21. 21. The workes of Sanctification makes us not the more beloved of God the Father or purer in his sight or presence The ground is this Sith the absolute free and eternall love of God the Father and the righteousnesse of Christ praeceeds the worke of Sanctification 22. The imperfection of sanctification is not imputed to the Saints and Redeemed sith they are absolutely done away in the bloud of the Lord Jesus The ground is this sith the end of the effusion of the bloud of Jesus is the pardon or remission of iniquitie and impietie 23. Whilest the faithfull present themselves in the sight and presence of God the Father they must not looke to their owne weaknesses infirmities and imperfections but to Gods sweet and loving acceptation in Christ in whom God alone is well pleased Ephes 1.6 The ground is this Sith the end of Gods acceptation is that through which the Saints may have or enjoy the remission or condonation of iniquitie weaknesse and infirmitie Contemplation THe Lord Christ the Author and finisher of our saith the fountaine and well spring of our refreshment the ground of all our hope and dependance is the cause and finisher of our sanctification The lower Spheares are moved by the first Motion our affections are moved by the power and might of the Lord Jesus Doth the mightie waters move without the motiō of the Moone or the body move without the Intellectualls or the soule move to Christ without the exceeding and operative power of Christ O my soule thou hast to deale with that roaring Lyon the Devill the bonds and cords of iniquity the strong gates and barres of death and all evills and with the flesh which is an enemy against the Spirit of life and glory But thy knees are feeble thy hands are weake and thy spirit failes thee in the day of battaile Therefore thou canst not ride the wilde Asses colt or tame the wilde Hindes of the Wildernesse or bring the untamed Unicorne to thy becke and command The day is Christs not thine Thou art a triumpher but by his power thou art a victorer but by his might thou art an overcomer but by his strength Thy righteousnesse thy life thy peace thy joy thy love thy hope and communion is from Christ all Thy mortification thy vivification thy sanctification is from Christ all in all Is his bloud the cause of remission his righteousnesse the cause of Justification his Spirit the cause of thy Adoption and not his life and death the cause of thy sanctification To thee is given the life of faith the life of love and obedience to live unto God blessed for ever To thee is given power from the death of Christ who could not be retained by the bonds of death blessed for evermore Where then are the fiery darts of Satan the presumption of the flesh the high lookes of Principalities and Powers Sith thou art made a Victorer through the Lord of Victory and hast obtained a Triumph through our Lord Triumpher As the weake falls before the mighty and valiant and light gives way to darknesse so doth hell the flesh the Devill and evills give way to the Spirit of glory and sanctification In the day of the Crosse that roaring Lyon the Devill could not stand before the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah In the day of the Resurrection the blacke King of darknesse and terrours could not stand before the Lord of life light and salvation In the day of thy fight or combats the powers of hell or the barres of death cannot stand through thy Lord that loves thee O my soule Where now is thy thought lower then the throne of grace No. Where is thy contemplation lower then the Mercy-Seate No. Where is thy affection below the heavenly places no. Thy Lord hath drawne thee and thou art drawne thy Lord hath allured thee and thou art allured In the time of his love he brought thee from earth to heavenly places from hell and death to possesse a Being of heaven and life Where thy Lord is there wilt thou be if he was upon the Crosse there wouldst thou behold him if he were in the grave there thou wouldst lodge with him if he be at the right hand of his Father there wilt thou dwell with him All thy Songs are Praise and Glory all thy phrase power and wisdome all thy meditations wisdome and strength be ascribed to thy Lord of life and light So that thou sayest with the Angells Amen Benediction and Glory and Wisdome and Thankesgiving and Honour and Power and Strength to our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 7.12 CHAP. XII Concerning Glorification Definition 1. GLorification is a reall transmutation from the misery punishment guilt and impuritie of sin into eternall felicitie and everlasting beatitude and glory Apoc. 21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away Psal 16. last Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore 2. Respectu termini à quo It is called a freedome from sinne and a conservation from anger death and the kingdome of darknesse 1. Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Sonne from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Matth 4.16 The people which sate in darknesse saw great light And to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up 3. Respectu termini ad quem It is called beatification benediction life eternall glory the kingdome of our God and of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Joh 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Apoc. 12.10 And I heard a loud voice saying In heaven now is come salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night 4. Such shall be the glory of the faithfull in the kingdome of their God and Father that no eare hath heard no mind conceived nor any tongue can speak of that glory so inenarrable and incomparable 1. Cor. 2.9 But as it is written eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which love him 2. Cor. 4.17 18. vide 5. Though the glory of the Saints hath been intended before the world was neverthelesse it hath been in time by the Lord Christ procured and purchased and after time of the glorious Saints shall be possessed and enjoyed Ephes 1.14 Which is the earnest of our
inheritance unto the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory 2 Cor. 5.1 For wee know if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand eternall in the heavens 6. The glory and dignitie of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour consists not in temporall joyes terrene pleasures or earthly jucundities but in the divine manifestation of the blessed presence of a God most loving Psal 4.7 8. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in mine heart more then in the time that their corne and wine and oyle increased Psal 17.15 They have children at their desire and leave the rest of their substance for their babes Verse the 16. But as for me I will behold thy presence in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I wake with thy likenesse 7. Not onely the whole Church espoused redeemed and reconciled shall have possession in the Kingdome of hope and consolation but also they shall be possessed of it for ever and evermore Hence shee is said to reigne for ever and evermore Apoc. 22.4 5. And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sunne for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reigne for ever and ever 8. That priviledge from bonds by redemption the righteousnesse of Communion with Christ and of the bright shining and glorious countenance of God in Christ shall be more fully comprehended in the Kingdome of felicitie then hath been comprehended or apprehended in this vaile of misery 1. Joh. 3.2 Behold now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 9. The sence of the deare and tender love of God through union and communion with the Lord Christ is that happinesse felicitie glory and beatitude which shal be injoyed of the Saints for ever and ever 10. The abundant fluent and supereminent grace of God powred upon the faithfull and beloved Saints in the estate of grace is their glory hope and blisse in that estate and condition Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce under hope of the glory of God 11. The heavenly Canaan hath been designed out by the promised Land of Canaan and our heavenly Jerusalem hath been figured out by the earthly Jerusalem Gal. 3.25 26. For this is Agar in Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all 12. Predestination from eternall vocation by the Word of truth and the Spirit of glory Justification through the admirable and pure righteousnesse of Christ Sanctification by the death and resurrection of Christ are insepably conjoyned to the glorified estate and condition of the Saints in glory Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 13. Joyes supereminent comforts superexcellent consolations superabundant are annext to the faithfull and dear children of glory when they think and consider they shall have an end of all their hopes a fulnesse of all their wants an answer of all their desires in that heavenly glorious and famous Citie where their loving Redeemer and dear Father dwels and inhabits for evermore Isa 15.8 He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Psal 36.9 For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light Apoc. 7.15 16 17. