spiritually and that most eminently No food so nourishing to the body as the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ being eaten and drunk by faith are unto the soul Whence it is that he compares himselfe to that which is most alimentall most nourishing as to Bread I am the Bread of life John 6.35 Bread is the staffe of life naturall there being no food that yeildeth more solid nourishment to the body then that And thus is Jesus Christ the staffe of life spiritual nourishing up the soul unto eternall life Wherein this Bread excels all other bread Mannah was excellent bread Angel's food Man did eat Angels food Nourishing the Soul to Eternall life saith the Psalmist speaking of the Mannah in the wilderness Ps 78.25 Such food as Angels could eat no better if they used or needed food excellent food yet they which are of it died Your fathers did eat mannah in the wilderness are dead saith our Saviour to the Jews Joh. 6.49 But saith he speaking of himself in the next verses This is the bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shal live for ever Such is the nourishment which Jesus Christ this generous and vigorous Head and Stock ministreth to all that are united to him engrafted in him What this soul-nourishment How this soul-nourishment is conveyed is and in what way supplied I might here further shew you I touched upon it in the last point Take it in a word Christ nourisheth those which are in him by the communication of his spirit unto them Thus doth the Head supply nourishment unto the members of the body by communicating unto them of those spirits which are in it self And thus doth Jesus Christ nourish his members by a continuall supply of his Spirit unto them This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Saint Paul speaketh of Phil. 1.19 where speaking of the malicious designes and intentions of his adversaries against himselfe I know saith he that even this shall turn to my salvation through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Thus are meats and drinks turned to nourishment to the body through a supply of spirits from the spirituous parts helping to digest and distribute them and extract nourishment from them And thus are all things made advantageous to the believer in furthering his salvation through the continued supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ which Spirit furnisheth the soul with all graces requisite and convenient and by that means maintains the spirituall life of it nourishing it up unto eternall life Applic. 1. Applic. 1. A Spring of Consolation to Believers For Application of this Branch Here is another spring of consolation unto all those living branches that are truely ingrafted into this stock all true believers that are made one with Jesus Christ let them know that being in him they shall find him a generous and a vigorous Stock Christ a generous and a vigorous Stock full of sap full of juice full of vertue sufficient to keep and maintain spirituall life in them in the midst of the hardest Winters or most scorching Summers the sharpest Solstices of Tentation or Persecution that can happen unto them Aye not only to keep life in them but to maintain them in a flourishing condition like those Trees of the Lord which are said to be full of sap Psal 104.16 So run these sweet promises Psal 92.12 The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like the Cedar in Lebanon Palmes and Cedars are Winter Plants green all the year long And such are the Trees in God's Plantation like those Trees which David speaketh of Psal 1.3 Trees planted by the rivers of waters which bring forth fruit in their season and their leaves wither not Living fruit-bearing flourishing trees Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall bring forth fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing so the Psalmist there goeth on Psal 92.13 14. And whence have they this That when other trees wither and die so do Hypocrites who in the day of Tentation or Persecution cast their leaves of an outward profession losing what ever shew of piety and holinesse they once had yet these Trees of Righteousnesse should not onely live but flourish Why thanks to the Root the Stock into which they are ingrafted Thanks unto Jesus Christ who of his fulnesse thus communicates unto them giving unto them that water of life whereof himselfe speaketh John 4.13 that influence of his grace and Spirit which whosoever drinketh of shall never thirst more that is he shall not need to go seek for any thing out of Jesus Christ as the graft seeketh for nothing out of the stock for that water which he shall give him shall be unto him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life Vse 2. Vse 2. Come unto Jesus Christ for nourishment What remaines then but that every of us who would have our soules thus nourished come unto Jesus Christ Come we unto him even as the sons of Jacob came unto their brother Joseph who nourished them and theirs with bread according to their families Gen. 47.12 So come we unto our Joseph As Joseph's Brethrem came unto him the Lord Jesus Christ of whom Joseph as in many other so in that particular was a Type Come we unto him And that 1. 1. In the sense of our wants As they came unto Joseph in the present sense of our wants not knowing where else to find a supply Come unto Jesus Christ hungring and thirsting after him earnestly desiring to partake of his fulnesse He filleth the hungry with good things Luke 1.53 2. In obedience to our Fathers Commandement 2. In obedience to our Fathers Commandement So went they the first and second time to their Joseph by the direction and command of their father Jacob Gen. 42.1 2. So come we unto our Joseph in obedience to the direction and command of our Heavenly Father This is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 3.23 3. At Christ's own Invitation 3. At Christ's own Invitation So came they unto Joseph the third time being by him invited thereunto Gen. 44. 45. Thus come we unto our Joseph the Lord Jesus Christ whose gracious Invitation we may read John 7.37 In the last day the great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink This spake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive ver 39. 4. But come not as they came with money in our hands 4. Come not as they with money in our hands So came they the first and second time not intending to be beholding but to pay for what they had But thus may not we come to Jesus Christ Gen. 42.2 43.15 We know how the
men which being God's peculiar as Scripture appropriats it Thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men 1 King 8.39 I the Lord search the heart Jer. 17.10 cannot be communicated to any creature in earth or heaven Upon this account we receive this Doctrine of the Chruch of Rome which directs us to other Mediatours besides this one the Lord Jesus which they do even as those Hereticks in the Apostles time did under a shew of humility It is too high presumption say they to come unto Christ immediately without the intervention of some other intermediate Mediatours Not so say we seeing Christ inviteth nay commandeth us to come unto himself upon all occasions Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 So again Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me not go to the streams and rivulets but to the fountain Now to hearken to this Invitation and to obey this command can be no presumption nay not to do it out of what principle soever it be wil be found not a little derogatory unto Christ and this office of his as if he were not a compleat and sufficient Mediatour or as if there were not by this new and living way a free accesse unto him and unto God by him Vse 2. Instruction Know we no other Mediatours Not of Redemption Vide Chamier Panstrat de Mediatore lib. 8. cap. 1. sec 6. Away then with all these dreams and fancies As for us to close up all with a word of Instruction or Exhortation Know we this Mediatour and no other but him no other Mediatour of Redemption This also Papists may be charged to do whilest they cry up the merits of Saints daring to present them unto God begging remission of sins grace and mercy for by and through them What is this but to make them Mediatours of Redemption as sharing with Christ in the work of Satisfaction For us take we up the resolution of that dying Cardinall Bellarmine I mean who not daring to dye in that faith wherein he had lived and for which he had so eagerly contended professed to repose his confidence Totam in solâ wholly and alonely in the mercy of God and merits of Jesus Christ As for our own merits or the merits of any other renounce them disclaime them trample upon them Knowing who it is whom God hath designed and appointed to be our Mediatour even the Man Christ Jesus know we none but him To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 And to him let every of us give a reall Testimony by receiving him and resting upon him as our alone Saviour and Redeemer that so through the All-sufficiency of his merit applied unto us by and through faith we may obtain Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God This is an honour which is peculiar unto Jesus Christ let not us go about to rob him of it by making others sharers and partakers with him in it Know we no other Mediatour of Redemption Nor yet of Intercession Nor yet of Intercession As for Saints and Angels let Papists cry up them and cry unto them For us let us in this case say of them as the Heathen once did of his Petigods Contemno minutos istos Deos modò Jovem propitium habeam So long as he had his Jupiter to friend as for them he regarded them not Thus so long as we may have our Jesus propitious to us let others make use of Saints and Angels that will Let us ever have recourse to him and to God by him As for other Mediatours we may cry unto them and they not hear as it was with that man in the Gospel who came at midnight to his neighbours house to borrow bread for the entertaining of his unexpected guest it is Augustines observation August de temp and it is a witty one he found the whole Family asleep Nullus de janitoribus respondet None of the Porters none of the Servants none of the Children make him any answer Onely the Master of the house he heareth he openeth and gave him that which he came for Thus men may knock long enough at the gates of heaven before they receive any answer whether from Angels or Saints Gods Servants or Children Onely the Lord Jesus the Master of the family he neither slumbers nor sleepes And therefore to him direct we our prayers Ever making use of the Mediation of this our Mediator Coming unto him and to God by him In both making use of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy confidence and boldnesse which he hath purchased for us by his blood So coming now shal our persons prayers prayses all other our Services find a gracious acceptance with God his Father and our Father To whom with Son and Holy Ghost be Praise Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS Mystical Implantation OR The great Gospel Mystery of the Christian's UNION and COMMUNION with and CONFORMITY TO JESUS CHRIST Both In His DEATH And RESURRECTION Opened and Applyed As it was lately delivered to the Church of God at great Yarmouth By JOHN BRINSLEY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Incorporation 1 COR. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified PHIL. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his Resurrection c. LONDON Printed by T. Maxey for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1652. To all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Specially THOSE in the Town of Great YARMOUTH GRACE and PEACE Much esteemed in the Lord I Have heretofore put into Your Hands some few and small Treatises the leaves whereof were of like use with those of the Tree of Life in the midst of the New Jerusalem Revel 22.2 serving to heale the Nations to cure some of those spirituall Distempers which in these times of common contagion have broke in upon the Body of this Church in many parts of it both infecting and indangering of it Here I present you with a taste of some of the Fruits of the same Tree some of the Benefits issuing to the Beleever from Jesus Christ A Subject which my own soul hath fed upon not without inward Complacencie and contentment My hopes are you shall finde the like in the perusall of this Tractate which is now made publick as for the furtherance of the work of Grace in you so to let the World know that in the course of my Ministry I have not made Controversie my Work Onely I have now and then dealt with it as the Physician doth with his Medicines and God with his Tryals which they make use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.6 when and where need is Well had it been for the Church of God in this Nation had there never been occasion for me or any other to have
this his imbracing Christ in the armes of his faith 1. Sustentation and Support Resemb 3. 1. Sustentation This benefit hath the Ivie from the Oake Though weak in it self not able to stand alone yet being joyned to the Oake now it stands sure bids defiance to all stormes and tempests As long as the Oak standeth that cannot fall The like benefit hath the christian from his Christ Though weak in himself not able to stand by himself not able to resist the least blast of Tentation yet being united unto Christ he is now supported in all estates borne up in all Conditions made able both to do and to suffer I am able to do all things saith this Apostle but how Through Christ that strengthneth mee Phil. 4 13. Here was Pauls strength not in himselfe but in Christ So much some conceive that Enigmaticall expression of his to import 2 Corinthians 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong When weak in himselfe then strong in Christ He it was that strengthned him The Lord stood by me and strengthned me so he tels Timothy 2 Tim. 4.17 And the like will he do to every soul that cleaveth to him and rests upon him Applic. Applic. Which speaks abundant consolation to all selfe-despairing souls Consolation to self-despairing souls which are made apprehensive of their own impotency their own inability to stand of themselves Let them know that being made one with Jesus Christ he is able to support them to make them stand As the Apostle saith of the weak brother Rom. 14.4 He shall be holden up or established for God is able to make him stand So say I of and to the weak Christian who despairing of his own strength relyeth wholly upon Jesus Christ he shall be holden up for Christ is able to make him stand Of all plants none weaker then the Ivie yet being joyned to the Oak none stand surer The Christian is weak in himselfe of himselfe subject every day to fall from the grace of God but being once united unto Christ Rom. 5.2 he standeth sure An Arminian Cavill refuted Object True may the Arminian say so long as that union continues he doth so But what if that be dissolved So long as the Ivie holdeth close to the Oak it is sure but what if it be separated severed from it Ans To this let the Apostle himselfe return the answer Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. No separation of the Believer from Christ Death it selfe which maketh a separation betwixt the soule and the body yet cannot make a separation betwixt Christ and the believer If the Ivie may be plucked and parted from the Oake there I leave the Similitude Sure I am the believer cannot be separated from Christ and consequently not fall away finally or totally from the grace of God And therefore how weak so ever in our selves yet be we strong in the Lord. So the Apostle expresseth it Ephes 6.10 Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might The Ivie is weak but the Oak is strong We are weak but Christ is strong El Gibbor the Mighty God Isai 9.7 Be we strong in the power of his might so shall his might be our might 2 Cor. 12.9 His power shall be made perfect in our weaknesse supporting sustaining strengthening us 2. And as supporting so nourishing 4. Resemb 2. Nutrition There is the fourth Resemblance The Ivie clasping about the Oak it receiveth nourishment from it which it sucketh and draweth from it after a secret and hidden manner And the like benefit doth Christ afford unto the believer The believer being united unto Christ he now liveth upon him as the Ivie upon the Oak The life which I now live in the flesh saith the Apostle I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 From him the believer by the power of his faith an attractive grace sucketh and draweth a spirituall vertue after an hidden manner Even as that poor woman in the Gospel by the touch of her finger or rather her faith drew from him a sanative vertue for the cure of her bodily infirmitie So doth the believer by the like touch of faith draw from him a nutritive vertue for the nourishing up of his soul unto eternall life Of which vertue all true believers are in their measure made partakers Being made one with Christ they live upon him His flesh is to them meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed John 6.55 He giveth unto them that water of life John 4.14 which whosoever drinketh shal never thirst any more viz. Siti totalis Indigentiae with a thrift of totall indigencie such a thirst as ariseth from a totall privation of God's grace thus is nourishment conveyed from Christ unto all true believers But of this I shall have occasion to insist more largely and fully when I come to handle the other similitude of Ingrafting where it will fall in more properly and naturally 5. Resemb 5. To this I might add in the fifth place that which followeth from the two former put together Living and dying with Christ viz. that which the Apostle himselfe here specifieth and instanceth in The Ivie being supported and nourished by the Oak now it liveth and dieth with it Thus the believer that is united unto Jesus Christ he partaketh with him both in his death and life In his death dying in him in regard of the merit of his death which redoundeth unto the believer no lesse then if he himselfe had died dying with him dying unto sin as he died for sin and that by a vertue issuing from his death In his life quickned and raised up by him and with him quickned from the death of sin raised from the grave of sin to a new spirituall and heavenly life the life of grace here and glory hereafter But both these I shall have occasion to deal with more fully in opening the Sequell of the Text to which place I shall refer them Thus you see the former of these Allegories in measure made out Come we to the later which my eye is principally upon as conceiving it here more properly intended by the Apostle Believers are planted together with Christ by way of Insition not only Complantati Similit 2. Believers planted with Christ by way of Insition but Implantati not only planted together with him but in him Even as the graft and the stock are planted together so is Christ and the believer they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insititii as Erasmus renders it Grafted with him Grafted with him as the former Translation hath it A Metaphor which this Apostle seemeth to be much delighted in and taken with In that 11th Chap. to the Romans we may see him prosecuting it at large where speaking of the bringing in
