percipiuntur Good saith he is the way of humility whereby truth is searched out charity is obtained and the generations of wisdome are perceived Humility exalteth he that is most humble is and shal be most honourable Moses was the meekest man on earth and God made him the most honourable calling him up unto himselfe in the mount and making him the Leader of his people Gedeon was very little in his own eyes the least of his fathers house in his owne apprehension and God marvellously exalted him making him the deliverer of Israel As mans pride is attended with infamy so is mans meeknesse waited on with glory Vis magnus esse incipe ab imo Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Father As the roots of the tree descend so the branches ascend this makes the soule capable of grace as the low grounds of water and the broken earth of seed God gives grace to the humble as men poure liquor into an empty vessell The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the sacrifice the heart of man under the Gospel must be humble empty of all spirituall pride and selfe-conceit to receive the fire of the spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes this keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rent the taller trees I have read of one that seeing in a vision many snares of the devill spread upon earth he sate downe and mourned and said within himselfe Quis pertransiet ista Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voice answering Humilitas pertransiet Humility shall passe through them The Divell hath least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble hee that hath a gracious measure of meeknesse is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with his threatnings This makes man peaceable in conversing with his brethren fruitfull in well-doing cheerfull in suffering comfortable in every condition constant in holy walking this makes a man precious in the eyes of God as a humble servant in the eyes of his Master Qui parvus est in reputatione propriâ magnus est in reputatione divinâ saith Gregory He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteeme This makes the way and worke of man acceptable unto God and also sweetens and encreaseth mans communion with God If ever therefore you entend to enjoy Gods glorious and blessed presence labour for this humility and meeknesse Fourthly Bee servent and unfained in your love to God his truth and his children this will make your language very gracious Amantium mos est saith Chrysostome ut amorem suum silentio tegere nequeunt Lovers know not how to keepe silence lovers of God are very full of gracious expressions this will make you liberal you shall give your selves to God and the service of his Saints as the men of Macedonia did this will make you patient in suffering as Jacob in his service for Rachel this will make you frequent the house of God with all alacrity frequency and diligence as children their fathers house and table this will make you joyfull in hearing the word of God as the Bride in hearing the voice of the Bridegroome this will make you carefull free and full in the observation of Gods statutes as loving children in the observation of their fathers precepts this will make you diligent and rich in all good workes the more man loves God the more he strives in all well-doing to glorifie God Love like fire is not idle but operative Amor Dei saith Gregory nunquam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est si verò operari renuit amor non est The love of God saith he is never idle for if it is it worketh great things but if it refuse to work it is not love Love makes the yoke of God easie and his worke delightfull it is only want of love that makes the commandement a burden Tantò magis delectat opus bonum quantò magis diligitur Deus summum incommutabile bonum saith Augustine A good work so much the more delighteth by how much the more God the chiefest and unchangable good is loved Love among some of the Ancients was resembled to and represented by the Sun the Sunne inlightens the world the more love the more light Knowledge and love like the water and the ice beget each other man loves God by knowing and knows God by loving God dwels in love and where God is there is light that mans light is darknesse which is not attended with the love of God and his testimonies the Sunne makes the earth fertile he that loves God cannot be barren his love makes him fruitfull in all well-doing the Sunne is swift and constant in his motion love makes man cheerfull speedy and unwearied in running the race which God hath set before him the Sunne is impassible love is patient and invincible it endureth all things no floods can drown it no waters can quench it Want of love and affection is the maine cause of mans apostacy and back-sliding the Sunne casteth his beames upward and downward to the East and to the West to the North and to the South Christian love causeth its beames to ascend to God above and to descend to man beneath to our friends on the right hand to our enemies on the left hand to them that are in the state or grace before us to them thâ—t are in the state of corruption behind us love which is not in this sense universall is corrupt and carnall The Sun beginning to ascend in his circle never goes back uâ—till he comes to the highest degree thereof true love abhorres apostacy ascends to more perfection and ceaseth not untill like Eliahs fiery chariot it hath carried the soule to heaven If ever you meane to see and enjoy the God of love labour for this love Fiftly Be very serious studious circumspect and carefull in all your walkings ponder the path of your feet like carefull travellers consider and weigh all your doings let all your waies of the heart within and worke without be ordered aright according the rule of Gods word every motion of the soule is a step to life or a step to death a step towards heaven or toward hell Mans labour and service is temporall his wages and recompence eternall therfore as Zeuxes that famous Lymner being demanded why he was so exact and serious so long so careful and curious in his workmanship answered Diu pingo quia aeternitati pingo I am long in painting because I paint unto eternity We all paint unto eternity every one of our actions tends to an eternity of joyes or sorrowes all our temporall actions are as seeds of eternity sowne by us a temporall seed an eternall harvest we speak we heare we write we read we
Gods children a great griefe a meanes of very much disquiet as the daughters of Heth to Sarah Gen. 27.46 made her life a burthen and the presence of disobedient Ionah made the sea tempestuous the navigation very perillous to the Mariners This hath filled them full of complaints Psa 120.5 Woe is me saith David that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psa 119.136 Mine eyes gush out with rivers of tears because men keepe not thy law saith David And Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 That righteous man saith S. Peter dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds And therefore as he that dwells among thornes briars and scorpions Ezek. 2.6 desires to change his dwelling so doe Gods servants say Come Lord Jesus that they may have full freedome from the conversation of sinfull men In regard of love to Christ their love to him 2 Sam. 1.26 like the love of Jonathan to David is wonderfull they love him with all manner of love with a creatures love as he is their maker with a servants love as hee is their Lord and Master with a subjects love as he is their King and Ruler with a ransomed mans love as hee is their Redeemer with a friends love as hee is their Comforter with a childs love as he is their everlasting Father with a kinsmans love as hee is their Brother and with a Brides love as hee is the Bridegroome of their soules Can. 2.5 They are sicke of love and love breeds longing and longing breeds desire of fruition And as love constraines the wife to desire the presence of the husband so doth love cause the spouse of Christ to long for the presence of Christ to say Tit. 2.13 Come Lord Iesus to looke for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ In regard of the plenary and perfect restauration of Gods image in their soules The day of Christs comming shall bee the day of their full freedome and perfect redemption wherein they shal be a garden without weeds a tree without barren branch superfluous bough or fading leafe As Absolon 2 Sam. 15. in respect of bodily perfection was without blemish from the crowne of the head unto the sole of the foot so shall Gods servants upon the comming of Christ be free from all blemish and glorious in soule and body Mat. 13.43 Luk. 21.28 like the Sun in the firmament This is called the day of their redemption And as the captive desireth the comming of the ransomer so doe they the comming of Christ our blessed Redeemer and therfore they say Come Lord Iesus that they may have the full possession of all joy and glory in heaven This openeth and unfoldeth the estate and condition of man Use even of the holiest and best men in this life even an estate of distance separation in part from Christ their desire of him their longing after him their crying Come Lord Iesus shewes they doe not enjoy Christ now in his greatest fulnesse Here Numb 13 23. like Israel in the way to Canaan they have a few grapes a little taste of the goodnesse of the land of heaven but the full vintage is reserved till their bodily dissolution till Christs second comming Now they are absent from the Lord they behold him as a friend a farre off While wee are at home in the body 2 Cor. 5.6 wee are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle Absent from the perfection of Gods Image from the fulnesse of the light of Gods countenance from the perfect and complete fruition of his presence and the glory he hath provided for us 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see as through a glasse darkly in the workes of God as in a glasse wee see the generall wisedome power and goodnesse of God In the Word and Sacraments wee see as in a glasse the command and precept the will and counsell the love and mercie of God in Christ Jesus Hereafter wee shall see face to face truly without errour conspicuously without darknesse and fully without the mixture of all imperfections Now we are as runners in a race the price is not yet wonne 1 Cor. 9.24 therefore so runne that yee may obtaine saith S. Paul Now we are as Souldiers in the battle fighting the victory is not yet fully gotten Rev. 2.10 therefore be thou faithful saith our Saviour to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life Wee are now travellers our journey is not yet ended Psa 84.7 therefore we must go from strength to strength untill wee doe appeare before the Lord in Sion Matth. 