man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye 1 Pet. 1.15 16. And as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy Against this some object how can we be holy as Christ is holy first the thing is impossible and secondly if we could there would be no neeâ— of Christ But I answer to the first the thing if rightly understood is not impossible we are commanded to be holy as Christ is holy not in respect of equality as if our holiness must be of the same compass with the holiness of Christ but in respect of quality our holiness must be of the same stamp and truth as the holiness of Christ as when the Apostle saith That we must love our neighbor as our self the meaning is Rom. 13.9 not that our love to our neighbor should be Mathematically equal to the love of our self for the Law doth allow of degrees in love accordingly to the degrees of relation in the thing beloved Rom. 12.9 Do good unto all men specially to those of the houshold of faith love to a friend may safely be greater than love to a stranger or love to a wife or child may safely be greater than to a friend yet in all our love to others it must be of the self same nature as true as real as cordial as sincere as solid as that to our selves We must love our neighbor as our selves i.e. unfeignedly and without dissimulation Again I answer to the second Christ is needful notwithstanding our utmost holiness in two respects 1. Because we cannot come to full and perfect holiness and so his grace is requisite to pardon and cover our failings 2. Because that which we do attain unto it is not of or from our selves and so his spirit is requisite to strengthen us unto his service We must be holy as Christ is holy yet still we must look at the holiness of Christ as the sun and root and fountain and that our holiness is but as a beam of that sun but as a branch of that root but as a stream of that fountain For the third how we must conform to this life I answer 1. Let us frame to our selves some Idea of Christ let us set before us the life of Christ in the whole and all the parts of it as we find it recorded in God's Book It would be a large picture if I should draw it to the full but for a taste I shall give it in few lines Now then setting aside the consideration of Christ as God or as Mediator or as Head of his Church 1. I look at the mind of Christ at his judgment will affections such as love joy delight and the rest and especially at the compassions of Jesus Christ O the dear affections and compassions which Christ had towards the sons of men this was his errand from Heaven and while he was upon the earth he was ever acting it I mean his pitifulness Luke 4.18 Psal 147.3 I mean his affections and compassion in healing broken hearts so the Psalmist He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds it is spoken after the manner of a Chirurgion he had a tender heart towards all broken hearts he endeavoured to put all broken bones into their native place again nor speak I thus only of him in respect of his office but as he was man he had in him such a mind that he could not but compassionate all in misery O what bowels what stirrings and boylings and wrestlings of a pained heart touched with sorrow was ever upon occasion in Jesus Christ Matth. 14.1 Mark 6.34 peruse these texts and Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion towards them and he healed their sick And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd Mark 1.40 41. And there came a leper to him and kneeling down to him and saying to him if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean Then Jesus called his disciples unto him Mat. 15.32 and said I have compassion on the multitude And for the two blind men that cried out Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David Matth. 20.34 Luke 15.20 it is said that Jesus stood still and he had compassion on them and touched their eyes And the poor prodigal returning When he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him How sweet is this last Instance that our sense of sinful weakness should be sorrow and pain to the bowels and heart of Jesus Christ you that are Parents of young Children let me put the case if some of you standing in the relation of a Father should see his Child sweat and wrestle under an over-load till his back were almost broken and that you should hear him cry Oh I am gone I faint I sinck I dye would not your bowels be moved to pity and would not your hands be stretched out to help or if some of you standing in the relation of a Mother should see your sucking Child fallen into a pit and wrestling with the water and crying for help would you not stir nor be moved in heart nor run to deliver the Child from being drowned Surely you would and yet all this pity and compassion of yours is but as a shadow of the compassions and dear affections that were and that are in the heart of Jesus Christ O he had a mind devoid of sin and therefore it could not but be full of pity mercy and tender bowels of compassion 2. I look at the grace in Christ O he was full of grace yea full of all the graces of the Spirit Cant. 1.13 14. A bundle of Mirrh is my well-beloved to me My Beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi a bundle of Myrrh and a cluster of camphire denote all the graces of the Spirit as many flowers are bound together in a nosegay so the variety of the graces of the Spirit concenter'd in the heart of Jesus Christ ex gr Matth. 21.5 1. In him was meekness He cometh unto thee meek he had a sweet command and moderation of his anger Num. 12.3 he was meek as Moses nay though Moses was very meek and very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth yet Christ's meekness exceeded Mose's as the body doth exceed the shadow 2. In him was humility he saved not the world by his power but by his humility in his incarnation Christ would be humble and therefore he was born of a poor Virgin in a common Inn in his
Mat. 26.65 as making himself equal with God yea see how the high Priest rends his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy Surely all this he endured that very blasphemers may find mercy if they will but come in and believe in Jesus I might instance in other sins art thou a Traytor a glutton a drunkard a wine-bibber a thief a seducer a companion of sinners why see now how Jesus Christ was for thy sake thus called reputed accounted whatever the sin is there 's something in Christ that answers that very sinfulness thou art a sinner and he is made sin to satisfie the wrath of God even for thy sin thou art such and such a sinner and he is accounted such and such a sinner for thy sake that thou mightest find in him something suitable to thy condition and so the rather be encouraged to believe that in him and through him all thy sins shall be done away Away away unbelief distrust despair you see now the brazen serpent lifted up you see what a blessed object is before you O believe O look up unto Jesus O believe in him thus carrying on the work of thy salvation in his death SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his sufferings and death What! did he suffer and dye Rom. 5.8 Greater love than this hath no man that a man should give his life for his friends but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Why here 's an argument of love indeed how should we but love him who hath thus loved us in prosecution of this I have no more to do but first to shew Christ's love to us and then to exercise our love to him again 1. For his love to us had not God said it and the Scriptures recorded it who would have believed our reports yet Christ hath done it and it is worth our while to weigh it and consider it in an holy meditation Indeed with what less than ravishment of Spirit can I behold the Lord Jesus who from everlasting was cloathed with Glory and Majesty now wrapped in rags cradled in a manger exposed to hunger thirst weariness danger contempt poverty revilings scourgings persecution but to let them pass into what extasies may I be cast to see the Judg of all the world accused judged condemned to see the Lord of life dying upon the tree of shame and curse to see the eternal Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath to see him who had said I and my Father are one sweating drops of blood in his agony and crying out on his cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh whither hath his love to mankind carried him had he only sent his creatures to serve us had he only sent his Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven had he only sent his Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us and to minister to us it had been a great deal of mercy or if it must be so had Christ come down from Heaven hnmself but only to visit us or had he come only and wept over us saying Oh that you had known even you in this your day the things belonging to your peace Oh that you had more considered of my goodness Oh that you had never sinned this would have been such a mercy as that all the world would have wondered at it but that Christ himself should come and lay down his blood and life and all for his people and yet I am not at the lowest that he should not only part with life but part with the sense and sweetness of God's love which is a thousand times better than life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life that he should be content to be accursed that we might be blessed that he should be content to be forsaken that we might not be forsaken that he should be content to be condemned that we might be acquitted O what raptures of Spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of this so infinite mercy be thou swallowed up O my soul in this depth of Divine love and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world when thou hast such a Saviour to take them up Come look on thy Jesus who dyed temporally that thou mightest live eternally who out of his singular tenderness would not suffer thee to burn in hell for ten twenty thirty forty an hundred years and then recover thee by which notwithstanding he might better and deeper have imprinted in thee the blessed memory of a dear Redeemer no no this was the Article betwixt him and his Father That thou shouldst never come there see but observe but Christ's love in that mutual agreement betwixt God and Christ Oh I am pressed saith God with the sins of the world as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves come my Son either thou must suffer or I must damn the world Accordingly I may imagine the Attributes of God to speak to God Mercy cryes I am abused and Patience cryes I am despised and goodness cryes I am wronged and Holyness cryes I am contradicted and all these come to the Father for Justice crying to him that all the world were opposers of his Grace and Spirit and if any be saved Christ must be punished In this case we must imagine Christ stepped in nay rather than so saith Christ I will bear all and undertake the satisfying of all And now look upon him he hangs on the cross all naked all torn all bloody betwixt Heaven and Earth as if he were cast out of Heaven and also rejected by Earth he hath a Crown indeed but such a one as few men will touch none will take from him and if any rash man will have it he must tear hair skin and all or it will not come his hair is all clodded with blood his face all clouded with black and blew he is all over so pittifully rent outwards inwards body and soul I will think the rest alas when I have spoken all I can I shall speak under it had I the tongues of men and Angels I could not express it Oh love more deep than hell Oh love more high than heaven the brightest Seraphims that burn in love are but as sparkles to that mighty flame of love in the heart of Jesus 2. If this be Christ's love to us what is that love we owe to Christ Oh now for an heart that might be some wayes answerable to these mercies Oh for a soul sick of love yea sick unto death how should I be otherwise or any less affected this only sickness is our health this death our life and not to be thus sick is to be dead in sins and trespasses why surely I have heard enough for which to love Christ for ever The depths of God's grace are
bottomless they pass our understandings yet they recreate our hearts they give matter of admiration yet they are not devoid of consolation O God raise up our souls to thee and if our Spirits be too weak to know thee make our affections ardent and sincere to love thee Surely the death of Christ requires this and calls for this many other motives we may draw from Christ and many other motives are laid down in the Gospel and indeed the whole Gospel is no other thing than a motive to draw man to God by the force of God's love to man in this sense the holy Scriptures may be called the book of true love seeing therein God both unfolds his love to us and also binds our love to him but of all the motives we may draw from Christ and of all the arguments we may find in the Gospel of Christ there is none to this the death of Christ the blood of Jesus is not this such a love-letter as never never was the like read the words For his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 2.4 or if you cannot read observe the Hyeroglyphicks every stripe is a letter every nail is a capital letter every bruise is a black letter his bleeding wounds are as so many rubricks to shew upon record Oh consider it is not this a great love are not all mercies wrapt up in the blood of Christ it may be thou hast riches honours friends means Oh but thank the blood of Christ for all thou hast it may be thou hast grace and that is better than corn or wine or oyl Oh but for this thank the blood of Jesus surely it was the blood of Christ that did this for thee thou wast a rebellious soul thou hast an hard and filthy heart but Christ's blood was the fountain opened and it took away all sin and all uncleanness Christ in all and Christ above all and wilt thou not love him Oh that all our words were words of love and all our labour labour of love and all our thoughts thoughts of love that we might speak of love and muse of love and love this Christ who hath first loved us with all our heart and soul and might what wilt thou not love Jesus Christ let me ask thee then whom wilt thou love or rather whom canst thou love if thou lovest not him if thou sayest I love my Friends Parents Wife Children Oh but love Christ more than these a friend would be an enemy but that the blood of Christ doth frame his heart a Wife would be a trouble but that the blood of Christ doth frame her heart all mercies are conveyed to us through this channel Oh who would not love the Fountain consider of it again and again our Jesus thought nothing too good for us he parts with his life and blood he parts with the sense and feeling of the love of God and all this for us and for our sakes Ah my soul how shouldst thou but love him in all things and by all means It is reported of Ignatius that he so continually meditated on the great things Christ suffered for him that he was brought entirely to love him and when he was demanded why he would not forsake Christ rather than suffer himself to be torn and devoured of wild beasts he answered that he could not forget him because of his sufferings Oh his sufferings said he are not transcient words or removable objects but they are indelible characters so engraven in my heart that all the torments of earth can never raze them out And being commanded by that bloody Tyrant Trajane to be ript and unbowelled they found Jesus Christ written upon his heart in Characters of Gold Here was an heart worth Gold Oh that it might be thus with us If my hands were all of love that I could work nothing but love if my eyes were all of love that I could see nothing but love if my mind were all of love that I could think of nothing but love all were too little to love that Christ who hath thus immeasurably loved me if I had a thousand hearts to bestow on Christ and they most enlarged and scrued up to the highest pitch of affection all these were infinitely short of what I owe to my dread Lord and dearest Saviour Come let 's joyn hands He loved us and therefore let us love him if we dispute the former I argue from the Jews when he shed but a few tears out of his eyes at Lazarus's grave then said the Jews John 11.36 behold how he loved him John 11.36 how much more truly may it be said of us for whom he shed both water and blood and that from his heart Behold how he loved us why then if our hearts be not Iron yea if they be Iron how should they chuse but feel the magnetical force of this Loadstone of love for to a Loadstone doth Christ resemble himself when he saith of himself And I if I be lifted up from the earth John 12.32 will draw all men unto me SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that Respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of Salvation in his sufferings and death what hath Christ suffered for us hath he drunk off all the cup of God's wrath and left none for us how should we be but cheered Precious souls why are you afraid there is no death no hell Rom. 8.1 no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus There is no divine justice for them to undergo that have their share in this death of Christ Oh the Grace and Mercy that is purchased by this means of Christ Oh the waters of comfort that flow from the sufferings and obedience of Christ Christ was amazed that we might be cheered Christ was imprisoned that we might be delivered Christ was accused that we might be acquitted Christ was condemned that we might be redeemed Christ suffered his Fathers wrath and came under it that the victory might be ours and that in the end we might see him face to face in glory is not here matter of Joy It may be the Law and sin and justice and conscience and death and hell may appear as enemies and disturb thy comforts but is there not enough in the blood of Christ to chase them away Give me Leave but to frame the objections of some doubting souls and see whether Christ's death will not sufficiently answer and solve them all 1. One cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me my sins are ever before me against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.3 4. I have sinned against a most dear and gracious and merciful God and Father in our Lord Jesus O the aggravations of my sins are they not sins above measure sinful It may be so but the blood of Christ is a fountain opened for sins and for uncleanness in him we have redemption through his blood
the flames of God and do we not yet love him hath Christ all this while opened his brest and heart to us saying Friends Doves come in and dwell in the holes of this rock And do we scratch his brest do we turn our backs upon him and requite his love with hatred surely this is more than sin for what is sin but a transgression of the law but this sin is both a transgression of Law and Gospel What to spurn against the warm bowels of love to spit on grace to disdain him who is the white and ruddy the fairest of Heaven Oh the aggravation of this sin ' its an heart of flint and adamant that spits at Evangelick love Law-love is love but Evangelick love is more than love it s the gold the flower of Christ's wheat and of his finest love Oh the many Gospel-passages of love that we have heard Oh the sweet streams of love that we have followed till now that we are come to a Sea of love to an heaven of love to an infinite eternal everlasting love in heaven I want words to express this love of Jesus a Sea of love is nothing it hath a bottom an Heaven of love is nothing it hath a brim but infinite eternal everlasting love hath no bottom no brim no bounds and do we not yet love him do we not yet feel the fire of love break forth if not it is time to turn our Preaching into Praying O thou who art the Element or Sun of love come with thy power let out â—ne beam one ray one gleam of love upon my soul shine hot upon my heart cast my soul into a love-transe remember thy promise to circumcise my heart Deut 30.6 that I may love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul Surely the great Marriage of the Lamb is coming on he will come and welcome all his Saints into his presence he will bid them inherite the Kingdom and put them in a possession of the inheritance and then we cannot choose but love our Jesus with all our hearts and with all our souls onely begin we it here let us now be sick of love that we may then be well with love let us now rub and chase our hearts our dead cold hearts before this fire till we say with Peter Why Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LET us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his second coming Christ delights to have his People look upon him with delight for a soul to be always under a spirit of bondage and so to look upon Christ as a Judge a Lyon or an offended God it doth not please God the Lord Jesus is tender of the joy of his Saints Rejoyce and be exceeding glad saith Christ rejoyce evermore rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Mat. 5.12 1 Thes 5.16 Phil. 4.4 Psal 68.3 and again I say rejoyce Let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce All that Christ doth to his Saints tends to this joy as the upshot or end of all if he cast down it is but to raise them up if he humble it is but to exalt if he kill it is but to make alive in every dispensation still he hath a tender care to preserve their joy This is the Benjamin about which Christ's bowels beat Let my Children suffer any thing but nothing in their joy I would have all that love my Name to be joyfall in me Oh say some but Christ's day is a terrible day when Christ appears he will make the Heavens and Earth and Hell to shake and tremble Our God shall come and shall not keep silence Psal 50.3 a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him True but what 's all this terror but an argument of my Father's power and justice against sinners if thou art Christ's and hast thy part in him not one jot of all this terror belongs to thee The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 He knows how to make the same day a terror to his foes and a joy to his people he ever intended it for the great distinguishing and separating day wherein both joy and sorrow should be manifested to the highest O then let the heavens rejoyce the sea the earth the floods the hills for the Lord cometh to Judge the earth Psal 97.7 8 9. with righteousness shall he judge the World and the people with equity If you find it an hard thing to joy in Jesus as in reference to his second coming think of these motives 1. Christ's coming is the Christians encouragement so Christ himself layes it down You shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory and when these things begin to come to pass Luk. 21.27 28. then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The signs of his coming are the hopes of your approaching introduction into glory and what should you do then but prepare for your approaching with exceeding joy many evils do now surround you every where Satan hath his snares and the World his baits and your own hearts are apt to betray you into your enemies hands but when Christ comes you shall have full deliverance and perfect redemption and therefore look up and lift up your heads The Apostle speaks the very same encouragement 1 Thes 4.16 71 18. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air wherefore comfort one another with these words Christ's coming is a comfortable doctrine to all believers and therefore all the Elect that hear these words should be comforted by them Comfort ye comfort ye my people 2. Christ our Saviour must be our Judge the same Jesus that was born for us and lived for us and dyed for us and doth now pray for us will come at last to judge us is not this comfortable you that have heard all his transactions can you ever foget the unweariness of Christ's love in his constant and continual actings for your souls how long hath he been interceding for his Saints how long hath he been knocking at their hearts for entrance it is now above a thousand six hundred years that he hath been praying and knocking and he resolves not to give over till all be his till all the Tribes in ones and twos be over Jordan and up with him in the heavenly Canaan And if this be he that must be our Judge if he that loves our
greatest part of thy Salvation already done to thy hand nay I 'le tell thee more poor soul then thus even Christ himself from all Eternity hath engaged for thee that thou shalt believe O then put not Christ to be challenged of his engagement by refusing the Gospel surely when thou believest thou makest Christs word good he that believeth not makes God a liar though in another sense and for ought he knoweth even in this that he frustrates Christs undertakings in the Covenant And therefore believe yea and cry Lord I believe help thou my unbelief increase my Faith till I come to full assurance of Faith Faith in this sense is the very Eye of the Soul reading is Name Written in the Book of Life it is an apprehension of our particular Election O believe till thou comest up to this fullness of perswasion of Gods Love in Christ SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. WE must love Jesus as carrying on that great work of our Salvation in that Eternity And this is the fruit or effect of Faith if once we believe that all those designs and transactions were for us even for us O then how should we but love that God and love that Christ who thus firstly and freely loved us God loved us before we loved him for he loved us in that Eternity before all Worlds surely then we are bound to love him First and above all things As the Diamond formeth and fashioneth the Diamond so love formeth and fashioneth Love or as fire converteth Fewel into Fire so this antient love of God and Christ may well cause our love again O Christ didst not thou love us who doubts it that but reads over the project councel foreknowledge purpose decree and covenant of God and Christ who doubts it that but reads the eternal designe of God that Christ should go out of himself and suffer an extasie through the vehemency of his love that Christ should so far abase his Majesty as to dye for us that we might not dye but live with him O then how should this but kindle in our hearts a most ardent love towards God and Christ what more effectuall motive to work mans love then to be prevented by the love bounty of another That this fruit doth spring from the sense of our Election Bernard observes who is righteous but he that requiteth the love of God with love again Bern. Epi. 107. which is never done except the holy Ghost reveale unto a man by faith Gods eternal purpose concerning his future salvation And hence it is that the heart is most in frame when it is a considering the eternal love of God in Christ 2 â—am 1.26 As David said of Jonathan thou hast been very pleasant to me thy love to me was wonderful so a poor soul gathering up all the goodness of God in that Eternity and feeding upon it and the variety of it it breaths out in that expression thou hast been very pleasant to me O God thy love to me hath been wonderfull O my soul that thou couldest so live by faith on these eternal passages as that thou mightest attain to the highest fruits of faith not onely to love God and Christ but to love them with a burning love with a mighty love such a love as lyes in the most vigorous prosecution after Jesus Christ and in the most faithful resignation of thy self to God such a love as works the most delightful aspect of God and Christ as makes a man to behold God and Christ with all cheerfulness such a love as works a man to extoll the praises of God O in these things lyes the strength of love But alas this is or at least this should be thy grief that thou canst not love so well and so warmly as thou art beloved Christ comes towards thee Skipping like the Hart or Roe on the Mountaines of spices Cant 8 14. but thy love towards Christ is creeping like the worme in the unwholsome valley Indeed the best affections have their fits of swooning it may be for the present thy love is cold O but come up to this fire consider how God and Christ loved thee in every of these 1. His project to save they soul sprung out of his love love was the first wheele that set all the eternall works of God a going what was that great designe of God but onely an expression of his love it was his pleasure to communicate himself and the rise of that communication was his love 2. The Counsels of God were all in love had not love been as President of the Counsel where hadst thou been when all the attributes of God were at a stand it was the love of God in Christ that resolved the question for thy salvation 3. The foreknowledge of God was a foreknowledge of love and approbation in his eternal love he embraced thee as his own he foreknew thee i. of his free love he set thee apart to life and to salvation God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World Ephes 1.4 he chose us in Christ but not for Christ nothing at all moved him to Elect thee but his own good pleasure and free love 4. The purpose of God was a resolution of love it speaks his love to be a constant setled abiding love John 13.1 no unkindness shall alter it for having loved his own he loves them unto the end nay he loves them without end from everlasting to everlasting 5. The decree of God was an order as I may call it or an act of love to give in time that grace unto his elect which before all time he decreed should be an effectual means to bring them unto glory 6. The covenant betwixt God and Christ was an agreement of love God and Christ struck hands to save our souls 2 Tim. 1 9. grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began Grace was given us that is the gracious love and favour of God in Christ was given us before all secular times This was Gods meaning from everlasting this was the designe yea the greatest designe that ever God had to set out the infinite glory and the riches of his love in Jesus Christ No question but he had other great designes in doing such great things as he hath done but above all the designes that ever God had in all his works this is the chiefe to honour his mercy to glorify the riches of his love and grace had it not been for this he would never have made the World and therefore in that World to come it will be the delight of God to shew his Saints and Angels what he is able to do for a creature yea he will to all Eternity declare to them to what an height of excellency and glory his love and mercy is able to raise poor souls so that the very Saints and Angels shall admire adore and magnifie the name of God
Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 Rev. 3.20 Cant. 1.1 2 Deut. 4.7 and Christ is said to come and sup with us and to kiss us with the kisses of his mouth and to be near to us in all that we call upon him for surely this is the highest happiness of the Saints that God is their God when they can say this they have enough if we could say this House is mine this Town this City this Kingdom this World is mine what is all this O but when a Christian comes at length and sayes this God that made all the world is mine this is enough indeed this is the greatest promise that ever was made or ever can be made to any creature Angels or Men herein if we observe it God gives himself to be wholly ours consider God essentially or personally Consider Jehovah Elohim all is ours God in his essence and glorious attributes communicates himself to us for good and God personally considered as Father Son and Holy Ghost they all enter into Covenant with us 1. The Father enters into Covenant with us he promiseth to be a father to us hence saith the Lord Israel is my Son my first born and again is Ephraim my dear Son Exod. 4.22 Jer. 31.20 Psal 14.11 Psal 103.13 is he a pleasant Child the Lord speaketh as through he were fond of his Children as delighting in them for so it is said the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him or as pitying of them for so it is said likewise like as a father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 2. The Son is in Covenant with us and speaks to us in this language thou art mine how comes that about why I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name Isa 43.1 and therefore thou art mine this is Christ's Covenant with us he brings us back to his Father from whose presence we were banished and sets us before his face for ever he undertakes for us to take up all controversies which may fall out between God and us he promiseth to restore us to the Adoption of Sons and not only to the title but to the inheritance of Sons that we might be where he is Joh. 17.24 Heb. 10.14 15 16. 3. The Holy Ghost makes a Covenant with us By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness and a worker This is the Covenant that I will make with them I will put my Law into their hearts and in their minds will I write them I know the Father is implyed in this yet here is the proper work of the Holy Ghost what the Father hath purposed for us from all Eternity and the Son hath purchased for us in his time that the Holy Ghost effects in us and for us as in our time he applyes the blood of Christ for the remssion of Sins he writes the Law in our hearts he comforts us in our sadness he supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wanderings Now he that effects these things for us and in our behalf he is therefore said to make a Covenant with us Thus Elohim God personally considered Father Son and Holy Ghost are in Covenant with us 4. This is the great promise what can be greater when God said to Abraham I will be thy God Heb. 6.13 what could he give more so when God tells us I am the Lord thy God what could he say more God having no greater to swear by saith the Apostle he swore by himself So God being minded to do great things for his People and having no greater thing to give he gives himself O the goodness of God in Christ I am the Lord thy God 5. Let us see the fruit of this in reference to Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This was God's promise long before to Abraham know of a surety Gen. 15.13 4. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years and also that Nation whom they shall serve will I judg and afterwards they shall come out with great substance See here Israel must be strangers in Egypt and serve the Egyptians four hundred years but then he will bring them out of the land of Egypt and out of their servile bondage why this argues that God is Jehovah now he has performed what he had foretold and this argues that God in Christ is our Redeemer for what was this redemption from Egypt but a type of our freedom from sin death and hell here is the work of redemption joyned with that great name Jehovah Elohim to signifie that such a redemption is a clear testimony of a true and mighty God Whether this were laid down only as a peculiar argument to the Jews to keep the Commandments or it belongs also to us being grafted in and become of the same stock with them I shall not dispute this is without any controversie that their bondage was typical and ours spiritual you see the good things promised in this Covenant 6. What is the condition of this covenant on our part as we may gather it hence The condition of this covenant is faith in Jesus which is implyed in the promise I will be thy God or I am the Lord thy God and commanded in the precept built upon it thou shalt have me to be thy God or thou shalt have no other Gods before me But where is faith in Jesus Christ mentioned either in promise or precept I answer if it be not expressed it is very plainly intended or meant God is not the God of Israel but in and through the Mediator neither can Israel take God to be their God but by faith in the Messiah In the prophets we read frequently these exhortations trust in the Lord commit thy self unto the Lord lean upon the Lord and roul thy burden upon the Lord but what the Prophets exhort unto that is commanded in this expressure of the Covenant and who can trust in the Lord or commit himself to the Lord or lean upon the Lord or roul his burthen on the Lord if he be a sinner unless it be in and through a Mediator Israel must walk before God in all well-pleasing and the Apostle tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God But to go further what is the meaning of this first commandment in the affirmative part but to have one God in Christ to be our God by faith it is true Heb. 11.6 there is no mention made of Christ or faith but that is nothing is there is no mention of Love and yet our Saviour discovers and commands it there when the Lawyer tempted Christ Master which is the great Commandment in the Law you know Christs answer Mat. 22.36 37 38. thou shalt love the Lord
marrying of Christ Oh happy if I could but Joyn Christ and thy Soul together this day Oh happy thou if thou wouldst this day be perswaded by a poor Ambassadour of Christ Blame me not if I am an importunate Messenger if ever I hear from thee let me hear some good News that I may return it to Heaven and give God the Glory Come say on art thou willing to have Christ wouldst thou have thy name enrolled in the Covenant of Grace shall God be thy God and Christ thy Christ wilt thou have the Person of Christ and all those priviledges flowing from the Blood of Christ sure thou art willing art thou not stay then thou must take Christ on these terms thou must believe on him i e. Thou must take him as thy Saviour and Lord thou must take him and forsake all others for him This is the true Faith the condition of the Covenant O believe in Jesus and the Match is made the hands are struck the Covenant established and all doubts removed SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6 WE must love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know Love is reckoned as the first and fundamental Passion of all the rest some call it the first springing and out-going affection of the Soul and therefore I might have put it in the first place before Hope or Desire but I chuse rather to place it in this Method as me thinks most agreeing if not to the order of Nature yet to the Spiritual workings as they appear in my Soul When a Good is propounded ' first I desire and then I hope and then I believe and then I love And some describing this spiritual love they tell me it is an holy disposition of the heart Dr. Preston of Love arising from Faith But to let these niceties pass for a Spiders web curious but thin certain it is that I cannot believe all these transactions of God by Christ in a Covenant-way for me but I must needs love that God love that Christ who hath thus firstly freely loved my soul go on then O my Soul put fire to the harth blow on thy little spark set before thee God's Love and thou canst not but love and therein Consider 1. The Time 2. The Properties 3. The Effects of Gods love 1. For The Time He Loved thee before the World was made hast thou not heard and wilt thou ever forget it were not those ancient Loves from all eternity admirable astonishing ravishing Loves 2 He Loved thee in the very beginning of the world was not the promise expressed to Adam intended for thee as thou sinnedst in his loins so didst thou in his loins receive the Promise It shall bruise thy head And not long after when God established his Covenant with Abraham and his Seed wast not thou one of that Seed of Abraham If ye are Christs Gal. 3.29 then are ye Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the Promise 3. He loves thee now more especially not only with a Love of benevolence as before but with a love of complacency not only hath he struck Covenant with Christ with Adam with Abraham in thy behalf but particularly and personally with thy self and O what Love is this If a woman lately conceiving love her future fruit how much more doth she love it when it is born and embraced in her Arms So if God loved thee before thou hadst a being yea before the world or any Creature in it had a being how much more now O the height and depth and length and breadth of this immeasurable Love O my Soul I cannot express the Loves of God in Christ to thee I do but draw the Picture of the Son with a coal when I endeavour to express Gods love in Christ 2. For the properties of this Love 1. Gods Love to thee is an eternal Love He was thinking in his eternity of thee in this manner At such a time there shall be such Man and such a Woman living on the earth in the last times such a one I mean thou that readest if thou believest and to that Soul I will reveal my self and communicate my loves to that soul I will offer Christ and give it the hand of Christ to lay hold on Christ and to that purpose now I write down the Name in the Book of Life and none shall be able to blot it out again Oh eternal Love Oh the blessed transactions between the Father and the Son from all eternity to manifest his Love to thy very Soul 2. Gods love to thee is a choice Love it is an elective separating Love when he passed by and left many thousands Mal. 1.2 3. then even then he sets his heart on thee Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith God yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau So wert not thou such an ones Brother or such an ones Sister that remained wicked and ungodly wert not thou of such a Family whereas many or some are passed by yet God hath loved thee and pitched his Love on thee Surely this is choice Love Hos 14.4 Deut. 7.7 8. 3. Gods Love to thee is a free Love I will love them freely saith God And the Lord did not set his Love upon you and chuse you because ye were more in number than any people but because the Lord loved you there can be no other reason why the Lord loved thee but because he loved thee We use to say this is a womans reason I will do it because I will do it but here we find it is Gods reason though it may seem strange arguing yet Moses can go no higher he loved thee why because he loved thee Gods love to thee is the Love of all relations look what a friends Love is to a friend or what a Fathers Love is towards a Child or what an Husbands Love is towards a Wife such is Gods Love to thee thou art his Friend his Son his Daughter his Spouse and God is thy All in All. 3. For the Effects of his Love 1. God so Loves thee as that he hath entered into a Covenant with thee O what a Love is this tell me O my soul is there not an infinite disparity betwixt God and thee He is God above and thou art a Worm below He is the High and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy and thou art less than the least of all the Mercies of God O wonder at such a condescention that such a Potter and such a Former of things should come on terms of bargaining with such clay as is guilty before him Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could never express it God so loves thee as that in the Covenant he gives thee all his Promises Indeed what is the Covenant but an accumulation or heap of Promises As a cluster of stars makes a Constellation so as a mass of promises concurreth in the Covenant of Grace
where-ever Christ is clusters of divine promises grow out of him as the motes rayes and beames are from the Sun I shall instance in some few As 1. God in the Covenant gives the world All is yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World Mat. 6 33. 1 Cor. 3.22 First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you These temporary blessings are a part of the Covenant which God hath made to his People It is he that giveth thee Power to get wealth that he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy Fathers Others Deut. 8.18 I know may have the World but they have it not by a Covenant-right it may be thou hast but a little a very little of the world well but thou hast it by a Covenant-right and so it is an earnest of all the rest 2. As God in the Covenant gives thee the world so in comparison of thee and his other Saints he cares not what becomes of all the world I loved thee saith God Isa 43.4 therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy Life If the case be so that it cannot be well with thee but great evils must come upon others kindred people and nations I do not so much care for them saith God my heart is on thee so as in Comparison of thee I care not what becomes of all the world O the love of God to his Saints 3. God in the Covenant pardons thy sins this is another fruit of Gods love Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood Rev. 1.5 it cost him dear to pardon our sins even the heart-blood of Christ such were the transactions betwixt God and Christ if thou wilt take upon thee to deliver souls from sin saith God to his Son thou must come thy self and be made a Curse for their Sin Well saith Christ thy will be done in it though I lose my Life though it cost me the best blood in my heart yet let me deliver them from sin This exceedingly heightens Christs Love that he should foresee thy sin and that yet he should Love Many times we set our Love on some outward unthankful Creatures and we say could I but have foreseen this untowardness they should never have had my Love but now the Lord did foresee all thy sins and all thy ill requitals for love and yet it did not once hinder his love towards thee but he puts this in the Covenant I will forgive their Iniquities and remember their sins no more Ezek. 36.25 4. God in the Covenant gives thee Holiness and Sanctification I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you this Holiness is our excellency in the eyes of Men and Angels this is the Crown and Diadem upon the heads of Saints whence David calls them by the name of excellent ones Holiness is a Spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4.14 it is the delight of God Psal 16.3 1 Pet. 4.14 as a Father delights himself in seeing his own Image in his Children so God delights himself in the Holiness of his Saints God loved them before with a love of benevolence and good-will but now he loves them with a love of complacency Psal 47.11 Psal 149.4 The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him the Lord takes pleasure in his People Holiness is the very Essence of God the Divine Nature of God O what is this that God should put his own nature into thee You are partakers of the Divine Nature O what a love is this that God should put his own Life into thee that he should enable thee to live the very same life that he himself lives remember that piece of the Covenant I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts 5. God in the Covenant gives thee the knowledg of himself it may be thou knewest him before but 't is another kind of knowledg that God now gives thee than thou hadst before When God teaches the Soul to know him it looks on God with another eye it sees now another beauty in God than ever it saw before for all that knowledg that it had before bred not love only Covenant-knowledg of God works in the Soul a true Love of God But how doth this Covenant-knowledg work this Love I shall tell you my own experiences I go through all the Virtues Graces and Excellencies that are most amiable and I look in the Scriptures and there I find them in God alone if ever I saw any excellency in any man or in any Creature I think with my self there is more in God that made that Creature He that made the Eye shall not he see And so he that made that Loveliness is not he Lovely Now when by these Mediums I have presented God thus lovely to my Soul then I begin to feel my heart to warm As when I conceive such an Idea of a man that he is of such a carriage behaviour disposition that he hath a mind thus and thus framed qualified and beautified why then I love him so when I apprehend the Lord aright when I observe him as he is described in his Word when I observe his doings and consider his workings and learn from all these together a right Idaea opinion or apprehension of him then my will follows my understanding and my affections follow them both and I come to love God and to delight in God O here 's a sweet knowledg surely it was God's Love in Christ to put this blessed Article into the Covenant of grace They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. 6. God in the Covenant of grace gives thee his Son John 13.6 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay more as God hath given thee his Son so he hath given thee himself O my Soul wouldest thou not think it a marvellous love if God should say to thee Come Soul I Will give thee all the World for thy Portion or that I may give thee a testimony that I love thee I will make another world for thy sake and I will make thee Emperour of that world also Surely thou wouldst say God loves me dearly ay but in that God hath given thee his Son and given thee himself this is a greater degree of Love Christiâ—ns stand amazed Oh what love is this to the Children of men Oh that we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I am the Lord thy God I will be their God and they shall be my People O my Soul where hast thou been rouze up and recollect and set before thee