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heat For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Contemplation SWeet were the streames which were in Paradise precious are the streams which flow from this fountain of grace and glory it is a free glory which is bestowed upon the Saints beloved Freenesse of grace is the cause of justification the freenesse of love the cause of sanctification the freenesse of bountie the cause of glorification What worth what value what dignitie hath there been in thee O my soule For in thy conscience hath been impuritie in thy will contradicencie in thy affection indignitie and in thy flesh impugnancie Thou that wast purer then the purest Nazarene becamest more leprous then Naaman the Syrian Thou that wast more polished then the polished Saphir becamest most vile by thy wicked nature thou mayest confesse that thou art nothing thy Christ is all yea a thousand nothings for he is all for evermore This glory was destinated for thee before the world was promised to thee in the covenant of free grace and bountie treasured up in Christ the Mediator of free grace and mercie and sealed by the Spirit of Adoption life and glorie What said I is it laid up in Christ Yea for in him is thy power wisedome strength and felicitie in him is thy peace rest life and glory in him is thy redemption wisedome righteousnesse and excellencie Hast thou not heard that in him the Father is well pleased in him dwels the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and that the light of the glory of God shines in his face and favour Not onely mediate communion is granted to thee in the day of thy grace but immediate communion shall be grāted to thee in the day of thy glory and felicity It is meet that Christ who is the Redeemer of poore souls the justifier of the ungodly the Reconciler of them who were at enmitie the selector or chuser of a people undeserving that he should be the fountain of their blessednesse and beatitude It is an honour too great to be given to principalities to powers to dignities to Mights or to Dominions this onely befits Israels eternall Shepheard the Author of their peace and Prince of their consolation This hath been the Fathers pleasure that as all their joyes love peace righteousnesse and promises should be communicated to the Saints by Christ in the vale of miserie This hath been the Fathers bountie that the communion of the Saints the perfection of his people the coronation of his Martyrs should be given to his in him in that state so happie The end of predestination is vocation the end of vocation union the end
no night there for the Lord God doth enlighten them and they shall reigne for evermore For the Lord God doth enlighten them VVHat said he for the Lord God that is he who was who is and is to come who is the Alpha and Omega who hath been from everlasting to everlasting and from eternitie to eternitie who is the Lord of hosts the holy One of Israel the King of Kings the God onely wise blessed for evermore who is the Father of glory the God all-sufficient the fountain of consolation the well-spring of living waters the ancre of hope and the Lord God of Israel to Israel his redeemed who is strong gracious and mercifull slow to anger and abundant in kindnesse and truth He will give grace and glorie enlightning them with his light and glorie according to the text For the Lord God doth enlighten them and they shall reign for evermore Doth enlighten them O Admiration of admirations O wonder of wonders O gift of gifts that the high and holy One of Israel the Father of eternall mercies of incomprehensible and infinite kindnes who dwels in light in accessible should communicate his light and glory to poore distressed captives who walked upon the dark mountains who were bound by Law and justice to everlasting chains under darknes who were blinded by the fearfull king of terrors that roaring Lyon whose dwelling and habitation is in eternall wo and miserie O my soul was not thy darknesse worse then the darknesse of Egypt was it not more terrible then the darknesse of the night season wa st thou not as blind as the Sodomites yea thy blindnesse worse then the blindnesse of the Aramites In that day of darknesse and obscuritie thou sawest nothing but sinne transgression and iniquitie but hell death and calamitie but justice wrath and furie but destruction woe and misery though the glory of God showne in the land of the living though the beautie of Christ showne amongst the beleeving yet thou beheldest not his glory but now he hath enlightned thee when he became the day starre in thy heart a Sunne of brightnesse in thy understanding and his glory showne in the face of Jesus Christ upon thy conscience What light is like this light wherewith thy Father hath enlightned thee not the light of the starres Christ the day starre is thy illumination not the light of the candle the Spirit of Christ is to thee the Spirit of revelation nor the light of the Sun though it shine in the Meridian That enlightneth the aire this thy soul that contents thy eye this thy conscience that setteth and riseth this riseth and never setteth that draweth vapors from belowe this draweth thy soule as high as the heavenly places that enlightneth Townes Cities and Countreys this enlightneth thee to the heavenly Citie whose maker and builder is God O my soule is light sowne for the righteous and not for thee Hath light appeared in a dungeon of darknesse and not to thee Or hath Christ the Light of the world appeared and not to thee Yea for though thou wast born blind yet now thou seest and though thou wast encompassed with obscuritie yet now thou beholdest what doest thou behold yea what dost thou not behold For his grace is thy glory his face thy comfort his promise thy rest his Christ thy hope his kingdome thy end and the fruition of his face thy great felicitie Thou sawest the Sunne whilest the Sonne of righteousnesse was obscured and whilest the Son of righteousnesse appeared the Sunne in the midst of the Planets was ecclipsed so that whilest thou wast deprived of the one thou didst enjoy the other as the text relateth For thy God enlightneth his and they shall reigne for evermore And they shall reigne for evermore VVHat they who received the holy unction who have been made Kings and Priests to God our Father through the blood of Jesus who have washed their long white robes through that blood most precious They yea they who have been cast out to the open shame and contempt of their faces who have been unsavourie salt whom no eye pitied neither towards them hath the bowels of mercy yearned yea they who have not been ashamed of chaines fetters and bonds for Christs sake who have endured reproaches slanders shipwracks whippings and rebukes for Christ their Master who have not been ashamed to confesse the Name of Christ before Kings Princes and Monarchs of the earth They yea they who have been strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel alienates from the Covenant of promise without Christ and without God in the world They shall reigne with Christ for evermore They shall WHat not now who are more then conquerours through Christ that loved them who have encountred with sin fought with Satan overcome death and by the power of their blessed and loving Mediatour have suppressed all evils and removed all the force of powers and principalities Not now who are alreadie anointed with the holy unction filled with the fulnesse of grace and mercie made Kings through Christ the beloved King and Lord of life and reconciliation Yea now for Christ lives in them they in Christ Christ dwels in them they in Christ Christ reignes in them and they by Christ And they shall reigne for evermore Reigne VVHat they yea they who have wandred in sheep-skins and goat-skins they who have been counted as sheep to the slaughter and have been slain all the day long for his names sake They yea they who have not had the oyle of unction who have not had a foot of inheritance amongst the sonnes of men who are the mock of the world the derision of the people adjudged unworthie though most worthie whom the world is not worthy of they shall enjoy a kingdome not earthly but heavenly not mortall but immortall not momentarie but eternall not made of stone of lime of gold of silver or established upon any earthly foundation not senced with walls of brasse and posts and gates of wood and iron but incompassed about with an eternall protection not filled with terrene fruits and pleasures delectable but with heavenly pleasures and joyes inenarrable not with terrene or terrestriall profits accounted valeable but with heavenly treasures and thing unvaleable O the Himnes the Songs and Psalmes that are in that Citie O the praisings laudings and honours that are in that Jerusalem O the dignifyings laudings and magnifyings that is in that kingdome There is nothing but peace love and amitie there is nothing but blessednesse life and felicitie there is nothing but heavenly fruition glorious communion and the excellent and eternall weight of glory For the Lord Jehovah dwelleth there Therefore they shall need no light and they shall reigne for evermore For evermore NOt for daies times years moneths and houres not for tens hundreds thousands and millions but for aeternitie What day like that day wherein the Sonne of righteousnesse shall never set what time like that time wherein the splendorous glorious