24.13 For hee that continueth to the end shall be saved Now we are as pilgrimes and strangers we have not yet the possession of our heavenly dwelling and therefore as pilgrimes strangers 1 Pet. 2.11 let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule we halt like Iacob in our walking our goings are not absolutely perfect Gen. 32.31.35 our lives like Iacobs flock are spotty coloured a mixture of grace vice is in them our souls Gen. 25.24 like Rebecca's womb carry in them an Esau a Iacob the flesh lusting against the spirit the spirit against the flesh as Esau against Iacob Iacob against Esau In the Common-wealth of Israel 2 Sam. 3.1 there was continuall war between the house of Saul David in the common-weale of a regenerate soule there is continuall warre between God Satan between grace and corruption and therfore we must labour in the worke of grace like the house of David to grow stronger stronger to make sin like the house of Saul grow weaker weaker still pressing to more perfection ever saying with the Evangelist Come Lord Iesus as a guide to direct us a Physician to heale us and a man of warre to overcome for us This should wonderfully endeare unto us the Lord Jesus He is the desire of the soules of all beleevers to him we must go to him we must seek on him we must call When distresse commeth when sicknesse visiteth when death approacheth then we shall bee constrained to cry Come Lord Iesus then as the woman of Tekoah in a pretended distresse came to David and cried 2 Sam. 14.4 Help O King so shall we in the reall distresse of our soules bee constrained to cry Help O Christ When wee shall see Satan casting all his fiery darts at us setting with all his forces like an armed man upon us bringing all our sinnes like a subtile accuser against us when wee shall apprehend death as a Serjeant arresting hurrying and drawing us before the Lords tribunall and shall see the armes of all earthly helpers broken the lamp of all worldly lights put out and the tongues
his testimonies he hath not dealt so with every people he hath not shewed such mercy to every congregation therefore as the tree which hath much soile cast about him brings forth much fruit as the servant which had five talents brought much advantage to his Lord and Master so strive yee to bring a measure of glory to God answerable to the measure of the meanes hee hath affoorded you the Lord hath sowne much and lookes to reap much the harvest must answer the seed bee therefore filled with all heavenly graces as the sea with waters be strong in faith as the tree growes deepe in the rootes bee fervent in love as a fire of much wood abound in all the fruits of the Spirit like the tree which bare Å¿ Rev. 22.2 twelve sorts of fruit The more you abound in grace under the Gospel the longer the Gospel shall be continued the more sweetnesse shall your soules taste in it the neerer shall you draw to God by it the more effectually shall the pardon of your sinne bee sealed up through it and the more comfortable account shall you render to God at last for all the labours of his Ministers whereof God hath made you partakers the more comfortably shall I againe behold your faces at our last generall appearance the more blessed account shall I make to Christ my great Lord and Master of this my Ministeriall service and shall the more joyfully for the present in the words of the Apostle here this day take my last leave of you and say Finally brethren farewell Bee perfect bee of good comfort bee of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you Finally brethren Brethren is a title of compellation the second branch of this tree There are brethren by nature brethren by condition and brethren by profession and participation of one Christ the last of these are the brethren here mentioned whom the Apostle here stileth brethren in respect of Originall having one God for their Father with him in respect of Relation being knit to Christ by one bond of saving faith and one golden chaine of unfained love among themselves with Saint Paul the Apostle and in respect of true and fervent Love the Apostle loving them as his brethren and this the Apostle chiefly intendeth here it being his purpose now to manifest his love unto them And hence we learne That there is in all Gods faithfull Ministers Doct. a very fervent and unfained love to their Hearers A brotherly love a love like that of Jonathan to David t 2 Sam. 1.26 a love surpassing the love of women being deare unto them as the apple of their eye as the signet upon their finger or the Bride unto the Bride-groome therefore are the Ministers stiled Husbandmen Shepheards Watch-men Parents Nurses as the Husband-man loves the vineyard which hee hath planted the Shepheard the flocke which hee keepeth the Watch-man the Citie which hee watcheth the Father the children which he begetteth or the Nurse the child to which shee draweth forth her breast and feedeth so Gods Ministers love their hearers the vineyard which they plant the flock which they keepe the Citie over which they watch the children which they ministerially beget and nurse for thus the people are stiled by names expressing the Ministers high prizing of them great delight in them and singular love unto them as u Isa 8.18 children w 1 Thes 2.19 20. hope joy crown of rejoycing glory and joy the Apostle putting on the indulgent affection of a father and in the strength and passion of his love so stiles them and speakes thus unto them What is our hope or joy or crowne of rejoycing Are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming for yee are our glory and joy And Saint Paul speaking of his love to the Corinthians calleth it a x 2 Cor. 7.4 more aboundant love that is a high a strong a transcendent love such love that hee saith his y 2 Cor. 6.11 mouth was open to them and his heart was enlarged His whole man was open to them as a Bridegroomes house is opened to the Bride to entertaine them to love them to rejoyce in them to communicate himselfe to the utmost unto them as the open Sunne sendeth forth his light and the open cloud doth power out his raine nay they were in z 2 Cor. 7.3 his heart to live and dye with them And who can doubt of the love of Gods faithfull Ministers towards their hearers that shall but looke Upon their labours to save the soules of Reas 1 their hearers They are a 2 Tim. 4.2 instant in season and out of season taking all opportunities they sow in the morning and with-hold not their hand in the evening they have no rest they hold not their b Isa 62.11 peace day nor night as Naomi said of Boaz The man will not bee c Ruth 3. ult at rest untill hee hath finished the thing this day so such is the love of Gods Ministers that they are at no rest untill they have finished the worke of grace in their hearers consummated the marriage between them and Christ Upon their sorrowes sadnesse sighes Reas 2 and teares to behold the peoples barrennesse under their labours obstinacie against their perswasions and the danger where into they thrust their soules no father is more grieved to see the lewdnesse of his child d Jer. 13.17 Jeremies soule weepes in secret for his people Isaiahs bowels sound like a e Isai 16.11 harpe for Moab Paul had f Rom. 9.2 continuall sorrow for the Iewes he was pained as a g Gal. 4.19 woman in travel for the Galatians and out h 2 Cor. 2.4 of much affliction and anguish of heart he wrote with many teares to the Corinthians that they might know the love which he had more abundantly unto them You may in the teares and sorrowes of Gods Ministers for the peoples disobedience read their love as in lively characters the greatnesse of the Ministers griefe for the peoples misery argues the strength of their desire to make them happy Reas 3 Upon their sufferings for their hearers they suffer reproach in their names being made a i 2 Cor. 4.9 spectacle to Men and Angels they suffer losse of goods losse of peace losse of libertie and losse of life that they may be k Acts 20.24 faithful in their calling finish the course of their Ministery and save the soules committed to them The sufferings of faithfull Ministers are a clear and lively evidence of their love to their hearers Gods Ministers doe often sustaine great temporall losses for other mens everlasting gaine and advantage And whereunto should this love of Gods Ministers move and work our hearts Use but to frequent and diligent attendance on their labours as wee cheerfully hearken to their voyce who love us as children come cheerfully to the banquet