all these passages of Gods Love in Christ are not these strong atractives to gain thy love what wilt thou do canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love It is the expression of the Apostle The Love of God constrains us 1 Cor. 5.14 God in Christ is the very Element of Love and whither should Love go but to the Element Air goes to Air and Earth to Earth and all the Rivers to the Sea 1 John 4.16 every Element will to its proper place Now God is Love and whither should thy Love be carried but to this Ocean or Sea of Love Come my Beloved said the Spouse to Christ let us get up early to the vineyards Cant 2.12 let us see if the Vines flourish whether the tender grapes appear there will I give thee my Loves The flourishing of the Vine and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints now wheresoever things appear whether in Assemblies or in secret Ordinances then and there saith the Bride will I give thee my Loves when thou comest to the Word Prayer Meditation be sure of this to give Christ thy Love What doth Christ manifest his presence there is there any abounding of his graces there O let thy Love abound by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee by so much more do thou love thy God again many sins being forgiven how shouldst thou but Love much SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know our joy here is but in part such is the excellency of Spiritual joy that it is reserved for Heaven God will not permit it to be pure and perfect here below and yet such as it is though mingled with cares and pains it is a blessed duty it is the light of our souls and were it quite taken away our lives would be nothing but Horrour and Confusion O my Soul if thou didst not hope to encounter joy in all thy Acts thou wouldst remain languishing and immoveable thou wouldst be without action and vigour thou wouldst speak no more of Jesus or of a Covenant of grace or of God or Christ or Life or glory Well then go on O my Soul and joy in Jesus if thou lovest him what should hinder thy rejoycing in him It is a Maxime that as Love Proceeds so if there be nothing that retaines the Appetite it alwayes goes from Love to Joy One motion of the Appetite towards good is to be united to it and the next Appetite towards good is to enjoy it now Love consists in union and joy in fruition for what is fruition but a joy that we find in the possession of that thing we love Much ado there is amongst Philosophers concerning the differences of Love and Joy Some give it thus As is the motion of fluid Bodies which run towards their Center and think to find their rest there but being there they stop not and therefore they return and scatter themselves on themselves they swell and overflow So in the passion of Love the Appetite runs to the beloved Object and unites it self to it and yet its motion ends not there for by this passion of joy it returns the same way again it scatters it self on it self and overflows those Powers which are nearest to it by this effusion the soul doubles on the Image of the good it hath received and so it thinks to possess it more it distills it self into that faculty which first acquainted it with the knowledg of the Object and by that means it makes all the parts of the Soul concur to the possession of it Hence they say That joy is an effusion of the Appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it the more perfectly But not to stay in the inquiry of its Nature O my Soul be thou in the exercise of this Joy Is there not cause come see and own thy Blessedness take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for thee As 1. He hath made a Covenant with thee of temporal mercies thou hast all thou hast by free-holding of Covenant-Grace thy Bread is by Covenant thy sleep is by Covenant thy safety from Sword is by the Covenant the very tilling of thy Land is by a Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 O how sweet is this Every Crum is from Christ and by virtue of a Covenant of Grace 2. He hath made a Covenant with thee of spiritual mercies even a Covenant of Peace and Grace and Blessing and Life for evermore God is become thy God he is all things to thee he hath forgiven thy sins he hath given thee his Spirit to lead thee to sanctifie thee to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory where thou shalt bless him and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory O pluck up thy heart lift up thy head strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh Write it in Letters of Gold that thy God is in Covenant with thee to love thee to bless thee and to save thee Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive thee to himself and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God or to be in Covenant with God I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart a man out of Covenant if he look on God he is a consuming fire if on the Law it is a Sentence of Condemnation if on the Earth it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins if on Heaven the Gate is shut if on the Signes in Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder strike in him a terrour But O my Soul this is not thy case a Man in Covenant with God looks on these things with another eye if he look on God he saith This is my Father if on Christ this is my elder Brother if on Angels these are my Keepers if on Heaven this is my House if on the Signes of Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder these are but the effects of my Fathers Power if on the Law the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me if on Prosperity God hath yet better things for me in store if on Adversity Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this if on the Devil Death and Hell he saith with the Apostle O Death where is thy Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave where is thy Victory Come poor soul is it not thus with thee what art thou in Covenant with God or art thou not If yet thou doubtest review thy grounds of hope and leave not there till thou comest up to some measure
into Faith I cannot tell but one would think that unbelief should be strangled quite slain upon this consideration all this O my soul thou hearest in the Gospel there is Christ incarnate set forth to the life there is Christ suing thy Loves and offering himself as thy beloved in thy own naure there it is written that God is come down in flesh with an Olive-branch of eternal peace in his hand and bids you all be witness he is not come to destroy but to save Oh that this encouragement might be of force to improve Christs glorious design to the supplying of all thy wants and to the making up of all thy losses believe Oh believe thy part in Christ incarnate SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation at his first Coming or Incarnation Now what is Love but an expansion or egress of the heart and spirits to the Object loved or to the Object whereby it is drawn or attracted Mark O my soul whatsoever hath an attractive power it is in that respect an Object or general cause of Love and canst thou possibly light on any Object more attractive than the Incarnation of Jesus Christ If Love be the Load-stone of Love what an attractive is this before thee methinks the very sight of Christ incarnate is enough to ravish thee with the apprehension of his infinite goodness see how he calls out or as it were draws out the soul to Union Vision and Participation of his Glory O come and yield up thy self unto him give him thy self and conform all thy Affections and Actions to his Will O love him not with a divided but with all thy heart But to excite this Love I shall only propound the Object which will be Argument enough Love causeth Love now as Gods first Love to man was in making man like himself so his second great Love was in making himself like to man stay then a while upon this Love for I take it this is the greater Love of the two Nay if I must speak freely I believe this was the fullest visible demonstration of Gods Love that ever was The Evangelist expresseth it thus God so loved the World John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son he gave him to be incarnate to be made flesh and to suffer Death but the extention of his Love lies in that expression he so loved So how Why so fully so fatherly so freely as no Tongue can tell no heart can think In this Love God did not only let out a mercy give out a bare grace in self but he took our nature upon him It is usually said that it is a greater love of God to save a soul than to make a World and I think it was a greater Love of God to take our nature than simply to save our souls for a King to dispense with the Law and by his own prerogative to save a Murderer from the Gallows is not such an Act of Love and Mercy as to take the Murderers Cloaths and to wear them as their Richest Livery Why God in taking our nature hath done thus and more than thus he would not save us by his meer Prerogative but he takes our Cloaths our Flesh and in that Flesh he personates us and in that Flesh he will die for us that we might not die but live through him for evermore Surely this was Love that God will be no more God as it were simply but he will take up another nature rather than the brightness of his Glory shall undo our souls It will not be amiss whil'st I am endeavouring to draw a Line of Gods love in Christ from first to last in saving Souls that here we look back a little and summarily contract the passages of Love from that eternity before all Worlds unto this present 1. God had an eternal design to discover his infinite love to some besides himself O the wonder of this was there any need or necessity of such a discovery Though God was one Deus unus licet solus non solitarius and in that respect alone as we may imagine yet God was not solitary in that eternity within his own proper essence or substance there were three Divine Persons and betwixt them there was a blessed Communication of Love Christ on Earth could say I am not alone because the Father is with me and then before the Earth was might the Father say I am not alone for the Son is with me and the Son might say I am not alone John 16.32 for the Father is with me and the Holy Ghost might say I am not alone for both the Father and the Son are with me though in that eternity there was no Creature to whom these three Persons should communicate their Love yet was there a glorious communication and breaking out of Love from one to another before there was a World the Father John 17.15 Son and Holy Ghost did infinitely glorifie themselves Joh. 17.5 Surely they loved one another and they rejoyced in the fruition of one another Prov. 8.30 Prov. 8.30 What need then was there of the discovery of Gods love to any one besides himself O my soul I know no necessity for it only thus was the pleasure of God Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight such was the love of God that it would not contain it self within that infinite Ocean of himself but it would needs have Rivers and Channels into which it might run and overflow 2. God in prosecution of his design creates a World of Creatures some rational and only capable of Love others irrational and serviceable to that one Creature which he makes the top of the whole Creation then it was that he set up one man Adam as a common person to represent the rest to him he gives abundance of glorious qualifications and him he sets over all the work of his hands as if he were the very Darling of Love if we should view the excellency of this Creature either in the outward or the inner man who would not wonder his body had its excellency which made the Psalmist say I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made and curiously wrought in the lowest part of the Earth Psal 139.14 15. It is a speech borrowed from those who work Arras-work the body of man is a piece of curious Tapestry or Arras-work consisting of Skin Bones Muscles Sinews and the like what a goodly thing the body of man was before the Fall may be guessed by the excellent gifts found in the bodies of some men since the Fall as the Complection of David 1 Sam. 16.12 the swiftness of Hazael 2 Sam. 2.18 the beauty of Absolom 2 Sam. 14.25 If all these were but joyned in one as certainly they were in Adam what a rare Body would such a one be but what was this body in comparison of that soul
Yoak and a burthen but no that we answer with Christ his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Certainly there are burthens which grieve not the bearers at all as the burthen of feathers upon a Birds back it is nothing grievous to her but rather bears her up and a burthen of Gold and Jewels upon a mans back supposing it the reward of his portage and the hire of his labour it is nothing grievous to him but rather cheers him up Men Brethren and Fathers if we will but come and close with Christ the Spirit is given to enable us and Heaven is promised to encourage us the one gives power and the other stirs up our affections and how then should we complain of pressure O it is a sweet burthen sweetned by his Grace and sweetned by his Spirit and sweetned by a principle of love O how I love thy Law Psal 119.97 174. Psal 19.11 and sweetned by a principle of delight Thy Law is my delight and sweetned with a promise of reward In the keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward 2. They object we feel no such thing you tell us of sweetness easiness pleasantness Mal. 1.13 Amos 8.5 but if we must speak out our own experiences O what a weariness is it when will the New-moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat We feel a sweetness in these present enjoyments of the World but as for Holiness Grace Religion the Discipline of Christ we wonder where the sweetness is we can find no such secret golden Mines in these spiritual diggings I answer 1. This indeed is the speech of carnal and prophane men they feel no sweetness easiness pleasantness in Gods wayes The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 15. for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual judgeth or discerneth all things Poor souls till God speak to your hearts you cannot understand this hidden Manna It is observed that God never sent the pleasant Manna unto Israel so long as their Flower and Bread of Aegypt lasted so never will you tast how good the Lord is so long as you doat on sin and vanity 2. Though you feel not these things for the present yet in time you may do yea certainly if you belong to God in time you will do O but when you will say when I answer the first tast of this sweetness is usually at the first taking of Christs yoak upon us as Merchants desire us to sell their waters are content in the first place to let you see and handle and tast thereby to induce you to buy so Jesus Christ willing as it were to part with Heaven he is content in the first place to impart a certain tast before hand and to sweeten the wayes of goliness unto us Bâ—hold Hos 2.14 I will allure her saith God and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her What is it that God means by alluring of his people I answer it contains these things As 1. A discovery of the beauty of holiness when God first effectually calls the soul home to himself he sets open the beauty of his service naturally the heart is possessed with much prejudice against the wayes of Religion Oh what a strict rule is this to carnal men to pull out their right eyes to cut off their right hands to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Lands and Life for the Name of Christ to cross their own desires to deny their own selves to mortifie their earthly members to follow the Lamb through evil report and good report through afflictions and persecutions and manifold temptations whithersoever he goeth to war with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places and hence it is that the Lord is forc'd to set forth the wayes of Christ as beautiful even under crosses and afflictions thus when the watchman smote the Church and wounded her and took away her vail yet she still acknowledged Christ for whose sake she suffered to be white and ruddy Cant. 5.7 10. the fairest of ten thousands Christ sets forth himself and his wayes in all the grace and goodness and beauty and sweetness and loveliness that possibly may be q. d. by these I will allure them that belong unto me 2. An out-bidding of all the temptations of other Lovers before Christ come souls go a whoring from Christ their hearts are allured by other lovers the world the flesh and the Devil come in and they proffer Souls such and such contentments but when Christ comes he deals with souls in a more Powerful way and he out-bids all their former lovers q. d. Did their lovers proffer them comfort I will bid more comfort Did their lovers proffer gain I will bid more gain Did their lovers proffer honour and respect I will out-bid them in that also And indeed then hath the Gospel a true and full and gracious work upon the heart when it yields to the proffers of the Gospel as finding that all that the World can bid is now out-bidden you know when one comes to offer so much for a commodity and another out-bids him he carries it away so when the World and lust and sin proffer to the soul such and such contents then comes Christ and out-bids all and so the bargain is made up and Christ carries the heart away sinners it may be as yet you feel none of these things but in time you may do and in the mean time you see here is a word for it Behold I will allure her c. 3. They object the Saints themselves feel no such things for ought appears to the World whose spirits are more heavy and sad as it is said of Christ himself that he never laughed and as David said of himself Why art thou cast down O my soul Psal 42.5 and why art thou disquieted within me So it may be said of some Christians if they are strict that they are seldom merry or pleasant But I answer 1. Christians that keep indeed close to the rule are for the most part serious and the word may suppose them as sad 2. It may be they are not in their element in the acts of Religion and therefore they cannot express their spiritual cheerfulness a fish cannot delight it self on the Earth but when it is in the water a Bird doth not sing on the ground but when it is got up into the air Gods people cannot rejoyce in sin as drunkards and revellers do but when their hearts are in Religious exercises and in communion with God they are merry and pleasant 3. It may be they are in such company as may make them sad the men of the World object against Saints that they are heavy and sowr and melancholy men but in the mean time they consider not that their swearing
it O my soul how art thou out of frame in creature-communion I usually feel the warm and vigorous active and very strong but now thy heart is enditing of a good matter thou art speaking of the things which thou hast made concerning the King thy words do almost freeze between thy lips how chill and cold art thou in thy converses with Jesus Christ Oh this puts me in mind of my deserts surely had Christ's love been but like this faint and feeble love of mine I had been a damned wretch without all hope O Christ I am ashamed that I love thee so little I perceive thy loves are great by all those actings in thy life come blow upon my Garden perswade me by thy Spirit that I may love thee much many sins are forgiven me O that I may love thee much SECT VII Of Joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Life But what is there in Christ's life or in all the passages of his Life to stir up Joy I answer all his life and all the passages of his life if rightly applied are excellent matter for the stirring up of this Affection indeed the main of the work is in the application of Christ's life if ever we rejoyce spiritually in Christ we must bring together the object and the faculty and this Union of the object and the faculty is usually wrought by contemplation or by confidence or by fruition I shall but a while insist on these that we may come up at last to rejoyce in Christ yea if it were possible to rejoyce and again rejoyce 1. Let us contemplate on this life of Christ let us think of it in our minds there is a kind of delight in knowing some things speculatively which we would abhor to know experimentally and therefore the Devil's first temptation was drawn from the knowledge of evil as well as good he knew that the mind of man would receive content in the understanding of that which in its own nature had no perfection at all now if there be a delight in the contemplation of evil how much more in the contemplation of that which is good And is not the life of Christ the Graces the Virtues the holy Actions the dear Affections of Jesus Christ to us-ward good and very good Come then stir up our memories let us be setled men let us spend our frequent thoughts upon this blessed Object the reason we miss of our joyes is because we are so little in comtemplations of our Christ It is said that he pities us in our sorrows but he delights in us when we delight in him Certainly he would have us to delight in him and to that purpose he way-layes our thoughts that wheresoever we look we shall still think on him O my soul cast thine eyes which way thou wilt and thou shalt hardly look on any thing but Christ Jesus hath taken the name of that very thing upon himself What is it day and dost thou behold the Sun He is called the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4.2 Num. 24.17 19. Or is it night and dost thou behold the Stars He is called a Star There shall come a Star out of Jacob out of Jacob shall he come that shall have dominion Or is it Morning and dost thou behold the morning-star He is called the bright morning-star Rev. 22.16 Or is it Noon and dost thou behold clear light all the world over in thy Hemisphere He is called the Light and that Light and that Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1.7 8 9. Or to come a little nearer if thou lookest on the earth and takest a view of the Creatures about thee seest thou the silly sheep He is called a sheep Isa 53.7 as a sheep before her shearer is dumb so he openeth not his mouth or seest thou a Lamb bleating after the harmless sheep John 1.29 He is called a Lamb Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Seest thou a Shepherd watching over his flock by day or night He is called a Shepherd I am the good Shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine John 10.14 Or seest thou a Fountain Rivers Waters He is called a Fountain In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zach. 13.1 for sin and for uncleanness Or seest thou a Tree good for Food Prov. 3.18 Cant. 2.3 or pleasant to the eye He is called the Tree of Life and as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons Seest thou a Rose a Lilly any fair Flower in a Garden Cant. 2.1 He is called a Rose a Lilly I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Valleys or to come a little nearer yet art thou within doors I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved John 10.9 and shall go in and out and shall find pasture Art thou adorning thy self and takest a view of thy Garments He is called a Garment Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Art thou eating meat and takest a view on what is on thy Table He is called Bread The bread of God true bread from Heaven the bread of life John 6.32 35 51. the living bread which came down from heaven Why thus Christ way-layes our thoughts that wheresoever we look we should ever think of Christ Now these thoughts or contemplations of Christ are they that bring together the object and the faculty of joy I cannot think of Christ or the life of Christ of Christ preaching or of Christ preached but I must rejoyce in Christ as sometimes the Apostle said Christ is preached whether in pretence or truth I matter not but that he is preached I therein do rejoyce Phil. 1.18 yea and will rejoyce 2. Let us consider in Christ let us upon good grounds hope our share and interest in the Life of Christ O this would strengthen our joy yea fill us with joy unspeakable and glorious where true joy is there is first a thinking of the good in our mind and secondly an expecting of it in our heart hence it is that whatsoever doth encourage our hope the same doth enlarge our delight the Apostle joines both these together Rejoyce in hope Hope and Joy go both together if I have but assured hope that Christ's life is mine I cannot but rejoyce therein on the contrary Rom. 12.12 if my hope fluctuate if I am but uncertain if I look on the influence and benefits of Christ's life as only possibly mine and no further then is my comfort but unstable and weak sometimes we find Christ compared to a rich Store-house In him saith the Apostle are hid all the treasures of wâ—sdom and knowledge but alas what am I
himself with those fruits of righteousness and new obedience which they are able to bring forth to him O there let us seek him and we shall find him 3. Eor the Person to whom he appeared it was Mary Magdalen she that sometimes lived a sinful life that was no better than a common Curtizan now is first up to seek her Saviour Let never any despair of mercy that but hears of the conversion of Mary Magdalen Dionisius tells us that she that was loose and dissolute in her youth betook her self in old age to a most solitary life that she sequestred her self from all worldly pleasures in the mountains of Bâ—lma full thirty years in all which time she gave her self to meditation fasting and prayer The texts tells us That much was forgiven her and she loved much Luke 7.47 John 20.11 Her love to Christ appears at this time But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre this Scripture we may call a song of loves or if you will a song of degrees every word is a step or degree of love more than other As 1. Mary stood at the Sepulchre she stood by the grave of Christ it signifies her great love to Jesus Christ many would stand by him while he was alive but to stand by him dead none would do it those we love most we will wait on them living or if they dye we will bring them to the grave and lay them in the grave but there we leave them only Mary chuseth Christ's Tomb for her best home and his dead corps for her chief comfort she praiseth the dead more than the living and having lost that light of the Sun of righteousness she desired to dwell in darkness in the shadow of death 2. But Mary stood q. d. others did not but she did Peter and John were there even now and when they could not find Jesus away they went but Mary went not she stood still their going away commends her staying behind how many circumstances may we observe in Mary setting out her love to Christ above them all to the grave she came before them from the grave she went to tell them to the grave she returns with them and at the grave she stayes behind them Certainly there was in Mary a stronger affection than either in Peter or John and this affection fixed her there that she could not stir go who would she would not go but stay still But Mary stood without 3. But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping This was love indeed see how every word is a degree of love But Mary stood there weeping when Christ stood at Lazarus's grave-side weeping the Jews said then Behold how he loved him and may not we say the very same of Mary Behold how she loved him her very love runs down her cheeks she cannot think of Jesus as lost but she weeps she weeps for having lost him whom she loved at first she mourned for the departing of his soul out of his body and now she laments the taking his body out of the grave at first she mourned because she could not keep him alive yet that sorrow had some solace in that she hoped to have enjoyed him dead but when she considers that his life was lost and not so much as his body could be found Oh she weeps and weeps The last office she could do was to anoint his body and to bewail his death and to that purpose she comes now unto his grave as sometimes she had washed his feet with her tears now she would shed them afresh upon his feet and head and hands and heart and all but when she saw the grave open and the body gone and nothing of Christ now left her to mourn over she weeps the more she weeps most bitterly But Mary stood there weeping 4. And as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre She did so weep as she did seek withall her weeping hindred not her seeking she sought and sought to what purpose that Christ is not in the tomb her own eyes have seen the Disciples hands have felt the empty winding sheet doth plainly avouch Peter and John had looked in before nay They went into the Sepulchre and saw the linnen cloaths lying John 20.6 7. and the napkin that was about his head wrapt by it self and yet for all this she will be stooping down and looking in she would rather condemn her own eyes of error and both their eyes and hands of deceit she would rather suspect all testimonies for untrue than not to look after him whom she had lost even there where by no diligence he could be found It is not enough for love to look in once You know this is the manner of our seeking when we seek something seriously where we have sought already there we will seek again we are apt to think we sought not well but if we seek again we might find it were we sought And thus Mary sought and when she could think of no other place so likely to find Christ in as this she sought again in this she will not believe her own senses she would rather think that she looked not well before than she will leave off looking When things that are dearly affected are gone and lost loves nature is never to be weary of searching even the oftenest searched corners they must still be an haunt for hope O love thinks it hath never looked enough in the first verse she looked And saw the stone taken away from the Sepulchre and now again she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre 4. For the manner how he appeared it was first by his Angels and secondly by himself 1. There was an apparition of Angels she seeth two Angels in white sitting Iohn 20.12 13. the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen I will not stay here only for the opening of the words I shall answer these questions As 1. What means the apparition of Angels I answer it is not only a preparation to Christ's apparition Maries loss must be restored by degrees though she saw not Christ at first yet she saw his Angels it often pleaseth Christ in the desertions of his people to come to them by degrees and not at once he comes first by his Angels so it was at his birth and so it is at his resurrection But 2. What do Angels in a Sepulchre it is a place fitter for worms than Angels we never read of Angels being in a grave before this time they are blessed creatures and is the grave a fit place for them O yes since Christ lay in the grave that very place is a blessed place Blessed are the dead Rev. 14.13 Psal 116.15 which dye in the Lord from henceforth Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints But 3. Why are the Angels in white
believers to partake abundantly of what is in him he cannot abide that any should content themselves with a present stock of grace Christ is not as a stream that fails or as a channel that runs dry Christ is not as water in a ditch which hath no living spring to feed it no no Christ is the fountain of life he is the chief ordinance of life that ever God set up I know there are other means of Christs appointment but if thou wilt live at the spring and driâ—â— in there yea drink abundantly according to the overflowings of this fountain O the life and growth of life that would come in Oh the vertue of Christ's resurrection that Christ's Spirit meeting and assisting would flow into thy soul for thy vivification Thus for directions now for the encouragements of our faith to believe in Christ's resurrection 1. Consider the excellency of this object A sight of Christ in his beauty and glory would ravish souls and draw them to run after him the wise Merchant would not buy the pearl till he knew it to be of excellent price great things are eagerly sought for Christ raised Christ glorified is an excellent object O who would not sell all to buy this pearl who would not believe 2. Consider of the power vertue and influence of this object into all that golden chain of priviledges if Christ be not raised you are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15.17 18. then they also which are fallen a sleep in Christ are perished From the resurrection of Christ flows all those priviledges even from justification to salvation The first is clear and therefore all the rest 3. Consider that Christ's resurrection and the effects of it are nothing unto us if we do not believe it is faith that brings down the particular sweetness and comforts of Christ's resurrection unto our souls it is faith that puts us in the actual possession of Christ's resurrection whatsoever Christ is to us before faith yet really we have no benefit by it until we believe it is faith that takes hold of all that Christ hath done for us and gives us the actual enjoyment of it oh let not the work stick in us what is Christ risen from the dead and shall we not eye this Christ and take him home to our selves by faith the Apostle tells us that he that believed not hath made God a lyar 1 Joh. 5.10 because be believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son Unbelief belyes God in all that he hath done for us O take heed of this without faith what are we better for Christ's resurrection 4. Consider of the tenders offers apparitions that Christ raised makes of himself to our souls when first he arose to confirm the faith of his Disciples he offers himself and appears to Mary Magdalen to the other women to Peter Thomas and all the rest and all those apparitions were on this account that they might believe Joh. 29.31 these things are written that ye might believe In like manner Christ at this day offers himself in the Gospel of grace and by his Spirit he appears to souls Methinks we should not hear a Sermon of Christ's resurrection but we should imagine as if we saw him whose head and haires are white like wool as white as snow Rev. 1.14 15. whose eyes are as a flame of fire whose feet are like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace whose voyce is as the sound of many waters or if we are dazled with his glory methinks at least we should hear his voyce as if he said fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen q. d. Come Ver. 17 18. cast your souls on me it is I that have conquered sin death and hell for you it is I that have broke the serpents head that have took away the sting of death that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing against you that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your sins come take it take me and take all with me see your names written in the acquittance that I tender take out the copy of it in your own hearts only believe in him who is risen again for your justification O my soul what sayst thou to this still sweet voyce of Christ shall he who is the Saviour of men and glory of Angels desire thee to believe and wilt thou not say Amen to it Oh how should I blame thee for thy unbelief what aspersions doth it cast on Christ he hath done all things well he hath satisfied wrath fullfilled the Law and God hath acquitted him pronounced him just faith is contented he can desire no more but thou sayst by unbelief that Christ hath done nothing at all unbelief professeth Christ is not dead or at least not risen from the dead unbelief professeth that justice is not satisfied that no justification is procured that the wrath of God is now as open to destroy us as ever it was Oh that Christ should be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief come take Christ upon his tenders and offers embrace him with both armes SECT VI. Of Loving in Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurection surely if we hope in Christ and believe in Christ we cannot but love Christ if Christ's resurrection be our justification and so the ground both of our hope and faith how should we but love him who hath done such great things for us she that had much forgiven her loved much and if by vertue of Christ's resurrection we are Justified from all our sins how should we but love him much but that I may let down some cords of Love whereby to draw our loves to Christ in this respect let us consider thus Love is a motion of the appetite by which the mind unites it self to that which seems good to it You may object that Christ is absent how then should our souls be united to him but if we consider that objects though absent may be united to the powers by their species and images as well as by their true beings we may then be said truly to love Christ as raised though he be absent from us come then stir up thy appetite bring into thy imagination the Idea of Christ as in his resurrection present him to thy affection of Love in that very form wherein he appeared to his Disciples as gazing upon the dusty beauty of flesh kindleth the fire of carnal love so this gazing on Christ and on the passages of Christ in his resurrection will kindle this spiritual love in thy soul Draw near then and behold him Is he not white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousands is not his head as the most fine gold are not his locks bushy Cant. 5.10 11 12 13. and
black as a raven are not his eyes as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water washed with milk and fitly set are not his cheeks as a bed of spices as sweet flowers thus I might go on from top to toe but that thou mayst not only see his glory and beauty wherein he arose but that thou mayest hear his voyce doth he not call on thee as sometimes he did on Mary on Thomas on Peter or on the twelve Luke 24.6 As the Angel said to the woman remember how he spake when he was yet in Galilee so say I to thee remember how he spake while he was yet on earth surely his lips like Lillyes dropped sweet smelling myrrhe As thus 1. In his apparition to Mary Jesus saith unto her woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou John 20.15 were not these kind words and hast not thou had the like apparition hast not thou heard the like sweet words from Jesus Christ how often hath thy heart sobbed and fighed out complaints O where is he whom my soul loveth I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love And then was not Christ seen in the mount was not thy extremity his opportunity to do thee good Cant. 5.8 did not he bespeak thy comforts with these words Sweet soul why weepest thou whom seekest thou what wouldst thou have that I can give thee And what dost thou want that I can give thee If any thing in heaven or earth will make thee happy it is all thy own wouldst thou have pardon thou shalt have it I freely forgive thee all the debt wouldst thou have my self Why behold I am thine thy friend thy Lord thy husband thy head thy God Were not these thy Lords reviving words were not these melting healing ravishing quickening passages of Christ his love John 20.19 2. In his Apparition to the ten Jesus stood in the midst and saith unto them peace be unto you Lo here more words of love in the midst of their trouble Christ stands in the midst speaking peace to their souls and hath not Christ done the like to thee hast thou not many and many a time bin lapt into troubles that thou knewest not which way to turn thee hast thou not felt the contradictions of men raylings of Rabshecka's and hast thou not sometimes shut the doors upon thee for fear of such Jews and then even then hath not Christ come to thy spirit with an olive branch of peace saying to thy restless soul peace and be still hath he not wrought wonders in the sea of thy restless thoughts hath he not made a calm and more then so hath he not filled thee with joy and peace in believing hath he not sent thee away from thy prayers and complaints with a piece of heaven in thy soul so that thou wast forced to conclude John 20.27 In his Apparition to the Eleven Jesus saith to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing O sweet condescending words how far how low would Jesus stoop to take up souls and O my soul are not these the very dealings of Christ towards thee he that called Thomas to come near hark how he calls on thee Come near poor trembling wavering wandring soul come view the Lord thy Saviour and be not faithless but believing peace be unto thee fear not it is I. He that called on them who passed by to behold his sorrow in the day of his humiliation doth now call on thee to behold his glory in the day of his exaltation look well upon him dost thou not know him why his hands were pierced his head was pierced his side was pierced his heart was pierced with the stings of thy sins and these marks he retains even after his resurrection that by these marks thou mightest always know him is not the passage to his heart yet standing open if thou knowest him not by the face the voyce the hands if thou knowest him not by the tears and bloody sweat yet look nearer thou mayst know him by the heart that broken healed heart is his that dead revived heart is his that soul-pitying melting heart is his doubtless it can be none but his love and compassion are its certain signatures And is not here yet fewel enough for love to feed upon doth not this heart of Christ even snatch thy heart and almost draw it forth of thy brest canst thou read the history of love any further at once doth not thy throbbing heart here stop to ease it self if not go on for the field of love is large 4. In this Apparition to the seven Jesus saith to Simon Peter Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these And he said to him the second time Simon Joh. 21 15 16 17. Son of Jonas lovest thou me he said to him the third time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me Oh the loves of Christ in drawing out mans love unto himself how often O my soul hath Christ come to thy door and knocked there for entrance how often hath he sued for Love and begged love and asked thee again and again Ah soul dost thou love me more than these come tell me dost thou love me love me love me come wilt thou take me for thy Lord wilt thou delight in me as thy Treasure thy happiness thy all O fye shall Christ raised a glorious Christ thus wooe and sue and call and wilt thou not answer as Peter did Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Yea Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Nay art thou not grieved that Christ should ask the third time for thy love art thou not ashamed out of thy stupidity and forc't to say O my blessed Lord I have been too proud too peevish but thy free grace and undeserved love hath beaten me out of all my pride so that now I fall down at thy foot-stool and lay my self flat before thee at first I wondered to hear Preachers talk so much of Christ and I was bold to ask thy friends what was their beloved more than another beloved but now I wonder that I could be so long without thee truly Lord I am thine only thine ever thine all that I am is at thy command and all I have is at thy disposing be pleased to command both it and me I might thus go on to consider other passages in other Apparitions but are not these enow to draw thy love Oh what love was this Oh what humility was this that Christ after his resurrection should converse with men during the space of fourty days worthy he was after so many sorrows sufferings reproaches after so cruel ignominious and bitter a death immediately to have rid his triumph to glory And for the confirmation of his Disciples faith he might have commanded the Angels to
shall be quenched But I have in some measure already discovered all those acts of his grace and love till his second coming and therefore I begin there 1. Christ will come is not this love as his departure was a rich testimony of his love John 14.18 It is expedient for you that I go away so is his returning I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Oh how can we think of Christ's returning and not meditate on the greatness of his love might he not send his Angels but he must come himself is it not state and majesty enough to have the Angels come for us but that he himself must come with his Angels to meet us more than half the way what King on Earth would adopt a beggar and after his adoption would himself go in person to fetch him from the dunghil to his Throne we are filthy lazars from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet we are full of sores and yet the King of Heaven puts on his best attire and comes in person with all his retinue of glory to fetch us from our graves to his own Court of Heaven Oh the loves of Christ in this one act he will come again he is but gon for a while but he will come again in his own person 2. Christ will welcome all his Saints into his presence and is not this love after he is come down from Heaven he stays for them a while in the Clouds and commanding his Angels to bring them thither anon they come and oh how his heart springs within him at their coming what throbs and pangs of love are in his heart at the first view of them as they draw near and fall down at his feet and worship him so he draws near and falls upon their necks and welcomes them Methinks I hear him say Come blessed souls you are my purchase for whom I Covenanted with my Father from eternity O you are dearly welcome to your Lord in that now I have you in my arms I feel the fruit of my death the acceptation of my Sacrifice the return of my prayers for this I was born and dyed for this I rose again and ascended into Heaven for this I have interceded a Priest in Heaven these many years and now I have the end and design of all my actings and sufferings for you how is my joy fulled look as at the meeting of two lovers there is great joy especially if the distance hath been great and the desires of enjoying one another vehement so is the meeting of Christ with his Saints the joy is so great that it runs over and wets the fair brows and beauteous locks of Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Angels have a part of this banquet at this day 3. Christ will sentence his Saints for eternal life here is love indeed every word of the sentence is full of love it contains the reward of his Saints a reward beyond their work and beyond their wages and beyond the promise and beyond their thoughts and beyond their understanding it is a participation of the joyes of God and of the inheritance of the Judge himself Come enter into your Masters joy inherit the Kingdom Oh but if all the Saints have only one Kingdom where is my room fear not O my soul thou shalt have room enough though but one Kingdom yet all the Inhabitants there are Kings whole Heaven is such a Kingdom as is intirely and fully injoyed by one glorified Saint all and every one hath the whole Kingdom at his own will every one is filled with God as if there were no fellows there to share â—ith him Oh that I may come under this blessed sentence never was more love expressed in words than Christ expresseth in this sentence Come ye blessed c. 4. Christ will take up all his Saints with him into glory where he will present them to his Father and then be their all in all to all eternity This is the heigâ—t of Christ's love this is the immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of Jesus Christ this is that Zenith of love when sensibly and feelingly it burns at hottest it is true that Christ's love breaks out in all those precedaneous acts we have already spoken Oh but what loves will he cast out from himself in glory the more excellent the Soyl is and the nearer the Sun is the more of Summer and the more of day the more delicious must be the Apples the Pomgranates the Roses the Lillies that grow there surely Christ in glory is a blessed soyl Roses and Lillies and Apples of love that are eternally Summer-green and sweet grow out of him the honey of Heaven is more than honey the honey of love that is pure and unmixt and glorious in Christ must needs be incomparable I cannot say but that Christ's love like himself is the same yesterday and to day and for ever there is no intension 1 John 4.8 or remission of his love as in it self for God is love he is essentially love and therefore admits of no degrees yet in respect of the sense or manifestation of this love of Christ there must needs be a difference thus if he loved his spouse on earth how much more will he love her when his Bride in Heaven If he loves us while sinners and enemies to his holiness how much more will he love us when we are sons and perfected Saints in glory he that could spread his arms and open his heart on the Cross will he not then open arms and heart and all to them that reign with him in his Kingdom if in this life such is loves puissance that we usually say of Christ Though the head be in heaven yet he hath left his heart on earth with sinners what shall we say of Christ in glory where love like the Sun ever stands in the Zenith Deut. 33.27 where the eternal God is the souls everlastiâ—g refuge and underneath are his everlasting arms 5. And if Christ love thus how should we love again for such a love Lord what a sum of love are we indebted to thee is it possible that ever we should pay the debt can we love as high as deep as broad as long as love it self or as Christ himself no no all we can do is but to love a little and Oh that in the consideration of his love we could love a little in sincerity Oh that we were but able feelingly to say Why Lord I love thee I feel I love thee even as I feel I love my friend or as I feel I love my self Such arguments of love have been laid before us as that now I know no more we have seen whole Christ cap-a-pe we have heard of the loves of Christ from eternity to eternity we have had a view of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ wherein his love is represented to us as hot as death or as
