Thess 5.9 These are the things that God bestows upon his people so then it is a special love in this respect God bestows common blessings upon others he bestows many temporal blessings upon all men but his special favours are reserved for the Elect therefore he is said to be the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 God preserves and saves all men by a common Providence but he is in a special peculiar manner the Saviour of Believers therefore he is called the Saviour of the body Eph. 5.23 Compare these Scriptures together in one place he is said to be the Saviour of all men and in another place he is said to be the Saviour of his body the Church Christ is the Saviour of all men in some respect but not so as he is the Saviour of his body the Church he saves all men with a common salvation but he doth not save all men with a spiritual eternal salvation it is the Church only he so saves 2. The love of Christ is a discriminating love because it is such a love as is bestowed upon some persons which is not bestowed upon others Whom he foreknew them he did predestinate Rom. 8.29 How did he foreknow them he foreknew them so as to love them He knows all his creatures from Eternity but he doth not so foreknow all as to love all alike but he foreknows some after a special manner he so foreknows some as he doth not foreknow others he so foreknows some from Eternity as to love them from Eternity he so foreknows some as to pass by others hence it is said he loved his own which were in the world Joh. 13.1 he hath chosen them out of the world Joh. 15.19 and he prays for them not for the world Joh. 17.9 Here we may cry out with the Apostle O the depths There was no reason on the part of the Elect why they should be chosen and not others Mal. 1.2 Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. As much as if it had been said What preheminence had Jacob more than Esau when I made my Election Was not Esau Jacobs brother Did not Esau and Jacob stand upon equal ground and might I not have taken one as well as another Nay Esau was the elder brother yet saith God Jacob have I loved There is no dignity or worth in the Elect why they should be chosen more than others the Elect themselves were involved in the same common condition of sin and misery with others but God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he hath loved us Eph. 2.4 hath bestowed that love on some which he hath denied to others The reason of this love is not from any thing on the Elects part but from Gods own Soveraign will he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Those who are chosen are not better and more worthy than others but God out of his own love will make them to be vessels of mercy when as he will pass by others 1. Vse 1 A word to Sinners O labour from what hath been spoken to be sensible of your mifery while you lye out of Christ and continue in your sins you can challenge no part in this rich and glorious love Rom. 8.29 whom he predestinated them he also called therefore till you be called you have no evidence of your Election of God Think then of thy sad condition poor sinner poor unconverted soul O there is all this rich and glorious love in the heart of Christ but for any thing that yet appears thou art never like to have share in it why thou art yet uncalled and lyest wallowing in thy sins The first dawnings of Christs love appear and break forth in vocation Eph. 5.26 Christ loved the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Christs love to the Church is seen in sanctifying the Church and cleansing it by the Word and Spirit O but thou wast never sanctified and cleansed by the Word and Spirit to this day Thou art a poor creature wallowing in thy blood thou continuest in thy ignorance unbelief prophaneness hardness to this day Whoever thou art whilst thou continuest such thou hast no evidence as yet of thy election of God that thou hast any share or part in this glorious love of Christ O pray that thou mayst feel the sanctifying and cleansing work of Christs Spirit that the Word may have a work on thy soul for conversion Christ loves the Church and sanctifies and cleanses it with the washing of water by the word The Word is the ordinary means by which the Elect are sartctified and therefore Christ prays Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17.17 If thou wouldst have some evidence of Christs love pray that the Word of God may have some effect upon thee to bring thee from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God To the People of God Vse 2. Is there such a rich and glorious love in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh then labour to admire and adore this glorious love labour to get your hearts affected with this love stand and wonder at it that the Lord Jesus should have such love for you such ancient free peculiar love for you that you should be made the objects of this ancient free peculiar love of his when so many are passed by Meditate much on this love think of it night and day never cease thinking of Christs love till you have thought your selves into love to him It is an excellent speech of Bernard When the love of Christ doth so swallow up our affections that we even forget our selves and can think of nothing else but Jesus Christ and the things of Jesus Christ then is love perfected in us The love of Christ is a great abyss that we should be swallowed up in and lose our selves in the contemplation of it and the more spirituality we grow unto the more shall we contemplate this love and the more we contemplate the love of Christ the more shall we find our selves drawn out in love to him The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE have already heard three Properties of Christs love viz. that it is ancient free peculiar The fourth Property of Christs love is that it is an intense and a strong love He is said to have the greatest and strongest love to another that intends most good to another and is willing to be at the greatest cost and charges to procure that good for him If a father intend to settle such an inheritance upon his child and will lay out
which is in the Divine nature is the fountain and spring of all the love that is in the humane nature and it was meet we should contemplate a little the love that was in Christs humane nature that by this consideration we might rise up to contemplate the love of the Divine nature which is the fountain and head-spring Now to help us a little to conceive of the love which is in the Divine nature of Christ I shall propound you three considerations to illustrate it 1. All the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son The Scripture when it speaks of the love of God doth all along commend and set forth the love of God the Father Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed us 1 Joh. 3.1 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God c. 2 Cor. 16.14 The love of God that is the love of the Father for when Christ and God are set in distinction by God we are to understand the first person of the Trinity the Father So Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that is God the Father Still we see the Scripture describes the Father to us as the fountain of love As the Father is the Fountain of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he is the fountain of love Now then if all the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Son then certainly the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love but so it is the whole intire love of the Father is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son and the reason is because there is but one and the same Divine nature in the Father and in the Son Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father and the Son are not of alike Essence but they are of the same Essence and because of the sameness of the Essence in the Father and in the Son there is the same love in the Father and in the Son Love is an essential property belonging to the Essence of God there being the same Essence both in the Father and the Son there must needs be the same love in both The Father communicates all he is and hath to the Son in the eternal Generation Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine therefore the Son receiving all from the Father in the eternal Generation the whole intire love of the Father is communicated to him and resides in him Therefore he is called the express image of his person the brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 The whole nature of the Father is to be seen and is made conspicuous in the person of the Son Therefore if we conclude that there is the highest and most immense love in the Father we must necessarily conclude there is the same love in the Son who is the express image of his person Hence is that expression of our Saviour Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Observe it my Father will love him and I will love him We may not