which faith layeth hold on onely CHRIST IESUS this is the only matter that Faith claspeth for righteousnesse before God and life everlasting So God loved the world Ioh. 3.16 that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in Him should not perish but have life everlasting He is lifted up as the brazen Serpent that eying Him crucified we might be healed Rom. 3.25 Him hath GOD set forth for a reconciliation through faith in his bloud True it is the same saving faith beleeveth all that is set downe of GOD in the Scripture all particular promises for the passing of this life for these distinct offices doe not make three distinct faiths in us as the reasonable sensitive and naturall functions doe not make three soules in man but one whose effects are three-fold Neverthelesse Faith though it lay hold of all truth as it is taught yet so farre forth as it justifieth it buildeth and leaneth it selfe on Christ onely like as the Israelites they with their eyes did see divers things and looke on sundry objects as occasion served but so farre as they got themselves healed of the stings of firy serpents they looked with their eyes at nothing but the serpent lifted up To rebuke the worldlings faith Vse 1 which is grounded not on CHRIST crucified but such a mercy in GOD as is generally so good that it will save all The Papists their faith is grounded on their good workes with CHRIST and on the treasury of merits and satisfaction but the Arke and Dagon wil not stand together CHRIST and this stubble will not agree Wee may trie the truth of our faith this way Vse 2 it layeth hold on CHRIST Eph. 3 17. Phil. 3.3.7 bringeth Him to dwell in the heart rejoyceth in Him counteth all things drosse in comparison of Him Toward whom our love especially must be shewed Obs 2 to Saints Gal. 6.10 Rom. 12.13 Doe good to all especially to the houshold of Faith Distribute to the necessities of the Saints My good reacheth to the Saints Psal 16. all my delight is in them All in their order are to have the fruits of our love but those most who are nearest us as in nature every one is next himselfe then next to such as are of his bloud in neerest degree or otherwise made one body with him as the wife with the husband Thus in grace after GOD and our owne soules the Saints are neerest us as who are by faith and love fellow-members knit to CHRIST the Head of us all Againe a wise man will sow his seed in the best ground which will returne it with most increase So a Christian will sow the fruits of his love chiefly on the Saints for GOD taketh that which is done to them as done to Himselfe Againe this love of the brethren the Saints is a token we are translated from death to life for as this is a token the world doth not know GOD and so have not life everlasting in them because they know not His children So it is an evidence when we acknowledge such as are begotten of GOD that God hath brought us to know him who is the begetter of them To stirre us up to our duties Vse 1 our eyes should be to them that are faithfull our affections with them Birds of a feather will fly together good fellowes love one another And shall not the fellowship of grace in those that are members of one body whereof CHRIST is the Head knit the Saints together in the strongest band of love This rebuketh the weaknesse of some Vse 2 they are afraid to give any countenance to a Saint though like Nicodemus they have some good affection and liking to the godly yet they dare not be seene to hold any neere communion and familiar converse with such lest they should be thought Puritanes and favourers of men in disgrace with the State Blessed is he that is not offended at CHRIST in His poore members This rebuketh the prophanenesse of othersome Vse 3 who as the Philistims brought out Sampson when they would be merry So out must some Saint come and beare their flouts and derision when they are more pleasantly disposed Ismaeliush mockers of Isaak Yea others worse than the former hate the Saints wish there were not one in a towne of them like Cain who hated his brother to death because his workes were better than his It is an evidence of a godly heart to cleave more affectionately to those who are more godly than other And it savours of a carnall heart in a great measure when any one doth equally impart his favour If any have points of service and can apply themselves to their humour though they have small acquaintance with GOD they shall be countenanced this maketh their religion linsey-woolsey this confirmeth the hands of such in their carnall course this maketh those that are good more remisse than they should be should they finde from Christians better incouragement Davids delight was in the Saints Psal 16.3 Ps 101.6 he did purge his family of such as were unprofitable and gracelesse he set his heart on such as did set their hearts to please GOD in all things not such as could get the length of his foot were precious in his eyes Can a loyall wife take pleasure in such men who are observant and officious about her but devoid of all respect to her husband Are your soules betrothed to GOD in CHRIST and can you abide their service about you who are carelesse in dutie toward your LORD with whom you are by faith contracted this shewes there is but a forme of godlinesse or that it is much decayed when wee can like of men not as wee see them sincerely serve GOD but as their behaviour is more or lesse pleasing and contentful to our selves VERSE 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the Word of truth the Gospell FOr the hope Hope is put for the quality of hope or the thing hoped for we are to take it here in the latter sense Observe hence Obs 1 What is a spurre quickning us to all duty the recompence which our GOD hath in store for us Heb. 11.25 26. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of CHRIST greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward We faint not knowing that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. If the Lord kept nothing in store for us we might thinke as good play for nothing as worke for nothing but no office of love no not a Cup of cold water shall goe unrequited How doth this provoke to obedience but we must not hence thinke wee merit and grow mercenary minded serving for our Penny not of love to our Father for we looke not at these hopes this recompence of reward as