convenient they should be used these presented passing thy meditation expect not the strongnesse of the aged or the boughes of a Cedar from a twig but let thy wisdome and discretion Christian Reader passe by the weaknes of the writer More must not be expected then is communicated therefore it is not meet that acceptation should be further requested yet requesting that the benefit of these may be to thy conscience sealed that thou mayst live and not die that thou mayest die and live no more to the creature but to God blessed for ever To whom be ascribed all blessednesse through Christ Jesus for evermore Thine in the Lord Christ beloved of the Father and respected of the Saints Timothie Batt The Table of the severall Heads contained in this Book 1. Of Grace 2. Of Election 3. Of the Covenant of Grace 4. Of Vnion 5. Of Vocation 6. Of Adoption 7. Of Redemption 8. Of Christs Mediation 9. Of Reconciliation 10. Of Justification 11. Of Sanctification 12. Of Glorification CHAP. I. Concerning Grace Definition 1. THe Hebrew word Chen from Chanan doth signifie to pitie The Greeke ward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from charistomaj signifies to shew kindnesse to a man immeriting or undeserving Definition 2. Grace is the free benevolence or gracious favour of God the Father in Christ through which he loves his chosen and peculiar people remitting their transgressions imputing them just and righteous and bestowing on them the spirit of Adoption and eternall hope and benediction Jer. 31.33 34. I will be their God and they shall be my people I will forgive their sin and their iniquitie I will remember no more Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ 3. The prevenient grace of God is that through which God loves his in the beloved without any respect to any merits or deservings in his own peculiar 1. Joh. 4.19 We love him because he loved us first 4. The concomitant grace of God is that whereby he doth continually supply his own with sweet communion with himself in the day of grace and perfect fruition and communion with his Christ in the eternall weight of glorie 1. Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard that declare we unto you that ye may have communion with us and our communion is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 5. The subsequent and prevenient grace of God are all one and the same onely they differ in respect of dispensation 6. Operating grace is that which changeth the mind will and affection Cooperating grace is that which makes the Saints move to Godward when the will is changed 1. Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Phil. 4.13 I am able to do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me 7. The grace of Christ is that whereby he dispenseth abundantly to the Saints from the overflowing and abundance of grace enwrapt within himself and procureth for his eternall favour through which they are ever beloved of his Father Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnesse all we receive grace for grace Jude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God waiting for the mercie of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8. The supereminencie of divine grace and bountie is declared in the redemption union and salvation of the unworthie and immeriting Ephes 2.7 That he might shew in the ages to come the supereminent riches of his grace according to his bountie towards us in Christ 9. Grace is proposed unto all in the Gospel of life and reconciliation but made effectuall to none but the Saints beleeving Hebr. 4.2 The Word profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in them which heard it 10. The fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse mediately are produced by the Saints communion with Christ and immediately by grace the cause of everlasting hope and reconciliation 1. Joh. 1.6 If we say we have communion with him and walk in darknesse we make him a lyar and there is no truth in us Tit. 2.11 The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared vers 12. Teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live chastly godly and righteously in this present world 11. The collocation of inestimable and unspeakable graces abounded in Christ sith he was anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellows and the Spirit was not given to him by measure Hebr. 1.9 Joh. 3.34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth him not the Spirit by measure 12. There is an inseparable conjunction between the grace of God and the satisfaction of the Lord Christ sith the Lord Christ hath no otherwise merited life and salvation by his merit or satisfaction save by the favour or divine pleasure of his Father Luk. 22.42 Father if thou wilt take this cup from me neverthelesse not my will but thy will be done Joh 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved on him might not perish but have eternall life 13. There is an inseparable bond betwixt the satisfaction of Christ and the pleasure of God the Father Hence whatsoever the Lord Christ hath procured it is his Fathers pleasure to bestow it Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world 14. The inestimable grace of God which is collocated in the Lord Jesus and from him effectually bestowed on the Saints redeemed cannot utterly be abolished or extinguished Rom. 8.39 Neither height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 15. The Lord Christ by the grace of supplyment doth supplie the travellers of his hope in the estate of love and mercy and by the grace of complement doth crown his peculiar with the fruition of glorious and full communion in the estate of glory 1. Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who is made unto us wisdom of God and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Which is his body the complement of him who filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 16. Answerable to the act of faith pitching upon God the Father in his beloved Christ so is the gracious injoyment of the sence of Gods free mercie and benevolence in Christ Ephes 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 18. That being rooted and grounded in love ye may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge that ye may be filled with all the fulnesse of God 17. Pacification of spirit and peace of conscience ariseth whilest the faithfull rest on Gods fatherly indulgencie being
sufficient to salvation and my Vine to make me abundantly fruitfull through fruition am I not bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Should I not enjoy the benefit of his mediation the fruit of his glorification and the priviledge of glorious and sweet Communion who shall separate me from the love of my sweet Saviour shall Satan No shall imperfections and infirmities No shall the Law or the Gaoler of hell No they are of no force to disjoyne them whom God hath joyned by a bond inseparable Now I am assured he will fill me with love confirme with his promise love me with his beloved ones watch over my soule and deliver me from the roarings of the devill though the Charets and horsemen of hell pursue me I shall possesse his glory of inheritance Though I fall I shall rise againe though I was in the vaile of death I would not be afraid for his sweet streames would comfort mee Hence will I take up the resolution of the Psalmist Psal 46.2.3 Therefore will we not feare though the earth be moved and though the hills be carried into the middest of the Sea Though the waters thereof rage and swell and though the mountaines shake at the tempest thereof CHAP. V. Concerning Vocation Definition 1. VOcation is a gathering of men unto Christ by the Gospell of life and everlasting salvation that they may be united unto him by a happie and perpetuall union 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom we are called unto the Communion of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. Vocation is efficatious or inefficatious 3. Efficatious vocation is that through which