conceive there is a twofold love one of the Father and another of the Son but both Father and Son do love with the same love There is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is true if we understand it as some do of the love that is in Christs humane nature then we may suppose a twofold love and so there is a Learned man that gives this sense My Father will love him and I will love him i. e. I will love him not as God only for so the Father and the Son love with one love but I will love him as man also Quomodo Pater sine Filio aut Filius sine Patre diligeret quomodo cùm inseparabiliter operentur separabiliter diligant Aug. But I incline rather to understand it as Austin of the Divine Love there is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is Austins Exposition upon the Text How is it possible the Father should love without the Son or the Son without the Father How is it possible when the Father and the Son work inseparably their love should be divided and separated The Son having all the Fathers love in him and the Scripture describing the Father to be the fountain of all love the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love We come now to make a little Use of what hath been opened Vse We have heard a little of the sweetness of Christs love not only in the properties of it but as this love is to be found in both his natures Behold here matter for new wonder Well may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and depths and breadths and lengths of the love of Christ Here is love the most glorious love in both the natures of the Lord Jesus in his humane and in his Divine nature 1. Great was his love in his humane nature his humane nature was filled with that love that no creature was filled with great are the affections that are seated in his humane heart never so much sweetness kindness tenderness compassionateness to be found in any heart as his Never any thing so sweet so lovely so amiable in the whole Creation of God as the Humanity of Jesus Christ Thou art fairer than the sons of men Psal 45.2 The humane soul of Christ was composed and made up all of love and sweetness yea the humane nature was the receptacle as it were into which the Divinity poured forth all its love In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 It is not a particle or some small portion of the Divinity but the fulness of the Godhead and if all the fulness of the Godhead then all the fulness of Divine love dwells in the humane nature assumed Not that the love of the Humanity is formally and essentially the same with the Divine love or that the love which immediately flows from his humane will and affections is simply infinite as the Divine love is although it is a far greater love than ever was found in the heart of any creature but thus we may conceive of it The Humanity is as it were the seat of the Divine person in this humane nature that person who is love it self dwells Gods nature is love now in the humane nature assumed that very person who is love it self dwells and takes up his abode how sweet how full of love must the heart of Christ be that hath love it self dwelling and inhabiting in it 2. Here is the love of the Divine nature and how great that love is no heart can conceive no tongue can express A few words from hence to Sinners and to the Saints of God O that poor Sinners would be perswaded to look after a share in this love
standing in such near relation to Christ as to be his body a part of himself this is the reason that Christ hath preserved it and will preserve it to the end of the world Mat. 18. I will build my Church See here he calls it his Church he challengeth a peculiar interest in it Feed the Church of God which he hath redeemed with his own blood Act. 20.28 Therefore the Church standing so nearly related to Christ no wonder Christ takes such care of it Learn from hence to whom to attribute all the deliverances of the Church it is our faithful omnipotent sympathizing compassionate Head that hath been the Author of all the preservations and deliverances we have seen and upon him we must depend for the time to come Lastly Vse 5 This may serve as a ground to confirm our faith touching the certian glorification of the Saints A part of our nature is already in the Head of the Church Christ man who is the Head of the Church is exalted to the highest state of glory God hath highly exalted him c. Phil. 2.9 Now though it be true Christ must be allowed his preheminence the head hath a preheminence above the members yet the members shall follow the head they shall have their measure of glory though not the same degree of glory In Heb. 6. ult we read how Christ is entred into heaven as our fore-runner If Christ be in Heaven the Saints who are members of his body shall certainly follow after It is the last passage in that last prayer of our Saviour That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Joh. 17. ult It is the inestimable priviledge of the Saints saith Calvin upon this Text that Christ was beloved of the Father for our sakes that we might be partakers of the same love If the Father hath glorified Christ he will certainly glorifie us if we be his members Only we must consider what is spoken in the last clause of all and I in them As we expect to be comprehended in that love with which our Head is embraced we must be sure to be in him We must see that we be in Christ and Christ in us we must have true and real union with him and if we be thus united to him then the love wherewith the Father hath loved him shall be communicated to us therefore let us endeavour to make sure of our Union with Christ and in-being in him and then as the Father hath commended his love to him the Head of the Church in glorifying him he will also commend his love to us in glorifying us in like manner The end of the fifth Sermon SERMON VI. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by saith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 7. THE seventh Particular to demonstrate the greatness of the Love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation is this The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature as it is in the Head of the Church is restored to its ancient purity integrity and perfection It is a good observation of one of the Ancients Filius Dei naturam nostram sibi conjunxit ut eam in se primò per seipsum ad pristinam pulchritudinem restitueret Cyril The Son of God hath joyned our nature to himself that first of all he might repair our nature in himself and by himself restore our nature to its ancient beauty To understand this we must know that Adam had lost original Righteousness infected and corrupted mans nature with the contagion and taint of Original sin Now the Son of God by his Incarnation hath repaired our nature and restored it to its primitive beauty and perfection The first Adam by his Fall left our nature under the contagion of Original sin the Son of God in his Incarnation took up our nature without sin and as the second Adam represents our nature in himself pure and spotless Such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 9.26 So that this is the singular priviledge of Believers although they be poor sinful creatures in themselves groaning under the body of sin and death yet they have this to glory in that their Head the Lord Jesus is without sin and presents their nature pure and spotless before the Throne of God In him is no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 He doth not say In him was no sin that is true indeed for in him was no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth But the Apostle saith here In him is no sin It is as much as if he should say As Christ was without sin here on Earth so he is without sin in Heaven he presents our nature pure and spotless before the Throne of God This is the singular priviledge of Believers that they may glory in Christ their Head when they have nothing to glory in of their own Hence is it that which the Apostle faith We glory in Christ Jesus or we boast in Christ Jesus c. Phil. 3.3 as much as to say We do not boast in our selves we do not glory in our own righteousness but we glory in the Righteousness of Christ we glory and boast in this that we have that righteousness and perfection in our Head which we have not in our selves 8. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our acceptance with God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. ult This is spoken of the Son incarnate after he was made man God the Father delights in the Son when incarnate To understand this we must know as he was the eternal Son the express image of the Fathers person proceeding from the Father by eternal Generation so he was eternally his delight This is clear from Prov. 8.30 I was daily his delight Now that which we are farther to consider is As the Father delights in the Son as his eternal Son so he delights in the Son when incarnate when made man he delights in the Son when cloathed with our nature the eternal Son being the object of his Fathers delight and complacency and the Son taking our nature into personal Union with himself the love delight and complacency of the Father redounds and overflows if I may so express it unto the humane nature assumed Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son And how doth he love him Not only as the Son simply considered but he loves him as the Son incarnate he loves him as the Son come into our nature he loves him as he is Mediator To open this a little