Finally doth not onely doe things evill but applaudeth others that doe so with him Which things may open this truth that naturally a man converseth and maketh a trade of evill workes for figges cannot bee gathered from thornes nor an evill tree cannot doe other than bring forth evill fruits We are no murtherers adulterers c. Object There are two sorts of evill workes Answ some apparantly such as the light of nature condemneth Others more close which have the shew of externall righteousnesse now such are honest courses world-ward without religion and the Pharisees course externally both honest and religious but yet wanting the power of godlinesse of which our Saviour testifieth That many things glorious in mans eye are abomination before God Would not every one condemne such a course in a servant if he should spend his time doing things that had no hurt in them but out of his owne head never vouchsasing to know his masters minde in any thing if he should doe the things bidden him but when his master would have them done thus he will doe them after his owne fashion and when his master saith doe such things first and chiefly after take these in hand hee shall let the principall alone and onely be occupied in the other were not this a wicked course in a servant This is the course of every honest naturall man that is no more than honest world-ward To urge upon men the unrighteousnesse of their wayes Vse 1 yea of those wayes which may be called righteousnesse in comparison of the other that they may count all losse to be found having part in grace through CHRIST To shew us the difference of one converted and not converted the one slippeth and intendeth and endevoureth to doe good though evill be present and steppeth in everywhere the minde of the other is set upon evill the one beareth the presence of it mourning under it the other committeth it willingly he lyeth in evill he taketh care to fulfill the lusts of his flesh hee is a worker of iniquitie VERSE 22. Hath He now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault in His sight HItherto of their former Condition Now he having beaten them downe in remembrance of their misery doth raise them up in recounting GOD's mercy Observe hence in generall As wee must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse Observ so wee must cast the other upon GOD's mercies to us These two doe well together the one corrects the other so that both as wholesome purging medicines without interlacing restoratives will weaken too much 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but now yee are washed c. Eph. 2.13 Now in CHRIST IESUS yee which once were a farre off are made neere by the bloud of CHRIST Tit. 3.3 4. We also in times past were unwise disobedient deceived c. But when the bountifulnesse and love of GOD our SAVIOUR toward man appeared c. This is to be noted from this that Paul doth not shew them their estate of Nature alone but being a bitter pill doth gild it over with annexing their comfortable condition in CHRIST We must learne to compound these meditations Vse now taking a course in remembring our wretched estate now refreshing our selves in recounting the blessed benefits we have by CHRIST as men will walke in some garden or orchard or go a while to some pleasant exercise when they are wearied with bodily labours 2 From this that such are reconciled Obs marke the free and large grace of God if we had beene enemies in heart only it had beene much to finde favour but where wee have made a trade of evill workes and lived all our lives in open rebellion how undeserved and how rich is the grace which giveth pardon If the King doe pardon one whose good will is doubtfull and take him to grace it is much but when one hath lived in making attempts on his person then to forget and to forgive were more than credible clemencie The love of God is seene in this Rom. 5.10 that when we were enemies He gave His Son to reconcile us It is the greatest love that ever the sons of men enjoyed 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby wee perceive the love of God because He laid downe His life for us Herein is love not that we loved God but that He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.10 and sent His Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes See how the holy Apostle speaking of the love of God still layes his finger upon the matter in this not in noble birth in high Parentage no no away with that carnall plea I hope the LORD loves me why because He hath kept me to this day and He hath given me wealth and health No in this it appeares that He died for you make this good to your soules In the time of the old Law there were as it were some shadowes and glympse of Gods love but now CHRIST is come the Sunne shines in his full brightnesse The blessed Apostle who was almost as neere CHRIST's heart as his body stands admiring at this love So God loved the world as who should say Ioh. 3.16 so wonderfull it is I cannot expresse