glorified Glorifieth here in this life in Sanctification begun in the life to come in Sanctification perfect Grace is Glory inchoated Glory is Grace consummated And thus not unfitly may we understand the language of the Text as intending this twofold Resurrection the first Resurrection whereof Christians in measure already are and shall be made partakers in this life the second Resurrection whereof they shall be made partakers in the life to come And of each of these we shall find it true which the Apostle here insinuates in the Text that they carry with them a Resemblance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Each carrying a Resemblance of Christ's Resurrection Each of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Representation of his Resurrection The truth hereof I shall shew you by comparing the one with the other And this I shall do severally beginning first with the first 1. The first Resurrection 1. The spiritual Resurrection carrieth a resemblance the raising up of the soul from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse this is a work which carrieth with it a resemblance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ A resemblance of a Resurrection and of his Resurrection Of a Resurrection in generall of his Resurrection in particular Touch upon each distinctly 1. In the generall 1. In generall of a corporall Resurrection This spirituall Resurrection carrieth with it a resemblance of a corporall Resurrection It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence it is that we find it so familiarly set forth under this expression If you be risen with Christ Col. 3 1. He hath raised us up together Ephes 2.6 Bring them together we shall find the one answering to the other See it in five or six particulars 1. They are alike in the Order of the work 1. Resemb In the Order of the work Resurrection presupposeth a Death going before it A man must first die before he can be capable of a Resurrection Herein lieth the difference betwixt Resurrection and Resuscitation the raising a man from his bed and from his grave In the one he is raised onely from sleep in the other from death This is peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resurrection Which word however it may be sometimes used for any kind of raising again As Luke 2.34 it is opposed to falling Behold this Child meaning Jesus is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet most commonly in Scripture phrase it imports a raising from the dead And such is this spirituall Resurrection It is such a Resurrection as presupposeth a Death So much the Text giveth us clearly to understand If we have been engrafted in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection Such was the Resurrection of Christ He first died before he rose again And such is the Resurrection of the Christian a resurrection which in order followeeh a death The Christian must first die to sin before he can be raised up to this new life this life of Righteousnesse This is the order which the Spirit of God in Scripture every where prescribeth and layeth down Psal 34.14 Depart from evill and do good Isai 1.16 17. Cease to do evill learn to do well 1 Pet. 3.11 If any man will love life and see good dayes let him eschew evill and do good As in naturall works Privation goeth before Generation so in this spirituall work Privation must go before Regeneration A thing must put off its old form and cease to be what it was before it can put on another form and become what it was not Thus must a Christian first put off the old man before he can put on the new Ephes 4.22 24. He must cease to live the life of sin before he can live the life of grace True in time these two go together but in order the one goeth before the other as Death doth before Resurrection A man is not capable of a corporall Resurrection untill he be dead There must first be a separation of the soul from the body And so must it be here Before man can be made partaker of this spirituall Resurrection he must die to sin There must be a separation of his soul from the body of sin otherwise he can never live unto God Mortification in order goeth before Vivification Applic. Some convinced to be strangers to this Resurrection Which by the way may convince many to be as yet strangers unto this blessed life However happily they may perform many duties and services unto God yet they do not live unto God How should they they never yet knew what it was to die to die unto sin Their souls are not yet separated from the body of sin they are not turned from and against all sin Some sins there are which their soules do yet cleave unto are wedded to they like them love them and live in them Against such the evidence is too clear they are strangers unto this Resurrection which in order followeth after death Here is a first resemblance 2. 2. Resemb In the Nature of the work This spirituall resembles a corporall Resurrection as in the Order so in the Nature of the work What is the Resurrection of the body but a motion from death to life a raising of a dead body from the grave of the earth to a new life and that by the return of the soul unto it which was for a time separated from it inabling it to exercise the operations of a naturall life And such is the spirituall Resurrection a motion from death to life from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse caused by the return of the Spirit of God unto the soul inabling it to exercise the operations of a spirituall life Mark it Such is this spirituall Resurrection Spirituall Resurrection what The quickning and raising up of a dead soul Such are all men by nature dead men The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God c. John 5.25 The dead men dead while they live living corporally but dead spiritually Dead in trespasses and sins as Paul hath it Ephes 2.1 having no more power to do any work of the spirituall life then a dead man of the naturall And as dead so buried Their souls daily as it were putrifying and rotting in the grave of sinfull corruption Such is the state of all men in their naturall condition before the grace of God meet with them Now this grace meeting with them it quickens and raiseth them Even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ and raised us up together Ephes 2.5 6. Thus in the work of Regeneration there is a new life put into the soul And that by the return of the Spirit of God into it At the first Creation of man man himself being made after the Image of
This it is which our Saviour meaneth in Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst So again Joh. 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shal never thirst that is he shal find a full satisfaction in me as that he shal not hunger and thirst after other things as somtimes he did his soul shal not run out inordinately after creature-comforts to seek for happinesse and contentment in them Thus doth the life of this new-creature carry with it in measure a conformity to the life of Jesus Christ after his Resurrection being as his was a spirituall life 2. An immortall life 2. And secondly an immortall life Thus was Christ raised never to die again And so is the Christian raised So the Apostle himselfe maketh out this Resemblance ver 9 10 11 12. of this Chapter Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him c Likewise reckon ye your selves also dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall bodies c. Christ being raised from the grave he returns no more to his old lodging to his former state He never came under the power and dominion of death again Even so the Believer being once raised up from the grave of sin he dieth no more Expresse to this purpose is that of our Saviour John 11.25 26. He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die This are we to understand not only of the second Resurrection as Arminians would have it who that they might decline the evidence of this Text make use of that subterfuge but also and most properly of the first Resurrection the raising up of the soul to a spirituall life Of such a life speaketh our Saviour in Joh. 5.25 The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they which hear it shall live Understand it not only of a corporall Resurrection as Grotius would have it in which sense yet it is true which is there said but of a spiritual Resurrection The Dead such as are spiritually dead dead in sin They shall hear the voice of the Son of God They shall hear Christ speaking to them in the Ministery of his word And they which hear this word hear it with faith They shall live live a spirituall life the life of grace here and glory hereafter And in a like sense are we to understand this passage in this 11th Chapter wherein our Saviour as Diodate observeth upon it according to his usuall custome taketh occasion from the corporall Resurrection before spoken of to instruct Martha in the doctrine of the spirituall Resurrection And speaking of this Resurrection he saith He that believeth on me though he were dead dead in trespasses and sins yet shall he live live a spirituall life And whosoever so liveth and believeth on me shall never die never die a spirituall death again never come under the power and dominion of sin again never totally fall from the grace which he hath received That incorruptible seed by which he is regenerated shal abide in him that Spirit of grace which he hath received shall maintain this spirituall life in him True indeed the body is still subject unto death but not so the soul If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 that is as Diodate and Beza and others expound it the body is yet subject to corporall death through the remainders of sin that are in all regenerate persons but The spirit is life even that little spark of the Spirit o grace that is still life unto the soul here and shall be both to soul and body hereafter through the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto them Their bodies they are daily decaying daily dying as Paul saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15.31 but not so their souls Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 And as for the second death that shall have no power over them Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death shal have no power Rev. 20.6 The second death is eternall death so expounded chap. 2. ver 8. And from this death are they freed who have their part in this first Resurrection The Believer an immortall creature O the blessed condition of a Believer The very day that he is raised up from the death of sin to the life of grace he is made an immortall creature That grace of God which bringeth this life bringeth immortality with it as the Apostle puts them together 2 Tim. 2.10 The believer dieth no more As for the death of nature it is not worth the name of death to him being only an entrance and passage into life and the poison and bitternesse of it being taken away As for those true and terrible deaths spirituall death the death of the soule eternall death the death both of soul and body these the believer is no more subject to Or though subject to them as in himself he is yet he shall be so kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation as he shall never actually come under the power of them He that will make a believer being once risen with Christ raised from the grave of sin subject to die again subject to fall away from the grace of God totally and finally and so to be brought under the power of the second death may as well make Christ subject to death after his Resurrection Christ being risen from the dead he dieth no more All the men and divels in the world could not drag him to the grave again being once risen from it The soul that is once risen with Christ quickned by his Spirit it is not all the power of hell that can bring it to the grave of sin again that can bring it under the power of a spirituall and eternall death Herein the Christian 's first Resurrection his soul-Resurrection answers the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ He is raised as Christ was in the generall to a new life in the particular to a spirituall to an immortall life Generall 2. The believer raised to the glory of God his Father And thus also is he raised as Christ was To the Glory of God the Fahter There is the second Generall Thus was Christ raised To the Glory of his Father and that both actively and passively Actively to the glorifying of him Thus was Christ raised 1. Actively to glorifie him Passively to be glorified with him 1. To glorifie him Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee So our Saviour begins his prayer John 17.1 This Jesus
was so he sufficiently manifested it to his Disciples after his Resurrection conversing with them to that end that they and others might be assured of the truth of his Resurrection To this end he not only spake to them but eat with them withall shewing them his martyred crucified body Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my selfe handle me and see c so he speaks to his Disciples Luke 24.39 40. And afterwards when Thomas not being at that time present with the rest was not satisfied concerning it he so far condescended to his weaknesse as to permit him to put his fingers into the prints of the nails and thrust his hand into his side John 20.27 Ipse auditus visus ne phantasma crederetur etiam contrectatus Tertul. advers Praxeam Thus did Christ manifest the reality of his Resurrection by audible visible sensible demonstrations He was both heard and seen and handled that none might ever question the truth of it Such was his Resurrection Such I shall the Believer's be And such shall the Believers Resurrection be a true Resurrection The same body which dieth shall rise again not another created and substituted in the room of it as the Manichees and some other Hereticks of old fondly dreamed but the same individuall body This was an Article of Job's faith I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth and shall at the last day stand on the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Job 19.25 26 27. Job was confident that that very body which he should lay down in the grave should be raised up at the last day And hereof Paul was as confident as he 1 Cor. 15.53 This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This corruptible this mortall So the Apostle spake saith Tertullian Tertul. adversus Marcion tenens utique carnem suam touching or pointing at his own flesh This very flesh and blood this Numericall Identicall Body shall rise again Tertul. libro de Resurrectione Resurget caro quidem omnis quidem ipsa quidem integra so the same Authour There shall be a Resurrection of the flesh of all flesh of the same flesh and of the whole flesh The same body shall be raised again That it shall be so and must be so Paul's reason is convincing 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the body whether good or evill This is the end of the Resurrection that there may be a compensation a retribution a gracious remuneration a just retaliation according to what men have done in the body Now should there another body be substituted in the room of that body which was the souls companion here upon earth this new body having done neither good nor evill what equity or congruity that it should receive either reward or punishment The same body that sinned must suffer The same body that suffered for Christ shall be glorified wiih Christ And therefore the same body shall rise again As Christ was raised so shall all Believers be for the verity of their Resurrection But this is common with them to all others 2. In the second place 2d Generall Resemblance In the Quality of it being Their Resurrection shall resemble his in the Quality of it His Resurrection was a Resurrection unto life and that life a spirituall life and a glorious life and an eternall life And such shall the Resurrection of all true Believers be 1. A Resurrection to life 1. A Resurrection to life Therein differing from the Resurrection of others So our Saviour sets it forth John 5.29 The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation Thus shall believers have a peculiar Resurrection Whence it is that they are called the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 because they shall obtain a better Resurrection as the Authour to the Hebrews calls it Heb. 11.35 better then others Their Resurrection shall not be a bare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely a Resurrection but a Resurrection to life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Saviour there calleth it the Resurrection of life Such shal be the Resurrection of the just as our Saviour cals it Luke 14.14 Such as are Evangelically just through the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them themselves also endeavouring after righteousnesse They shall come forth to the Resurrection of Life whereas others They that have done evill the workers of iniquity as our Savior describeth them Mat. 7.28 Luke 13.27 therein speaking in the language of the Psalmist Psal 5.5 125.5 Such as make a practice of sin they shall come forth to the Resurrection of Judgement so the Originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of condemnation punishment So it is explained Mat. 25. last These shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall In this shal the resurrection of believers resemble the resurrection of Christ It shall be a resurrection unto life 2. And that life a spirituall life 2. And that life in the 2d place shal be a spiritual Life Such was the life of Jesus Christ as I have shewn you after his Resurrection And such shal the lives of God's Saints then be They shal then live a spiritual life their bodies being then made spiritual bodies That is the Apostles Epethite 1 Cor. 15.44 So shal it be in the Resurrection of the dead dead Saints It is sown a natural it is raised a spiritual body The body whilest it liveth here is a natural body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animal body maintained by natural means as meats and drinks breathing and sleeping as other Animals are subject to all the infirmities of impaired nature sicknesses age death Such it is But in the Resurrection it shall be elevated to an higher state of perfection made a spiritual body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not in respect of substance as if the body should be turned into a spirit or into an Aery Ethereal Substance as some have fondly imagined but in respect of the Qualities and Perfections which it shall then be endued with It shall then subsist without the help of naturall supports neither shall it thenceforth be subject to any such naturall infirmities That which was sown in weaknesse shal be raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 The body shall be maintained in that state to which it is raised by the continued efflux of a supernaturall power so as the person shall thenceforth live after a sort an Angelical Life according to that
this way gloriously manifested 1. In that God was pleased thus to dispence with his own Law In dispencing with his Law The Law was peremptory The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 under that one particular menacing every transgression with death Now with this Law God being the supream Law-giver and so having power to dispence with his own positive and penall Lawes he dispenceth being content to accept that satisfaction which the Law required from the person of another This dispensation was an act of grace free grace God was no waies bound to admit of such a satisfaction by a Surety which the rigour of the Law exacted from the person of the offender 2. That God was pleased to indulge such a dispensation unto Men not to Angels For men not Angels God spared not the Angels which fell saith Saint Peter but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto Judgment 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. Here is no relaxation but a strict execution of Justice upon them Not the like upon man To him God grants a dispensation a gracious dispensation moderating Justice with Mercy admitting such a Satisfaction for him not for the Angels 3. That God did not only admit this way of Satisfaction but himselfe finde it out In finding out this way This was his Act an act of his Wisdome God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 When men and Angels were at a losse neither of them could find out a way of satisfaction unto the Justice of God but by an eternity of punishment now God himself findeth out a way This was an act of Grace of speciall and singular Grace there being nothing else that could move God to it but his Grace Yet further 4. That God should put his own Son upon this Work 4. In putting his Son upon the work His Son his Naturall Son his own Image his onely Son his dear and welbeloved Son his second selfe that he should give him here was grace here was love unparalell'd love So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3.16 So how So as cannot be either paralell'd or expressed That he should give him and that not only to declare the way and means of Reconciliation by his Doctrine in his Life and to confirm it with his Blood in his Death which is the highest pitch that the Socinian reacheth but also to make Reconciliation as the Authour to the Hebrews hath it cap. 2. ver 17. And that by making satisfaction unto the Justice of God by giving his life a Ransome for us Surely never such an act of Grace as this Herein God commendeth his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us saith Saint Paul Rom. 5.8 Herein is love saith Saint John not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 4.10 This act of God in giving Christ unto death for us how ever it was an act of Justice towards Christ yet it was an act of Grace towards us So the Apostle expresly holdeth it forth Heb. 2.9 That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man the grace of God towards the universality of his Elect for whose sake Christ was offered Henceforth then let the mouth of the Adversary be for ever stopped Christ's Satisfaction exalteth God's Grace Let not Socinians charge this upon us as they do that whilest we assert the Satisfaction of Christ we derogate and detract from the Grace of God Nay therein we advance and exalt it and that far above what ever they by their doctrine do or can do To give Christ to be a Surety for us is a greater act of grace then to give him to be a Teacher to us To give him to die for us in our room and stead is greater grace then to give him onely for a Guid to direct and lead us by his Doctrine and Example Yet further 5. In the fifth place Behold the Grace of God further exercised in the Application of this Satisfaction 5. In the free Application of this Satisfaction to some not others Where is it that God applyeth the death of Christ maketh it effectuall to one and not to another Surely this is no other but an act of Grace free Grace Let it then go for a most unjust and groundlesse imputation that Christ's Satisfaction cannot stand with the grace of God when as the one shineth forth so clearly so gloriously in the other Justification an act of grace notwithstanding this Satisfaction Alleg. But yet it will be said If such a Satisfaction hath been made and received how can Justification then be said to be an act of Grace free-grace So we find it held forth in Scripture Isai 43.25 I even I am he saith the Lord that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake Being justified freely by his grace saith the Apostle Rom. 3.24 Now how can this be if such a Satisfaction be made Ans To this it is answered Still both these will stand well together God blotteth out our sins for his own sake and yet for Christ's sake The phrase excludes our merits not his merits No it is with his Blood that these sins are blotted out 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Again well may God be said to forgive sins for his own sake whilest he forgives them for his Son's sake in as much as Father and Son are both one One as in essence so in will and worke only differing in order of working Thus are they one in this act of Justification And thence is it that forgivenesse of sins is attributed sometimes to Christ Col. 3.13 Even as Christ forgave you And thus may we be said to be justified freely by Grace and yet through the merits of Christ So much we may learn from the Apostle in that place alledged Rom. 3.34 where he putteth them both together Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus The like again Ephes 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his Grace And well may these stand together as being causes subordinate the one to the other God's grace the supreme and first moving cause Christ's Redemption the meritorious and procuring cause Thus are we said to be justified not onely by Grace but freely by Grace viz. in reference to us our merits not so to the merits of Jesus Christ Alleg. But it may be further said How Forgivenesse of sin standeth with this Satisfaction Supposing such a Satisfaction how then can sins be said to be forgiven That is the word in frequent use in Scripture In the Lords Prayer we pray Forgive us our Debts And so we finde Justification frequently called the forgivenesse of sins one part of it being by a Synecdoche put