into the Country of Canaan above he dived into the meditation of that Text of Paul The time is short having prepared some heavenly Notions about the shortness of time and the uncertainty of life concluded thus We should not desire to continue longer in this world than to glorifie God and finish our given work and be ready to say Farewel Time welcome blest Eternity even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Thus this Evening-Star set in an Ocean of Joy to arise a Morning-Star in the Eastern Ocean of Glory But before his disappearance the frame of his Spirit being much agitated with sollicitude about the Church of God and particularly in this Land and Nation uttered a Swan-like Song testifying somewhat of a prophetick Spirit If God begin to deliver his Church in an October remember me which how far began to be fulfilled in October 1678. the Saints surviving may give in evidence and I humbly pray it may never end though it may mix with some overshadowings till we see Zions full deliverance past Thus much of that holy Soul I shall now conclude with a Direction and a Prayer A Direction as to the Faith and Holiness of former Saints and Ambassadours of Christ and as to such as survive To such as are gone up to Injoyment I might apply what 's said of Astraea that when ascending to Heaven left a train of light all the way like the Via lactea to illuminate the Followers of Justice in the same illustrious path to Happiness Lee's hear the Apostle Remember them which have the rule over you Heb. 13.7 who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever As to infirmities for who is without them imitate the Spirit of God in the New Testament who never relates or remembers the infirmities of Saints in the Old They are at rest in the bosom of Christ let them be at rest in your bosom as in a bed of Spices As 't is said of Josiah his name was like precious Oyntment composed by the Art of the Apothecary For such as survive learn of the same Apostle To obey them that have the rule over you Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that 's unprofitable for you We beseech you brethren 1 Thess 5.12 to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among your selves Forget not that when Moses and Aaron were gone to Heaven from two distinct Mountains God set apart Joshua and Eleazar in two distinct Vallies to lead their surviving children into the Land of Promise and withal told Joshua Josh 1.5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Nay what 's doubly remarkable Moses could only lead them through the Wilderness but Joshua must bring them into Canaan The Law can only school us to Christ Heb. 4. but 't is our heavenly Jesus or Joshua that can safely bring us to the Eternal rest and besides its observable we read of no murmurings under Joshua as formerly under Moses Thus God provides for his Church When Elijah was rid into Heaven Elisha must follow in the power and spirit of Elias When one stream is slid and shed into the Ocean another circulates from the same Ocean through the bowels of the earth into the springs under the mountains and refreshes the scorched Plains When one Star sets another rises to guide the wandring traveller and at length the bright Morning-lamp glitters in the East and then the glorious Sun of Righteousness While the Church sits fainting under a Juniper-tree in the Wilderness there shall fly Prophets to feed her till the blessed resurrection of the Witnesses It 's our high duty to study present work and prize present help and greatly rejoyce when the Lord sends forth as once both Boanerges and Barnabas together Pray for the mantle girdle and blessing of Elijah for the love of John and the zeal of Paul to twine hands together to draw Souls to Heaven till the Beloved comes like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices till the shadows flee away till the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts My prayer shall end with the same Apostle Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen From Bignal near Bisseter Sept. 13. 1679. SAMVEL LEE EMMANVEL OR THE Love of Christ explicated in his Incarnation being made under the Law and his Satisfaction BOOK I. SERMON I. Ephes 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge THE work of a Christian lyes especially in two things First in the study of himself secondly in the study of Christ The study of a mans self will acquaint him with his own sin and misery and make him see the infinite need that he hath of Christ the study of Christ will cause him to admire the Plot of Divine Wisdom and Grace which hath provided all that in one Christ which is answerable to all that sin and misery that is in us The Mystery of Christ is the greatest Mystery that ever was There are breadths and lengths depths and heights in this Mystery It is Calvins Comment on the Text Continet una Christi dilectio omnes sapientiae numeros Calv. that one love of Christ contains in it all the dimensions and measures of wisdom When the Apostle speaks of breadths lengths depths and heights that which he intends is that in one Christ is the height breadth length and depth of all true wisdom in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and in him are ye compleat A Christian needs to study nothing but one Christ there is enough in Christ to take up his study and contemplation all his days and the more we study Christ the more we may study him There will be new wonders still appearing in Christ The Name of Christ is called wonderful Isa 9.6 and indeed well may it be called so every thing in Christ is a wonder most wonderful his eternal Generation from the Father his
personal subsistence in the Godhead his taking our nature the Vnion of the two Natures the Nature of God and the nature of man in that one person of Christ his Passion his Resurrection his Ascension into Heaven his sitting at the right hand of God in our nature all these are wonders Now his love is the root and foundation of all and runs through all whatsoever respects us whatsoever Christ is whatsoever Christ doth with relation to us his love is the root of all and runs through all his love runs through his Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension and sitting at the Fathers right hand It was out of love to us he took up our nature subjected himself to the Law dyed in our nature rose again in it carried our nature into Heaven and wears it there and will wear it to all Eternity I say his love is the root of all this My desire is to speak a little of this infinite Love of Christ The Apostle intimates in the Text that it is a great duty incumbent on us to take in as much as possibly we can of this infinite and incomprehensible love of Christ That ye may comprehend with all Saints what are the heights c. Here it may be inquired what is this expression added with all Saints I conceive it is to shew us two things First That Grace in the hearts of the Saints doth naturally put them upon this study It is the natural tendency of the Spirit of Saints as they are Saints to study and take in as much of the love of Christ as is possible That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say This is that which all Saints are pressing after and aspiring unto they all desire to know more and more of the love of Christ Secondly This expression is added to shew that it is the great duty of all the Saints to make the Love of Christ their great study That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say It is your duty and the duty of all the Saints to study the dimensions of Christs love What will Heaven be but a clear and perfect knowledge of the love of God in Christ Then shall we know and understand perfectly what the purpose of the Father was to communicate himself to the Elect by the Son and so shall we be filled with the fulness of God as the expression is here in this Text and elsewhere it is said God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Not that we shall be able in Heaven it self to comprehend and take in the whole of this love for our understanding being finite cannot fully comprehend the infinite love of God but the souls of the Elect shall then be brim-full of it they shall take in as much of this love as they are able to contain Now there is something of this love may be understood and taken in here on earth for the Apostle is speaking of something that may be