it it even ravisheth my heart to thinke on it but so it was that God should stoope to man and Majesty to meanenesse and Heaven bow to earth The Reasons hereof are divers The first is taken from the Partie that loved us Reas 1 it was God blessed for ever had He sent to a poore man in time of misery and poverty honour or money it had not been such a wonder but that he should send his Son and that to die for us this is miraculous It hath bin heard that a man hath sent a Pearle to his friend but this was never heard that any should send his whole treasury but God hath not spared to send all His whole treasure Coloss 2.3 the Text saith that in Him are all these treasures of wisdome and knowledge Heare this all you poore creatures that have any part in CHRIST you complaine you are poore comfort your selves in this you have a treasure better than the best gold in India you have the treasures of heaven how then can you be poore Consider this when the least favour was too much for us and the smallest mercy more than we deserved or desired yet God accounted the greatest favours too little for us earth He hath given to us and that 's not enough heaven Hee hath prepared for us with the joy and glory thereof and yet that 's not enough He hath sent His Spirit to guide us His CHRIST to redeeme us nay He hath bestowed Himselfe upon us hath laid downe His life for us that by His death we might live As the person is incomprehensible Reas 2 so the excellencie of the worke is beyond our reach or conceit me thinkes this love goes beyond God Himselfe The
them that have treasure and great charge about them letting penniles travellers alone So doth Satan he is busie to rob those whom GOD hath trusted with His graces VERSE 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of GOD. NOw followeth the obedience it selfe set out by the practice of it that he prayeth for 1. In generall 2. More particular In generall it is to walke worthy of the Lord what this is may be understood by comparing it with like places Ephes 4.1 Worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Phil. 1.27 As it becommeth the Gospell 1 Thes 2.12 Worthy of God who hath called you to His Kingdome and glory To walke worthy of the Lord then is to live and behave our selves as becommeth those to whom God hath vouchsafed so great mercy that passing by thousands and ten thousands for deserts all as good and in outward respects many of them better than they Hee hath of His meere grace and free love in CHRIST chosen and called them out of the World to be partakers of Eternall life and glory with Him and for this cause hath caused His Gospell to be preached unto them and by His spirit hath made it effectuall in them we must therefore seriously consider 1 the dignity of our calling 2 the excellency of the Gospell whereby we are called 3 the kingdome of Glory whereto wee are called 4 and our most Holy and glorious Lord God by whom we are called and accordingly with due regard of all these things carry our selves in this present world let others then live as they list walke in sinne and wallow in filthinesse such a course may sort with their condition but for us we are by the grace of God of another dignity of an higher and more holy calling and such as waite for a Kingdome prepared for us even an Eternall Kingdome in the heavens This walking worthy of the Lord he expresseth by the end that it respecteth and aimeth at namely a pleasing of Him in all things or a full and entire pleasing of Him If then we will walke worthy of the Lord we must study to please Him and to give Him contentment in all things not accounting of pleasing any man yea or al men with displeasing him 1 Cor. 4.3 And good cause for life and death depend on Him He hath power to save and destroy yea He hath done such great things for our soules already and assured us of so great glory hereafter that we are the most unthankefull and impious Creatures that ever breathed our selves being judges if wee study not to please Him in all things Wherefore let others addict and give themselves over dedicate devote and consecrate themselves to serve and please to bow and becke to kneele and crowch and in all points to observe this or that great man on whom they depend by whom they live from whom they expect their advancement and rising in the world let us study and strive how we may please the Lord our GOD. He is to us in stead of all yea all inall Here Observe That this pleasing of GOD must bee in all things Obs or it must bee whole and universall for hee that seeketh not to please Him in all things seeketh not to please Him in any thing and hee that laboureth not to give Him an universall contentment laboureth not to give Him any at all according to that of Saint Iames Sam. 2.10 Whosoever shall Keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all for the same God hath commanded all as well that Hee leaveth undone as that Hee doeth and therefore if out of conscience toward God hee hath care of doing any he would have conscience of doing all Which serveth notably to convince those who reforming and conforming themselves to the will of God as they would have it thought in many things Vse yet retaine some speciall beloved sinnes whereby they plainely shew that their reformation in other things is but counterfeit as being for some by-respects of their profit or estimation or such like Having thus set forth this pleasing of God in generall he expresseth it after in two particulars Bringing forth fruite Increasing in the knowledge of God For the bringing forth of fruite being an expressing of our duty to please God specially in an outward manner before God and Men may bee