give you comfort God will comfort you as a King his subjects dispensing all for your good by his gracious providence as a Father his Children by making all provision for you Christ shall comfort you as a friend by his presence as a Bridegroome by his love The Spirit shall comfort you as a witnesse by his evidence The Word shall comfort you as a Light guiding as a Feast feeding you The Minister shall comfort you as an Interpreter an Angell of God one of a thousand bringing the tidings of peace to you The Creature shall comfort yâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—vant ministring all his 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 Servants of God shall comsort yâ—u as â—â—mpanions with you Your Conscience shall comfort you as a blessed Inmate dwelling under the same roofe with you as a chaste and loving wife that lodgeth in your bosome day and night You shall have comfort and be of one minde The third Legacie bequeathed by Saint Paul to the Corinthians a Legacie of consent and unanimitie in matter of doctrine religion study and practice of all godlinesse Teaching â—s that â—â—ere must be unanimitie and consent between Gods children Doct. in matter of Doctrine and Religion All that builded Noahs Arke builded by one paterne all Israel travelled to the land of Canaan by the light of one fiery Pillar all the passengers in a ship row by one Compasse all that intend to build themselves a spirituall house to God must build by one Rule of Gods word all that will travell to the Heavenly Canaaâ— must make one Word of God the ligâ—â—â—f them feet and the lanterne of thei◠〈◊〉 to guide â—hem all that will come to the â—â—â—en of eâ—â—â—nall peace must have one testimony of the Lord to direct them Let us walke saith the Apostle by the o Phil. 3.16 same rule let us minde the same thing And againe Bee p Phil. 2.2 yee of one accord and of one minde Wee have one spirituall and heavenly King and must observe one Law we have one God and must worship by one Rule we have one Shepheard and must be commanded by one voyce we have one head and must follow one direction Hee that dissents from true doctrine makes his religion an abomination hee that rends himselfe from the Church of Christ in Christs worship and service here will bee rent from Christ and the Church for ever hereafter As wee therefore are members of one body and Schollers in one Schoole let us learne one lesson follow one guide that wee may know aright beleeve aright walke aright and preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace living both with God and amongst our selves in a sweet and blessed peace The fourth Legacie which S. Paul here bequeatheth a Legacie of mutuall unitie peace and concord betweene themselves thereby teaching us that Doct. There must bee a mutuall sweet an entire peace and affection between Gods people As there was a concord between the stones in Solomons Temple they were so fitted and disposed that there was no noyse heard in the building thereof such a sweet conjunction of affections should there bee betweene the people of God that no noyse no clamour nor cries should bee heard among them Peace is a jewell which wee are charged to seeke q Psa 34.14 Seeke peace and ensue it saith the Psalmist r 1 Thes 5.14 Bee at peace amongst your selves and Å¿ Heb. 13.1 let brotherly love continue saith the Apostle This is an honour crowne and t Col. 3.12 ornament unto man as the garment to the body as the flower to the garden This is a necessarie u 1 Cor. 16.14 ingredient in all our services a salt seasoning all our actions This sweetens all our possessions and all our afflictions as the w Exod. 15.25 tree sweetned the waters of Marah Without this the fulnesse of the world is uncomfortable with this the greatest affliction is made very tolerable this qualifies and fits us for Communion with God as communion with the children prepares a man for communion with the parent Remember then your God is the God of peace your Jesus the Prince of peace your Gospel the Gospel of peace your calling the calling of peace your way the way of peace And therefore so live in peace that the God of love and peace may bee with you The fifth and last Legacie here bequeathed Sweet and gracious communion with God whom hee stiles The God of Love Peace because hee is the Authour and fountaine of love and peace Hee desires and promiseth their communion with God as a thing wherein consisted their supreme and choycest good For Doct. Sweet and comfortable communion with God is mans choycest good Wherein stands the happinesse of a childe but in communion with his father x 2 Sam. 14.32 Absoloms life was but a burthen when hee might not see his fathers face Wherein stands the comfort of a wife but in communion with her husband And wherein consists the happinesse and comfort of the soule of man but in having fellowship and communion with God his heavenly Father and Husband For this the soules of Gods people have most vehemently longed this they have most highly prized in the fruition of this they have pronounced themselves most blessed and for this have Christs Apostles prayed in the behalfe of others as for that gift and blessing which of all others is most desirable O therefore humble your soules remove your sinnes returne to God speedily fully unchangeably attend his ordinances beleeve his promises walke in the wayes of his commandements grow up in Christ Jesus and you shall have that communion with God which shall encourage you against all feares comfort you in the midst of all sorrowes sustain you in all distresses satisfie you in the absence of all abilities and bee an abundant recompence for all losses and an inchoation of that eternity of communion which you shall have for ever with God in heaven And now Brethren the starre of my Ministery is here set and the candle of my labours is gone out no more to be lighted as I conceive in this place I am now no more no longer a Watchman to admonish you a Guide to conduct you or a Shepheard to feed you the God that sent mee and set mee here amongst you hath now againe called me from you and placed another over you to be I trust an instrument of greater good then I have been unto you Of my selfe Brethren I can say nothing but as sometime Gideon said of himselfe y Iudg. 6.15 My thousand is the meanest in Manasseh and I am the least in my fathers house So may I say My talent is of many the meanest and I am the least the weakest and unworthiest of many thousand Ministers in God my Fathers house I am but a woodden vessell the treasure is the Lords I am but as a worme no man I am nothing it is the Lord hath done all that little good
THE HAPPINES OF ENJOYING AND MAKING A TRUE AND SPEEDIE USE OF CHRIST SETTING FORTH FIRST THE FULNESSE OF CHRIST SECONDLY The danger of neglecting Christ and the opportunity of grace THIRDLY The LORD JESUS the soules last Refuge Whereunto is added St. PAULS LEGACIE or FAREWELL to the men of Corinth ALEXANDER GROSSE B. D. Minister of the Gospel and Pastour of Bridford That their hearts may be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.2 3. And of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 Omniae habemus in Christo omnia nobis Christus Ambros LONDON Printed by Robert Young for John Bartlet at the signe of the gilt-cup neere Saint Austens Gate 1640. TO MY MOST DEARELY Beloved and much honoured friends howsoever dignified or distinguished the Inhabitants of Plympton St. Mary the increase of all saving grace and everlasting blisse LOve among the Ancients was pourtrayed and shadowed out by and under the image of a woman cloathed in a greene garment having written in her forehead Procul Propè afarre off and neere at hand in her breast Mors vita life and death in the hemme of her garment Hyems aestas winter and summer in her side Vulnus apertum an open wound thorough which her heart within might be seen My love to you farre from me be all base flattery and selfe-commendation hath beene very fervent like the love of women greene and never withering alwayes fresh and flourishing not only while I was present with you but since I have been absent from you the sense at least of my love hath beene more abundant towards you such hath been my love to you that you were in my heart to live and to dye with you I could willingly in winter and in summer in all changes have continued your servant as Jacob served Labans flock in the heat and in the cold My heart is open to you as a Bridegroomes heart and house is open to receive the Bride and had your former beene like the last manifestations of your love towards me I am assured all the proffers and perswasions of the world should never have drawne me from you Great is the power and strength of affection with which faithfull Ministers love the Lords people as grace is more powerfull then nature so is their love stronger then the love of nature Non minus vos diligo saith Ambrose quos genui ex Evangelio quà m si suscepissem conjugio gratia quippe vehementior est ad diligendum quà m natura I love you no lesse whom I have begotten by the Gospel then if I had begotten you in matrimoniall conjunction because grace hath more energy and vehemency in the way and worke of love then nature And in my unfained love and as a pledge and testimony of my never-dying love I have sent you these papers part of which is the last Legacy I had to bestow upon you at the time of my departure from you It is very usefull for all Christians to renew the memory of the past labours of Gods messengers Every good child desires a copy of his Fathers will to see his Fathers love to know his Fathers gift to remember and observe his Fathers charge and counsell Children within some few dayes after their Fathers death expect the receipt of their parents Legacie and bequeath and loving children are ever very glad to accept and very carefull to keep their parents last gift though of slender worth the last words of Gods Ministers our spirituall parents doe