taken in here on earth when he saith that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length of the love of Christ as much as if he should say This is that knowledge that the Saints ought to be pressing after here on earth all Saints ought to aim and level at this mark The more we know and understand of this love of Christ the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the more shall we be over-powered and swallowed up in the admiration of it for we love him because he first loved us Amor est qui amatur It is love it self that is that which we love it is Gods love to us made known to us in and by his Son that must draw our hearts to love him The great end why God chuseth his people is that they should be holy and unblameable before him in love Eph. 1.4 Now this being the great end of God to bring us to love him the more we come to know and understand his infinite love to us the more will our love be perfected towards him There are two things that lye in the words of the Text. 1. Here is a Supposition The Supposition is that the love of Christ is exceeding great and carries all dimensions in it That ye may comprehend what is the height and the depth and the breadth and length of the love of Christ The Apostle supposeth this that there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ 2. We have in the Text the Apostles prayer for the Saints upon this supposition and that is that the love of Christ being so great they may know understand and comprehend it more and more There are two Observations or Doctrines that do naturally arise from the words of the Text. Doct. 1 That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in Christs Love Doct. 2 That it ought to be the endeavour of all the Saints to know understand comprehend and take in more and more of this infinite and surpassing love of Christ I shall begin to speak to the first Observation which is That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great Doct. 1 and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths breadths and lengths in the Love of Christ Here there are two things I shall treat of 1. Shew what the Love of Christ is 2. Shew how the greatness infiniteness and surpassingness of this Love may be a little described and set forth to us 1. We must open the Nature of Christs Love in the general To understand this there is a threefold Love we may distinguish of 1. There is a love of Benevolence or good-will 2. There is the love of Beneficence 3. There is the love of Complacency 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will and this is nothing else but an intention purpose or decree of doing good to another 2. There is the love of Beneficence and this is that love whereby a man doth not only will good to another but doth actually confer and bestow some good upon him and this is not so properly love as the effect of love 3. There is the love of Complacency and that is when a man takes delight and pleasure in that good which is in another According to this threefold distinction we may a little conceive of the Love of Christ 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will in Christ This is such a love whereby a man wills good to another purposes and intends to bestow good upon him This love was in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ had a purpose and intention from Eternity to bestow grace and glory upon his people To understand which we must know that all the works of the Trinity which do respect
the creature are undivided What the Father doth the Son doth and the Spirit doth what the Father purposeth the Son purposeth and the Spirit purposeth It is true Election is in a peculiar manner attributed to the Father Eph. 1.3 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according as he hath chosen us in him Here we see Election is in a peculiar manner attributed to the Father but when Election is attributed to the Father the Son and the Spirit are not to be excluded from electing for Election being an act of Gods will there is but one and the same essential will in Father Son and Spirit what the Father wills the Son must needs will and the Spirit wills also and the reason is As there is but one and the same Essence so but one and the same Will in the three persons Therefore the Father willing to bestow grace and glory upon such a number of men the Son must needs will it too Therefore Christ saith All thine are mine and mine are thine Joh. 17.10 All the Elect are common to the Father and the Son they are both the Father's and Christ's As the Father hath chosen them so the Son hath chosen them and as the Father is glorified in their salvation so is the Son therefore are the Elect said to be Christs own Joh. 13.1 and they are called his sheep and these sheep he knows Joh. 10.14 How doth he know his sheep he knows them from Eternity and loves them from Eternity So that there is the love of Benevolence or good-will in Christ Therefore he saith in Joh. 10.28 I give unto them eternal life It is in the present Tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do give unto them eternal life How can Christ be said to give to his sheep eternal life they are not as yet perfectly and compleatly possessed of eternal life The meaning is Christ from Eternity hath decreed to bestow eternal life upon them he gives them the beginnings of it in this world in their Justification and Sanctification and they shall as certainly have the complement and perfection of it in Glorification at last as if they had it already 2. There is the Love of Beneficence in Christ Christ doth not only will good to his people but he bestows good upon his people As he did from Eternity intend to bestow grace and glory upon them so he doth in time actually conser grace and glory upon them This is exprest by the Apostle to the full Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified The creatures love is oftentimes a barren love men may wish well to others they may have a purpose and desire to do good to them but ostentimes they want that power and ability to do the good they would but Christs love is a fruitful love he actually bestows that good upon his people he intends Vocation Justification Sanctification Glorification are all the fruits of this eternal Love of his Christs Love is such a love as brings all manner of spiritual blessings along with it Eph. 1.3 not only Election which is the Decree of God to bestow good things upon us but also Adoption the forgiveness of sin the acceptation of our persons all which the Apostle speaks of in the same place and these things are actually conferred on Believers and they are brought into the possession of them 3. There is the love of Complacency in Christ which is that love whereby he takes delight in the persons and graces of his Saints 1. Christ takes delight in the persons of his Saints Isa 43.2 I have called thee by name thou art mine The Lord tells Moses Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name Exod. 34.17 What is it for God to know Moses by name It was to take special delight in Moses to know him so as he did not know other men to take that delight in him which he did not in other men Isa 43.4 Since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God will rejoyce over thee with singing he will rest in his love Isa 62.5 As the bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee 2. Christ takes delight in the graces of his people He first bestows grace upon his people and then he delights in his own graces Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me God is Love and he loves the love of his people If any man love me he shall be beloved of me and I will manifest my self to him Joh. 14.21 Thus we have seen what the nature of Christs love is in general We come now to the second particular and that is to speak of the dimensions of Christs love The love of Christ is such a love as hath breadths and lengths heights and depths in it What are these dimensions of Christs love We are now lanching into the vast Ocean the love of Christ is such an Ocean as hath no bounds nor bottom in it We may as soon think to comprehend the Ocean in the hollow of our hands as comprehend his love the Apostle tells us it passeth knowledge and if so then it is in vain for us to think to comprehend it but though we cannot comprehend it yet there is something we may know of it otherwise the Apostle would not have prayed as he doth in the Text that ye may comprehend with all Saints what are the heights c. We may gather in some drops of the Ocean though we may not think to drain the Ocean and all that we can hope for is to make known some drops of the infinite love of Christ And that we may be able a little to conceive of it we shall consider the love of Christ these three ways 1. In the properties of it 2. As it is to be found in both his Natures the love that is in his humane and that is in his Divine nature 3. In the effects of it 1. The love of Christ will appear to be a furpassing love to have all manner of dimensions in it if we consider the properties of Christs Love 1. Christs love is an ancient love Christs love is more ancient and of longer standing than the world Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world The effects of Christs love are seen in time but the love it self was before all time Gods love to his people is as ancient as his love to himself Gods love to himself is from Eternity and his love to us is from Eternity therefore doth he say I have loved thee with an ever lasting love Jer. 31.3 It is a saying of one of the Ancients Mirus profecto amor hominum unà cum Deo aeternus Cyril Wonderful indeed is the love