called not unfitly one particular of pleasing God Observe Hence Obs We must be fruitfull in good workes as Trees and plants are fruitfull in their kindes for from thence is this speech taken for being planted by Gods owne hand in His own Orchard or Garden yea in His owne house Psa 92.14 being also kept and dressed by Him as our Husbandman Ioh. 15.3 Esa 27.3 Ioh. 15.3 being watched over night and day and watered every moment finally being branches of CHRIST the true vine from whom by the vertue of His spirit we receive sappe and juice good reason wee should be fruitfull and if not we shall bee surely cut downe and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Ioh. 15.6 Luk. 13.7 For who among us would endure an unfruitfull Tree in his Garden who would not say with indignation Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground If that were rooted up I might have another planted in the place of it that might bring me forth good fruite When the wicked see us grow livelesse powerlesse sapplesse they say what matter is in them and in their profession It is a shame that they should say I had rather live with any deale with any have a promise from any than from a Professor Their condition is incurable Reason when the Carpenter hath cut and hewen and sees it will not fit his turne ther 's no remedy but it must be cast into the fire My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6.3 Esay 5. GOD calls a counsell What shall I doe with my Vinyard A hedge Lord will do it good send them prosperity and security that they have had A winepresse Lord will doe them good that they have had afflictions will not worke upon them When no plaister will cure the Legge it must bee cut off when the Gospell will doe thee no good nothing can do thee good See the ground and cause of all our evils Vse wee impute them to the malice power or improvidence of men No no thy barren heart is the cause of all 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are weake and many sicke and many sleepe as if hee should say you blame the ayre you say such a distemper was the cause no no it was your unprofitable comming to the Sacrament that hath brought this plague upon you Our unprofitablenesse is the cause why the Lord is still hacking at the Tree of England How many great Families are perished and yet by no ill husbandry or great improvidence no no they
discipline practised where those duties flourish to which the communion of Saints doth tye us They that are estranged from Gods Church can have no society with God He is walking amongst the golden Candlesticks amongst His Saints onely where two or three are met together in His Name He is present among them As they have no acquaintance with God so they are under the power of Sathan where it is that Saint Paul calleth excommunication the giving up to Sathan Hee that hath not the Church for his Mother cannot have God for His Father In a word heaven and earth the Eden and Paradise of God is His Church So that miserable is that state neverthelesse this was ours sometime in our predecessors We were all of us alients from Israel but God hath kept us for happy times Let us therfore be thankfull and bring forth fruites least he take away our Candlesticke Vse 1 and deface the face of our Churches causing us to want our holy assemblies Let us not leave our fellowship Vse 2 and estrange our selves from Gods people from the assemblies as Brownists and other Novelists doe To be discommoned a Towne for a Citizen to be banished a City is a great reproach but to be an exile from Gods City and discommoned from the communion of Saints this is lamentable indeede being alients from this Common wealth of the Church they have nothing to doe with the covenants of grace and of the Gospell but strangers from all meanes of salvation This letteth us see that all true comfortable affinity Vse 3 kindred and society is in Christ onely and in the Word and Ordinances count all strangers that are not allyed to us in Him count them forreyners that will not communicate with us in the Word and Ordinances of GOD strangers as men of another Nation though never so neere allyed in Nature and let our neerest society fellowship and acquaintance be with Saints and holy Christians in the word and ordinances as our neerest kindred our spirituall brethren in CHRIST Therefore Abraham after he was called of GOD and sanctified was commanded to come out from his kindred and fathers house to count them Aliens and strangers to seeke new kindred a new Nation of his owne nature and bloud the generation of the righteous Why should we like prodigalls withdraw our selves from our fathers house and bring upon our selves by such singular separations this great misery to be estranged from them who are Gods true Israell Againe he saith they were enemies in mind and workes affection and action note hence What is our estate by nature Observ we are enemylike affected to God and His people the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8. it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be In his Iudgement he counteth the things of God foolishnesse in his affections he doth not savour them he counteth of His Commandements as a yoake intollerable and maketh a tush at sincere obedience so for the Saints the righteous is an abomination to the wicked Gal. 4.29 Were not the Iewes a mocking in the mouth of the heathen did they not reproach them for their circumcision To let us see our selves Vse 1 we are altogether by nature thus heathens beasts the most of men in part we have a law in our flesh rebelling against the law of our mindes not enduring the spirituall obedience of Gods law What is all our love