commonly like the words of dying men take the deepest impression in their hearers True Christians thinke often and put great price upon the last labours of Gods Ministers I therefore here present unto you that which I published as my last ministeriall Will and Testament among you with some part of my poore labours since bestowed on others desiring you like loving children to accept it like provident and carefull children to make the humble true and best use of it A small gift well used proves many times an instrument of great inrichment Though I cease to be your Minister and am now no more your Instructer yet I cannot cease to bee your true though weake and unworthy perhaps despised friend and as ointment and perfume according to Solomon rejoice the heart so would I gladly by hearty counsell distill on you the drops of some friendly some Christian and spirituall sweetnesse to the rejoicing and revivement of your soules and as iron sharpens iron so am I willing by some words of admonition exhortation and excitation to sharpen and quicken your affections Let me therefore as a constant lover of your soules and a carefull remembrancer of your welfare intreat and perswade you all 1. To grow in the sight and sense of your sinne Beware of hardnesse keepe your hearts soft and contrite nourish and maintaine all tendernesse in your consciences sense of misery sweetens mercy the feeling of sin breeds both the loathing and leaving of sinne mans sight of his owne vilenesse makes Christ very precious and breeds a low opinion of all worldly excellencies The Hart feeling within him the operation of the serpents poyson goes from the thornes and thickets and passeth over the greene and pleasant pastures desires nothing but the fountaine sense of the venome of sinne and uncleannesse makes man go from the thornes and thickets of worldly cares and riches and passe from the greene medowes of carnall pleasures the soule being restlesse untill it comes to Christ Jesus the fountain of all spirituall refreshments Secondly take heed deceive not your selves with shewes and shadowes in stead of substance with a forme in stead of the power of godlinesse As the Poets fable it of Ixion imbracing a cloud in stead of Juno or as mothers in haste somtimes catch at the swadling clothes and leave the child behind them It is very dangerous to stay and applaud our selves in the ceremony of Religion and godliness not taking with us the Lord Jesus as sometimes Mary and Joseph went on with the multitude for company and left Christ behind them all religious observations prove complementall frivolous and fruitlesse if in them we see not taste not receive not enjoy not Christ religious exercises are lost labours to the soule that gaines not the Lord Jesus Thirdly Be truely meeke and humble bee emptied of all opinion of your owne worth and wisedome this will make you wise unto salvation He that is in the low pits and caves of the earth sees the starres in the firmament when they who are on the tops of the mountaines discerne them not Hee that is most humble sees most of heaven Bona est via humilitatis saith Bernard quâ veritas inquiritur charitas acquiritur generationes sapientiae
of administration and government of all things the judgement of ruling and guiding his chosen in absolving their sinnes in inspiring all his graces into them that hee may live in them and they in him preserving them safe to life eternall God hath made him the great and high Steward and the Church his House to whom Christ like a Steward or rather Sonne dispenseth all the fulnesse which his Father hath committed unto him being e Heb. 3.6 1 Cor. 1.30 faithfull as a Sonne over his house And as God dispenseth all fulnesse by him so of necessity all fulnesse must bee placed in him accorcording to that of Ambrose Christus omnibus omnia factus est Christ is made all things to all men In regard of Christs office and undertaking in the behalfe of Gods Church and chosen an undertaking so difficult that without the fulnesse of God it cannot bee accomplished For first such is the disease and maladie of the soules of men that without the fulnesse of the God-head Christ cannot cure them they are so dead in sinne that without an almighty power hee cannot raise them Were hee not the Lord of life hee could not quicken them had he not f Ioh. 5.26 life in himselfe originally absolutely infinitely hee could not minister life unto them Christ shewes no lesse power in raising the soules of men then hee did in raising the body of g Ioh. 11.44 Lazarus Such is their blindnesse that were not Christ the true h Ioh. 1.9 light that commeth from above hee could never shine into their hearts had he not the treasures of all wisedome hee could never make them wise unto salvation had hee not the i Rev. 3.7 keyes of David which open and no man shutteth hee could never open the eyes of their understanding Such is the obstinacie and hardnesse of their hearts that the hammer of the Word without the almighty hand of God can never breake nor bruise them Such is the distance and difference between God and the soules of men that were not Christ a person of infinite worth hee could never make any satisfaction never work a reconciliation No hand can cure mans miseries but that which hath an infinite fulnesse Secondly such is the opposition made by Satan against this office and undertaking of Christ that without the fulnesse of the God-head there could be no conquest Hee is a Lyon so strong and so greedily set upon his prey that were not Christ a Shepheard infinitely strong hee could not deliver the soules of men as David k 1 Sam. 17.34 delivered the sheepe from the Lyon Hee is a man of l Luk. 11.21 warre so potent and politick and so fortifying his holds in the hearts of men that were not the power of Christ almighty hee could never vanquish and cast him out Liberty from Satans bondage and temptations comes altogether from Christs fulnesse Thirdly such is the profundity and depth of the mysteries of godlinesse that had not Christ a spirituall and heavenly fulnesse were hee not in the m Ioh. 1.18 bosome of the Father and knew all things hee could never shew us the Father hee could never n Rev. 5.8 open the Booke sealed with seven Seales which no creature can open hee could never open our hearts and fill us who are o Ephes 5.8 darknesse with a marvellous light the inlightning of mans understanding is an almighty worke hee can bee no lesse then God that gives us the Spirit of wisedome and revelation to know God and the riches of his goodnesse towards the Saints Fourthly such are the afflictions of Christs members Satan doth so besiege assault them as sometimes the Amoritish Princes did the p Ios 10.6 Gibeonites that were not Christ filled with the fulnesse of all power hee could never give them deliverance Freedome commeth to Gods children from the assaults of their enemies onely by the mighty power of Christ Jesus hee is the Arke that keepes them from drowning in the deluge of affliction it is hee that walkes with them and keepes them that the fiery fornace of trouble doth not burne and consume them as hee sometime q Dan. 3. walked with the three children and preserved them Fifthly such is the perfection that God requires in his people that were not the fulnesse of the God-head in Christ hee could not cloath them with his righteousnesse hee could not purge out their corruptions as Iordan purged Naaman hee could not r Ephes 5.26 present them without spot and blemish in Gods presence It is the mighty power of Christ that prepares and keepes Gods children unto salvation And thus you see the necessity and verity of the being of all divine and heavenly fulnesse in Christ Jesus CHAP. V. Setting forth the folly of neglecting Christ and seeking fulnesse elsewhere THis discovers the folly of such as neglect Christ leave Christ step out Use and goe aside from Christ and seeke for fulnesse else-where These are like the men of Shechem in Iotham's Parable Å¿ Iudg. 9.9 leaving the Vine the Olive and the Figge-tree addressing themselves unto the Bramble and hiding themselves under the shadow thereof All that is without and beside Christ is but a Bramble in comparison of Christ ministring no safety no defence no sure and comfortable shadow of refreshment to them that have recourse unto it It is our greatest foolishnesse to leave the Lord Jesus to seeke out other proppes and pillars to support us an evill very common and incident to the soules of men an evill of which our Saviour doth complain t Joh. 5.40 Yee will not come to mee that yee might have life yee will not come to mee yee will not beleeve in mee yee will not love and embrace mee yee will not rest and relye on mee yee will not subject your selves to mee yee will not solace and delight your selves in mee yee will not quiet and content your selves with mee yee will not come to mee as Schollers to their Teacher to bee taught of me to u Ephes 4.22 learne mee as the truth is in mee yee will not come to me as sicke men to their Physician to bee healed and cured by mee as they that sit in darknesse come to the light to bee ruled guided by me who am the true light ye will not come to mee as the poore to the rich to bee fed and cloathed by mee as the thirsty to the fountaine to be refreshed and filled by mee as the servant to his Lord to feare and serve mee to honour and exalt mee yee will not thus come to mee There is in the soules of men a very strong and wonderfull backwardnesse to come to the Lord Jesus to come fully and freely off from the creature unto Christ as the wife commeth off from her w Psa 45.10 owne people and her fathers house to live and abide with her husband to set her love on him to quiet her selfe