the faithfull are called from Satans Kingdome to the Kingdome of grace and glory by the sanctifying Word of truth and the effectuall work of the Spirit that they may not want in the appointed time that glorious salvation which Christ their Lord hath purchased Act. 26.18 That thou mayest open the eyes of the blind and convert them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive the remission of sinnes and an inheritance amongst them who are sanctified by faith which is in me 4. Inefficatious vocation is when the sonnes of men are under the sentence of the Gospel of atonement and reconciliation yet never find the effectuall operation of the holy Spirit unto an absolute Conversion Hence many are called and few are chosen 5. Vocation is Universall or Speciall 6. Vocation universall is that whereby God invites all men through the ministery of peace and propitiation that they would come to the knowledg of himselfe and Jesus Christ the appointed Redeemer of his elect and peculiar Col. 1.23 For which cause I Paul am made Minister to preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven 7. Speciall vocation is that whereby God doth dignifie his owne peculiar whilest he doth illuminate their minds working in their hearts effectually by his Spirit Rom. 5.5 Moreover hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit 8. Universall Vocation hath been shadowed out by Types or divine Oracles 9. By Types Melchesidecke although he was a Gentile and without the promises of Abraham nevertheles he was the Priest of the most high GOD Heb. 7.1 10. By Oracles he shall be the expectation of the Gentiles Mat. 12.21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust 11. In vocation there is Christs oblation and the Christians reception considerable 12. Christs offer is that he will be a sufficient Redemption Reconciliation and Salvation to every one who beleeveth and resteth on him as his assured refuge and eternall Sanctury 1 Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drinke of the water which I shall give unto him shall not thirst againe but the water which I shall give unto him shall be in him a fountaine of springing water unto eternall life 13. Christs proffer is internall and externall 14. Christs externall proffer is when by the Ministers of the Word of truth and salvation he proposeth himselfe the onely and absolute salvation in heaven and earth Act. 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other neither is there any other name given under heaven by which we must be saved 15. Christs internall proffer is when Christ proposeth himselfe effectually to the hearts of the faithfull through which they have assured confidence that Christ hath redeemed and saved them from sinne Satan the Law hell and destruction and that the Lord Christ will communicate to them eternall life peace joy and everlasting reconciliation Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in love and in all riches of the full assurance of understanding to know the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ 16. Reception is through which the faithfull doe not refuse the proffer of grace but receiveth it through the help of the Spirit of glory Act. 10.43 44. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes While Peter spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word 17 Sometimes there is a reception of the Word of mercy and propitiation which is not operative or effectuall to salvation Mat. 13.20 21. And he that receiveth seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it Yet hath not roote in himselfe but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 18. Reception is either taken actively or passively 19. Actively when the heart resteth on Christ the blessed Redeemer of his redeemed reconciled passively when there is a spirituall being of grace in the hearts of actuall Beleevers 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby 20. Sometimes the Saints are called alone by the efficacy of the Spirit of obsignation Sometimes by the Word and efficacy of the Word of Life and Redemption The Word and the Spirit are not seperated in the vocation of the Saints Ephes 1.13 In whom also yee have trusted after that yee heard the Word of truth even the Gospel of your salvation wherein also after yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 21. All the faithfull have been effectually called from eternall by vertue of Gods decree notwithstanding the Declaration thereof is as it may make for their good and the glory of God their heavenly and gracious Father Ephes 1.11 12. In him I say in whom yee have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the councell of his owne will That we may be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. 22. God calls not all his Elect and Adopted in the same moment to the knowledge of his sanctifying truth and the sence of free and benignous favour and experience Mat. 20.5 6. 23.
This hath not been without the divine pleasure of our gracious and heavenly Father that Election which hath been before the world was he maketh knowne to his by operative and effectuall Vocation Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom he hath called them also hath he justified and whom he hath justified them also hath he glorified 24. Election and Vocation proceeds from the free benevolence of a loving God and are confirmed to the consciences of true beleevers through the true and faithfull testimony of the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.17 And the Spirit witnesseth together with our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God 25. If we desire to see and know the propitious minde of God let us turne our faces towards Christ in whom the Father is well pleased if we would seeke eternall life and the immortalitie of the celestiall Kingdome Not to any other but to Christ must we flie for he is the fountaine of our life the Author of our salvation and the ground of our Adoption and effectuall calling 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to salvation by the meanes of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our worke but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given to us through Jesus Christ before the world was 26. Now whitherward doth our Election tend but that through the bountie of him who is propitious towards us we may enjoy the filiation of sonnes immortalitie and salvation and although our minds are troubled and our cōsciences perplexed yet no otherwise can we know the certaintie thereof but by vocation and absolute regeneration for absolute regeneration and vocation are assured pledges of our salvation immortalitie and filiation 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant bountie hath begetten us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that withereth not reserved in heaven for us 27. Although our heavenly and gracious Father love all his people as he loved his beloved Christ yet it is his divine grace and pleasure in effectuall vocation to try some of his in the fiery furnace of sorrowes and great tribulation Act. 2.37 Who when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and other Apostles Men and Brethren What shall we doe Isa 6.5 Then said I I am a man undone I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell amongst a people of polluted lips mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hoasts 28. Our life is hid with God in Christ and we are called efficaciously from the world unto celestiall grace and from woefull darknesse unto his glorious light that we may live godly in this present world expecting the comming of our Lord and Saviour Ephes 4.1 I therefore being prisoner in the Lord pray you that yee walke worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Titus 2.13 Expecting that blessed hope and that glorious comming of that great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Contemplation THis was the saying of Moses Who is a Rock like our Rock or who is a God like the God of our salvation We may say Who hath a Father like our Father or who hath found any so sweet and delectable as he hath been to us As the sweet influence of the Plejades and the sweet distilling drops from the Clouds so hath he been in our vocation his words are rarer then the words of Moses the one is Law the other grace and peace Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth cams by Jesus Christ. The one a killing Letter the other a quickening Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The one the ministery of condemnation the other the ministery of life and salvation 2 Cor. 3.9 For if the ministery of condemnation hath been glorious much more the ministery of righteousnesse doth abound with glory The one written in Tables of stone the other in the fleshly Tables of our heart 2 Cor. 3 3. In that yee are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us