of ver 17. miraculous works wrought by the power of God for the confirming of their Doctrine And of such use were those unparalell'd works wrought by Christ himself They were a strong confirmation to his word carrying with them a strong conviction leaving unbelievers without excuse and aggravating their Infidelity So our Saviour presseth it upon the Jews in that place fore-named Joh. 15.24 If I had not done among them the works which no man did they had not had sin They might then have had some plea some excuse for their Infidelity their rejecting him and his doctrine How ever their sin had not been so hainous as now it was This Testimony added to the former rendred their infidelity both inexcusable and damnable Thirdly By his Blood 3. By his Blood Thus he also confirmed his Doctrine taking his death upon it sealing the Covenant with his Blood Thus were Covenants anciently ratified and confirmed by Sacrifices Psal 50.5 with Blood Thus was that Old Covenant made betwixt God and his people as I shewed you even now with the sprinkling of Blood Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the Blood The Old Covenant made with Blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the Blood of the Covenāt which the Lord hath made with you In imitation wherof the Heathens afterwards made their Covenants after the same manner Thence came the word Sanctio a Sanction as some conceive it à Sanguine from Blood which was used in the making of it A mystical ceremony betokening the constancy and stability required in keeping of the Covenant specially Covenants made with God which ought to be even to the shedding of blood loss of life As our new Annotation explains it in the place last named Or as others importing a Commination Grot. Com. in Mat. 26.18 or execration against him that should violate such a Covenant viz. that his blood should be shed after the same manner Even as the story tels us of Saul 1 Sam. 11. Engaging the people to a just revenge of that reproachful affront offered by Nahash the Ammonite to the men of Jabesh-Gilead when he required them to put out their right eyes before he would make a covenant with them He took a yoake of oxen saith ver 7. and hewed them in pieces and sent them through all the Coasts of Israel by the hand of the Messengers saying Whoseever cometh not forth after Saul after Samuel so shall it be done unto his oxen viz. they should be hewed in pieces after the like manner The like signification probably there was in this Ceremony of blood used in covenants to intimate what they deserved who should violate them viz. to have their blood shed Thus was that old Covenant made And thus was this new Covenant So is the new Covenant made It was ratified after the like manner with blood Only with this difference That was confirmed with the blood of Beasts this with the Blood of the Mediator as the Apostle observeth it Heb. 9.12 c. To this end among other it was that Jesus Christ shed his Blood upon the Cross for the ratifying that Covenant wherof he was the Mediator So much we may learn from himselfe Mat. 26.28 where in the Celebration of his last Supper taking the Cup into his hands which was a Sacrament of his blood afterward to be shed upon the Crosse This saith he is my blood in the new Testament or Covenant And thus elsewhere we finde the Blood of Christ called the Blood of the Covenant So you have it Zach. 9.11 where the Prophet speaking of those deliverances Temporall and Spirituall which poor captives should receive by the Messiah As for thee saith he by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent thy prisoners out of the pit where is no water That Blood of the Covenant was the Blood of the Messiah whose Covenant is by Blood as the margin there readeth that place And so again Heb. 10.29 and 13.20 the Apostle speaking of the Blood of Christ he calleth it the Blood of the Covenant the Everlasting Covenant id est the Blood of Christ wherby the new Covenant was ratified and confirmed So it was and that both on our part and Gods part On our part in the wayes aforesaid minding us how stable we ought to be in the Covenant of our God how we ought to resist even unto Blood if God call us to it striving against sin Heb. 12.4 And what we shall deserve in case we shall violate that Covenant On Gods part assuring us of the performance of the Covenant Which last I conceive without any prejudice to what hath been already said may be looked upon as most properly and peculiarly intended by the Apostle in that place forealledged Heb. 7.22 where he calleth Christ the Surety of this better Covenant Pareus Com. ad loc viz. Quia novum foedus sanguine morte suâ obsignavit as Pareus explains it Because he hath sealed the New-Covenant with his Blood taking his death upon it Therby assuring unto beleevers the performance of all those promises which he had made to them in the name of God his Father Here is a third Insurance 4. The fourth and last is the Spirit 4. By his Spirit This is yet a further witness So Saint John maketh it in that known but obscure place 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear witnesse in Earth the Spirit and Water and Blood What he means there by water and Blood I have shewen you before from the sixth verse which I fell with by the way By the one is understood the benefit of Justification purchased by the blood of Christ By the other of sanctification an effect of his Spirit which is compared to water for the cleansing purifying qualitie of it Now to these the Apostle joyns also the Spirit as giving yet a further Testimony It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse saith the sixth verse there Not but that the Blood and the water bear witnesse also The Blood of Christ shed upon the Crosse and sprinkled upon the Conscience of the Beleever that sealeth up the Covenant to him And so doth the work of Grace the work of Sanctification wrought in the heart by the Spirit But besides this there is yet another witness which is the witnesse of the spirit viz. an Immediate work of the same spirit of Christ sealing up the covenant of grace unto the soul and conscience of a beleever assuring and perswading him of Gods performance of the conditions of his part The witness of the Spirit what This is the witnesse which the Apostle spea of in that known place Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God The spirit beareth witnesse concerning our Adoption with our Spirit or to our Spirit the Original wil bear either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this it doth not only mediately by the work of it by making a real and
the office of his Mediatorship onely for man and not at all for the Angels Others more warily they distinguish There is a two-fold Mediation A twofold Mediation of Christ say they the one of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called Mediatio duplex Alia Redemptionis alia Conservationis Tilen Syntag. de officio Christi Sec. 30. the other of Preservation or Confirmation Now as for the former of these say they it agreeth not unto the Angels Not unto the good Angels they needed it not having never fallen Nor to the evill Angels They indeed stood in need of a Mediatour as well as man but Christ did not undertake this for them So much himselfe insinuates Mat. 25.41 where he saith that Hell fire is prepared for the Divell and his Angels And Saint Jude speaking of them tels us that the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation God hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Jude 6. Their fall being with a high hand in a presumptuous way without any previous Tentation it was irreparable irrecoverable Christ never intended them any benefit by his Mediation as Origen of old and some Anabaptists at this day hold In this sense Christ is a Mediatour onely to man-kind not to the Angels whether evill or good not a Mediatour of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called And in this sense are we to understand the Text. Christ a Mediatour of Redemption onely to men Jesus Christ is Mediatour betwixt God and men yea and onely betwixt them viz. as a Redeemer a Propitiatour So the verse following explains it Who gave himselfe a Ransome for all This he did not for the Angels but for man-kind onely And so may that other Text alledged Heb. 2.6 expounded Hebr 2.16 be most fitly and properly construed Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Where the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth apprehendere to sieze upon a thing to catch at it to lay fast hold upon it when it is going from a man Thus you shall find it used in the proper signification of it Mat. 14.31 where it is said that when Peter was ready to sink Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is the same Jesus took hold of him to save him And thus may it most aptly be rendred and construed in this place Christ took not hold of the Angels but the seed of Abraham he took hold of Angels and men being fallen they were all like Peter swimming in the same sea of misery sinking into the bottome of hell the gulfe of everlasting perdition Now the Lord Jesus he took hold not of the Angels but of man-kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hîc est vindecare sive asserere in libertatem manu injectâ Grotius ad loc Hyperius ad locum Vide Leigh Critica Sacra ad verbum suffering the one to sink and perish he redeemed and recovered the other So the word in that place is most genuinely expounded by Hyperius and Grotius and others And indeed the very Context leadeth us unto this sense In the verse fore-going it is said that Christ took the nature of man upon him our flesh and blood that he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage This was the end of his Incarnation to save lost man-kind And this he did For verily he took not hold of the Angels but of the seed of Abraham Laying a strong hand upon the one to vindicate and recover their liberty not so on the other Herein Jesus Christ hath expressed his love unto man-kind more then to the Angels being a Mediatour of Redemption to the one not to the other But of Preservation and Confirmation Christ a Mediatour of confirmation to Angels without any danger that I know he may be said to be Thus is he a Mediatour to the good Angels This however they kept their first estate yet being created mutable creatures Quaevis creatura rationalis in puris naturalibus constituta errare ac peccare potest Aquin. Sum part 1. q. 63. Conclus they were subject to fall This some of them had done and the rest were not to be trusted So much we may learn from that passage Job 4.18 Behold saith he God put no trust in his servants and his Angels he charged with folly Though not with Actuall yet with Potentiall Folly He well saw what they were and how ready they might be to do what their fellowes had done if left to themselves though they were not as yet sinfull and miserable yet soon they might have been unlesse they were confirmed and upheld in that state by a power greater then their own And what power should that be but the power of him who upholdeth all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1.3 The power of Jesus Christ by him it was that they were created Col. 1.16 and by him they are upheld The good Angels have benefit by Christ Questionlesse the good Angels have a near and a mysticall relation unto Jesus Christ and are beholding to him though not so much yet as well as man-kind He is a common head to both both meeting together in him So that place of the Apostle is most genuinely expounded Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are in earth even in him Angels in heaven and men upon earth make one mysticall Body meeting together in the same Head So Christ is called As the Head of man 1 Cor. 11.3 The Head of every man is Christ So of the Angels Colos 2.10 He is the Head of Principalities and Powers Hence is it that the good Angels are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Now Christ is the Head of the Election None are elected but in him and for him Ephes 1.4 And thus they are stiled the Sons of God Job 1.6 2.1 38.7 Sons not by nature That is Christ's Prerogative who is the onely begotten Son of God John 1.14 3.16 But by grace the grace of Adoption and that also must be by and through Jesus Christ Ephes 1.5 And thus are they reckoned as a part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generall Assembly the Catholick Church Heb. 12.22 And being so they must have some benefit by Jesus Christ viz. the benefit of Preservation and Confirmation By and through him they come to have a more perfect union with God And thus may we understand that very obscure Text of the Apostle Colos 1.20 expounded which Expositors are not a little troubled about Colos 1.20 It pleased the Father c. By him viz. by Christ to reconcile all things to himselfe whether they be things
entred those lists But there is a fatal yet Providential necessitie in it There must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.16 such is Satan's malice and Man's corruption that in an ordinary way it cannot be expected that God's Field should be free from these tares And such is Gods just and wise dispensation to permit it to be so knowing how to extract good out of evill And seeing it must be so there is a like necessity incumbent upon the Ministers of God servants of that great Husbandman that they should have John 15.1 1 Cor. 3.9 an eye to them that they do not over-grow the good corn Upon this account it is that I have as occasion hath been offered underta-that work which our great Apostle the Dr. of the Gentiles reckons amongst those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those good works 2 Tim. 3.17 unto which the man of God should be throughly furnished Applying my self sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Reproof Engl. new Annot ver 16. viz. of Errors and false Doctrines which the Verse foregoing reckoneth as one of those four Cardinal uses for which the Scripture is profitable yet so as I have ever mainly intended those other Ministeriall services there mentioned of Doctrine Correction Instruction in Righteousnesse And to that end I have made choice of such portions of Scripture as I apprehended properly usefull for those purposes Among other I have singled out and now through a divine manuduction almost passed thorow this Chapter wherof the Text is a part with that fore-going Rom. 5. 6. The one of which professedly handles the Doctrine of Justification the other of Sanctification two main Pillars in the House of the Lord not unlike those in the Temple of Dagon Judg. 19.26 whereon the whole building stands The sum of the later of these you meet with in the Text held forth under a familiar but apt and elegant Metaphor serving as a vehiculum to convey this divine Mystery into the soul with greater both facility perspicuity In prosecuting of this Allegory I have endeavoured to follow it home to the head yet so as not willing to do what in like cases too often done viz. to overdo by extorting that from the Metaphor which it would not genuinely and naturally yeeld My service which I have herein desired to do to God and his Church as I wish it may so I hope it shall be accepted of the Saints and of You in speciall over whom God hath made me though most unworthy an Overseeer To his grace and blessing I coÌ„mend it and you resting Yours in the service of Christ desirous to be found faithful JOHN BRINSLEY Yarmouth Sept. 8. 1651. An Alphabetical Table of the chiefe Points handled in this TREATISE A AArons Rod blossoming miraculous p. 26 Adoption a benefit flowing from mysticall Insition 37. Agonies in the Christians death to sin both before conversion and after 111 The least Agony in true conversion 116. Apostates to be suspected their condition dangerous 55. 240. Why men are called upon to Arise from the Dead 158. Augmentation a benefit flowing from union with Christ 51. Augmentation an evidence of Mysticall Implantation 54. B BArren Christians no true Mysticall Branches 74 The same body shall be raised again 181. 182 Bodies glorified spirituall Bodies 184. Mysticall Branches Beleevers 15. C CAll of God not to be put off 121 Cessation from sin evidencing true Mortification 137 Christ Mysticall 33. Communion Mysticall betwixt Christ and the Beleever 35 Conformity of Christians to Christ in his Death 90 Conformity of Christians to Christ in his Resurrection 146 In the first act of Conversion man a meer Patient 28 Conversion more then a morall swasion 158 D BEleevers Dead unto sin three wayes 125. 127 Death of Christ a violent death 99 Death of Christ a painfull death 108 Death of Christ a lingring death 118 Death unto sin a dying a continued act 121 Death unto sin what 126 Death of Christ the cause of the Christians death unto sin 130 Death unto sin how evidenced 135 E ETernall life a spirituall life 184 Eternal life a glorious life 186 F FAith without works dead 73 Christ a Foundation how 82 Fructification a benefit issuing from union with Christ 68. 72 Gospel Fruits good works 70 Fruitfulness an evidence of Mysticall Implantation 75 Fruitfulnesse in good works why requisite 76 Directions for Fruitfulnesse 78 Fulnesse of Christ the beleevers 40 G. GOspel preached the meanes of Mysticall Insition 24 Grafting naturall and mysticall unlike in three particulars 18 Grafting naturall and mysticall alike in ten particulars 22 Growth a property of all mysticall branches 52 Growth in grace to be endeavoured after 57 Growth in grace the honour of Christ and glory of Christianity 59 Growth in the Christian continuall ibid. Doubts about spirituall growth cleered 60 Hinderances of spirituall growth six 63 Means of growth 67 I. THe Christian an immortall creature 175 Insition mysticall what 13 Insition mysticrll how tryed 24 Joseph's brethren coming to him a pattern of the Christians coming to Christ 47 Judas never given to Christ as the other Apostles 85 Justification a benefit flowing from union with Christ 36 L. THe Law a Grafting knife 23 The beleever living and dying with Christ 12 No spiritual life out of Christ 25 The Christians life a new life in four particulars 165 Life of the Regenerate a spiritual life 171 An immortal life 173 Life of Saints in heaven spirituall glorious eternall 184 186 Beleevers live the life of Christ 209 Life of Christ after his Resurrection a pattern for Christians to live by 236 Lusts being dead alone what to do to them 102 Reprieving of lusts dangerous 107 M. MOrtification resembleth the death of Christ in five particulars 91 Mortification counterfeit discovered 93 Mortification a voluntary act 97 Mortification a violent death 100 Mortification a painful work 110 Mortification a lingring death 118 Mortification how the beleevers work 133 Mortification twofold Habituall Actuall 134 Mortification in what way to be sought and endeavoured 140 N Name of Christ put upon Christians 33. Nourishment beleevers receive from Christ 11. Christ perfect Nourishment to the beleever 44. Nourishment how conveyed to the soul from Christ 45. Nourishment to be drawn from Christ 47 Nutrition a benefit flowing from Vnion with Christ 43. O OLd age the unfittest time for the work of Regeneration 219. Old age renders conversion difficult and suspicious 220. Repentance in Olde age difficult to man not to God 224. P Pelagian doctrine confuted 29 Beleevers planted together in Christ 3 Beleevers planted together with Christ 5. Plantation mystycall by way of Adhesion and Insition 6. Mysticall Implantation how effected 16. â—â—â—ll Implantation the work of free grace 31. 〈◊〉 spiritvall Pride 7 Q 〈…〉 a Quickning spirit 200 〈…〉 discerned 202 R CHrist Raised to the glory of God his father how 176. Beleevers raised to the glory of God Actively and Passively 177 Resurrection Corporall and Spiritual 146
