sharing with him in the office of his Mediatourship But one true Sun and one true Mediatour both of Redemption and Intercession even the Lord Iesus who upon this account is fitly resembled by the Sun Sol quia solus 2. As the Sun is but one so it far exceedeth and excelleth all the other stars Exceedeth them in Quantity excelleth them in Quality In Quantity in the magnitude of the Body which is vast and great even beyond belief being as by the masters of the Astronomical science it is voted no less then one hundred and sixty times bigger then the whole Globe of the Earth and Sea and far exceeding any other of the Stars And so in Quality in the greatness of the light which is greater not onely then the light of any one star but of the Moon and all the stars being put together And such is the transcendency of Iesus Christ above all other creatures whether men or Angels All which he excelleth in dignity and power in majestie and glory To him is given that nomen super omne nomen that name above every name Phil. 2. 9. supereminent power transcendent glory and that above all creatures Yea even above those Angelical spirits which in themselves are glorious creatures yet compared with Jesus Christ they are but as stars to the Sun So the Apostle setteth forth his transcendency and preeminence Ephes. 20. 21. where speaking of the exaltation of Christ he sheweth how God the Father having raised him from the dead set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also that which is to come In the whole firmament of heaven no star to be compared with the Sun Among men and Angels in earth or heaven none to be compared with this Son of man the Lord Iesus 3. Again the Sun it is as it were Oculus mundi the Eye of the world seeing and beholding what is done upon earth As it were viewing all places and passages His going forth saith the Psalmist speaking of the Sun is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Psal. 19. 6. And therein is it a fit Embleme of Iesus Christ who whilest he keepeth his residence in heaven yet hath a universal inspection and oversight of all things here upon earth being absolutely omniscient taking notice of all persons in all places and of all their several transactions and actions I know thy works saith this Son of man to the Churches in the Chapters following And not onely their actions but their thoughts their counsels When he was upon earth he was able to look through the Breasts of men He needed not that any should testifie of man saith St Iohn for he knew what was in man John 2. last And elsewhere we read of his seeing and knowing the thoughts of men Matth. 9. 4. 12. 25. And this he still doth Like as the Sun looketh through the window and so as it were discovereth what is within doors which those that stand without take no notice of Even so doth the Lord Iesus he being as God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of hearts he looks into the most secret corners of them looking through whatever lattices whatever specious pretences their words or actions are glazed with taking notice of their most secret counsels and intentions seeing their thoughts yea before they arise in their hearts Thou understandest my thoughts a far of Psal 139. 2. This was the mystery of those fiery eyes of the Son of man in the verse before the Text. His eyes were as a flame of fire intimating the perspicacity and omniscience of the Lord Jesus 4. Yet again the Sun is an Emblem of Purity Being pure in it self and not capable of contracting any impurity from elsewhere Though the beams of it pass through the impurest channels yet they receive no taint but still retain their native purity And such was this Son of man the Lord Iesus in the dayes of his flesh He then passed through the womb of the Virgin which was not so pure as those that Idolatrize her would make it she being no more free from that Original contagion then others of the sons and daughters of Adam yet he received no tincture from it Whilest he partaked of her nature taking flesh from her yet he was free from the taint of that corruption which cleaved to her nature Thence called by the Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1. 35. Such he was
Take the Answere Affirmatively 1. Would wee see the face of Christ looke into the glass of the Gospel Here may we behold it both safely and clearly So may we behold the Sun which shining in his strength being excellens sensibile cannot be looked upon without indangering of the eye yet in a glass we may see it and that as I said both clearely and safely And thus behold we this Mysticall Sun the face of Iesus Christ in this glass the glass of the Gospel Here it was that Paul saith of himself and other beleevers of his time that they beheld this face 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. And what Glass was this why the glass of the Gospell wherin Christians doe or may behold the glory of God shining in the face of Iesus Christ the glory of his mercy Iustice power goodness all manifested in by and through Christ And that with open face far more clearly then the Iewes did under the Lawe where this Mysterie of Christ was hid under the veile of Types and figures as the Arke