you more 2. For the godly are not they careless of this Duty O their excursions from God! sad dejections of spirit inordinat affections of the world and in the mean-while O the neglect of this Gospel-ordinance even amongst Saints themselves I know not whether through want of skill or through want of will but sure I am this duty lies dormant neglected of most of the people of God their faults I may express in these respects 1. In not sending out their understandings in not pointing their minds towards Jesus I write unto you said the Apostle to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.1 Psal 57.8 Judg 7.12 to awaken your pure minds and it was but need See how David calls upon himself Awake my glory and see how Deborah calls upon her self Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song Awaking is a word that imports rouzing as birds that provoke their young ones by flight to make use of their wings now how few are there that thus call upon themselves it was the Prophets complaint no man stirs up himself Isa 64.7 to take hold of God O what a shame is this is it fit that our understandings which God hath entrusted us withal should be no more improved is it fit that our minds those golden cabinets which God hath given us to be filled with heavenly treasure should either be empty or stuft with vanity nothing worse then nothing O that such glorious creatures as our souls should lacquey after every creature which should be in attendance upon Christ which should be like Angels waiting and standing in the presence of our God! O that such glorious things as our immortal spirits should run after vanity and so become vain which if rightly improved should walk with Angels should lodge themselves in the bosom of the glorious God! Do we not see how Christ is sending out to us continually the thoughts of his heart are love eternal love and shall not we send out our thoughts towards him shall not we let our minds run out towards him 2. In not bending of their minds to this work It may be the mind looks up but it 's so feeble that like an arrow shot from a bow weakly bent it reacheth not the mark It is the wise mans counsel Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all they might O that Gods people should be so lazie dull sluggish sloathfull in this spiritual work As Jesus said to the multitudes concerning John Matt 11.7 What went ye out into the wilderness to see So may I ask believers in their looking unto Jesus What went ye out to see when you crawle move as if you had no hearts nor spirits within you whom go ye forth to see what Heb. 1 3. him that is the Lord of glory what him that is the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express image of his person what are such heavy lazy aspects fit to take in such a glory as this is you see in what large streams your thoughts fly forth to other things are you only languishing weak and feeble in things of so great concernment Oh that Christians should be cold in spirituals hot in the pursuit of earthly temporal things 3. In not binding of their minds to this object in not staying the eye on Jesus Christ Some may give a glance at Christ but they are presently wheeled off again but why doth not the eye abide there at least till it come to some profitable issue is not Christ worthy on whom our souls should dwell Certainly if we love our Jesus that love will hold us Christ then will be in our thoughts and minds and we cannot off him as the load-stone having drawn the iron it keeps it fast to it self so if love draw our hearts it holds it fast to the object loved Christ himself acknowledgeth such an operation of love upon himself Turn away thine eyes for they have overcome me thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse with one of thine eyes Cant. 6.5 Christ was held in the galleries and captivated with love to his people so that his eyes was ever upon them nay he could not get his eyes off them Can a mother forget her child Isa 49.14 no more can I forget you and is Christ so tender in his love towards us that he ever minds us and shall our minds be so loose to him so fluttering and fleeting shall there be no more care to bind our selves in cords of love to him who hath bound himself in such cords of love to us 4. In not dayly exercising this blessed Duty it may be now and then they are awakened and they get up into heaven to see their Jesus but it is not dayly Oh consider Is this now and then going to heaven within the vail to live the life of friends is this to carry our selves as children what to be so strange at home but now and then once in a month in a year there to be seldom where we should always be is Jesus Christ such a mean thing that a visit now and then should serve the turn the Queen of Sheba hearing Solomons wisdom Oh said she 1 King 10.8 Blessed are those thy servants that always stand before thee and hear thy wisdom if she were so taken with Solomon remember that a greater than Solomon is here and shall we deprive our selves of that blessedness which we might enjoy by standing always in the presence of Christ to hear his Wisdom and to behold his Glory Oh my Brethren let us take shame to our selves that to this day we have been so careless in sending bending binding our minds to this blessed object Jesus Christ yea let us blush that we have not made it our daily business Psal 1.2 David describes the blessed man by his delighting in the law of the Lord and by his meditating on that Law day and night how then is he to be reproved that neither meditates on the Law of the Lord nor on the Lord the Law-maker day and night O alas we keep not a constant course we are not daily in the exercise of viewing Jesus nay I fear we look upon this Duty of looking unto Jesus as a questionable thing it seems to many as a Duty unknown unheard of unthought of it is not in their notice and how should it be in their practice But I leave this first Use SECT IV. Vse of Exhortation IS inward experimental Looking unto Jesus a choice and high Gospel-ordinance Vse 2 One Use of Exhortation I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.30 I beseech you by the mercies of God I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit to look unto Jesus or if my beseeching will not prevail why yet
peace so long as thy lusts are so strong within thee and thy estrangements from the Prince of peace so great the soul that is without Jesus Christ is an enemy to the God of peace a stranger to the Covenant of peace uncapable of the Word of peace an Alien to the way of peace there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 saith my God 6. Such a one is without acceptation with God the Father Christ onely is Gods beloved and therefore as Josephs brethren might not look him in the face unless they brought their brother Benjamin so cannot we look God in the face with any confidence or acceptance unless we bring Christ with us in the armes of our faith without Christ man is stubble and God is a consuming fire to destroy him man is a guilty malefactor and God a severe Judge to condemn him the whole of man without Jesus Christ is a very abomination in Gods presence 7. Such a one is without life he that hath not the Son hath not life saith John 1 John 5.12 Ephes 2.1 Christ lives not in that soul it is a dead soul dead in sins and trespasses As the dead see nothing of all that sweet and glorious light which the Sun casts forth upon them so the dead in sin have no comfortable apprehension of Christ though he shine in the Gospel more gloriously than the Sun at noon And as the dead know not any thing Eccles 9 5 so the dead in sin know nothing at all of the wisdom of Christ guiding them or of the holiness of Christ sanctifying them or of the fulness of Christ satisfying them or of the death of Christ mortifying their lusts or of the resurrection of Christ quickning their souls or of the dominion of Christ reigning in their hearts O what a misery is this All this you may say is true to a Christless soul but what evil to him that may have a title to Christ and yet minds not Christ makes not use of Christ doth not look unto Jesus Such a case I confess may be yea as many Duties are neglected by some godly so this main Duty is I may tremble to think it exceedingly neglected But O the sin and sadness of those souls O the wants attending such poor creatures Consider them in these particulars 1. They have not that wisdom knowledge discerning of Christ as otherwise they might have By looking and serious observing of Christ we gain more and more knowledge of Christ but if we will not look how should we understand those great mysteries of grace nor speak I only of speculative knowledge but more especially of practical and experimental without looking on Christ we cannot expect that vertue should go out of Christ there is but a poor character or cognizance of Christ upon them that are such they have not so clear and comfortable and inward and experimental a knowledge of Jesus Christ 2. They do not so taste the goodness of Christ as otherwise they might Christ is no other unto them whilst neglected by them but as an eclipsed Star with whose light they are not at all affected Christ is not sweet to them in his Ordinances they find not in them that delight and refreshment that comfort and contentment which they usually minister they cannot say of Christ as the Spouse did I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Cant. 2.3 they are in the case of Barzillai who could not taste what he did eat or what he did drink nor could hear any more the voice of singing-men or of singing-women so they cannot taste the things of God nor hear the spiritual melody which Christ makes to the souls of them that look up to him 3. They have not that love to Christ which Christs beholders have they meditate not upon Christ as lovers on their love they delight not themselves in Christ as the rich man in his treasure and the bride in the bridegroom which they love their thoughts are rather on the world than Christ their palates are so distempered that they have no pleasure in the choycest wine they cannot say that their souls long after him and no wonder for how should they love Christ who turn their eyes from him who is the fairest of ten thousands to other objects Surely they have no flaming burning love to Christ that will give every base thing a kind of preheminence above Christ 4. They have not that sense of Christs love which those that exercise this Duty have whilest the soul neglects Christ it cannot possibly discern the love of Christ it perceives not Christ applying the Doctrines of his love to the conscience Christ appears not in his banquetting house he enables not the soul to pray with confidence he makes it not joyful in the house of prayer And hence it is that such souls move so slowly in Gods service they are just like Pharaohs charrets without wheels O they perceive not the Love of Christ either in the clear revelation of his secrets or in the free communication of his graces or in the sanctifying and sweetning of their tryals or in sealing up the pardon of their sins O they feel not those ravishing comforts which usually Christ speaks to the heart when he speaks from his heart in love O the want O the misery of this want 5. They have not that experience of the power of Christ which they have that are in the exercise of this Duty Would you know wherein lies the power of Christ I answer in casting down the strong holds of sin in overthrowing Satan in humbling mens hearts in sanctifying their souls in purifying their consciences in bringing their thoughts to the obedience of Christ in making them able to endure afflictions in causing them to grow and encrease in all Heavenly graces and this power they partake of who rightly and experimentally look up to Christ But if this Duty be neglected there is no such thing hence we call this the Duty of Duties the chief Duty the especial Duty and for all other Duties Means Ordinances if Christ be not in them they are nothing worth In every Duty this is the essential part that we look through all unto Jesus it is only from Christ that Vertue and Efficacy is communicate in spiritual Ordinances there were many people in a throng about Christ but the infirm woman that touched him was she alone that felt efficacy come from him we see many attend the Ordinances frequent the Assemblies but some few only find the inward power of Christ derived unto their souls They that neglect or are grosly ignorant of this great mistery of looking unto Jesus are no beter then strangers to the power of Christ 6. They have not that sense of the worth and excellency of Christ that are unacquainted with this Duty they are not so ravished with his Beauty they are not so taken with the Sweetness and Pleasantness of
the Face of Christ he is not the fairest of ten thousands in their eyes and hence it is that they do not take pleasure long after delight or joy themselves in Christ indeed these affections are the Evidences of our high esteem they that rejoyce not in Christ nor have any longings after Christ they put a very unworthy price upon Christ 7. They have not that sense either of their own wants or of the worlds vanity who are not in the practice of this Duty In this glass we see that man is blind and no Sun but Christ can Enlighten him that man is naked and no garment but Christ's can cloath him that man is poor and no treasure but Christ can make satisfaction for him that man is empty and none but Chrst can fill him that man is distressed perplexed tormented and none but Christ can quiet him Why all this and much more than this appears in this glass of Jesus the soul that looks here cannot but comprehend an end of all other perfection yea the further it looks on the creature the deeper and deeper vanities it discerns But alas there is no observation no sense no feeling either of mans wants or of the worlds vanity or of any sutable good in Christ to them that are not in this Divine and Spiritual contemplation Thus far of their wants that neglect this Duty of looking unto Jesus SECT VI. Motives from our riches in case we are lively in this Duty 2. FOr our riches in case we are lively in this Duty Oh the blessed incomes to such souls we may reckon up here those very particulars which the others wanted 1. That Christ gives Light unto them as the receiving of the Sun gives light to the body so the receiving of the Sun of Righteousness gives light a spiritual heavenly and comfortable light to their souls 2. That Christ gives grace and holiness unto them of his fulness we receive grace for grace As the print upon the wax answers to the seal or as the characters upon the Son answers to the Father so there are certain stamps of the grace of Christ upon the Saints that what good they do it springs not from external motives only as in hypocrites but from Christ working in them an inward principle of new nature and upon this account doth John John 1.17 tell us the Law was given by Moses but grace truth came by Jesus Christ 3. That Christ gives contentation or satisfaction unto them as the pearl satisfied the Merchant in the Parable with treasure so Christ satisfieth the soul with wisdome in the understanding with the sense of his love in the heart with sure and blessed peace in the conscience they that rightly look unto Jesus may say as Jacob did Luke 2.32 I have enough 4. That Christ gives glory unto them he is the glory of Israel he is both the Author and the matter of their glory he is the glory of their justification as the garment is the glory of him that wears it he is the glory of their redemption as the ransomer is the glory of the captive he is the glory of their sanctification as Jordan cleansing him from his leprosie was the glory of Naaman he is their all in all in whom they glory and to whom they give all honour and glory and power and praise 5. That Christ gives peace unto them God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself he is the Author 2 Cor. 5.29 Ephes 2.14 Acts. 10.36 and the world is the object of this reconciliation Christ is our peace and peace is preached by Jesus Christ they that hear Christ in the Word or that look unto Christ by the eye of faith they have this peace for Christ only in Ordinances is the revealer and procurer and the worker of peace in all the children of peace 6. That Christ procures acceptation with God for them he stands betwixt God and such believers and as they mind him so he is ever mindful of them pleading their cause answering all the accusations of Satan and praying to his Father in their behalf 7. That Christ gives life unto them he that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.11 he that hath Christ in his heart as a root of life living in him or as a King setting up his throne within him or as a Bridegroom betroathing himself in loving kindness to him he hath life the life of grace and the earnest of the life of glory 8. That Christ gives wisdome unto them Christ hath in him all the treasures of wisdome and therefore he that looks most to Christ is the wisest man in the world he that hath the Sun hath more light than he that hath all other lights in the world and wants the Sun 9. That Christ gives a taste of his goodness unto them they cannot look unto him but he makes them joyful with the feeling of himself and Spirit and hence it is that many times they brake out into Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs Ephes 5.19 and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord. O there is a goodness of illumination regeneration sanctification consolation contentation pacification and spiritual freedome flowing from Christ to the souls of his Saints which to carnal men is a sealed Well whose waters their palates never tasted 10. That Christ gives a sincere and inward love of himself unto their hearts No sooner is their eye of faith Looking unto Jesus but presently their hearts is all on fire such a sutableness is betwixt Christ and their souls as is betwixt the hearts of lovers their love to Christ is like the love of Jonathan to David a wonderful love and passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 they love him as the bridegroom to whom their souls are married as the choycest pearl by whom they are inriched as the Sun of consolation by whose beams their souls are comforted as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreshed and their desires every way satisfied 11. That Christ gives the sense of his own love to them they cannot look on Christ but they see him loving and embracing their humble souls they see him binding up their broken hearts they behold him gathering to himself and bearing in the bosom of his love and comforting with the promises of his Word their wounded spirits they behold him like Jacob serving in the heat and in the cold for Rachel serving in manifold afflictions from his cradle to his cross to make a Spouse unto himself 12. That Christ gives the experience of his power to them they that look on Christ do feel the power of Christ inwardly in their souls dissolving the works of Satan casting down his Kingdom and mighty holds within them healing all their spiritual maladies sustaining them in all afflictions filling their souls with all Spiritual and Heavenly might making them strong in knowledg and strong in faith and strong in love and strong in motion and
Experiences when you look up to Jesus and lean on Jesus are you not best at rest O then why do you not always rest and lean upon him sometime you say his Bread is sweet and his Cup is pleasant how amiable is his Presence At such a time you have never done wondering at him O the sweet impression that are even then on your spirits why do you not then always look unto him or at least why are you not frequent in his disciples posture who looked stedfastly towards Heaven as Christ went up Act. 1.10 How richly might your idle hours and spare time be laid out here to the supply of all necessities bodily or spiritual 3. Consider that an eye an heart on Christ is one of your most unquestionable Evidences of sincerity Where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also Matth. 6.21 If Christ be your Treasure your hearts will be on Christ and surely an heart set upon God in Christ is a true evidence of saving Grace External actions are easiest discovered but those of the heart are surest Evidences when thy learning will be no good proof of thy Grace when thy arguments from thy tongue and hand may be confuted yet then will this Argument from the bent of thy heart prove thee sincere Take a poor Christian that hath a weak judgment a failing memory a stammering tongue yet if his heart be set on Christ I had rather die in this mans condition and have my soul in his souls case than in the case of him without such an heart though he had the most eminent gifts and parts and abilities of any in the world Christians as you would have a sure testimony of the love of God and a sure proof of your title to glory labour to get your hearts on Christ O look on Jesus You may be sure Christ will acknowledg that you really love him when he sees your hearts are set upon him 4. Consider that your looking on Jesus will strengthen patience under the Cross of Christ This is the very particular Motive of the Text Heb. 11.1 2 3. Let us run with patience the Race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind It is storied of a Martyr that having offered him a Cup of spirits to sustain him when he seemed to faint under his greatest Trial he returned this answer My Lord and Master had Gall and Vinegar given him to drink as if he had been astonished to see himself fare better than Jesus Christ How may it strengthen your patience in sufferings to think of Christs patience What are you served ill Ay but Jesus Christ was not served so well can you suffer so much as he hath done I tell you nay O then do you stay your murmurings and repinings bear with patience the little you endure and to this end Consider him that hath endured the contradictions of sinners 5. Consider that a through-sight of Christ will encrease your inward joy in Christ Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Joh 8.56 A right sight of Christ will make a right-sighted Christian glad at heart I wonder not that you walk uncomfortably if you never tried this Art of Christ-contemplation can you have comfort from Christ and never think of Christ doth any thing in the world glad you when you do not remember it If you were possessed of all the Treasure in the Earth if you had title to the highest Dignities and never thought of them sure they would never rejoyce you Come look up unto Jesus fix your eyes thoughts and hearts on that blessed objects and then you may expect Davids experience Psa 63.5 my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate of thee in the night watches A frequent access to Christ in a way of meditation cannot but warm the soul in spiritual comforts When the Sun in the spring draws near our part of the earth how do all things congratulate its approach the earth looks green the trees shoot forth the plants revive the birds sing sweetly the face of all things smiles upon us and all the creatures below rejoyce Christians if you would but draw near and look on this Son of Righteousness Jesus Christ what a spring of joy would be within you how would your Graces be fresh and green how would you forget your winter sorrows how early would you rise as those Birds in the spring to sing the Praise of our great Creatour and dear Redeemer 6. Consider that your Eye on Jesus will preserve the vigour of all your Graces As the body is apt to be changed into the temper of the air it breaths in and the food it lives on so will your spirits receive an alteration according to the Objects which they are exercised about You that complain of deadness and dulness that you cannot love Christ nor rejoyce in his loves that you have no life in Prayer nor any other Duty and yet you never tried this quickning course or at least you were careless and unconstant in it what are not you the cause of your own complaints say is not your life hid with Christ in God O whether must you go but to Christ for it If you would have light and heat why then are you not more in the Sun-shine if you would have more of that grace which flowes from Christ why are you no more with Christ for it for want of this recourse to Jesus Christ your Souls are as candles that are not lighted and your duties are as Sacrifices which have no fire fetch one coal daily from this Altar and see if your Offerings will not burn keep close to this reviving Fire and see if your affections will not warm Surely if there be any comfort of hope if any flames of love if any life of faith if any vigor of dispositions if any motions towards God if any meltings of a softned Heart they flow from hence men are apt to bewail their want of desire and hope and joy and faith and love to Jesus Christ whilest this very duty would nourish all these 7. Consider it 's but equal that your hearts should be on Christ when the heart of Christ is so much on you Christ is our Friend and in that respect he loves us and bears us in his heart and shall not he be ours Surely this is ill requital this is a great contradiction to the law of Friendship But Christ is our Lord as well as Friend and if the Lord of glory can stoop so low as to set his heart on sinful dust one would think we should easily
Thy Heritage Thou retainest not Thy Anger for ever Jer. because Thou delightest in Mercy And I am the Lord which exercise Loving-Kindness Judgment Righteousness in the Earth for in thâ—se things I delight saith the Lord. 2. Because of that Delight which God hath to be actively glorified by His Creatures voluntary Service and Subjection John 10.18 Ezek. 33.11 Herein is My Father glorified if ye bear much Fruit and I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that he turn from his Way and live He delighteth most in unbloody Conquests when by His Patience and Goodness and Forbearance He subdueth the Hearts Affections and Consciencâ—s of Men unto Himself He esteemeth Himself more glorified in the Services than in the Sufferings of Men and therefore in this Eternity he resolves not to destroy all Men lest there should be no Religion upon the Earth When the Angels fell they fell not all many were still left to glorify Him actively in their Service of Him but when Adam fell all Mankind fell in him so that there was no Tree in all this Paradise lest to bring forth any Fruit unto God And this is most certain that God would rather have His Trees for Fruit than for Fewel Hence He resolves that Mankind notwithstanding Sin should not be utterly destroyed Hereupon the Trinity calls a Counsel and the Question is What is to be done with poor Man The Learned here frame a kind of Conflict in God's holy Attributes by a Liberty which the Holy-Ghost from the Language of Holy Scripture doth allow them they speak of God after the manner of Men as if he were reduced unto some Straits and Difficulties by the cross Demands of His several Attributes Justice calls upon Him for the Condemnation of a Sinful and therefore worthily Accursed Creature which Demand is seconded by His Truth to make good that Threatning In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death Mercy on the other side pleads for Favour and Compassion towards Man wofully seduced and overthrown by Satan and this Plea is seconded by Love and Goodness and the like Attributes at last when the Business comes to Determination Wisdom finds out a way which the Angels of Heaven gaze on with Admiration Astonishment how to reconcile these different Pleas of his Attributes together A Jesus is resolved on One of the same Blessed Trinity who by His Father's Ordination His own voluntary Susception and the Holy Spirits Sanctification should be fitted for the Business To this purpose this Jesus should be both a Surety and an Head over sinful Men a Surety to pay Mens Debts unto God and an Head to restore God's Image unto Man And thus in Him Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have Kissed each other Psal 83.10 This is the great Mistery of the Gospel this is that which the Angels as I tell you pry into nay this is that which the Angels and Saints too shall admire and bless God for to all Eternity this is that which set the infinit Wisdome of God on work from all Eternity If all the Angels in Heaven and all the Men in the World had been put to it to find out a way to answer this question how shall sin be pardoned the sinner reconciled and God glorify his justice they could never have done it this cost God dear it cost him the heart-blood of his own Son and that 's a sure sign that Gods heart was much in it and indeed we are not Christians until in some measure we see and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mistery O the wonder of Heaven and Earth here 's the case man is fallen through sin and ever since the fall man and sin are as inseparably joyned together as fire and heat yet God will have mercy on the man and he will take vengeance on the sin the Eternal Wisdome of God hath found out a way to translate this mans sins on another Person who is able to bear them and to interest this mans person in anothers Righteousness which is able to cover him so that now all 's one in regard of man as if the Law had been utterly abrogated and all 's one too in regard of God as if the creature had been utterly condemned And all this is done in our Jesus on him was executed the curse of the Law by him was fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for him was remitted the sin of man and through him were all things made new again the world was in Christ as in its Surety making satisfaction to the Justice of God and God was in Christ as in his Embassadour Rom. 11.33 reconciling the world unto himself again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depths of the riches both of the Wisdome and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out You have seen the Project and the counsels of God for mans salvation before all worlds Rom. 11.34 it is but dimly for who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour SECT VI. The foreknowledge OF the knowledge of God in this respect we read in Scriptures Acts 2.23 Rom. 8.29 Rom. 11.2 1 Pet. 1.2 Christ is said to be delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God And it is said of Christs members the called according to his purpose whom he did foreknow and elsewhere in the same Epistle God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew And Peter writes to the strangers Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father Understand that foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature properly but in respect of God there is nothing past nothing to come all things past and all things to come are present to him and therefore in that sense he cannot be said to foreknow any thing Now the Lord in respect of us is said in Scripture to foreknow things or persons two wayes Psal 139.16 1. Generally by a general knowledge of which Davids speaks thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 2. Specially by a more special foreknowledge which is a knowledge with love and approbation the very same which barely comprehendeth that we call Election Rom. 9.13 2 Tim. 2.19 Rom. 11.2 so Gods choosing is expressed by loving Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated And this is that which the Apostle speaks of the Lord knoweth who are his i.e. the Lord from everlasting knoweth his with love and with approbation hath God cast away his people which he foreknew i. which he before loved and approved hence we gather that after the Project was laid and the Councels of God were agreed upon it then God foreknew or foresaw whom to embrace in his eternal love as his own
At one act he foreknew whom he would choose and set apart of his own free love to life and salvation And here you have the cause of Gods predestinating his Saints to glory it was only the foreknowledge and free love of God the Lord from everlasting and before the foundation of the world fore-ordained or fore-appointed some to salvation nothing moving him thereunto but his own good pleasure and his own free love This is it that in order of nature and strictly goes before and is the cause of our Predestination Rom. 8.27 for whom he did foreknow he also did Predestinate first he foreknew and then he did Predestinate first he loved and then he Elected first he embraced them as his own in the Arms of his eternal love and then of his free love he set them apart to life and to salvation hence the Apostle calls it the Election of Grace Rom. 11.5 signifying that our Election springs out of the womb of love free love free grace is the cause of our Election Some Object that we are Predestinated and Elected according to fore-knowledge i.e. say they according to the fore-knowledge of our Faith and Repentance and Perseverance Rom. 8.29 but if that were Pauls fore-knowledge why then would he say that those whom he did fore-know he also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son if God did fore-know them first conformed why did he then Predestinate them to be conformed And if that were Peters foreknowledg why then would he say that they were Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father unto Obedience 2 Pet. 1 2 if God did fore-know them first Obedient how then did he fore-know them unto Obedience I know it is a question whether God in fore-sight of belief and perseverance in Faith and Holiness do choose us to Salvation For my part I am for the Negative upon these well-known grounds 1. Because Election on Faith foreseen makes God to go but of himself looking to this or that in the Creature upon which his will may be determined to Elect now this is against the all-sufficiency of Gods knowledge as if he should get knowledge from the things we know and against the all-sufficiency of Gods Will as if he must be beholding to something in us before the business of our Election can be determined 2. Because Election on Faith or Love fore-seen it makes God to choose us when we have chosen him and to love us when we have loved him first but this is contrary to Scripture 1 John 4.19 Verse 10. We love him because he loved us first and herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 3. Because Election on faith fore-seen stands not with the freedom of Gods Will within himself Rom. 9.15 but God tells us plainly I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion * John Goodwins exposition on Rom. 9.15 16. I know some would not have this Text understood of Election from Eternity but of Justification Adoption Salvation and yet they grant the truth of it to be alike whether in reference to Election or Justification the words I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy are one and the same with those words spoken by God to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious Now to be gracious as is confessed properly imports a propenseness of mind and will to do some signal good without any motive or engagement thereunto from without especially from the person or persons to whom this good is done or intended which is a plain Argument that I will have mercy is not of that kind of mercy the exercise whereof is drawn out or procured by any thing whatsoever in those to whom it is shewed but because it pleaseth it self or him in whom it resideth so to do and in this respect mercy differs very litle or nothing at all from grace the Apostle exchanging Moses his words was but his Interpreter 4. Because Election on Faith fore-seen is all one as to say we are ordained to Eternal Life because we believe Acts 13.48 but the Scripture speaks contrary as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed and not as many as believed were Ordained to Eternal Life 5. Because a prime and Eternal cause cannot depend upon the self-same temporal effects which are thereby caused Now Election is the prime and eternal Cause whence our Faith Repentance and Perseverance were derived and therefore our Faith Repentance and Perseverance cannot be imagined antecedent Causes Conditions or Motives unto the Divine Election 6. Because Election on Faith fore-seen or Election of men believing and persevering in Faith and Holiness unto the last gasp brings with it many absurdities As 1. This is to Elect men not considered as in the State of Innocency nor of Misery but as in state of Grace contrary to their own Tenets 2. This is not to bring Faith Holiness Perseverance out of the gracious benefit of Election but to bring Election out of the foreseen Acts of believing Eâ—cles 1.4 obeying persevering quite contrary to Scriptures he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love 3. This were to say that Election or Predestination affords no man any help at all in the way unto Eternal Salvation for how can that be the cause leading infallibly in the way unto Eternal Life which comes not so much as into consideration until a man have run out his Race at least in Gods fore-knowledge in Faith and Godliness and be arrived at Heavens Gates Such a falsely named Predestination might more truly and properly have been called a Post-destination But I have too long stood on this Controversie 1 Tim. 1.4 and indeed it is against my design which is not to minister questions but rather edifying which is in Faith I remember what I have Read and indeed I begin already to feel that these Controversal Points will but discompose our spirits and wast our zeal our love our delight in Jesus this lovely subject and object we are a viewing even by the interruption and diversion of our contemplations not a word more in that Kind SECT VII The Purpose OF the Purpose of God concerning mans salvation before all worlds we read in Scriptures we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 to them who are called according to his purpose And it is said of Jacob and Esau that being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand And in Christ we are said to obtain an inheritance Rom. 9 11 being predestinate according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
glory of his grace mercy and grace meet both in love only they differ thus mercy is love as it helps the miserable and grace is love as it gives good things freely without desert here then is the great designe which God from everlasting carried on that the glorious essence of his free love free-grace should be especially manifested to his Saints that so thy might admire it esteem it honour it and sound forth the praises of it All the other designes of God were but subservient unto this Some reckon up three great designes of the Almighty communicating himself as 1. The glory of his Saints 2. The glory of Christ 3. The glory of himself and especially the glory of his grace 1. That his Saints should be glorious and to that purpose he made heaven and earth and he makes them Lord of all 1 Cor. 3.21 vers 23. 2 Thes 1.10 all things are yours 2. That Christ should be glorious and to that purpose he makes the Saints and gives them to Christ all things are yours and you are Christs And certainly saith the Apostle at the last day Christ shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 3. That God himself should be glorified he made all things for himself Bring my sons from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Prov. 16.4 Isa 43.6.7 Now this is the high designe of God to which all the rest are subservient mark the steps all things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods i. For God and for his glory the two former designes are to which but not for which God worketh he that buildeth an house that he may lay a sure foundation and that he may raise the frame he gives it the due filling which belongs to it but these are not his proper ends his main designe but that he may have an house for his habitation So God works many things to our glory and that in us Christ may be glorious but the proper end that high designe which he hath in all it is his own glory And yet O my soul consider a little further the plot of our salvation of the Saints glory and of Christs glory as it aimes at the glory of God so especially at the glory of his grace As if we see that one doth this or that in wisdom it is the glory of his wisdome if he do it in strength or power it is the glory of his power if he do it out of grace it is the glory of his grace so God designed the salvation of our soules out of his meer grace favour love he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us and to have it being known accordingly admired and praised and honored by us not but that God must be glorified in his wisdome power justice holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other vertues to be had in honour for their clemency and bounty So it is with our God the King of Kings Lord of Lords all he doth is to this end that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory And to this end is the glory of Christ and the glory of Christians referred Why Lord that this should be thy plot to save my soul that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace that thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good O how should I but think on thee and thy free-grace How should I but admire it adore it praise it exalted it above Sun and Moon and Starres how should I but cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace for of him Rom. 11.36 and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 2. Consider the counsels of God about thy salvation Ephes 1.11 he worketh all things after the counsell of his own will and with him is counsel and with him is understanding This counsel as we have discovered was primarily about that reconciliation of the riches of his grace and the glory of justice Consider this O my soul thy sin put all the attributes of God to a kind of conflict hereupon was that great and mighty counsel how God should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his truth and justice at last the wisdome of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ Rom 3.25 is not this the meaning of the Apostle whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins Pouder and weigh these words God sets not forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare only his mercy in the forgiveness of sinnes how is there any thing but mercy in the forgiveness of sins yes there is something else there is righteousness also and therefore he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation that he might declare his righteousness v rs 26. nay see it repeated to declare I say his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus not that he might be merciful but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus This Text Luther had a great deal ado to understand and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it This is the great mystery of the Gospel no wonder if a poor man could not reach it This is that which set the infinite wisdome of God on work from all eternity how to find a way to save sinners and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding Nay yet O my soul consider a little further not only is the mercy of God in this way glorified but the glory of his justice is as much yea more then if the sinner were eternally damned It is made good thus 1. When God appointed a surety his Son and charged our debts upon him to satisfie his justice in that God would not spare his Son the least farthing token I mean not the least degree of punishment hereby the Lord shewes a stronger love to justice then if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures Suppose a Malefactor comes before a Judge the Judg will not spare the Malefactor but commands satisfaction to the Law this shewes that the Judge loves justice but if the Judges own Son be a delinquent and it appears before all the Country that the Judge will not spare him the Judge now doth more honour justice in this than in condemning a thousand others So when the Lord shall cast many thousands to Hell there to be tormented for ever and ever and ever this shewes that God loves justice but when his own Son shall take our sins upon him
and God will not spare him that is the very word in the Scripture Rom. 8.32 he spared not his own Son this surely this declares Gods love to righteousness more than if all the World should be Damned 2. Suppose the sinner that is reconciled had been Damned then the justice of God had been but in satisfying and never had been fully satisfyed but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner his justice is not onely satisfying but it comes fully to be satisfied to have enough As for instance suppose a man to be a creditor to one who owes him 100000 l. this man is poor and the utmost he can pay is but a penny a day suppose the creditor should lay him in the Goale until he had paid the utmost farthing it is true he would be receiving day after day but he would never be paid so long as the debtor lives now if another rich man should come and lay down an 100000 l. at once the creditor is presently satisfied Why here is the difference betwixt Gods satisfying his Justice upon sinners and upon Jesus Christ God comes upon the sinner and requires the debt of punishment because he did not pay the debt of obedience God casts him into Prison and the utmost he can pay is but as it were a penny a day and hence the poor sinner must still be paying and paying and paying to Eternity this is the ground of their Eternal punishment in Hell because in any finite time they can never pay enough But now comes Jesus Christ and he fully payes the debt at once so that justice saith I have enough I am satisfied Surely this is the greater Glory to the very justice of God These were the counsels of God from all Eternity how he should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his Truth and Justice O my soul consider and wonder Jesus Christ was the Expedient and in Christ not only Gods mercy but his justice is Exalted yea more Exalted and more Glorified in thy salvation then ever it could have been in thy Damnation 3 Consider the fore-knowledge of God he knew from everlasting whom he would set apart for life and salvation All the Saints of God from first to last they were then present to him and before him and he did look on them in his Beloved Christ Before there was a World or a man or any creature in it he fore-knew Adam and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles all the Disciples of Christ and Believers in Christ And O my soul if thou art one of Gods Elect he foreknew thee with a knowledge of love and approbation he had thee in his Eye Rom. 9.11 and Heart he had thoughts on Jacob when he was yet unborn and had done neither good nor evil Assure thy self the Lord works not without prevision or fore-knowledge of the things effected that cannot be in God which is not to be found in a wise and prudent man he that builds an house hath the frame of it first in himself and the Psalmist tells thee that the eyes of God did see thy substance yet being unperfect Psal 139.16 Rom. 9.13 in this Book of knowledge were all thy members written when as yet there was none of them yea he knew thee with a knowledge of singular love he embraced thee in his Eternal love as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated â— will not say that this love was actually bestowed on thee till due time yet it was prepared for thee from all Eternity and hence it is called an everlasting love The Lord hath appeared of old unto me Jer. 31.3 saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee O muse and meditate and ponder on this love it contains in it these particulars as 1. The eternal good will of God what else is the love of God towards the Elect but his everlasting good will to shew them mercy to do them good and to save their souls hence the Angels sung that Antheam at Christs birth Glory to God in the highest Luk. 2.14 and on earth peace good will towards men 2. The Eternal pleasure and delight of God in the sons of men the greatest delight that God hath or ever had it is in communicating himself to his Son firstly and next unto his Saints nay such delight he takes in letting out his mercy to his Saints as that he was well-pleased with the death of his own Son as a means conducing thereunto O wonderfull one would think that the death of Christ should be the most abhorring to the heart of God of any thing in the world and yet saith the Scripture It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 he took a pleasure and delight in the very bruising of Jesus Christ the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fulness of his grace unto his Saints and therefore though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son yet he was well-pleased with it 3. This love of God contains in it a fore-knowledg and approbation of all those effects of his love whether they be temporal concerning this life or Eternal concerning the life to come Concerning these effects of his love saith John 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God q. d. Behold it stand amazed at it that children of wrath should become the sons of the most high God for a beggar on the dunghil a vagabond a runnagate from God a prodigal a stranger to God whom the Lord had no cause to think on to be made a Son of God Almighty O divine love Pause a while and muse on this O my soul that God should fore-know thee from all Eternity with a knowledg of love and approbation it is admirable to consider I say it is admirable to consider 4. Consider the purpose of God concerning thy salvation 1 Thes 5 9 God hath not appointed or purposed us wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ As when we have a will to do any thing there follows upon this in the mind a setled purpose to effect it so when God hath loved some to life there is in God a setled purpose of bringing them to it that the purpose of God according to Election might stand or be sure Rom. 9.11 it imports Gods stability and steadiness and constancy and firmness in saving souls There is much inconstancy and fickleness in the love of man or in the love of a woman but the love of God to his people is a steady love as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62.5 so shall thy God rejoyce over thee not only so doth thy God but so shall thy God rejoyce over thee