Proclamation runs Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters and he that hath no money come Buy wine and milk without money or without price A gracious invitation wherein Christ proclaimeth a free-Mart to all those that feel themselves to stand in need of true grace and sound comfort and desire a supply thereof let them come unto him but come emptie-handed without money or monies worth bringing nothing of their own with them nothing but hungring and thirsting souls So shall they be supplyed with wine and milk all things needfull to their spirituall refreshment and nourishment 5. And thus coming to him now cast our selves upon him 5. Cast our selves upon him depend upon him So did Joseph's brethren at their last coming now they cast themselves upon Joseph depending upon him for provision for them and theirs The like do we not knowing where else to have our wants supplyed Master John 6.68 whither shall we go saith Peter thou hast the words of eternall life come we unto Jesus Christ and cast our selves upon him in a confident assurance of being nourished by him As David saith of temporall food Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord c and verily thou shalt be fed So say I of spirituall Trust in the Lord rest upon Jesus Christ and verily thou shalt be fed So doth the graft upon the stock it resteth upon it and depends upon it for nourishment which by an attractive vertue being hungry as it were it sucks and draweth from it And the like do we from Jesus Christ coming unto him in the sense of our wants set faith awork which is an attractive grace thereby as it were sucking and drawing this nutritive vertue from him 6. Give glory and honour unto Jesus Christ 6. Which being in our measure made partakers of now give praise honour and glory to Jesus Christ offering unto him the best that we have So Jacob directeth his sons at their return into Egypt In as much as they had received such speciall and undeserved favour from the Governour of the Land to furnish them with corn without money he orders them to take the best fruits in the land in their vessels and carry down the man a present a little balm and a little honey c. Gen. 43.11 The like do we having tasted of this so undeserved a favour this speciall grace of Jesus Christ in the communication of his saving sanctifying Spirit unto us in any measure now present him with such as we have Praise Honour Glory Service Obedience Bringing forth fru t answerable Above all endeavouring to bring forth fruits answerable to what we have received This is the greatest honour that the graft can do to the stock to bring forth fruit in it answerable to that nourishment which it hath received from it And this is the greatest honour that we can do to Jesus Christ when we shew forth his vertues his praises as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. 2.9 And this do we not onely in word speaking well of the Name of Christ extolling and magnifying his power his vertue put forth in and upon us But also and chiefly in deed by expressing that power those vertues in the course of our lives and conversations bringing forth fruits in measure worthy of sutable to such a Stock But of this God willing more hereafter Here is the first of these subordinate benefits which accrew unto the believer from his communion with Jesus Christ being ingrafted into him he receiveth nourishment from him A second followes viz. Augmentation The Graft being put into the Stock and receiving nourishment from it 7. Resembl A second Benefit Augmentation now it groweth up in it And the like doth the Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ being ingrafted into him and receiving spirituall nourishment from him now he groweth up in him Ex iisdem nutrimur crescimus Nutrition and Augmentation are both from the same cause That which plants are nourished by that they grow by Christians receiving nourishment from Christ they grow and increase in him So it followeth in that fore-cited Text of the Apostle Col. 2.19 Where speaking of the mysticall Body of Christ the Church he saith that having nourishment ministred to it from the Head it increaseth with the increase ef God Thus doth the mysticall Body of Christ grow not only Extensively in regard of the daily addition of new members to it there being daily added to the Church such as shall be saved Acts 2.47 In which respect the Apostle saith that it groweth unto an holy Temple Ephes 2.21 But also Intensively in regard of the growth of every member This is true Augmentation when it is secundùm omnes partes when every member of the body every branch of the tree groweth and increaseth in the severall dimensions thereof And thus groweth the Body of Christ the Church Every member of it groweth increaseth with the Increase of God that is a spirituall Increase which is both from God and to God From God as the principall Efficient Cause of it Paul planteth Apollos watereth but God giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 And it tends to God to his Glory as the ultimate end of it And besides for the kind of it it is a divine Increase not in the things of this world but in the things of God In all which respects it is called the Increase of God Whereof all living Branches are made partakers Christ himself And with this Increase do all the true members of this mysticall Body all the living Branches ingrafted into this Stock grow and increase Thus did Christ himselfe who in respect of his Manhood was a Branch grow and increase So it was fore-told that he should do Isai 53.2 He shall grow up before him as a tender plant Which is to be understood both of his Person and Kingdome Both which were of small beginnings but growing So did Christ in his Person according to his humane nature he grew and increased and that as in the outward so in the inward man as in stature so in Grace So you have it attested Luke 2.40 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdome and the Grace of God was upon him and again ver last And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man Thus did he grow the Graces of the Divinity breaking forth and shewing themselves by little and little through the lanthorn of the Humanity according to the maturity of the faculties thereof Herein was Christ a Pattern and sampler to the Believer who being in Christ is in his measure made conformable to him growing up in him It is one of the properties which the Psalmist giveth of the righteous man Every righteous person Psal 92.12 He shal grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Cedars are growing trees every year putting forth a new set of shoots till they come to their full perfection And thus is it or
at least ought to be with the true Christian He groweth from one degree and measure of grace to another untill he come unto a perfect man Ephes 4.13 to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ In this like the morning Sun That is the Wise man's comparison Pro. 4.18 The path of the righteous is as the shining light the morning brightnesse that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Thus doth the light of the morning break forth the Sun stil climing higher and higher untill it come to its Zenith the mid-heavens And such is the way the course of the righteous man he groweth in grace until he attain to the height of eternall glory This is of the nature of true Grace so to do It is of the nature of true Grace to grow And thence it is compared to Seed Mark 4.26 So is the Kingdome of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground which springeth and groweth up night and day And a little after to a Grain of Mustard seed which being the least of all seeds one of the least or least among those which were then commonly known in Judea yet being sowen it groweth up and becometh greater then all herbs Even so is it with the Kingdome of Jesus Christ As with his Politicall Kingdome his Church visible so with his Spiritual Kingdome the work of Grace in the hearts of his chosen being small at the first it groweth and increaseth unto great perfection I shall not give way to inlargements Hereby try the truth of our Engrafting into Christ Applic. Every of us bring this home to our selves and hereby try whether we bee truely engrafted into Jesus Christ or no. If the Graft grow in the stock it is a sure evidence of its Insition Spirituall Augmentation is as clear and an evidence of a Mysticall Implantation Growing up in Christ presupposeth Vnion and Communion with him A comfortable truth to all those who doe finde any such growth in themselves a growth in Grace in Knowledge Faith Love Patience Humility in victory over corruptions in desires and indeavours after holinesse Let this assure to them their inbeing in Christ But not so to others Dwarfes and nurlings in Christianity such as stand at a stay grow not at all such have just cause to suspect themselves that they are not such as they would be thought to be and perswade their own hearts that they are If we see a graft in the spring time not putting forth not growing at all the stock being alive we suspect thereupon that however it was put into the stock yet it did not take there is no Coalition no true union betwixt them And the like may wee say of not growing Christians Such have just cause to suspect themselves that however they are outwardly and visibly ingrafted into Christ in respect of a formall profession yet inwardly they are not so They have no true Vnion or Communion with him But what shall we then thinke of those who Apostates to be suspected in stead of growing decay wither decline fall away In stead of going from strength to strength they goe from strength to weaknesse from zeal to lukewarmness from forwardness to remisnesse losing their first love and what they have wrought Having begun in the spirit they end in the flesh Such Apostates there are too many to be found Such as having for a time run wel are letted turned back or turned aside with Demas imbracing the present world Casting off if not the Cloak of profession yet all Care and Conscience of close walking with God Of all others such have greatest cause to suspect themselves that they were never truely engrafted into Christ Falling starrs were never true Christians who having shined as lights in the world do lose all their heat and lustre falling away totally from the grace seemingly received surely at the best they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meteors apparences no true stars No true engrafted branches only tyed on to the stock adhering unto Christ in an outward profession out of some by sinister respect They were never rightly closed with united to him Neither can they expect to receive any benefit by him So much they may learn from those known terrible Texts Heb. 6.6 10.26 Where the Apostle speaking of desperate Apostates such as having been enlightned with the knowledge of the Truth and having tasted of the heavenly gift inward peace of Conscience arising from an apprehenhension of their reconciliation with God and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost of the gifts of the Holy-Ghost such as those mentioned cap. 2. ver 4. c. If they fall away viz. totally by an universall Apostacie It is impossible saith he to renew them again to Repentance For such there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins cap. 10.26 Their condition most desperate Hearken you revolters and Backsliders Of all others your condition is most dangerous most desperare This your drawing back carrieth a dreadfull presage with it If any man draw back saith the Lord my soul shall have no pleasure in him vers 38. of that Chapter No pleasure in him There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the phrase less said then intended Gods soul hates and abhors such an one They which so draw back draw back unto perdition So it followeth v. 39. We are not of them which draw back unto perdition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Back-sliding children are sons of perdition Those branches which wither and dy in the stocke wherinto they were put John 15.6 are thenceforth fit for nothing but the fire Vse 2. Let the fear of the Lord our God then be upon every of us Let us grow up in Christ who have given up our names unto Jesus Christ and have had his name called upon us As we would evidence to our own souls and to the world the truth of our Insition engrafting into him and as we would receive any benefit by him see that we grow up in him This Christ expecteth from all those who give up their names unto him that they should grow up in him That ye may grow up into him saith the Apostle Eph. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Grotius put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into him for In him As Branches grow up in the stock so Grow we up in Christ Growing in Grace growing in grace That is the Exhortation wherewith St. Peter closeth up his later Epistle But grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 Every of us indeavour after such a growth A growth in Grace in all Grace In all Grace That is the Apostles addition in that place forenamed Eph. 4.15 That ye may grow up into him in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all the parts of spirituall life in all spirituall graces Such is true Augmentation as I told you when a thing groweth proportionably in all the dimensions of
deadly wound and it begins to die It hath already lost much of that power and strength which it had And in this respect it may be said to be dead to him and he to it Even as a man that is in a consumption having lost his bodily strength and his radicall moisture being in great measure exhausted and spent such a one may be said to be a dead man dead whilest he liveth So though sin do still live in a regenerate person yet in as much as it is in a consumption the power and strength of it gone it may be said to be dead It lieth a dying Now we say of a man in that case a man that is drawing home that he is a dead man He hath begun to die 3. In respect of Assurance 3. In respect of Assurance Sin in a regenerate person having begun to die it shall certainly die it shall speedily die Certainly The wound which it hath received is incurable a deadly wound so as though it may live for a time yet it shall languish and decay more and more till it be utterly extinct which it shall be and that speedily The death of sin is not far off to such a one The story in the Gospel tels us of a certain Disciple who asked leave of his Master Christ that before such time as he followed him he might first go and bury his Father Mat. 8.21 Now here some move the question What was his Father dead that he would go bury him Most probably he was not onely he was very aged having one foot in the grave so as in course of nature he could not live long and in that regard he looketh upon him and speaketh of him as a dead man ready for the grave So is it with the body of sin in a regenerate person It is dying and cannot live long It is much infeebled already and by death which is not far off from any it shall utterly be extinguished and abolished Death separating the soul from the body shall separate sin from both He that is dead is freed from sin saith the Apostle ver 7. of this Chapter which is true as to the regenerate in a literall as well as a mysticall sense Thus you see the former of these Propositions briefly opened and cleared All that are Christs are dead to sin as he died for sin As briefly of the later Doct. 3. The Believer death to sin is from the death of Christ D. 3. This their death to sin is from the death of Christ for sin So much the Metaphor in the Text imports Believers are planted together with Christ in the likenesse of his death that is they are made conformable to Christ in his death and that by a vertue flowing from his death Thus the Graft dieth with the Stock it dieth in it and by it The death of the one is the cause of death in the other Thus is the believer said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death he dieth with Christ and the death of Christ is the cause of that death in him This is that which the Apostle saith of himselfe Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world Paul was a mortified man dead to the world and dead to sin But how came he so to be why this he attributes to the Crosse of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom or by which it may be referred to either The death of Christ the cause of this death It was the Crosse of Christ the Death of Jesus Christ which was the cause of this death in him And so is it in all other believers The Cause of it And that not only Not onely 1. Meritorious 1. The Meritorious Cause True so it is This is one of the benefits which Jesus Christ merited and purchased for his Elect by his death that they might die unto sin He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ by his death merited for his people not only a deliverance from the guilt but also from the power of sin But not only so 2. Nor yet onely the Exemplsry 2. Exemplary Cause of it as Pelagians of old and Socinians at this day would have it True it is so also Christ was a pattern and example to the Christian as in his life so in his death He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 He died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin But this is not all 3. In the third place then 3. But also Efficient it is the Efficient Cause working this death in the believer by a secret vertue issuing from it Thus are Christians here said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death Non tantùm imitatione Beza Gr. Annot in Text. sed virtute as Beza rightly not only by way of Imitation conforming themselves unto his death as the pattern of their Mortification but also by way of Efficacy being conformed thereunto by a vertue flowing from Christ and his death And so much the word in the Text as Beza notes upon it doth here insinuate which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. a word saith he of passive signification importing not barely a conformity Conformatione mortis ejus Beza but a conformation as he renders it not only a being like but being made like and that by a power and vertue out of themselves viz. the power and vertue of Christ and his death working an answerable death in them And so much that word used by the Apostle to the same purpose Phil. 3.10 implies Being made conformable unto his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conformis factus or configuratus not conforming my selfe viz. by way of Imitation but being made conformable viz. by a power out of my selfe the power and vertue of Christ's death And this is that which the Authour to the Hebrews plainely asserts Heb. 9.14 where he layeth down this as one of the fruits of Christ's death The blood of Jesus Christ purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Dead works So he calleth sinfull lusts not formally as if they had no life no activity in them but effectively because they are deadly works bringing death upon the sinner that liveth in them Now from these saith the Apostle the Blood of Christ cleanseth the conscience of the sinner and so it doth not only in respect of the guilt of sin in Justification but also the power of it in Sanctification from which it so freeth the sinner as that he may now serve the living God The former of these is done by the merit the later by the vertue of