and written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart The one accuseth us before the Barre of Justice the other acquitteth us before the Mercy Seate Joh. 5.4 5. Thinke not that I am come to accuse you before the Father there is one who accuseth you to wit Moses in whom yee trust Hath Moses fetcht home the lost sheep sought the lost groat or imbraced the poore returned Prodigalls No it was our Christ the great and blessed Shepheard of Israel What are the drops or dewes without the Sunne or what can the body effect without the soule or what can the Law doe in the act of vocation without the effectuall operation of the Spirit of Jesus from whence art thou called O my soule Not onely from the receipt of custome but from the custome of hell Not onely from prophanenesse to civilitie from civilitie to moralitie but from all to heavenly and celestiall grace and glory What hast thou found in Christ fince he called thee I have found my life in him my name in the heavenly places a hope amongst his peculiar a rest in his love a communion in his promises a fellowship amongst the Saints and the glorious gracious and loving face of a sweet Father And hast thou not also found rare effects in thee since the time of his overpowring of his precious graces yea now his love is more to me then Kingdomes then Consullships then riches then honours then dignities then Dominions yea then all things If I were possest with the wealth of Arabia the riches of India the treasure of Africa and the glory of Europe what would those be to me without a Christ I would rather choose one dram of his grace then mountaines of gold then a sea of silver then an earth of pleasures and Kingdomes and Provinces of delights and delectations Rachel said Give me children or els I dye I say give me Christ or I shall dye Abraham said What availes all these if I goe childlesse I say what availeth all if I goe Christlesse Was Jacob comforted when he wanted Joseph or can I be comforted when I want my Beloved And did not Rachel mourne and would not be comforted when her children were not And doe I not mourne and cannot be comforted because my Christ is not From henceforth will I triumph with the triumphers and take my place amongst the Conquerours for I am not called from the sheepfold but from the gates of hell and made a King and Priest to God the Father I am
certainly perswaded that whatsoever they do according to his pleasure is accepted in the hands of Christ Mediatour Ephes 1. Vnto the praise and glory of his grace whereby he hath freely accepted us in his beloved 18. The effects of divine grace and favour are the remission of sins the imputation of righteousnesse the donation of the Spirit of peace and consolation and everlasting blessednesse in the kingdom of hope and fruition 2. Thess 2.13 God hath chosen us from the beginning unto salvation by sanctification of the Spirit and the faith of truth 14. Now the same Lord Jesus Christ and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 19. Christ died for the sins of his Saints and is risen again for their righteousnesse and justification so that he is not onely become our salvation but his Father is gracious and propitious to us for his sake Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased hear him 20. As by the sin of Adam we were estranged from God and destinated to destruction so by the obedience of Christ we are received into favour and imputed righteous to justification Rom. 5.19 As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man many were made righteous 21. God began to imbrace through free favour whom he loved freely before the foundation of the world then it appeared apparently when he reconciled us to himself through the precious blood of his beloved Son Ephes 2.4.13 Through his great love wherewith he loved us now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometime afar off hath he made nigh by the blood of his Son 22. God through his benevolence hath not onely given the body of Christ but the soul of Christ to feel the sence of his wrath for the redemption of mankind that although we were lost we might be found and although through the law we could hear nothing but condemnation yet now through Christ we may hear the sentence of salvation Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them 2. Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the glorious coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought in life and immortalitie into light by the Gospel 23. In this hath appeared the immense love of God towards men whilest he was sent into the world for their deliverie whilest he was made a sacrifice to pacifie the wrath of his Father which was so hot against them 1. Joh. 4.10 In this is love not that we have loved God but that he hath loved us and hath sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 24. God was most clementious and propitious in the beloved Christ making him the Redeemer of humane generation whilest the beloved Christ was willing to redeeme them Heb. 10.6 7. Burnt-offerings and sacrifice thou wouldest not for sin then said I behold I come In the volume of thy book it is w itten of me that I should do thy will O God 25. The free grace of God is the stay of the mind the prop of the soul and the hope of the conscience in the midst of all sorrow and tribulations Lament 3.21 22. This call I to mind therefore have I hope It is the Lords mercy we are not consumed but his compassions fail not 26. If any man shall set himself before the tribunall seat of an angry God he shall not stand being there is nothing in him that may merit favour or deserve love at the hands of God Psal 130.3 If Jah shall observe iniquities O Lord who shall stand 27. Christ through his obedience hath obtained favour he hath satisfied for our sins he hath born the punishment for us and through his obedience God is well pleased 2. Cor. 2.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Contemplation O Christian look to the Rock from whence thou art hewen and to the hole of the pit from whence thou art digged all that thou receivest is from free favour and grace of a loving Father had he not favoured thee where hadst thou remained or where hadst thou been assuredly in the bottomlesse pit under the heat of everlasting burnings bound by the black swadle bands of the devill lockt up under the blacknesse of darknesse to the judgement of the great day arraigned by the power of justice and condemned by the morall Law never to have heard the sweet sound of reconciliation or the heavenly harmony of the gracious doctrine of redemption except the bowels of overflowing mercie had yearned and the gracious countenance of thy loving Father had been manifested The clouds open and distill their drops to the refreshing and replenishing of the sublunarie creature Thy gracious Father hath yearned by the bowels of his compassion and hath replenished and refreshed thy soule with his abundant kindnesse Thy dayes might have been dayes of sorrow and thy nights nights of terrour The terrours of death the horrors of hell and the afrightment of a wofull conscience might have sadded thee had not free love and superabundant grace prevented Is not his grace better to thee then kingdomes then Consulships then riches then Honours then dignities or dominions The Disciples wondred at the rare and famous buildings of the Temple and mayest not thou wonder at the excellencie and incomparablenesse of the free grace of God thy celestiall Father O how sweet is his grace unto me is it not as an ointment poured out as the sweetest drops distilling from the fullest clouds and as the sweetest dewes upon the tender hearb Did the babe spring in the wombe of Elizabeth at Maries salutation and doth not joy spring in my conscience because of free grace in everlasting redemption Here is grace incomparable here is mercie ineffable and here is bountie unalterable is not this the River from whence my soul hath water is not this the Sunne from whence my mind hath light is not this the heart from whence my will receiveth vitall motion I am adopted to be a sonne elected to salvation redeemed from bonds united to the Lord Jesus Christ But from whence flowes all these but from the rivers of free love and the fountain of gracious love and bountie My life my hope my peace my rest my faith my all is from Christ all in all as the Apostle saith Rom. 11. last verse For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be praise and glory for ever Amen CHAP. II. Concerning Election 1. ELection is the selecting or chusing of some certain men that the glorious and supereminent grace of God may
forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travell with child for more are the children of the desolate then the children of the married wife saith the Lord. Rom. 10.6 7 8. But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead 8. But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach 4. They had the grace of God darkly and obscurely we plainly and apparently 2. Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 5. The communication or gifts of the Spirit under the Gospel of reconciliation are more excellent then those which have been communicated under the Law Act. 2.17 18. the 17. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith God I will poure out of my Spirit upon all lesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams The 18. And on my servants and on my hand-maids I will poure out in those dayes of my Spirit and they shall prophesie 6. The old Covenant was given by Moses this by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 7. The old Covenant binds us over to absolute righteousnes the new commands us to seek it in Christ the Lord our righteousnesse Joh. 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of him which beleeveth in Jesus 8. The old Covenant was given to impell men to Christ the new to hold forth and exhibite Christ Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me 9. The proper object of the old was to consternate and humble the new to comfort them who are consternated and humbled Matth. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls 10. They differ by accident and through our infirmitie for the Law without the Gospel is insufficient to salvation Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in as much as it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 11. The Lord Christ is the Mediatour of the new Covenant not onely because the Covenant is made with his for his sake but because through the vertue of his mediation this Covenant cannot be disanulled Hebr. 8.6.9 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministery by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises 9 Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. 12. The supereminent superabundant and superexcellent grace of God our dear and propitious Father is manifested to his poore servants in that he hath established the everlasting Covenant of free grace and mercie in the hand of Christ Mediatour 2. Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance 13. The Covenant of grace is an everlasting and perpetuall Covenant sith the foundation of that Covenant is the free grace of God and the ratification and confirmation of the same is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Hebr. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel 14. The supereminence of divine grace and favour hath not only appeared in this that he hath established this Covenant in the hand of a Mediatour but also in this that he hath smitten a Covenant with the immeriting and undeserving Hos 2. the last And I will sowe her unto me in the earth and I will have mercie upon her that had not obtained mercie and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God 15. The grace of God is the ground the blood of Christ the matter the end eternall life and beatitude made over to the faithfull in all ages that they might be certainly and fully assured that God will be their God and Father everlasting Hos 2.19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercie 16. The true and solid knowledge of this free Covenant of grace bountie causeth the beloved Saints and beleevers to hate all Pharisaicall performances or the righteousnesse of Justiciaries Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God through faith 17. The benefits of the free Covenant of pitie and clemencie are the remission of sinnes and condonation of transgression the donation of the Spirit everlasting and continuall communion with the Lord Christ in the kingdome of felicitie perseverance in the state of grace by the all-sufficient hand of God our clementious and heavenly Father Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquitie and I will remember their sin no more 1. Joh. 3 24. And he that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1. Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation to be revealed in the last time 18. The intrinsicall seal of the Covenant of grace and salvation is the Spirit of glory and obsignation the extrinsicall is the Lords Supper Baptisme 1.
my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world 5. This union is produced through effectuall vocation through which the Saints are brought from the worlds delectation to love the Lord Christ with a deare entire and tender affection 1. Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine 6. By how much the Saints feele the sence of Gods deare and sweet bountie and injoy sweet communion with their Lord that bought them by so much the more they rejoyce in the love and fellowship one of another 1. Joh. 1.7 But if we walk in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sinne 7. There is so strong an union betwixt Christ and his Saints that there is no need of his corporall presence in this vaile of miserie sith more excellent benefits redounds to the Saints by his presence in heaven then if he should remaine on earth Hence he is said to have consummated the work of our redemption to sit at the right hand of God to make intercession for us and to go to his Father to provide for us an habitation Joh. 14.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that Where I am there ye might be also 8. The greatest dignitie under heaven is to be a member of Jesus Christ a branch of the vine Christ and one of the spouses to Christ our royall and loving Bridegroome Hence the Church glories in her priviledge Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his he feedeth among the Lillies Revel 19.7 8 9. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour unto him for the marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her self ready 8. And to her was granted that she should be arayed in fine linen cleane and white for the fine linen is the righteousnesse of Saints 9. And he saith unto me Write blessed are they which are called to the marriage of the Lambe 9. All the strength power might of all the enemies of salvation cannot separate the branches from the vine the members from the head or the spouses of the Lord Christ from Christ her deare and loving Bridegroome Because they are made perfect in one through union with Christ and with the Father in Christ Joh. 17.23 10. Christ by the grace of complement will crown all his absolutely with full fruition in the kingdome of beatitude and with the grace of supplement in the kingdome of grace and primary communion that they might not want in the day of fiery trials a supply by his gracious hand of dispensation Revel 22.5 And there shall be no light there and they need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reigne for ever and ever Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace 11. There is an inseparable linke betwixt union with Christ the peace and obsignation of the Spirit of glory and the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse to the glory of the Father Joh. 15.5.8 the 5. I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing The 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples 12. The united have interest in God through Christ from whom they receive the spirit of Adoption which worketh in them effectually that they might be delivered from sin and regenerated to the hope of eternall life 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which ac-according to his abundant mercie hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Josus Christ from the dead 13. The members of Christ are moved by the same Spirit known by the same badge of love fruit and charitie and have the same end which is life eternall and salvation Joh. 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that whatsoever ye shall aske of the Father in my Name he may give it you 1. Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls 14. Though the Saints who are united unto Christ may appear to be dead in themselves yet the life which they received in their first communion and union with Christ cannot be utterly abolished or extinguished The ground is this sith there is an inseparable conjunction betwixt the perpetuall communion and everlasting union of the Saints with and in Christ their Lord that loved them and bought them with an eternall worth or price impervestigable Contemplation VVHo could search the depth of the waters of the Sanctuary or who can search the depth of this glorious and heavenly mystery It is a mystery of mysteries a depth of depths and a riddle past finding out If I had the tongue of a thousand Angells the rationality of a thousand men yet could I not relate the excellency of this union betwixt Christ and the soule and the soule and Christ Rare is the influence of celestiall bodies in sublunary creatures Rare is the vitall motion in rationall creatures but more is the working of Christ in them who are his redeemed and united people O my soule when thou wast as far from Christ as heaven is from hell as the East is from the West the North from the South thy Lord came by his oyntments powred out by his drops of liquid myrrhe by his precious incomparable bloud and made thee one with him who was so distant from him thou wast a dead branch fit for the everlasting burnings thou wast a dead member fit for hells interring thou wast a divorced Spouse not worthy of enjoying yet his eye of love was deare over thee and thy Lord hath made thee a branch not of hell but of the Vine of Consolation a member not of death but of himselfe the head of his Church and sweet dilection a Spouse not of an earthly Prince and Monarch but to himselfe the beloved his Fathers delectation Oh! what love is this that my Lord should goe to the gates of death the barres of hell to the tribunall seate of Justice to the chained under the blacke swadle bands of the devill and fetch my soule from thence and make me one of his Oh! what mercy is this to my soule that my Lord is become my Bridegroom to satisfie me with pleasurable and delectable delights my head to fill me with wisdome
