wooes him by love by the second he frights him by the terrour of his justice and bids him touch and taste if he durst The Faederati were God and Adam God the Creator and man the creature made after Gods image and likeness and so not contrary to God nor at enmity with him but like unto God though far different and inferiour to God in nature and substance Here are also terms agreed on and matters covenanted reciprocally by these parties Adam on his part was to be obedient to God in forbearing to eat of the tree of knowledg only God's charge to our first parents was only negative not to eat of the tree of knowledg the other to eat of the trees was left unto their choice Eve confesseth that God spake unto them both and said ye shall not eat of it And God speaks unto both of them Gen. 3. 2. together in these words Behold I have given unto you every Gen. 1. 19. herb and every tree c. At which time also it is very like that he gave them the other prohibition of not eating of that one tree for if God had made that exception before he would not have given a general permission after or if this general grant had gone before the exception coming should seem to abrogate the former grant The Septuagint seem to be of this mind that this precept was given both to Adam and Eve reading thus So doth Gregory read as the Septuagint does Gr â— l. b. 35. moral â— 10 in the plural number In what day ye shall eat thereof ye shall die And though in the Original the precept be given in the name of Adam only that is only 1. Because Adam was the more principal and he had the charge of the woman And 2. Because that the greatest danger was in his transgression which was the cause of the ruine of his posterity 3. Because as Mercerus well observes Adam was the common name both of the man and woman Gen. 5. 2. and so is taken vers 15. And God on his part for the present permits Adam to eat of all other trees of the Garden And for the future in his explicite threatning of death in case of disobedience implicity promiseth life in case of obedience herein Secondly the promises of this Covenant on God's part were very glorious First that heaven and earth and all creatures should continue in their natural course and order wherein God had had created and placed them serving always for man's use and that man should have the benefit and Lordship of them all Secondly As for natural life in respect of the body Adam should have had perfection without defect beauty without deformity labour without weariness Thirdly as for spiritual life Adam should never have known what it was to be under 〈◊〉 18. 1. â— terrours and horrours of conscience nor what a wounded spirit means he should never have found the arrows of 〈◊〉 6. 4. the Almighty sticking faâ—l in him nor the poyson thereof drinking up his spirits nor the terrours of God to set themselves in array against him nor he should never have tasted of death Death is a fall that came in by a fall had Adam never sinned Adam had never died had Adam stood fast in innocency he should have been translated to glory without dissolution Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death As the worm kills the worm that bred it so death 〈◊〉 sin that bred it Now where there are parties covenanting promising and agreeing upon terms and terms mutually agreed upon by those parties as here There 's the substance of an express Covenant though it be not formally and in express words called a Covenant This was the first Covenant which God made with man and this is called by the name Berith Jer. 33. 20. where God saith If you can break my Covenant of the day and night and that there shall not be day and night in their season vers 21. Then may also my Covenant with David be broken In these words he speaks plainly of the promise in the Creation That day and night should keep Gen. 1. 14 15 16. their course and the sun moon and stars and all creatures should serve for man's use Now though man did break the Covenant on his part yet God being immutable could not break Covenant on his part neither did he suffer his promise to fail but by vertue of Christ promised to man in the new Covenant he will keep touch with man so long as mankind hath a being on the earth In this first Covenant God promised unto man life and happiness Lordship over all the creatures liberty to use them and all other blessings which his heart could desire to keep him in that happy estate wherein he was created And man was bound to God to walk in perfect righteousness to observe and keep God's Commandments and to obey his will in all things which were within the reach of his nature and so far as was reveiled to him In the first Covenant God reveiled himself to man as one God Creator and Governour of all things infinite in power wisdom goodness nature and substance God was man's good Lord and man was God's good servant God dearly loved man and man greatly loved God with all his heart there was not the least shadow or occasion of hatred or enmity between them there was nothing but mutual love mutual delight mutual content and mutual satisfaction between God and man Man in his primitive glory needed no Mediator to come between God and him man was perfect pure upright and good created after God's own image and the nearer he came to God the greater was his joy and comfort God's presence now was man's great delight and it was man's heaven on earth to walk with God But Thirdly Consider the intention and use of the two eminent Trees in the Garden that are mentioned in a more peculiar manner viz. The tree of life and The tree of knowledg The intended use of these two Trees in Paradise was Sacramental Hence they are called Symbolical Trees and Sacramental Trees by learned writers both ancient and modern By these the Lord did signifie and seal to our first parents that they should always enjoy that happy state of life in which they were made upon condition of obedience to his Commandments i. e. in The Tree of life was the 〈◊〉 and â—eal which God gave to man for confirmation of this first Covenant and it was to man a Sacrament and pledge of eternal life on earth and of all blessings needful to keep man in life eating of the tree of life and not eating of the tree of knowledg The Tree of life is so called not because of any native property and peculiar vertue it had in it self to convey life but symbolically morally and sacramentally It was a sign and obsignation to them of life natural and spiritual to be continued to them as
he was the true Messiah and of the father's installing him into that office of a Redeemer So Joh. 6. 38. I came down from heaven not to do mine See Joh. 10. 17. câ—p 16. 27. own will but the will of him that sent me In this verse Christ declares in the general that his errand into the world is to do his father's will who sent him and not his own which is not to be understood that as God he hath a different and contrary will to the fathers though as man he hath a distinct and subordinate will to his but the meaning is he came not to do his own will only as the Jews alledged against him but the father 's also and that in this work he was the father's Commissioner sent to do what he had entrusted him with and not as the Jews gave out that he was one who did that for which he had no warrant Christ in entertaining them that come to him as in vers 37. is not only led thereunto by his own mercy and bounty and love towards them as the reward of all his sufferings but doth also stand obliged thereunto by vertue of a Commission and trust laid upon him by the father and accepted and undertaken by him therefore he doth mention the will of him that sent him as a reason of his fidelity in this matter By what has been said it is most evident that God the father had thâ— first and chief hand in the great work of our Redemption It is good to look upon God the father as the first projector of our happiness and blessedness that we may honour the father as we honour the son and love the father as we love the son and value the father as we value the son admire the father as we admire the son and exalt the father as we exalt the son and cleave to the father as we cleave to the son c. I have a little the longer insisted on this propositon because commonly we are more apprehensive of the love of the son than we are of the love of the father that I may the more heighten your apprehensions of the father's love in the great work of Redemption Ah! what amazing love is this that the thoughts of the father that the eye of the father that the heart of the father should be first fixed upon us that he should begin the treaty with his son that he should make the first motion of love that he should first propose the Covenant of Redemption and thereby lay such a sure foundation for man's recovery out of his slavery and misery To speak after the manner of men the business from Eternity lay thus here is man saith God the father to his son fallen from his primitive purity glory and excellency into a most woful gulf of sin and misery he that was once a son is now become a slave he that was once a friend is Eâ—h 2. 12 13. now become an enemy he that was once near us is now afar off he that was once in favour is now cast off he Gen. 1. 26 27. that was once made in our image has now the image of Satan stamp'd upon him he who had once sweet communion with us has now fellowship with the Devil and his Angels Now out of this forlorn estate he can never deliver himself neither can all the Angels in heaven deliver him now this being his present case and state I make this offer to thee O my son If in the fulness of Phil. 2. 7 8. Isa 63. 3. Gal. 3. 13. time thou wilt assume the nature of man tread the wine-press of my wrath alone bear the curse shed thy blood die suffer satisfie my justice fulfil my Royal Law then I can upon the most honourable terms imaginable save fallen man and put him into a safer and happier condition than ever that was from whence Adam fell and give thee a noble reward for all thy sufferings Upon this Jesus Christ replies O my father I am very ready and willing to do to suffer to die to satisfie thy justice to comply with thee in all thy noble motions and in all thy gracious and favourable inclinations that poor sinners may be sanctified and saved made gracious and glorious 1 Thes 1. ult Heb. 10. 10. 14. Psal 40. 