was under its divers coverings And in this Glass behold we this Sun Here behold we the Mysterie of Iesus Christ as it is held forth unto us in the doctrine of the Gospel which acquaints us with his one Person two Natures three Offices His Incarnation Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension sitting at the right hand of his father As also with the many and great benefits which he hath obtained for us as Redemtion Iustification Adoption Sanctification Glorification And withall shewing us the way and meanes whereby we may come to be made partakers of them so setting before us the whole mysterie of Christ which it doth most clearly and fully Insomuch that there is not a line as I may say in this face which is not here drawn forth to the life All of us then if we would have a view of the face of this Son of man looke into this Glass studie the doctrine of the Gospell the Hystorie the mysterie of it 2 Waite upon Christ in his ordinances When the Parents of our Saviour had sought him three dayes at length they found him in the Temple Luk. 2. 46. And here this Son of man sheweth his face in the midest of the Candlesticks Would we see the face of Iesus Christ seek him in his Ordinances in his publike worship and service Here is the face of Christ to be seene as I shewed you Seeke his face saith the Psalmist in that forecited Text Psal. 105. 4. Speaking of the Arke of the Covenant where God manifested his presence The like doth the Lord Iesus now in the midst of his Ordinances his Word his Sacraments There doth Christ shew his face unto his people communicating himselfe to them that seeke him in a gratious manner Here then seek we his face and that as the Psalmist there hath it Evermore Being constant in this our attendance upon the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. That so we may see him see him in his Sanctuary as David saith he did Psal. 63. 1 2. O God thou aâ—t my God early will I seeke thee My soule thirsteth for thee c. To see thy power and thy glorie so as I have seene thee in the Sanctuarie Here had David seene more of God then elswhere in his Sanctuary in his Ordinances And would we have a sight of Iesus Christ so as to see his face seeke it in his Sanctuarie in his Ordinances Where content not our selves to heare of him but labour to see him with our owne eyes Yea to feele him 2. That is the second Particular So seeke the face of Jesus Christ that we may feele it or feele of it Not contenting our selves with a bare simple intuition a mere speculative knowledg of Iesus Christ but labour also for an Experimentall knowledg of him This is that superexcellent knowledg which the Apostle speaketh of Phil. 3. 8. I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that knowledg of Christ which is most excellent And what knowledg was that why not meerly a Contemplative but an Experimentall knowledg So he explains himselfe in the tenth verse That I may know him and the power of his resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely to know by what power it was that Christ was raised from the dead as Grotius there so dilately expounds it but to know it in an experimentall way to feele the power and vertue of Christs Resurrection working the like effect in and upon himselfe in raising up him from the death of sin to the life of Grace here and Glory hereafter This is the Excellent knowledg of Iesus Christ. And this let every of us looke after Not contenting our selves with the bare beholding of this Sun to see the glare and shine of it but labour to feele that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that strength that vertue wherewith it shineth To finde and feele Iesus Christ unto us unto our soules as the Sun is to the Earth To finde and feele his gratious and efficacious presence with us putting forth his power and vertue in us exercising the like Operations upon us that the Sun doth upon the Earth What those operations are I have alreadie showen you Let me now reflect upon them minding you of them againe Exhorting you to endeavour to find and feele every of them in and upon your own soules 1. The first is Illummination Inlightning This was the Alpha the first worke in the first Creation God said let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. And so it is in the second the new Creation New creatures must have a new light Upon the account whereof they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons or Children of light Luk 16. 8. 1. Thes. 5. 5. Having beene somtimes darkness now they are light in the Lord. Eph. 58. Being called out of darkness into a marveilous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. And see that every of you be such Being coâ—vinced what by nature you are not onely darke but even darkeness it selfe wholy in the darke as to what concerneth your eternall happiness seeke after a new light that you may be inlightned that you may see a light shine forth unto you This was the preparative to Peters inlargment The Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison Act. 12. 7. And so it was to Paules Conversion There shinned round about him a light from heaven Act. 9. 3. And the like course God taketh with all those whom he hath a gratious purpose towards to set them at libertie from the Captivity of Sin and Satan and to bring them home unto himselfe he causeth a light to shine forth unto them a light from heaven I meane a supernaturall light revealing and making known to them that which