That he should pass by so many on the right hand and on the left and that I should be one whom the Lord did Elect what such a vile and sinful Wretch as I am was there ever like Love was there ever like Mercy may not Heaven and Earth stand amazed at this O what shall I do to be thankful enough to this dear God Thus thou that knowest thy interest in Christ study praise and thankfulness Say in thy self who made me to differ from those Cast-away Souls Alas we were all framed of the same Mould hewed out of the same Rock It is storied of one of the late French Kings that in a serious meditation considering his own condition of being King and Ruler of that Nation Oh said he when I was born a Thousand other Souls were born in this Kingdome with me and what have I done to God more than they O my Soul what difference betwixt thee and those many Thousands of Reprobates that live with thee in the world at this day nothing surely nothing but the free mercy goodness and love of God in Jesus Christ O then praise this God yea sound forth the Praise of the Glory of his Grace Remember that was Gods design and that is thy Duty SECT IX On conforming to Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must Conform to Jesus we must fix our Eyes on Jesus for our Imitation that also is the meaning of this looking in the Text. And in respect of our Predestination the Apostle speaks expresly Rom. 8 29. he did Predestinate us to be conformed to the Image of his Son This is one end of Predestination and this is one end of looking unto Jesus nay it is included in it A very look on Jesus hath a Power in it to conform us to the Image of Jesus 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed by beholding saith the Apostle Oh when I see Gods love in Christ to me even from all Eternity how should this but stir up my Soul to be like Jesus Christ where there is a dependance there is a desire to be like even among men how much more considering my dependance on God in Christ should I desire to be like Christ in disposition all the question is what is this Image of Christ to which we must be conformed I Answer Holiness and Happiness but because the latter is our reward and the former is our duty therefore look to that But wherein consists that I Answer in that resemblance likeness and conformity to Christ in all the passages forementioned And in every of those must we conform to Christ As 1. Christ is the Son of God so must we be Gods Sons As many as received him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 Mal. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.17 O what duty lies upon us in this respect If I be your Father where is mine Honour and if ye call on the Father pass the time of your sojourning here in fear God looks for more honour fear reverence duty and obedience from a Son than from the Rabble of the World if thou art Gods Son thy sins more offend God then the sins of all the reprobates in the world why alas thy sins are not meer transgressions of the Law but committed against the mercy bounty and goodness of God vouchsafed unto thee thy sins have a world of unthankfulness joyned with them and therefore how should God but visit Amos 3.2 you onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I visit you for all your Iniquities O think of this you that are Gods Sons and conform to Christ for he was an Obedient Son 2. Christ the Son of God delights in the Father and his delight is also with the Sons of men so must we delight in the Father and delight in his Children Psa 37.4 Psa 16.3 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy Heart And the Saints that are on the Earth are they in whom is all my Delight saith David It is storied of Dr. Taylor that being in prison he could delight in God and he rejoyced that ever he came into Prison because of his acquaintance with that Angel of God as he called Mr. Bradford O this is Heaven upon Earth not only God but the very Saints of God are sweet Objects of delight Mark them and if they be Saints indeed they are savory in their Discourse in their Duties in their Carriages their Example is powerful their society profitable how should we but delight in them 3. God and Christ laid this Plot from all Eternity that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace So must we purpose this as the end of all our actions whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we must do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 But especially if from God we receive any spiritual good then give all again to the glory of his grace Dan. 2 20 23 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever said Daniel for Wisdom and might are his and I thank thee and praise thee O God of my Fathers who hast given me Wisdome and Might an excellent spirit of Wisdome and Might wrought in Daniel and he acknowledges all to the Giver wisdome and might are his Christians if you feel grace in your hearts I beseech you acknowledge it to Christ He does all he subdues Lusts heals VVounds staies inward Issues sets broken Bones and makes them to rejoyce and therefore let him him the glory of all do you acknowledge grace in it's latitude to the God of all grace 4. God and Christ counselled about our Salvation there was a great conflict in the Attributes of God justice and mercy could not be reconciled till the Wisdom of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ so let us Counsel about our Salvation the flesh and the spirit whereof we are compounded draw several wayes the Flesh draws Hell-ward and the Spirit Heaven-ward come then call we in heavenly and spiritual Wisdome to decide this Controversie you may hear its Language in Job 28.28 Job 28.28 Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil is Vnderstanding If we would draw heaven-ward and save our souls come then let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments Eccles 12.13 for this is the whole duty of Man Keep his Commandments in an Evangelical sense i look at the expedient Jesus Christ who hath kept them for us and in whom and through whom our imperfect Obedience is accepted with God 5. God and Christ loved us with an everlasting Love So must we love him who hath first loved us this is the nature of spiritual Love that it runs into its own Ocean O love the Lord all ye his Saints who hath more cause to love him then you
have who hath been loved so much or who hath so much come under the power of love as you have Ps 31.23 hath not Christ loved you not only with a love of well-wishing which is from everlasting some call it the love of Election the fountain-fountain-love the well-head of salvation but also with a love of complacency hath not Christ shed abroad his love into your hearts and shall he lose by it will not these cords of love draw up your hearts to love him again sure it 's but reason to love him who hath first loved you yea and loved you when you were unlovely and had nothing in you worthy of love Christians then it was that Christ loved you in rags it is meet therefore that you should love him in Robes 6. God and Christ appointed or purposed us unto salvation his love was a sure and setled and firme and constant love the purpose of God according to Election must stand Rom. 9.11 Ps 119 112. So must we love him and cleave unto him for ever I have enclined my heart to perform thy Statutes alwayes even to the end Davids heart was much taken with the Statutes of God and therefore he gives this expression of the fulness of his heart alway and even to the end it is a kind of pleonasme his resolutions were such that he would never depart from his God 7. God and Christ decreed booked and sealed our salvation and so must we put to our seal that God is true i. we must believe in Christ for when we believe we make Christs word good He that believes not makes God a lyar as you have heard in that he frustrates or endeavors to frustrate Christs undertaking in his predestination 8. God and Christ entered into Covenant concerning our salvation So must we enter into Covenant with him we must take him to be our God and give up our selves to be his people Why thus we must in all particulars conform to Christ The sum of all is this we must be like Christ in grace and gracious actings O my soul see to this grace see to this conformity to Jesus Christ in gracious actings and this will enable thee to read thy name written in the Book of Life O abhor repel that Devils dart I am predestinated and therefore I may live as I list how contrary is this to the Apostle Eph. 1.4 he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love and as the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forgiving one another Even as Christ forgave you this conformity to Christ in grace is the very effect of our predestination Colos 3 12 13. Ps 45 21 O look unto Jesus and be in grace like unto Jesus why Christ is full of grace a vessel filled up to the lip or very brim thou art fairer than the children of men and grace is poured into thy lips Christ was as it were grace speaking Luk 4.22 Grace sighing weeping dying Heb. 2.9 Grace living again and now dropping or rather raining down floods of grace on his living members Ephes 4.11 Christ is the great Apple-tree dropping down Apples of Life Cant. 2.3 and all that falls from this tree as apples leaves shadows smell blossomes are but pieces of grace fallen down from him who is the fulness of all Cant. 2.1 and hath filled all things Christ is the rose of Sharon and every leaf of this rose is an Heaven every white and red in it is grace and glory every act of breathing out it's smell from everlasting to everlasting is Spotless and unmixed grace why then my soul if thou wilt conform to Christ conform in this Be holy as he is holy John 1.16 of that fulness of grace that is in him do thou receive even grace for grace Christians where are we O that ever men should hear of so much grace and of such acts of grace in that eternity before all worlds and yet no impression of grace upon their hearts O that God and Christ should both be in that business of Eternity that heaven hell justice mercy souls and deep wisdome should be all in that rare piece and yet that men should think more of a Farme an Ox an house a pin a straw or of the bones of a crazy livelihood O look up look up if thou art Christs Consider what he hath done for thy soul why thou art predestinate to be conformed to the Image of Christ Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in that Eternity before all time untill the creation Our next work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the great work of mans salvation in the Creation the beginning of time untill his first coming LOOKING UNTO JESUS From the Creation until his first coming The Third Book Revel 1.8 11. The Lord will give thee for a Covenant of the People Hear ye deaf and look ye blind that ye may see CHAP. I. SECT I. Of Christ Promised by degrees IN this period as in the former we shall first lay down the Object and then direct you how to look upon it The Object is Jesus carrying on the work of mans salvation in that dark time before his coming in the flesh No sooner is the world made the things therein but man was created that way might be made for God to shew his grace in the salvation of his Elect. And now was it that Gods eternal project and counsel fore-knowledge and purpose and decree and Covenant with Christ was to come into execution Indeed at the first there was no need of Christ for man at first was made in holiness the image of God and to bear rule over the rest of the visible creatures though this his state was but of a little standing It was the received opinion in in former times that our first parents fell the very same day in which they were created Augustine amongst the rest writes that they stood but six hours but though we cannot describe the certain time very probable it is that it was but short This we finde that Moses having set down the creation of man without the interposition of any thing else he comes immediatly to the fall and the Devil no doubt took the first occasion he possibly could to bring man to the same damnation with himself Well then long it was not but Adam by his sin deprived himself and all his posterity of the image of God All mankind was in his loynes so by the order and appointment of God all mankind partake with him in the guilt of his sins Hence is the daily continual cry not only of Adam Abraham David Paul but of every Saint O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death But sweet souls stay your complaints here 's Gospel-news In this sad hour of temptation God
unless we are Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 4. Vnto thy seed I will give this Land saith God as an everlasting possession Gen. 17.8 Gen. 17.8 but how should that which the Israelites possessed only for a time be called an everlasting possession The answer is that the word translated everlasting doth not ever signifie that which shall have no end but an age a term or continuance as it was said of Samuel he should appear before the Lord and there abide for ever 1 Sam. 1.22 Ps 145.1 2 Ps 146.2 Jer. 25.9 i. as long as he lived and I will praise the Lord said David for ever and ever i. whiles I live will I praise the Lord as long as I shall have any being I will sing praises unto my God And the desolations of the captivity were called perpetual desolations i. long desolations even for seventy years Touching these blessings or priviledges I have no more to say but this that God gave more of the temporal less of the spiritual to the natural seed in the first ages but in the latter ages more of the spiritual priviledges and less of the temporal yea and thus it is this day for the most-what among the Christian seed of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 1.26 for ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 2. Of things spiritual thus we read fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward I am God all-sufficient or omnipotent the almighty God Gen. 15.1 Gen. 17 1-17.7 I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee O what precious promises are these 1. I am thy shield to keep thee from all evil such a shield that no creature can pry through such a shield as shall cover thee over nay such a shield as shall cover thee about as sometimes God spoke of Jerusalem I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about So here Zach. 2.3 I will be a shield a wall of fire round about not only a wall to keep thee safe but a wall of fire to consume all them that are against thee as a fire which stands about like a wall doth not only defend those that are within but it burns those without that come near unto it so is God to his people 2. I am thy exceeding great reward I am the almighty God I will be a God unto thee This is the very soul of the covenant and of all the promises of God q. d. quantus quantus sim vester ero all I am is thine my self my goods my grace my glory whatsoever is in me all that I have and all my attributes are thine my power my wisdom my counsel my goodness my riches whatsoever is mine in the whole world I will give it thee for thy portion I and all that I have are thine for thy use Christians was not this an exceeding great reward who can understand the height and depth and length and bredth of this reward surely happy is the people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord Psal 144.15 but more of this hereafter 6. What is the condition of this covenant I answer the condition of the covenant of grace is faith and only faith to this purpose it is said of Abraham he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness This text is often alledged by the Apostles Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 Gal. 3.6 Jam. 2.23 Gen 45.25 26 the word believed imports that he thought the Word of God to be sure certain stable and constant it is such a belief as is opposed to fainting as it is said of Jacob when he heard the report of his sons that Joseph was alive his heart fainted because he believed not but when he believed his heart revived and David saith of himself I had fainted unless I had believed So that it is a lively motion of the heart assenting unto and trusting in God psal 27 13 and in the word of God as firm and constant This was the very condition of the covenant which God required of Abraham q. d. Abraham dost thou believe that such a Messiah shall be sent into the world art thou able to believe yes I believe Lord said Abraham well saith God I will put thee to the trial I will give thee a Son though thou art as a dead man and Sarah as a dead woman yet I will promise thee a son art thou able to believe again thou seest the land of Canaan thou hast not one foot in it yet I will give thee this land in the length and bredth of it for thy possession art thou able to believe this you will say what are these to the condition of the covenant which is only to believe in God and to believe in Jesus Christ O yes 1. These were shaddows of the great promise Christ and therefore that act of faith whereby Abraham believed that he should have a son and that his Children should possess the land of Canaan was likewise a branch a shaddow a pledge of that main act of faith whereby he believed the promised seed in whom himself all the Nations of the earth should be blessed But 2. Let this be remembred that Abraham did not only believe the temporal promises but every promise as I will be thy shield and thy exceeding great reward now who is our shield but Christ and who is our reward but Christ but especially he believed the promise of the seed and who is the head of the seed but Christ yea he believed in that promised seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed and who was that but Christ your father Abraham saith Christ rejoyced to see my day Jâ—hn 8.56 and he saw it and was glad He saw it how could he see it thou art not yet fifty years old said the Jews and hast thou seen Abraham or could Abraham see thee or thy day yes even then he saw it when he believed in Christ he could see it no other ways but by an eye of faith therefore no question he believed in Christ and that was counted to him for righteousness But may some say if faith alone be the condition of the covenant then what need is there of any obedience or works of holiness this was the old plea of loose libertines in the Apostles times Jam. 8.20 to whom James gave answer But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead a good tree saith Christ is known by its fruits and so is right and sound faith let a man believe in truth and he cannot but love and if he love he cannot but be full of good works thus Abraham was justified by faith Abraham believed God saith the Apostle and it was imputed to him for righteousness but was not
a Covenant of grace which runs in this tenor I will be your God aâ—d you shall be my people my peculiar treasure a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation if you will but hear and obey my Commandments Surely these priviledges could never have been obtained by a Covenant of works what to be a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation a peculiar treasure to the Lord what to be beloved of God as a desirable treasure for so it is in the original which a King delivers not into the hands of any of his Officers but keepeth it to himself this cannot be of works No no these are priviledges vouchsafed of meer grace in Jesus Christ and therefore Peter applyes this very promise to the people of God under the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.9 2. It appears by that contract betwixt God and Israel in the promulgation of the Law then it was that God proclaimed himself to be the God of Israel saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of bondage Some hold this to be the affirmative part of the first Commandment in which the Gospel is preached and the promises therein contained are offered We say it is a preface to the whole Law prefixed as a reason to perswade obedience to every Commandment But all universally acknowledge that it is a free Covenant which promiseth pardon of sin and requireth faith in the Messiah when God saith to Israel I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt doth he not propound himself as their King Judg Saviour and Redeemer Yea and spiritual Redeemer from their bondage of sin and Satan whereof that temporal deliverance from Egypt was truly a type the Lord begins his commandments with an evangelical promise and it is very observable that as these words I am the Lord thy God are prefixed immediatly to the first Commandment so in sundry places of Scripture they are annexed to all the rest ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths Lev. 19.3.11 12.16 18. I am the Lord your God ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lie one to another and ye shall not swear by my Name falsely neither shalt thou profane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neigbour I am the Lord. In a word thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the Lord or if that contain only the second Table therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the Lord. Add we to this 37. that in the second Commandment God is described to be one shewing mercy unto thousands all which must needs argue the Law to be a Covenant of grace 3. It appears by the Contract betwixt God and Israel after the promulgation of the Law is it not plainly expressed by Moses Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and Commandments And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldst keep his commandments Yea and after this in the Land of Moah Deut. 26.17 18. Moses was commanded by the Lord to make a Covenant with the children of Israel besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb now this was the very same that God made with them on Sinai only it must be renewed and it is expresly said ye stand this day to enter into a Covenant with the Lord your God Deut. 29.12 13. That he may establish you to be a people unto himself and that he may be a God unto you as he had sworn to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Surely this must needs be a Covenant of grace how should it be but of grace that God promised to be the God of Israel here are many sweet precious promises and they are all free and gracious and therefore we conclude the Law in the sense aforesaid to be a Covenant of grace 4. Why should God in the Law deal with us in a Covenant-way rather than a meer absolute supream way I answer 1. In respect of God it was his pleasure in giving the Law not only to manifest his Wisdom and Power and Soveraignty but his faithfulness and truth and love and the glory of his grace Rom. 9. 1 Joh. 4.8 that he might make known as the Apostle speaks the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Gods love is apart of his name for God is love and Gods faithfulness is a part of his name I saw Heaven opened said John in a vision and behold a white horse Rev. 19.11 he that sate upon him was called faithful and true now how should we ever have known Gods love at least in such a measure or how should we ever have known Gods faithfulness truth at all if he had not entered into a Covenant with us it is true if he had given the Law in a meer absolute supreme way if he had given the precept without any promise he might fully have discovered his illimited supream power but his so dear love and faithfulness could not have been known now therefore let the world take notice of his singular love and of his faithfulness as Moses said to Israel Because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the hands of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh â—t 7.8 9. King of Egypt Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to a thousand generations 2. In respect of us God would rather deal with us in a covenant-way than in a meer absolute supream way upon these grounds 1. That he might bind us the faster to himself a covenant binds on both parts the Lord doth not bind himself to us and leave us free No I will bring you saith God into the bond of the Covenant â— 20.37 The Lord sees how slippery and unstable our hearts are how apt we are to start aside from our duty towards him we love to wander and therefore to prevent this inconstancy and unsetledness in us 〈◊〉 14.10 and to keep our hearts more stable in our obedient walking before him it pleased the Lord to bind us in the bond of Covenant that as we look for a blessing from God so we look to it to keep Covenant with God you may say a command binds as well as a Covenant it is true but a Covenant doth as it were twist the cords of the Law and double the precept upon the soul when it is only a precept then God alone
commands it but when I have made a promise to it then I command it and bind it upon my self 2. That our obedience might be more willing and free an absolute Law might seem to extort obedience but a Covenant and agreement makes it clearly to appear more free and willing This is of the nature of the Covenant of grace first God promiseth mercy to be our exceeding great reward and then we promise obedience to be his free and willing people thus we become gods not only by a property founded in his soveraign power love but by a property growing out of our own voâ—untary consents we are not only his people but his willing people we give him our hand when we become his and enter into Covenant with him See the expression Ezek. 17.18 â—k 17.18 He dispised the oath by breaking the Covenant when loe he had given his hand We are his as the wife is her husbands â—k 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine now in marriages free and mutual consent you know is ever given and so it is here 3. That our consolations might be stronger that in all our difficulties and distresses we might ever have recourse to the faithfulness and love of God 1. To the faithfulness of God â—on 17.27 This was David's stay and this may be ours though friends be unfaithful and may deceive yet the Lord is faithful and cannot fail his people his promises are Yea and Amen â—r 1.20 we may build upon it 2. That we might have recourse to the love of God this indeed was the prim end why God delivered his Law in way of a Covenent that he might sweeten and indear hinself to us and so draw us to him with cords of love had God so pleased he might have required all obedience from us and when we had done all he might have reduced us into nothing or at least not have given us heaven for â—n inheritance or himself for a portion but his love is such that he will not only command but he will Covenant that he might further express and communicate his love how then should this but incourage us to go to God in all distresses O what thankful loving thoughts should we have of God that would thus infinitely condescend to Covenant with us 5. What are the good things Promised in this expressure of the Covenant not to reckon up the temporal Promises of riches honour victory peace and protection in a land of Oyle Olive and Honey the great mercies of God are expressed in these terms I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This is the great Promise of the Covenant it is as great as God himself That we may better see it and know it I shall take it in pieces the gold is so pure that it is pity the least filing should be lost Here God describes himself by these notes 1. By his only eternal and Perfect Essence I am the Lord. 2. By the Plurality of persons in that one essence I am the Lord God Jehovah Elohim 3. By the propriety his people have in Jehovah Elohim I am the Lord thy God 4. By the fruit of that Propriety in reference to Israel which brought thee out of the land of Eygpt out of the house of bondage â—d 6.3 1. I am Jehovah we read that he appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the name of God Almighty but now he was known to the Israelites by his name Jehovah I am the Lord. Why was it not by that name that he appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob no no saith God by my name Jehovah was I not known to them This hath occasioned a question how can this be do we not read expresly that God said to Abraham I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees and again I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac Gen. 15.7 Gen. 28.13 how then is it said that by his name Jehovah he was not known unto them This place hath perplexed many of the learned but the meaning seems to be this that though he was known to the Patriarchs by his name Jehovah as it consists of letters syllables and sounds yet he was not experimentally known unto them in his constancy to perform his promise in bringing them out of the land of Egypt until now This name Jehovah denotes both his being in himself and his giving of being or performance to his word and promise thus indeed he was not known or manifested to the Patriarchs they only were sustained by faith in Gods almighty power without receiving the thing promised it is said of Abraham that while he was yet alive Acts. 7.5 God gave him no inheritance in Canaan no not so much as to set his foot on yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him and now when his seed came to receive the Promise and to have full knowledg and experience of his Power and goodness then they knew the efficacy of his name Jehovah So upon performance of further promises he saith they shall know him to be Jehovah Isa 49.2 3. Isa 52.6 and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. therefore my people shall know my name they shall know in that day that I am he that doth sepak behold it is I. 2. I am Jehovah Elohim this denotes the plurallity of Persons God in delivering of the law doth not only shew his being but the manner of his being that is the three manners of subsisting in that one simple and eternal being or the Trinity of persons in that Unity of Essence the word signifies strong potent mighty or if we express it plurally it signifies the Almighties or Almighty powers hence the Scriptures apply the general name God to the Persons severally the Father is God Heb. 1.1 2. the Son is God Act. 20.28 and the holy Ghost is God Act 5.3 4. Now God is said to be Author of these Laws delivered in a Covenant-way by Moses that so the greater authority may be procured to them and hence all Law-givers have endeavoured to perswade the people that they had their Laws from God 3. I am the Lord thy God herein is the propriety and indeed here is the mercy that God speaks thus to every faithful Soul I am thy God by this appropriation God gives us a right in him yea a possession of him 1. A right in him as the woman may say of him to whom she is Married this man is my husband so may every faithful soul say of the Lord he is my God 2. A possession of him God doth not only shew himself unto us but he doth communicate himself unto us in his holiness mercy truth grace and goodness hence it is said we have fellowship with the Father and with the
thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind this is the first and great Commandment Mat. 22 36 37 38. Now as our Saviour discovers love there so in like manner is faith and Christ there the necessary consequents But you may object what say we to obedience is not that rather the condition of this covenant thus shining in the Law Indeed the Law and obedience are Correlatives But in this case we are not to look to the Law as meerly mandatory we gave you the sence of the word and how it is used as a covenant of grace remember only this the Law is considered either more strictly as it is an abstracted rule of righteousness holding forth life upon no other terms but perfect obedience or more largely as that whole doctrine delivered on Mount Sinai with the preface and promises adjoyned in the former sense it is a Covenant of works but in the latter sense it is a covenant of grace And yet I dare not say that as the Law is a covenant of grace it doth exclude obedience In some sort obedience as well as faith may be said to be a condition of the covenant of grace I shall give you my thoughts in this distinction obedience to all Gods commandments is either considerable as a cause of life or as a qualification of the subject in the former sense it cannot be a condition of the covenant of grace but in the latter sense it may if by condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to the Covenant of grace repentance faith and obedience are all conditions but if by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as the cause of the good promised though only instrumental why then faith or belief in the promises of the covenant is the only condition faith and obedience are opposed in the matter of justification and salvation in the Covenant not that they cannot stand together in one subject for they are inseparable united but because they cannot concur and meet together in one court as the cause of justification or salvation Now when we speak of the condition of the Covenant of grace we intend such a condition as is among the number of true causes indeed in the Covenant of works obedience is required as the cause of life but in the Covenant of grace though obedience must accompany faith yet not obedience but only faith is the cause of life contained in the Covenant 7. Who was the Mediator of this Covenant to this we distinguish of a double Mediator viz. Typical and Spiritual Moses was a typical but Christ was the spiritual Mediator and herein was Moses priviledged above all before him he was the Mediator of the Old Testament Christ reserving himself to be the Mediator of a better Covenant i. of the New Testament Moses received the Law from God Heb. 8.6 and delivered it to the people and so he stood a Mediator between God and the people never was mortal man so near to God as Moses was Abraham indeed was called Gods friend but Moses was Gods favorite and never was mortal man either in knowledge love or authority so near unto the people as Moses was which makes the Jews O wonder to Idolize him to this very day Moses was called in as a Mediator on both parts 1. On Gods part when he called him up to receive the Law all those messages which God sent by him to the people 2. On the peoples part when they desired him to receive the Law for they were afraid by reason of the fire and durst not go up into the Mount Deut. 5.5 mark how he stiles himself as a Mediator At that time saith he I stood between the Lord and you to shew you the word of the Lord He was Gods mouth to them and he was their mouth to God and he was a prevailing Mediator on both parts he prevailed with God for the suspending of his Justice that it should not break out upon the people and he prevailed with the people to bind them in Covenant unto God and to make profession of that Obedience which the Lord required and called for yet for all this I call him not a Mediator of Redemption but Relation A great deal of difference there is betwixt Moses and Christ as 1. Moses only received the Law and delivered it to the people but Chirst our true Moses fulfilled it 2. Moses broke the Tables to shew how we in our Nature had broken the Law but Christ our true Moses repairs it again 3. Moses had the Law only writ in Tables of Stone but Christ writes it in the Tables of our hearts 4. Moses was meer man but Christ is God as well as man Moses was only a Servant in Gods House but Christ is a Son yea Christ is Lord of his own House the Church Moses mediation was of this use to shew what was the true manner of worshipping God but he did not inspire force and power to follow it he could not reconcile men to God as of himself and therefore it appeared that there was need of another reconciler viz. the Lord Jesus Christ 8. What of Christ and of his death do we find in this manifestation of the Covenant I answer 1. In delivering the Law we find something of Christ there is a question whether the Lord himself immediately in his own person delivered the Law Deut. 5 2â— and some conclude affirmatively from the Preface God spake these words and said and from that passage of Moses these words the Lord spake unto all your Assembly in the Mount out of the midst of the fire and wrote them on two Tables of Stone and delivered them unto me But others are for the negative and say this proves not that they were pronounced or delivered immediately by God for we find in Scripture that when the Angels were the immediate persons yet the Lord himself is reported to have spoken unto men Gen. 18.2 13. Exod. 3.2 6 7. And Augustine is resolute Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 15. that Almighty God himself in the time of the Old Testament did not spake to the Jews with his own immediate voice but only by Christ or by his Angels or by his Prophets and for this Ministerial voice of his Angels some produce these Texts â—cts 7.5 â—al 3.19 who have received the Law by the Ordinance of Angels and wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator â—eb 2.2 And if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast c. For my part it hath puzled me at times whether of these opinions to take but others say and I am now as apt to joyn with them as with either of the former that Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity
it we should desire earnestly and seek out diligently for Jesus Christ to this purpose saith the Apostle Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Christ is the end of the Law i. Christ is the end of intention God by giving so holy a Law and by requiring such perfect obedience he would thereby humble and debase the Israelites so that they should earnestly fly to Christ in this sense the Law is our School-master to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith A School-Master you know doth not only whip or correct but also teach and direct so the Law doth not only threaten and curse if the work be not done but it shews where power and help is to be had viz. from the Lord Jesus Christ If this be so how much to blame are they that under pretence of Free-Grace and Christ cry down the Law Rather let us cry it up and this is the way to set up Free-Grace and Christ Surely he that discovers his defects by the perfect rule of the Law and whose Soul is imbittered and humbled because of those defects he must needs prize Christ desire Christ advance Christ in his thoughts above all the men in the world And thus far of the Covenant of Promise as it was manifested from Moses to David SECT V. Of the Covenant of Promise as manifested to David THe next breaking forth of this Gracious Covenant was to David and in this manifestation appears yet more of Christ the expression of it is chiefly in these words Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure 2 Sam. 23.5 For the right understanding of this we shall examine these Particulars 1. Who is the Author of this Covenant 2. To whom is the Covenant made 3. What is this that the Covenant is said to be made 4. How is the Covenant ordered 5. Wherein is the Covenant sure 6. VVhether is Christ more clearly manifested in this breaking forth of the Covenant than in any of the former 1. Who is the Author of this Covenant David sayes he hath made it he i God the Rock of Israel the everlasting Rock The Rock of their Salvation Psal 19.5 The Rock of their Strength Psal 62.7 The Rock of their Heart Psal 73.26 The Rock of their Refuge Psal 94.22 Their Rock and their Redeemer Psal 19.14 The Psalmist is frequent and ordinary in this stile to shew that God is the mighty stable and immutable foundation and defence of all the faithfull who fly unto him and will trust in him he is such a Rock as will not shrink nor fail his Creatures man is unstable but he is God and not man who is the Author of this Covenant 2. To whom is the Covenant made why saith David He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant i. either with Christ the Antitype or else with David himself the type of Christ To the former sense we have spoken elsewhere the latter I suppose more genuine the Covenant indeed was first made with Christ and then with David as a member of Jesus Christ Some are wholly for a Covenant betwixt God and Christ and they deny any such thing as a Covenant betwixt God and man but are not the Testimonies express Deut. 4.23 Jeâ— 31.31 Take heed to your selves lest you forget the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you And I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah And by name do we not see God Covenanting with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob Gen. 17.7 Gen. 26.2 Gen 35.12 Levit. 26.42 And here do we not see God Covenanting with David I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David Psa 8â— 313 5. Psa 132.11 and once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David and the Lord hath sworn in truth unto David he will not turn from it Oh take heed of such Doctrines as tend unto Liberty Licentiousness the Covenant Gods makes with us binds us faster to God and if there be no Covenant betwixt God and us it opens a gap to the looseness of our spirits for how should we be charged with unfaithfulness unto God if we have not all entred into a Covenant with God 3. What is this that the Covenant is said to be made this holds forth to us the freeness of Gods entring into Covenant with us I will make my Covenant between me and thee saith God Gen. 17.2 or I will give my Covenant I will dispose my Covenant between me and thee so it is in the Originial And elsewhere it is plain Behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace when God makes a Covenant then he gives the Covenant of Grace unto all that he takes into Covenant with him The Lord set his love upon you said Moses to Isreal to take you into Covenant with him Num. 2â— 12 not because ye were more in number than other people but because he loved you Deut. 7.7 8. and chose your Fathers as noting out the freeness of his love towards them he loved them Why He loved them because he loved them This freeness of his Grace in giving a Covenant may appear in these Particulars 1. In that God is the first that seeks after us to draw us into Covenant with him we seek not him but he seeks us we chuse not him but he chuseth us he loves us first I am found of them that sought me not 1 Joh. 4.19 Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my name 2. In that there is nothing in us to draw God into a Covenant with us many a man seeks first after the unmarried Virgin but then there is Beauty or there is Dowry or there is something or other which draws on the man but there is no such thing in us this made David say when he heard of Gods Covenant with him and his Who am I O Lord God 2 Sam. 7.18 19 and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought me hitherto and is this the manner of man O Lord God q. d. O Lord God thou dealest familiarly with me as a man dealeth with man 1 Chr. 17.17 or as it is elsewhere Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree It would make any soul cry out that deeply weighs the freeness of this Covenant Psal 8.4 Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him 3. In that there is enough in us to keep off the Lord from ever owning us we are as contrary to God as darkness is to light or as evil is to good The carnal mind is enmity against God saith the Apostle it is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8 7. neither indeed
he is troubled with such and such a lust and he cannot keep this and that Commandment he cannot out-wrestle such and such strong inclinations to evil O but then go to God and press him with this Lord it is a part of thy Covenant thou hast said thou wilt circumcise my heart thou hast said thou wilt put thy Law in my inward parts thou hast said thou wilt dissolve these lusts Lord I beseech thee do it for thy Covenants sake But here 's another Question How may we know this inward work of Grace this Law in our inward parts the best way to satisfy our doubts in this is to look within open we the door and closet of our hearts and see what lies nearest and closest there that we say is intimate and within a man Mat. 10.37 which lies next to his heart He that loveth Father or Mother more than Me saith Christ is not worthy of Me We know the love of Father and Mother is a most natural thing it comes not by teaching but it is in-bred in us as soon as we are born and yet if we love not Christ more than these if Christ lye not closer to our hearts than Father or Mother we are not worthy of Christ our natural life is a most inward and deep thing in a man Job 2.4 Luke 14.26 Gal. 2.20 it lies near the heart Skin for Skin said the Devil once truly and all that a man hath will he give for his Life but he that hates not Father and Mother yea and his own life also said Christ he cannot be my Disciple Hence the Apostle to express this intimate inward life of grace he saith I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me What an emphatical strange expression is this I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me q. d. I live not the life of sense I breath not bodily breath that is comparatively to the life of faith his very natural life though inward is said not to be lived in respect of his life of grace which is more inward And let this serve for resolution to that question 4. What is it to have the Law written in our hearts This writing contains the former and is something more the Metaphor is expressed in these Particulars 1. It is said to be written that there might be something within answerable to the Law without it was written without and so it was written within This writing is the very same with copying or transcribing The writing within is every way answerable to the writing without Oh what a mercy is this that the same God who writ the Law with his own finger in the Tables of Stone should also write the same Law with the finger of his Spirit in the Tables of our Hearts as you see in a Seal when you have put the Seal on the Wax and you take it off again you find in the Wax the same Impression that was on the Seal So it is in the hearts of the faithful when the Spirit hath once softned them then he writes the Law i.e. he stamps an inward aptness an inward disposition on the heart answering to every particular of the Law this is that which the Apostle calls the Law of the mind I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind Rom. 7.23 Now what is this Law in the mind but a disposition within to keep in some measure every Commandment of the Law without and this is the writing of the Law or if you will the copying or transcribing of the Law within us 2. It is said to be written that it might be rooted and rivetted in the heart as when Letters are engraven in Marble so is the manner of Gods writing if God write it can never be obliterated or blotted out Letters in Marble are not easily worn out again no more are the writings of Gods Spirit Some indeed would have them as writings in dust but if Pilate could say What I have written I have written how much more may God Hence are all those promises of perseverance My Covenant shall stand fast with him Psal 89.28 and The root of the righteous shall not be moved Prov. 12.3 and Even to your old Age I am he and even to hoary hairs will I carry you Isa 46.4 I deny not but men of glorious gifts may fall away but surely the poorest Christian that hath but the smallest measure of Grace he shall never fall away if the Law be written in our hearts it still remains there Grace habitual is not removeable sooner will the Sun discard its own beams than Christ will desert or destroy the least measure of true Grace which is a Beam from the Sun of Righteousness 3. It is said to be written that it might be as a thing legible to God to others and to our selves 1. To God he writes it that he may read it and take notice of it he exceedingly delights himself in the graces of his own Spirit and therefore the Spouse after this writing after the planting of his grace in her Cant. 4.6 she desires him to come into his Garden and eat his pleasant Fruits q. d. Come read what thou hast written come and delight thy self in the graces of thy own Spirit the only delight that God has in the world is in his Garden a gracious soul and that he might more delight in it he makes it fruitful and those fruits are precious fruits as growing from plants set by his own Hand relishing of his own Spirit and so fitted for his own taste 2. The Law is written that it might be legible to others So Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3.2 3. You are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ How manifestly declared why known and read of all Men. As we are able to read Letters graven in stone so may others read and see the fruits and effects of this Law written in our Hearts And good reason for wheresoever God works the principles of grace within it cannot but shew it self in the outward life and conversation it is Gods promise first I will put my Spirit within them Ezek. 36.27 Mat. 12.34 and then I will cause them to walk in my statutes and it is Gods truth Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh What the mind thinketh the hand worketh 3. The Law is written that it may be legible to our selves a gracious heart is privy to its own grace and sincerity when it is in a right temper if others may read it by its fruits How much more we our selves who both see the fruits and feel that habitual disposition infused into us Nor is this without its blessed use for by this means we come to have a comfortable evidence both of Gods Love to us and of our Love