6 7. holy and happy that poor sinners may never perish that poor sinners may be secured from wrath to come and be brought into a state of light life and love I am willing to make my self an offering and Loe I am come to do thy will O God Thus you see how firstly and greatly and graciously the thoughts of God have been set at work that poor sinners may be for ever secured and saved But The Seventh Proposition is this It was agreed between Gen. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Aâ—t 2. 30. cap. 3. 22. Isa 7. 14. cap. 9. 6. Dâ—ut 18. 15 18. Gal. 4. 4. â—em 8. 3. the father the son that Jesus Christ should be incarnate that he should take on him the nature of those whom he was to save and for whom he was to satisfie and to bring to glory Christs incarnation was very necessary in respect of that work of Redemption that he by agreement with the father had undertaken he had engaged himself to his father that the would redeem lost sinners and as their surety make full satisfaction By the fall of Adam God and man was fallen out they were at variance at enmity at open Râ—m 8. 7. hostility so that by this means all intercourse between heaven and earth was stopped and all trading between God and us ceased Now to redress all this and to make an atonement a Mediatour was necessary now this office belonged unto Jesus Christ both by his father's Heb. 10 5 6 7. ordination and his own voluntary susception and for discharge of it a humane nature was very requisite there was an absolute necessity that Christ should suffer partly because he was pleased to substitute himself in the sinner's stead and partly because his sufferings only could be satisfactory But now unless Christ be incarnate how can he suffer the whole lies thus without satisfaction no Redemption without suffering no satisfaction without flesh no suffering Ergo Christ must be incarnate The Joh. 1. 14. word must be made flesh And so Heb. 2. 14 16. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 1 Tim. 3. 16. Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory This is only
was faithful to him that appointed him Christ had a divine call to the execution of all those offices which he sustained as our Mediator he did not run before he was sent he did not act without a Commission and Warrant he was lawfully constituted by him who had power to undertake that great charge he hath over the Church this we shall find asserted of all his three offices As for his Priestly office he was made a Priest by an immediate call and ordination from God Heb. 5. 4 5 6. The scope of the Apostle is to set out the excellency of Christ's Priesthood by comparing it with the Levitical His Priesthood had a concurrence of all things necessary to the Levitical and it had many excellencies above that Now among other things required in the Priesthood of Aaron this was one there must be a divine regular call this was in the Priesthood of Christ He was called of God an high priest after the order Psal 110. 4. The Hebrew is Thou a Priest c. i. e. Thou shalt be a priest for ever it being the manner of the Hebrew Tongue sometimes for brevity sake to leave out a word which is to be understood and supplied of Melchisedek that Psal 110. 4. is God's sure and irrevocable promise to Christ touching that excellent and eternal Priesthood whereby the recovery of his seed was to be meritoriously obtained This Priestly office of Christ is sure because it is confirmed by God's oath of which before as well as his promise The promise makes it sure the oath doubly sure irrevocable And certainly the Lord neither can nor will ever repent himself of this promise and oath The Priesthood of Christ is the most noble part of all his mediation in the Priesthood of Christ and in that especially lies the latitude and longitude the profundity and sublimity of God's love towards us and in respect of this especially is the whole mystery of our Redemption by Christ called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the magnificent works of God Christ as man and as Mediator between God and man was by his father deputed unto his Priestly office Concerning the dignity and excellency of Christ's Priestly office above the Levitical Priesthood I have spoke elsewhere But Secondly God the father promises to Jesus Christ to make him a Prophet a great Prophet yea the Prince of Prophets Christ is a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of eminency and excellency above all other Prophets he was the chief the head of them all Christ was made a Prophet by an immediate call and ordination from God Christ in respect of his Prophetical office can plead the authority of his father he can shew a Commission for this office under his father 's own hand Deut. 18. 18. Vide Act. 3. 22. and â—â—p 7. 37. Deut. 18. 15. Isa 61. 1. I will raise them a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command them Christ does not raise himself up to the Prophetical office but God the father raises him up to this great office He was anointed of God to preach glad tidings weigh that Isa 42. 6 I will give thee for a light to the gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from their prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed Luk. 4. 21. me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted c. Thus you see that this Prophetical dignity of Christ that he is the grand Doctor of the Church is built upon the Authority of his â—ather who hath authorized and commissionated him to Christ displaces all Rabbies by assuming this title to himself one is your Doctor and Master even Christ Mat. 23. that great office Isa 50. 4. The Lord hath given me the tongâ—e of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in seasoâ— to him that is weary He wakeneth morning by morning â—â— wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned Thus you see thâ—â— God the father promiseth to invest Christ with a Prop 〈…〉 tick office for the opening the eyes of the blind c. This great Prophet is richly furnished with all kind of knowledg In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg they are hid in him as gold and silver are in suo loco as the Philosopher speaks hid in the veins of the earth Treasures of knowledg that is precious knowledg saving knowledg Treasures of knowledg that is plentiful knowledg abundance of knowledg Treasures that is hidden and stored knowledg was laid up in him All the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth do not know all that is in the heart of God but now Jesus Christ who lies in the bosom of the father he knows Joh. 1. 1â— all that is in his father's heart all those secret mysteries that were laid up in the bosom of eternity are fully known to this great Prophet of the Church Joh. 5. 20. The father loveth the son and sheweth him all things that himself doth by a divine and unspeakable communication God the father shews to Jesus Christ all things that he doth God's love is communicative and will manifest it self in effects according to the capacity of the party beloved so much appeareth in that unspeakable love of the father to the son The father loveth the son and sheweth him all things c. Or communicateth his nature wisdom and power for operation with him which is expressed in terms taken from among men because of our weakness and ought to be spiritually and not carnally conceived of And therefore these terms of the father's shewing and the son's seeing are made use of to prevent all carnal and gross conceptions of this inexpressible communication from the Father and participation by the Son In the blessed Scripture Jesus Christ is sometimes called the Prophet and that Prophet because he is one that came from the bosom of the father and lives and lies iâ— the bosom of the father and understands the whole miâ—d will heart counsels designs ways and workings of the father Jesus Christ is anointed by God the father â—o be the great Prophet and teacher of his Elect and acâ—â—rdingly Jesus Christ has taken that office upon himself 〈◊〉 the father has laid a charge upon Jesus Christ to teaâ—h and instruct all those that he has given him in his whole mind and will so far as is necessary to their salvation edification consolation c. Moses was faithful as a servant but Heb. 3. 2 5 6. Christ as a son Christ cannot be unfaithful in his Prophetical office those that God the father hath charged him to teach and instruct he will teach and instruct in the great things of their peace and no
23 26. can never be happy here nor blessed hereafter and yet it is possible for a man with Herod to reform many things Mark â—â— 2â— Mat. 26. 20 21. 22 1 Theâ—s 5. 23. and yet be a lost and undone man for ever as he was Judas was a very reformed man but he was never inwardly changed nor throughout sanctified The Scribes and Pharisees were outwardly reformed but they were not inwardly renewed A man may be another man than what once he was and yet not be a new man a new creature When a sinner is sermon-sick O! then he will 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Pâ—t 2. 20 22. Dâ—st 5. 5 6 7 8. leave his sins but when that sickness is off he returns with the dog to his vomit and with the sow to her wallowing in the mire Sometimes conscience is like the hand-writing upon the wall it makes the sinners countenance to change and his thoughts to be troubled and the joints of his loins to be loosed and his knees to smite one against another and now the sinner is all for reforming and turning over a new leaf but when these agonies of conscience are over the sinner returns to his old courses again and often times is twofold more a Child of Hell than before There was a Matth. 23. 15. man in this City who was given up to the highest wickednesses on his sick bed conscience made an Arrest of him and he was filled with such wonderful horrour and terrour that he cryed out day and night that he was damned he was damned he was damned and when he had some small intervals O what large promises did he make what a new man a reformed man he would be but when in time his terrors and sickness wrought off he was seven-fold worse than before Sometimes the awakened Sinner parts with some sins to make room for others and sometimes the Sinner seems to give a Bill of divorce to this sin and that but it is only because his bodily strength fails him or because he wants an opportunity or because there is a more strict eye and watch upon him or because the sword of the Magistrate is more sharpned against him or because James 4. 