is hid to nature as viz. the Miserie of their naturall Condition by reason of sin and the punishment due thereunto together with the meanes of deliverance by and through Jesus Christ as also shewing them the way wherein they are to walke so as they may please God Now is it so that any of you are as yet strangers to this light which it is to be feared too many among us are poore ignorant Creatures whose soules are like dungeons into which the Sun never yet looked as darke as midnight they know nothing of God of Christ of themselves nothing of the mysterie of salvation be you awakened to looke up and to looke out for it This is the watchword which the Apostle Saint Paul having received it from some of the prophets the prophet Isaiah as it is conceved giveth to such as were in that dead sleep of sin Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall shine upon thee inlighten thee And let me hand it to every of you who are thus asleepe Awake you and stand up from the dead that Christ may give you light Be you awakened and roused out of that bed of sinfull securitie wherein you have beene sleeping and beeing convinced of your owne ignorance and blindness looke out for that light of knowledg without which the heart cannot be good That the soule be without knowledge it is not good saith the wiseman Prov. 19. 2. Or as the former Translation not without the consent of the Originall readeth it without knowledg the minde is not good Of what use is a dungeon fit for nothing but to make a prison of And such is a soule without knowledg And therefore in the fear of God now awake open your eys Behold the Sun is up the Sun of righteousness is risen the Lord Jesus sheweth himselfe to you in the preaching of the Gospel doe not now shut your eyes against the light Men will not doe so by the light of the Sun When that ariseth they will not shut their doores and windowes against it to keepe it out but rather set them open to let it in that they may receive the comfort and benefit of it And so doe you by that light the light of the Gospell which now shineth forth to you Let it not be said of you what our Saviour chargeth upon the Jewes Ioh. 3. 19. That Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light This if you shall doe it will be unto you as our Saviour there saith it was unto them a just Condemnation This is the Condemnation Were it for heathens who never heard of the name of Christ to be ignorant and blinde as to what concerneth their eternal happines and salvation this would be some extenuation as of their sin so of their punishment But for Christians such as are borne in times and places of light having the Sun as it were standing over their heads for them to love darkness rather then light still to continue in their naturall blindnes and ignorance so shutting out the light they are here in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned and were there nothing else to be layed to their charg this is to them a matter and ground of a just Condemnation That it may not be so to any of you be you perswaded to set open the doores and windowes of your soules and to let in the beames of this Sun of righteousness into your hearts Be you inlightened by the light of the Gospell which as yet shineth forth unto you And being thus inlightened now reflect that light So doe the Stars Having received light from the Sun they reflect it upon the earth And the like doe you Having received light from Iesus Christ shew forth that light and that by walking as children of light That is the Apostles Exhortation to his Epehsians Eph. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walke as children of the light And let it be mine to you All of you to whome Christ hath beene as a Sun inlightning of you walke you as children of light Hath Christ shined upon you doe you shine Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee saith the Prophet to Ierusalem Isai. 60. 1. And let me in his words though happily in somewhat a different sense speake unto you Arise you and shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you The Lord Iesus who is the true light the Sun of righteousness he is risen upon you in the preaching of the Gospel And therefore doe you arise and shine shine as lights That is Pauls Commendation of or Exhortation to his Philippians for it is read both ways Phil. 2. 15. Ye doe shine or shine ye as lights in the world And this be you also exhorted to doe The night being spent and the day come unto you doe you cast off the workes of darkness and put on the armour of light as the same Apostle exhorts his Romanes Romans 13. 12. Those sinful ways and courses which heretofore you have walked in which may fitly be tearmed workes of darkness in as much as they both proceede from darkness and tend to darkness proceede from the darkness of ignorance and tend to the darkness of Hell whither they will bring them that go on in them lay them a side cast them away Putting on the Armour of light that bright shining Armour Even the graces of the Spirit within shining forth in an answerable Conversation without Thus Let your light shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heaven as our Saviour presseth it Math. 5. 