Barak and Samson and Jephtah and David and Samuel and of all the Prophets who through Faith did marvellous things as it there appears Surely they had the same Doctrine of Grace as we have it is the very same for Substance without any difference 2. Wherein is the Difference then betwixt the Old and New-Testament or betwixt the Old and New Manner of the Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace They are one for Substance but in regard of the manner of Dispensation and revealing in the several Times Ages States and Conditions of the Church there is a difference I shall reduce all to these Particulars They are distinguished 1. In the Object In the Old Administration Christ was promised but in the New-Covenant Christ is exhibited It was meet the Promise should go before the Gospel and be fulfilled in the Gospel that so great a Good might earnestly be desired before it was bestowed 2. In the Federates Under the Old Dispensation they are compared to an Heir under Age needing a Gardian Tutor or School-master little differing from a Servant But in the New-Testament they are compared to an Heir come to ripe Years see Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 3. In the Manner of their Worship In the Old-Testament they were held under the Ceremonial Law and Oh What an heap of Ceremonies Rites Figures Shadows did they use in their Worship Certainly these declared the Infancy and Non-age of the Jews who being not capable of the high Mysteries of the Gospel they were taught by their Eyes as well as their Ears These Ceremonies were as Rudiments Introductions fitted to the gross and weak Senses of that Church who were to be brought on by little and little through such Shadows and Figures to the true Image and thing signified But in the New-Covenant or Testament our Worship is more spiritual Our Saviour hath told us 〈◊〉 4.23 24. That as God is a Spirit so They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit Truth The Hour cometh and now is saith Christ when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him â—ts 15.10 4. In the Burthen of Ceremonies Peter calls the Ceremonies of old A Yoak which niether our Fathers nor we saith he were able to bear And no wonder if we consider 1. The burthen of their costly Sacrifices if any had but touched an unclean Thing he must come and offer a Sacrifice as sometimes a Bullock and sometimes a Lamb You that think every thing too much for a Minister of Christ if for every Offence you were to offer such Sacrifices now you would count it an heavy Burthen indeed 2. They had long and tedious Journeys to Jerusalem the Land lay more in length than bredth and Jerusalem stood almost at one End of it â—ut 16.16 and thither Thrice a Year all the Males were to go and appear before God 3. They were tyed to the Observation of many Dayes the New Moons and many Ceremonial Sabbaths and they were restrained from many Liberties as in Meats and the like Oh What Burthens were upon them But in the New-Covenant or Testament the Yoak is made more easie We are bound indeed to the Duties of the moral Law as well as they yet a great Yoak is taken off from us and therefore Christ inviting us to the Gospel He gives it out thus Take My Yoak upon you saith He for My Yoak is easie 〈◊〉 11.29 and My Burthen light 5. In the Weakness of the Law of old The Law then was unable to give Life to purge the Conscience 〈◊〉 7.18 to pacifie God's Wrath and therefore saith the Apostle There is verily a dis-annulling of the Commandment going before for the Weakness Vnprofitableness thereof Hence they are called weak and beggarly Rudiments 〈◊〉 4.9 in comparison of the New-Testament there was then a less forcible Influence of the Spirit accompanying that Dispensation of the Covenant 〈◊〉 7.39 The Spirit was not then given in that large Measure as now Because Christ was not then glorified It appears in these Particulars 1. There was less Power of Faith in the Saints before Christ when the Doctrine of Faith was more fully revealed then was Faith it self more fully revealed in the hearts and lives of God's People 〈◊〉 3.23 Before Faith came saith the Apostle we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Surely this implies there was a Time when there was less Faith in God's People and that was the Time of the Law 2. There was less Power of Love in the Saints before Christ according to the measure of our Faith so is our Love The less they knew the Loving-kindness of God towards them in Christ the less they loved It may be they were more drawn by the Terrours of the Law than by the Promises of Grace and therefore they had less Love in them 3. They had a less Measure of Comfort to carry them on in all their Troubles Christ exibited is called the Consolation of Israel and therefore the more Christ is imparted Luk 2.25 Acts. 9 31 the more means of Comfort Hence the Primitive Saints after Christ are said to walk in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Certainly the Spirit was poured in less plenty on the faithful in the Old Testament because that benefit was reserved to the times of Christ who was first to receive the Spirit above measure in his humane Nature and thence to derive Grace to his Saints 6. In the darkness of that administration of Old Christ was but shadowed out to the Fathers in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but now we see him with open Face 2 Co. 5.18 Observe the difference in reference to the person of Christ and to the Offices of Christ and to the benefits that come by Christ 1. Concerning the Person of Christ it was revealed to them that he should be God Isa 9 6. And that he should be man Isa 9.6 Isa 9.6 The same verse speaks of a Child that is born and of a mighty God But how he should be God and man in one person it was very darkly Revealed 2. Concerning the Offices of Christ his Mediatorship was Typed out by Moses his Priesthood was Typed out by Melchizedeck among the Canaanites and Aaron among the Jews his Prophetical Office was typed out by Noah a Preacher of Righteousness his Kingly Office was typed out by David but how dark these things were unto them we may guess by the Apostles who knew not he should Die who dreamed of an earthly Kingdom and till the Holy Ghost came were ignorant of many things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 3. Concerning the Benefits that come by Christ Justification was signified by the sprinkling of Blood and Sanctification by the water of Purification Heaven and glorification by their Land flowing
fire which hath a most vehement flame SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that Respect WE must hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in a way of Covenant now what is hope but a good opinion of enjoying its object indeed a good opinion is so necessary for hope that it makes almost all its kinds and differences as it is greater or lesser so it causeth the strength or weakness the excess or defect of this passion hope This good opinion is that which renders hope either doubtful or certain if certain it produceth confidence or presumption presumption is nothing but an immoderate hope without a ground but confidence is that assurance of the thing hoped for in some measure as if we had it already in hand Hence it is that we usually say we have great and strong and good hopes when we would speak them assured which hath occasioned some to define it thus Hope is a certain grounded confidence that the desired good will come not to insist on this all the question is Whether those promises contained in the Covenant of grace belong unto me and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built If the grounds be weak then hope is doubtful or presumptuous but if the grounds be right then hope is right and I may cast Anchor and build upon it In the disquisition of these grounds we shall only search into those qualifications which the Scripture tells us they are qualified with with whom the Lord enters into a Covenant of grace and these we shall reduce 1. To the condition of the Covenant 2. To the promise of the Covenant As 1. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God wrought in thee that condition of the Covenant Acts 16.31 Rom. 10.9 a true and lively and soul-saving and justifying faith Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved If thou believest thou shalt be saved The promise of life contained in the Covenant is made onely to believers This is so sure a way of tryal 2 Cor. 13.5 that the Apostle himself directs us thereunto Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith Ay But how shall I examine for there are many pretenders to faith in these dayes Why thus 1. True faith will carry thee out of thy self into Christ Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me a faithful man hath not his life in himself but in Christ Jesus he hath his spiritual being in the Father and in his Son Jesus Christ he is joyned to the Lord and is one Spirit he seeth the Father in the Son and the Son within himself and also the Father within himself through the Son 2 Cor. 13.5 John 14.20 Joh. 17.22 23. Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates Ye shall know me saith Christ that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you By faith we enjoy the glory of union The glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me though we have not the glory of equality yet we have the glory of likeness we are one with Christ and one with the Father by faith in Christ 2. True faith will carry thee beyond the world a believer looks on Christ over-coming the world for him and so by that faith he overcomes the world through him 1 John 5.4 Rev. 1.12 This is the Victory that overcometh the world even your faith Hence it is that the Saints are said To be cloathed with the Sun and to have the Moon under their feet when through faith they are cloathed with The Son of Righteousness the Lord Jesus then they trample upon all sublunary things as nothing worth in comparison of Christ 3. True faith is ever accompanied with true love if once by faith thou apprehendest Gods love and Christs love to thee thou canst not but love that God and love that Christ who loved thee and gave himself for thee 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us he that loveth not God hath not apprehended Gods love to him if ever God in Christ be presented to thee for thy justification 1 John 4.8 it is such a lovely object that thou canst not but love him He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 4. True faith purifies the heart and purgeth out sin When God discovers this that he will heal back-sliding and love freely and turn away his anger then Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with Idols Hos 14.8 if ever Christ reveal himself as the object of our Justification he will be sure to present himself as the pattern of our Sanctification the knowledge of Gods Goodness will make us in love with holiness they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity Jer. 33.9 that I procure unto them saith the Lord The golden chain of Mercy let down from Heaven doth bind us faster to the service of our God 5. Above all observe the rise true faith if it be true it is ever bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition spiritual poverty is the nearest capacity of believing this is faiths method be condemned to be saved be sick and be healed Faith is a flower of Christ's own planting but it grows in no Soul but onely on the margin and bank of the Lake of fire and brimstone in regard there 's none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell They that be whole need not a Physician saith Christ but they that are sick Mat. 9.13 This is a Foundation of Christ that because the man is broken and hath not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fire-side and cloath him and feed him there I know Satan argues thus Thou art not worthy of Christ and therefore what hast thou to do with Christ but Faith concludes otherwise I am not worthy of Christ I am out of measure sinful I tremble at it and I am sensible of it and therefore ought I and therefore must I come to Christ this arguing is Gospel-logick and the right method of a true and saving-faith for what is faith but the act of a sinner humbled weary laden poor and self-condemned Oh take heed of their doctrine who make faith to act of some vile person never humbled but applying with an immediate touch his hot boyling and smoaking Lusts to the bleeding blessed Wounds and Death of Jesus Christ 2. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God fulfilled in some part the promises of this Covenant to thy Soul As 1. Then hath God put the Law into thy inward parts and writ it in thy heart look as Indenture answers to Indenture or as a face in the glass answers to a
face so the conformity of thy heart and inwards to the Law of God thou obeyest God's Will and delightest in that obedience Thou sayest with David I delight to do thy Will O God yea psal 40.8 thy Law is within my Heart 2. Thou hast a covenant-relation to God and a covenant-interest in God and thou art by covenant as one of the people of God Christ hath thy soul thy body thy affections thy love to the very uttermost God hath a propriety and a peculiarity in thee thou art Christs by Marriage thou hast past over thy self unto him to be his Jewel his Spouse his Diadem his Crown his Servant his Child for ever 3. Then art thou clearly taught to know the Lord thou knowest him in another manner than thou didst before I will establish my Covenant with thee Ezek. 16.60 61. and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. There is a double knowledge 1. A speculative knowledge and thus men may know much but they are not affected according to the things they know 2. A practical knowledge and thus if we know the Lord we shall see in him that excellency and beauty that our Hearts will be affectioned towards him and we shall be able to say that we love him with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Strength 4. Then hath God pardoned thy sins and He will remember thy sins no more But how should I be assured of that Why thus 1. If thou hast sincerely confessed bewailed and forsaken thy sins Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes cease to do evil And presently it follows come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1.16 18. though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll Isa 55.7 To the same purpose Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and He will have Mercy upon him and to our God for He will abundantly Pardon 2. If thy heart after many storms and troubles be calmed and quieted through saith in Christ Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 What hast thou peace with God and hath God still'd thy soul with peace this is an argument of thy sins pardon 3. If thine Heart be singularly inflamed with the love of Christ the Woman that Had many sins forgiven her by Christ Luke 7.47 she loved him much Upon that account she wept and washed his feet with her tears and so wiped them with the hairs of her head she kissed his feet and anointed them with Ointment nothing was too good for Christ who had forgiven her all her sins 4. If thy heart and soul and all that is within be singularly enlarged to praise God for his pardons Ps 103.1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities If thine heart feel his pardons thy mouth will sing his praises and hereby thou may'st be assured that God hath pardoned all thy sins Come now are these O my soul the grounds of thy hopes a lively faith in Jesus an accomplishment in some measure of the promises of the Covenant why these are the fewel of hope if this be thy case act thy hope strongly on Christ and on the covenant of grace say not hope is onely of things future and therefore if I be already in covenant What need I hope For whether thou art in covenant or no it is the main question here nay though it be granted that thou art in covenant and that hope is swallowed up in the compleat presence of its object yet it is not at all diminished but rather encreased by a partial presence As in massie bodies though violent motion be weakest in the end yet natural motions are ever swiftest towards the center so in the hopes of men though such as are violent and groundless prove weaker and weaker yet those that are stayed and natural or rather gracious are evermore stronger and stronger till they procure the utmost presence and union of their object The nearer we come to a fruition of a good the more impatient we are to want it O then hope in Jesus draw on thy hope yet more and more in this Covenant of grace be not content onely with an hope of expectation but bring it on to an hope of confidence or assurance thou canst not fail if thou hangest thy hope on Jesus Christ is not fastened as a loose nail or as a broken rotten hedge in the covenant of grace he is there As a nail in a sure place Isa 22.23 24. and they shall hang on him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flaggons Come soul thou art a vessel of small quantity hang all thy weight on Christ he is a nail that cannot break SECT V. Of Believing in Jesus in that Respect 5. WE must believe on Jesus carrying on this great work of our salvation in a way of covenant Many a time Satan comes and hurles in a temptation What Is it likely that God should enter into a covenant with thee yea sometimes he so rivets in this temptation that he darkens all within and there 's no sight of comfort in the soul O but now believe now if ever is the season for faith to act little evidence and much adherence speaks saith to purpose We read of some who could stay themselves upon the Lord whiles they walked in darkness upon the margin and borders of a hundred deaths Psal 23.4 Ps 88.7 David fears no evil though he walked through the valley of the shadow of death for his faith told him that God was with him Heman could say thy wrath lieth hard upon me thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves sure he thought God could do no more to drown him not only a wave or two but all Gods waves were on him and over him and yet he believes Lord I have called daily upon thee Hezekiahs comforts were at an hard pinch ver 9. Mine eyes fail with looking upwards O Lord I am oppressed Isa 39.14 yet praying argues believing Lord undertake for me Christs sense of comforts was ebbe and low when he wept and cryed that he was forsaken of God yet then his faith is doubled as the cable of an Anchor is doubled when the storm is more than ordinary Mat. 27.46 my God my God Poor soul thou standest wondering at this great condescention of God What That God should enter into covenant with me What that God should make such great and precious promises with me Surely these comforts and these priviledges are too high for me or for any soul breathing It may be so and yet be not discouraged
the soul was it that was especially made after the Image of God the soul was it that was tempered in the same Mortar with the Heavenly Spirits the soul was Gods sparkle a beam of his divine Glory a ray or emanation of God himself as man was the principal part of the Creation so the Soul was the principal part of man here was it that Gods Love and Glory were centred for the time here was it that Gods love set and fixt it self in a special man whence flowed that Communion of God with Adam and that familiarity of Adam with God 3. Within a while this man the object of Gods Love fell away from God and as he fell so all that were in him even the whole World fell together with him and hereupon Gods Face was hid not a sight of him but in flaming fire ready to seize on the Sons of Men. And yet Gods Love would not thus leave the Object he had yet a further reach of Love and out of this dark Cloud he le ts fall some glimpses of another discovery These glimpses were sweet but alas they were so dark that very few could spell them or make any sense or comfortable application of them but by degrees God hints it out more he points it out with the Finger by Types and Shadows he makes some models of it in outward Ceremonies and yet so hid and dark that in four thousand years men were but guessing and hoping through promises for a manifestation of Gods Love this is the meaning of the Apostle who tells us of the Mystery that was hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints Col. 1.26 This Love of God was hid in the breast of God from the Sons of Men for an Age so that they knew not what to make of this great Design I speak of the generality of men for in respect of some Particulars as to Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and the Patriarchs you have heard the Lord made his Loves clear to them in a Covenant-Way and still the nearer to Christ the clearer and clearer was the Covenant of Grace 4. At last God fully opens himself in the fulness of time God takes the flesh of those poor sinners which he had so loved and joins it to himself and calls it Christ a Saviour O! now was it that God descended and lay in the Womb of a Virgin now was it that he is born as we are born now was it that he joined our Flesh so nigh to himself as that there is a Communication of properties betwixt them both that being attributed to God which is proper to Flesh as to be born to suffer and that being attributed to flesh which is proper to God as to create to redeem who can chuse but wonder when he thinks of this phrase that a piece of Flesh should be called God and that God should be made flesh and dwell amongst us that flesh should infinitely provoke God and yet God in the same flesh should be infinitely pleased that God should veile himself and darken his Glory with our flesh and yet unveile at the same time the deepest and darkest of his designs in a comfortable way to our souls O my soul how shouldst thou contain thy self within thy self how shouldst thou but leap out of thy self if I may so speak as one that is lost in the admiration of this Love Surely God never manifested himself in such a strain of Love as this before herein was love manifested and commended indeed that God would come down in our nature to us One observes sweetly that God did so love the very Nature of his Elect that though for the present he had them not all with him in Heaven yet he must have their Picture in his Son to see them in and love them in in this respect I may call Christ incarnate a Statue and Monument of Gods own infinite Love unto his Elect for ever Well hitherto we have followed the passages of his Love and now we see it in the Spring or at full Sea If any thing will beget our love to God surely Christ incarnate will do it Come then O my Soul I cannot but call on thee to love thy Jesus and to provoke thy Love O fix thy eye on this lovely Object come put thy Candle to this Flame what doth not thy heart yet burn within thee dost thou not at least begin to warm why draw yet a little nearer consider what an heart of Love is in this Design God is in thy own nature to take upon him all the miseries of thy Nature mark it well this is none other than Gods heart leaping out of it self into our bosoms q. d. Poor souls I cannot keep from you I love your very Nature I will be nothing so you may be something my Glory shall not hinder me but I will vail it rather than it shall hurt you so I may but shew my self kind and tender unto you and so I may but have Communion with you and you with me I care not if I become one with you and live with you in your very flesh Oh my heart art thou yet cold in thy Loves to Jesus Christ canst thou love him but a little who hath loved thee so much how should I then but complain of thee to Christ and for thy sake beg hard of God Oh thou sweet Jesus that cloathest thy self with the Clouds as with a garment and as now thou cloathest thy self with the Nature of a man O thou that wouldest inflame my Spirit with a Love of thee that nothing but thy self might be dear unto me because it so pleased thee to vilifie thy self thine own self for my sake SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us at his Coming or Incarnation If it be so that by our Desire and Hope and Faith and Love we have indeed and truth reached the Object which our souls pant after how then should we but joy and delight therein the end of our motion is to attain quiet and rest now what is joy but a sweet and delightfull Tranquility of mind resting in the fruition and possession of some good what hast thou in some measure attained the presence and fruition of Christ as God incarnate in thy Soul it is then time to joy in Jesus it is then time to keep a Sabbath of thy thoughts and to be quiet and calm in thy Spirit But you will say how should this be before we come to Heaven I answer there is not indeed any perfection of joy whilest we are here because there is no perfection of Union on this side Heaven but so far as Union is our joy must be examine the grounds of thy Hope and the actings of thy Faith and if thou art but satisfied in them why then lead up thy joy and bring it up to this
not Christ come down sinners could not have gone up into Heaven and therefore that they might ascend he descends 2. I come down from Heaven not to do mine own will Heb. 3.1 2. but the will of him that sent me his Father had sent him on purpose to receive and to save sinners and to this purpose he is called the Apostle of our profession who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house His Father could not send him on any errand but he was sure to do it his Fathers mission was a strong demonstration that Christ was willing to receive those sinners that would but come to him Again Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst John 7.37 let him come unto me and drink the very pith heart and marrow of the Gospel is contained in these words the occasion of them was thus on that last day of the Feast of Tabernacles the Jews were wont with great solemnity to draw water out of the fountain of Siloam at the foot of Mount Sion and to bring it to the Altar singing out of Isaiah Isa 12.3 With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation now Christ takes them at this Custom and recalls them from earthly to heavenly waters alluding to that of Isaiah Isa 55.1 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Incline your ears and come unto me and your souls shall live The Father saith come the Son saith come the Spirit saith come yea Rev. 22.17 the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely All the time of Christs Ministry we see him tyring himself in going about from place to place upon no other errand than this to cry at the markets Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters if any sinners love life if any will go to heaven let them come to me and I will shew them the way to my Fathers bosom and endear them to my Fathers heart Again hither tend all those Arguments of God and Christ to draw souls to themselves Thus God draws 1. From his equity Hear now O house of Israel Ezek. 18.25 is not my way equal or are not your wayes unequal q. d. I appeal to your very consciences is this equal that sinners should go on in sin and Trespass against him that is so willing to receive and save poor sinners 2. From our ruine in case we go on in sin Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have Transgressed and make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel 3. From his own dislike and displeasure at our ruine I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth Ver. 32. saith the Lord God wherefore turn your souls and live ye 4. From his mercy and readiness to pardon sinners Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Hos 14.4 John 3.16 5. From the freeness of his love I will love them freely and God so loved the world so fully so fatherly so freely that he gave his only begotten Son c. and I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely 6. From the sweetness of his Name Rev. 21.6 Exod. 34.6 7. Isa 48.18 19. The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity Transgression and sin 7. From the benefits that would follow O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the Sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof 8. From his Oath As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live O happy creatures saith Tertullian for whom God swears O unbelieving wretches if we will not trust God swearing Ezek. 33.61 Ezek. 33.11 Mich. 6.3 Isa 5.4 Isa 5.3 9. From his expostulations Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel O my people what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me what could I have done more for my vineyard than I have done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Mich. 6.2 10. From his appeals Judge now O ye inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem and hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong foundations of the earth Deut. 5.29 for the Lord hath a controversie with his people and he will plead with Israel 11. From his groans Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandments alwayes Deut. 32.29 that it might be well with them and their children for ever And oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end 12. Hos 11.8 From his loathness to give men up How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together O the goodness of God! And as God the Father so God the Son draws Arguments to win souls to himself 1. From his coming it was the very purpose and design of his coming down from Heaven to receive sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying sayes Paul and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 2. From his fair demeanour and behaviour towards sinners this was so open and notorious that it was turned to his disgrace and opprobry Mat. 11.19 Behold a friend of Publicans and sinners And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured at him Luke 5.30 and his Disciples saying Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners 3. From his owning of sinners and answering for them in this respect Luke 5.31 32. And Jesus answering said unto them they that are whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but Sinners to repentance 4. From his rejoycing at sinners conversion indeed we never read of Christs Laughter and we seldom read of Christs joy but when it is at any time recorded it is at the Conversion of a poor soul he had little else to comfort himself in being a man of sorrows but in this he rejoyced exceedingly Luke 10.21 In that hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit
how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences And of that said he as I feel some part and I would feel more so I bequeath it unto thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ O my soul if thou canst but taste Psal 119.10.3 thou wilt find a world of sweetness in Christ's wayes there is sweetness in the Word How sweet are thy Words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth There is sweetness in prayer Rom. 10.12 hast thou not known the time that thou hast touched the hem of Christs garment and tasted of the joyes of Heaven in prayer hast thou not seen heaven cleft and Christ sitting at Gods right Hand surely the Lord is Rich to all them that call upon him There is sweetness in meditation some call this very duty The Saints pastime which recreates and perfumes the tired Spirits Now O my soul thou art in the exercise of this duty now thou art in the meditation of the easiness of Christ's burthen Psal 119.99 and of the sweetness of his wayes tell me is there nothing of Heaven in this meditation is it sweet or is it bitter to thy Soul thou mayest read in Scripture of many admirable effects of meditation as that it confirms our knowledg I have more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119.99 Ver. 97. Ver. 15. for thy Testimonies are my Meditations that it inflames our love Oh how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day that it casts a sweet influence on our lives I will Meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes What is it thus with thee Psal 104.34 Psal 94.19 canst thou say with David My Meditation of him shall be sweet And in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts exceedingly delight my soul Why then thou hast truly tasted of God's goodness thou hast actual discoveries of the sweetness of Gods wayes thou hast experienc'd this truth that his yoak is easie and his burthen is light Matth. 11.3 Psal 119.99 that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Oh if men did but know what ravishing sweetness were in the wayes of God they could not but imbrace them and esteem one dayes society with Jesus Christ as Caracciolus did better than all the gold in the world 11. Consider the holiness of Christ's Nature and the holiness of Christs Life 1. For the holiness of his Nature if thou couldst but clearly see it what work would it make in thy Breast Christ's inward beauty would ravish Love out of the Devils if they had but Grace to see his beauty yea he would lead captive all hearts in Hell if they had but eyes to behold his loveliness O what a Flower what a Rose of love and light is the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy said the Spouse the chiefest of ten thousands Summon before Christ fair Angels glorified Spirits the azure Heavens the lightsome Stars all the delicious Flowers Gardens Meadows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds Beasts yea and all the Sons of Men as they should have been in the world of Innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ and what are they Rev. 22.4 the Saints in Glory now see the face of Christ i.e. they see all the dignity beauty that is in Christ and they are so taken with his sight that they do nothing else but stare and gaze and behold his Face for Ages and yet they are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye holes in beholding Christ they should still desire to see more O this loveliness of Christ ravishes the souls of the glorified how is it O my soul that thou art not taken with this meditation But 2. Go from the holiness of his Nature to the holiness of his Life it may be that will make deep impressions on thy spirit consider his charity his self-denial his contempt of the world his mercy his bounty his meekness his pity his humility his obedience to his Father A fruitful meditation on these Particulars cannot cannot but cause some resemblance within and make thee like Christ O the wonder that any should disclaim the active obedience of Christ as to his own Justification Away away with these cavils and consider the obedience of Christ in relation to thy self God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons It is a sweet note of Doctor Andrews Christ made under the Law i.e. under the whole Law the one half of the Law which is the directive part he was made under that and satisfied it by the innocency of his Life without breaking one jot or title of the Law and so he answers that part as it might be the principal the other half of the Law which is the penalty he was under that also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull death no way deserved or due by him and so he answered that part as it might be the forfeiture But if we come now to ask for whom is all this it is only for us that we might be redeemed und adopted redeemed from all evil and adopted or interested into all good If this be so O who would for a world of Gold lose the influence and the benefit of Christs active obedience consider of this O my soul till thou feelest some vertue to come out of Christs life into thy self SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the work of our salvation in his Life It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire our meditation of Christ should draw forth our affections to Christ and amongst all affections I place this first of all a desire after Christ But what is it in Christ's Life that is so desirable I answer every passage or particular named yea every thing of Christ is desirable named or un-named all that concerns Christ in any kind whatsoever if to the former particulars I should add a thousand and a thousand more it is very precious and excellent and necessary and profitable and comfortable and therefore desirable but to put them in order 1. The meanest things of Christ are desirable things the very filings of Gold the dust or sparkles of precious Stones are of real price and value yea of much worth yea the very Leaves of the Tree of Life are healing the very Hem of Christ's garment but even touched sends forth its vertue the meanest and worst things of Christ are incomparably to be desired above all things the dust of Zion the very ground that Christ's feet treadeth on any thing that hath the poorest relation to Jesus Christ it is desireable for him Hence we read that one poor woman sought no more of him but to wash Christ's
which I believe are the beautifullest creatures the world has should be compared with the beauty of Christ which consists in the perfection of the divine nature and in the perfection of his humane nature and in the perfection of the graces of his Spirit they would be but as lumps of darkness The brightest Cherub is forc'd to skreen his face from the dazling and shining brightness of the glory of Christ Alas the Cherubims and Seraphims are but as spangles and twinkling stars in the canopy of Heaven but Christ is the Sun of righteousness that at once illuminates and drowns them all Come then cast up thy desires after Christ breath O my soul after the enjoyments of this Christ fling up to heaven some divine ejaculations Oh that this Christ were mine Oh that the actions of Christ and the person of Christ were mine Oh that all he said and all he did and all he were from top to the were mine Oh that I had the silver wings of a Dove that in all my wants I might fly into the bosom of this Christ Oh that I might be admitted to his person or if that may not be Oh that I may but touch the very hem of his Garment If I must not sit at Table Oh that I might but gather up the Crumbs Surely there 's Bread enough in my Fathers House Christ is the Bread of Life this one Loaf Christ is enough for all the Saints in heaven and earth to feed on and what must I pine away and perish with hunger Oh that I might have one Crum of Christ Thousands of Instructions dropped from him whiles he was on earth Oh that some of that food might be my nourishment Oh that my wayes were directed according to his Statutes many a stream and wave Psal 119.15 John 7.37 and line and precept flowed from this Fountain Christ Oh that I might drink freely of this water of life He hath proclaimed it in my ears if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Oh that I might come and find welcome why sure I thirst I am extreamly a thirst I feel in me such a burning drought that either I must drink or die either the righteousness of Christ the holiness of Christ the holiness of his Nature and the holiness of his Life must be imputed unto me or farewel happiness in another World why come come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh I long to see the beauty of thy face thy glory is said to be an enamouring glory such is thy beauty that it steals away my heart after thee and cannot be satisfied till with Absolon I see the Kings face come Christ or if thou wilt not come I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved Cant. 5.8 that ye tell him I am sick of Love SECT IV. Of Hopeing in Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life By this hope I mean not a fluctuating wavering doubtful hope but an assured hope an hope well grounded The main soul question is whether Christ's life be mine whether all those passages of his life lâ—id open belong unto me whether the habitual righteousness and actual holiness of Christ be imputed to my justification and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built The Apostle tells us that God gives good hopes through Grace if hope be right and good 2 Thes 2.16 it will manifest it self by operations of saving Grace O look into thy soul what gracious effects of the life of Christ are there certainly his life is not with out some influence on our spirits if we be his Members and he be our Head The Head we say communicates life and sense and motion to his members and so doth Christ communicate a spiritual life and sense and motion to his members O the glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believers soul I shall lay down these As 1. If Christ's life be mine then am I freed from the Law of sin This was the Apostles evidence For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Christ's Life is called the Spirit of Life because of its perfection and this Spirit of Life hath such a power in it here termed a Law that it works out in Believers a freedom from the Law or Power in Sin I cannot think notwithstanding the influence of Christ's life on me but that sin still-sticketh in me I am still a sinner in respect of the inherency of sin but I am freed from the power of sin i.e. from the guilt of sin as to its condemning power and from the filth of sin as to its ruling reigning power Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof I grant there is some difference among Divines in their expressions concerning the sins of Gods own people though they mean one and the self-same thing Some call them only sins of infirmity and others grant the name of reigning sins but with this limitation that this is not a total reigning Sin reigneth as a Tyrant over them not as a King at sometimes as in Davids case the will and consent may run along with sin no actual resistance may be made against sin at all 1 John 3.9 and yet at the very same time the seed of God remaineth in them though it seem dead and in Gods good time that very seed will revive again and throw out the Tyrant there is not cannot be that antecedent and consequent consent to sin in the godly as in the wicked O my soul consider this if the vertue of Christ's life come in it will take down that soveraign high reign of sin which the wicked suffer and will not strive against the flesh indeed may sometimes lust against the Spirit but it shall not totally prevail or get the upper hand Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin may tyrannize in me for a time but it shall not King it in me Look to this Rom. 6.14 Doth the power and dominion of Christs Life throw out of thy heart and life that Kingly power and dominion of my sin here is one ground of hope 2. If Christ's life be mine then shall I walk even as he walked such is the efficacy of Christ's life that it will work sutableness and make our life in some sort like his life The Apostle observes that our communion with Christ works on our very conversations he that abideth in him walkes even as he walked and to this purpose are all those holy admonitions walk in love as Christ also loved us and 1 John 2.6 Eph. 5.2 John 13.15 1 Pet. 1.15 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you And as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all
saw thee in danger of death through thy own unbelief for except thou sawest in his hands the print of the nails and put thy finger into the print of the nails except thou hadst clear manifestations of Christ even to thine own sense thou wouldest not believe he condescends so far to succour thy weakness as to manifest himself by several witnesses three in heaven and three on earth yea he multiplies his three on earth to thousands of thousands so many were the signes witnessing Christ that the Disciple which testified of them John 21.25 could say If they should be written every one the world could not contain the Books that should be written 4. When he saw the buying and selling in the Temple yea making Merchandize of the Temple it self I mean of thy Soul which is the Temple of the holy Ghost he steps in to whip out those Buyers and Sellers those Lusts and Corruptions O cries he will you sell away your souls for Trash O what is a man profitted though he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Prov. 30.2 3. 5. When he saw thee like the horse and mule more brutish than any man not having the understanding of a man thou neither learnedst wisdom nor hadst the knowledge of the most holy he came with his instructions adding line unto line and precept on precept teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and sealing his truths with many Miracles Mat. 4.23 that thou maist believe and in believing thou mightest have life through his Name and Oh! what is this but to make thee wise unto salvation 6. When he saw thee a sinner of the Gentiles a stranger from the common-wealth of Israel and without God in the world he sent his Apostles and Messengers abroad and bad them preach the Gospel to thee q. d. Go to such a one in the dark corner of the world an Isle at such a distance from the Nation of the Jews and set up my Throne amongst that people open the most precious Cabinet of my Love there and amongst that People tell such a Soul that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he is one O admirable Love 7. When he saw thee cast down in thy self and refusing thy own Mercy crying and saying what is it possible that Jesus Christ should send a Message to such a dead Dog as I am why the Apostles Commission seems otherwise Go not into the way of the Gentiles Mat. 10.5 6. or into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel O I am a lost sheep but not being of the House of Israel what hope is there that ever I should be found He then appeared and even then he spred his arms wide to receive thy soul he satisfied thee then of another Commission given to his Apostles Go teach all Nations And he cried even then Come unto me thou that art weary and heavy laden with sin and I will receive thee into my bosom Mat. 28.19 and give thee rest there 8. When he saw thee in suspence and heard thy complaint But if I come shall I find sweet welcome I have heard that his ways are narrow and straight Oh it is an hard passage and an high ascent up to heaven Many seek to enter in but shall not be able Luke 13.24 Oh! what shall become of my poor Soul why then he told thee otherwise Prov. 3.17 that all his ways were ways of pleasantness and all his paths peace he would give thee his Spirit that should bear the weight and make all light he would sweeten the ways of Christianity to thee that thou shouldest find by experience that his yoke was easie Mat. 11.29 and his burden was light 9. When he saw the wretchedness of thy Nature and original pollution he took upon him thy Nature and by this means took away thy original sin O here is the lovely Object What is it but the absolute holiness and perfect purity of the Nature of Christ This is the fairest Beauty that ever eye beheld this is that compendium of all Glories now if Love be a motion and union of the Appetite to what is lovely how shouldst thou flame forth in loves upon the Lord Jesus Christ this is rendered as the reason of those sparklings Thou art fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 10. When he saw thee actually unclean a transgressor of the Law in thought word Heb. 10.9 and deed then he said Lo I come to do thy will O God and wherefore would he do Gods will but meerly on thy behalf O my Soul canst thou read over all these passages of Love and dost thou not yet cry out O stay me comfort me for I am sick of Love Can a man stand by an hot and fiery furnace and never be warmed Oh for an heart in some measure answerable to these Loves Surely even good natures hate to be in debt for love and is therein thee O my soul neither grace nor yet good nature O God forbid awake awake thy ardent love towards the Lord Jesus Christ why thou art rock and not flesh if thou beest not wounded with these heavenly darts Christ loves thee is not that enough fervent affection is apt to draw love where is little or no beauty and excellent beauty is apt to draw the heart where there is no answer of affection at all but when these two meet together what breast can hold against them See O my soul here is the sum of all the particulars thou hast heard Christ loves thee and Christ is lovely his heart is set upon thee who is a thousand times fairer than all the children of men doth not this double consideration like a mighty loadstone snatch thy heart unto it and almost draw it forth of thy very breast O sweet Saviour thou couldst say even of thy poor Church though labouring under many imperfections Thou hast ravished my Heart Cant. 4.9 10. my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck how fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all Spices Couldst thou O blessed Saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of the Church and shall not I much more be enamoured with thy absolute and divine Beauty It pleased thee my Lord out of thy sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love to say to thy poor Church Turn away thine Eyes from me for they have overcome me but Oh let me say to thee Turn thine eyes to me that they may overcome me my Lord Cant. 6.5 I would be thus ravished I would be overcome I would be thus out of my self that I might be all in thee Thus is the Language of true love to Christ but alas how dully and flatly do I speak