3. he wants fuel he wants a purse to bear it out or because some Company or some Relations or some Friends lye between him and his sins so that he must either tread over them or else keep from his sins or because he has deeply smarted for this sin and that his name has been blotted his credit and reputation stained Prov. 6. 32 33 34 35. his Trade decayed his health empaired his body wasted c. By these short hints it is evident that men may attain to some outward reformation whose states and hearts were never changed and who were never taken into marriage union with Christ But Tenthly and lastly many take up in a party as of old some cryed up Paul as the only deep Preacher and others cryed up Apollos as the only eloquent Preacher and 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12 13. many cryed up Cephas as the most zealous Preacher We are for the Church of England say some we are for the baptized People say others we are for the Presbyterian government cry some we are for the congregational way cry others I have so much ingenuity and charity as to judge that some of all these several parties and perswasions are really holy and will be eternally happy are gracious and will be glorious are sanctified and will be saved are now governed by Christ and will be hereafter glorified with Christ Judas was one of Christs party Mat. 26. 20. to the 26. if I may so speak and yet he had no part nor portion in Christ Demas was one of Paul's party and yet he 2 Tim. 4. 10. plaid the Apostat and turn'd an idolatrous Priest at 2 Tim. 1. 15. Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith And Phygellus and Hermogenes were of Paul's party but were only famous for 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. their recidivation and Apostasie Hymeneus and Alexander were of Paul's party but they made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience The five foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 12. were in society with the wise and were accounted as members of their association and yet the door of Heaven was shut against them Many light slight and vain persons went with the Children of Israel out of the Land Exod. 1â— 38. Num. 11. 4. of Egypt even a mixt multitude that imbarkt in the same bottom with them and yet never arrived at the Land of promise O my Friends it is not a mans being of this party or that this Church or that this way or that this society or that that will bring him to Heaven without 1 Pet. 1. 4. Heâ— 1. 2. 1 John 5. 12. a spiritual conjunction with Christ he that would enjoy the Heavenly inheritance must be espoused to Christ the heir of all things For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life This marriage union between Christ and the soul is set forth to the life throughout that Book of Solomon's Songâ— though the marriage-union between Christ and the soul Cant. â— 16. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eccl. 11. 6. be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet it is real things in nature work often insensibly yet really we do not see the hand move on the dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and drawes up the vapours of the Earth insensibly yet really Now this marriage-union between Christ and the soul includes and takes in these following particulars First This marriage-union between Christ and the soul does include and take in the souls giving a present bill of Divorce to all other lovers Sin the world and Consult these Scriptures Hosea 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. Cap. 30. 22. Psalm 45. 10. Exod. 12. 33. Isa 59. â—o C. 3. 3. Satan Are you seriously and sincerely willing for ever to renounce these and be divorced from these there is no compounding betwixt Christ and them sin and your souls must part or Christ and your souls can never meet sin and your souls must be two or Christ and your souls can never be one you must in good earnest fall out with sins or else you can never in good earnest fall in with a Saviour the heart must be separated from all other lovers before Christ will take the soul into his bed of loves Christ takes none into marriage-union with himself but such as are cordially willing that all old former leagues with sin and the world shall be for ever broken and dissolved your cordial willingness to part with sin is your parting with sin in Divine account you may as soon bring East and West together light and darkness together Heaven and Hell together as bring Christ to â—spouse himself to such a soul as has no mind no will no heart to be divorced from his former lovers 'T
power for God and his People but against God and his People and some Rich men have wished that they had never been rich because they have not improved their riches for the glory of God nor for the succour and relief of his suffering Saints A Beggar upon the way asked something of a honourable Lady she gave him six pence saying This is more than ever God gave me O says the Beggar Madam you have abundance and God hath given you all that you have say not so good Madam Well says she I speak the truth for God hath not given but lent unto me what I have that I may bestow it upon such as thou art And it is very true indeed that poor Christians are Christs Alms-men and the Rich are but his Stewards into whose hands God hath put his monies to distribute to them as their necessities require It is credibly reported of Mr. Thomas Sutton the fole Founder 〈◊〉 Church History of 〈…〉 tain of that eminent Hospital commonly known by his name that he used often to repair into a private Garden where he poured forth his prayers unto God and amongst other passages was frequently over-heard to use this expression Lord thou hast given me a liberal and large estate give me also a heart to make good use of it which was granted to him accordingly Riches are a great blessing but a heart to use them aright is a far greater blessing Every Rich man is not so much a Treasurer as a Steward whose praise is more how to lay out well than to have received much I know I have transgressed the bounds of an Epistle but love to your souls and theirs into whose hands this Treatise may fall must be my Apology Sir If you and your Lady were both my own Children and my only Children I could not give you better nor more faithful counsel than what I have given you in this Epistle and all out of a sincere serious and cordial desire and design that both of you may be happy here and found at Christs right hand in the great day of Account Matth. 25. 33 34. Now the God of all grace fill both your hearts with 1 Pet. 5. 1 Gal. 5. 22 â— 23. Eph. 1. 3. all the fruits of righteousness and holiness and greatly bless you both with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places and make you meet helps to each other Heaven-ward and at last crown you both with ineffable glory in the life to come So I take leave and rest Your assured Friend and Souls Servant Tho. Brooks ERRATA PAge 3. l. 20. r. eminent p. 10. l. 2r r. 2. p. 36. margin r. propter p. 38. l. 6. Hebrew r. Hebrews p. 48. l. 23. the r. this p. 64. l. 6. for Christian r. Christians p. 73. l. 9. for works r. work l. 21 22. put in the margin Isa 6. 13. Cap. 8. 18. p. 120. l. 9. for the r. he p. 147. l. 37. r. be p. 155. l. 3. blot out is p. 166. l 19. blot out to l. 31. blot out he 2. Part. p. 17. l. 11. add as 2. Part. p. 35. l. 29. r. of fâ—r or 2. Part. p. 37. l. 36. r. he for here 2. Part. p. 55. l. 34. r. her for their 2 Part. p. 59. l. 15. all for a. 2. Part. p. 62. l. 1. blot out he 2. Part. p. 67. l. 27. add the. l. 36. blot out the. 2. Part. p. 70. l. 27. exaltations r. exultations 2. Part. p. 75. l. 18. add up r. this for the. 2. Part. p. 82. l. 29. blot out the. 2. Part. p. 87. l. 20. for at r. as 2. Part. p. 109. l. 36. r. on the growth 2. Part. p. 146. l. 22. blot out the. 2. Part. p. 122 l. 34. r. her for their 2. Part. p. 127. l. 36. prenned r. pened 2. Part. p. 130. l. 8. for flesh r. flesh 2. Part. p. 192. l. 28. for giving r. laying 2. Part. p. 176. for Reboim r. Zeboim 2. Part. p. 208. l. 6. r. of Christ 2. Part. p. 217. l. 24 blâ—t out of l. 27. add then 2. Part. p. 219. l. 22. r. Jer. 14. 8. 2. Part. p. 220. l. 30. blot out but. In the Catalogue p. 5. l. 37. for matter r. nature p. 6. l. 37. for declining r. dealing A GENERAL EPISTLE TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS To all afflicted and distressed Christians all the world over especially to those that are in bonds for the testimony of Christ in Bristol and to those that are sufferers there or in any other City Town Countrey or Kingdom whatsoever and to all that have been deep sufferers in their Names Persons Estates or Liberties upon the account of their faithfulness to God to their Light to their Consciences to their Principles to their Profession and to Christ the King and Head of his Church and to all that have been long prisoners to their beds or chambers by reason of age and the common infirmities that do attend it or that are under any other afflictive dispensation And more particularly to my ancient dear and honoured friend Mrs. Elizabeth Drinkwater who has been many years the Lords prisoner and upon the matter kept wholly from publick Ordinances by reason of her bodily weaknesses and infirmities though Ezek. 11. 16. in the want of a greater Sanctuary God has been a little Sanctuary to her soul Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied Dear and Honoured Friends THe ensuing Treatise about the Signal Presence of God with his people in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers I present to the service of all your souls There has not been any Treatise on this Subject that hath ever fallen under mine eye which hath been one great reason to encourage me in this present undertaking I know several holy and learned men have written singularly well upon the Gracious Presence of God with his People in Ordinances and in the Worship of his House but I know none that have made it their business their work to handle this Subject that I have been discoursing on though a more excellent noble spiritual seasonable and necessary Sâ—bject can â—arely bâ— treated on There are ten things that I am very well satisfied in and to me they are things of great Importance in this present day And the firâ—t is this viz. That there is no engagement from God upon any of his people to run themselves into sufferings wilfully cauâ—â—esly groundleâ—ly Chriâ—â—ians must not be prodigal of their blood for their blood is Christ's their estates their names their liberties their all is his they are not their own they are bought with a price and 1 Câ—r â— 2â— cap. 7. 23. therefore to him they must be accountable for their lives liberties c. and therefore they had need be very wary how they part with them We must not step out of our way to take up a Cross The three Worthies were passive they did not rush into the fiery Dâ—â— 2. 2â— 21. 28. Wâ—at 〈◊〉