16. Here is the first of these Operations Inlightning 2. The second is Enliuening This also doth Iesus Christ as I have shewen you Being like the Sun the fountaine as of Light so of Life In him was life Ioh. 1. 4. As Naturall so Supernaturall life both Originally in him as in the fountaine Having then received the former seeke also the later from him That living the life of nature in him In him we live Act. 17. 28. So we may live the life of grace by and through him finding and feeling him living in us Now I live saith the Apostle yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Thus the Sun liveth in the plant vertually by causing it to live And O that Iesus Christ may thus live in every of us by communicating unto us his quickning Spirit whereby being raised from the grave of sin we may live unto God living the life of grace Which that we may be made partakers of be we united unto him All Communion is from union And such is the Communion which the members of the mysticall Body have with their Head it floweth from that Union which they have
the people of the Iews Isaiah 5. ver 6. I will also command the cloudes that they rain no rain upon it That is as some safely if not somewhat too curiously expound it the means of grace and salvation should not bee continued unto that people as formerly He would beâ—eave them of their Prophets take away their Teachers Which accordingly he did as may be collected from that Promise which the same Prophet maketh to the Church Isaiah 30. 20. Though the Lord give you the bread of adversitie and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers So it had been with that people Prophets had been very scarce among them So much we may take notice of from that of the Psalmist Psal. 74. 9. where the Church lying under a sad desolation is brought in complaining We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there a-mong us any that knoweth how long They wanted their Seers as the Prophets sometimes are called And by this meanes were the things which belonged to their peace hid from their eyes And by a like means came they here to be hid from Ierusalems by withdrawing those means of grace from them which formerly they had injoied Christ himself being taken away he also ordered his Apostles after a while to withdraw from them So much is insinuated in that Parable of the Mariage feast where the first guests that were invited though sollicited by messenger after messenger refusing to come the servants are then ordered by the Master of the Feast to go into the High-waies and Hedges and By-lanes and to bid new guests as the Evangelists have it Mat. 22. 9. Luke 14. 21. 23. The meaning of the Parable seems to be obvious This Marriage is the marriage betwixt Christ and his Church The first invited guests were the Iews to whom God sends his servants one after another first the Prophets then Iohn the Baptist with the Apostles and Disciples of CHRIST who perswaded them to come and receive Iesus Christ and to have Communion with him but they refusing the Apostles with their Successors are afterwards sent to the Gentiles Which accordingly sometimes after our Saviours Ascension came to passe For however at the first according to their Masters direction they applied themselves onely to the Jewes yet afterwards finding them unworthie and being rejected by them they shook off the dust of their feet against them turning to the Gentiles So Paul and Barnabas expresly tell them Act. 13. 46. When they heard the Jewes contradicting them and blaspheming their doctrine Then they waxed bold saith the Text and said It was necessarie that the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthie of eternal life lo wee turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us Thus when men do abuse the light of the Gospel Christ often removeth the Candlestick as hee threatens the Church of Ephesus Revel 2. 5. taketh away that light taketh away his Ministers and Ordinances and so leaveth them in the darke by which meanes the things belonging to their peace are hid from their eies and that through the want of means 2. But Secondly sometimes the means are injoyed but the Spirit is withheld not accompanying not going along with the meanes Even as the Church complaineth Psal. 44. 9. that God did not go forth with her Armies Her Armies went forth but God did not go forth with them as formerly to direct assist blesse and prosper them to make them victorious Thus God sometimes sends forth his Ministers but hee doth not go forth with them hee doth not accompany his Ordinances with his Spirit This is that which the Prophet Isaiah complaineth of hee lift up his voice like a trumpet hee spared not to his dutie But who hath believed our report to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Isaiah 53. 1. His Ministerie was for the most part ineffectual few there were that were wrought upon by it Hee had as elswhere hee bemoans it Isaiah 49. 