took him and commanded him to be bound with two Chains And that this might be their dealing with Christ Judas by his counsel seems to speak hold him fast take him and lead him away safely q. d. make him sure that he escape not out of your hands he hath deceived you often and therefore Chain him with an Iron Chain that will be sure to hold I cannot pass this without some word to our selves Vse Christ undergoes this restraint that all sorts of persecution might be sanctified to us by his susception Again Christ was faster bound with his cords of Love than with Iron fetters his love was strong as death it overcame him who is invincible and bound him who is omnipotent the Jews cords were but the Symboles and Figures but the dear love the tender bowels of Jesus Christ were the Morals and things signified Again Christ was bound that we might be free the Cords of Christ were so full of virtue that they loosed the Chains of our sins and tied the hands of Gods Justice which were stretched out against us for our sins Again he was bound for us that so he might bind us to himself I drew them with cords of a man with bands of Love Hos 11.4 A strange thing it was to see the King bound for the Thieves offence but such was Christ's Love that he might draw sinful mankind to the Love of him again Lastly one good Lesson we may learn from wicked Judas take him and lead him away safely hold him fast Come Christians here 's good counsel from a Judas like another Caiaphas he Prophesies he knows not what take him and lead him away and hold him fast It is of necessity that those which spiritually seek after Christ should take him by Faith and hold him fast by Love I will rise now saith the Spouse I will seek him whom my soul loveth and anon I found him whom my soul loveth I held him Cant. 3.2 4. and would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers House into the Chambers of her that conceived me We must arise out of the bed of sin we must seek Christ in the use of Ordinances and there if we find him we must take him lay hold on him by the hands of Faith and not let him go but lead him safely until we have brought him into our Mothers House into the Assemblies of his people or if you will until we have brought him into our souls where he may sup with us and we with him 4. For his leading to Annas John John 18.13 records it that they led him to Annas first for he was Father-in-law to Caiaphas who was the high Priest that same year 1. They led him away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it refers to the place whence they led him the Garden was the terminus a quo there they apprehended him and bound him and thence they led him away but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is something more than meerly abduco sometimes it signifies abigo to drive away whether by force or fraud somtimes rapio ad suplicium ad judicandum to snatch away either to punishment or to judgment It is said †Ecce trahebatur passis Prionidia virgo crinibus Virg. Aen. 1. they drew him away by the hairs of the head and that they led him in uncouth wayes and through the Brook Cedron in which the ruder Souldiers plunged him and passed upon him all the affronts and rudeness which an insolent and cruel multitude could think of So that now again was the fulfilling of the Prophesie He shall drink of the Brook in the way Psal 110.7 I dare not deliver these things as certain truths only this I affirm that they led him snatcht him haled him from the Garden back again to Jerusalem over the Brook and Valley called Cedron 2. They led him first to Annas why thither is a question the cognizance of the cause belonged not properly to Annas but to Caiaphas all that can be said for Annas is that he was chief of the Sanhedrim and Father-in-law to Caiaphas and to the High Priest the next year following Oh when I think of Jesus thus led away to Annas first when I think of him partly going and partly haled forwards and forced to hasten his Grave-pace Vse when I think of him thrown into or plunged in the Waters of the Brook and so forced to drink of the Brook Cedron in the way when I think of him presented by a deal of Souldiers and rude Catch-poles to this mercenary Annas and withal think that I had an hand as deep as any other in these acts my heart must either break or I must proclaim it an heart of flint and not of flesh Come Christians let us lay our hands upon our hearts and cry Oh my Pride and Oh my Covetousness and Oh my Malice and Revenge Oh my Vnbelief and Oh my Vnthankfulness and Oh my Vncharitableness to the needy members of Christ Jesus why these were the rout these were they that led and dragg'd and drew Jesus as it were by the hair of his head these were they that took hold of the chain and pulled him forwards and shewed him in triumph to this bloody Annas nay these were the Judas Jews Annas and all Oh that ever I should lodge within me such an heart that should lodge in it such sins such betrayers such murderers of Jesus Christ But I must remember my self Watchman what of the night Watchman Isa 21.11 12. Mat. 14.25 Exod. 14.24 Psal 130.6 what of the night if ye will enquire enquire return come We may now suppose it about the third hour or the last watch in the Gospel it is called the fourth watch of the night elsewhere it is called the morning-watch which continueth till the morning And of the Acts done in this interval of time we are next to treat SECT VII Of Christ's Examination and Condemnation with their Appendices NOw it was that they led him from Annas to Caiphas and presently a Council is called of the High Priests Scribes and Elders these were the greatest gravest learned'st wisest men amongst them and they all conspire to judge him who is the great Judge both of quick and dead In their proceedings we may observe 1. The captious examination of the High Priest 2. The sacrilegious smiting of one of the Servants 3. The impious accusations of the Witnesses 4. The Sentence of the Judges 5. The perfidious denial of perjured Peter 6. The shameful delusion and abuses of the base Attendants 1. For the captious examination of the High Priest The High Priest then asked Jesus of his Disciples John 18.19 and of his Doctrine 1. Of his Disciples what the Questions were it is not expressed but probably they might be such as these How many Disciples he had and where they were and what was become of them why he should take upon him to be better guarded than others
of the paradise of delights who hath thus troubled thee it is my sins O Lord that have so troubled thee my sins were the Thorns that pricked thee the lashes that whipped thee the purple that cloathed thee it is I Lord that am thy tormentor and the very cause of these thy pains 8. Consider Pilate's sentence that Jesus should be Crucified as the Jews required Now they had him in their will and they did to him what seemed them good Follow him from Gabbatha to Golgotha see how they lay the heavy Cross upon his tender shoulders that were so pitifully rent and torn with whips accompany him all the way to the Execution and help to carry his Cross to Mount Calvary And there as if thou hadst been frozen hitherto thaw into tears see him lifted up on that engine of torture the bloody Cross he hangs on nails and as he hangs his own weight becomes his own affliction O see how his arms and legs were racked with voilent pulls his hands and feet boared with nails his whole body torn with stripes and gored with blood And now O my soul run with all thy might into his arms held out at their full length to receive thee Oh weigh the matter because sin entred by the senses therefore the head in which the senses flourish is crowned with searching thorns because the hands and feet are more especially the instruments of sin therefore his hands and feet are nailed to the Cross for satisfaction O marvellous what King is he or of what Countrey that wears a Crown of Thorns what man is he or where lives he whose hands and feet are not only bored but digged into as if they had been digging with Spades in a ditch surely here 's matter for a serious meditation be enlarged O my thoughts and dwell upon it consider it and consider it again 9. Consider the darkness that spread over all the Earth now was the Sun ashamed to shew his brightness considering that the Father of lights was darkned with such disgrace the Heavens discoloured their beauty and are in mourning robes the Lamp of Heaven is immantled with a miraculous Eclipse the Sun in the firmament will simpathize with the Sun of Righteousness it will not appear in glory though it be mid-day because the Lord of Glory is thus disgraced And now hear the voice that comes from the Son of God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ in the Garden tasted the bitter cup of God's fierce wrath but now he drunk the dregs of it he then sipped off the top but now he drunk all off top and bottom and all O but what 's the meaning of this My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Surely 1. This was not a total but a partial dereliction this was not a perpetual but a temporary forsaking of him the Godhead was not took away from the manhood but the union remained still even now when the Manhood was forsaken 2. This was not a forsaking on Christ's part but only on the Father's part the Father forsook Christ but Christ went after him God took away the sense of his love but the Son of God laid hold upon him crying and saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 3. This forsaking was not in respect of his being but in respect of the feeling of God's favour love and mercy certainly God loved him still Oh but his sense of comfort was now quite gone so as it never was before In his agony there was some inklings of God's mercy now and then at least there was some star-light some little flash of lightning to cheer him up but now all the sense and feeling of God's love was gone and not so much as any little star-light of the same appeared Christ now took the place of sinners and God the Father shut him out as it were amongst the sinners he drew his mercy out of sight and out of hearing and therefore he cryed out in a kind of wonderment My God my God why hast thou forsaken me After this he speaks but a few words more and he gives up the Ghost He dyes that we might live he is dissolved in himself that we might be united to his Father O my soul see him now if thou canst for weeping his eyes are dim his cheeks are wan his face is pale his head is bowing his heart is panting himself is dying come come and dye with him by a most exact mortification look pale like him with grief and sorrow and trouble for thy sins 10. Consider the piercing of his side with a spear whence came out a stream of blood and water O Fountain of everlasting waters methinks I see the blood running out of his side more freshly than those golden streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and watered the whole World Consider the taking of his body down by Joseph the burying of it by Joseph and Nicodemus O here 's excellent matter for our meditation O my spirit go with me a little Christ being dead it is pitty but he should have a funeral according to the letter let Joseph and Nicodemus bear his corps let the blessed Virgin go after it sighing and weeping and at every other place looking up to Heaven let Mary Magdalen follow after with a box of precious Ointment in her hand and with her hair hanging ready if need were to wipe his feet again or that in this meditation I may be more spiritual let the Usurer come first with Judas's bag and distribute to the poor as he goes along let the Drunkard follow after with the spunge that was filled with gall and vinegar and check his wanton thirst let the young Gallant or voluptuous man come like his Master with bare foot and with the cown of thorns set also upon his head let the wanton person bear the rods and whips and wiers wherewith Christ was scourged and fright his own flesh let the ambitious man be cladin the purple robe the angry Person in the seamless coat my meaning is let every sinner according to the nature of his sin draw something or other from the passion of Christ to the mortifying of his sin yea let all turn mourners let all bow their heads and be ready to give up the Ghost for the Name of Christ and let not Christ be buried without a Sermon neither and let the Text be this John 10.11 The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep and in the end of the Sermon whether it be in use or no let the Preacher take occasion to speak a word or two in the praise of Christ let him say with the Spouse that he was the chiefest among ten thousands that he was altogether lovely Cant. 5.10 16. that being God above all Gods he became man beneath all men that when he spake he began ordinarily with verily verily I say unto you that he was an holy man that he never sinned in all his
making Christ 's death of none effect O come and with joy draw water out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 5. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the very thoughts of hell seem to astonish my heart methinks I see a little peep-hole down into hell and the devil roaring there being reserved in chains under darkness untill the judgment of the great day and methinks I see the damned flaming and Judas and all the wicked in the world and they of Sodom and Gomorrah there lying and roaing and gnashing their teeth now I have sinned and why should not I be damned Oh why should not the wrath of God be executed on me yea even upon me I answer the death of Christ acquits thee of all Rom. 20.6 Blessed is he that hath a part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Christ's death hath took away the pains of the second death yea pains and power too for it shall never oppress such as belong to Christ If Hell and Devils could speak a word of truth they would say Comfort your selves ye believing souls we have no power over you for the Lord Jesus hath conquered us and we have quite lost the cause Paul was very confident of this and therefore he throws down the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute with all commers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed let sin and the law and justice and death and hell yea and all the Devils in Hell unite their forces this one argument of Christ's death it is Christ that dyed will be enough to confute and confound them all Come then and comfort your selves all believers in this death of Christ what do you believe and are you confident that you do believe why then do you sit drooping What manner of communications are these that you have as ye walk and are sad Luke 24.17 Away away dumpishness despair disquietness of spirit Christ is dead that you might live and be blessed in this respect every thing speaks comfort if you could but see it God and men heaven and earth Angels and devils the very justice of God it self is now your friend and bids you go away comforted for it is satisfied to the full Heaven it self waits on you and keeps the dores open that your souls may enter We have boldness saith the Apostle to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Christ's death hath set open all the golden gates and dores of glory and therefore go away chearily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discouraged or discomforted if you can O my soul I see thou art pouring on sin on thy crimson sins and scarlet sins but I would have thee dwell on that crimson scarlet blood of Christ Oh it is the blood of sprinkling it speaks better things than the blood of Abel it cryes for mercy and pardon and refreshing and salvation thy sins cry Lord do me justice against such a soul but the blood of Christ hath another cry I am abased and humbled and I have answered all Methinks this should make thy heart leap for joy Oh the honey the sweet that we may suck out of this blood of Christ come lay to thy mouth and drink an hearty draught it is this spiritual wine that makes merry the heart of man and it is the voice of Christ to all his guests Eat O friends Cant. 5.1 drink yea drink abundantly O beloved SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus 1. We must pray that all these Transactions of Christ in his sufferings and death may be ours if we direct our prayers immediately to Jesus Christ let us tell him what anguish and pains he hath suffered for our sakes and let us complain against our selves Oh what shall we do who by our sins have so tormented our dearest Lord what contrition can be great enough what tears sufficiently expressive what hatred and detestation equal and commensurate to those sad and heavy sufferings of our Jesus And then let us pray that he would pity us and forgive us those sins wherewith we crucified him that he would bestow on us the vertue of his sufferings and death that his wounds might heal us his death might quicken us and his blood might cleanse us from all our spiritual filth of sin and lastly that he would assure us that his death is ours that he would perswade us That neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38 39. nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. We must praise the Lord for all these sufferings of Christ Hath he indeed suffered all these punishments for us Oh then what shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits upon us what shall we do for him who hath done and suffered all these things but especially if we believe our part in the death of Christ in all the vertues benefits victories purchases and priviledges of his precious death oh then what manifold cause of thankfulness and praise is here be enlarged O my soul sound forth the praises of thy Christ tell all the world of that warmest love of Christ which flowed with his blood out of all his wounds into thy spirit tune thy heart-strings aright and keep consort with all the Angels of Heaven and all his Saints on earth sing that Psalm of John the Divine Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his sufferings and death looking unto Jesus is effective of this objects have an attractive power that do assimulate or make like unto them I have read of a woman that by fixing the strength of her imagination upon a Blackamore on the wall she brought forth a black and swarthy child And no question but there is a kind of spiritual-imaginative of power in faith to be like to Christ by looking on Christ come then and let us look on Christ and conform to Christ in this respect In this particular I shall examine these Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. What is the cause of this conformity 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts For the first wherein we must conform I answer we must conform to Christ
in his graces sufferings death 1. In the graces that most eminently shined in his bitter passion his life indeed was a gracious life John 1.16 he was full of grace And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace but his graces shined most clearly and brightly at his death as a Lilly amongst the Thorns seems most beautiful so his graces in his sufferings shew most excellent I shall instance in some of them As 1. His humility was profound what that the most high God that the only begotten and eternal Son of God should vouchsafe so far as to be contemned and less esteemed than Barabbas a murtherer that Christ should be crucified upon a cross betwixt two thieves as if he had been the ring-leader of all malefactors O what humility was this 2. His patience was wonderful in respect of this the Apostle Peter sets Christ as a blessed example before our eyes If when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently 1 Pet. 2.20 21 23. this is acceptable with God for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps Who when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously O the patience of Christ 1 John 4.10 3. His love was fervent Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins This love is an examplar of all love it is the fire that should kindle all our sparks Be ye followers of God saith the Apostle as dear children Eph. 5.1 2. and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Some observe that in the Temple there were two Altars the brazen and the golden the brazen Altar was for bloody Sacrifices the golden Altar was for the offering of Incense now the former was a type of Christ's bloody offering upon the cross the latter of Christ's sweet intercession for us in his glory in regard of both the Apostle tells that Christ gave himself both for an offering and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God O what love was this 4. His mercy was abundant he took upon him all the miseries and debts of the world and he made satisfaction for them all he acted our redemption immediately in his own person he would not intrust it to Angels but he would come himself and suffer nor would he give a low and base price for our souls he saw the misery was great and his mercy should be more great he would buy us with so great a ransome as that he might over-buy us and none might out-bid him in the market of our souls O we under-bid and under-value the mercy of God who over-valued us we will not sell all to buy him but he sold all he had and himself too to buy us indeed if he had not done it we had been damned and to save our souls he cared not what he did or suffered O the mercy of Christ 5. His meekness was passing great in all the process of his passion he shewed not the least passion of wrath or anger he suffered himself gently and quietly to be carried like a sheep to the Butchery and as a Lamb before shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth a Lamb is a most meek and innocent creature John 1.29 and therefore is Christ called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world And he was a brought as a Lamb to the slaughter why a Lamb goes as quietly to the shambles Isa 53.7 as if it were going to the fold or to the pasture-field where its Dam seedeth and so went Christ to his Cross O the meekness of Christ 6. His contempt of the world was to admiration he tells them John 18.36 John 6.15 his Kingdom was not of this world When a Crown was offered him and forced upon him he refused it but above all behold the Bed where the Bridegroom lieth and sleepeth at noon-day here 's but an hard flock and narrow room O blessed head of a dear Redeemer how is it that thou hast not a pillow where to rest thy self He hangs on the Cross all naked few Kings do so he hath no Crown for his head but one of thorns he hath no delicates but Gall and Vinegar he is leaving the world and he hath no other Legacies to give his friends but spiritual things Peace I leave with you John 14.27 my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you He had so contemned the world that he had not a Legacy in all the world to give Not as the world giveth give I unto you 7. His obedience was constant He became obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 John 5.30 even the death of the Cross He sought not his own will but the will of him that sent him There was a command that the Father laid on Christ from all eternity O my Son my only begotten Son thou must go down and leave Heaven and empty thy self and die the death even the death of the Cross and go and bring up the fallen sons of Adam out of Hell Mankind like a precious Ring Glory fell off the Finger of Almighty God and was broken all in pieces and thereupon was the command of God that his Son must stoop down though it pain his back he must lift up again the broken Jewel he must restore it and mend it and set it as a Seal on the heart of God all which the Lord Jesus did in time he was obedient till death and obedient to death even to the death of the Cross Son thou must die said God why Father I will do it said Christ and accordingly he freely made his Soul an Offering for sin Now in all these Graces we must conform to Christ Learn of me Mat. 11.29 Eph. 5.2 for I am meek and lowly And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us It is as if Christ had said mark the steps where I have trode and follow me in humility in patience in love in mercy in meekness in contempt of the world in obedience unto death in these and the like Graces you must conform unto Christ 2. We must conform to Christ in his sufferings if he call us to them Phil. 3.10 this was the Apostle's Prayer that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings it was his desire that he might experimentally know what exceeding joy and comfort it was to suffer for Christ and with Christ Concerning this the other Apostle speaks also Christ suffered for us 1 Pet. 2.21 leaving us an example that we should follow his steps But the Text that seems so pertinent and yet so difficult
hangs over thy head like Democles s sword and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Ahab for a time acts the part of a penitent but no thanks to Ahab for the Prophet had rung him such a peal for his fin as made both his ears tingle 1 King 21.19 In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood even thine or it may be there is in thee a fear of Hell in thy apprehension death is come and is ready to carry thee before the dreadful Tribunal of a terrible God and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Sea-men in a stress part with their goods not because they are out of love with them but because they love their lives better they see plainly that either they must part with them or perish with them Now in these cases thy leaving off sin bears no similitude with the death of Christ for his death was voluntary and true mortification is a voluntary action But may there not be some reluctancy in this work betwixt the flesh and the Spirit Quest and if so is it then voluntary I answer Yes such a reluctancy we find in the humane nature of Christ concerning the Cup Answ Mat. 26.39 that it might pass from him and yet his death was a true voluntary death An action is said to be voluntary or involuntary according to the superior faculties of the Soul and not according to the inferior if the reasonable part be consenting the action may be called voluntary though there be some reluctancy in the sensitive appetite Thus in the Christian in whom there is nature and grace flesh and spirit an unregenerate and a regenerate part if the superior and better part be willing I mean advisedly and deliberately willing with full consent of the inward man though perhaps there may be some reluctancy in the flesh in the unregenerate part yet this is said to be a true voluntary act So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Paul was dead to sin according to the inward man the regenerate part though he found a reluctancy in his outwards members and therefore his death to sin carried with it the resemblance of the death of Christ it was a voluntary death 2. Christ's death was a violent death he died not naturally but violently 1 Pet. 3.18 Isa 53.7 he was put to death in the flesh he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter So is our mortification it is voluntary in respect of us but violent in respect of sin and herein is the life as I may say of this death Oh when a man layes violent hands on his sins when he cuts them off being yet in their flower and strength and power and vigor when he pulls up those weeds before they whither in themselves this is true mortification many have left their sins who never mortified them so the aged Adulterer hath left his Lust because his body is dead and hence it is that late repentance in an aged sinner is seldom found true alas he dies not to sin but his sin dies to him I will not say but God may call at the eleventh hour though it be very seldom but in that case you had need to be jealous over your selves with a godly jealousie what do you find some sins within you to be dead that were sometimes alive O be inquisitive impannel a Jury call a Coroners Inquest upon your own souls enquire how they came by their deaths whether they died a violent or natural death search what wounds they have received and whether they were deadly wounds yea or no enquire what weapon it was that slew them whether the Sword of the Spirit that two-edged Sword the Word of God what purposes what resolutions have been taken up and levelled against them what prayers and tears have been spent upon them If you find not these signs you may gâ—â—e in your Verdict that they died not a violent but a natural death And here 's a good Caveat for others Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccles 12.1 while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Oh take heed of reprieving your Lusts let them not live till to morrow now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God arraign condemn crucifie mortifie them whiles they might yet live Surely this is true mortification when the body of sin dieth as Christ died a violent death 3. Christ's Death was a lingring death he hung divers hours upon the Cross From the first hour to the ninth hour saith Matthew i.e. from our twelve to three before he gave up the Ghost So is our mortification a lingring death sin is not put to death all at once but languisheth by little and little this is looked upon as one main difference betwixt justification and sanctification the former is a perfect work admitting of no degrees but so is not the lattâ—r though a Believer is freed perfectly from the guilt of sin yet not so from the power of it sin dwelleth in us though it hath not altogether a dominion over us Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me like a rebellious Tenant it keeps possession in despight of the owner till the house be pulled down over his head True indeed the body of sin in a regenerate soul hath received its death-wound and in that respect it may be said to be dead but it is not quite dead still it stirreth and moveth dying but by degrees What the Apostle saith of the renewing of the new man we may say of the destroying of the old man the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 â—nd the old man is destroyed dâ—y by day or as Paul said of himself in respect of his afflictions we may say of a Christian in respect of his sins I die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 there is not the most sanctified soul upon earth but has some remainders of corruption left in it which God in his wise providence permits for the trying exercising and humbling of our souls and for the making his own rich Graces in renewing and multiplying pardons so much the more glorious Gen. 25.22 And here is a ground of consolation to a drooping and dejected soul such an one cries out alas I feel the stirring and vigorous actings of sin and I am afraid my sin is not mortified as Rebekah said when she felt the Children strugling within her if it bâ— so why am I thus so if sin be mortified saith the soul why am I thus trembling soul let not this discourage Jesus Christ was not dead so soon as he was fastned to the
grace and mercy in Jesus Christ but he refuseth the offers he hears of the precious promises of God in Christ but he casts by all promises as things that are generally spoken and applyed by man but when the Lord comes in he speaks particularly to his very heart he meets with all his objections that he thinks this is the Lord and this is to me Thus Mary before heard the voice of an Angel and the voice of Christ woman why weepest thou it was a general voice no better title was then afforded but woman thou weepest like a woman O woman and too much a woman why weepest thou but now Christ comes nearer and he singles her out by her very name Mary Oh this voice came home he shewed now that he was no stranger to her he knew her by name as somtimes God spake to Moses thou hast found Grace in my sight I know thee by name so Christ speaks to Mary thou hast found grace in my sight I know thee by name Exod. 33..17 Why how should this voice be ineffectual Oh now it works now she knows Christ which before she did not and indeed this is the right way to know Christ to be first known of Christ But now saith the Apostle after that ye have known God and then he corrects himself Gal. 4.9 or rather are known of God for till he know us we shall never know him aright Now her dead spirits are raiâ—ed which before were benummed and no marvel that wi h a word he revive her spirits who with a word made the Wâ—rld and even in this very word shewed an omnipotent power The Gardiner had â—one his part â—aith one to making her all gâ—â—en on a sudden But even now her body seemed the hearse of her dead heart and her heart the coffin of her dead soul and see how quickly all is turned out and in a new world now Christ's resurrection is Mary Magâ—alens resurrection too on a sudden shâ— revives raised as it were from a dead and drooping to a lively and cheerful state â— She laid uâ—to him Rabboni which is to say Master As she was ravished with his voice so impatient of delay she takes his talk out of his mouth and to his first and only word she answered but one other Rabboni which is to say Master A wonder that in this verse but two words should pass betwixt them two but some give this reason that a sudden joy rouzing all her passions she could neither proceed in her own nor give him leave to go forward in his speech Love would have spoken but fear enforâ—ed silâ—â—ce hope framed words but doubt melts them in the passage her inward conceiâ—s served them to come out but then her voice trembled her tongue faultered her breath â—â—iled why such is the estate of them that are sick with a surfeit of sudden joyâ— her joy was so sudden that not a word more could be spoken but Rabboni which is to say Master Sudden joyes are not without some doubts or tremblings when Jacob heard that his son Joseph was alive Gen â—â— 26. Psâ—l 1.26.1 Acts 12.9 his heart fainted he was even astonished at so good a news when God restored the Jews out of captivity they could think of it no otherwise then as a dream when Peter was by an Angel delivered out of prison he took it only for a vision or apparition and not for truth when Christ manifested his resurrection to his Disciples Luke 24.41 it is said that for very joy they believed not their fears as it were kept back and questioned the truth of their joyes As in the Sea when a storm is over there remains still an inward working and volutation even so in the mind of man when its fears are blown over and there is a calm upon it there is still a motus trepidationis a motion of trembling or a kind of solicitous jealousie o what it enjoyes And this might be Mary Magdalens case though she suddenly answered Christ upon the first notice of his voice yet because the novelty was so strange his Person so changed his presence so unexpected and so many miracles were laid at once before her amazed eyes she found as it were a sedition in her thoughts her hope presumed best but her fear suspected it to be too good to be true and while these enterchange objections and answers she views him better but for the present cannot speak a word more save this Rabbony which is to say Master 5. For the consequents after this apparition Jesus saith unto her touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father John 20.17 but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God In these words we may observe a prohibition and a command the prohibition touch me not the command but go to my brethren and say unto them c. 1. Touch me not It seems Mary was now fallen at his sacred feet she was now ready to kiss with her lips his sometimes grievous but now most glorious wounds Such is the nature of love that it covets not only to be united but if it were possible to be transformed out of it self into the thing it loveth Mary is not satisfied to see her Lord nor is she satisfied to hear her Lord but she must touch him embrace his feet and kiss them with a thousand kisses Oh how she hangs and clings about his feet or at least how she offers to make towards him and to fall upon him but on a sudden he checks her forwardness touch me not What a mystery is this Mary a sinner touched him and she being now a Saint may she not do so much she was once admitted to anoint â—is head and is she now unworthy to touch his feet what meant Christ to debar her of so desired a duty she had the fiâ—st sight of Christ and heard the first words of Christ after his resurrection and must she not have the priviledg of his first embracing there is something of wonder in these words and it puts many to a stand and many an interpretation is given to take off the wonder I shall tell you of some of them though for my pâ—rt I shall cleave only to the last 1. Some think that Mary not only essayed to kiss his feet but to desire the fulfilling of the promise of the Spirit of Christ this promise Christ made to his Disciples at his last supper John 6.7 I will send you the Comforter and she expected it to be now performed after his resurrection to which Christ answered Quia nondum sanctum spiritum miserat ideo a tactu suo Mariam prohibebat dicens nondum ascendi in calem unde ipse per me spiritum sanctum ad vos mittet Cyril l. 12. in Joha c. 50. that he would not then give the Spirit unto her for that as yet he was
Tiberias First Christ appears and works a Miracle he discovers himself to be Lord of Sea as well as Land at his word multitudes of Fishes come to the Net and are caught by his Apostles nor is this Miracle without a Mystery Mat. 13.47 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a drawn net cast into the sea which when it is full men draw to land what is this divine trade of ours but a spiritual fishing the world is a sea souls like fishes swim at liberty in this deep and the nets of wholesome doctrine are they that draw up some to the shore of grace and glory 2. Upon this Miracle The Disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter it is the Lord. John is more quick-eyed than all the rest he considers the Miracle and him that wrought it and presently he concludes It is the Lord O my soul meditate on the mystery of this discovery if ever soul be converted and brought home to Christ it is the Lord but oh whither is Christ gone that we have lost so long his converting presence Oh for one Apparition of Jesus Christ till then we may preach our hearts out and never the nearer do what we can souls will to hell except the Lord break their career Ministers can do no more but tell thus and thus men may be saved and thus and thus men will be damned He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life John 3.36 and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but when they have said all they can it is only God must give the blessing Oh what is preaching without Christ's presence One hearing what mighty feats Scanderbag's Sword had done he sent for it and when he saw it Is this the Sword said he that hath done such great exploits what 's this sword more than any other sword O sayes Scanderbag I sent thee my Sword but not my arm that did handle it so Ministers may use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God but if the Spirits arm be not with it they may brandish it every Sabbath to little purpose when all is done if ever any good be done it is the Lord. No sooner John observes the Miracle that a multitude of fishes were caught and taken but he tells Peter of a blessed discovery it is the Lord 3. Upon this discovery Peters throws himself into the Sea O the fervent love he carries towards Christ if he but hear of his Lord he will run through fire and water to come unto him so true is that of the Spouse Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8.7 if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned If I love Christ I cannot but long for communion and fellowship with Christ Vbicunque fueris O domine Jesu c. Aug. Wheresoever thou art O blessed Saviour give me no more happiness than to be with thee if on the earth I would travel day and night to come unto thee if on the Sea with Peter I would swim unto thee if riding in triumph I would sing Hosanna to thee but if in glory how happy should I be to look upon thee Christ's Apparitions are ravishing sights if he but stand on the shore Peter throws himself over-board to come to Christ why now he stands on the pinacles of heaven wasting and beckoning with his hand and calling on me in his Word Rise up my love my fair one and come away O my soul make haste Cant. 2.10 in every duty look out for another Apparition of Jesus Christ when thou comest to hear say Have over Lord by this Sermon and when thou comest to pray say Have over Lord by this Prayer to a Saviour neither fire nor water floods nor storms death nor life principalities nor powers height nor depth nor any other creature should hinder thy passage to Christ or separate thy soul from Christ Consider what I say 2 Tim. 2.7 8. saith Paul and the Lord give thee understanding in all things remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel that Christ was raised is a Gospel-truth ay but do thou remember it do thou consider it and the Lord give thee understanding in all things SECT III. Of desiring Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection What desire is we have opened before some call it the wing of the soul whereby it moveth and is carried to the thing it expecteth to feed it self upon it and to be satisfied with it But what is there in Christ's resurrection that should move our souls to desire after it I answer 1. Something in it self 2. Something as in reference unto us 1. There is something in it self had we but a view of the glory dignity excellency of Christ as raised from the dead it would put us on this heavenly motion we should fly as the Eagle that hasteth to eat The object of desire is good Heb. 1.8 but the more excellent and glorious any good is the more earnest and eager should our desires be now Christ as raised from the dead is an excellent object the resurrection of Christ is the glorifying of Christ yea his glorifying took its beginning at his blessed resurrection now it was that God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name Phil. 2.9 c. and in this respect how desirable is he 2. There is something in reference unto us As 1. Rom. 4.25 He râ—se again for our justification I must needs grant that Christ's death and not his resurrection is the meritorious cause of our justification but on the other side Christ's resurrection and not his death is for the applying of our justification as the stamp adds no vertue nor matter of real value to a piece of gold but only it makes that value which before it had actually appliable and currant unto us so the resurrection of Christ was no part of the price or satisfaction which Christ made to God yet is it that which applies all his merits and makes them of force unto his Members Some I know would go further Lucius a learned Writer saith that Justification is therefore attributed to Christ's resurrection because it was the compleat and ultimate act of Christ's active obedience and from hence inferreth that remission of sin is attributed to his passive obedience and justification or imputation of righteousness to his active obedience Goodwin no way inferiour to him Rom. 8.34 faith that justification is put upon Christ's resurrection with a rather who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again not but that the matter of our justification is only the obedience and death of Christ but the form of our justification or the act of pronouncing us righteous by that his
desirest no more good name repute or honour than Christ will afford thee or in case of death dost thou like Stephen resign up thy soul to Christ dost thou see death conquered in the resurrection of Christ dost thou look beyond death dost thou over-eye all things betwixt thee and glory O the sweet of this life of faith on the Son of God! if thou knowest what this means then mayst thou assure thy self of thy vivification 3. True vivification is a new life acting upon a new principle of hope of glory Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 4. which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you By Christs resurrection we have a lively hope for our resurrection unto glory is not Christ our head and if he be risen to glory John 18.22 shall not his members follow after him certainly there is but one life one Spirit one glory of Christ and his members The glory which thou gavest me I have given unto them said Christ The soul that is vivified hath a lively hope of glory on several grounds As 1. Because of the promises of glory set down in the word now on these promises hope fastens her anchor if Christ hath promised how should I but maintain lively hope 2. Because of the first-fruits of the Spirit there are sometimes fore tasts of the glory drops of heaven poured into a soul whence it comfortably concludes if I have the earnest and first-fruits surely in his time Jesus Christ will give the harvest 3. Because of Christs resurrection unto glory now he rose as a common Person and he went up into heaven as a common Person whence hope is lively saying why should I doubt or despair seeing I am quickened together with Christ Eph. 2.5 6. and raised up together with Christ and am made to sit together with Christ in heavenly places Try O my soul by this sign Art thou lively in the hope of glory doth thy heart leap and rejoyce within at a thought of thy inheritance in heaven in a lively fountain the waters thereof will leap and sparkle so if thy hope be lively thou wilt have living joys living speeches living delights amidst all thy afflictions thou wilt say these will not endure for ever I my self shall away ere long Glory will come at last O the sweet of this life of hope if thou feelest these stirrings it is an argument of thy vivification 4. True vivification acts all its dutyes upon a new principle of love to Christ men not enlivened by Jesus Christ may do much and go far in outward service yea they may come to sufferings and yet without love to Christ all is lost all comes to nothing 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with tongues of men and Angels though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledg though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor Ver. 2.3 and though I give my body to be burnt and have not love it profiteth me nothing All the rest may be from the flesh and for the flesh and fleshly ends but a true gospel-Gospel-love is from Christ and tends to the Glory of Christ For Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 1 John 4.7 But how may we know that all our actings are out of love to Jesus Christ I answer 1. If we act by the rule of Christ If ye love me keep my commandements He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them 1 John 14.15 21.23 24. he it is that loveth me If any man love me he will keep my commandements He that loves Christ he will look upon every act every service every performance whether it be according to the rule of Christ and then on he goes with it 2. If we act to the honour of Christ We may pray and hear and preach and act self more then the honour of Jesus Christ whiles Christ shewed miracles and fed his followers to the full they cryed up Jesus and none like Jesus but when Christ was plain with them ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves John 6.26 Ver. 66. and were filled when he pressed sincerity upon them and preparation for sufferings from that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him It s no news for men to fall off when their ends fail only they that love Christ look not at these outward things in respect of the honour of Jesus Christ and hence it is that in all their actings they will carry on the design of the Father in advancing the honour of the Son whatever it cost them O my soul apply this to thy self if thou livest the life of love if in all thy actings duties services thou art carried on with a principle of love to Jesus Christ it is a sure sign of thy vivification For the second question whether we increase and grow in our vivification we may discover it thus 1. We grow when we are led on to the exercise of new Graces this the Apostle calls adding of one Grace unto another 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience Godliness and to Godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity At first a Christian doth not exercise all Graces though habitually all Graces may be planted in him yet the exercise of them is not all at once but by degrees Thus the Church tells Christ at our Gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee O my beloved Cant. 7.13 she had all manner of fruits which she had reserved for Christ new and old she had young converts and more seetled professors or she had new and old Graces as others she added Grace to Grace she was led on from the exercise of one Grace unto another new Grace As wicked men are led on from one sin to another and so grow worse and worse so godly men are led from one Grace to another Rom. 5.3 4. and so they increase knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope 2. We grow when we find new degrees of the same Grace added as when love grows more fervent when knowledg abounds and hath a larger apprehension of spiritual things when faith goes on from mans casting himself on Christ to find sweetness in Christ and so to plerophory or full assurance of faith when Godly sorrow proceeds from mourning for sin as contrary to Gods holiness to mourn for it is as contrary to him who loves us which usually follows after assurance when obedience enlargeth its bounds Rev.