up Mat. 10. 21. Luk. 21. 16. the brother to death and the father the child and the children sha rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Alphonsus Diarius delivered up his own Brother John at Neoberg Sleiden lib. 1. 17. Act. and Men. Fâ—l 1112. Ibid. 1801. in Germany into his enemies hands So Doctor London made Filmer the Martyr's own Brother witness against him by supplying of him with meat and money and by telling of him he should never want So one Woodman was delivered by his own Brother into his enemies hands And in the Civil Wars of France not to mention Hist of Câ—une of Trent Fâ—l 647. that of England The Sons fought against their Fathers and Brothers against Brothers and even Women took up Arms on both sides for defence of their Religion And Philip King of Spain could frequently say that he had rather have no Subjects than Hereticks as he called the Protestants And out of a blind bloody zeal he suffered his eldest Son Charles to be murthered Hieron by the cruel Inquisition because he seemed to favour the Protestant side Truth is a Glorious shining Light that discovers the ignorance and darkness the wickedness and baseness the unsoundness and hypocrisie the superstition and vain conversation of Persecutors and therefore they cannot endure this light they hate this light and will do all they can to suppress this light and Joh. 3. 19. those that hold out this light to the world The 〈◊〉 and Martyrs of old were as willing to die as to dine Pliny writing to Trajan 〈◊〉 10. Ep. 97. p. 316. the Emperour declares to him that such was their Zeal and courage in behalf of their God that nothing could stir them from it neither the Imperious checks of the potent Emperors nor the soft language of the eloquent Orators could draw them from the Faith but they stedfastly owned it and constantly persevered in the defense of it and were ready and willing to lay down their lives for it When Ignatius was to suffer 't is better for me saith Ignatius he to be a Martyr than to be a Monarch 'T was a notable saying of a French Martyr when the rope was about his fellow Give me said he that Golden Chain and dub me Knight of that Noble Order Let saith Ignatius Fire and Cross Invasiâ—n Eusâ—b Hâ—st Eâ—cl l. 3 c. 36. of Beasts breaking of bones pulling asunder of members grinding of my whole body and what else the Devil can inflict come Ibid. l. b. 4. c. 15. so I may hold Jesus Christ Lueius thanked him that brought him forth to suâ—â—er and said that he should be free from those evil Masters and go to God a good Father and King Germanicus when he was brought forth to be torn in pieces and devoâ—â—ed by wild Beasts The Governour perswading him to be mindful of his Youth that he might be spared of his own accord incited the Beasts against himself Sanctus being under Tortures for professing Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 2. himself to be a Christian unto every question propounded to him he answered I am a Christian whereby he occasioned his Torments to be continued to death Can we think that Saint Laurence would have accepted of deliverance who lying on a red hot Grid-iron over burning Coals with an invincible spirit thus said to the Tyrants Turn the side broiled enough and see what thy burning fire hath done And being turned and throughly broiled on the other side saith thus again Eat that which is broiled and try whether raw or broiled be the sweeter Hyppolytus when he was tied to wild Horses to be pulled asunder thus prayed Let them rend my limbs do thou O Christ wrap up my soul To omit other particulars of the Ancient Martyrs in the Primitive Times with whose couragious speeches manifesting a contempt of death of which Volumes might be filled it is indefinitely recorded of many who were famous for their Eusâ—b Hist Eccl. â— 8. cap. 9. Wealth Nobility Glory Eloquence and Learning that nevertheless they preferred true Piety and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ before all these And though they were entreated by many of their Kindred and Friends otherwise yea and by others in great place and by the Judge himself that they would take pity of themselves their Wives and Children Yet would they not be induced and entreated by so many and great ones so to be aâ—â—ected with the love of this life as to forbear the Confession of our Saviour and to set light by the denyal of him Thus you see what little reckoning or account the Christians of old have made of their Lives Liberties and Estates or whatever else was near or dear unto them when these things stood in competition with Christ his Truth his Worship his Ways his Interest or with their Profession of the Christian Faith Take a few Instances of a later date John Huss being at the John Huss stake a Pardon was offered him if he would recant to which he answered I am here ready to suffer death So Hiâ—rom of Prague Hierom of Prague if I had feared the fire said he I had not come hither Francis Camba a Martyr in the Diocess of Millain being much assailed Francis Camba by his Friends and terrified by his Foes by no means could be overcome but gave thanks to God that he was accounted worthy to suffer a cruel death for the Testimony of his Son And such were his expressions of joy in his sufferings that his Persecutors caused his tongue to be boared through that he might speak no more to the people Another being offered the King's Pardon Mrs. Anne Askew if she would recant gave this resolute answer I came not here to deny my Lord and Master By that which she with admirable courage and constancy endured she verified that which of old Julitta spake concerning their Sex viz. We women ought to be as constant as men in Christ's Cause Another who suffered Martyrdom Walier Mille. in Scotland being solicited to recant made this reply Ye shall know that I will not recant the Truth for I am Corn I am no Chaff I will not be blown away with the wind nor burst with the flail but I will abide both Another being the first Mr. John Rogers Martyr in Queen Mary's days being solicited to recant that so he might save his life boldly replyed that which I have preached I will seal with my blood Another when a Pardon was set Heâ—per Bishop of Glocester before him in Box cryed out If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it Another on the like occasion Mr. Tho. Hawks a Gentleman in Essix gave this resolute answer If I had a hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces rather than abjure or recant So another spake to the like purpose So long
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill c. Here God's Glory wonderfully shines out of their Sufferings Here this poor blind Idolatrous Heathen Prince is forced to confess that there is no God like Israel's God Basil and Tertullian do well observe of the Primitive Martyrs that divers of the Heathen seeing their zeal courage and constancy glorified God and turned Christians Religion is that Phoenix which hath always revived and flourished in the ashes of holy men and Truth hath never been so honoured and gloriously dispersed as when it hath been sealed by the blood of the Saints This made Julian to forbear to persecute non ex clementia sed invidia not out of piety but envy because the Church grew so fast and multiplied as Nazianzen well observes We read that some times the Sufferings of one Saint have begot many to the love of the Truth We read that Cicilia a poor Captive Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Justine Martyr was also converted by observing the chearful and gracious Carriage of the Saints in their Sufferings And so Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer readily and joyfully such grievous torments asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselves Upon which one of them cited that Text Eye hath not 1. Cor. 2. 9. seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Upon the naming of this Scripture and seeing of them suffer so willingly chearfully and resolutely such a Divine Power took hold of his heart that he was converted and afterwards became a Martyr Now God and Christ and Truth and Religion are never more honoured than when poor souls are soundly converted Surely the Crown of Martyrdom is a Glorious Crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient Pearl and Precious Diamond in his Crown of far more value than that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the Battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Pope's Tripple Crown O A 7. 55 56 57. what foreâ—asts of Glory what ravishments of Soul have many of the Blessed Martyrs had in their sufferings for Christ Holy Lord stay thy hand I can bear no more said one of the Martyrs like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light Is it not a high honour to a King to have such Captains and Champions as will not yield to their Sovereign's enemies but stand it out to the uttermost till they get the Victory though it cost them their lives to get it yet no mortal King can as Christ doth put spirit courage and strength into a Subject only we may well conceive and conclude that such Valourous Soldiers as are ready to hazard their lives for their Sovereign serve a good Master Thus do suffering Christians and Martyrs give Persecutors to understand that they serve a good Master and that they highly prize him who hath done more and suffered more for them than their dearest Blood is worth and who enables them with courage constancy and comfort to endure whatsoever for his names sake can be Rom. 8. 