withers and a branch without root abiding barren and hastening to the fire Behold then O man thy necessity of Christ thy misery without Christ and give thy soule no rest untill thou art come home to Christ Fasten your thoughts upon the vanitie of all things without Christ 2. Vanitie of all things without Christ What is worldly fulnesse to him that comes not to Christ Jesus but vanity x Eccles 2.11 vexation of spirit a bed of thornes on which hee canâ—ot sleep without terrour * Auruâ—a 〈…〉 pâ—â—◠〈…〉 poâ—◠〈…〉 aurum â—â—â—lus â—â—â—nus pâ—â—â—â—or servus Aug. a way of snares 〈◊〉 â—hich hee cannot walke without stumâ—â—ng â—ruising and hurting himselfe a cup oâ— gâ—ll of which hee cannot drink with any comfort like the waters of Marah to Isâ—ael without the tree burthens oppressing chaine 's fettering arrowes wounding â—â—as tossing and winds shaking are all worldly possessions to them that possâ—sse not Christ Jesus What was Paradise to Adam when hee had deprived hâ—mselfe of the tree of life by eating of the trâ—e of forbidden fruit but as a wildernesse of thornes and briars a place of extreame torture and disquiet The worlds choycest Paradise proves at length full of bitternesse to him that hath deprived himselfe of Christ Jesus Augustine saith * Quid prodest diviti quod habet si Deum qui omnia dedit non habet What doth that profit the rich man which hee hath if hee hath not God which gave all What availes the having of the cisterne without the fountain The having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them Happy is the man that so lookes upon the creatures emptinesse that he is thereby stirred up to seeke Christ and his fulnesse The excellencie the worth of Christ 3. Dignity of Christ As they said of David Hee is better more worthy then all the y 2 Sam. 18. â— thousands of the world As they said of the Centurion Hee is z Luk. 7.4 worthy for whom thou shalt doe this thing Much more may I say of Christ Hee is worthy that you should come unto him in him are all the load-stones of vertue power beauty and whatsoever can be spoken to move and draw the soule of man towards him In him is wisedome surpassing the brightnesse of the Sunne even all the a Col. â— 3 treasures of wisedome hidden In him is power excelling the strength of all Rockes hee is not onely strong but b Psal 18.1 strength it felfe In him is honour transcending all the Kings of the earth for hee is c Rev. 19.16 King of Kings and Lord of Lords hee is d Psa 104 1 2. cloathed with honour and majesty and covered with light as with a garment In him is beauty excelling the e Cant. 2.2 Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valley hee is the f Cant. 5.10 fairest of ten thousand fairer then all the flowers of the field then all the pretious stones of the earth then all the lights in the firmament then all Saints and Angels in the highest heavens In him is g Ephes 3.8 riches above all the riches of the world as in the Pearle above the drosse All worldly wealth is but poverty to the riches which is in Christ In him are h Psa 16.11 pleasures excelling all earthly pleasures more then ever paradise excelled the barren wildernesse All pleasures are but sorrowes and tortures to the pleasure which the soule doth finde in Christ Surely all wisedome is folly all power weaknesse all honour ignominy all beauty deformity all riches poverty all pleasures anguish and all fulnesse emptinesse in comparison of the wisedome power glory beauty riches pleasures and fulnesse that is in Christ Jesus O therefore come to Christ that you may bee enlightned strengthened honoured enriched protected solaced and your soules every way filled O come as the Queene of the South came from i 1 King 10.1 2. farre to Solomon that you may learne his wisedome O come as the stones in the building to the head k 1 Pet. 2.5 corner stone that hee may support you come as the subjects come the Kings Court that hee may advance and honour you come as poore men to a golden Mine that hee may enrich you come as Naaman came to l 2 King 5. Iordan that hee may sanctifie and cleanse you O come as the Prodigall came to his fathers m Luk. 15. house that Christ may kill the fatted calfe for you feed you with his ordinances with himselfe with his graces and put the robe of his righteousnesse upon you O come as a disconsolate man unto his friend that Christ may comfort you with the sweetnesse of his presence the sense of his love and all the comforts of his Spirit O come as the chicken to the henne that his wings may hide and shadow you Under the wings of Christ saith * Sub Christi scapulis quatuor nohis beneficia conseruntur c. Bernard foure benefites are bestowed upon us Here wee are hidden and protected Here wee are refreshed Here the scorching heat of affliction is repelled And here wee are fed and nourished Christ saith †Christus omnia ut qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit unum inveniat pro omnibus possit libero clamare Pars mea Dominus Ierome is all things that hee who for Christ hath let goe all may find one for all and may freely say The Lord is my portion For as Ambrose sayd * Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus si à vulnere curari defideras medicus est c. We have all in Christ and Christ is all things in us if thou desire to be cured of thy wound hee is a Physician if thou burne with Fevers hee is a Fountaine if thou art burthened with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wanttest help hee is strength if thou feare death hee is life if tâ—ou flye from darknesse hee is light if thou desirest heaven hee is the way if thou seekest food hee is nourishment Therefore to him let us come as sheep to their Shepheard as captives to their Ransomer as children to their Father The manner of comming to Christ 1. Speedily To him let us come first speedily without all delay as Eagles to the carcasse As the woman of Shunem n 2 King 4. sadled her Asse and made haste to the man of God for the recovery of her dead childe so let us make haste to Christ for the recovery life health comfort and welfare of our poore soules let us come unto him while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is neere at hand As the Angell hasted and thrust Lot out of Sodome and bid him o Gen. 19 haste to Zoar and escape thither so let us hasten our soules out of the Sodome of sinne unto Christ O let us with all speed
the Lord of all things 2. Excellencie of power Looke upon the excellency of Christs power behold him as one to whom power belongeth power of creating and making all power of dispensing and administring all power of supporting in the greatest weaknesse and power of dissolving the greatest forces looke upon him as on the rock which never sinketh as on the captaine that ever prevaileth as on one whose arme is never shortned and build upon him as the wise man built his house upon the rocke and thy soule shall never sinke hide thy selfe under the shadow of his wings as the chicken under the wings of the hen and the infernall vultures shall never make a prey of thee And as Christ hath excellent power so strive to feel this power of Christ inwardly in thy heart and soule 1 Ioh. 3.8 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Acts 12.7 in dissolving the workes of Satan in casting downe his kingdome and mighty holds within thee as Peter felt the power of the Angel in smiting off his fetters bringing him forth of Herods prison as they who were possessed felt the power of Christ in casting out the Divell Labour to feele this power healing all thy spirituall maladies as the deseased woman felt the vertue of Christ curing her sickeness Marke 5. Gen. 7.17 Dan. 3. Col. 1.11 sustaining thee in all afflictions as the Arke sustained Noah in the deluge restraining all the fiery darts of Satan as he restrained the fiery furnace from hurting the three children filling thy soule with all spirtuall and heavenly might making thee strong in knowledge as the Sun in light strong in faith as the tree in roots strong in love as a fire of much wood in heate strong in motion and comming home to God as a river of much water is strong in comming home to the Ocean Man that feeles Christs gracious power and vertue is the man that discernes Christs excellency Christ is even nothing in mans apprehension untill man hath experience of this his powerfull and mighty working When Israel saw the mighty worke of David in overthrowing the great Goliah 1 Sam. 18. then David was much set by Mans experience of Christs mighty and gracious working makes Christ very precious to him 3. Excellency of love Looke upon the excellency of Christs love see him loving and imbracing the humble and penitent soules of men as the bridegrome his sad and sorrowfull bride see him binding up the broken hearts of men as the tender and carefull physician the wounds of them that are diseased with Ladies hands with singular rendernesse and compassion behold him gathering to himselfe and bearing in the bosome of his love and comforting with the promises of his word the wounded in spirit and afflicted in conscience as the carefull shepheard gathers and carries the weake Isa 40.11 and feeble sheepe behold him like Jacob in his love serving in the heate and in the cold for Rachel Gen. 29.27 serving in manifold afflictions from his cradle to his crosse for our sakes to make us a spouse unto himselfe see him in his sympathy fellow feeling afflicted in all the affliction of his people Isa 63.9 as a head with the affliction of the members as a nurse with the affliction of her childe look on him Phil. 2.7 and see him in love stripping himselfe of his glory dignity and life it selfe for us 1 Sam. 18. as Ionathan in his love stript himself of his sword garment gave them to David Looke upon this excellent love of Christ and price it more highly than the thirsty man doth