have preached his resurrection oh no he himself would stay in person he himself would make it out by many infallible proofs that he was risen again he himself would by his own example learn us a lesson of love of meekness of patience in waiting after sufferings for the reward Methinks a few of these passages should set all our hearts on a flame of love we love earth and earthly things we dig into the veins of the earth for thick clay but if Christ be risen set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Oh if the love of Christ were but in us Colos 3.1 2 as the love of the world is in base worldlings it would make us wholly to despise this world it would make us to forget it as worldly love makes a man to forget his God Nay it would be so strong and ardent and rooted in our souls that we should not be able voluntary and freely to think on any thing else but Jesus Christ we should not then fear contempt or care for disgrace or the reproaches of men we should not then fear death 1 Cor. 15.55 57. or the grave or hell or devils but we should sing in triumph O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory now thanks be to God which giveth us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection This is the great Gospel-duty we should rejoyce in the Lord and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 yea rejoyce evermore A Christian estate should be a joyful and comfortable estate none have such cause of joy as the Children of Zion sing O daughter of Zion 1 Thes 5.16 shout O Jerusalem be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem Zach. 3.14 And why so a thousand reasons might be rendred but here is one a prime one Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that sleep A commemoration of Christ's resurrection hath ever been a means of rejoycing in God 1 Cor. 15.20 Some may object what is Christ's resurrection to me indeed if thou hast no part in Christ the resurrection of Christ is nothing at all to thee but if Christ be thine then art thou risen with him and in him then all he did was in thy name and for thy sake Others may object supposing Christ's resurrection mine what am I better how do not all the priviledges of Christ flow from the power and vertue of his resurrection as well as death tell me what is thy state what possibly can be the condition of thy soul wherein thou mayst not draw sweet from Christ's resurrection As 1 Pet. 3.21 1. Is thy conscience in trouble for sin the Apostle tells thee the answer of a good conscience towards God is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Rom. 4.25 2. Art thou afraid of condemnation the Apostle tells thee he was delivered for our offences and he was raised again for our justification 1 Pet. 1.3 3. Dost thou question thy regeneration the Apostle tells thee he hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4. Art thou distressed persecuted troubled on every side the Apostle tells thee wherein now consists thy confidence comfort courage to wit in the life of Christ in the resurrection of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. We alwayes bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our body for we which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh And thus Beza interprets those following words knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus 14. i.e. unto a civil resurrection from our troubles Paul was imprisoned and in part martyred but by the vertue of Christ's resurrection he foresaw his enlargement And this interpretation Beza grounds on the word following and foregoing wherein Paul compares his persecutions to a death and his preservation from them to a life as he had done before also chap. 1. v. 9 10. 5. Art thou afraid of falling off or of falling away why remember that the immutable force and perpetuity of the new covenant is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Isa 55.3 I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David this the Apostle applies to the resurrection of Christ as the bottoming of that sure covenant and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Act. 13.34 6. Art thou afraid of death hell and the power of the grave why now remember that Christ is risen from the dead and by his resurrection death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. so that now thou mayst sing O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory now thanks be to God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ It is the voyce of Christ thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Isa 26.19 awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead David was so lifted up with this resurrection Psal 16.9 10. that he crys it out therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Job 19.23 24 25 26 27. But especially Job was so exceedingly transported with this that he breaks out into these extasies O that my words were now written O that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me No man ever since Christ did speak more clearly of Christ's resurrection and his own than Job did here before Christ Observe in it O my soul Job's wish and the matter wished his wish was that certain words which had been cordial to him might remain to memory and this wish hath three wishes in one 1. That they might be written 2. That they might be registred in a book enrolled upon record as publick instruments judicial proceedings or whatsoever is most authentical 3. That they might be engraven in stone and in the hardest stone the rock records might last long
say was a saving work of God some one that sate with me in the same seat found much stirings of God Oh what meltings chearings warmings of the spirit had such a one and such a one the Word was to them as hony and as the hony comb but to me iâ— was as dry bread I found no sweet I got no good at all Or you have been often tossing the Bible and you have observed this or that promise but O what in-come hath appeared Surely nothing at all I wonder at Saints that tell of so much sweetness and comfort and ravishing of heart that with joy they should draw water out of these Wells of salvation Whereas I find therein no joy no refreshing at all Ah poor soul thou art in a sad case thou art not yet vivified thou hast not the life of God in thee After vivification thou wilt in the use of Ordinances at least sometimes if not frequently feel the saving in-comes of God In prayer thou wilt feel the spirit breathing in and carrying up thy soul above it self plainly declaring there is another power than thy own which makes thee not only to exceed others but thy self also in hearing of the Word thou wilt see the Windows of heaven set wide open and all manner of spiritual comforts showred down upon thee thou wilt hear the rich treasury of everlasting glory and imortality unlocked and opened so that thou mayst tumble thy self amidst the mountains of heavenly pearls and golden pleasures joyes that no heart can comprehend but that which is weaned from all worldly pleasures As it is written Rom. 10.15 how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things In meditation of the promises or of Divine love thou wilt find meltings quickenings encouragings filling thy heart with gladness and glorying and thy mouth with praises and songs of rejoycings O What fountains of life are the promises to a living man to a soul that is vivified what food what strength what life is a thought of Christ of Heaven and of God's love to a spiritual man whereas all these glorious things of the Gospel are to the natural man but as a withered flower a sealed book a dry and empty cistern he hath no use of them 6. It is a life of another kind or manner Before vivification our life was but death because we our selves were but dead in sin even whilest alive 1 Tim. 5.6 Col 2.13 She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth and you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh But after vivification we live how live a spiritual life Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God an heavenly life for our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ an immortal life Rom. 6.9 11. Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him likewise reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 11.26 You know the meaning of Christ Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye he shall never dye a spiritual death never come under the dominion of sin never totally fall away from grace Rom. 8.10 that incorruptible seed by which he is regenerate shall abide in him for ever If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness the body indeed is subject to corporal death through the remainders of sin but the Spirit it life even that little spark of grace through the most perfect righteousness of Christ imputed is life here and shall be life hereafter even for ever And herein is our vivification answerable to Christ's resurrection like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father Rom. 6.4 raised up to a new life even so we also should walk in the newness of life For the second question how is this conformity or vivification wrought I shall answer only to the state and so our vivification is usually wrought in us in this manner As first in the understanding Secondly in the will First the understanding lets in the verity and truth of what the Gospel hath recorded John 1.4 John 6.35 John 11.25 In him was life and the life was the light of men I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live I am the way John 14.6 1 John 5.11 12. the truth and the life And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 2. This light let in the understanding thence inferreth as to a man 's own self that by the assistance of the Spirit of holiness who raised up Jesus from the dead it 's possible for him to attain this life Eph. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. others have attained it and why not he You hath he quickened who were dead in traspasses and sins here 's a president for a sin-sick soul In time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience this was the state of the Ephesians But were they all no no ye and we also among whom also we had all our conversation in times past But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ that in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus Mat. 8.2 9 21. Ezek. 37.4 5. Christ's dealings with some are as flags and patterns of mâ—rcy hung forth to tell and to bring others in whence the understanding infers it 's possible for a dead soul yea for my dead soul to live others have lived and why may not I I discover in those Scriptures even in these presidents a door of hope to my self why Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean yea if I may but touch thy garment I shall be whole if thou wouldst but say O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord then breath would enter into me and I should live surely if Christ be risen again from the dead there 's no impossibility but I may rise if others have been raised by the vertue of Christ's resurrection why may not I However this may seem to be little or nothing yet considering the soul in a mourning dark disconsolate frame under deep apprehensions of sin guilt and wrath full of
some Pastors and Teachers Three of these gifts are now gone and their date is out but in the same place we find Pastors and Teachers and them we have still Oh how may this teach us to think of such even of Pastors and Teachers as of the special gifts and favours of Jesus Christ if one special friend should but send us from a far Countrey one of his chief servants would we not welcome him Christ now is in Heaven and he sends us Ministers as the stewards of his house sure if we have any love to Christ The vâ—ry feet of them would be precious and beautifull Rom. 10.15 who bring us glad tydings of peace Again the Apostle tells us in another place that there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and diversities of calling but the same Lord or Christ 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 and diversities of works but the same God and Father worketh all in all Christs errand being done and he gone up on high the Spirit came down and in Christ's stead established order in the Church which order or establishment is here set down by gifts callings and works Here is first a Gift Secondly a Calling Thirdly a Work Gifts are ascribed to the Spirit Callings to Christ and Works to God even to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ where the Spirit ends Christ begins and where Christ ends God begins if no gift we must stay there and never meddle with the calling and if no calling we must stay there and never meddle with the Work first the Spirit comes and bestows the Gift and then Christ comes and bestows the Calling and then God the Father comes and sets us to the Work the gift is for the calling and the gift and calling are both for the Work And if this be the order established by the Spirit in his Church Oh what shall we say of them that either have no gifts yet step into the calling as if there were no need of the Holy Ghost or that have no calling and yet will fall upon the work utterly against the mind and rule of Jesus Christ Oh what the poor Church of Christ suffers at this time in these respects certainly these men have no commission from the holy spirit he was never sent to them that brâ—ak this order first gifts and then Calling and then the Work But why doth the Spirit endow men with gifts surely saith the Apostle to this end 1 Cor. 12.7 to profit withall Gifts are given for the good of others gifts are for edifying we should not contemn them gifts are a blessing of God and therefore we aâ—e to endeavour after them 1 Tim. 4.15 1 Cor. 12.31 Let thy profiting appear to all and covet earnestly the bâ—st gifts And yet sayes Paul I shew unto you a more excellent way and that was true grace of which he discourseth in the next Chapter and this brings in another reason of the Spirits mission 5. That the Holy Ghost might according to his Office endow men with graces In doing this he first gives the inward principle and habit of grace and then the fruit or actings of grace 1. He gives a Power an Habit a spiritual Ability a Seed a Spring a principle of Grace whatsoever we call it I cannot conceive it to be a nâ—w faculty added to those which are in men by nature A man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before he was regenerate only in the work of â—egeneration those abilities which the man had are Improved to work spiritually as before naturally as our Bodies in the resurrection from the dead shall have no more nor other parts than they have at present only those which are now natural shall thâ—n by the Power of God be made Spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 Now this Principle is infused or poured in by the Spirit of God and hence he is called The spirit of sanctification 2. He gives the fruit or actings of Grace 2 Thes 2.13 Gal. 5.22.23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Some call these the diversifications of the actings of that spiritual principle within us certainly the spirit doth not only at first infuse the principles of grace but he doth also enable us to act and improve those blessed principles Phil. 2.13 he doth not only give us power to Holy actions but he works also the Holy actions themselves God works in us not only to will but to do God hath a two-fold grace psal 119.88 initial and converting exciting and quickning in respect of this last David prayes Quicken me after thy loving kindness O Lord and so shall I keep thy testimonies This is the actuating grace that we need every hour and every moment and must pray for more earnestly than we would pray for our daily bread Two priviledges more especially flow from this Heb. 4.16 As 1. Hereby the soul will be kept from negligence and dulness from gross and soul sins the Apostle calls it grace to help in time of need Oh this is admirable when grace comes in the very nick of need it may be sometime or other thou wert even falling into such and such a sin it may be thou wert sometime or other drowning in such and such a wickedness and this exciting quickning grace came in and kept up thy head above the waters 2. Hereby the soul will be kept in a frame for every duty if the spirit come but with exciting quickning grace then it is ready to say My heart is prepared O Lord my heart is prepared I can now do and suffer thy Will sometimes the principle of grace lies still within us and begins to rust but then comes the Holy Ghost and breaths upon our souls and so it excites and quickens and commands faith patience zeal and other graces to be in exercise and this is as it were the file to take off the rust it s the whetting of the edge it s the stirring up of the coals into a mighty flame Christians have you not clear â—xperimental demonstrations of this truth sometimes you are on the wing of duty and sometimes you are dull and dead sometimes the least temptation the least snare is ready to make you fall and sometimes again though strong winds and tempests blow upon you yet you are able to stand like Mount Zion that cannot be removed Oh what 's the reason of the difference surely according to the incomes of the Spirit of God this difference comes not from our selves but from the Spirit as this exciting quickning grace is ready or a far off so is our condition you know what changes David usually found in his own heart sometimes he was able to trust in God and at other times he was so cast down as if he had no strength within him and whence all this but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting quickning
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
the holy One and ye know all things But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and hence it is that this holy spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom Eph. 1.17 and revelation in the knowledge of God 2. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of adoption it brings our souls into that blessed estate that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.16 3. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of prayer I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It is not said that the spirit teacheth us words and fluent phrases but it teacheth us to pray in the heart and spirit with sighs and groans 4. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of sanctification the Apostle having told the Corinthians that they had been notorious sinners 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 1.4 saith further that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of God Hence the holy spirit is called The spirit of holiness because he makes us holy who were in our selves corrupt and sinful If we have thiâ— spirit it inclines our hearts to the things above it mortifies our lusts it brings us nearer unto God the spirit therefore that is impure and encourageth men in sin and cries up carnal Liberty is certainly none of the spirit of Christ and by this one sign many carnal pretenders of our times may be justly convicted 5. The Spirit of Christ is a spirit of love God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God 1 John 4.16 Gal. 5.22 and God in him as the spirit is love so it begets love in the hearts of his people The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All these graces are the fruits of the spirit but the first grace in the link is love by his spirit we are taught to love God not only for his benefits but in respect of his nature for his goodness mercy justice holiness and all other his saving attributes by his spirit we are taught to love any thing that hath but the stamp and image of God upon it but as touching brotherly love 1 Thes 4.2 ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another the most of the Heretical spirits of these times do hereby shew that they have not the Spirit their very religion lyeth in rayling at ministers and reproaching those that are not in their way this is far from the Spirit of love that is in God's Children certainly where there is malice hatred strife bitter-envyings raylings revilings for such kind of persons to lay claim to the Spirit of unity it is a piece of impudent vanity and a false suggestion from their own corrupt erring spirit or from the spirit of error himself who is an hater reviler and the accuser of the brethren 6. The Spirit of Christ is a leading Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God But what is this leading of the Spirit I Answer 1. It is a drawing of the soul Christ-ward Cant. 1.4 Draw me saith the Spouse and we will run after thee There must be a drawing of the soul in every duty to Jesus Christ I say to Jesus Christ for a man may be furnished with eminent gifts and with suitable assistance in the laying out of those gifts from the Spirit and yet he may be without the leadings of the spirit gifts exercised cannot suppress corruptions in a man 's own heart and hence they that used their gifts are called workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 Jer. 30.21 gifts do not carry out the heart towards Christ but graces do I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. 2. It is a giving liberty to the soul to walk in the wayes of Christ 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty I mean not a liberty to sin but to duty nor yet every liberty to duty for a man may exercise himself in the external part of all duties and yet be without the leadings of the spirit but I mean such a liberty as when a soul accounts it an high favour from the Lord if he will but use him in any services for himself when it finds more delectation in these than in any other wayes Psal 119.34 173 174. Rom. 7.22 Rom. 8.2 I have chosen the way of truth saith David and therein is my delight And I delight in the law of God after the inner man saith Paul for the law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death 3. It is a corroberating or strengthening of the soul against all those impediments that would hinder it in the wayes of Christ Isa 63.11 12 13 14. Israel is said to be led by the spirit of the Lord and how did he lead them but by dividing the waters before them and by keeping them that they should not stumble many times God's holy ones are beset with temptations they find their hearts full of deadness hardness unbelief and all manner of distempers now if at such a time the mountains have been made planes if at such a time corruptions have been born down and their hearts have been let out towards Christ certainly these are the leadings of the spirit Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God the particular for argues mortification to appertain unto the leadings of the spirit There is in the Saints a constant opposition between the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit Gal. 5.17 18. now when the works of the flesh are kept underneath and prevailed against then a soul enjoyeth the leadings of the spirit I know such oppositions are not in any but Saints carnal men would wonder that any should complain for want of strength unto duties why they can easily come up to them and be in the exercise of them but alas this arises either from Satans not molesting them in the performance of duty because they look not
after all this I shall doubt whether there be a Christ in Heaven or a spirit of Christ in my heart on Earth have I felt him new creating me opening my dark eyes and bringing me from darkness into his marvellous light and from the Power of Satan unto God binding the strong man and casting him out and yet shall I question whether there be a Christ or a Spirit of Christ hath he made me love the things which I hated and hate that which I loved hath he given me such a taste of the powers of the world to come and possessed me with the hopes of glory with himself and given me a measure and portion in God and set my heart where my treasure is and caused me in some measure to have my conversation in Heaven above and yet shall I doubt whether there be a Christ above or a Spirit within O what an impudent lying spirit is this that would tempt me against so much experience And thus may a believer argue from the testimony that is within I know some seeming Saints have fallen off into as great blaphemies as these I have named 1 John 2.19 witness the Quakers and Ranters c. but I may say of such as John did They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us It is no wonder if Satan prevail against those that gave Christ no deeper room but in their phantasie and that did never heartily close with him in love But for those that have the Spirit of Christ within them it is not so with them if they cannot answer the cavil of Satan or of any of his instruments yet they can hold fast the grounds of faith Christ hath a deep room and interest in their spirits he is held faster by the hand than by the head alone love will hold Christ when reason alone would let him go Rom. 8.35 36 37. his ear is nayled as it were unto his door and because he loveth him he will not leave him Who shall separate him from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us A modern Writer brings in a sincere heart Mr. Baxter ibid. paraphrazing as it were on this Text in this manner Who shall separate us from the love of Christ O thou malicious Devil that dost hunt me with thy fiery darts O you dull hereticks infidels blasphemers that fill up my ears with your foolish sophisms and trouble me with your disputes against my Lord Redeemer go to him that knows him only by the hearing of the ear if you mean to prevail but I have known him by the sweet experiences of my soul go to him that makes a Religion of his Opinions and whose belief was never any deeper than his fancy and whose piety never reached higher than to abstinency and tasks of formal duty these you may possibly draw away from Christ But do you think to do so by me why tell me how with what weapons or arguments can you think to prevail what shall tribulation be the means no no I have that promise in the hand of my faith and that glory in the eye of my hope that will bring me through all tribulations under Heaven or shall distress do it why I will rather stick so much closer to him that will relieve me in distress and bring me to his rest Or will you affright me by persecution I am assured that this is the nearest way to Heaven and I am blessed of Christ when I am persecuted for righteousness sake Or shall nakedness be the weapon I had rather pass naked out of this World to Heaven than to be cloathed in purple and to be stript of it at death and to be cast into hell Adam's innocent nakedness and Lazarus's rags were better than that Epicure's gay apparel Or shall famine be the meanes why man liveth not by bread alone I had rather my body were famished than my soul I have meat to eat that ye know not of even the bread of life which who so eats shall live for ever Or will you affright me from Christ by the sword of violence I know that the Lord whom I believe in and serve is able to deliver me out of your hands but if he will not be it known to you I will not forsake him your sword will be only the key to open the prison doors and let out my soul that hath long desired to be with Jesus Christ If you tell me of peril I know no danger so great as of losing Christ and salvation and of bearing his wrath that can kill both body and soul do I not read in certain Histories of that noble Army of Martyrs who loved the Lord Jesus to the death and gloryed in tribulation and would not by the flames of fires or jaws of Lyons be separated from Jesus Christ did not they pass through the red sea as on dry ground to the promised land yea though they were killed all the day long and accounted as Sheep to the slaughter did they not stick and cleave fast to the Lord and to the Captain of their salvation nay were they not in all this conquerours and more than conquerours triumphing in flames to the confusion of Satan and all their enemies as Christ triumphed on the Cross destroying by death the Prince of death Heb. 2.14 Oh what a blessed advantage is it against all temptations to have the impress of the Gospel of Christ on our heart and the witness in our selves But I hear some object If the witness in our selves be so full and convincing then what need have we any more to make use of Scriptures or Ministers why should we leave an higher Teacher to go to a lower But I answer 1. There is more than one thing wanting to enwise us to salvation as first an outward Word and secondly an outward Teacher and thirdly an inward Light And accordingly God supplies this threefold want the first by giving us the Scripture the second by giving us a Ministry and other occasional Teachers the third by giving us the illumination of the Spirit to help us to see by the former means and to make the Word and Ministry to us effectual Now it were a mad thing for a man to say I have eyes to read in a book and therefore I have no need of the light of Candle or of Sun or I have eyes and Sun and therefore I have no need of the light in the Air which cometh from the Sun or I have the light both of the Eye and Sun and Air and therefore I can read by it without a Book or I have a Book and therefore I can read it without a Teacher certainly if
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you
hear of such a Christ and are we not all in a burning love in a seraphical love or at least in a conjugal love O my heart how is it thou art not love sick how is it thou dost not charge the daughters of Jerusalem as the spouse did Cant. 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love 2. For his bounty no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but he gives gifts unto men and he sends down the holy Ghost This was the Gift of gifts I shall only weigh two Circumstances in this Gift either whereof both dignifies and casts a sparkle of bounty from the Giver into the heart of the Receiver to move him to love As One Circumstance is the greatness of the Giver certainly the preheminence or dignity of any principle ennobleth and enhanceth the effect a gift coming from a great Person carries ever a scent with it of a certain greatness and relisheth either of excellency or superiority or nobility or all It is storied of Charles the fifth that in his wars being ever prest with want of money and so unable to remunerate the services of divers Dutch Captains and Nobles whom he had entertained he used after any great exploit performed by them to call together his Nobles and Camp into such a field and there in the presence of them all to take a Gold chain from about his own neck and to put it about the neck of such a Captain or such a Collonel and so to embrace him and to give him thanks for his gallant service why this they esteemed a greater favour being Circumstanced by such a Person in such a way than if in very deed he had given them a sufficient pay or remuneration O they valued that Chain more than many bushels of the like Gold the very Person of the Emperour hanged at the Chain such a precious Jewel as in warlike conceits a million of Gold could not countervail O my soul if an Emperour thus gained the affections of men how shouldst thou but love Christ the great Emperour of Heaven and Earth Numb 11 17. it was he that gave thee his Spirit it was he that took off the Spirit which is upon him so is the expression of God to Moses and put it upon thee and doth not the Person of Christ the Dignity of Christ inhance the value of the gift as all gifts are signs of love so the love of a great Personage and the gifts issuing from such a love ought more to be accounted than any gifts of any meaner person whatsoever 2. Another Circumstance is the greatness of the Gift this argueth greatness of good will and consequently deserveth a correspondence of a semblable affection Now what greater gift had Christ in store than to give his own spirit the spirit proceedeth from him and is the same essence with himself the spirit is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and coeternal coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son this appears by those divine Attributes and Properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy spirit As 1. Eternity God never was without his spirit Gen. 1.1 2. In the beginning God created heaven and earth and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 2. Omnipotency because he together with the Father and the Son createth and preserveth all things By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens Job 26.13 33.4 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 the Spirit of God hath made me and all these things worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 3. Omnisciency or the knowledge of all things For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 4. Immutability or unchangeableness Men and brethren Acts 1.16 Rom. 5.5 this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the holy Ghost spake 5. Infinite mercy or love God is love and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 6. Holy indignation even against hiâ—â—en sins They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Isa 63.10 Acts 5.3 4 9. Eph. 4.30 why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the holy Ghost thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God a plain Text for the Divinity of the holy Ghost How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption I might add Miracles Mat. 12.28 28.19 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.38 and the institution of Sacraments and Prophesies and Gifts and Graces as the effects of his Divinity I cast out devils saith Christ by the Spirit of God and baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost And the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith And we are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. See now how the holy spirit is God coeternal coequal and consubstantial with God the Father and God the Son is not this a great gift yea as great a gift as possibly can be given what can he more than to give himself and to give his spirit O the bonds of love that are upon man towards Christ in this respect Come my soul and take a view of the Glory and Bounty of Jesus Christ if thy heart be not all brass and iron and stone if there be any fleshiness softness or pliableness in it why then how shouldst thou chuse but love if either beauty or bounty if either Majesty or magnificence can draw thy affection Christ will have it for in him is all O let him be thy all surely if thou hast any thing besides himself he is the Donor of all he is the beauty of all the sum of all the perfection of all yea he is the Author Preserver and Finisher of all SECT VII Of Joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars there is not a particular under consideration but 't is the object of a Christians joy As 1. How should it heighten my joys and enlarge my comforts when I do but consider that Christ is ascended into glory by this it is clear and evident that Christ is accepted of the Father for me or otherwise he should never have been received into Heaven if any frown had been in the face of God surely Christ coming so near God he should have had it if any exception had been against his satisfaction any flaw in our pardons surely Christ should have heard of it yea without question he must have been turned out of Heaven until he had made a full payment of our debts
Ghost O consider of thy Country whence thou camest at first certainly thou never hadst such a divine and excellent being given thee to delight only in the flesh to be serviceable only to thy body O look up unto Jesus why this it is that turns the heart and sets the conversation on heavenly things 2. Because their best and choice things are already in Heaven As their Father is in Heaven and their Saviour is in Heaven thither he ascended and there now he sits at the right hand of God their Husband is in Heaven their Elder Brother is in Heaven their King is in Heaven their Treasure is in Heaven their Inheritance is in Heaven their Hope is in Heaven their Mansion is in Heaven their chief Friends are in Heaven their Substance is in Heaven their reward is in Heaven their Wages are in Heaven and all these things being in Heaven no marvel their conversations be in Heaven 3. Because they are going towards Heaven even whiles yet they are on Earth If the Nobleman as we formerly supposed do once know his condition and begins his travel homeward towards his Fathers Court will he not every morning that he rises converse with them that come from his father to conduct him home doth it not do him good to hear any man speak of his fathers Country is it not in his thoughts in his talk in his eye in his aim at every step O my soul if thou art indeed travelling towards Heaven how shouldst thou but have it in thy motions affections conversations how shouldst thou but daily commune with thy own heart Heaven is the place that I shall come to ere long I shall be there I know that in this world I am but for a while but in Heaven I shall be for ever and ever 1. Thes 4.17 we shall be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Our very travel towards Heaven implies an heavenly conversation Psalm 84.7 They go from strength to strength till every one of them in Zion appears before God Luke 17.21 Heb. 10.34 4. Because much of Heaven is already in the Saints The Kingdom of Heaven is within you saith Christ And knowing in your selves that ye have a better and an enduring substance Surely if the Saints have much of Heaven within them it must needs be that their conversation is in Heaven but they know this in themselves they know it by what God hath revealed in their own hearts eternal life is already begun in the souls of God's people Heaven is in them and therefore no marvel if their conversation be in Heaven My meaning is not as if the Saints had no other Heaven but that within them I know there is an Heaven above but some pieces or earnests or seeds or beginnings of that Heaven above is within them Is there not a renewed nature an Image of God a spark of life a drop of glory in God's people Surely yes And if so all these will work heaven-ward principles of grace will have some actings of grace till we come to glory 3. By what means should we attain or come up to have our conversation in Heaven 1. Let us watch opportunities for heavenly exercises God now by his Ministers calls Isa 55.1 3. 2 Cor. 6.2 Come ye to the waters come ye buy and eat come buy wine and milk without money come to me and your souls shall live Why now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation whiles Ministers call and we live under the droppings of the Word these are opportunities for Heaven O then he that never prayed let him now pray and he that never heard let him now hear the Lord is now come near to us Christ Jesus is calling and mercy is entreating and love is beseeching and wisdom is even hoarse with crying after us O lay hold on these opportunities for heavenly exercises and then we shall come up to heavenly conversations 2. Take heed of resting in the formality of duties many souls that have enlightnings of conscience dare not but take opportunities for heavenly duties but then comes in the temptations of the Devil and corruptions of their own hearts and they say now duty is done or our task is over and what needs more Alas alas It is not what have we done but where have we been what have our souls been in Heaven with God and with Christ have we had any communion with the Father and with the Son in our duties O take heed of formality it will exceedingly hinder our conversation in Heaven O keep our eye still upon our heart ask in duty what affections have been acted how much are we got nearer Heaven thereby and by this means we shall come to an heavenly conversation 3. Let us look up unto Jesus as hanging on the Cross and as sitting on the Throne this is the Apostles rule Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God These two are the objects of a Christians look who studies an heavenly conversation viz. Christ's Cross and Christ's Session by the Cross he is Author and by the Throne he is the Finisher of our faith in the first is set down his love to us in the second is set down our hope of him with high wisdom hath the Holy Ghost exhorted us with these two motives to run and not to faint first here is love love in the Cross Who loved us Eph. 5.2 and gave himself for us a sacrifice on the Cross secondly Here is hope hope in the Throne To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne Rev. 3.21 After Christ's death he rose again ascended and is now set down at the right hand of the Throne of God and the same is our blessed hope Christ's Throne is not onely his place but ours also the love of his Cross is to us a pledge of the hope of his Throne or of whatsoever else he is worth Come then and settle your thoughts and looks on this blessed object a sight of Christ's Cross but especially of Christ's Throne is a blessed means to wean us from the World and to elevate and raise up our affections to things above yea to form and frame our conversation towards Heaven 4. Let us wait for the appearing of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Where a man's conversation is there his expectations may be and where his expectations are there a man's conversation is and will be if we expect ere long that the Lord Jesus will appear in glory and that we shall see him not with other but with these same eyes the very waiting
he did this alone and it constituted the difference betwixt him as he was high Priest and other Priests for they killed and offered the Sacrifices without as well as he but only the high Priest was to approach the holy of hollies with blood and that but once a year 2. This was Typified by Melchizedech's Priest-hood which the Apostle argues to have been much more excellent then that of Aaron's in as much as Levi Aarons Father payed Tythes to this Melchizedech in Abrahams loyns now Melchizedech was his Type not so much in respect of his Oblation or offering Sacrifice as in respect of his continual presentation and intercession in heaven and therefore the same clause for ever still comes in when Melchizedech is named thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 7.17 Here then is the agreement betwixt Christ and the high-Priests of old in respect of name both were Priests and in respect of Office both had their oblations and presentations or intercessions with God in Glory 3. In the point of Intercession they agreed in these particulars 1. The high-Priest of old usually once a year went into the most Holy place within the vail and so is Christ our great high-Priest passed into the Heavens within the Vail even into the holy of holies Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Not into the holy places made with hands Heb. 9.12 24. which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 2. The high-Priests of old had a plate of pure Gold upon their Fore-heads which was to bear the iniquity of the holy things that they might be accepted before the Lord Exod. 28.38 and so doth Christ bear the iniquity of our holy things Spiritual Christians here is your comfort you are not able to perform any duty to God but there is a great deal of sin in the same you cannot hear nor pray nor confer nor meditate without much sin but Christ bears all these sins even the iniquity of your holy things and he presents your persons and prayers without the least spot to his Father he is the Angel of the Covenant that stands at the Altar Rev. 8.3 having a golden Censer with much incense to offer it with the prayers of his Saints and so they are acceptable before the Lord. 3. The Jewish high-Priests bore the names of the Children of Israel on a breast-plate of judgment upon their hearts for a memorial before the Lord continually Exod. 28.29 and so doth Christ our great high-Priest bear the names of his people upon his heart before the Lord continually But how is Christ said to bear the names of the Saints upon his heart I answer 1. Continually in presenting of them to his Father as they are in him how is that why he represents them without spot as righteous in his own righteousness Ephes 5.27 Christ loved the Church that he might present it to his Father and in him to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2. In this continual remembring of them Psal 112.6 the righteous shall be had in continual remembrance this is the souls comfort in a time of desertion or in an evil day Psal 13.1 if any cry out as sometimes David did how long wilt thou forget me Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Isa 40.14 15 16. Let such a one remember that Christ's redeemed ones are upon his heart and he can not forget them But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh no! can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me the Sons of Zion are upon Christ's heart and hands and they are ever in his sight 3. In his perpetual loving of them they are near and dear unto him he hath set them as a Seal upon his heart so was the prayer of the Spouse set me as a Seal upon thine heart Cant. 8.6 as a Seal upon thine arme and then it follows for love is as strong as death Christ hath an entire love to his Saints he dyed for them and now he intercedes for them he keeps them close to his heart and there is none shall pluck them out of his hands John 13.1 for whom he loves he loves unto the end Thus far of the agreement betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old SECT VI. What the difference is betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old 6. VVHat is the difference betwixt Christ's Intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old There is no question but howsoever they might agree in some respects yet Christ officiates in a more transcendent and eminent way then ever any high Priest did before him now the difference betwixt Christ and them and betwixt Christ's Intercessions and their Intercessions may appear in these particulars Heb. 4.14 1. They were called high Priests but Christ is called the great high Priest such a Title was never given to any but Christ whence the Apostle argues for the steadfastness of our profession seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession 2. The high-Priests then were Aaron and his Sons but Christ our great high-Priest is the Son of God for so he is styled in the same verse the great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Heb. 4.14 Jesus the Son of God 3. The high-Priests then were but for a time but Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 Heb. 7.3 Melchizedech saith the Apostle was without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life That is as far as it is known and so is Christ without a Father on earth and without a Mother in Heaven without beginning and without end he abides a Priest perpetually even to the end of the World yea and the vertue of his Priesthood is infinitely beyond all time even for ever and ever 4. The high-Priests then entred only into that place that was Typically holy but Christ is entred into that place that is properly holy he is entred into the Heavens or if you will as into the holy of holies so into the heaven of heavens 5. The high Priests then did not always intercede for the people only once a year the high Priest entred into the holy of holies and after he had sprinkled the mercy-seat with blood and caused a cloud to rise upon the mercy-seat with his
and God be Omnipotent that he can do and can have whatsoever he pleases then Christ being one God with his Father he must needs prevail it is but ask and have let him ask what he will 5. That Christ is God's darling upon this very account because he intercedes for his People Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10.17 that I might take it again I lay it down by suffering and I take it again by rising ascending up into heaven and interceding there and therefore doth my Father love me O the love of God to Christ and of God in Christ to all his Saints God so loved the world that he gave his Son and Christ so loved the world that he gave himself and now again because Christ gave himself and his gift is as a sweet smelling savour unto God therefore God loves Christ O what a round of love is here God loves Christ and Christ loves us and the Father loves Christ again for loving of us there is not an act of Christ in his work of our redemption but the Father looks on it with love and liking Mat. 3.17 Isa 53.11 at his baptism lo a voice came from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased at his death He seeth of the travel of his soul and he is satisfied at his ascension he heareth of the intercessions of his soul and he is delighted Christ's intercessions are God's musick and therefore as sometimes Christ spoke to his Spouse Cant. 2.14 so God speaks to Christ Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Now Christ's intercessions must needs prevail when God love's Christ for his intercessions sake if before the world was made Prov. 8.29 30. the Son was his Fathers darling for it is said When he appointed the foundations of the earth then I was by him and as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight In the Original delights intimating that the eternal Son was variety of delights to his Father O then what delights what variety what infinite of delights hath God in Christ now interceding for us what a dear darling is Christ to God when not only he stands by him but he represents to him all the Elect from the beginning to the end of the World q. d See Father look on my breast read hear all the names of those thou hast given me as Adam and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob of the Twelve Tribes and of the Twelve Apostles of all the Martyrs Professors and Confessors of the Law and Gospel I pray for them I Pray not for the World but only for them for they are mine methinks I hear God answer What my Son and what the Son of my womb and what the Son of my vows hast thou begotten me thus many Sons and are all these mine why then ask what thou wilt and have what thou pleasest I am as strongly inclined and disposed to give thee grant as thou wouldst have it it is my joy my delight my pleasure to save these souls and surely the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in thy hands 6. That Christ is God's Commander I speak it with reverence as well as petitioner it is a phraze given to the servants of God command ye me and may we not give it to the Son of God Christians God is as ready to do us service as if we had him at command Isa 45.11 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and in this sense we may boldly say that God the Father is as ready to hear Jesus Christ as if he had him at command not that in deed and reality he commands God but that in deed and truth he commands all below God and he commands all in the stead of God And to this purpose is that voice of God I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Psalm 2.6 and why my King I dare not say he is God's King as if God were Christ's inferior or Christs subject God forbid why then my King I answer he is God's King because appointed by God or he is God's King John 5.22 because he rules in the stead of God The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son God hath given away all his prerogatives unto Jesus Christ so that now the King of Saints can do what he will with God and with all the world only it follows Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance as if the Father should have said I cannot deny thee and yet O my Son I would have thee ask do what thou wilt in Heaven Earth and Hell I have not the heart indeed I have not the power to deny thee any thing onely acknowledg this power to be originally in my self that all that honour the Son may honour the Father and all that honour the Father may honour the Son These are the terms betwixt God the Father and God the Son Oh then how powerfull and prevailing are Christs intercessions with his Father if he ask who hath power to command there is little question of prevailing in his suit We have heard in our days of a suit managed with a petition in one hand and a sword in the other and what the effect is all now can tell As a King who sues for peace backt with a potent Army able to win what he intreats for must needs treat more effectually so Christ sueing to his Father for his Saints with a power sufficient to obtain what he sues for he must needs effect what his desires may be it is well observed that Christ is first said to sit at God's right hand and then to intercede he treats the salvation of sinners as a mighty Prince treats the giving up of some Town which lyes seated under a Castle of his that commands the Town or he treats the salvation of sinners as a Commander treats the surrendring of a person already in his hands it is beyond God's power I speak iâ— with submission to deny his Son in any thing he asks Exod. 32.10 if the Lord sometimes cryed out to Moses like a man whose hands are held Let me alone how much more doth Christ's intercession bind God's hands and command all in Heaven Earth and Hell hence we say that God the Father hath divested himself of all his power and given the keys into Christ's own hands I am he that liveth and was dead Rev. 1.18 and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keys of hell and death there is no man goes to Hell but he is lockt in by Jesus Christ and there is no man goes to Heaven but he is lockt in there by Jesus Christ he hath the keys of all men's eternities hanging
will in the ears of God Surely this is the fruit the effect of Christ's intercession and therefore thou mayest comfortably conclude Christ's intercession is mine 2. If at any time in the midst of duties I am savingly affected then is Christ's intercession mine Sometimes it pleaseth God to appear in ordinances and the soul is comforted quickened enlarged affected why now I look on this as the efficacy of Christ's Blood and as the power of Christs intercession at that very instant that I feel any good in any ordinance of Christ why then even then is Christ prevailing with God his Father for what I feel then even then may I boldly say Now is the Lord Jesus who is at God's right hand in heaven remembring me a poor worm on earth Oh now I feel the fruit of his intercession Oh what is this spirit power grace comfort sweetness I drink of but a tast of the hony-comb with the end of my rod dropping from the intercessions of Jesus Christ and if this presence of Christ's Spirit be so sweet what is himself then I know we had need to be wary in laying down this sign it is clearly proved by an eminent Divine Mr. Burges of Assurance Mat. 13.20 Mark 16.20 John 5.35 that sweet motions of heart in holy things are not infallible Evidences of grace the third kind of hearers are said to receive the Word with joy they found some sweet and power in the Ordinances of Christ and Herod heard John gladly and many for a season rejoyced in John's light and Ministry Certainly affections in holy administrations with delight and joy may be in those who yet have no true grace so it may be that the novelty and strangeness of a doctrine may much affect and delight or the nature of the doctrine as it is comfortable without any respect to spiritual operation may exceedingly affect or the Ministers abilities because of his parts eloquence elocution affectionate utterance may much delight and stir up the hearers affections fine head-notions may produce some affectionate heart-motions but what symptome of grace in all this The sign therefore I lay down of my propriety in Christ's intercessions is not every sweet motion or every excited affection but that which is holy spiritual heavenly saving I may discern much of this if I will but look into the grounds and effects of my excited or stirred up affections if the ground thereof be fetched from Heaven and in their effect they tend towards Heaven if they wean my heart from the world if they elevate and raise up my affections to things above if they form and frame my conversation heaven-wards then may I be assured these motions and affections are of the right stamp for all such motions are but sparks of that heavenly fire the the flame whereof is mindful of its own original they are the fruits of Christ and they go back to Christ they work towards their center they tend towards the place from whence they came and in this respect O that I could never hear a Sermon without a savory affection of what I hear O that I could never go to prayer without some warmth and heat and life and fervency Oh that in every duty I were savingly affected that I felt the savour of Christ's ointments whose name and whose intercession is as an ointment poured forth in times of the Old Testament if they offered up a sacrifice and a material fire came down from Heaven and burnt up the sacrifice to ashes it was a certain testimony that the sacrifice was accepted Now in the time of the Gospel we must not expect material fire to come down upon our duties but hath the Lord at any time causâ—d an inward and spiritual fire to fall down upon thy heart warming thy spirit in duty and carrying it up heaven-ward Surely it so thou mayest safely conclude these are the very effects of Christ's intercession his intercession is mine 3. If in my heart I feel a holy frame disposition inclination to pray and cry and intercede for others especially for the miseries and distresses of the Church of God then is Christ's intercession mine We should as near as we may in every thing conform to Christ and this conformity is an evidence or sign to us of our interest in Christ O my soul go down into the inmost closet of thy heart look what disposition there is in it towards the members of Christ and thou mayest conclude there is in Christ's heart the very same disposition towards thee Ah! do I think there is love in my bosom towards the Saints and that there is no love in Christ's bosome towards me what can I think that my narrow straitened sinful bowels are larger than those wide compassionate tender bowels of Jesus Christ as a drop of water is in comparison of the Ocean and as a gravel-stone is in comparison of the sand so is my heart to Christ's and my love to Christ's and my bowels to Christ's Come then and try by this sign Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life if we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother abideth in death Hereby perceive we the love of God 1 John 3.14.16 because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren is not this plain if I love the brethren Christ loveth me if I feel in my heart an holy disposition to go to God and to pray and cry and intercede for a Saint in misery surely the Lord Jesus hath as much bowels towards me to go and intercede for me and to present my prayers unto God the Father his intercession is mine 4. If I am called justified sanctified then is Christ's intercession mine are not these the subject matter of Christ's intercession I pray saith Christ that thou shouldst keep them from the evil I pray that thou wouldst sanctifie them through the truth John 17 15 17 20 24. neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word or preaching Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me in glory He first prayes that we may be called and justified and then he prayes that we may be sanctified and saved he holds at both ends of this golden chain of our salvation the one end is hanged at his breast where the names of all his Saints are written and the other end is at his heart that he may be the Author and finisher the first and last the beginning and ending of our souls salvation alas there is nothing in us in our reach here below the first stirrings of grace is up in Heaven at the right hand of the Father and the far end of any gracious thought is as far above us as the heart of Christ is above the earth Come then sith all hangs on this great pin of Christ's intercession let us search and try are we called do we