the likenesse of the one they shall be also in the likenesse of the other They shall be engrafted in the likenesse of his Resurrection that is they shall be made partakers of a Resurrection which carries with it a resemblance Instar ejus resurgent H. Grotius ad Text. a likenesse of his Resurrection Quest But what Resurrection is this Here is the first and main Question A twofold Resurrection Corporall Spirituall Ans For answer whereunto we may take notice of a two-fold Resurrection spoken of in Scripture a corporall a spirituall Resurrection the one of the Body the other of the Soul The later of these is the first Resurrection so called as it is commonly taken by Saint John Revel 20.6 where he pronounceth them blessed who have their part in the first Resurrection True indeed the Resurrection there spoken of is properly a generall Resurrection of whole Churches and Nations like that of the restoring of the people of the Jews which was represented unto the Prophet Ezekiel by the resurrection of those dry bones Ezek. 37. And is called by the Apostle Life from the dead Rom 11.15 Such a Resurrection shall there be of the Church after the thousand years a set time determined and appointed by God it shall be raised up from a low estate to a flourishing condition chiefly in regard of spirituall Priviledges This is the first Resurrection saith the verse fore-going But to have part in this first Resurrection is not barely to live in those times to be eye-witnesses of that Church-state but to share in it to feel the power and efficacy of those means those Ordinances which shall then be plentifully afforded and powerfully dispensed in the quickning of them spiritually in raising them up from the death of sin to the life of grace This is a Resurrection the first Resurrection the Resurrection of the soul The other the second Resurrection the Resurrection of the body of which the Apostle discourseth in that 1 Cor. 1â— and frequently elsewhere Quest Now which of these shall we conceive the Apostle to aim at here in the Text And which of these is it that carries such a Resemblance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Ans To this it is variously answered The Text by some understood of the former Amongst expositours some are for the one others for the other Chrysostome Origen Tertullian with divers other after them understand it of the former the second Resurrection And they contend it must be so understood How else saith the Apostle here We shall be also of his Resurrection speaking not in the present but in the future tense not sumus but erimus not we are but we shall be Now say they as for that first Resurrection that is past already with believers In this sense Hymenaeus and Philetus and their followers were not mistaken when they held that the Resurrection was past already 2 Tim. 2.18 True it is so being understood onely of the first Resurrection the Resurrection of the soul that is past in a regenerate person in whom the work of Sanctification is begun he is already raised from death to life But there is a second Resurrection a Resurrection of the body which they heretically denyed and that is to come And of that say they speaketh the Apostle here in the Text If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also of his Resurrection By others of the later 2. Others and that the greatest part understand it rather of the former of these the first Resurrection the Resurrection of the soul when it is raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse Of this speaks the Apostle in the verse fore-going That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life And of this Resurrection it is say they that here he speaketh the first Resurrection Object But how then saith he We shall be Why the Apostle here useth the future tense speaking of believers We shall be planted in the likenesse of his Resurrection What are they not so already Upon their believing on Christ they are engrafted with him in the likenesse of both these both of his Death and Resurrection Being regenerated they have both the parts of Sanctification wrought in them not onely Mortification but also Vivification As they are dead to sin so they are quickned and raised to a new life The first Reâ—â—rection im 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ans To this Beza returns answer True they are so but they are so but in part The work is but imperfect in them As they are but in part dead so they are but in part raised to newnesse of life Such a mutuall both Relation and Proportion there is betwixt these two this death and this life this death of sin this life of grace Where the one is the other is But as the one is imperfect so is the other And so as the one increaseth so doth the other And hereupon saith he the Apostle chooseth rather to speak in the future then in the present tense rather we shall be then we are or have been because as we are not yet quite dead unto sin there being still some remainders of corruption left in the soul so neither are we wholly raised from the dead to a new life Only the work is begun daily increasing more and more untill it shall come to full perfection in heaven And therefore saith the Apostle We shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection Quest Now which of these wayes shall we take Which of these Expositions shall we pitch upon Ans Truth is Both may here be understood though principally the later Each carries a fair aspect with it And for my own part I see no inconvenience in taking them in both Onely I must acknowledge the later of them I look upon as most properly and principally intended and aimed at by the Apostle yet so as not excluding the former In such a joynt sense that phrase of the Apostles is expounded Phil. 3.10 where he maketh it his wish that he might know the power of Christ's Resurrection that is that he might by experience find the same power put forth in him which raised Christ from the dead working in him a double Resurrection first raising him from the death of sin to the life of grace here and then from the death of nature to the life of glory hereafter And in a like joynt sense are we to understand the same Apostle in the 8th verse of this Rom. 6. If now we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Live with him viz. in the life of grace on earth and glory in heaven Both which make up one and the same life onely differing in degree whence it is that they are both comprehended under that one word of Glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them also he
God his soul was then a Temple an habitation for the Spirit which was to the soul as the soul to the body the very life of it But upon man's fall this Spirit forsook that habitation and thereupon followed a spirituall death the soul of man died And in that state it continueth under the power of this spirituall death until that Spirit return again which it doth in the work of Regeneration And so returning now it restoreth it to life again enabling it to live unto God and to exercise the operations of a spirituall life to live in the Spirit and to walke in the Spirit as the Apostle phraseth it Gal. 5.16 25. to live no longer to the lusts of men but to the will of God as St Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.2 Such is this work of Renovation and in this respect not unlike a Resurrection 3. In the third place Resemb 3. In the Integrity of the work This Spirituall resembles the Corporall Resurrection as in the Order and Nature so in the Integrity of the work Such is the Corporall Resurrection a raising up not of some one or more members onely but of the whole body And such is this Spirituall Resurrection It is a raising up of the whole man Even as I said before of Mortification It is an entire work running thorow the whole man and thorow the whole body of sin A separating of the soul not onely from some one sin or many sins but all sins Even so is Vivification a through work going through the whole man Hence is it that we finde it called a Putting on the New man Eph. 4.24 intimating that this work of Renovation it is an entire work passing through the whole man through all the faculties of the soul all the members of the Body It is Pauls prayer for his Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole man in every part and I pray God that your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Where truth of Sanctification is vouchsafed the whole man partakes of it No part of soul or body in a Regenerate person but feeles the vertue of the spirit of Grace purging out old corruption infusing new qualities In the Soul the understanding that is renewed Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde Eph. 4.23 and that by putting a new light into it Ye were sometimes darkenesse but now yee are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 The Will and Affections they are renewed having new Motions new Inclinations new Dispositions put into them new desires new feares new loves new joyes new sorrows new hopes new confidences In the Body all the members are renewed in respect of their Obedientiall faculty being no longer what they were Instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin but Instruments of Righteousnesse unto Holinesse Rom. 6.13 Thus the beleever being in Christ he is made a New Creature Old things are past away All things are become new 2 Corinthians 5.17 Thus doth the Grace of Christ equalize the sin of Adam Adams sin like a desperate poyson it spread it selfe through the whole man infecting all bringing death upon all So doth the Grace of Christ like a Soveraigne antidote it diffuseth it self through the whole man healing restoring renewing all The salve is as large as the soare Here is a third Resemblance in the Integrity of the work 4. See a fourth Resemb 4. The difficulty of the work in the Difficulty of the work Resurrection is a work of difficulty To raise up a dead body from the Grave is a work that transcends the power of nature In no one thing did Christ more manifestly and mightily declare himself to be the Son of God then in this in raising up others and himselfe from death to life Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead Romans 1.4 And such is this spirituall Resurrection the raising up of a dead soul from the grave of sin to an heavenly life It is a work which men or Angels cannot do In respect of difficulty no ways inferiour to a Resurrection A work of a mighty almighty power So the Apostle setteth it forth Ephesians 1.19 20. Where he prayeth for his Ephesians that amongst other things they might know know by experience what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards them which beleeve According to the working of his mighty power which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead Such is that power which God manifests in raising up dead souls from the death of sin to the life of Righteousnesse it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding greatnesse of power no less then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that effectuall working of the power of his might which hee put forth in raising Christ from the grave Applic. Much then are they mistaken who conceive the work of the holy Ghost Conversion more then a Morall swasion in producing and breeding faith and Holinesse in the soul to be no more but a morall swasion to which it is in the power choice of man himself to yeeld or not to yeild Surely such a swasion cannot be said to be the working of Gods mighty power like that wherby he raised Christ from the dead Resurrection imports more then a swasion They are not all the Arguments and perswasions that can be used that will raise a dead man from his grave There must be a new principle of life put into that liveless carkass to give motion to it So is it here They are not all the most perswasive Arguments that can be suggested to and pressed upon a dead soul that can cause it to arise from the dead There must be a principle of a spirituall life breathed in the face of it by the Spirit of God before it can awake and arise Why men are called upon to arise which of themselves they are not able to do Obj. But why then are men themselves called upon so to do Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead c. So the Apostle exhorts Eph 5.14 speaking from the prophet Isa cap. 60.1 as it is commonly taken or rather as Beza notes it cap. 26.19 It should seem then that man hath some power in himself to perform what here he is put upon The Exhortation Eph. 5.14 directed to Beleevers A. To this it is answered As for that exhortation it may be conceived to be directed to beleevers Even they somtimes sleep So did the five wise Virgins as well as the foolish All slumbred and slept Mat. 25.5 And they may seem somtimes to fall into a dead sleep through the surprizall of carnall security Now as for them the Exhortation is not vain to call upon them to awake and arise in as much as they are able to do this by the power of that spirit which they have already received But
It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the similitude of his resurrection That it is so will appear in four or five particulars The Principals whereof we shall find hinted unto us in the verse before the Text in the later part of it where the Apostle saith that We are buried with Christ by baptisme into death That like as he was raised from the dead to the Glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnesse of life In which passage we may take notice of two things touching the Resurrection of Christ Two generall Resemblances taken from the verse fore-going both usefull to our present purpose 1. That he was raised to a new life 2. That he was raised up to the Glory of God the Father The former of these is insinuated Like as Christ was raised from the dead so we also should walk in newnesse of life intimating that Christ was raised up to a new life The other expressed Christ was raised from the dead to the Glory of the Father So Beza and others read it To the Glory conceiving the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By for To. The like we find 2 Pet. 1.3 Him that hath called us to glory and vertue The Originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by glory put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glory as our Translation renders it So here Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory i. e. to the Glory of the Father And in both these we shall find the Christian 's spirituall Resurrection resembling his corporall Resurrection Generall 1. In the newness of his life 1. In the newnesse of life whereunto he is raised Christ was raised to a new life a life different from that which before he lived Herein did his Resurrection differ from the Resurrection of those others whom we read to have been raised again from the dead Such was the the life of Christ after his Resurrection In the Old Testament the son of the widow of Zarephath 1 King 17.22 the Shunamites son 2 King 35.36 the man that was cast into Elisha's Sepulchre and touched his bones 2 King 13.21 In the New Testament the son of the widow of Naim Luke 7.15 Jairus his daughter Mat. 9.25 Lazarus John 11.43 Tabitha or Dorcas Acts 9.40 All these were raised from the dead but they were raised to the same life which formerly they lived But so was not the Lord Jesus He was raised up to a new life new both for kind and continuance For kind he was raised from a naturall to a spirituall life for continuance he was raised from a mortall Such is the Christian's life to an immortall life And herein the Christian's first Resurrection carries with it a resemblance of his Resurrection Being 1. In the Generall 1. In the generall a new life a raising up of the soul to a new life That we should walk in newnesse of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Newnesse of life for a new life Such is the Christian's life to which he is raised in and by his spiritual Regeneration A new life That it is so and in what respects it may be said so to be I shewed you at large in opening of the former verse I shall now only remind you of the heads It is a new life having a new principle a new rule a new end ordered after a new manner 1. Having a new Principle 1. Having a new Principle Before regeneration what was the principle of his life why the Flesh The unregenerate person is one that walketh after the flesh Rom. 8.1 that is sinfull corruption whereunto all meer naturall men are servants as Peter describeth those pernicious seducers 2 Pet. 2.19 Out of this principle it is that they act being themselves acted by the spirit of Satan as Paul saith of his Ephesians Ephes 2.3 In times past ye walked after the Prince of the air the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience This was the old Principle But now behold a new Principle even the Spirit of God that Spirit of Holinesse or Sanctification as Paul calleth it Rom. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Spirit which dwelt in the humane nature of Christ and raised him that also dwelleth in every true believer So saith the Apostle Rom. 8.11 2 Tim. 1.14 where speaking of the Spirit of God he calleth it an indwelling Spirit Even as the soul dwelleth in the body so doth this spirit dwell in the soul of a regenerate person animating and actuating it Whence it is that the believer is said to live in the spirit Gal. 5.25 and to walk in the spirit ver 16. and to walk after the spirit Rom. 8.1 and to be led by the spirit ver 14. and to serve in newnesse of spirit Rom. 7.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 newnesse of spirit for a new spirit even the Spirit of God by which believers are acted and according to the dictates directions motions whereof they now order the course of their lives and conversations Thus is the regenerate man's life a new life having a new Principle 2. A new Rule 2. And secondly a new Rule What is the unregenerate man's rule which he walketh by Why at the best carnall reason It may be the precepts of men humane Laws and Constitutions which he dare not transgresse for fear of the penalty It may be example Vivitur exemplo the custom of the times the course of the world In times past ye walked according to the course of the world Ephes 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mundane itatem mundi as the Syrian Interpreter and Tremelius render it the worldlinesse of the world It may be his rule is to walk without rule Such is the course of licentious persons who walk as Paul saith of some of his Thessalonians 2 Thes 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irregularly disorderly making their will their rule But so doth not the regenerate person His life is a regular life his conversation is an orderly conversation So David describeth the righteous man Psal 50.23 He is one that disposeth his way as the Hebrew hath it that ordereth his conversation walking by rule And what rule Why the rule of the new creature As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and mercy Gal. 6.16 which is the rule of the word the rule of faith and obedience According to this rule doth the regenerate person walk It is David's prayer unto God for himself Psal 119.133 Order my steps in or according to thy word And in the 9th verse of that Psalm propounding the question Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way he answers By taking heed thereunto according to thy word Here is a new rule 3. A new End 3. A new End What is the unregenerate man's end In living he liveth to himselfe to his own honour profit pleasure