themselves cannot be supposed to be infinite for the habits cannot exceed the capacity of the subject if the humane soul of Christ be but a created thing then the habits of grace which are in it are not simply infinite yet notwithstanding this the love which is to be found in Christs humane nature is exceeding great and a love surpassing the love of men or Angels and the reason is the humane soul of Christ hath the Divinity inhabiting in it now as the Son receives all the Father hath in the eternal Generation the whole substance of the Father is communicated to the Son in the eternal Generation there is no perfection that is in the Father but it is to be found in the Son therefore by consequence it follows that the love of the Father must necessarily be communicated to the Son and doth reside in the Son and there is but one and the same Divine love both in the Father and in the Son Now the Son the second person in Trinity taking our nature both the love of the Father and the Son for as an Holy man observes Sweet is this contemplation doth in some sort abide and reside in our nature therefore the humane Soul of Christ being inflamed and set on fire with the fire of Divine love which is so near it which inhabits and dwells in it must needs be fuller of love than any creatures heart ever was The humane nature of Christ by means of its Union and Conjunction with the Divinity takes in the influence of the Divinity and the Divinity thus personally united to the Humanity must needs fill his soul with that love that no creature was ever filled with therefore we must necessarily suppose there was the greatest love imaginable in Christs humane soul the greatest as was possible there could be in any created nature The Godhead dwelling in Christ bodily that infinite love of God must be supposed in some sense to dwell in the heart of Christ Man How loving how tender how affectionate must that heart be that hath all the love of the Father and the Son poured out into it For consider it the Son receives all from the Father by eternal Generation the Son takes up our nature and dwells in it the humane nature united to the Son takes in the influence of the Fathers and the Sons love by means of its personal Union with the Son And thus the humane nature is not only warmed but wholly set on fire by the Divinity inhabiting in it Therefore it is well observed by one of the Ancients There is some warmth some heat that comes from Christ the eternal Word into all the Saints hearts In hac anima ipse ignis divinus substantialiter requievisse credendus est Orig. but in Christs humane Soul the very fire of Divine love dwells substantially there it rested substantially for in him the fulness of the Goahead dwells bodily Col. 2.9 Therefore there is the greatest love imaginable to be found even in the humane Soul of Christ More particularly the love that was in the humane Soul of Jesus Christ may be described and set forth under three considerations 1. The heart of Christ-Man was filled with the most sweet tender merciful compassionate dispositions that ever any heart was filled with Hence is it that we have those expressions that he is a merciful and a faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 3.15 We read also of the bowels of Christ the meekness the gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Never were there such words of love and sweetness spoken by any man as by him never was there such a loving and tender heart as the heart-of Jesus Christ Grace was poured into his lips Psal 45.3 Certainly never were there such words of love sweetness and tenderness spoken here upon this earth as those last words of his which were uttered a little before his Suffering and are recorded in the 13 14 15 16 17 Chapters of John Read over all the Books of love and friendship that were ever written by any of the sons of men they do all come far short of those melting strains of love that are there expressed So sweet and amiable was the conversation of Jesus Christ that it is reported of the Apostle Peter in the Ecclesiastical History that after Christs Ascension he wept so abundantly that he Quoties recordaretur illius suavissimae conversationis Christi was always seen wiping his face from the tears and being asked why he wept so he answered He could not chuse but weep as often as he thought of that most sweet conversation of Jesus Christ 2. The love of Christ as Man or which was in his humane nature may be seen in the compliance of his humane will with the Divine will in point of suffering It is true it was the Divine will that gave up the humane nature to suffer Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world It was the Divine will that gave up the humanity to suffer yet his humane will complied with the Divine will Father not as I will but as thou wilt There is a will and a will in Christ a Divine will and a humane will and the humane will complies with the Divine will Father save me from this hour nevertheless for this cause came I to this hour Joh. 12.27 Hence is it that the Apostle tells us he was obedient unto the death Phil. 2.8 The Lord Jesus knew right-well how great a burden the weight and pressure of his Fathers wrath was and yet he was content to undergo this burden for our sakes The cup which my Father hath given me to drink shall not I drink of it Joh. 18.11 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 It is true had he not been God he could never have stood under such a burden as the burden of Divine wrath and had not his love been more than a created love had his love been the love of a meer creature he would never have undertaken such a work But being supported by the Godhead he was inabled to undergo his Sufferings and also his humane will influenced by the Deity was made willing to suffer therefore it is said For their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 There was a concurrence of his Divine and humane will in his suffering the Divine will in the person of the Son sanctifies and sets apart the humane nature to suffer the humane will concurs with the Divine and is made willing to suffer Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life The person that lays down his life is the Son of God incarnate the life which he lays down is the life of his Humanity for the life of his Divinity could never be laid down Now the Divine person had the
humane soul and body united to himself in the bond of personal Vnion The Divine person gives up the humane soul and body to be separated from each other at his death and yet holds them both to himself in the bond of personal Union Divines use an apt similitude to illustrate this by It is as if a man held a sword in his hand sheathed and should draw forth the sword out of the sheath the sword and sheath are separated one from the other yet the hand holds both Here then is the acting of the Divine will the Divine will in the person of the Son gives up the humane nature to suffer this is intimated in those expressions No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again Now the humane will knowing that it is the pleasure of the Divine will that the humanity should be given up to suffer submits unto and complies with the Divine will this is implied in that expression This commandment have I received of my Father Joh. 10.18 The Divine will of the Father and of the Son are all one Now the humane will knowing that it was the pleasure of the Divine will that the humane nature should be given up to suffering and death complies with the Divine will herein 3. The third consideration to set forth the love of Christ as he is Man or in his humane nature is this The love of Christ as he is Man may be seen in the Petitions he offered up to the Father for us whilst he was here on earth Much of that love which dwelt in his humane soul may be seen by the prayers and petitions he offered up to the Father for us It is true Christs Intercession is a work that belongs to him as Mediator now Christ is Mediator not according to one nature only but according to both natures and there is a communion of both natures in this action of his praying for us as well as in the rest of his Mediatory actions but yet although the person praying for us be God-man that very person who subsists in both