alledge that this priviledge was granted to Peter as an Apostle but we say that if it was granted to Peter as an Apostle then it was common to Peter and Judas in that both were Apostles They alledge further that Christ prayes not for the absolute perseverance of Believers but after a sort and upon condition But we say the Prayer of Christ is certain and not suspended in this Prayer his desire is not for Peter that would presevere but his desire is for Peter that he should persevere the object of the thing for which Christ prayes is distinct from the thing it self prayed for 9. That we might have the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they might behold my glory Why this is the main end in respect of us our glory and indeed herein is the main piece of our glory to behold this glory Oh to see the Lord Jesus Christ glorified as he shall be glorified must be a glorious thing What is it to see his glory but to behold the lustre of his Divinity through his humanity In this respect our very eyes shall come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him we may be sure God shall appear through the humanity of Christ as much as is possible for the Divinity to appear in a creature and therefore Men and Angels will be continually viewing of Christ I know there is another glory of Christ which the Father will put upon him Because he humbled himself therefore God will exalt him Rev. 14.4 and give him a name above every name and we shall see him in this glory O the ravishing sight of Saints Christ is so lovely that the Saints cannot leave but they must and will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes there shall be no moment to all eternity wherein Christ shall be out of sight to so many thousand thousands of Saints now this is the glory of the Saints above as a Queen that sees the Prince in his glory she delights in it because it is her glory so the Church when she shall see Christ her Husband in his glory she shall rejoyce in it because she looks upon it as her own Is not this a blessed end of Christ's intercession why hither tend all the rest all the other ends end in this and for this above all Christ intercedes to his Father Father Cant. 3.11 I would have my Saints with me O that all the daughters of Zion may behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith thou hast crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Only one Question and I have done how should I set my faith on work to act on Christ's intercession for these ends I answer 1. Faith must perswade it self that here is a vertue in Christ's intercession Certainly every passage and acting of Christ hath its efficacy and therefore there is vertue in this it is full of juyce it hath a strong influence in it 2. Faith must consider that it is the design of God and the intendment of Christ that this intercession should be for the good of those that are given to Christ O there 's enough in Christ enough in Christ's intercession to convey communion the Spirit protection free access to the Throne of Grace a Spirit of prayer pardon of sins continuance in grace salvation of souls to the Saints and people of God through all the world and this is the design of God that Christ's intercession should be as the fountain whence all these streams must run and be conveyed unto us 3. Faith must act dependantly upon the intercession of Christ for these very ends this is the very nature of Faith it relyes upon God in Christ and upon all the actings of Christ and upon all the promises of Christ so then Is there a desirable end in Christ's intercession which we aim at O let us act our Faith dependantly let us rely stay or lean upon Christ to that same end let us roul our selves or cast our selves upon the very intercession of Jesus Christ Saying O my Christ there is enough in thee and in this glorious intercession of thine and therefore there will I stick and abide for ever 4. Faith must ever and anon be trying improving wrestling with God that vertue may go out of Christ's intercession into our hearts I have heard Lord that there is an Office erected in heaven that Christ as Priest should be ever praying and interceding for his people O that I may feel the efficacy of Christ's intercession am I now in prayer O that I could feel in this prayer the warmth and heat and spiritual fire which usually falls down from Christ's intercession into the hearts of his Lord warm my spirit in this duty give me the kisses of thy mouth O that I may now have communion with thee thy Spirit upon me thy protection over me O that my pardon may be sealed my grace confirmed my soul saved in the day of Jesus In this method O my soul follow on and who knows but God may appear e're thou art aware howsoever be thou in the use of the means and leave the issue with God SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession Now two things more especially will excite our love 1. Christ's love to us 2. Our propriety in Christ For the first many acts of Christ's love have appeared before and every one is sufficient to draw our loves to him again As 1. He had an eternal love to man he feasted himself on the thoughts of love delight and free-grace to man from all eternity since God was God O boundless duration the Lord Jesus in a manner was loving and longing for the dawning of the day of the Creation he was as it were with child of infinite love to man before he made the world Some observe that the first words which ever Christ wrote were Love to Believers and these were written with glory for it was before gold was and they were written upon his bosom for then other books were not 2. In the beginning of time he loved man above all creatures for after he had made them all he then speaks as he never did before Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and though man at that very instant unmade himself by sins Christ's love yet was not broken off but held forth in a promise till the day of performance The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3. In the fulness of time his
love was manifested the seed then blossomed and the birth came out in an high expression of love the man-child the love of Christ was born Tit. 3.4 and saw the light After that saith the Apostle the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared I shall not need sure to instance in succeeding passages so far as we have gone we have clearly seen Christ's life was a perfect mirror of his love as there is no beam in the Sun in which there is no light so there was no act in the life of Christ but to a spiritual eye it shines with the light of love But above all O the love of Christ in his death ask a Malefactor if the Princes Son should go to his Father and say Father I confess this wretch hath deserved to dye but I see a willingness in thee that he should live only I perceive it sticks with thy justice why for that Father here I am and to satisfy thy justice I will dye my self only let this poor wretch live to the glory of thine and my free grace Ask I say the Malefactor what kind of love were this Surely Christ dyed for our sins and Christ rose again for our justification and he ascended and sate down at God's right hand and sent down his holy Spirit and all for us there was not one passage in all these transactions but held forth the breakings and breathings out of a strong fire of love 4. At this time there is a coal of burning love in the breast of Christ this fire was indeed from everlasting but the flames are as hot this day as ever now it is that Christ loves and lives And wherefore lives but only to love us and to intercede for us Christ makes our salvation his constant calling he is ever at his work Yesterday and to day and for ever there is not one hour in the day nor one day in a year nor one year in an age wherein Christ is not busie with his Father in this heavenly imployment of interceding for us He loved us before he died for us his love being the cause why he died for us and he loves us still in that now he intercedes for us it is as much as to say Christ hath loved us and he repents not of his love love made him dye for us and if it were to do again he would dye over again yea if our sins had so required that for every elect person Christ must have dyed a several death Love love would have put him willingly upon all these deaths O the loves of Christ towards our poor souls If I might but stay and take some turns in this large Field of love How many thousands of particulars might I draw out of Scripture expressing Christ's love to us in this respect though he be in Heaven yet by vertue of his intercession he bears us in his hands yea he leads us by the hand and arms too I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their arms but they knew not that I healed them he dandles us on his knees Isa 40 11. Hos 11.3 Deut. 32.11 12. he bears us on his wings As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone doth lead us he carries us on his shoulders as the man found his sheep and laid it on his shoulders rejoycing Nay I must yet come nearer Luke 15.5 for Christ by his intercession sets us nearer yet His left hand is under us Cant. 2.6 and his right hand doth imbrace us he wears us in Heaven as a bracelet about his arms which made the Spouse cry out O set me as a seal upon thine arm Cant. 8.6 he stamps and prints us on the palms of his hands Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands Isa 49.16 as if our names were written in letters of blood upon Christ's flesh he sets us as a seal upon his heart that is the expression of the Spouse too O set me as a seal upon thine heart Nay Cant. 8.6 so precious are the Saints to Jesus Christ that they lodge in Heaven in his bowels and in his heart for they dwell in Christ Hereby we know that we dwell in him 1 John 4.13 1 John 4.16 and they dwell in God and dwell in love For God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God I know not what more to say you know the manner of the high Priests was to carry the names of the children of Israel into the Holy of Holies on their shoulders and on their breasts but was it ever heard that any high Priest besides the great high Priest of our profession should carry the names of thousands and millions on his shoulders and on his arms and on his hands and on his wings and on his bosom and on his heart nay in his heart and in his bowels as a memorial before the Lord O unmatchable love Methinks this love of Christ should now change my soul into a Globe or Mass of Divine love towards Christ as it were by the Spirit of the Lord. Methinks a sight of Christ in his presenting himself and his sacrifice to his Father for me should so enamour my soul as that I should delight in no other sight but this then is a Christian sweetly exercised when as the golden Ball of Divine Love is tossed to and again betwixt Christ's bosom and his and in this respect it is a wonder that before this I am not sickned and overcome with love and ready to cry out with the Spouse O stay me with flaggons Cant. 2.5 and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love O I am wounded with the arrows of love so as neither grave nor death nor hell neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come can ever lick these wounds or enbalm or bind them up O my Christ my Lord my Jesus What should I do but yield over my self as a Spouse under the power of her husband what should I do but lose my self in such a deep Ocean of loves stronger than wine hotter than coals of Juniper which hath a most vehement flame 2. Another motive of our love to Christ it is our propriety in Christ 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own said the Apostle of us and he is not his own may we say of Christ If any ask how may this be I answer That the soul in loving Christ is not her own and in regard of loving Christ is not his own every one makes over it self to another and propriety or interest to it self on both sides ceaseth My Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 saith the Spouse not as if Christ should leave off to be his own or to be a free God when he becometh ours no no but he so demeans himself in respect
of his loves as if he were not his own he putteth on such relations and assumes such offices of engagement as if he were all for us and nothing for himself thus he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Friend a Guide an Head an Husband a Leader Ransomer Intercessor and what not of this nature O my soul come hither and put thy little candle to this mighty flame if thou hadst ten hearts or as many hearts in one as there are elected Men and Angels in Heaven and Earth all these would be too little for Jesus Christ only go as far as thou canst and love him with that heart thou hast yea love him with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might and as Christ in loving thee is not his own so let thy soul in loving Christ be not her own Come love thy Christ and not thy self possess thy Christ and not thy self enjoy thy Christ and not thy self live in thy Christ not in thy self solace thy self in Jesus Christ not in thy self say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Certainly if ever thou comest to love Christ truly thou canst not but deny thy self and all created lovers This love will screw up thy soul so high above the world and above thy flesh and above thy self and above all other lovers that nothing on this side Christ whether in heaven or on earth will come in competition with him Suppose a man in the top of a Castle higher than the third Region of the Air or near the Sphere of the Moon should look down to the fairest and sweetest Meadows or to a Garden rich with Roses and Flowers of all sweet colours and delicious smells certainly he should not see or feel any sweetness pleasantness colour smell because he is so far above them so the soul filled with the love of Christ is so high above all created lovers that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritual soul O for a soul filled up with all the fulness of God! O for a soul stretched out to its widest capacity and circumference for the entertainment of God! Eph. 3.18 19. O my soul that thou wert but able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Surely if Christ be mine if his death be mine his resurrection mine his ascension mine his session mine his intercession mine How should I but love him with a singular love farewel world and worldly glory if Christ come in room it is time for you to vanish I shall little care for a Candle when the Sun shines fair and bright upon my head What is my name written on the heart of Christ doth he wear me as a Favour and Love-token about his arms and neck is he at every turn presenting me and my duties to his heavenly Father Cant. 4.9 O thou hast ravished my heart my King my Jesus thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Suppose O my soul thou hadst been with Christ when he washed his Disciples feet and that he should have come and have washed thy feet Would not thy heart have glowed with love to Jesus Christ why Christ is now in glory and now he takes thy filthy soul and dirty duties and washes as it were the feet of all that he may present them to his Father thou canst not shed a tear but he washes it over again in his precious blood and perfumes it with his glorious intercessions Oh what cause hast thou to love Jesus Christ Oh you that never loved Christ come love him now and you that have loved Christ a little O love him more Above all let me O my soul charge upon thee this duty of love O go away warmed with the love of Christ and with a love to Christ SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession Surely this is glad tydings of great joy when wicked Haman procured letters from King Ahasuerus for the destruction of all Jews then Esther the Queen makes request to the King that her people might be saved and Haman's letters revoked Esther 5.3 8.15 16 17. And the King said to her What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy request and it shall be given thee O the joy of Jews at this happy tidings Then the City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad then the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honour in every province and in every City whithersoever the Kings Commandment and his Decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day Is not this our very case was there not a Law against us an hand-writing of Ordinances a sentence of a double death of body and soul had not Satan as wicked Haman accused us and sought by all means our condemnation but yet behold not only an earthly Esther but Jesus the Son of God was willing for our sakes to come down from Heaven and he it was that took away the hand-writing of Ordinances and cancelled it upon the Cross that ascended into Heaven and there makes requests for us and he it is in whom his Father is well pleased never comes he to his Father but he obtains the grace of the golden Scepter no sooner he cryes I will that these poor souls may be eternally saved but his Father answers Amen Be it so be it O my Son even as thou pleasest O that we could joy at this O that we could imitate the Jews O that light and gladness and joy and honour would possess our souls if at Christ's birth was such and so much joy because a Saviour was proclaimed Is not our joy to be heightened when salvation is effected if the first act of Christ's mediation was so joyous shall not the last act of his mediation be much more joyous But I hear many objections which keep back joy they are as bars and hindrances at the doors of many heavy hearts that joy cannot enter in I shall instance in some O I am much opposed here in this world sayes one men are as wolves and devils Psal 22.16 Dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they have no bowels they persecute reproach revile so that I am killed all the day long And what then what matters oppositions of men so long as Christ doth intercede for thee in Heaven O remember Christ's bowels it may be he suffers men to be merciless on earth that thou mayst look up and behold how merciful he is who sits above and tell me hast thou no experience of this truth doth not relief strangely come in now and than why write upon
as Rev. 20.12 1. The Book must be opened And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life It is spoken after the manner of men in whose publick Judgments are produced all the writings of the process informations depositions of witnesses to shew that all actions Aug. l. 20. de civitate Dei cap. 14. even the most secret ones shall then be rehearsed and made manifest Augustine thinks these Books to be the Books of the Old and New Testament wherein all things either to be done or omitted are prescribed by God and then shall these Books be opened Rom. 2.16 Orig. Com. ad Rom. 14. because according to them shall sentence be given In that day God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Origen and all most all with him think these Books to be the Books of our consciences which now are shut up and concealed from men but then shall be made manifest to all the world whatever these Books are we find here one Book opened which is proper to the Saints called the Book of Life This Book contains in it the names of all that are elected from first to last Thou John and thou Joseph and thou Judeth and thou Mary and thou Elizabeth c. you are all Book'd down there is the particularity and there is the certainty Your names are written in Heaven rejoyce in it Oh what is the joy of Saints when once they see this book opened and their names inrolled engraven there in letters of glory This very Book clears it to me that God from all eternity made choice of a particular and determinate number of Persons to save them and that none other can be saved but those who were so elected and whosoever are so elected Rev. 13.8 17.8 they shall not fall away All that worship the Beast their names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb from the foundation of the world On the other side Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh the same shall be written in the Book of life and I will not blot out his name but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels This is the day when that book of life shall be opened and Christ shall read the names of every elect person before God and Angels not that Christ needs a book or indeed reads a name but that his Election stands so firm that he knows every predestinated Saint as well as we know their names whom for our memories we commit unto our books and then he will so honour his Saints that he will publish their names to all the world 2. All the actions demeanours graces duties and it may be sins of Saints shall be produced and laid open the holy Ghost tells us that the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books It appears hence that not onely names but things were written and these things were produced and accordingly they were judged 1. As to evil things unfruitful works of darkness It is a question and I dare not be too positive in it viz. Whether the sins of God's People shall be manifest at the day of Judgment Some are for the negative because God in his promises speaks so expresly Isa 43.25 44.22.38.17 John 5.24 Of forgiving iniquities of remembring them no more of blotting them out of throwing them into the bottom of the Sea of casting them behind his back in which respect say they the Godly are said not to come into Judgement I suppose this last Text is ill urged for by Judgment is not meant discussion but condemnation and in our best Translations so it is rendred others are for the affirmative upon these grounds 1. Because many of the Godly and wicked men's sins are mingled together and there cannot be a Judgment of discussion preceding that of condemnation unless Godly men's sins are also produced 2. Because it is spoken generally in respect of all sorts that the Books were opened By which Books most understand the consciences of men and by the opening of those Books they understand the manifesting clearing and discovering of consciences at that general day 3. Because the Scriptures are express for the affirmative not but that those Texts are truths that sins are forgiven blotted out thrown away to be remembred no more i.e. as to condemnation but as for exploration or discussion the Lord speaks universally that of every idle word that men speak Mat. 12.36 they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment If the ballance weigh down on this side for my part I am not peremptory but shall easily submit to the spirits of the Prophets yet this manifestation shall not be for the shame grief trouble ignominy or confusion of the godly but only for the setting up of God's justice and that the goodness and free grace of God in Christ may be made more illustrious how will Christ then be exalted when all the world shall see his righteousness and goodness his truth and mercy now again meeting together and kissing each other it was so at his first coming and it will be so at his second coming then shall his justice and mercy his righteousness and goodness be manifested to all in that by his own merits notwithstanding their sins he will bring all his Saints to his heavenly glory 2. As for good things whether good works duties or graces there is no question but all these will be that day produced and laid open 1. We see Christ enumerating the good works of them on his right hand for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked Mat. 25.35 26. and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me in prison and ye came unto me It is true in this catalogue we find nothing of faith but all of works but certainly faith is included as the life of the Tree is included in the fruit not only nor principally are works here mentioned for the goodness of the work considered in it self but as these works did express our faith and love to Jesus Christ in that by saith we could see Christ in a poor beggar or prisoner and could love Jesus Christ in these poor better than all our worldly goods or liberties I do not wonder that Paul adviseth his Corinthians See that ye abound in this grace of contribution to the Saints 2 Cor. 8.7 Phil. 1.9 1 Thes 1.12 and that he prayeth his Philipians And this I pray that your love may abound yet more And that he prayeth for his Thessalonians now the Lord make you to increase and to abound in love one towards another and towards all men and that he praiseth God in their behalf We are bound to thank God always for you brethren as it is
destruction O Christ thou that art the judge of Nations and the revenger of blood reward thou this man as he hath rewarded us he led us in the ways of wickedness and if it must be so let him be our ring-leader to Hell and upon his soul once buryed in Hell let this be the Epitaph the price of blood the price of blood if thou didst hear the blood of Abel being but one man forget not the blood of many now thou art judging the earth Why thus do the damned cry about thine ears and as for us say the Saints who were once thy people but now thy Judges we consent to their cry and to our Saviours doom go ye cursed into everlasting fire Men Brethren and Fathers I begin thus with the Ministers doom that you may see I would deal impartially and verily I believe it if our case come to this we of the Ministry shall be in a thousand times worse condition than any of you for besides the horrour due to the guilt of our own souls all the blood of those souls who have perished under our Ministry through our default will be laid to our charge little do you know or consider the burthen that lies upon us a burthen able to make the shoulders of the most mighty Angel in heaven to shrink under it Chrysostome was a glorious Saint Heb. 13.17 Hujus comminationis terror animum mihi concutit Chrys d yet casting his eye upon one only Text in the Bible Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account He professeth that the terror of this Text made his heart tremble Surely it is enough to make our hearts tremble if we seriously weigh our terrible doom in case that we should miscarry But now on the other side if the Minister be the Elect and sentenc'd to salvation and many of his people prove no better than Reprobates then shall the Minister say O miserable souls now you feel the truth of those comminations and curses which we opened and unfolded and discovered to you out of God's Word We dealt plainly with you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. that the unrighteous should not inherit the Kingdom of God we advised you again and again be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor Covetuous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were you and notwithstanding all our threats warnings intreatings beseechings thus ye lived and thus ye dyed and there is the issue Christ now hath doomed you to hell and here am I set on a throne to judge your souls for the Saints shall judge the World as well as Christ himself Oh what shall I do Oh my bowels my bowels here 's a case beyond all the former each of them according to their relations judge another but here 's a multitude not one or two or ten or an hundred but many hundreds or thousands according to the number of such and such Congregations where I have preached In Christ's reasonings with the wicked we have heard of his sayings and their answers and of his replications to their answers much said on both sides to and again I may suppose the like here O what shall I do says the Minister what doom shall I pass on this Assembly of Reprobates can I absolve them whom the righteous God hath condemned can I say come along with me to heaven now Christ hath said go ye cursed into hell and oh now shall I turn my speech from my wonted wooing beseeching intreating exhorting to a direct dooming damning condemning these souls to the pit of hell sometimes indeed I opened to these souls the armoury of God's wrath I thundred and lightned in their Congregations but my design was to fright them out of hell-fire and knowing the terrours of the Lord to have perswaded them towards heaven and heavenly things but now if I speak condemnation no sooner shall I speak but their souls will sink down to hell O miserable souls what shall I say or what can you say for your selves Then shall they answer Oh Sir do not you aggravate the torment by your condemnation the weight of Christ's doom is already unsupportable but will you adde more weight Why remember we are some of us it may be of your flesh and blood many a time you told us that you unfeignedly loved us and that we were dearer to you then all worldly enjoyments many a time you told us that you were willing to spend your self for us as the candle that burns it self to give others light you were pleased to bestow your prayers tears sighs groans for our souls your very Books and Writings were high expressions and abiding monuments of your dear love to us you weighed not your strength and spirits in comparison of our souls and shall this fair comical scean end in a dismal doleful bloody Tragedy would you do or suffer any thing to save us and will you now condemn us Oh forbear Ah no saith the Minister I cannot forbear all is true that you say I loved you dearly and I was willing to spend or to be spent for you but this aggravates the more ah my travail pains books writings words fears sighs groans are in one volume together and this volume has been opened this day and now is the question put what have you profited by all my words prayers tears sighs and groans is not all lost and are not your souls lost and now do you tell me of love what did I ever love you more then Christ loved you were the drops of my tears to be compared with the showers of his blood were my pains for you equal with the pains of his Cross and hath he not condemned you to hell and shall not I be like-minded to Jesus Christ Surely the Lord's will must be my will he hath already judged you and he will make me to judge you so far am I from pitying you that if he that formed you will shew you no mercy if he that saves me and all the Elect people of God will not save you can I pity you or save you or discent from Jesus in his sentence upon you speak no more of flesh and blood of labours of love Christ's Sentence must stand and as I am a member of Christ and a Minister of Christ I cannot but approve of it and so judge you to hell Why then say Reprobates we will curse thee and blaspheme Jesus Christ in hell for ever cursed be the time that ever we heard of Jesus Christ or that ever we knew thee or thy Ministry do not thy Sermons send us deeper into hell had it not been easier for us at this day of judgment if we had lived in Tyre and Sydon where the Gospel never was Preached didst not thou harden our hearts in such and such
the sprrits of all just men made perfect with God if there be enough in God for Angels whose capacities are greater than the Saints if there be enough in God for Jesus Christ whose capacity is yet far wider than the Angels if there be enough in God for God himself whose capacity is infinitely greater than them all then there must needs be satisfaction enough in God to any one poor soul Here is another thing wherein God is our all in all we shall enjoy him fully 3. It consists in our enjoying God solely Not as if there were nothing else in Heaven but onely God but that God in Heaven shall be all in all and instead of all it is God in Heaven that makes Heaven to be Heaven the Saints blessedness and Gods own blessedness doth consist in the enjoyment of God himself the Schoole-men tells us that we shall not properly enjoy any thing else but only God we may have some use of the Creatures but no fruition and therefore is God said to be all or as good as all And indeed what can we imagine to be in Heaven which is not eminently in God himself if it be greatness power and glory and victory and majesty all these are his if it be joy or love or peace or beauty or any thing amiable or desirable all these are in him Hence some take it to be David's meaning when he said he had none in Heaven but God Psal 73.25 that the sole enjoyment of God of God and of nothing else but God is the souls true happiness when it is at highest whom have I in heaven but thee whom why there are Angels there are Saints there are the spirits of just and perfect men are these nothing with David O yes all these are good but they are not able to satisfie a soul without God himself Whether God will make use of any Creatures for our service then or if any of what Creatures and what use is more than I yet know but to make up a full enjoyment there is required a gracious-glorious presence a sweet effusion or communication of that presence a just comprehension of the excellency of that communication a perfect love and a perfect rest in the love of whatsoever it is we comprehend now this is proper only to God it is he only that fills the whole capacity of the Soul it is he that so fills it that it can hold no more it is he only that is the object of love intended to the utmost and therefore he only is properly enjoyed he only is possessed with a full contentment as portion enough and as reward enough for the soul for ever But shall not the Saints have to do with something else in Heaven but only with God O yes I believe there shall be in Heaven a communion of the blessed Spirits in God an association of the Saints and Angels of God yet this shall not take away the sole enjoyment of God that he should not be their all in all For they shall not mind themselves or their own good as created things but altogether God they shall not love them or one another as for themselves but only for God here we love God for himself and it is a gracious love but there we shall love our selves for God and 't is a glorious love why this is to enjoy God solely in this respect he is all and in all whom have I in Heaven but thee Here 's a point enough to wean us to the World Alas the time is coming on a pace Vse that all this World shall be dissolved and then God shall be all in all here lies the Saints happiness to have God immediately God fully and God solely and will not Saints prepare themselves for such a condition as this you that have the World use it as if not 1 Cor. 7.31 for the fashion of this World passeth away and you that have but a little to do with the World improve that condition surely 't is your own fault if you have not more to do with God for you have little else to take up your hearts God may dwell and walk in your hearts without disturbance give me neither poverty nor riches saith the wise man upon that account a mean condition is more capable of happyness than that which over-loads us with outward things whilst others are casting up their accounts you may say with David how precious are thy thoughts unto me O God Psal 139.17 how great is the sum of them whil'st others are following their suits at courts of Justice you may follow all you have at a Throne of grace whil'st others are numbring their Flocks and Heards all your Arithmetick may be imployed to number your days whilst others cannot get out of the clutches of the world you may get into the embraces of your God why this is to prepare your selves for fuller and fuller enjoyments of God it is God will be all in all and this is the very top of Heavens happyness surely the less you have of the World now if you can but improve it the more you may have of Heavens happiness even upon earth for what is the happiness of Heaven but the sole enjoyment of God Christians if you feel any inclinations pantings breathings after this world give me leave to tell you that you will never be happy till you have lost all till you have no friends nor estates no enjoyment but God alone when all his done when this world is nothing when means shall cease both for bodies and souls and when Christ shall cease his Mediators office and the Son of man be Subject to his Father then God shall be all in all SECT X. Of Christs notwithstanding this being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity 10. FOR Christ's being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity we shall dilate in this Section Some may object if God be all in all what then becomes of Christ is not this derogatory to Jesus Christ I answer no in no wise for 1. It is not the Father personally and only but the Deity essentially and wholly that is our all in all when we say God is all in all we do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost for the whole God-head is all in all to all the Saints as well as the first person in the Trinity the Father is all and the Son is all and the holy Ghost is all and in that Christ is God and the Son of God we may say of Christ that he is all in all only the truth of this position is not from the humane nature but from the divine nature of Jesus Christ 2. It is not derogatory to Christ but rather it doth exceedingly advance Christ in the thoughts of all his Saints while it was necessary Christ veyled his Deity and when his work of Mediation is fully finished Christ then shall reveal his Deity
black as jet and the Moon red as blood when the Stars of heaven shall fall and when the heavens themselves shall depart as a scroll when the Trumpet shall sound that will shake the Earth and every Mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and every bonds-man and every free-man shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountains and shall say to the rocks and to the mountains fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Will it not be terrible if the people were so afraid when the Lord came without such attendants to give the Law upon Mount Sinai certainly much more terrible must such a coming in this manner be when he shall come like a revenging judge to take an account of the world for the keeping or for the breaking of that Law In this respect I wonder not at some weak Christians that cry out O Lord thou knowest that I have not desired this woful day A wise Jew was wont to say from a deep foresight of terror of this day The Messiah will come but Lord let me not live to see his coming Now to conquer this fear and to abate such slavish terror in such souls oh that they would consider it in the whole notion of it not onely as it shall be a day of blackness and of terror but as it shall also be a day of rest and of release Some are apt to take it up in the half notion of it they look on it only as a day of judgment and a day of condemnation and so they fly from it as from a Serpent but if they would take it up again and look on the other side the Serpent would be turned into a Rod. The day which will be so dreadful to the ungodly and the beginning of their misery it will be as joyful to the Saints and the beginning of their glory But in what respect is this day of Christ so desirable a day I answer in these particulars 1. It is a day of refreshing Here the Saints work in a furnace his fire is in Zion Acts 3.19 Isa 31.9 and his furnace in Jerusalem but Christ in his second coming when all the world shall be on fire shall fan wind as I may say on his Saints to cool them to the wicked it is an hot day a day of everlasting burnings but to the Saints it is a day of cooling quickning reviving and refreshing 2. It is a day of restoring of all things Acts. 3.21 Every creature is now in it's work-day dressed all defiled with sin but at that day there shall be a restitution of all things all the disorders and ruins which sin hath brought into the world shall then be repaired and man himself whose sin is the cause of all shall then be restored to his original glory 3. It is a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 Then shall it be known who are true Saints and who are Reprobates here we live inconfusion and in our most refined Churches if we have none scandalous yet we may have many hypocrites and we cannot discern them but in that day it shall be known who are the Lords and who are not the hypocrite shall then be unmantled and the Sons of God shall shine and glitter as the Sun that all may run and read These are God's Elect these are the Sons and Daughters of the Almighty Rom. 8.23 4. It is the day of adoption and of the redemption of our bodyes It is the day of our Sonship and deliverance I deny not but that the Saints are adopted and redeemed before this day but this adoption and redemption is not consummate nor declared before Christ come again to judgment then it is that he takes his Saints home to his house and all the Angels and Men of the World shall understand the love wherewith he loves them then shall Christ say These are my sons whom I have redeemed and as I have set them free so now shall they live and reign with me for ever and ever 5. It is The day of Christ's coming He was here not long since travailing about the Earth and about our business which done he went away to Heaven upon a special errand for his Saints and there now he is to intercede for them to attend the court to be their Advocate and to agitate the business of their souls and withal thâ—re now he is to take up lodgings for them and to prepare them mansions for eternity And no sooner shall he have dispatcht his business there but he will come for earth again he will bow the Heavens and come down to give a report of his transactions there hath he not left us a letter to that effect John 14.3 I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also O why are his Chariots so long a coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariots 2 Thes 1.7 6. It is the day of Christs revealing Christ to many of his Saints here is hidden and withdrawn it is true he may be in them yea certainly he is in them by his spirit but no man knows it no nor themselves neither which makes them cry O where is he whom my soul loveth but at this day of Christ's revealing all curtains shall be drawn aside Christ shall be unhid and the Saints shall see him face to face they shall never lose him more for without any intermission they shall stare and gaze and be ever looking unto Jesus Colos 3.4 7. It is the day of Christ's bright and glorious appearing When he was upon the Earth he appeared in our dress many then saw him who then said of him There is no beauty in him that we should desire him Oh it was a sad sight to see him crowned with thorns and scourged with whips and nailed to the cross but in his next appearing we shall see him in his best attire arrayed in white attended with the retinue of glory riding in his Chariot of light and smiling upon all his Saints Now is not this desirable The Apostle tells us of the Saints Tit. 2.13 Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ therefore surely they desire it Isa 53.11 8. It is the day of Christs joy Then he shall see of the travail of his soul and he shall be satisfied Now what is the travail of his soul is it not the perfection of his redeemed ones oh when Christ seeth this when he seeth his spouse as without spot or wrinkle then shall be fulfilled that prophesie Isa 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so
this day of the Lord we look for it and hasten unto it we are glad it is so near and we do what we can to have it nearer with an holy kind of impatience we beg of the Lord Rom 8.22 23 Come Lord Jesu come quickly This was Paul's character We know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies God's children such as have the first-fruits of the spirit the beginnings of true saving grace in them they constantly look and long for the day of full deliverance or of the coming of Christ This the Apostle instanceth in his Corinthians ye come behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and in like manner he writes to his Philippians Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 And to Titus himself he writes the same things We look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now Christians lay this character to heart do you long pant and look for this glorious and second coming of Christ have you any such wishes and sayings of heart and mind as these are Oh that Christ would appear Oh that Christ would now break the Heavens and come to Judgment oh that I could see him in the Cloud and on his Throne oh that his enemies were ruined my sins subdued my soul saved that I might serve him without weariness for ever and ever Surely if these elongations of soul be in you it is a comfortable evidence that your hopes are sound and that Christ will come to receive you to himsâ—lf and to bring you to glory 3. If we love Christ's appearing then will he appear on our side 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing A true Christian loves Christ's appearing in ordinances and in all the means of grace how much more in his own person but how should we love that we see not O yes there 's a kind of an Idea of Christ and of his glorious appearing in every sanctified soul and in that respect we love him though we cannot see him Who having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 Verse 7. saith the Apostle and so your love and faith at the appearing of Jesus Christ shall be found unto praise and honour and glory Those that have not seen Christ and yet love the Idea of his sight even they shall appear at the appearing of Christ in praise and honour and glory Is not the Crown laid up for them that love the appearing of Christ is it not a sign of a good cause to love a day of hearing surely the love of Christ's coming cannot consist without some assurance that a soul shall stand upright in the Judgdment He that hath not a confidence in his cause loves not the coming of the Judge no guilty prisoner loves the Sessions or loves the judges presence it is the cry of Reprobates Rev. 6.16 O ye mountains and O ye Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne But as for Christ and his Saints O the mutual loves and mutual longings in their breasts The last words that Christ speaks in the Bible and amongst us last words make deepest impressions are Surely I come quickly and the last answer that is made in our behalf is Amen even so come Lord Jesus I know this Character is near the former and therefore I shall pass it over 4. If our works be good then will he reward us according to our works At that great day this will be the trial works are no works Mat. 25.33 34 35 36. Then will he say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here were works Verse 46. upon which followed the rewards of Heaven for these went into eternal life I know Works are not meritorious and yet they are evidences I know works without Faith are but glisterrings sins and yet works done in faith are signs and fore-runners of eternal glory I know that if all the excellencies of all the moralities of all the men in the world were put together these could never reach glory and yet a cup of cold water given to one of Christ's little ones in the name of a Disciple of Christ shall not lose its reward Mat. 10.24 If a Christian doubt how should I know that my works are of a right stamp I answer 1. Look at the principle is there not something above nature do I not find some new light let out by God that shews a glory and excellency and beauty in good works is there not something in me that makes the same to be sweet or pleasant or agreeable to me 2. Look at the end natural works have no better end than self and creature-respects but in my works is there no aim at something higher than self whatever I do is not this in mine eye that all I do may tend to the honour and glory of God I had need take heed of vain-glory and self applause the Godly at the day of Judgment do not know the good works they did if my aim be at God I shall forget my self as if all I did were swallowed up in God 3. Look at the manner of my doing works Vzzah had a good intention but his work was not good because the manner was not good are my works according to the rule do they carry a conformity to the Law of God Let every man try his own work in this O my soul bring thy works to the touch-stone the Scripture the Rule of goodness is not all thy gold then discovered to be dross the Scripture doth not onely tell of works but tells us the manner of performing them as for instance if rightly done they must be done in zeal in fervency in activity thus Gods people are called a peculiar people zealous of good works a formal customary superficial performance of holy works fails in the manner of performing them what are my works performed in zeal is there not too much of coldness emptiness formality in all I do why thus may I know whether my works are of a right stamp certainly all works duties actings which are not done by a gracious heart through
for granted that this and no other no better is my case and what say you then if it be so heark then to the voice of our ministry We poor Ministers that love your souls say what you will of us would fain have all this enmity against God and against Christ done away and to this purpose we not onely appear many and many a time upon our knees to God for you but mangre all your opposition against us we could be content to come upon our knees from God to you to beseech you not to provoke your Judge against your souls what is Christ and you at odds is the difference wide betwixt your judge and you I do now in my Masters Name in the Name of God and in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ beseech you to believe I beseech you in Christs Name in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God Is not this the Apostles word Now then we are Embassadours for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead Christ's Ministers are not onely God's Legates but Christ's Surrogates to make this plain to you when a Prince sends a messenger to another Prince that messenger is onely an Embassador the Prince being not bound to carry the message himself in Person but now Jesus Christ he is the Father's Embassador and Christ is thereby bound to bring the message of peace himself but being necessarily imployed elsewhere in the same design of grace he constitutes us his officers so that we do not come only in the Name of God but in the place of Christ to do that work which is primarily his As the Father hath sent me John 20.21 Gal. 4.14 even so send I you and this was the commendation of the Galathians that they received the Apostle Paul even as Jesus Christ Now weigh our desire we beseech you to believe we beseech you to sign the articles of agreement betwixt Christ and you what shall some base inconsiderable lust stand in competition with Jesus Christ will you not make your peace with your judge whilest you are in a way and before he sit in the Throne behold we give you warning the Judge is at the door now believe and be saved Oh how fain would we tempt you as it were with glory we tender Christ and we offer peace we come in the judges name to beseech you to make ready for him and for Heaven we bring salvation to your very doors to your very ears and there we are sounding knocking Will ye go to Heaven sinners will ye go to Heaven Oh believe in him that will judge you and he will save you 3. Christ by his Spirit moves excites and provokes you to believe Sometimes in reading and sometimes in hearing and sometimes in meditating you may feel him stir have you felt no gale of the spirit all this while John 16.8 It is the spirit that convinceth the world of sin especially of that great sin of unbelief and then of righteousness which Christ procureth by going to his Father observe here it is the work of the spirit thus to convince so that all moral philosophy and the wisest directions of the most Civil men will leave you in a wilderness yea ten thousands of Sermons may be preached to you to believe and yet you never shall till you are over-powred by Gods Spirit it is the Spirit that enlightens and directs you as occasion is saying this is the way walk in it Isa 30.21 It is the spirit that rouzeth and awakeneth you by effectual motions Arise my love Cant. 2.10 my fair one and come away He stands at the door and knocks he stretches out his hand with Heaven in it and he doth so all the day long Rom. 10.21 all the day long have I stretched out my hand and that you may find his yoke easie and his burthen light it is the Spirit that draws the yoke with you and by secret animations and sweet inspirations heartens and enables you to do the work with ease and in this respect the Saints are said to be led by the spirit even as a mother leads her child that is weak and enables it to go the better so the spirit leads the Saints as it were by the hand and strengthens them to believe yet more and more I speak now to Saints if whiles I press you to believe in Jesus you feel the spirit in his stirrings and impetuous acts Rom. 8.24 surely it concerns you to believe it concerns you to be obsequious and yielding to the breathings of God's Spirit it concerns you to co-operate with the spirit and to answer his wind-blowing As you are to take Christ at his word so you are to take Christs spirit at his work if now he knocks do you knock with him if now his fingers make a stirring upon the handles of the bar let your hearts make a stirring with his fingers also O reach in your hearts under the stirrings of free grace obey dispositions of grace as God himself if now you feel your hearts as hot as Iron it is good then to smite with the hammer if now you feel your spirits docile say then with him in the Gospel I believe Lord help my unbelief I believe what I believe when Jesus comes again he will receive me to himself and that I shall be for ever with the Lord Amen Amen SECT VI. Of Loving Jesus in that respect 6. LET us love Jesus as carrying on the great Work of our Salvation for us in his second coming In prosecution of this I must first set down Christ's love to us and then our love to Christ that is the cause and this effect that is the spring and this the stream in vain should we perswade our hearts to love the Lord if in the first place we were not sensible that our Lord loves us John 4.19 We love him saith the Apostle because he first loved us it is Christs way of winning hearts he draws a lump of love out of his own heart and casts it into the sinner's heart and so he loves him Come then let us first take a view of Christ's love to us and see if from thence any sparks of love will fall on our hearts to love him again Should I make a Table of Christ's acts of love and free-grace to us I might begin with that eternity of his love before the beginning and never end till I draw it down to that eternity of his love without all ending his love is as his mercy from everlasting to everlasting he loved us before time in the beginning of time in the fulness of time at this time the flames of his love are as hot in his brest as they were at first and when time shall be no more he will love us still this fire of Heaven is everlasting there is in the brest of Christ an eternal coal of burning love that never never
everlastingly for it O my soul canst thou ponder on this and not love him dearly who has thus loved thee Come stir up the gift that is in thee if thou art a Christian thou hast some sparks though now it may be under the ashes come rub chase and warm thy affections at this fire love like a watch must be wound up or else it will fall downwards what dost thou why stand'st thou idle in the heat of the Day Christ hath fire in his hand 't is but looking up and reaching out thy hand to take it from him O take it with both thy hands and be thankful for it Prayer ejaculation contemplation judicious observation of the Spirits season are thy best instruments to kindle this fire of love in thee And methinks thy heart should begin now to melt methinks it should receive more easie impressions from the object before it methinks these eternal works and acts of God and Christ towards thy poor soul should begin to overcome thee Cant. 6.5 Cant 8.6 and to burne thy heart as with coales of Juniper Why Lord is it thus was I Elected from all Eternity in Christ was I ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a World was this business to make me happy one of the cheef deep counsels of God was this one of the works of his wisdome that he was exercised about before the World began was this the great designe of God in making the World and in making Heaven the place of glory to glorifie himselfe and to glorifie such a poor wretch as I am O then how should this but mightily inflame my heart with the love God and love of Christ how should I choose but say as the Martyr did Oh that I had as many lives as I have haires on my head to lay them down for Christ Ah what flames of Divine affection what raptures of zeal what ravishments of delight what extasies of obedience can be enough for my blessed God and dearest Redeemer SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy O my soul dost thou believe and art thou now cast into a pang of love how then should thy joy but come on As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoyce not Luk. 10.20 that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven so rejoyce not thou in this that the world is thine that riches are thine that thou hast subdued men and devils but herein rejoyce that thy name is written in the Book of life O what a comfortable point is this that the Father and Christ should transact a bargaine from Eternity concerning thee by name that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven as if their language had been thus Father what shall be given to thy justice to ransome such a one Abraham Isaac Jacob Matthew Mark Luke John Mary Martha Hannah c. why no more but this thou shalt dye my Son and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever Why then saith Christ I will engage for such and such a one I will enter into Bond for such and such a person Abraham shall believe in time See I have writ down his name in the Book of life And who art thou that readest art thou a believer dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ said the same of thee and entered into a bond for thee and entered they name in the Book of life See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3 Phil. 4 3. Thou Thomas Andrew Peter Christ knows thee by name and thy name is written in the Book of life O go thy way and rejoyce and take strong consolation is there not cause why I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven and if this may adde to thy joy know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again No no poor soul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God hath decreed thy salvation and Gods decree shall stand let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations it is as possible for God to deny himself as it is possible for thee a believer to perish 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept saith the Apostle by the power of God through faith to salvation and therefore rejoyce and againe rejoyce yea raise up thy joy to that pitch of triumph which is joy elevated and elevated so high that it comes to victoriousness and magnanimous conquest of heart over all things say with the Apostle what my name written in the Book of life Rom. 8 3â— 35 38 39. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who then shall separate me from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword nay I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. VVE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus This also is included in looking as David while Praying unto thee do I lift up mine Eyes Psa 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Now this calling on God or looking to God contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions betwixt God and Christ may be assuredly ours and that God would clear up our Titles more and more yea and seeing all good things tending to Salvation were from all Eternity prepared for us we are therefore to pray that by prayer we may draw them down from Heaven for what though our Evidences be clear Yet this must not cast out means God doth not use to bestow his saving Graces on lazy sluggards those therefore who from the certainty of Predestination do pretend that the duty of Prayer is superfluous do plainly shew that they have no certainty at all Aquinas Aquinas part c q. art 8. was Orthodox in this the Predestinate must Pray because by these effects of Predestination the Salvation of Souls is best ascertained The same Spirit which Witnesseth to our Spirit that we are his Chosen is also the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and therefore he that believes that he is one of Gods Elect he cannot but pray for those things which he believeth that God hath prepared for him before the foundation of the World 2. We must praise God what that God should look on us and Predestinate us to Life