ease Still in whatever he doth he reflects upon himself making selfe the ultimate and last end of all But now the new creature hath a new end of his life not himselfe but God None of us liveth to himselfe saith the Apostle Rom. 14.7 8. but whether we live we live unto the Lord c. Thus doth the true Christian live He liveth to the Lord. 1. Acknowledging him to be his Soveraign Lord and himselfe his servant in duty bound to yeild obedience to him in doing in suffering his will 2. Framing and ordering his life and conversation according to his will in all things 3. Depending upon him for protection provision wages 4. Referring and applying his life in the whole course of it to his honour and glory Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 This a Christian should do And this so far as he is regenerate he doth And thus is his life a new life having a new end 4. Ordered after a new manner 4. Ordered after a new manner His conversation is a new conversation far different from what it was Time was when it was a vain conversation So Saint Peter calleth the conversation of all men before the grace of God meet with them 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vain conversation And so it is 1. Proceeding from the vanity of their minds Ephes 4.17 And 2dly In regard of the unprofitablenesse fruitlesnesse of it Men weary themselves for very vanity as Habakuk speaketh Hab. 2.13 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed saith Paul to his Romans here ver 21. of this Chapter A vain and a carnall conversation intending chiefly the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh We in times past had our conversation in the lusts of our flesh Ephes 2.3 Perhaps it was a filthy conversation like that of those wicked Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 It may be a blind superstitious conversation like that of Pauls before his conversion Gal. 1.13 zealously bent against God against his truth servants purity of worship power of godlinesse Such it was But now behold a new life a new conversation viz. such a conversation as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 a good conversation Jam. 3.13 an honest conversation 1 Pet. 2.12 a profitable conversation he that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unprofitable before is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable to himselfe and others as Paul saith of Onesimus Philem. 11 12. And upright conversation Psal 37.14 an holy conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 an heavenly conversation Phil. 3.20 Thus is the believer raised as Christ was to a new life This in the Generall 2. In Particular 2. In particular Resembling the life of Christ being as his was This new life to which the believer is raised resembles the life of Christ both for kind and continuance For kind it is a spirituall life for continuance an immortall life Such was the life to which Christ was raised therein differing from the life of others whom we read to have been raised again They were raised up to the same life which they lived before to a naturall life to a mortall life A naturall life so as they stood in need of meats and drinks and such other supports of nature as they did before When our Saviour had raised Jairus his daughter he presently commanded to give her meat Luke 8.55 And as a naturall so a mortall life They all died again But it was otherwise with our blessed Saviour The life which he was raised to was a spirituall an immortall life A spirituall life not upheld by creature-supports and comforts as formerly it was True our Saviour did use some of the creatures after his Resurrection as the story informs us of his eating the broyled fish and honey-combe which his Disciples gave him Luke 24.42 But this he did not out of any necessity of nature but onely for the confirmation of his Disciples faith in the truth of his Resurrection and reality of his present apparition He lived then a spirituall life and that an immortall life He was raised from the dead no more to return to corruption as Paul hath it in his Sermon at Antioch Acts 13.34 Christ being dead he dieth no more saith our Apostle ver 9. of this Chapter In that he died he died to sin once ver 10. And in both these doth the Christian's spirituall Resurrection carry a resemblance of his Resurrection being a raising up of the soule to a spirituall to an immortall life 1. To a spirituall life 1. A spirituall life Such is the life of a regenerate person He that before was only a naturall man as Paul cals the unregenerate person 1 Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a carnall man as Paul saith of himselfe so far forth as he was unregenerate Rom. 7.14 living onely a naturall a carnall life he is now made a spirituall man as Paul cals him 1 Cor. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indued with the Spirit of God and so living a spirituall life Not living by sense or yet by carnall reason as sometime he did but by faith The life which I now live in the flesh saith the Apostle I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 Paul still lived a naturall life he lived in the flesh but it was after a spirituall manner he lived by faith So doth every regenerate person in measure so far forth as he is regenerate he liveth a spirituall and heavenly life having spirituall meat and drink as the Apostle cals the Manna and water in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Seeking after spirituall and heavenly things Whilest others mind nothing but earthly things as Paul saith of sensuall persons Phil. 3.19 profits and pleasures and honours curvae in terras animae c. having their souls bowed downwards groveling upon the earth like the Serpents brood feeding upon dust the regenerate person so far forth as he is regenerate he minds and seeketh the things which are above Col. 3.2 3. His conversation his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his chief negotiation and businesse is in heaven Phil. 3.20 The chief things which his thoughts are most seriously intent upon and taken up about are heavenly things How a Christian useth the things of this world As for the things of this world true he useth them but how why even as our Saviour did the broyled fish and honey-combe as as if he used them not He hath learned that distinction of Augustines or rather of Paul's 1 Cor. 7.30 31. betwixt uti and frui using and enjoying He useth earth and earthly things but he enjoyeth God and heavenly things making the one his viaticum his voyage-provision the other his possession his portion Thou art my portion O Lord saith David Psal 119.57 As for the things of this life his heart doth not run after them in such an inordinate way as sometimes it did
of our Saviour Mat. 22.30 In the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Not standing in need of any natural much lesse carnal comforts or contentments such as the flesh was here delighted in In which respect also the body may be said then to be a spiritual body in as much as it shall then be freed from all carnal desires being wholly subject to and ruled by the Spirit Thus shall Believers be raised to a spirituall life 3. A glorious life 3. And that in the third place a glorious life Such was the life of Jesus Christ to which he was raised A Praeludium whereof he shewed unto some of his Disciples in that his Transfiguration upon the Mount Mat. 17.2 He was transfigured before them saith the Text and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment white was as the light A dark Representation of that transcendent light of glory whereinto he was to enter and whereof he was to be swallowed up after his Resurrection Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory saith he to his Disciples Luke 24.26 This he did upon his Ascension into heaven From thenceforth he enjoyed a glorious life even his body being made a glorious body as the Apostle calls it Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body of glory Such was his Resurrection And herein shall the Believer's Resurrection answer his It shall be a Resurrection unto Glory It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory saith the Apostle of the body of a believer 1 Cor. 15.43 To which that of the same Apostle answers Phil. 3. last He shall change our vile bodie that it may be like unto his glorious body The bodies of God's Saints whilest they live are vile bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodies of abasement vilenesse as the Originall there hath it subject to manifold infirmities diseases some of which are so loathsome as may well denominate them vile bodies much more when they are dead The soul being departed which was as salt to them whilest it dwelt in them now they become putrifying stinking carcasses fit for nothing but to be removed out of sight Thus are they sown in dishonour buried out of sight that they may not be noisome and offensive to the living But they shall be raised in glory glorious bodies made in their measure conformable to the glorious body of Jesus Christ partaking with him in the same glory the same for kind though not for degree A representation hereof we see in Moses who having been with God for a time in the Mount he came down with his face shining Exod. 34.30 Behold the skin of his face shone By the reflex of the divine Glory which he there beheld his face became glorious as the Greek there translates it and the Apostle alledgeth it 2 Cor. 3.7 Even so shall the bodies of God's Saints when they shall come to stand in the presence of their glorified Saviour beholding his glory which they shall do Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me John 17.24 they shall be transformed into it We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him saith Saint John for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 Like him in glory When Christ who is our life shal appear then shal we also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 4. An Eternal life 4. Lastly This life being a glorious life it shall also be an eternall life Such was the life of Jesus Christ as I shewed you Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more And such shall the Resurrection of all that are Christs be This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 As the death of the wicked to which they shall be raised shall be eternall Their worm dieth not and their fire goeth not out Mar. 9.44 So shall the life of the righteous These shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Mat. 25. last In this respect also they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto or equall to the Angels Luke 20.35 36. They which shal be accounted worthy to obtain this world and the Resurrection from the dead viz. this Resurrection of life They neither marry nor are given in marriage there is no need of generation in heaven where there is no corruption neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the children of God being the children of the Resurrection viz. of this blessed Resurrection the Resurrection of the just which carrieth with it a resemblance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ And thus I have dispatched the Doctrinal Part of this first Proposition here held forth unto us viz. That Believers are and shall be made conformable to Christ in his Resurrection They are so here in their first they shall be hereafter in the second Resurrection And this Conformity of theirs floweth from Christ and his resurrection Propos 2. This Conformity floweth from Christ and his Resurrection There is the secon Proposition which I shall dispatch with all possible brevity and so come to the Application of both together The Beleevers conformity to Christ in his resurrection floweth from Christ and his resurrection So much is insinuated in the phrase in the Text as I shewed you To be Ingrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his resurrection is to be made partaker of such a resurrection as resembles his and that by a vertue flowing from him and his resurrection Thus doth the Graft revive with the Stock in the Spring time and that by a vertue which it receiveth from the Stock And thus is the Christian raised by a vertue flowing from Christ into whom hee is ingraffed Christ himself being the principal Efficient cause of this resurrection That he is so wee shall need no other testimony then that of his own John 11.25 Christ the principal Efficient of this resurrection in the believer I am the Resurrection and the Life that is the author and worker of the resurrection so he is both of the first and second resurrection The Author both of spirituall and eternall life to the Beleever In him was life saith St John speaking of Christ Joh. 1.4 It was so and is so and that originally as water in the fountain Thus was natural life in the Father thus is spiritual and eternal life in the Son As the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to the Son to have life in himself John 5.26 God the Father being himself the originall and beginning of natural subsistencie and life in all the creatures be hath given to his Son Christ as Mediator that he should be the Author of spirituall and eternal life to all that are given to
him to all his Elect quickning whom he pleaseth As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom hee will so you have it ver 21. of that 5th chap. And hence is it that he is called a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ being the Head and Stock of all his Elect is appointed by God to be the author and procurer and conveyer of spirituall and eternall life to all his off-spring by the communication of his spirit to them which both restoreth life unto the dead and preserveth it in them perpetually Neither of which the first Adam could do He indeed lived a naturall life himself and did in a naturall way by way of propagation convey a naturall life to his Posterity but he could not preserve that life much lesse restore it to himself or them He was onely a living soul But Christ is a quickning spirit quickning dead souls and quickning dead bodies the Author both of the first and second resurrection Christ the author of the first Resurrection 1. Of the first resurrection the resurrection of the Soul This beleevers obtain from by and through Jesus Christ So much our Apostle willeth them to take notice of and acknowledg ver 11 of this Rom. 6. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That beleevers are alive unto God that they live a spirituall life this they owe unto Jesus Christ and are to attribute to him as being the root of their life So much the phrase in the Originall there imports which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Jesus Christ Even as the Graft liveth in the Stock so is the beleever alive unto God in Jesus Christ receiving from him that vertue whereby this life is begun maintained perfected in him This it is to be quickned with Christ Col. 2.13 and to be risen with Christ Col. 3.1 viz. not onely to be quickned and raised as Christ was but to be quickned and raised by a power and vertue flowing from him and his resurrection This is that vertue which Paul so earnestly desired to be made partaker of Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that power and vertue whereby Christ himself was raised from the dead or a power and vertue flowing from his resurrection working the like effect in himself in raising him to the life of grace here and glory hereafter This spiritual life is the fruit of Christs resurrection so may we understand that place of the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1.4 where he saith of beleevers that They are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ So they are not onely in respect of assurance of their Resurrection unto eternal life whereof the Resurrection of Christ is the pledge but also in regard of their New-birth it self which is a fruit of Christ's Resurrection wrought in them by a vertue flowing from Christ being risen from the dead Of the second Resurrection 2. And as their first so their second Resurrection Hereof the Resurrection of Christ is not only the Pattern and Pledge but also the Cause So the Apostle sets it forth 1 Cor. 15.21 Since by man came death by man also came the Resurrection of the dead Adam being the Head and Root of all mankind he transmitted his sin and death unto all his Off-spring all that were in him when he so sinned and died Even so Christ the Head and Root of all his Elect he communicates his righteousnesse and life to all that are in him This he merited for them by his death and this he applieth and conveyeth to them through his Resurrection As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive so the Apostle goeth on ver 22. All viz. that are in Christ As for others it is true they shall be raised again and that by Christ viz. by the power of Christ as a Judge The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shal hear his voice and shal come forth John 5.28 29. But those which are Christs shall all be raised up in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being in him they shall be raised up in him by a vertue flowing from him as from the Head to the members as from the root to the branches Hereby shall their dead bodies be quickned raised changed He shal change our vile body saith the Apostle Phil. 3. last This is the work of Jesus Christ which he shall effect According to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that efficacious working of a mighty power A power not unlike that which the story tells us went forth from him upon the womans touching his garment Mark 5.30 Jesus knowing that vertue had gone out of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an Adventitious vertue such as God was pleased to put forth at the request of his Prophets but it was a power residing in Christ and so issuing from him in an efficacious way for the healing of her infirmity Even such a power such a vertue shall go forth from Jesus Christ at the last day for the quickning and raising up all those who have here touched him by a true and lively faith Such as are buried with him shall be raised up by him Even as the story tels us of that dead man who was cast into the Prophet Elisha's Sepulchre 2 King 13.21 upon the touch of his bones he revived and stood upon his feet Even so shall all those who are here buried with Christ by mortification they shall be raised up unto a spiritual life here and to an eternal life hereafter and all this by a vertue flowing from him Being engrafted in the likenesse of his death they shal be also in the likenesse of his resurrection And thus I passed through the Doctrinal Part of these two Propositions or Conclusions The Practical Part is yet behind wherein I shall desire you to go along with me with your best attentions lending me not onely your ears but your hearts Applic. Enquire whether we be made partakers of this Resurrection Vse 1. What hath been spoken in the first place I shall bring it home by way of Enquiry We have heard what ones all true believers all that have union with Jesus Christ all that are truely engrafted into him are How they are made conformable to him as in his death so in his resurrection As in the one by mortification dying unto sin so in the other by vivification rising to newnesse of life Now every of us put the question to our selves Numnam ego talis Am I such a one Am I thus engrafted with Christ in the