of this world know you not that the amity of the world is enmity with GOD If a woman cared not for her husband but were bent to the imbraces of other men were she not enemylike affected to him so we to God what is enmity if this be not not to care for him and his wayes to incline and looke another way for the Saints they are our enemies as we thinke and they are hatefull of all other to us our spirituall phrensie like not them of all others whose presence doth binde us in some sort We must labour to be changed Vse 2 seeking to God to give us another mind who can endure to heare these termes thou art an enemy a hater of God yet who laboureth to be free of the thing praying to God to purge forth the secret hatred which maketh him hee cannot assent to and affect that which is good Could an honest woman find a heart strange to her husband would shee not be ashamed of it labour to the contrary doest thou finde a heart averse not affected toward thy God ô wilt thou not cry who shall deliver me from this body of death Seeke to GOD to put enmity against the seede of the Serpent and to circumcise thy heart making thee love Him Deu. 30.6 Who ever hardened his heart against GOD and prospered Your mindes were set in evill workes By repeating the words from the part of the sentence before it teacheth thus much Obs What it is that maketh discovery of this enemy-like affection our naughty actions when we do that which crosseth God's will that evill worke is the triall of the inward affection He that loveth me keepeth my Commandements he that keepeth them not and saith he knoweth me is a lyar and the truth is not in him As the tongue is the interpreter of the minde so is the action to the affection A traytor we see may be a traytor in heart and not in attempt but when his treason breaketh forth in some disloyall action then it is manifest that he bare a trayterous heart So it is with this inward corruption when now ripe it practiseth the rebellion of it in the workes of unrighteousnesse Which meeteth with such as will say they love God Vse he were unworthy to live that is an enemie to God but if we looke at their course of life they leave the wayes of God and will have leave to walke in their owne wayes This is to give God good words and speake Him faire but indeed to deny Him But we have no such intention in any thing we doe Object If we through ignorance sinfully contracted Answ doe not know that we sinne against God when we doe this mitigateth not our offence If one should make himselfe drunke and after practice against the life of the King and State would this excuse him from being a traytor if he say I had no such meaning in that I did I meant the Kings person no hurt Lastly marke hence That men by nature are altogether occupied in evill works None doth good no not one the thought of man is evill onely and continually It is strange how the naturall man is devoted to his owne wayes which are all evill He museth mischiefe on his bed hee sleepeth not if hee have not done his mind For his mind is as meat and drinke to him and hee is fasting not able to take rest when hee hath not effected it He committeth sinne and doth his owne will with greedinesse he hateth to be reformed in these wayes
excellencie of it appeares in two particulars 1 In regard of the difficulty thereof had the Lord sent CHRIST to have beene a King over us or a Ruler among us what a comfort had it beene Should a King send one of his favourites to a poore creature in prison how would it comfort him but to send his sonne hee would thinke it unspeakable and transcendent love The LORD IESUS hath done much more than this He came down from heaven where He sate at the right hand of God and is now blessed for ever he suffered here by most wicked wretches the cursed death of the Crosse that Blessednesse it selfe should be accursed that Life it selfe should dye that Glory it selfe should be ashamed that Happinesse should become misery Nay yet to goe further that He should be content to lose for a time the sense and feeling of the love of His Father not onely to forsake His being but thus to be tormented for a company of traytors He that bare up the whole frame of heaven was scarce able to beare the burthen of our sins but was even crushed under the waight thereof in that Hee was forced to cry My God my God Psal 22.1 why hast thou forsaken me 'T is true as He was a Son Hee was alwayes beloved but as He was a surety He was not so if this be most free love and large grace judge you 2 Adde to this the good of the worke it is that which gives good to all other goods so that without this we never had enjoyed any good truely good There are two things that hinder our good 1. The poyson of sin that defiles us and poisons all the creatures 2. The just anger of God for our sinne and that curseth all had not CHRIST dyed these would never have beene removed Consider the unworthinesse and basenesse of those for whom Hee dyed Reas 3 Wee dye because of some worth in a man or some benefit formerly received from him but CHRIST dyed for sinners for enemies to Him traytors against Him this is the wonder the miracle of all mercies I may say of CHRIST what Saul of David Who findes his enemie and stayes him not but who findes his enemy and dyeth for him Had He dyed for Angels it had beene no great wonder but for a Son to dye to redeeme a slave to pardon a traytor to free a rebell this is unspeakable To shew the abundance of grace Reas 4 Where sin aboundeth grace aboundeth much more Rom. 6.2 To shew us presidents of mercy Reas 5 as Saint Paul saith of himselfe Here we have matter of admiration Vse and daily remembrance Oh suffer not this kindnesse to slip