natures yet that nature in which he is most properly said to pray is his humane nature as in his sufferings the person suffering is God-man yet the nature according to which he is said to suffer is the humane nature therefore he is said to be put to death in the flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 So in his praying for us the person praying is God-man but the nature in which he prays is the humane the whole action proceeds from the person but the proximate and immediate principle is the humane will Christs praying was the act or desire of his humane will though it be true that will was acted influenced and governed by the Divine will Hence is that saying of the Ancients Christus orat ut homo ut Deus adoratur ut homo orat Patrem Christ prays as he is man as he is God so he is prayed unto as he is man so he intercedes prays and supplicates to the Father for us Now we may consider the love of Christ in the desires that were in his humane will for us It is true it was the Godhead that directed and inclined his humane will to those desires and gave that virtue and efficacy to his prayers If they had been the prayers of a meer man they had not had such efficacy But yet we may consider the love that was in his humane soul when he prayed here on earth for us There was no small love in the Humane soul of Christ when he asked such great things for us a little before his going out of the world It is true his humane love is not all or the principal thing to be considered in the great things he asked for us If his love had not been more than the love of a man he could not have asked such great things for us as we read of in Joh. 17. yet certainly there was a great deal of love in his humane soul which was filled by the Divinity inhabiting in it His heart was brim-full of love when he came to make that last prayer of his to the Father for us Judge of his love by the things he asks for us Cujus Christiani cor non liquescit dum manifestè cognoscit Filium Dei aeternum pro se rogâsse Patrem ut unum sit cum ipsis What are the things Christ asks No less than Union with himself and the Father Joh. 17.21 23. It is a good speech of one of the Ancients What Christian heart is it that doth not melt when he doth clearly understand that the eternal Son of God did ask for him in particular that he might be one with him and the Father Can we desire a greater happiness than this to be one with the Father and the Son This is the happiness Christ asks for us that we might be one in the Father and the Son And as he prays for this Union the top of all so he prays for many other blessings as 1. That the Father would keep all that are his through his own Name vers 11. How would he have them kept He would have them kept unto this union So it follows That they may be one as we are one As the Father and the Son had intended the Elect unto this union so he prays that they may be preserved unto this union preserved unto eternal life preserved from miscarrying that they might come unto that union the Father and the Son had elected them unto What comfort is this that our Lord Jesus hath prayed we may be kept to our last happiness that God would be his own power keep us to Salvation The Salvation of the Elect must needs be secure when Christ hath prayed the Father that he would keep all his by his own power to Salvation 2. He prays that we might be kept from the evil of the world vers 15. You that fear to be overtaken with any scandalous sin you may know the worth of this prayer 3. He prays for our Sanctification vers 17. 4. He prays that we might be where he is vers 24. 5. He prays that we might have a share in his Glory not only that we might be with him but also behold the glory that the Father had given him What love must that heart needs be filled with that prays for such things It is true it was not the love of a meer man that could ask such things but it was the Divine love filling his humane soul and acting of it that carried him forth to ask such things And thus I have finished the consideration of the love that was in the humane nature of Christ 2. There is the love that is in Christs Divine nature The love which is in the humane nature is very great but the love of the Divine nature is infinitely greater The love
Vse 1 Never will you find any love to match this love you may go from creature to creature but never find any love like the love of Christ Look upon the love of Christ-man it is the sweetest love that ever was never any created love like to his but then look to his Divine love and where will you find a parallel What are a few drops to the Ocean All the love that is scattered among the creatures is but as a drop the Godhead that is the Sea and Ocean of love Here are you drawn by a double cord of love by the love of his humanity and his Divinity When Christ would win upon souls how doth he do it He sets his love before them I love them that love me Prov. 8.17 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Joh. 14.21 Love is the thing which is most naturally loved who can withstand the power of love Can you hear of all this love in the heart of this amiable person the Lord Jesus and not find it in your hearts to love him Never will you find so much love and sweetness any where else as in the Lord Jesus The things that have been set before you are the greatest realities and not meer notions of words or love We hear much of love in this world men speak much of love but the love that is spoken of in the world is for the most part nothing but words and air there is little reality in it but the love of Christ is the most real solid substantial love Here is the love of God himself the love of the Divinity here is love lodged in a part of your own nature lodged in that nature which is akin to you here is the love of your own flesh and blood should not the consideration of this sweet matchless love of Christ joyned with the consideration of your extreme misery and necessity make up the most powerful argument to draw souls to Christ Here you have the sweetest and most glorious love in the world to invite you on the one hand and on the other you have the necessity of your own misery Vnless you believe that I am he you shall dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 He that believes not on the Son the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. ult As many as are under the law are under the â—erse Gal. 3.10 If you despise and reject this Lord Jesus do you know where to find another Saviour If ever you be saved Divine Justice must be satisfied an angry God must be pacified your debts must be discharged otherwise your â—â—ns will be all charged upon you another day If you neglect such a Saviour whose love is most sweet and your need of him so great your condemnation will be most just If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha You that are the Saints of God Vse 2 learn from hence to study and contemplate the love of Christ more and more Ye complain your hearts are cold and frozen ye cannot get them inflamed with love to Christ warm your cold and frozen hearts by the fire of Christs love Love is the Load-stone of love Consider well the love that â—s in both his natures consider the sweetness of his humane nature consider the sweet kind compassionate sympathizing heart of Christ as man consider that love is lodged in the heart of one that is your elder Brother that it is seatâ—d in that nature that is near akin to you and â—s in all things made like to you sin only exceptâ—d and then consider the fulness and perfection â—f his Divinity consider well the infinite treaâ—ures of love and kindness that are lodged in his Divine nature let us ponder and consider these things surely our hearts are hard frozen indeed if they will not melt under these considerations The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE are yet under the consideration of the Love that is in Christs Divine Nature we have mentioned one consideration about it the second follows 2. The second Consideration about the love that is in Christs Divine nature To help us to conceive of the love that is in the Divine nature of Christ consider That love is most natural to God We have heard in the first consideration That the Divine nature of the Father is in the Son As the Father hath the whole nature of God in him so the Son hath the whole nature of God in him therefore doth John say of the Son This is the true God 1 Joh. 5.20 The Father and the Son are but one and the same true God Now love is most natural to God love is his very Essence hence it is said God is love 1 Joh. 4.7 I do not remember in all the Scripture that God is called anger wrath or hatred It is true anger wrath hatred are attributed to God but I do not remember that it is formally or categorically expressed thus that God is wrath anger hatred but God is love his very nature and essence is love In some sense we may say Had it not been for sin there had been