37. inflicted on them and therein to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More than Conquerors or above Conquerors How can that be can a man get more than the Victory The meaning is we do over overcome super superanus that is triumph or overcome before we fight we are famous and renowned Conquerors we easily conquer we 2 Cor. 2. 14. conquer by those things which are used to conquer us we beat our enemies with their own Swords as Julian sometime said being confuted by Heathen Learning Martyr and Piscator expound it thus we do more than overcome that is we obtain a Noble a famous Victory And is not this a great honour to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Captain of our Salvation The invincible courage of suffering Christians puts life and spirit into others In an Army valorous Leaders much animate the rest of the Soldiers and embolden them to follow their Leaders Now you know the Church is an Army with Banners and suffering Ministers and suffering Saints Cant. 6. 4. are as Leaders they couragiously and victoriously make the onset and other Christians by their pious examples are pricked on to follow them so far as they are followers of the Lamb. But Twelfthly Consider That all the Sufferings and Persecutions that you meet with on earth shall advance your Glory in Heaven Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae saith Augustine The more we suffer with and for Christ the more Glory we shall have with and from Christ Rom. 2. 6. the more Saints are persecuted on earth the greater shall be their reward in heaven Look as Persecutions do encrease a Christian's Grace so they do advance a Christian's Glory in Heaven the Martyrs shall have the highest Degree of Glory for though God doth not reward men simply for their Works namely for the merit of them yet he rewards according to their Works and proportions the degree or measure thereof according to the kind of work which on earth is done and according to the measure of Grace whereby he enables men to do it Now Martyrdom is the most difficult the most honourable and the most acceptable Work that on earth can be done and therefore in heaven Martyrdom shall be crowned with the highest degree of Glory on this ground they who set down the different degrees of Celestial Glory by the different Fruits which the good Ground brought forth some thirty some sixty and some a hundred Mat. 13. 8. fold apply the hundred fold which is the highest and Mat. 19. 27 28 29 Keep your eye upon the recompence of reward as Moses did Heb. 11. 26. and as Christ did cap. 12 2. as Paul did Rom. 8. 18. This will work you 1. To walk more holily humbly thankfully 2. To live more chearfully and comfortably 3. To suffer more patiently freely resolutely 4. To fight against the world the flesh and the devil more stoutly and valiantly 5. To withstand Temptations more stedfastly strongly 6. To be contented with a little 7. To leave the world Relations and friends more willingly 8. And to embrace death more joyfully greatest Degree of Glory to Martyrdom Doubtless God's suffering Servants and amongst them especially his Martyrs shall sit down in the chiefest Mansions and in the highest Rooms in the Kingdom of Glory According to the Degrees of our sufferings for Christ will be the degrees of our Glory What shall we have says Peter that have suffered so many great and grievoâ—◠〈…〉 ngs for thy name that have forsaken all and followed thee Veriâ—y says our Saviour every one that hath forsaken
us our sins our burdens and such constant ailments as takes away all the pleasure and comfort of life Here both our outward and inward conditions are very various sometimes heaven is open and Lamen 3 8 44 54 55 56 57. Psal 30. 7. 1 Thes 4 17 18. Isa 35. 10. sometimes heaven is shut sometimes we see the face of God and rejoyce and at other times he hides his face and we are troubled O but now death will bring us to an invariable Eternity It is always day in heaven and joy in heaven Sixthly and lastly You shall gain a clear distinct and full knowledge of all great and deep Mysteries the Mystery 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. of the Trinity the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation the Mystery of Man's Redemption the Mysteries of Providences the Mysteries of Prophecies and all those Mysteries that relate to the Nature Substances Offices Orders and Excellencies of the Angels If you please to consult my String of Pearls or the best thing reserved till last with my Sermon on Eccles 7. 1. Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth which is at the end of my Treatise on Assurance both which Treatises you have by you There you will find many more great and glorious things laid open that we gain by death And to them I refer you But Sixthly Look upon death as a sleep the Holy Ghost hath phrased it so above twenty times in Scripture to 1 Cor. 11. 30. cap. 15. 51. Joh. 11. â—â— Mark 5. 39. The Greeks call their Church-yards Dormitories sleeping places and the Hebrews 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—im the house of the living shew that this is the true proper and genuine notion of death When the Saints die they do but sleep Mat. 9. 24. The maid is not dead but sleepeth The same phrase he also used to his Disciples concerning Lazarus our friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. The death of the Godly is as a sleep Stephen fell asleep Act. 7. 60. And David fell asleep Act. 13. 36. And Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. 20. Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4. 14. The Saints of God do but sleep when they lay down in the Grave that which we call death in such is not death indeed it is but the image of death the Shadow and Metaphor of death death 's younger Brother a mere sleep and no more I may not follow the Analogy that is between death and sleep in the latitude of it the Printer calling upon me to conclude Sleep is the Nurse of Nature the sweet Parenthesis of all a man's griefs and cares But Seventhly Look upon death as a departure 2 Tim. 4. 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand He makes nothing of death It was Deut. 32. 49 50. no more betwixt God and Moses but go up and die and so betwixt Christ and Paul but launch out and land immediately at the fair Haven of heaven Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Paul longed for that hour wherein he should loose Anchor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvâ—râ— Anch ram Or it may be rendered to return home or to change rooâ—s â—t is a similitude â—aken from those that depart out of an Iâ—n to take their journey towards their own Countrey and sail to Christ as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports It is a Metaphor from a Ship at Anchor importing a sailing from this present life to another Port. Paul had a desire to loose from the shore of Life and to launch out into the Main of Immortality The Apostle in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a reference both to his bonds and to his death and his meaning is I desire to be discharged and released as out of a common Goal so also out of the prison of my body that I may presently be with Christ my Saviour in heaven in rest and bliss After Paul had been in the third heaven his constant song was I desire to be with Christ Nature teacheth that death is the end of misery but grace will teach us that death is the beginning of our felicity But Eighthly and lastly Look upon death as a going to Bed The Grave is a Bed wherein the body is laid to rest with its curtains close drawn about it that it may not be disturbed in its repose So the Holy Ghost is pleased to phrase it He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds every one walking in their uprightness Isa 57. 2. As the souls of the Saints pass to a place of rest and bliss so their bodies are laid down to rest in the Grave as in a Bed or Bed-chamber there to sleep quietly until the morning of the Resurrection Death is nothing else but a Writ of ease to the weary Saints 't is a total cessation from all their labour of nature sin and affliction Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord that they may rest Rev. 14. 13. from their labours c. Whilst the souls of the Saints do rest in Abraham's bosom their bodies do sweetly sleep in their beds of dust as in a safe and consecrated Dormitory Every sincere Christian may like the weary child call and cry to be laid to bed knowing that death will send him to his everlasting rest Now you should always look upon death under Scripture Notions and this will take off the terrour of death yea it will make the King of Terrours to be the King of desires it will make you not only willing to die but even long to die and to cry out O that I had the wings of a dove to fly away and be at rest At death you shall have an eternal Jubilee and be freed from all incumbrances Now sin shall be no more nor trouble shall be no more nor pain nor ailments shall be no more Now you shall have your Quietus est now the wicked shall cease from Job 3. 17. troubling and now the weary shall be at rest now all Rev. 7. 17. tears shall be wiped from your eyes now death shall be the way to bliss the Gate of Life and the Portal to Paradise It was well said of one so far as we tremble at death so far we want love it 's sad when the contract is made between Christ and a Christian to see a Christian afraid of the making up the Marriage Lord saith Austin one I will die that I may enjoy thee I will not live but I will die I desire to die that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ The broken Rings Contracts and Espousals contents not the true Lover but he longs for the Marriage day It is no credit to your Heavenly Father for you to be loth to