out of your minde that a company of miscreant wretches should be beloved saved and a Sonne slaine reason cannot reach it religion doth not desire it nature doth not require it nay justice doth not exact it only love hath done it Oh with David call earnestly upon thy soule to praise the Lord Psal 103.1 Praise the Lord O my soule againe and againe awake O my soule and praise the Lord when we have done what we can it is not enough oh that we could doe more when we have done what we can call upon the Angels for help Praise the Lord all yee Angels and hoasts of the Lord. Let a poore soule goe aside and thinke with himselfe Good Lord how comes this that the Lord Iesus should dye for me if it had beene a creature or an Angell that had done it it had not beene so much but a Son the beloved Sonne of God to doe all this heaven and earth Angels and men can never sufficiently admire this If this be so Vse 2 that God's love is so great to us Brethren what will ye doe now for God I will say nothing your hearts shall speake Hath CHRIST done thus for me then I will labour to walke answerably to his love and in some measure worthy thereof that 's the right use Had a man but common reason or good nature in him he must needs thinke it a vile thing to be a traytor againe to that God that hath beene so mercifull to him Be not content sometimes when the fit takes to stumble upon a good dutie but thinke all too little for Him that thought not His heart bloud too little for you be frequent in prayer and abound in holy duties live no more to your selves but to CHRIST CHRIST dyed for us But wherefore that we should live in sinne still No but that wee should dye to sin and live hence-forth not to our selves but to Him Nay saith he the love of CHRIST constraines mee Most mercy requires most duty the greatest kindnesse asketh the greatest thankfulnesse at the hand of the receiver It was that which Moses pressed upon the children of Israel to remember alwayes to praise the Lord for His goodnesse that had so miraculously delivered them from the hand of the Aegyptians and carryed them thorow the red Sea Oh how much more should we praise Him for this that He not onely redeemed us from Aegypt but from Hell not onely from Pharaoh but from Satan therefore above all admire this and yeeld your soules and bodies and all you have wholly to the service of the Lord when any temptation violently presseth in upon you speake to your hearts and tell them as sometime the Apostle Paul did the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the HOLY GHOST which is in you and that you are not your owne as who should say ye know it full well that ye are not your owne ye were bought at a deare rate even with the bloud of CHRIST why then doe you follow sinne and serve your lusts for shame away with this ill dealing and give every man his owne let GOD have His and the Divell his downe with this hatred and Pride send them packing to the Divell from whence they came and resolve to say thus if sinne presse in upon you I am not mine owne the Lord hath bought all and therefore Hee shall have all Say to Satan I am pressed to serve the King I have received presse-money at the hands of the Lord Iesus Christ therefore be gone Imitate Him Vse 3 Love your enemies doe good to them that hate you Not to despaire of Gods grace for others without Vse 4 who yet are enemy-like affected toward Him To assure us that Hee will not faile us Vse 5 till Hee hath brought us to salvation now we are friends who when we were enemies did reconcile us Now for the Particulars in this benefit repeated 1 He setteth downe the fact of reconciling us 2 The instrument in the body of His flesh that is His humane Nature a Synechdoche Heb. 5.7 In the dayes of His flesh He offred up strong cryes to God For this our Nature is an instrument personally united wherein the second Person worketh and by which as by a conduit Hee conveyeth
obedience which should of grace have that acceptance and the glorious fruit which followed upon them and therefore the Scriptures yea CHRIST Himselfe referres all those benefits to God's grace which upon the death of CHRIST are given us For it was the fatherly love of God which made Him pleased in the death of His Sonne and smell a savour of rest not that the merit of His death did extort so much derigore justiti◠And truly that the second Person should ever be so joyned to our Nature was unspeakable grace the Nature of Angels more excellent than ours found not this favour He tooke not the Angelicall Nature but the seed of Abraham If a King doe but light and rest Himselfe in some meane Cottage it is no small favour But for the immortall God to dwell by indissoluble bond of union personally in such an house of clay as our Nature is sinne excepted it is grace that cannot be comprehended The greater if we consider how that God full of all Majesty and glory by His incarnation thus dwelling in the forme of a servant did emptie Himselfe by vayling under this flesh the brightnesse of His glory We are then hence to learne Vse that all things must be ascribed to God's grace and with CHRIST to rest in this Father it hath pleased thee to give me CHRIST this or that benefit in CHRIST yea to doe all both in me and CHRIST my SAVIOUR to the glory of thy rich grace all must come hither God hath made me good in His eyes for this or that As for the Papists merit even in rigour of justice not onely in gracious fidelity it is prejudiciall to God's grace I think not to be found betweene the Father and the Sonne much lesse betwixt our God and us with whom it were woe if all our merits were not free mercies This in generall Now for the matter affirmed which