no such thing as hatred in God Not that we do or can suppose that there are or can be any new immanent acts in God for then it could not be said that God was without variableness or shadow of change Jam. 1.17 God always was what now he is God was from Eternity that which now he is all the change is from the creatures part there is no change in God what God is once he is for ever there is no manner of change in him But thus we ought to conceive of it That property in God whereby he is inclined to hate sin which is natural and essential to him as the Psalmist tells us Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity had never had an object to work upon had not sin entred into the world But now God had himself and his own goodness to love had there been no such thing as sin for him to hate therefore love is most natural to God it is most natural to God to love yea it were a wonder he should not love Austin observes it is as natural for God to love as it is for him to be and live God is an intellectual Being and being so he must needs know understand and love himself and God being a pure Act he cannot sometimes love and sometimes not love but as he knows himself always so he loves himself always It is true Gods love to the creature is not necessary as it is to himself God loves himself necessarily but he loves the creatures freely and arbitrarily but
assumes but this he doth not do he is made in the similitude of man and found in fashion as a man that is as Austin expounds it Habitu inventus est ut simplex homo he was found in fashion habit and appearance as a meer man He did for a time keep in and hide the glory of his Divinity and did not display the brightness of it as he might have done Non potuit Christus abdicare se Divinitate sed eam occultam tenuit It was not possible for the Son of God to divest himself of his Divinity but he hid his Divinity and kept it secret The Son of God when incarnate and become man when he was in the form of a servant did not cease to be the Son of God and true God but for as much as the Divinity lying hid in that flesh of his did not manifest it self presently nor at all times nor in all things nor so clearly nor perfectly as afterwards therefore he is said to empty himself as Zanchy observes therefore our Translation renders it He made himself of no reputation He did not obtain that reputation of the generality of men as to be thought to be what he was he was in the form of God true God equal with the Father but taking upon him the form of a servant being found in fashion as a man he was called the Carpenters Son and owned by the generality of men as no other but the Son of Joseph and Mary Look as the light and glory of the Sun is hid and veiled by some dark cloud interposing so the humanity was as a cloud that veiled his Divinity the Divinity repressing and keeping in its own rays from breaking forth so illustriously In the time of his humiliation when the Lord Jesus did but let forth some beams of his Divinity in his Transfiguration the Evangelist tells us That his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light Mat. 17.20 Now he that appeared in that glory at one time might have appeared so always if he pleased This sight was so glorious that the Disciples who were with him could not behold it long but they fell upon their face and were sore afraid This is an argument that he contained and kept in the beams of his glory at other times It is true the Lord Jesus did upon occasion let forth the glory of his Divinity in his Miracles and otherwise and those who were spiritually illuminated and had familiar converse with him beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 But they were but a few in comparison that had this knowledge in the days of his flesh here on earth The Son of God did so far contain and keep in his glory that it may be truly said he made himself of no reputation that is he was not seen and acknowledged to be what indeed he was by the generality of men Hence are these expressions of the Prophet Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Now this is a great Argument of the condescension of the Lord Jesus that when he might have let forth the glory of his Divinity in such a way that he might have convinced all men that he was true God yet he was pleased so far to repress and keep in his own glory that he might accomplish the work of his Mediatorship and thereby our Salvation If he had not hid and kept in as it were the glory of his Divinity he could not have suffered and dyed and if he had not suffered and dyed what had become of our Salvation The day is coming when the Lord Jesus shall appear in the glory of his Divinity in the humane nature he hath assumed so as that he shall be acknowledged to be God by all creatures Phil. 2.11 Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father How is this to the glory of God the Father Why thus we ought to conceive of it When Christ shall come to Judgment he shall come in the glory of his Father Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Son and the Father is but one and the same glory the Divinity of the Son and the Father is one and the same therefore when the Son comes in the glory of the Father he shall come in the glory of his own and his Fathers Divinity What is it to appear in the Divinity of himself and Father What is it for the Son to come in the glory of his own and the Fathers Divinity Certainly it is to manifest the glory of his Divinity in and by the humane nature assumed there shall be so clear a manifestation of God in the person of the Son when he comes to Judgment that all men shall know that Jesus Christ is true God as well as true Man Now that which Christ will certainly do when he comes to Judgment viz. he will manifest the glory of his Divinity to all men in and by the humane nature assumed he could have done if he had pleased whilst he was on earth but here lay the greatness of his condescension That he was pleased to hide and keep secret in a great measure the glory of his Divinity that he might accomplish the work of our Salvation And here we may cry out with the Apostle Oh the heights c. Behold stand and wonder at this love Man out of the pride of his heart will be as God Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 God out of the greatness of his love will become man and though he continues to be God still when he is become man too yet such is the humility of God incarnate that he is content to lay aside the glory of his Divinity that he might exalt man that laboured to dethrone and depress him Should not this love overcome us Oh what dull and stupid hearts have we that these wonders do not affect us The end of the third Sermon SERMON IV. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 4. THE greatness of the love of Christ in his Incarnation may be seen in the nearness of the Union that is made between the two Natures the humane and the Divine nature in the person of the Son of God The humanity of Christ by virtue of this union is become the Spouse as it were of the Divinity God hath married himself to our nature the Son of God hath given his own person to it the Divine nature hath drawn the humane nature into that most excellent unity of the Divine person so that now there is but one and the same person of the Divine nature and the
with the Divine must always partake of the power virtue and efficacy of the Divine 2. If the spring of grace which is in the Divine nature do never fail or be dryed up then the grace in the humane nature which is always fed and maintained by this spring can never cease 3. Believers standing in union and conjunction with their Head as members of his body must needs partake of the virtue and influence of their Head 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 5.30 1.23 I shall conclude this particular with a passage of one of the Ancients Those things which a meer man received might be taken away from him as they were from Adam that therefore grace and the gifts of God may remain firm therefore Christ who is God and man received power as he was man which he had always as he was God that his humanity receiving all things those things might be delivered over to us out of his humanity to be firmly and surely possessed by us Learn from what hath been spoken Vse 1 what it is that must comfort us in reference to the ruines of the Fall Man was a glorious creature an excellent piece as first he came out of the hand of God but what ruine what deformity hath sin brought upon this glorious and excellent creature Who is there that turns his eyes in and upon himself and hath not cause to lament the sad and miserable ruines sin hath made there The understanding is full of darkness the will perverse and wholly carried off from God the chief good the affections wholly bent and set upon sensible objects the whole man depraved and out of order lying under the sad effects of original sin What is it that may comfort us