engaged himself for us as that he neither can nor will start from his engagement You shall as soon remove the earth stop the Sun in his course empty the Sea with a cockle-shell make a world and unmake your selves as any power on earth or in hell shall ever be able to hinder Christ from the performance of the office of a surety A perfect fulfilling of all righteousness according to the tenour of the Law is required of man Now Christ our surety by a voluntary subjection of himself to the Law â—al 4. 4. Mat. 3. 15. and by being made under the Law he hath fulfilled all righteousness and that he did this for us is evident by that phrase of the Apostle Rom. 5. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous The contents of the Law must be accomplished by our surety or else we can Gal. 3. 10. 13. never escape the curse of the Law there must be a translation of the Law from us in our persons unto the person of our surety or we are undone and that for ever Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and hath Rom. 10. 4. made us just by his obedience we are made the righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 21. of God in him Our surety became subject to the Law that he might redeem us that were obnoxious to the Law Again full satisfaction for every transgression is required of man Now Christ our surety hath made satisfaction for all our sins He was made a curse for us and by that Gal. 3. 13. means he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law To exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice now Christ our surety having made full satisfaction for all our sins we need not fear to stand before the face of God's justice A debtor that hath a surety that is able and willing to pay his debt yea who hath fully paid it need fear no colours This Title a surety of a better Covenant does necessarily import a blessed Covenant between Jesus Christ and his dear father to whom he freely and readily becomes surety for us for what is suretiship but a voluntary transferring of another's debt upon the surety he obliging to pay the debt for which he engageth as surety Thus you see by the blessed and glorious Titles that are given to Jesus Christ in the Scriptures that there was a Covenant of Redemption past between God the father and Jesus Christ But The Fifth Proposition is this That the work of our Redemption and Salvation was transacted between God the father and Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world This federal transaction between the father and the son was from eternity upon this account the Lord Rev. 13 8. God loved his people and provided for them and contrived all their happiness before they were yea before the world was Jesus is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world because that it was agreed and covenanted between God the father and Jesus Christ that he should in the fulness of time be made flesh and die for sinners and therefore it was said to be done from the foundation of the world Though Christ was not actually slain but when he suffered for us upon the Cross yet he was slain from the beginning in God's purpose in God's decrees in God's promises in the sacrifices in the faith of the elect and in the martyrs for Abel the first that ever died died a Martyr he died for Religion This compact betwixt the father and the son bears date from Eternity this the Apostle asserts 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called The Grace here spoken of cannot be understood of in 〈…〉 Grace unless we will say that it could be inf 〈…〉 into us beâ—â—re either the world was or we were in it us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Here is grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But what grace was that which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began doubtless it was the Grace of Redemption which God in his purpose and decree had given us in Christ Jesus before the world began The Scripture last cited does clearly shew that God the father and Jesus Christ dealt together about the Redemption of souls before the world began and that all our everlasting concernments were agreed on and made sure between them so that Titus 1. 2. gives the same sound In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began How was this life promised before the world began but in this Covenant of Redemption wherein God The whole business of our salvation was first transacted between the father and Christ before it was reveiled to us Joh. 6. 27. The Apostle Peter speaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Christ saith That Christ was fore-ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. the father promised and engaged to Jesus Christ that he would give eternal life to all his seed So the Apostle tells us He hath chosen us in him that is in Christ before the foundation of the world There was an eternal contrivance compact covenant or agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ concerning the sanctification holiness and salvation of the Elect. God agrees with Christ about the everlasting happiness of his chosen before the world began So Joh. 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring Why must he bring them home how was he bound how was he engaged to bring home his other sheep that he puts a must upon it them also I must bring Doubtless it was from this Covenant and agreement which he had made with God the father wherein he had engaged himself to bring home all his Elect. Christ takes a great deal of pains to bring home his sheep being bound in the Covenant of Redemption to present all that are given him by charter blameless before the father therefore saith Colos 1. 22. he I bring them and I must bring them the matter not being lest arbitrary even in respect of his obligation to Psal 2. 7. Act. 15. 18. Act. 2. 23. Eph. 1. 9. Prov. 8. 22 32. God the father Certainly the Decree Covenant and agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ about the whole way of Redemption about all things belonging to the salvation of the Elect to be brought about in due time was fixed and setled before the world began Ponder seriously on this it may well be a load-stone to draw out your hearts more than ever to love the father and the son and to delight in the father and the son and to act faith upon the father and the son and to long to be with the
and blood vers 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Christ assumed the common nature of man and not of any particular person The Apostle doth here purposely use this word seed to shew that Christ came out of the Gen. 46. 26. Exod. 1. 5. Heb. 7. 5. 1 King 8. 19. loins of man as Jacob's children and their children are said to come out of his loins and as all the Jews are said to come out of the loins of Abraham and as Solomon is said to come out of the loins of David in a man's loins his seed is and it is a part of his substance Thus it sheweth that Christ's humane nature was of the very substance of man and that Christ was the very same that was promised to be the Redeemer of man for of old he was foretold under this word seed as The seed of the woman Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 18. Rom. 9. 7. Heb. 11. 18. 2 Ram. 7. 12. Joh. 8. 58. the seed of Abraham the seed of Isaac the seed of David This word he took on him as it setteth out the humane nature of Christ so it gives us a hint of his Divine Nature for it presupposeth that Christ was before he took on him the seed of Abraham He that taketh any thing on him must needs be before he do so is it possible for him that is not to take any thing on him Now Christ in regard of his humane nature was not before he assumed that nature therefore that former being must needs be in regard of his divine nature in that respect he ever was even the eternal God being God he took on him an humane nature Christ's Eternal Deity shines in this 16. verse and so does his true humanity in that he took upon him the seed of man it is most evident that he was a true man Seed is the matter of man's nature and the very substance thereof The seed of man is the root out Isa 11. 1. Luk. 1. 35. of which Christ assumed his humane nature The humane nature was not created of nothing nor was it brought from heaven but assumed out of the seed of man The humane nature of Christ never had a subsistence in it self At or in the very first framing or making it it was united to the Divine nature and at or in the first uniting it it Creanâ—â—â— fundiâ—ur inâ—undâ—ndo creatuâ— was framed or made Philosophers say of the uniting of the soul to the body in creating it it is infused and in infusing it it is created Much more is this true concerning the Humane nature of Christ united to his Divine Fitly therefore is it here said that he took on him the seed of Abraham So Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us The Evangelist having proved the Divinity of Jesus Christ comes now to speak of his humanity incarnation and manifestation in the flesh whereby he became God and Man in one person Flesh here signifies the whole man in Scripture ye all know that man consisteth of two parts which are sometimes called flesh and spirit and sometimes called soul and body Now by a Synecdoche either of these pâ—rts may bâ— put for the whole And so sometimes the soul is put for the whole man and sometimes the body is put for the whole man as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margin Aâ—l. 27. 37. Gen. â—6 27. Râ—m 12. 1. cap. 3. 20. Christ put himself into a low siâ— leprous suit of ours to expiate our pride and robbery in reaching after the Dâ—ity and to heal â—â— of our spiritual Leprosie for if â—â— had nâ—t assumed our flesh he had not saved us Nâ—zianz together Christ did assume the whole man he did assume the soul as well as the body and both under the term Flesh And indeed unless he had assumed the whole man the whole man could not have been saved if Christ had not taken the whole man he could not have saved the whole man Christ took the nature of man that he might be a fit Mediator if he had not been man he could not have died and if he had not been God he could not have satisfied So great was the difficulty of restoring the Image of God in lost man and of restoring him to God's favour and the dignity of sonship that no less could do it than the natural son of God his becomeing the son of man to suffer in our nature and so great was the Father's love and the Son's love to fallen man as to lay a foundation of reconciliation betwixt God and man in the personal union of the Divine and Humane nature of Christ so much is imported in those words the word was made flesh The person of the Godhead that was incarnate was neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son the second Person for the Word was made Flesh There being a real distinction of the Persons that one of them is is not another and each of them having their proper manner of subsistence the one of them might be incarnate and not the other and it is the Godhead not simply considered but the Person of the Son subsisting in that Godhead that was incarnate And it was very convenient that the second or middle Person in order of subsistence of the blessed Trinity should be the Reconciler of God and man and that he by whom all things Celes 1. 