first is the Qualification of the Person to be a Mediator 2. The work of mediation touching which 3. Things must bee opened 1 How wee are to conceive of the Person here spoken of in Him 2 What is meant by all fulnesse 3 What is meant by dwelling For the first he meaneth the beloved Sonne as Man as of the Person of CHRIST as incarnate the reason is because the Sonne of God absolutely considered as the second Person in Trinity hath all fulnesse not by voluntary dispensation but by naturall necessity in as much as the eternall Father never was nor could be without His eternall Sonne God with Himselfe this thing never was in the power of His free-will For the second you must know that there is in Christ His Person a three-fold fulnesse The first fundamentall the other two following as derived from it The first is the fulnesse of the divine Nature which doth personally dwell with that Man-hood in Christ whence it commeth to passe that this Man is truly called God that is the Man-hood taken into fellowship of the selfe-perfect and eternall Person of the Sonne of God so that it is become as a part of His Person The second fulnesse is the fulnesse of Office to which even Christ Man is called of being our Mediator Priest Prophet and King For in regard of his humane Nature now united to the second Person He is as Man called to be the Christ of God that is Anointed Thirdly the fulnesse of created or habituall graces wherewith the divine Nature doth fill the soule of Christ which are not the divine Properties but effects which the God-head worketh distinct from it as the soule giveth the body a life which is not the life wherewith the soule liveth for then when the body dieth the soule should die likewise but is an effect of it Now all of them may be here understood for they are all antecedent qualifications fitting him for this worke which in the next words is mentioned especially the first Now for the dwelling of all fulnesse in Christ Man the later two are in Him subjectively the former viz. the God-head doth dwell in Christ Man not as in the Saints 2 Cor. 6.23 I will dwel with you you are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitation of God of God by the Spirit the Temple of the HOLY GHOST which is onely a dwelling by relation of love and communion of the effects of it in grace nor yet as God dwelleth in the glorified Saints 1 Cor. 15. when God shal be all in al which is likewise a dwelling together in regard of aboundant love manifested in the gift of glory nor any such simple cohabitation but it dwelleth with this man-hood as with a Nature which is taken to Vnity of Person in the Sonne of God and so is through grace become of the substance of the second Person So that He is now as truly said to be Man also as before He was said to be God only Now then the summe is Christ as Man or the Manhood of Christ hath the second Person of Trinity God with the Father and Spirit dwelling personally in it So that this Man-hood is essentially and substantially coupled with the Deity in unity of one selfe perfect and eternall Person Secondly it is anointed with fulnesse of Office and of Created gifts that Christ God-man that every way filled might be a fit Person to work our reconciliation following and to be an Head replenishing His Church which went before First then from the matter we see what an all-sufficient Head we have Looke to thy Nature in heaven Such a man as hath Plenitudinem Potestatis in regard of office full of all habituall graces which our nature can receive farre above all Angels yea full of that never drying Fountaine of life grace and glory it being taken into one Person with God neither could he else bee an Head quickening His Church He that must fill all the blessed Angels and all the redeemed peculiar people of God had need to have the Fountaine of life residing in him Which doth both refute that presumptuous usurpation of the man of sinne Vse 1 I meane the Pope in challenging to be an head of all the visible Church whereas Christ could not be our Head were He not God as well as Man As also it teacheth us our duty Vse 2 both whither to run for supply even hither to the Well-head of grace and life all fulnesse is in Him that we might draw from Him grace plenteously grace heaped on grace Oh blessed are those streames of grace which have this Head of living waters to feed them As likewise it teacheth where to offer prayse for the measure of grace we have received we should be affected as receivers in thankfulnesse to GOD in humility towards men For what have wee that wee have not received Lastly this is very comfortable for if there be such a fulnesse in CHRIST then what though there be abundance of sinne in us and guiltinesse yet there is a fulnesse in Him to remove it and take it away
eleventh and twelfth verses the other followeth For the former three things are to be marked for the opening of it 1 He setteth downe the benefit In whom ye have been circumcised with circumcision not made with hands 2 He setteth down in what this benefit did formally consist viz. In putting off the bodie of sinnes viz. the flesh the originall corruption dwelling in spirit and flesh through Christ's Circumcision 3 He noteth the maner or instrument by which Christ did further work and seale up in them this benefit mentioned being buried with Him in Baptisme The intent of it is to confirme the former truth That they were not to follow any thing which is not after Christ and standeth not with walking in Him thus You must not listen to any thing which draweth you from Him who hath taken from you the masse of your naturall corruption But it is Christ in whom your hearts have beene circumcised