A supernaturall light the light of divine and heavenly knowledg to shine forth into their Hearts God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2. Cor. 4.6 Gods Ministers being his Instruments in the work of Conversion they communicate that light of knowledg unto others which themselves have received making known the glorious grace of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ revealed and manifested in and by him without which Illumination there is no Regeneration Baptisme anciently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination and why Hence was it that the Greek Fathers anciently called Baptisme which is the Sacrament of Regeneration by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination taking the ground of it as is conceived from that of the Apostle Leigh Critic sacra Heb. 6.4 where he speaks of those that were once enlightned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Syriack renders Grotius Beza ad loc qui ad baptismum descenderunt such as had been baptized And not unfitly may it be so called in as much as all those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost they have their minds illustrated with the beams of this divine and heavenly light Without such illumination no regeneration Hence is it that the twofold state of man the state of nature and the state of grace are called the one darknesse and the other light Ye were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 And the work of Conversion is described to be a turning from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 and a calling out of darknesse into a marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now have we received this Spirit of Illumination Hath this light shined forth unto us shined into our minds and shined into our hearts Into our minds enlightning our understandings with some measure of speculative knowledge in spiritual heavenly mysteries Certainly without this there can be no true work of Conversion no spirituall Resurrection God doth not bring men out of their graves blindfold He first openeth their eyes Paul was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes Acts 26.18 to turn them from darknesse to light from the darknesse of ignorance to the light of knowledge which shineth into the mind And into the heart He hath shined in our hearts saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so he doth in the hearts of his people giving them not onely a speculative but an affective knowledge not onely to know the truth but to be affected with it to love it believe it embrace it to receive a love of the truth for the want of which those Apostates fell away 2 Thes 2.10 Now hath this light thus shined not onely into our minds but into our hearts then may we conclude that we have received the Spirit of Christ even this quickning spirit beginning this work of a spirituall resurrection in our souls Whereas otherwise Do we stil sit in darknesse surely we are as yet in the shadow of death 2. This Quickning Spirit 2. A Spirit of Faith is a Spirit of Faith So it is to all who have any part in this first Resurrection We having the spirit of faith saith Paul to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 4.13 that is the Spirit of God working faith in the soul This it doth in all whom it quickneth first revealing Christ unto them then it inclineth their hearts to close with him upon those Gospel terms upon which he is offered to receive him as a Saviour and as a Lord. And so it uniteth them unto him ingrafting them into this Stock from whence they receive this quickning vertue and are made conformable to Christ in his resurrection This is conveyed unto believers through faith That we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith saith the Apostle Gal. 3.14 The Promise he there speaketh of is the promise of the Spirit of Regeneration as Diodate expounds it This is the promise which the Prophets make such frequent mention of Isai 44.3 Jer. 31.33 c. Now this promise of the spirit is received by faith faith on Jesus Christ which is the purifying grace Putrifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 The sanctifying grace Them which are sanctified by faith in me Acts 26.18 and the quickning grace by and through which this spirituall life is conveyed from Christ into the soul Expresse is that of our Saviour John 11.25 I am the resurrection and the life He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live Though he be dead in sin yet shall he live a spirituall life upon his believing Which life is therefore called the life of faith because faith is both the beginning and the principall Act of this life The just shal live by his faith Rom. 3.11 The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He that liveth and believeth on me saith our Saviour ver 26. of that 11th of John speaking of this spirituall life whereof saith is both the first and principall Act. Now have we received this Spirit of Faith Have we felt this work of the spirit upon our hearts drawing and inclining them thus to receive Jesus Christ thus to close with him thus to rest upon him thus to give up our selves unto him If so surely we are in the number of those that have part in this first Resurrection Otherwise being yet in a state of unbeliefe we are also in a state of death 3. 3. A Spirit of Holinesse This Quickning Spirit is also a sanctifying spirit a spirit of sanctification Such was the spirit whereby Jesus Cbrist was raised He was declared mightily to be the Son of God according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 That Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ was the same divine spirit which sanctified his humane nature wherein it dwelt And such is this quickning Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth Being to them a Spirit of Faith it is also to them a Spirit of Sanctification purifying their hearts through faith Hence is it that the Apostle puts these two together Sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 Faith and Holinesse never go asunder Where the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of faith it is also a Spirit of holinesse changing the heart putting into it a new quality of holinesse turning the bent of it from and against all sin unto holinesse and righteousnesse working in it an unfeigned hatred of the one and love to the other Now have we received this Spirit also Do we find such an inward change wrought in our hearts Do we find the Law of God a Law of Holinesse written upon them A law contrary to the law of sin so the Apostle calleth that sinfull corruption which dwelleth and reigneth
in all unregenerate persons commanding evill actions as it were with authority putting the sinner upon them inclining and after a sort forcing him to the committing of sin Rom. 7.23 The law of sin which is in my members Now have we received a law contrary to this a law of holinesse having the clean contrary effects commanding with authority that which is holy and good putting us upon it carrying the soul with a strong impulsion towards it turning the bent of the heart that way so as that we can say with the Apostle that with or inward man we delight in the law of God Rom. 7.22 that with our mind we serve the law of God ver 25. If so surely this is no other but that law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus as the same Apostle calleth it Rom. 8.2 The law of this quickning spirit communicated from Christ as from the Head unto his members quickning and raising them up unto this spirituall life Whereas otherwise are we still under the law of sin certainly we are also under the power of death So much the Apostle insinuates in the next words where he puts these together the law of sin and death He that is freed from the one is freed from the other But he that is under the power of the one under the power of sin is also under the power of the other under the power of death Thus have you a second evidence whereby we may all of us judge of our selves whether we be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his Resurrection viz. Have we received the Spirit of Christ a Spirit of Illumination Faith Sanctification Take a third Do we live the life of Christ Enquiry 3. Do we live the life of Christ This do all that are raised with Christ they are in their measure made conformable to him in his life In their lives expressing his vertues Ye are a chosen generation c. saith Saint Peter speaking to believers that ye should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 This do those who are raised with Christ they shew forth the vertues of Christ Shewing forth his vertues by way of imitation that is as some expound it and that not improperly they do in their lives and conversations expresse those graces and vertues which were so eminent and exemplary in him They not onely have them but they hold them forth They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifieth praedicare to preach So clearly do they expresse the vertues of Christ as that their lives are as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ each a counterpane to that Originall This do all who are risen with Christ they propound Christ as a pattern for their imitation practising his vertues to the life Quest What vertues Imitable vertues in Christ Ans The imitable vertues in Christ were many I shall instance in some of the chief and those I shall but touch His Inoffensivenesse Meeknesse Patience Humility Obedience Love Mercy Contempt of the world Heavenly-mindednesse All these were eminent in the life of Christ and all these doth the true believer that is risen with Christ shew forth in his life and conversation 1. Inoffensivenesse 1. Walking inoffensively So did our blessed Saviour In his whole course he was inoffensive harmlesse He did no sin neither was their guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 He was holy harmlesse undefiled Heb. 7.26 In which respect he is so often called by the name of that most innocent of creatures The Lamb of God John 1.29 c. And this vertue they which are risen with Christ do expresse being also innocent harmlesse Harmlesse as Doves Mat. 10.16 Inoffensive Herein do I exercise my selfe to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men saith Paul Acts 24.16 True it is the world takes offence at them and so it did at Jesus Christ but their desire and care is not to give any just offence 2. Meeknesse 2. They imitate Christ in his Meeknesse a vertue eminent in him He cometh unto thee meek It is spoken of Sion's King Mat. 21.5 I beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ saith Paul 2 Cor. 10.2 In this respect also he is compared to the Lamb He was led as a lamb to the slaughter c. Isai 58. And this vertue the true Christian in his measure expresseth He is one of the meek of the earth Zeph. 2.3 One that sheweth out of a good conversation his works with meeknesse of wisdom Jam. 3.13 One that endeavoureth to restrain and bridle the passions of his heart not casting the reins upon their necks suffering them in a customary way to break forth in an inordinate manner One that in the purpose of his heart layeth aside wrath anger malice 1 Pet. 2.1 One that is gentle and easie to be intreated ready to forgive and forget injuries all which were eminent in Jesus Christ 3. In Patience 3. Patience In this respect also was Christ a lamb a sheep His patience in sufferings was most exemplary He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep that is dumb before the shearer so opened he not his mouth Isai 53. When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not c. 1 Pet. 2.23 And herein the true Christian carries some resemblance of him He is one that in patience possesseth his soul Luke 21.19 Exercising this grace in all changes of conditions Tribulation in him worketh patience Rom. 5.3 Here is the patience of Saints Rev. 13.10 14.12 They are companions in the patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 4. Humility 4. Humility A vertue also most eminent in Christ Learn of me for I am meek and lowly Mat. 11.29 However being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God without any usurpation he might have challenged an equality with God his Father being co-essentiall and co-equall with him in respect of his divine nature yet he made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant He humbled himselfe c. Phil. 2.6 7. And herein doth the true Christian resemble him being one of a contrite and humble spirit Isai 57.15 One that humbleth himselfe in the sight of God Jam. 4.16 Not doing what he doth through vain glory but in lowlinesse of mind preferring others before himselfe Phil. 2.3 This did Jesus Christ and this those which are risen with Christ at least desire to do 5. Obedience 5. Obedience Hereof was Christ the great Exemplar and Pattern He humbled himself and became obedient even to the death c. Phil. 2.7 He sought not his own will but the will of him that sent him John 5.30 6.38 the will of his Father This he did and this he suffered both out of a principle of voluntary obedience And
of spiritual union or Communion with Jesus Christ under an impossibility of ever being renewed of ever partaking in a second spiritual Resurrection Answ Answ Still this makes the case more difficult yet despaire not Surely Lazarus died again after his first resurrection yet shall his body be raised again at the last day Believe it Christ is able to do as much for thy Soul as he will do for his Body And this if thou beest not stil wanting to his grace he will do Restore thee from thine Apostacy Quest Quest But what then shall I do that I may be made partaker of this grace that I may have my part in this first resurrection What to be done to attain this Resurrection nay being a dead man what can I do A dead man is a meer patient in the work of his own resurrection Ans Answ True and so is a sinner in the first act of his own Conversion as I have before shewed you In thine own strength without Christ thou canst do nothing in this way as our Saviour tels his Disciples John 15.5 what Paul saith of a dead Body 1 Cor. 15.43 we may say of a dead Soul It is sown in weaknesse Being dead in sin it is in a state of impotency not able to raise it self or to contribute ought toward it own resurrection But yet this thou mayst doe and this be thou directed to do 1. Wait and attend upon God in the use of Direct 1 those means whereby he ordinarily effecteth this Resurrection This could that poor Waite upon God in the use of means impotent bed-rid man in the Gospel do John 5. Though he could not put himselfe into the waters yet he could lye at the pool And the like maist thou doe Though thou canst not quicken and raise up thy self yet thou maist attend upon those means whereby God is wont to convey that grace whereby he effecteth this work which is the Ministry of the word By this means it was that those dead bones were quickned Ezek. 37. viz. by the Prophets prophecying upon them verse 4. Hee said unto mee Prophecie upon those bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. And by this means it is that dead souls are quickned by the Ministry of the word This is the Trumpet of Jesus Christ Here is the voyce of Christ to be heard whereby he quickneth the dead And therefore with care diligence conscience attend upon this Ordinance hearkning and listning to hear the voyce of Jesus Christ 2. Direct 2 Not hardening our hearts Not hardening the heart Let that be a second direction To day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 This men of themselves can do Though they cannot soften their own hearts yet they can harden them and that by resisting the motions of the spirit of grace Now would you have your part in this first Resurrection take heed of thus hardning your hearts take heed of resisting quenching the first Motions of this spirit but give way to them let in the voyce of Christ into your soules Let in the voyce both of the Law and Gospel Let in the voice of the Law The voyce of the Law for the awakening of you This is the first use of the Law to rouse and awaken dead souls to convince poor sinners of the sinfulnesse and misery of their Naturall Condition Let it bee usefull to you in this way Give way to the spirit of conviction for the awakening of you Were it possible that a dead man could be awakened and made apprehensive and sensible of that state wherein he is being under the power of death to see how he hath the grave for his house and maketh his Bed in the darkness where corruption and the worme claime kindred of him being his onely Companions as Job describeth that state Job 17.14 he should not need to be perswaded to arise and come forth and to accept of a Resurrection being tendred to him Surely so would it bee with poor sinners Were their consciences but once thoroughly awakened and themselves made apprehensive of the misery of their naturall condition how their soules ly putrifying and stinking in the grave of sin they should need no other argument to induce them to come out from thence and to accept of this new life offered and tendred unto them Suffer your selves therefore to be thus awakened Give way to the discoveries of the Law bringing them home to your selves in your own particular that so you may see and feel your selves in a state of sin and death under the power of a spirituall death bound over unto Eternall death Let in the voice of the Gospel Answering it Being thus awakened by the Law now hearken to the sweet voice of Christ in the Gospel calling upon you and commanding you to arise and stand up from the dead Lending not only your ears but your hearts to this call closing with it returning answer to it as old Elie adviseth young Samuel to do in a like case 1 Sam. 3.9 speak Lord for thy servant heareth Thus when Christ shall be pleased to call upon you outwardly in the Ministry of his word inwardly by the motions of his spirit inviting perswading requiring you to arise from sin to Righteousnesse give entertainment to this call of his accepting this offer of grace by faith receiving Christ himselfe into your hearts yeelding up your selves unto him to be framed and fashioned according to his will So doing he wil communicate himself unto you in this blessed way being unto you Resurrection and life For this you have his expresse promise with an Ecce a Behold before it that you may take the better notice of it Revelation 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me The Doore there spoken of is the doore of mens Consciences At this door Jesus Christ standeth attending and waiting with much patience upon poor sinners Thus standing at this Doore he knocketh this hee doth by outward means and inward Motions as one desirous of admittance Now saith he If any one hear my voyce not only giveth me the bare hearing but hearkneth attendeth to what I say And openeth the door thereupon letting me into his heart receiving me by faith accepting me as a Saviour and a Lord I will come and sup with him c. I wil now communicate my self unto him in the most intimate way letting into his soul the sweetest and most efficacious influences of my grace and spirit for the carrying on and perfecting that blessed work which is there begun This will Jesus Christ doe to the soul that thus hearkneth to his voyce to his Admonitions Exhortations Offers Promises receiving him by faith cleaving to him by Love submitting to him by Obedience he will be to it Resurrection and Life The
and were made partakers of the holy Ghost the common gifts and graces of the Spirit and have tasted the good word of God have found some relish in the sweet and saving promises of the Gospel and the powers of the world to come have had some ravishing apprehensions of the joyes and glory of heaven yet they fall away by a total apostacie returning to their former condition being brought wholly under the power of sin again so you have it Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Now in the fear of God take heed this prove not your condition The conditions of Apostates most desperate Which if it do mark what follows Your later end will be worse then your beginning and it would have been better for you never to have known the way of righteousnesse them having known it to turn from the holy Commandement so you shall finde it 2 Pet. 2.20 This will put you into a desperate state under an impossibilitie in an ordinary way of ever being renewed again unto repentance so you have it Heb. 6.4 6. If yee shall thus sin wilfully after that ye have received the knowledg of the truth there remaineth for you no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and firy indignation so you may read it Hebr. 10.26 27. Trees which are twice dead what can they look for but to be plucked up by the roots cut off from all union and communion with Jesus Christ Jude 12. So desperate is the condition of wilful Apostates such as having been in measure wrought upon by the grace and spirit of Christ illuminating convincing and in measure changing and reforming though not regenerating them If they shall willingly and wilfully return to their former state it puts them into a most dangerous and desperate condition Being raised come not nigh the Brink of the grave again And therefore Is it so that God hath begun this work this change in any of you Take heed of looking back Come not nigh the verge the brink of the grave again do not henceforth give way to any one sinne so as to live in it to continue in it This the Apostle here in the former part of this chapter presseth upon these his Romans How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein ver 2. Beleevers are dead to sin nay risen from sin how shall they live or ly in it we would account it a madnesse in a man that is raised from the grave to return thither again and to make his abode there It is no lesse for Christians that are risen from the grave of sin to returne to it to live and continue in it In this imitate your heavenly pattern who being raised from the dead dyed no more 2. Being raised from the dead evidence Exhort 2 your Resurrection Evidence this Resurrections by the action of a spirituall life So did your Saviour Being raised from the grave he evidenced the truth of his Corporall Resurrection shewing himself alive after his Passion by many infallible proofs as the Evangelist hath it Act. 1.3 specially by doing the actions of a naturall life speaking to his Disciples and eating with them Thus do you evidence the truth of your spirituall Resurrection Evidence it both to your selves and others and that by doing the Actions of a spirituall life approving your selves unto God and man in all duties of Piety charity Being delivered out of the hands of these your enemies Sin Satan Hell Death now serve God in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of your life Thus yeeld up your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of Righteousnesse unto God as the Apostle presseth ver 13. of this Chapter Thus being now brought into a new state walk answerable to it and that by living a new life so did our blessed Saviour after his Resurrection as I have shewed you Hee lived after another manner then before he did Do you the like Hic dies aliam vitam adfert alios mores postulat This new state calls for a new life and conversation Herein lieth the principall part of a Christians conformitie to Christ in his Resurrection That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so he also should walk in newnesse of life so you have it in the words before the Text. And therefore As concerning your former conversation put off the old man and put on the new so you have the Exhortation Ephes 4.22 24. You were sometimes darkness you were so during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen yee are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light so it follows Ephes 5.8 In times past ye walked according to the course of this world c. so the Apostle describeth your former state Eph. 2.3 but now being brought into a new state henceforth be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed c. so the same Apostle presseth it Rom. 12.2 Be ye metamorphosed so living now as becometh men of another world So did your Saviour after his Resurrection as I shewed you and so do you As for the comforts of this present world use them but not abusing them so use them as not using them Seeking after spirituall things spirituall Meates and Drinks spiritual riches spiritual pleasures and delights These are sutable to your new state If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above Col. 3.1 Hereby evidence that you have your part in this first resurrection by walking answerably to this new condition With all living to the Glory of God So did your Saviour as I have showen you in opening of the former verse he was raised from the dead as by so to the Glory of God his Father that he might glorifie him Herein be you conforme to your pattern Being raised from the dead by the glory of God now be you to his glory making this the end of your life to glorifie God Glorifie him both with your spirits and with your Bodies both which are his by more then a single right 3. Are you thus risen then waite for the Exhort 3 day of your change the day of your Translation Wait for the day of Translation So did your blessed Saviour after his Resurrection he made his abode here upon earth for forty dayes waiting for his Ascension Do you the like who are made partakers of this first Resurrection The day of your Translation is not farr off Forty dayes At most a few yeares In the meane time waite for it So do all they who have received the first fruits of the Spirit They wait for the Adoption viz. the Redemption of their Bodies Romans 8.23 There is a twofold Adoption and a twofold Redemption Duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A twofold Adoption the former inchoate which gives a Jus ad rem a right unto the Inheritance The