we are said to be chosen out of the world through his divine love and free benevolence Joh. 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name he may give it you Joh. 17.14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world 19. The royall robe of Christs righteousnesse is their covering in the day of judgement the blood of Christ is their peace in the day of evill and the name of God is their glory in the midst of afflictions Isa 26.8 Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee 20. The adopted are made kings and priests to God the Father through the blood of the Sonne of God Christ Jesus Revel 1.5 6. the 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Verse the 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father To him be glory and deminion for ever and ever Amen 21. The sonnes of God by adoption may feele the sence of Gods anger yet God is not angry with them but exceeding loving bountifull and full of clemencie towards them Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Malachi 3.17 And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him 22. Though the Father of deare love do crown his deare people with deare love grace and mercie yet he doth not alwayes endow them with outward blessings and prosperitie 2. Cor. 6.4 5 6. the 4. But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses The 5. In stripes in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watching in fastings the 6. By purenesse by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the holy Ghost by love unfained 23. The cries groanes and sighs of the sonnes of God whether in the day they want the sence of Gods dear love and rarest bountie towards them or in the time of great and strong temptation over tops the roarings of Satan the cries of vengeance and the arraigning sentence of the Law so terrible Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered 24. Though the sonnes of God may loose the sence of their first communion yet they shall for ever injoy everlasting and perpetuall union so that God for evermore stands in relation unto them as a Father and they to him as loving and dear children Isa 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not O Lord thou art our Father our redeemer thy name is from everlasting Isa 64.9 Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquitie for ever behold see us we beseech thee we beseech thee we are all thy people 25. Though we were the sonnes of God by creation yet we became through sin the sonnes of the devill of wrath of incredulitie of diffidence of this world and of darknesse notwithstanding by adoption we are made sons partakers of the divine nature brethren of Christ and children of light that we might not sin but that we might be one with Christ through union and that we might love the brethren with entire love and affection 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Hebr. 2.11 For both he who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Joh. 15.12 This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you 26. The kingdom of our God the glory of which is unutterable unspeakable and unmentionable hath been prepared of old for those who have a being in Christ interest in the free promises and have been beloved of the Father before the world was Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Contemplation OH the deepnesse of immense and admirable love that of the children of diffidence and distruction through Christ are made Saints and sonnes of salvation that of vessels of wrath hell the devill and damnation we are made the vessels of rich mercie peace love and happic consolation When I was a poore distressed captive taken by the devill did I think to be made an heire with Christ and freed from the accusing law and wofull evill not thy wisdom but the wisdom of thy deare benignous Father hath found a way in the time of misery to bring thee to glorious and blessed felicitie That was not found in the land of the living Ask the depths and they will say that wisdom was not found there Ask the Sea and it will say it had no habitation there in thy deare Father hath been the place of singular wisdom and rarest intelligence Pharaoh knew his dreame but was ignorant of the interpretation thou knowest thou wast a slave but wast ignorant of thy redemption and adoption O admirable priviledge and excellent prerogative O wonderfull dignitie given to the Saints by filiation What is it to be the son of a King or an Emperour of a Monarch of a Potentate What is it to be an heire to Kingdoms to Provinces or to Empires What is it to enjoy pleasures joy or delectations in this orbe terrestriall if we enjoy not the priviledge of the daughters and the sons of the living God It cannot avail thee to be an heir and not an heire of Christs kingdome It cannot advantage thee to be a son of an Emperour and not to be the son of God by adoption it cannot help thee to be nephew to a Potentate and not to be an inheritour with the Lords inheritance Thou art Gods by creation but art thou Gods by a speciall relation Thou hast treasures abundant but art thou his chief treasure thou hast inheritance amongst the sons of men but hast thou an inheritance amongst the sons of royall possession O my soule what will thy sweet Father do for thee great things he
bondmen from everlasting slavery What is the bondage to man in respect of the bondage to Satan or what is the libertie amongst men in respect of the libertie of Christ Jesus From what are we freed yea from what are we not freed from the dominion of sinne the slavery of the Law the tyranny of Satan and the gates of the pit of hell and destruction By what art thou freed yea by what art thou not freed From sinne by the precious incōparable inestimable bloud of Christ out of the jawes of Satan by the potent invincible and unconquerable strength of Christ from the force of death by the vertuall and efficatious death of Christ and from the cursing condemning and arraigning power of the Morall Law by the full and satisfactory obedience of Christ It hath not been in the power of man nor the will of man to worke out the work of satisfaction or the worke of Redemption the Wine-presse of Gods wrath would have been too hotte and too heavie for him It hath not been in the minde of Angells it would have crusht them to the earth yea to hell to have born that weightie wrath and fierce indignation of God against sinne when neither speare nor shield was found among any in the world for the delivery of mankinde strength and power hath been found in the armes of Christ fully to performe the worke of deliverance if a world had been given for the Redemption of one soule it would have been refused an infinite would admit of nothing finite O! what worth what value what price is the bloud of Christ which is of sufficiency to redeeme all men all the power of the Creature could not bring one soule out of the slavery of the Devill Oh! what power what strength what worth of excellency is there in Christ who by his power strength and might hath brought thousands out of the bondage and slavery of hell and the Devill All the Angells in heaven could not by their skill remove one poore soule from the barre of Justice and bring it to the mercy-seate to heare one word of mercy What a Sea of wisdome is in Christ who by his wisdome can bring all the poore and distressed Consciences to the throne of mercies to receive whole Rivers of mercy from thence unto their soules Sampson overthrew more at his death then he did all his life Christ did more in the Redemption of his in death then he did in the time of his life Let us therefore lift