wine Cant. 1.3 Psal 4.1 Psa 63.3 then the worldly man his Corne and Oyle or the living man his life Of all possessions the love of Christ is most precious nothing sweet like Christs loving kindnesse to the soules of Gods servants nothing can make man miserable or his condition uncomfortable that hath the feeling of Christs love within him Iâ—hn 2. Christ at the marriage in Cana turned water into wine the marriage of the soul with Christ the having of the love of Christ turnes the cloudes of sorrow into a Sun of comforts the dust of disgrace into a crowne of honour the tempest of trouble into a calme of peace and the empty cisterne into a full fountaine O how sweet how honourable how full how well pleasing doth the love of Christ make their condition who have the beams of his countenance shining upon them 4. Excellencie of consolations Looke upon the excellency of Christs consolations which water and refresh the soule as the Rivers did the garden of Eden which revive the heart and make the inward man to flourish after a long winter of affliction as the beames of the Sunne doe the earth in the spring season consolations externall in the ministry and doctrine of the Gospel and internall in the sweet and peaceable operation of the spirit Thus you may heare Christ comforting his spouse after her long troubles Cant. 2.11 Loe saith he the winter is past the raine is over and gone the troubles and grievances raised by the malice of the world feares terrours and sorrowes of soule caused by sinne and raised like a tempest by the sense of Gods wrath are gone appeased and put away by the sweete gracious comfortable comming of Christ unto the soule as the winter by the returning of the Sunne The flowers appeare the graces and consolations of the spirit appeare againe adorning and sweetning the soule and making it looke with a joyfull face as the flowers doe the earth The time of the singing of Birds is come the houre of the Saints consolation is come Christ makes them joyfull with the feeling of his word and spirit Epes 5.19 and they with Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs doe sing and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord. The Lord Jesus ever ministers sweete refreshments after long afflictions to the soules of his servants hee gives them water out of the rocke and hony out of the Lyon he makes their heavinesse matter of rejoycing and their sufferings an occasion of triumph and exaltation Now hee comforts them as a haven the Mariner after a long storm becomming to them a place of refuge Isay 4.1 Iob 33 24. Ezra 9.8 and a covert from the storm and from the raine Now he solaceth them with the assurance of the pardon of their sin as a King the malefactor with a pardon after much sorrow and long supplication Now he reviveth them with the light of his countenance as David after many dayes let Absolon see his face Now he cheereth them with his presence as a Bridegroome the Bride after long absence Now he quiets them as he did the stormy waters Mat. 8.26 and gave a calme to his Disciples Now he sends his Spirit with a certificate of peace to their consciences Rom. 8.16 as sometime the Dove came to Noah with an Olive
branch Now he lets them see the end of their feares and sorrow as Noah after many dayes saw the dry land appeare Christ is very wise wonder ull in the dispensation of comforts to his afflicted servants he ever takes the fittest opportunities both to sweeten and remove mens miseries when the over-flowing flood of worldly comforts prove an emty pit and broken cisterne then appeare Christs comforts as a living spring that never faileth And herein is the excellencie of Christs consolations that they are First seasonable as light in darknesse as the Well to Hagar when her Bottle was empty Secondly that they are full consolations their latitude equall to mans miseries Thirdly that they are strong consolations overcomming mans distractions and distresses And fourthly everlasting abiding to the end with Christs members And O how should this excellencie of Christ Jesus fill us with high and excellent thoughts of Christ with strong and excellent faith in Christ with fervent and excellent love to Christ with humble hearty and excellent subjection under Christ with full constant and most excellent contentation with Christ having him in whom is fulnesse infinitely surpassing the fulnesse of all creatures CHAP. XV. Opening the blessed and happy condition of them that are partakers of Christ THis declares the singular happinesse and blessed condition of such as are partakers of Christ above all other persons they have him in whom is fulnesse infinitely surpassing the fulnesse of all creatures Mans having spirituall right and interest in Christ Jesus is mans greatest happinesse it is the happinesse of a Traveller to have the Sunne in which is fulnesse of light to guide him therefore the Sunne appearing hee leaves all other lights and contents himselfe with this as having enough in this It was the happines of the Merchant in the parable to have the precious pearl Mat. 13.44 he sold all to possesse himself of that assuring himselfe that having that he had enough he needed no other treasure to bee added Christ is a glorious Sunne in whom is all light a precious pearle in whom is all treasure hee that hath him needs nothing else to make him happy Hee that hath all things without Christ is poore base mâ—serable hee that hath Christ in the absence of all other things is rich full and honourable As Augustine sometime said of the knowledge of other things and ignorance of God * Infoelix qui omnia novit te nescit qui autem te illa novit non propter illa beatus sed propter te solum Unhappy is hee that knowes all things and knowes not thee but hee that knowes both thee and them is happy not for them but for thee alone So in this case unhappy is hee that possesseth all things and yet hath not Christ but hee that hath both Christ and them is happy not for them but for Christ alone Hearken whom doth the Spirit of God pronounce happy Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord Psa 33.11 and the people whom he hath chosen for his owne inheritance the Nation which hath God for their Lord in his ordinances as a teacher instructing them in his love as a father regenerating and embracing them in his care as a Shepheard watching over them in the operation of his grace as a Physician healing them as a Gardiner pruning dressing watering them Here is mans blessednesse to have God in his love mercie and saving graces And againe Psa 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man in whom is no helpe his breath goeth forth hee returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish Happy is the man that hath the God of Iacob for his God whose hope is in the Lord his God wherein the Psalmist shewes the vanity of all externall excellencies and the folly of them that trust in them that magnifie themselves in the presence of them being things perishing and suddenly changing For as Mimus said of Fortune It is glassy Vitrea est quum spendet frangitur when it shines it breakes so is the greatest worldly fulnesse but a glasse when it shines it breakes when it flourisheth then it withers On the other side the Psalmist sets forth the singular felicitie of them that have the God of Iacob for their God who by knowledge choyce faith love obedience and delight have him for their God their guide their rocke their crowne their portion they are happy they are blessed they are in a most honourable and sweet condition Happiness of having Christ illustrated iâ— five things 1 A wise guide Great is the happinesse of man in having Christ as David said of Goliahs sword There is none to that He that hath Christ hath First a wise guide able to direct him as the fiery Pillar guided Israel and the Starre the Wise men Christ hath all the treasures of wisedome he that hath most of Christ is the wisest man in the world hee that hath the Sunne hath more light then hee that hath all other lights and wants the Sunne 2. A faithful friend Secondly hee that hath Christ hath a faithfull friend a sure friend a sweet friend Pro. 18.12 an able an everlasting friend A friend saith Solomon is nearer than a brother Such a friend is Christ when father and mother forsake us Christ taketh us up Pro. 27.9 Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsel saith the Wise man Such a friend is Christ his instruction his presence his love are better then oyntment and perfume filling the soule with all joy in beleeving A friend loves at all times Pro. 17.17 Such a one is Christ whom hee loveth once hee loveth to the end Have Christ for thy friend and thou needst not bee dismaid at all the hatred of the world Thirdly hee that hath Christ 3. A sure Rock hath a sure rocke to sustaine him a firme shield to defend him Christ like Noahs Arke will beare him up in the deepest deluge of affliction like a firme Anker hee will stay the ship of his soule in the stormy tempest of all troubles lâ—ke a wall of fire Zech. 3.5 hee will defend him and consume all that rise against him Great is that mans safety who hath Christ for his keeper there is more safety with Christ in the tempest then without Christ in the calmest waters Psa 3. Isâ— 32.2 That soule is invincible which hath Christ for his Castle and his Captaine Fourthly hee that hath Christ 4. Highest honour hath the highest honour The woman joyned in wedlock with the King is more honourable then all the women of the land Hâ—st 2.17 Hester obtained more grace and favour in the sight of Ahasuerus then all the virgins and the King set the crowne royall upon her head hee that hath Christ obtaines more grace and favour with God then all the men
in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces
in title to all Gods promises in the acceptation of their persons and services in and for Christ Eph. 1.6 Christ being the Beloved in whom they are accepted And hence we learne that Doct. There is a spirituall and heavenly perfection and fulnesse in Gods faithfull servants Sorts of perfection a fulnesse of inchoation but not of consummation as there is a fulnesse of light begun in the aire in the dawning of the day a fulnesse of parts but not of degrees as there is a fulnesse of members in an infant as well as in a man in respect of parts though not in respect of full growth a fulnesse of truth and uprightnesse though not of absolutenesse The least dramme of gold and drop of water is as truly gold and water as all the gold in the Kings Treasure or all the water in the deep Sea a fulnesse in respect of intention Phil. 3.12 though not of acquisition they set perfection as a marke before them they presse to it though they have not yet fully attained a fulnesse of duration though not of fruition they doe not faile and fall like Hasael 2 Sam. 2.23 by the way but like good travellers they goe from strength to strength untill they appeare before the Lord in Sion Psa 84.7 though they do not yet enjoy the end of their calling a fulnesse in respect of extention they mortifie all lusts they depart from every evill way they allow themselves in no sinne though they cannot wholly abolish any sinne they have an eye to all Gods precepts and walke in all Gods ordinances though they limpe and halt a little as Iacob did in his travell after hee had obtained the blessing This perfection and fulness of Gods Saints and Servants was shadowed in the Arke as it was a type of the Church the Arke had a crowne of gold about it Exod. 25.10 11. the Church the faithfull servants of the Lord are crowned with divers gifts and graces here and shall bee with the crowne of glory hereafter The Arke had foure proportionable dimensions the faithfull servants of Christ have the depth of faith the height of hope the latitude of charitie and the longitude of perseverance abounding as the Apostle saith in every thing 2 Cor. 8.7 in faith in utterance in knowledge in all diligence and love The Candlestick in the Sanctuary had seven lamps Exod. 25.31.37 and many branches adorned with bowles knops and flowers the Church and faithfull servants of God are replenished with fulnesse of divine and heavenly light and beautified with the gracious workes of the Spirit Isai 11.9 this was prophesied The earth the faithfull people of God on earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea abundantly replenished with all the gifts of God and this the Lord signified by the mouth of the Psalmist Psa 72.16 saying There shall be an handfull of corne in the earth on the top of the mountaines the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon and flourish like the grasse of the earth A prophesie of the plentifull preaching of the Gospel abundant communication of divine and saving gifts to men a large encrease of the number of beleevers and sweet consolations arising in the soules of men upon their freedome from the power of Satan and their owne corruption under Christs kingdome And this perfection fulnes of the servants of God is expressed somtimes by the beauty of the Lillies of the valley Cant. 2.2 Cant. 6.10 sometimes by the brightnesse of the Sunne the Moone and the Morning sometimes by the glory and rich attire of a Queene clothed with gold of Ophir Psal 45.9 13 14. and a needle wrought garment sometimes by a body washed with water Ezek. 16. and anointed with oyle clâ—thed with broidred worke shod with a Badgers skinne girded about with fine linnen covered with silke decked with ornaments having bracelets upon the hands and a chain on the necke signifying the riches fulnesse splendor beauty and admirable excellencie of those graces with which the Lord adorns the soules of his servants grace and holinesse making Gods children surpassingly beautiful That soule is most comely and beautifull which hath the greatest measure of sanctification This is likewise symbolized by the waters comming forth under the threshold of the Temple rising higher and higher Ezek. 47.5 untill they grew so deepe that a man might swim in them and for this the children of God are termed Cant. 4.2 a flocke of Sheepe even shorne come up from the washing every one bearing twinnes none barren among them for this they are stiled a Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountaine sealed an Orchard of Pomegranats with pleasant fruits a Tree planted by the waters side Psa 92.12 whose leafe doth not fade trees bearing more fruit in their old age It is the propertie of Gods children to grow to more perfection their corruptions like the house of Saul 2 Sam. 3.1 growing weaker and weaker and their graces like the house of David waxing stronger and stronger and the Scripture speakes of them plainly testifying that they are full of goodness Rom. 15.14 as the starres are full of light and good trees full of good fruit full of piety towards God full of charity towards man full of knowledge in Gods will full of faith in Gods promises full of godly sorrow for their offences full of humility meeknesse for their low opinion of themselves readiness to put their neckes under the yoke of Gods precepts Phil. 1.11 Full of the fruits of righteousnesse as the fields are full of all sorts of fruit in the day of harvest Col. 4.12 Perfect and full in the will of God in the knowledge and observance of it as a good servant is full in knowing and obeying his masters will as a good traveller is full in his way knowing it and going on fully in it with all his strength with all cheerfulness and with all stedfastnesse Yea Eph. 3.19 filled with all the fulnesse of God not with the fulnesse of his essence but of his operations and communications of grace to the soules of men With the fulnesse of his will Col. 1.9 being filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding With the fulnesse of his promises beleeving them and drawing waters of consolation from them with the bucket of faith as from so many Wells of comfort With the fulnesse of his love as the the childe with the love of the parent feeling the love of God shed abroad in their hearts With the fulnesse of his gifts as the aire is full of the light of the Sunne With the fulnesse of his Christ who filleth all things in all men And thus wee see there is a spirituall and heavenly fulnesse in the Lords servants Ephes 1. CHAP. XVII Laying downe foure grounds of the Saints
into the same or greater evills The sinne of one man would be the sinne of every man did not God restraine him Secondly by way of commemoration I may tell you First how hee professed much sorrow for his sinnes Mans sin doth ever prove mans sorrow it is the shame of man to commit sin it is the honour of man to confesse and forsake his sin though sorrow constrained and carnall be alwaies unacceptable yet true and godly sorrow is ever availeable to salvation He that sowes in tears shall reap in joy Psa 126.5 Secondly he promised reformation greater strictnesse of life if God were pleased to lengthen his dayes though the vowes of mâ—ns adversitie be often forgotten in the dayes of mans prosperitie yet resolutions truly gracious are with God as the very performance Thirdly he spake of a great change which God of late had wrought in him Hee that is not changed by the gracious hand of God in this life is never received by the merciful hand of God in the next life the procrastinâ—tion of repentance is ever very perillous yet God is free in the dispensations of his mercies not limited to times and seasons Fourthly the rehearsal of Gods mercies upon condition of true repentance seemed much to affect him As hee is cursed that turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse so hee is blessed who by Gods mercies is lead to true repentance And let all this admonish us to labour for timely and true repentance to vow amendment and performe it to feele our hearts truly changed Gods mercies powerfully drawing our soules to obedience by fervent prayer increasing our communion with God enriching our soules more and more with all heavenly gifts and graces that wee may at last with great comfort and much assurance say Come Lord Jesus FINIS SAINT PAULS LEGACIE 2 COR. 13.11 Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort bee of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you EVery communion amongst men on earth hath his dissolution be it never so entire never so sinne never so delightfull yet at length there comes a separation the sweetest fellowship the societie which is most intimate hath the cords and chains thereof at length dissolved Communion with God is everlasting communion with man is transitory and temporall The Arke was transportative removing from place to place till it came to Solomons Temple such is mans condition subject to continuall change and motion till he comes to heaven where Gods people shall have an endlesse and unchangeable communion The fellowship betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem was very strong and intimate they were a Iudg. 9.23 bone of bone and flesh of flesh yet at length there came an evill Spirit between them and they were divided Great is the enmitie of Sathan against mens sweet and comfortable communion Abraham and Lot sweetly conversed and dwelt for divers dayes together yet at length they parted b Gen. 13.6 their substance was so great that they could not dwell together Much sweet communion commerce between Gods people is often hindered by the fulnesse of the world Singular was the friendship pleasant was the fellowship between Jonathan and David their love was c 2 Sam. 1.26 wonderfull passing