16 17. Heb. 1. 2 3. were made should be the Restorer and Maker of the new World and that he who was the express Image of his Father should be the Repairer of the Image of God in us Oh the admirable love and wisdom of God that shines in this that the second Person in the Trinity is set on work to procure our Redemption Though reason could never have found out such a way yet when God hath revealed it reason though but shallow can see a fitness in it because there being a necessity that the Saviour of man should be man and an impossibility that any but God should save him and one Person in the Trinity being to be incarnate it agrees to reason that the first Person in the Trinity should not be the Mediator for who should send him he is of none and therefore could not be sent There must be one sent to reconcile the enmity and another to give gifts to friends two proceeding Persons the Son from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son Accordingly the second Person which is the Son he is sent upon the first errand to reconcile man to God and the third person the Holy Ghost he is sent to give gifts to men so reconciled so as to reason it is suitable and a very great congruity that God having made all things by his Son should now repair all things by his Son that he that was the middle Person
us not shrink nor saint nor grow weary under our greatest sufferings for Christ when sufferings multiply when they are sharp when they are more bitter than Gall or Wormwood yea more bitter than death it self then Remember the Covenant of Redemption and how punctually Christ made good all the Articles of it on his side and then saint and give out if you can Well may I be afraid but I do not therefore despair for I think Austin upon and remember the wounds of the Lord saith one Nolo vivere sine vulnere cum te video vulneratum Ob my God as long as I see thy wounds I will never live without wound saith another Crux Christi clavis Paradisi The Damasâ—â—n Cross of Christ is the Golden Key that opens Paradise to us saith one I had rather with the Martyrs and Consessors have my Saviour's Cross than with their Persecutors the worlds Crown the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven saith another Gardius the Martyr hit the nail when he said it is to my loss if you Chrysostâ—m abâ—â—e me any thing in my sufferings If you suffer not for Religion you will suffer for a worse thing saith one Vâ—nâ—â—miâ—s Never did any man serve me better than you serve me said another to his Persecutors Adversus gentes gratias agimus quod à molestis dominis liberemur We thank you for delivering us from hard Task-masters that we may enjoy more sweetly the bosom of our Lord Jesus said the Martyrs 'T was a notable saying of â—â—â—her Ecclesia totum mundum convertit sanguine oratione the Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayers They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me so may the redeemed of the Lord say they may take away my head but they cannot take away my Crown of life of righteousness of glory of immortality The Lacedemonians Rev. 2. 10. 2 lim 4. 8. 1 Peâ— 5. 4. 5. were wont to say it is a shame for any man to fly in time of danger but for a Lacedemonian it is a shame for him to deliberate Oh what a shame is it for Christians when they look upon the Covenant of Redemption so much as to deliberate whether they were best suffer for Christ or no. Petrus Blesensis has long since observed that the Courtiers of his time suffered as great trouble and as many vexations for vanity as good Christians did for the truth the Courtiers suffered weariness and painfulness hunger and thirst with all the Catalogue of Paul's afflictions and what can the best Saints suffer more Now shall men that are strangers to the Covenant of Redemption suffer such hard and great things for their lusts for very vanity and will not you who are acquainted with the Covenant of Redemption and who are interested in the Covenant of Redemption be ready and willing to suffer any thing for that Jesus who according to the Covenant of Redemption has suffered such dreadful things for you and merited such glorious things for you But Thirdly From this Covenant of Redemption as we have opened it you may see what infinite cause we have to be swallowed up in the admiration of the Father's love in entring into this Covenant and in making good all the Articles of this Covenant on his side When man was fallen from his primitive purity and glory from his holiness God so loved his Son that he gave him all the world for his possession Psal 2. 8. But he so loved the world that he gave Son and all for its Redemption Bernard and happiness from his freedom and liberty into a most woful gulf of sin and misery when Angels and men were all at a loss and knew no way or means whereby fallen man might be raised restored and saved that then God should firstly and freely propose this Covenant and enter into this Covenant that miserable man might be saved from wrath to come and raised and settled in a more safe high and happy estate than that was from which he was fallen in Adam Oh what wonderful what amazing love is this Abraham manifested a great deal of love to God in offering up of his only Isaac but God Gen. 22. 12. has shewed far greater love to poor sinners in making his only Son an offering for their sins for 1. God loved Christ with a more transcendent love than Abraham could Joh. 10. 18. Heb. 10. 10 12. love Isaac 2. God was not bound by the commandment of a superiour to do it as Abraham was 3. God freely and voluntarily did it which Abraham would never have done without a commandment 4. Isaac was to be offered after the manner of holy Sacrifices but Christ suffered an ignominious death after the manner of Thieves 5. Isaac was all along in the hands of a tender Father but Christ was all along in the hands of barbarous enemies 6. Isaac was offered but in shew but Christ was offered indeed and in very good earnest Is not this an excess yea a miracle of love 'T is good to be always a musing upon this love and delighting our selves in this love But Fourthly From this Covenant of Redemption as we have opened it you may see what signal cause we have to be deeply affected with the love of Jesus Christ who roundly and readily falls in with this Covenant and who has faithfully performed all the Articles of this Covenant had not Jesus Christ kept touch with his Father as to every Article of the Covenant of Redemption he could never have saved us nor have satisfied Divine Justice nor have been admitted into heaven That Jesus Christ might make full satisfaction for all our sins He was made a curse Gal. 3 13. for us whereby he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law All his sufferings were for us All that can be desired of God by man is mercy and truth mercy in regard of our misery truth in reference to God's promises That which moved Christ to engage himself as a Surety for us was his respect to God and man To God for the honour of his Name neither the mercy nor the truth nor the justice of God had been so conspicuously manifested if Jesus Christ had not been our Surety To man and that to help us in our succourless and desperate estate No creature either would or could discharge that debt wherein man stood obliged to the justice of God This is a mighty evidence of the endless love of Christ this is an evidence of the endless and matchless love of Christ We count it a great evidence of love for a friend to be surety for us when we intend no damage to him thereupon but if a man be surety for that which he knoweth the principal debtor is not able to pay and thereupon purposeth to pay it himself this we look upon as an extraordinary evidence of love
But what amazing love what matchless love is this for a man to engage his person and life for his friend when as skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and yet according to the Covenant of Redemption Jesus Christ has done all this and much more for us as is evident if you will but cast your eye back upon the Articles of the Covenant or consult the Scriptures in the Margin If a friend to free a Jâ—â— 2. 4. Joâ— 1â— 11 15 17 18 28 Râ—m 5. 6 〈◊〉 Eph. 1. 5 6 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 13 14 15 Heb. 2. 13 1â— 15. captive or one condemned to death should put himself into the state and condition of him whom he freeth that would be an evidence of love beyond all comparison But now if the dignity of Christ's person and our unworthiness if the greatness of the debt and kind of payment and if the benefit which we reap thereby be duly weighed we shall find these evidences of love to come as much behind the love of Christ as the light of a candle cometh short of the light of the Sun Christ's Suretiship according to the Covenant of Redemption is and ought to be a prop of props to our faith It is as sure a ground of confidence that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and us as any the Scriptures does afford by vertue hereof we have a right to appeal to God's Justice for this Surety hath made ful satisfaction and to exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice Christ knew very well what the Redemption of fallen man would cost him he knew that his life and blood must go for it he knew that he must lay by his Robes of Majesty and be cloathed with flesh he knew that he must encounter Sâ—lus Amoâ— nesâ—it difficultates men and Devils he knew that he must tread the Wine-press of his Father's wrath bear the Curse and make himself an offering for our sins for our sakes for our salvation yet for all this he is very ready and willing to bind himself by Covenant that he will redeem us whatever it cost him Oh what tongue can express what heart Eph. 3. 