4. even laboured in vain and spent his strength for nought Now whence was this Why God did not concurr with him by the efficacious work of his Spirit hee did not put forth his power reveal his Arme hence was it that his indeavours became so ineffectual to the greatest part And thus God is pleased sometimes to enervate his Ordinances by withdrawing his presence from them Even as it was in Ezekiels Vision hee saw the Glorie of the God of Israel going up from the Cherub to the threshold of the house Ezekiel 9. Verse 3. The Cherub stood still in his place but the glorie was departed God had withdrawn his presence from it Thus Ordinances may bee continued and yet the Spirit withdrawn whereby they become ineffectual So as though the light shine forth unto men yet wanting that Spirit of Illumination which should open their eies and let that light into their hearts they still remain in the dark So fared it with the Scribes and Pharisees though the mysterie of Salvation was as clearly held forth unto them as unto others yet whilest others saw it it was hid from them How so Why this was God's work to put a differencee betwixt the one and the other So much our Saviour taketh notice of and acknowledgeth Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee Father Lord of heaven and earth or I confesse unto thee or acknowledge before thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because or that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes The same Word was preached by the same persons unto both but it had not the same effect in both To the simpler sort of persons men and women of weak apprehensions altogether unlearned and ignorant very children in understanding the mysteries of eternall Salvation were clearly revealed by the Ministerie of Christ and his Apostles but not so to the wise and prudent great and learned Clerks men wise in their own and others opinions as the Scribes and Pharisees were To them were these things hid Now whence was this Why God did not co-operate with the Word as to them hee did not work upon their mindes by his Spirit by which means the Word became ineffectual unto them Again in the Third place God coucurreth in hiding these things from the eies of men not onely in Negative or Privative but also after a sort in a Positive way Not onely by not opening their eies and hearts but by blinding and hardning them So it was with this people the people of the Iewes as our Saviour also taketh notice of it giving this as a reason why they did not believe Iohn 12. 39 40. Therefore they could not believe saith hee because Isaias said again He hath blinded their eies and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eies
his servant Moses they hardened their hearts not regarding what was sayd to them But what was the issue Hereby they exceedingly provoked God against them This was a day of Provocation as the Apostle there calleth it Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such was that day of Temptation in the wilderness the time where in the Israelites tempted their God by not hearkning to his voice it was a day of Exacerbation and Exasperation So it was not onely to Moses betwixt whome and the people there was a sharpe contention as we find it Exod. 17. 2. But also unto God who by that their not harkning to his voice was exceedingly greived as it there followeth Heb. 3. 10 yea so provoked and exasperated that he sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest v. 11. Now take you heede that it be not so with you that you doe not thus provoke God by hardning your hearts not receiving his word not imbracing his Gospel Which if you shall doe know that this will be a greater Provocation then that of theirs was So much you may learne from the Apostle Heb. 12. 25. Where upon this ground he exhorteth his Hebrewes to give eare to the Gospel See saith he that ye refuse not him that speaketh viz. Christ speaketh to you his word For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth the Israelites who hearkened not unto Moses much more shall not we escape if we turn from him that speaketh from heaven viz from Iesus Christ who came from heaven and now speakes in and by his Gospel Ministeries And upon the same ground let me perswade you Take you heede how any of you turne away from Iesus Christ thus speaking unto you turn away your eares turn away your hearts so as not to receive not to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel held forth unto you This if you shall do how know you but that God may justly retaliate and requite this contempt of yours by turning away his face from you for ever hiding from your eyes the things which belong unto your peace Which that he may not do Know you these things And that Now in this your day Now whilest it is called to day as the Apostle there hath it Heb. 3. 