the love of women yet by an arrow in the battell Jonathan fell and their sweet commerce was ended Death dissolveth all humane fellowship Eliah and Elisha enjoyed many dayes most blessed and gracious communion together yet at length it came to passe that as they d 2 King 2.11 went and talked there appeared a Chariot of fire and Horses of fire and parted them both asuâ—der God doth often remove the dearest friends and comforters of his servants to learne them to depend alone upon Christ Jesus God doth sometimes take away the Guides and Teachers of his people to let them see that the choycest instruments of mans happinesse are not of everlasting continuance Saint Paul had been for divers dayes a preacher to the men of Corinth preaching to them many powerfull and heavenly sermon delivering to them many found and wholsome Doctrine writing also a first and second Epistle yet his ministery was not for perpetuity nor his presence of everlasting continuance a time of separation came and his labours drew to an end and in these words hee takes hiâ— last leave and farewell of them â—â—nally brethren farewell Bee perfect bee of good comfort bee of one minde live iâ— peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you The Apostle Saint Paul had in this whole Epistle sharply rebuked the Corinthians for opposing his doctrine for slighting and despising his admonition and now that they might not thinke he either spake or wrote out of hatred or distemper of spirit many arguments and evidences of his great and singular love are intermixed chiefly in this his conclusion mitigating all the severitie and bitternesse which hee seemed to use towards them concluding and shutting up all in a holy sweet and gracious exoptation or wish of all perfection consolation peace concord and communion with God unto them Finally brethren farewell Bee perfect c. The Lord who giveth e Ephes 4.10 some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ The Lord who f Jerem. 3.15 gives his people Pastors according to his owne heart to feed them with knowledge and understanding hath in the course of his gracious providence made me for more than fifteene yeares an under-overseer of your soules wherein as his weake and fraile feeble and unworthy instrument I have been the Lords and your servant endevouring though neither with such diligence and industry as I should nor with that blessed and plentifull successe which I desire and wish to open Gods counsell to propose and set forth Christ before your eyes to make him glorious in your apprehension to humble your soules to convert your hearts to draw you by faith and love to Christ the complete and onely Authour of your everlasting welfare And now as Saint Paul said sometimes to the men of Ephesus g Acts 20.25 Behold I know that yee all among whom I have here stood preaching the kingdome of God shall after this day in all likelihood behold my face in this place no more being now to you as a dying man whose last breath is going forth as a starre setting and rising no more in this horizon as a lampe going out and shining no more in this your house of sacred meeting As a man dying and loth to dye I shall in the ardencie of my love and great anguish of my spirit in the words wish of S. Paul take my last leave and valediction Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live iâ— peace and the God of love and peace be with you In
It is the property and practise of the Lords servants like good r Joh. 15.2 branches to grow and beare more fruit to Å¿ Eph. 4.11 grow up in Christ which is the head as the members in the body grow up under the head to t Phil. 3.11 12. follow after to presse toward the mercie to reach forth to the things which are before to apprehend that for which they are apprehended of Christ Jesus As they thâ—â— run in a race are swift put to it with all their strength and cease not so the runners in the race of godlinesse are swift put to it to the utmost and cease not untill they have fully apprehended Christ They u Isa 40.31 run on faint not they mount up like the Eagles come nearer nearer unto Christ as the Eagles flye nearer and nearer and cease not untill they come to the carkasse for Grace is of a growing and increasing Reas 1 nature it riseth higher and higher like the w Ezek. 47.5 waters which came forth under the threshold of the Temple it x Prov. 4.18 shineth more and more like the light unto the perfect day God where he y Phil. 1.6 beginnes a good worke Reas 2 continues the same unto perfection Hee is a King that once beginning to make warre against the Divell and the lusts of men goeth on and ceaseth not untill hee hath obtained a full and perfect conquest He is a builder who having once laid the foundation of grace in the heart of man gives not over untill he hath finished the house and made the house of man a perfect Temple for his Spirit to dwell in True saving grace once felt and x 1 Pet. 2.2.3 tasted Reas 3 is most highly prâ—â—ed and most earnestly deâ—â—â—d As the loâ—e of money growes according to the growth of money so doth the love of grace answer the growth of grace the more a man hath of it the more his soule doth thirst and long after it the more hee desires to be filled with it as the thirst of the dropsie-man encreaseth by drinking Hee that hath least grace puts the lowest price upon it no man more sensible of the want of grace then hee that hath the greatest measure of grace no man more desires the encrease of grace then hee that hath the greatest fulnesse of grace Use Take heed then of apostasie and backsliding bee not like Gideons souldiers whose hearts fainted bee not like the a Luk. 14.30 Builder in the Gospel that began to build but could not make an end Doe not with the b 2 Pet. 2.22 Sow return againe and wallow in the mire of sinne returne not to your old lusts and profanesse But as c Gen. 6.14.22 Noah having a paterne from the Lord began to build and ceased not untill he had finished his Arke and was preserved when the deluge came so you having had a paterne of faith and life set before you and having begun to build according to it cease not untill the worke is finished that your soules may be saved when the deluge commeth Be not like the Sun in d Jos 12.13 Aialon that stood still nor like the Sunne in Ahaz Diall that went back but like the Sunne mentioned by the e Psal 19.5 Psalmist comming forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber and rejoyce yee like a mighty man to runne his race Where is your faith in Christ if like withered branches you fall off from Christ or sinke like the house builded on the sand Where is your love to Christ if you give him a bill of divorce and hold not out with him unto the end Where is the fruit of your long attendance upon Gods ordinances What avails the sowing of all this seed if you fall away before the harvest Where is the Crowne you looke for if yee faint before the conquest O then take heed hold out let your workes be more at last then at first bee constant in your profession bee fruitfull in all well-doing Bee f Phil. 1.10 filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are to the praise glory of God in the day of Christ Jesus So shall the Lord take pleasure in you so shall you honour the Gospel adorn Religion shame the Adversary glorifie the Ministery and fill your owne conscience with much peace and quietnesse and give the Minister good and lust occasion to speake to you in a comfortable language to bid you with Saint Paul to bee of good comfort The second Legacie which the Apostle here bequeatheth a Legacie of Consolation Bee of good comfort Though many changes come many troubles arise and many afflictions be endured for the Name and Cause of Christ yet doe not faint bee not disheartned but bee of good comfort solace and comfort your selves in the Lord and his Word And hence learne that Doct. Gods children ought to bee very comfortable though many changes and afflictions doe attend them The Lilly is fresh beautifull and looks pleasantly though growing among the thornes such must bee the affection and disposition of Gods children though compast about with the Thornes and Briers of many troubles g Jam. 1.2 Account it all joy saith Saint James to fall into manifold temptations h Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulations saith Saint Paul knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed i 1 Pet. 1.8 And beleeving saith Saint Peter yee rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory And Gods children have great cause of comfort In regard of the Authour of their afflictions Reas 1 They come from k Heb. 12.7 God as a Father they are not a rod in an enemies but in a Fathers hand they are all in mercie they are a serpent which hath lost his sting the venome of them is gone In regard of their end They are not for Reas 2 punishment but for castigation not for destruction but for reformation humiliation and excitation as l 2 Sam. 18. David sent forth his Army against Absolom not to destroy him but to humble and amend him In regard of the comforts mixed with Reas 3 them They are Pills lapped up in Sugar like Sampsons m Jud. 1 4. Lyon they have a honey combe within them There is sweet comming out of the sowre and meat comming out of the eater In regard of the fruit and issue of them Reas 4 Like the waters of the red Sea which drowned not n Exod. 14. Israel but the enemies which pursued them no more doe these destroy Gods children but the corruption which is within them which hangs like a heavie weight about them and like an enemie pursues and followes them O then bee of good comfort all yee that love the Lord that embrace his Christ Use that delight in his service keepe your selves from sinne and whatsoever come let your hearts be joyfull the Lord shall