18 19. Look where thou wilt thou art surrounded with flames of his love and it were strange if thou shouldest not be set on fire if not sure thou must needs be a Diabolical Salamander sayâ— Cuâ—anus can conceive what soul can comprehend the heights depths bredths and lengths of this love Oh blessed Jesus what manner of love is this that thou shouldest wash away my scarlet sins in thine own blood that thou shouldest die that I may live that thou shouldest be cursed that I might be blessed that thou shouldest undergo the pains of hell that I might enjoy the joys of heaven that the face of God should be clouded from thee that his everlasting favour might rest upon me that thou shouldest be an everlasting Skreen betwixt the wrath of God and my immortal soul that thou shouldest do for me beyond all expression and suffer for me beyond all conception and gloriously provide for me beyond all expectation and all this according to the Covenant of Redemption what shall I say what can I say to all this but fall down before thy grace and spend my days in wondering at that matchless bottomless love that can never be fathomed by Angels or men Oh Lord Jesus saith one plusquam Bâ—rnard mea plusquam meas plusquam me I love thee more than all my goods and I love thee more than all my friends yea I love thee more than my very self 'T is good to write after this copy But The Eleventh and last Plea that a Believer may form up as to the ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. â—â—at 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Hâ—b 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. refer to the great day of account or to a man's particular account may be drawn up from the consideration of the Book of Life out of which all the Saints shall be judged in the great day of our Lord Rev. 20. 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Vers 12. 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 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Vers 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them And they were judged every man according to their works Vers 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire In the 11. verse John describes the Judge with his preparation in the 12. verse he describes the persons that should be judged and then he describes the process and sentence and lastly he describes the execution of the sentence viz. the casting of the reprobates into the Lake of fire and the placing and fixing of the Elect in the heavenly Jerusalem vers 13 14 15. In the five last verses cited you have a clear and full description of the last General Judgment as is evident by the native Context and Series of this Chapter For having Rev. 2â— 1 2 3. Jude vers 6. spoken of the Devil's last Judgment which by Jude is called The judgment of the great day It is consentaneous therefore to understand this of such a Judgment whereby he is judged And indeed the expressions are so full and the matter and circumstances so satisfying and convincing that they leave no place for fears doubts or disputes This Scripture that is under our present consideration runs parallel with that Dan. 12. 1 2 3. and several other places of Scripture where the day of Judgment is spoken of and let him that can shew me at what other Judgment all the dead are raised and judged and all Reprobates sent to hell and all the Elect brought to heaven and death and hell cast into the Lake all which are plainly expressed here He shall be an Apollo to me that can make these things that are hero spoken of to agree with any other Judgment than the last Judgment Let me give a little light into this Scripture before I improve it to that purpose for which I have cited it And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it a lively description of the last Judgment A Great Throne Great because it is set up for the General Judgment of all for the universal judgment of the whole world Before
father and the son and all your days to admire at the love of the father and the son who have from eternity by compact and agreement secured your souls and your everlasting concernments But The Sixth Proposition is this That God the father had the first and chief hand in this great work of saving sinners by vertue of this Covenant of Redemption wherein Heb. 2. 10. he and his son had agreed to bring many sons to glory Weak Christians many times have their thoughts and apprehensions more busied and taken up with the love of the son than with the love of the father but they must remember that in the great and glorious work of Redemption God the father had a great hand an eminent hand yea the first and chief hand God the father first laid the foundation stone of all our happiness and blessedness his head and heart was first taken up about that heaven-born project the salvation of sinners Isa 28. 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation Heb. I am he that foundeth a stone in Zion It is God the father that hath long since laid Christ as a sure foundation for all his people to build their hopes of happiness upon it is he that first laid Christ the true corner-stone Rom. 9. 33. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Isa 53. 10. whereby Zion is for ever secured against death hell and wrath Hence 't is said the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that is God's Eternal Decree about the work of our Redemption and salvation shall be powerfully faithfully and compleatly executed by Jesus Christ who by his word and spirit shall communicate unto all his Elect the fruit of his death to life and salvation Jeb 23. 24. This is a full place against all Sociniâ—ans who boldly allert that God removes the curse of the Law by a free and absolute pardon without satisfaction Grotius's Exposition on the place is but flat and dull When God saith I have 〈◊〉 a ransom we are to understand it of a real Ransom of full pay or satisfaction and not of a Ransom by favour and acceptation Again Deliver me from going down into the pit for I have found a ransom The Hebrew word signifies a price paid to redeem a man's life or liberty I have found a ransom or an atonement a cover for man's sin Angels and men could never have found a ransom but by my deep infinite and unsearchable wisdom saith God the father I have found a Ransom I have found out a way a means for the redeeming of mankind from going down to the infernal pit viz. the death and passion of my dearest son But where O blessed God didst thou find a Ransom not in Angels not in men not in Legal Sacrifices not in Gold or Silver not in tears humblings and meltings of my people but in my own bosom That Jesus that son of my love who has layen in my bosom from all Eternity Joh. 1. 18. he is that Ransom that by my own matchless wisdom and singular goodness I have found I have not called a Council to enquire where to find a Ransom that fallen man might be preserved from falling into the fatal pit of destruction but I have found a ransom in my own heart my own breasts my own bosom without advising or consulting with others I have found out a way how to save sinners with a salvo to my honour justice holiness and truth Had all the Angels in heaven from the first day of their creation to this very day sat in serious Council to invent contrive or find out a way a means whereby lost man might be secured against the curse of the Law hell condemnation and wrath to come and whereby he might have been made happy and blessed for ever and all this without the least wrong or prejudice to the justice and righteousness of God they could never have found out any way or means to have effected those great things Our Redemption by a Ransom is God's own invention and God's only invention The blessed Ransom which the Lord has found out for poor sinners is the blood of his own dearest son a ransom which never entred into the thoughts or hearts of Angels and men till God had reveiled it which is called the blood of the Covenant because thereby the Covenant is confirmed and all Covenant-mercies assured to us Joh. 3. 16. Again God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Here is a sic without a sicut that sic so signifies the firstness of the father's love the freeness of the father's love 1 Joh. 3. 19. Hos 14. 4. and the vehemency of the father's love and the admirableness of the father's love and the matchlesness of the father's love O! what manner of love is this for God to give his son not his servant his begotten son not his adopted son his only son and not one son of many his only son by eternal generation and communication of the same Essence to be a Ransom and Mediator for sinners God the father loving lost man sent his son to suffer and to do the office of a Mediator that through his mediation he might communicate the effects of his love in a way agreeable to his justice for God loved the world and that antecedently to his giving Christ and as a cause of it The design the project of saving sinners was first contrived and laid by God the father therefore Christ says The son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the father do God the father sent his son and God the father sealed his son a commission to give life to lost sinners Him hath God the father sealed that is made his Commission authentical as men do their Deeds by their seals It is a Metaphor taken from them who ratifie their authority whom they send that is approve of them as it were by setting to their seal Christ is to be acknowledged to be he whom the father hath authorized and furnished to be the Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners and the store-house from whence they are to expect all spiritual supplies Look as Kings give sealed Warrants and Commissions to their ministers of State who are sent 1 King 21 8. Estâ— 3. 12. cap. 8. 8. out or employed in great affairs So Christ is the father's great Ambassadour authorized and sent out by him to bring about the Redemption and Salvation of lost man And look as a seal represents in wax that which is engraven on it so the father hath communicated to him his divine essence and properties and stamped upon him all divine perfection for carrying on the work of Redemption And look as a seal annexed to a Commission is a publick evidence of the person's authority so Christ's endowments are visible marks whereby to know him and clear evidences that