up to the life of grace here and glory hereafter And this power this spirit all true believers in their measure are and shal be made partakers of even as the members of the naturall body participate in those animall spirits which are in the Head And hereby they shall be inabled as to mortifie sin so to live unto God And thus you see the communion which is betwixt Christ the Believer as betwixt the Stock the Graft implanted in it Applic. Which is a ground of everlasting consolation to all those that are truely baptized into Christ A ground of everlasting Consolation mystically ingrafted into him by faith Being thus made one with him now let them know that all that is Christs is and shal be theirs The sap that is in the Stock is for the use and benefit of the Graft And thus whatever is in Jesus Christ it is for the Benefit and advantage of those that are in him So as All that is in Christ is the Believers what is it that they can want Is it pardon of sin is it Grace and favour with God Lo here is merit enough for both He hath by his obedience active and passive made an abundant satisfaction to the Justice of God He hath done and suffered enough to finish the Transgression and to make an end of or seal up sins and to make Reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Here is nothing wanting to the Justification of a Believer before God Nor yet to his Sanctification As there is a fulnesse of merit so there is a fulnesse of spirit in Christ It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 So it did during his abode here upon earth The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth John 1.14 Upon his change of State he received an addition to that fulnesse When he ascended up on high he received gifts for men Psal 68.18 Gifts which he might distribute and give unto men as the Apostle renders that of the Psalmist Eph. 4.8 He ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things So it followeth ver 10. All things that is all his Elect and faithfull people all which do and shall in their measure receive of that his fulnesse Of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace saith Saint John John 1.16 We all all believers have received grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace upon grace say some one grace after another abundance of grace or grace for grace graces answering to those graces which are in Christ as the characters in the wax answer those in the seal or grace for grace The grace of Sanctification following upon the grace of Justification both flowing from the free-grace and good will of God in Christ And this believers receive from the fulnesse which is in Christ which is not only a repletive but a diffusive fulnesse Plenitudo non vasis sed fontis Not like the fulnesse of a vessel which if a drop be taken from it it suffers a diminution by it but of a fountain which runneth over for the benefit of all that will come unto it Such a fulnesse of Spirit such a fulnesse of Grace is there in Jesus Christ who is in that respect compared to a Fountain Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse That Fountain is Christ himselfe whose merit and spirit represented by the water and blood issuing out of his side in his Passion are as streams ever running from a living Spring sufficient to wash and cleanse all believing sinners from the guilt and pollution of sin Here is merit enough for their Justification and here is spirit enough for their Sanctification And in both these Believers being united unto Christ have and shall have communion with him A four-fold Benefit flowing from this Union and Communion Out of which Generall still to follow the Metaphor bud forth divers other particulars The Graft being thus put into the Stock made one with it and partaking in the sap and juice that is in it it now receiveth from it a four-fold benefit viz. Nutrition Augmentation Fructification Sustentation Nourishment Growth Fruitfulnesse Establishment And the like four-fold benefit we shall find accrewing unto the Believer from this his union and communion with Jesus Christ Each of which will yeild us a severall Resemblance A first of these Benefits is Nutrition 6. Resembl 1. Benefit Nutrition nourishment This the Graft receiveth from the Stock And this the Believer receiveth from Christ So the Apostle holdeth it forth though under a different Metaphor Col. 2.19 where comparing Christ to the Head and the Church to the Body he sheweth how the one receiveth nourishment from the other Not holding the Head from which all the Body having nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant illum qui omnia ornamenta suppeditat sacras Choreas agentibus Abbis ducta Motaphora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quicunque aliis suppeditat res ad quemcunque finem necessarias Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est hoc facere abundè copiosè in Davenant in Col. 2.19 The word there used signifieth generally a Supply of all things requisite and convenient and that in an abundant manner Such a supply doth the Head make unto the naturall Body It giveth to every part sense and motion and particular abilities for the discharge of their severall offices and functions as to the eye to see to the ear to hear c. And such a supply doth Jesus Christ make unto his mysticall Body giving spirituall sense and motion to every member with abilities and graces sutable to their severall offices and conditions furnishing them with whatever is requisite for their Personall Salvation and the Churches Edification In this place the word more particularly imports a supply of such things as are necessary for the nourishing of the Body Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipere ea quae alendo corpori sunt necessaria Grotius ad loc These the Head supplyeth to the members of the naturall body And these Jesus Christ supplyeth to the members of the mystical Body even to all that are in him Such a supply the Stock maketh to the ingrafted Branches And such a supply Christ yeildeth to all those living spirituall Branches that are ingrafted into him ministring to them spirituall Aliment for the nourishing up of their souls unto eternal life To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are but two things requisite Christ is perfect nourishment to the Believer viz. Meat and Drink and both these is Christ unto the believer My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed saith he to the Jews John 6.55 Meat indeed and drink indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè eminentissimè Truely and really though
it Thus grow the members of the naturall body and thus grow the Branches of a tree they grow in height and they grow in thickness See that our growth be such that we grow in every grace Grow in knowledg It is Pauls prayer for his Colossians that being fruitful in every good work they might increase in knowledg Col. 1.10 Grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18 In knowledg And that not only Speculative which yet is requisite Leaving the principles of the doctrin of Christ let us go on to perfection Heb. 6.1 but experimental That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection saith the Apostle Phi. 3.10 Grow in faith it is Pauls gratulation on the behalf of his Thessalonians that their faith did grow exceedingly 2 The. 1.9 This is the Apostles desire Lord increase our faith Lu. 17.5 And let it be the desire of every of us to grow in faith In the Assurance of faith We desire saith the Apostle that every one of you do give all diligence to the ful assurance of Hope unto the end Heb. 6.11 In the exercise of faith in learning to live by faith in all conditions The just shal live by faith Heb. 10.38 The life which I now live in the flesh saith Paul I live by the faith of the son of God Gal. 2.20 Grow in Love This is the grace which the Apostle desireth that his Thessalonians might specially grow in 1 Thes 4.10 we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more viz. in brotherly love Grow in holines Perfecting holines in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Grow in heavenly mindedness Seek the things which are above Col. 3.1 So grows the plant and so should the christian grow upward heavenward Our conversation is in heaven Phi. 3.20 Grow in contentation I have learned in whatsoever state I am therwith to be content Phi. 4.11 Grow in a close conscionable walking with God We beseech you brethren exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more Thes 4.1 And so in the rest Adding one Grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledg c. 2 Pet. 1.4 And one degree of Grace to another The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from one degree of Faith to another This is the glory of Christianity Growth the glory of Christianity and Honour of Christ Grow continually In this not like Grafts and the honor of Christ As it is the glory of the stock when the grafts grow and thrive in it Even so is it the glory of Christ when those that are in him do thus grow up in him Let it be the desire and indeavour of every of us that we may so do And that continually In this not like unto grafts which shoot forth much in the first two or three first years more then afterwards and when they are come to their height stand at a stay So fareth it too often with christians At their first conversion and calling they grow exceedingly but afterwards stand at a stay if not decline But thus it should not be Christians must have no consistency Though trees and men have their consistency yet so should not christians have They should ever be going on from strength to strength til they come to appear before God in Zion Ps 84.7 Ever growing in grace untill they come to a state of perfection in glory Q. But who is there that thus growes If none be truly ingrafted into Christ but those who thus grow who is there but hath cause to suspect his Condition Doubts about Growth cleared from the Metaphor Ans For answer The Metaphor we have in hand will suggest unto us somwhat which may give quiet to the soule in this case Grafts grow but first it is insensibly A man may see that they have grown but not see them growing And secondly They grow but not in winter And such is the Christians growth 1. Growth may be insensible yet true 1. Sometimes it may be an Insensible and yet a true Growth The Christian may grow though neither others nor himselfe perceive it That he is grown that he may know by comparing himselfe with himselfe his present with his former condition Though his present growth be insensible 2. Christians have their winters wherein it may be they do not grow But 2. Again Christians have their winters Their winter of Affliction their winter of Temptation their winter of spirituall Desertion Now in these winters they may seem in their own apprehension not to grow but rather to decline Nay in truth they may so do I but 1. This is a winter to them 1. This is a winter to them when God maketh them sensible of their estate A sad time wherein the soul goeth heavily not content with their condition but drooping under it Such is the winter to the Graft a nipping time And such are these winters to the Christian 2. They grow downwards 2. Though Christians in these times do not grow upwards yet downwards they may So doth the Graft in the winter it groweth into the Stock into which the sap is gone down And so groweth the Christian in the winter of affliction and spirituall desertion He now groweth downwards Groweth though in no other grace yet in Humility being brought hereby to think more meanly of himself And he groweth into the Stock groweth more into Christ in whom and with whom Col. 9.3 his life is for the present hid 3. And 3dly though he do not at present actually grow 3. They have a Principle of Germination yet he keepeth a principle of germination in him a disposition and inclination to grow which upon the return of the Spirit putteth forth it self Even as the Graft though in the winter it doth not grow yet it hath a germinating principle in it which upon the return of the Sun and the rising of the sap sheweth forth it selfe So is it with the Christian However upon the withdrawing of the wonted heat and influence of the Spirit of grace from the soul for a time he do not grow but rather decline yet there is a principle of grace in him a seed as Saint John calleth it 1 John 3.9 viz. that grace of the holy Spirit whereby he was regenerated which inclineth him to a spirituall germination and which upon the rising of the Sun of Righteousness upon the soul return of the Spirit will put forth it self as formerly In the mean time there is in the soul an inclination to such a growth and if it be it self a constant desire after it II. And by this Christians are to judg of themselves not by their present proficiency but by the reality and constancy of their affections and indeavours Thus God judgeth of them not
Archangel at the last day when you shall heare the dismall sound of his Trumpet Surgite Mortui Arise ye dead and come to Judgment wil you then plead that it is too soon to arise you wil arise herafter I beseech you think upon this now what answer you must then return to the summons of your Corporal Resurrection and return the same now to this summons of your spiritual Resurrection Doth Christ call unto you and bid you arise from sin He doth so do not put him off with delayes To day if yee will hear his voyce saith the Authour to the Hebrews Hebr. 3.7 citing the words of the Psalmist Psal 95.7 Now whilest salvation is offered now take the present opportunity and make use of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To day The time of this life is but a Day Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day saith our Saviour speaking of the term of his own life upon earth John 8.56 And this day is the day of our first Resurrection Arise therefore whilest this day lasteth This is the great work which we have to doe every of us while we are here upon earth and therefore work this work of God whilest this day lasts knowing that the night is coming wherein there is no working as our Saviour tels his disciples John 9.4 And how much of this day is yet behinde how nigh this night may be who can tel How knowest thou but that thy Sun may goe downe at noon and therfore defer not to answer the call of Christ calling upon thee to arise None know whether God wil call again Which if thou shalt do How knowest thou whether ever hee wil call again or no We know what our Saviour once said to his Disciples when hee had twice awakened them and yet coming to them the third time and found them sleeping Sleep on now saith hee and take your rest Matth. 26.45 As if he should have said Now take your course ye may sleep for me as long as you will I will never awaken you more or you wil have little list to sleep ere long whether I awake you or no. Christians there is none of you but Christ hath come unto you once and again many times calling upon you in the Ministery of his word bidding you awake arise Now what do you yet sleep Take heed lest that terrible doome proceed out of his lips Sleep henceforth and take your rest A restlesse Rest There is a time when Christ will call no more My spirit shall not ever strive with man Gen. 5.3 And what knowest thou whether this be not the last time of asking And therefore if he do now knock at the door of any of your hearts call upon you by the inward motions of his spirit as hee doth by the outward Ministery of his word do not put him off as Felix did Paul Act. 24.25 saying you will hear him another time when you have a convenient leisure you will call for him So you may and yet he not answer Because I have called and ye refused saith Wisdom therefore ye shall call upon me but I will not answer Prov. 1.24 28. So dangerous a thing is it to try conclusions with Jesus Christ to try whether the winde will blow again whether the Cock will crow again whether the Trumpet will sound again Doth it now sound in any of your hearts as it doth in your ears calling upon you to arise from sin unto righteousnesse do not say It is too soon Evasion 2. The despairing shift 2. But is it now too late There is the second shift no lesse dangerous then the former I have lien a long time in the grave of sin rotting and putrifying there I am an habituated inveterate sinner Is there yet any hope for me Repentance in age difficult to man not to God Ans This was the Argument that shook Martha's faith Her brother had lien four dayes in the grave But what saith our Saviour to her Said I not unto thee If thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God John 11.40 The like I say unto thee Art thou an aged sinner Suppose one of those the Prophet Isai speaketh of Isai 65.20 A sinner of an hundred years old yet only believe thou shalt see thou shalt feel the glory of God the glorious power and grace of God in changing thee yet before thy change cometh working this Resurrection in thee and for thee To thee this work is now more difficult not so to him who is the Resurrection and life It was all one to Christ in the dayes of his flesh to raise up the Courtiers son from the sick-bed John 4.46 and Jairus his daughter from the death-bed Mat. 9.25 and the widow of Naim's son from the Biere Luke 7.14 and Lazarus from the grave and that after his three dayes buriall John 11.43 True indeed in the last of these it is said that he groaned in himselfe once and again ver 33 38. But this he did either by way of sympathy expressing his griefe and compassion towards Mary and the rest of the mourners or else by way of Antipathie expressing his anger and indignation against Martha and the rest of those faithlesse ones who so far questioned his power in effecting what hee had undertaken not in regard of any apprehended difficulty in the work which when hee came to it hee effected with a word Lazarus come forth Is it so that you are not only dead in sin but have lyen long in that state under the power of this death yet despair not But in this state I have often withstood the Call of God Doubts Answered Repl. 1. Resisting the call of God Oft have I heard the voyce of Christ but have not answered it Oft have I felt the strivings of the Spirit of grace but have checked resisted quenched the motions thereof And so had the Jews done Ans as Stephen tels them to their face Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears ye do always resist the holy Ghost yet Peter invites them to repentance with assured hopes of mercy upon their coming in and accepting the offer Act. 2.38 Repent ye therfore and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall received the gifts of the holy Ghost Of which gifts the chiefest is this of Regeneration But I fear Repl. 2. The case of Apostacy I am in the number of those of whom St Jude speaks ver 12. of his Epistle A Tree that is twice dead a relapsed Apostate one that hath fallen away from the grace of God after that I was once enlightned one that hath fallen back again into a state of sin and death after that in my owne and others apprehensions I had begun to live the life of grace So as I fear I am also as he speaketh plucked up by the roots for ever cut off from all hope