13. imbracing the present time Not putting off this work till the Morrow It is the Wisemans Councel Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth And St. Iames speaking to men who lay out their businesse what they will do such a day and such a year not considering what crosse providence may happen Go too now saith he Ye that say to day and to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas ye know not what shall be to morrow Such is the uncertainty of mans life that no man can assure unto himself the succeeding day And therefore now whilest it is called to day now harden not your hearts Novv that God is pleased to knock at the doores of your hearts to call upon you in and by the Ministerie of his word do not send him away as Foelix did Paul with a complement that you will hear him again another time What know you whether ever he will vouchsafe to speak unto you again so much as to your eares Probably here are some present before the Lord at this time who shall never hear him speak unto them again after this manner not speaking to their eares in the Ministery of his word But if he do hovv knovv you whether ever he vvill knock at the dores of your hearts by his spirit again And therefore novv hear and hearken and set open those everlasting dores the dores of your hearts that the King of glorie the Lord Jesus may enter in and take a full possession of them henceforth to rule and reign in you and that for ever Obj. But what need such haste May not old age be soon enough Do we not read of some who came into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour the last hour of the day and yet received their pennie as well as those that came in at the sixth or third or first houre Matthew 20. 6. A. True there were so But who were they Such as had not been called before That is their excuse when they were questioned by the Lord of the vineyard why they stood all the day idle They say unto him because no man hath hired us v. 7. And so it may be with those who either have wanted the means of salvation or else have had no such workings upon their hearts at to awaken them and convince them Possibly God may have mercie upon them as he had upon that penitent thief upon the Crosse calling them home at the last houre of the day in their old age But let not others promise to themselves the like indulgence Those who were brought into the vineyard at the eleventh hour were none of those that had been called at the first third or sixt houre but such as had not been hired before What ever may happen to others who have not enjoyed the means of grace or have not been acquainted with the Motions of the Spirit of God It is not for you who have injoyed the former and have been acquainted with the latter and yet withstand both to promise the like unto your selves No you that have rejected the call of God again and again in your Childhood Youth Manhood you have no ground to hope that God should come unto you and bring you home to himself in your old age but you may rather fear that if he do not cut you off before he should then hide from your eyes those things which formerly you have refused to know Obj. But is there not still hope so long as there is life And is not the day of life and the day of grace of an equal latitude and extent Doth not the Apostle say Now is the Accepted time now is the day of salvation meaning the time of this life 2 Cor. 6. 2. doth not the one last as long as the other A. Yes in some sense they may be said so to do And these two may be looked on as of an equal extent 1. Because the one is the utmost limit of the other The day of grace is bounded by the day of life not extending beyond it When the one is ended the other is ended also 2. As to others they are so to judg of it Not being of Gods counsel not acquainted with his secret decrees they are to hope well of others so long as they live Not shutting the door of mercie against any while they are here So long as private Christians both may and ought to pray for them so the Ministers of Christ are to hold forth the tenders of grace and mercie to them
the height of Summer when it is in his greatest vigour and strength Such a difference here is betwixt the head aud members of the mystical body The Saints they shall shine yea shine gloriously shine as the Sun but not so as Iesus Christ doth he shineth as the Sun in his strength Such is the transcendent glory and excellency of the Head above the members as Pareus observes it from this word in the Text. He being as before I said the Head of the Church and the first-born it is meet that he should have a double portion as he had of grace so of glory having the preeminence in all things Here is his Personal property Besides which we may yet conceive some other operations of his hereby insinuated I shall touch upon two or three and that briefly 1. The Sun in his strength dissipates and dispels all mists and fogs which were before upon the earth hiding the face of it And so will the Lord Iesus this Sun of righteousness when he shall shew himself in his strength he shall dissipate and dispel all those mists and fogs of Heresies and Errours which do infect the Church and darken the truth of God So the Apostle tells us concerning Anti-Christianisme in that known Text 2 Thes. 2. 