up our eyes to heaven and behold the bountifull and benignous mind of God unto us that whilest our cases were desperable and we saw no way for delivery God hath found out a way and hath sent from heaven the Sonne of his love to be our deliverer A Ram was not provided but a Lamb that through his bloud tooke away the sinnes of the world satisfied Gods Justice and procured for his people a joyfull and glorious freedome God manifested his power from the Cloud and overthrew Pharoah his Charets and horsemen in the red Sea God manifested his mightie strength in the subverting of Satan and sinne through the bloud of Christ When Peter was in bonds the Angell set Peter free when we were bound by chaines in the dungeon of darknesse and death Christ hath set us free So that now the consciences and spirits of the faithfull and ours also are free to grace and to the enjoyment of the Kingdome of felicitie let the Christian therefore thinke on these things and triumph with the Apostle Oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory let him not feare neither Law nor hell nor death nor the Devill sith he is redeemed from the world though he live in the world to God above who is all in all to whom be ascribed the praise of all for evermore 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible and the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII Concerning Christs Mediation Definition 1. THe Mediation of Christ is the presentation of himself that externall and infinite oblation once offered to God his Father to that end that the riches of heavenly grace might be infused his redeemed might have free accesse to his Fathers Majestie and his Father everlastingly reconciled to his peculiar and selected Hebr. 7.25 26 27. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself 2. It is convenient that Christ who is the Mediatour betwixt God and man should be God-man unlesse he had been man he had not been a fit sacrifice unlesse he had been God he had not been of sufficient vertue 1. Tim. 2 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus 3. Through the personall union of both natures Christ Mediatour is become King of his Church and head of the same kind with his body Ephes 1.22 23. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all 4. The humiliation of Christ through which he submitted himself to answer the righteousnesse of God and his exaltation which was manifested when he rose again from the dead ascending on high leading captivitie captive hath obtained a perfect redemption for the faithfull Ephes 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Hebr 9.12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us 5. The satisfaction and merit of Christ Mediatour hath taken away condemnation and hath brought eternall life and salvation Colos 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his dear Son 6. The merit and satisfaction of Christ differ in divers operations 7. The exaltation of Christ is no part of the merits or satisfaction of Christ through which he mediates for his with his Father The ground is this sith the exaltation of Christ Mediatour followeth his crosse or satisfaction 8. Christ is said to be Mediatour betwixt God and the faithfull not that it wholly agreeth to the humaine nature of Christ but also to his divine nature Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood 9. The satisfaction of Christ according to the substance of it
divine and spotlesse righteousnesse that in his Fathers sight and presence we might find acceptation Ephes 1.6 vide 9. This is the streame of sweetest consolation that the Lord Christ was accounted unjust that we might be counted just and that he stood in the place of the unrighteous that we might stand in the place of righteous 1. Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit 10. Christ the Sonne and Lord of righteousnesse who is our life and everlasting righteousnesse overcoming death shineth by the Gospel maketh us now to sit with himself in the heavenly places that there might be nothing wanting to our felicitie and to the praise and riches of his grace and bountie Ephes 2.6 7. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus 11. Now the Sonne and Lord of righteousnesse doth shine and we have the perfect beautie of his divine and pure righteousnesse revealed in the Gospel of life and reconciliation such as is the clearnesse of noonday although in former ages it hath been hidden and obscured Ephes 3 8 9. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ 12. Adam whilest he stood in his integritie innocency and puritie was not so pure in the sight of God as the Saints who are presented spotlesse in the flesh of Christ and imputed righteous through the righteousnes of Christ the Lord and Prince of righteousnesse The ground is this sith the righteousnesse which is given to the Saints through union with Christ surmounteth that which was given to Adam when he was created 13. The righteousnesse of God is not sufficiently manifested and declared unlesse by that the Saints and redeemed may be accounted sufficiently just in his sight and that God should communicate righteousnesse to the undeserving 14. This is our trust and glory that Christ the Sonne of God the onely author of our salvation is become our righteousnesse and that we in him are the sons and heirs of the celestiall kingdome made partakers of the divine nature and called to the hope and expectation of everlasting beatitude 1. Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires with God and joynt heires with Christ If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 15. The sinner is received into communion with Christ whilest by the grace of God he is reconciled and by the blood of Christ he is purged from transgression and not otherwise doth he stand before the tribunal seat of God save by the righteousnesse of God his Saviour and of Jesus Christ his blessed and sweet Redeemer The ground is this sith no righteousnesse can answer the righteousnesse of God but the pure and infinite righteousnesse of Christ 16. There is an inseparable conjunction between the pardon and remission of sins and the imputation of divine and absolute righteousnesse which is conveyed to the Saints through communion with the Lord Jesus so that their imperfections are covered the spots and filthinesse thereof are deleted lest they may come into question by eternall and absolute judgement 17. If we seek by what meanes the heart is fixed and the conscience satisfied by no other way or meanes shall we find it save by the power of the crosse of Christ interest in his death the efficacie of his resurrection and the imputation in pure and everlasting righteousnesse 18. Whosoever doth desire to be just before God he must seeke to be freed from sinne by the precious and incomparable blood of Christ and from the riged force of the Morall Law by his active and passive obedience Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth 19. By his puritie all our spots are covered and the uncleannesse of our imperfections to us is not imputed and our transgressions in Christs grave buried that they might never plead against us before the barre of Justice 20. When we are inserted and ingrafted into Christ then doth he dignifie us making us one in himselfe that we may glory that we are admitted into fellowship and communion with the Father with himself and with his people who are sanctified by the Spirit and accounted a glorious people through his glorious and perfect righteousnesse 1. Joh. 1.3 vide 21. Although justification is for and in Christ the beloved Mediatour notwithstanding the Saints are not justified in the sight of God untill faith is given to the Saints by which the Lord Christ is apprehended Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 22. Christ is the adaequate object of faith so farre forth as faith doth justifie Galat. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified 23. Faith upon no other consideration is said to justifie save because it apprehendeth the superabundant grace of God in reconciliation applieth Christs death blood and resurrection to the Saints and resteth upon the promises of God which are yea and Amen to the glory of the Father 2. Cor. 1.20 vide 24. This is the life of saith through which a sinner doth come to the possession of his own salvation whilest by the doctrine of the Gospel he doth acknowledge himself reconciled to God redeemed and ransomed by the inenarrable blood of Christ sealed by the Spirit of life and obsignation and filled with joyes unspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet beleeving ye reioyce with ioy unspeakable and glorious 25. We are justified before men by holinesse and uprightnesse of conversation but before God by the imputation of righteousnesse in justification Jam. 2.18 Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and