from self-selfe-love of this world and the things of it and all other evill inclinations Therefore you must not follow the deceitfull vanities which are not after Christ but seduce you from Him First then that the Apostle doth to this purpose bring in this benefit Doct. We see what is an excellent meane to hold us fast to Christ to remember what great evill of sinne He hath subdued for us and taken from us Truely when we fall from Christ either to seducing errours in judgement or errours in practice it commeth hence as Saint Peter intimateth We forget that we were washed from our sins in His bloud Did we confidently weigh what we have received from Him wee could not but cleave faster to Him If a man did heale us of some deadly leprosie could we forget duty to such an one while wee remembred this great good we had received from Him So here much more while Aegypt kept in minde what Ioseph had done for them they clave to him in those he left behinde him but when new came up who knew not or regarded not what good they had received they turned Turkes to him in his Seed whom they were to have honoured So here Wherefore Vse let us hence marke how wee may strengthen our selves in cleaving to Christ ponder upon the mercy He hath shewed thee in healing in some measure the corruptions of thy nature Say with thy selfe shall I start from Him who hath done such wonderfull things killed this life of my owne in sin which I have felt so strong and lively in me healed such a leprosie as is above all I can speake or thinke Doe it the rather for we are like those Israelites all their deliverance out of Aegypt was quickly forgotten and this made them upon all occasions start aside like a deceitfull bow Againe we are weake in judgement babes in understanding and know not the things bestowed on us Thirdly Satan is most malicious to keepe us at least from thankfull considering of GOD's blessings when he cannot hinder us from receiving them In whom yee are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Doct. Observe hence What Christ hath done for us who are in Him Hee hath given us a spirituall Circumcision Here are two things to be opened 1 The Circumcision it selfe 2 The Author of it The first is specified by this distinctive propertie it was not made with hands that is such a Circumcision as was spiritually wrought in their spirit not in their flesh the old Testament distinguisheth it by calling it the Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 Ier. 4 4. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart This is no small benefit it was a priviledge to have Circumcision in the flesh it was GOD's Cognisance as being the signe of a confederacie with GOD it was a seale confirming him that beleeved by it that God would take away his sin both by not imputing it and killing it Rom. 4.12 for so Saint Paul saith of Abraham's circumcision But yet many had this whose Circumcision was before GOD as nothing to them Wherefore if this were a priviledge what a gift is this to have the heart circumcised with the finger of God 2 Againe for the Authour of this benefit in the Law the Priest did circumcise the males brought the eight day and it was no small thing that God by His Minister should doe so to an infant but to have our High Priest in Heaven who is the great God handle our leprous hearts and by force of His Spirit take off the corruption which sticketh faster to our spirits than our skinne doth to our flesh what a prerogative is this this then must stirre us up to thankfulnesse It doth shew us whither we must have recourse when we feele the remainders of our corruption cleaving to us Vse as selfe confidence whorish love of the creature self-love we must come to Christ He is our Priest who onely can take away this impure fore-skin of our hearts that even as they brought their young ones in the Law to the Priest so must we bring our selves by a renued faith every day to our LORD IESUS and pray Him to goe through with this His Circumcision which Hee hath begunne in us 2 This is to be noted that he calleth it not made with hand Whence observe Doctr. That no outward action of the hand of man reacheth to the cleansing of the soule The hand of man putteth forth no efficiencie to that which is done in the heart as nothing that goeth into the body can defile it so nothing that is done to the body can sanctifie it This maketh Saint Paul say That he that planteth and he that watereth is nothing for a bodily action can worke nothing but a bodily effect Which is to be observed against the Papists Vse who will have the Priest's action lifted up by GOD to the taking away of the soules sin but then it could not truly be said that the removall of corruption from the spirit were not done with the hand of man as because God doth by meats maintaine our life He by His blessing giving that vertue to them it cannot be truly said that our life is sustained by meat and drinke Now to the second thing in the putting off Observe That sinne and grace are to the soule Doct. as apparell is to the body therefore he saith by putting off the body of sin that is the flesh the body this is a borrowed speech because that as mans body is a systeme or a frame not having one but many kindes of members So sin is such a frame of corruption as containeth in it many distinct kindes which are as members of this masse of corruption Coloss 3. â—â— Rom. 6. But it may seeme strange that he sorteth these metaphors of putting off a body when clothes not bodies are put off But you must know that the body is the soules rayment as it were and therefore the soule is most fitly said to put off a body the body of corruption the flesh this