8. Where speaking of that Mystery of Iniquity which began to work as he saith in his time there being then some Errours and Superstitious doctrines held forth which served as materials for the building of mystical Babel he saith Then shall that wicked one meaning that man of sin the Romish Anti-Christ be revealed whom the Lord shall answer with the spirit or breath of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming He shall consume him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wasting him by little and little till he come to nothing as that word doth properly signifie Thus doth the Sun arising on the earth by little and little it consumes and wasts the fogs and mists which were upon it till at length they disappear and come to nothing And thus shall the Lord Iesus do to that man of sin and all those Antichristian mists which have in so great a measure overspread the face of the Church he shall consume them by little and little by the preaching of his Gospel till at length by the brightness of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a powerful manifestation of his presence he shall utterly destroy both him and them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abolish and bring them to nothing as that word signifieth And so shall it be with all other erroneous doctrines It may be for a time they overspread the face of the Church and darken the truth of God but in his time the Lord Iesus shall dissipate them all being unto his Church as the Sun shining in his strength 2. Again the Sun shining in his strength resolveth and melteth what was before congealed and frozen The Summers Sun resolves the Winters Frosts loosing those bands of Orion wherewith the Earth and Waters before were bound And such operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of poor sinners Though frozen as it were and congealed in sin yet he arising and coming upon them by the powerfull work of his Spirit he thaweth melteth resolveth them bringing them into a relenting temper Such operation had the eye of Christ upon the heart of Peter After he had denied his Master and was grown stiff in his denial standing to it though pressed again and again like the water which being hard frozen bears whoever treads upon it adding Abjuration to his Abnegation forswearing to his denying yet no sooner doth his Master turn and look upon him but presently his heart forgave So Saint Luke expresly notes it Luke 22. 61. 62. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter c. looked upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a benigne aspect a gracious eye even as the Sun looketh upon the frozen earth and Peter went out and wept bitterly Such a suddain thaw there was upon the appearing of this Sun his heart melted And so did the heart of that Mary whom the same Evangelist denominates a sinner Luke 7. 37. a sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a notorious lewd woman a trumpet upon her appearing and coming nigh unto Christ vertue also going out of him as it did for the healing of the Bodies of those that touched him Lu. 6. 19. her heart also melted melted into tears wherwith she washed her Saviours feet Such operation hath the spirit of Christ upon the most obdurate and obstinate sinners Though before through long custome and continuance in sin their hearts were hardned even frozen in their wickedness yet he coming to them in the power and strength of his spirit meleth and softneth them making them pliable and tractable fit and ready to receive the impressions of his grace so setting them at liberty from those bonds of sin wherein before they were bound This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the Prophet sets it forth Isaiah 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. he hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to set them free both from the Guilt and Power of sin which he doth by the Application of his Merit and the communication of his Spâ—rit unto them 3. Againe the Sun in his strength not only looseth softeneth the earth but also warms it heats it whereby it cometh to steame upwards exhaling and sending forth a warm vapour out of the bottom of it towards the Sun from which it hath received that warmth And the like operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of his people shining upon them giving them some cleare and comfortable euidences of his love and favour some sence and feeling of it there with he Warmeth their hearts So it was with those Disciples forenamed whome our Saviour fell with as they were going to Eâ—â—maus while he talked with them opening to them the Scriptures their hearts as they say burned within them They felt a holy fervour in their spirits kindled there by that Spirit of Christ which accompanied his word And such effect hath the Spirit of Christ where he is pleased gratiously to communicate himself to the souls of his people he causeth a holy fervour in thier hearts Warming them with inward Ioy which is the immediate fruit and effect of the face of Iesus Christ shining upon the soule Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us saith the Psalmist adding Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their mine increased Psal. 4 6 7. No warmth so kindly as the warmth of the Sun No joy like that which is caused by the light of Gods countenance the shining of the face of Iesus Christ upon the soul. And breeding Joy it also produceth Love and Zeale Love to