in reference to these ruines and this sad deformity sin hath brought but only the consideration of the Incarnation of the Son of God By the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature is restored to its ancient beauty and perfection let us turn our eyes upon the Head of the Church and there we may see Holiness shining forth in its greatest beauty and perfection there we may see our nature without sin a mind full of Divine light and knowledge a will exactly conformed to the Divine will affections most pure and regular Now our nature being thus repaired and restored to its ancient purity in our Head we have this assurance it shall be repaired in us We have in Christ an instance what we may expect if we be his members for God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son and he is the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 Vse 2 By way of Exhortation to poor Sinners that are in a natural condition O labour to get into Christ You are by nature children of wrath unlovely unacceptable in the sight of God if ever you be taken from being children of wrath to be children of God if ever you be made sons and daughters of God you must first of all be implanted by faith into him who is the natural Son of God if ever your persons be made lovely and acceptable in the sight of God you must be accepted in him who is the beloved Son of God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased There is not one drop of Gods love runs out of Christ all the love of the Father descends upon the Son incarnate and it is conveyed and let down by him upon the sons of men If you be found out of Christ you cannot expect to see or taste one drop of the love of God towards you O labour to get into Christ Is it not sad to lye under Divine wrath to be alienated and estranged from God to be able to lay no claim to God as your God and your Father to have no ground for the acceptation of your persons Till you get into Christ and be implanted into him this is your condition you are under Divine wrath you are alienated and estranged to God you are able to lay no claim to God as your God and Father you have no ground for the acceptation of your persons For this is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased The Father looks upon none with a favourable eye but whom he looks upon in the beloved Son if you have nothing to do with the beloved Son you have nothing to do with the Fathers love Let this press such as are yet strangers to Christ to give themselves no rest day nor night till they get into Christ By way of Exhortation to Believers Vse 3 to exhort them to keep close to Christ It is the interest and concernment of Believers to labour to keep close to Christ and to see that Christ dwell in their hearts by faith yet more and more The Apostle prays for the Ephesians Eph. 3.17 that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith The more Christ dwells in our hearts by faith the greater sense we shall have of our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons The Son of God taking our nature lays the foundation for our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons therefore the more firmly we embrace the Son of God cloathed with our nature in the arms of our faith the greater sense we shall have of our sonship and acceptation Christ is the natural Son of God if we embrace him and adhere to him by faith the greater evidence shall we have that we are the adopted sons of God by faith in him Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus That which makes us sons at first will be the means to continue the sight and comfort of this sonship to us It is faith makes us the sons of God therefore if we would have the comfort of our sonship let us look to this that Christ dwell in our hearts by faith When Christ promises to manifest the Fathers love to us how is it that he will do it He saith I in them Joh. 17.26 Let us consider it well the way by which Christ manifests the Fathers love to the Elect is by his being in them If ever we expect the manifestation of the Fathers love Christ must be in us and we in him Let us take heed therefore how we let our eye go off from Christ we can expect no love from the Father but as he looks upon us through the Son and we cannot expect to have the sense of the Fathers love let in upon us through the Son but as we take hold of the Son The more possession we have of Christ in our hearts by faith the greater sense and manifestation of the Fathers love will be let in upon us Learn from what hath been opened Vse 4 where to go for all supplies of grace We have a fountain near at hand we have grace brought down into a part of our own nature grace is lodged in the Son of God incarnate as in its proper fountain there may we repair and
concerning this point Qui scrutando volet non errare nec à Majestatis gloria opprimi is fide tangat apprehendat Filium Dei in carne manifestatum Luther with which I shall close this Use He that in searching would not erre nor be overwhelmed by the glory of the Divine Majesty let him by faith touch and apprehend the Son of God incarnate the Son of God manifest in the flesh In another place he saith Let us not hear them who say the flesh profits nothing let us rather invert the words and say Without the flesh God profits nothing our eyes ought to be fastened upon the flesh of Christ and we ought to say We neither apprehend nor know any God out of that flesh Dei Filius incarnatus est illud involucrum in quo Divina Majestas cum omnibus suis-donis se nobis offert Luther out of that humanity The Son of God incarnate is that covering in which the Divine Majesty offers himself to us with all his gifts This is that only aspect of the Divinity which in this life is facile and possible for us here is no seeing God out of Christ If we would conceive of God aright let us direct our faith to God in Christ If by means of the Incarnation we are brought near to God Vse 3 learn from hence to labour that our faith may be deeply rooted in Christ Our happiness lies in this In being taken into Christ in being comprehended in him in being made members of his body Our nature by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God is brought near to God Now if we would be brought near to God we must be implanted into Christ by faith and made members of his body Par◠prays for himself Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him An emphatical expression found in Christ Paul would not for a thousand worlds be left out of Christ no he would be found in him And for the Ephesians he prays That Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 Our happiness lies in conjunction with our Head standing and abiding in relation to Christ as our Head in being comprehended in Christ as it were this is our happiness This is the misery of the fallen Angels and all Unbelievers they have nothing to do with Christ as their Head and this is the great happiness of all the Elect they are gathered under him as their Head Behold I and the children which God hath given me Heb. 2.13 Wherefore let us see that our faith take deep rooting in Christ and then we are on a safe bottom Christ is the Captain of the Salvation of the Elect and by him many sons are brought to glory Heb. 2.10 If our faith hath taken deep rooting in Christ then are we safe then are we comprehended in him and where the Head is there the members shall be also The end of the seventh Sermon SERMON VIII Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge SEveral Propositions have been mentioned already to illustrate the greatness of Christs love in the work of his Incarnation I shall add three or four more and so I shall finish this subject 14. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that Christ becoming true man and wearing a part of our nature the consideration of his humanity may be a great help and strengthening to our faith to assure us of his propension and readiness to supply us in all our wants and also to sympathize pity and compassionate us in all our afflictions Hence it is that one of the Ancients brings in Christ speaking thus Ego corpus illorum gesto I do wear their body and carry about with me a part of their flesh Christ wears as it were the flesh of the Elect Now no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it as the Lord the Church Eph. 5.29 That common humanity wherein Christ shares with us cannot but incline him to be most kind sweet benign to his own kindred who participate of the same nature with him Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Heb. 2.16 Christ was a man of sorrows therefore he knows how to pity us in our sorrows Christ was deserted therefore he knows how to pity us in our desertion Christ was tempted in all points like to us sin only excepted therefore he knows how to succour us in our temptations Christ in the humane nature assumed hath felt the same miseries and afflictions that we are subject unto and therefore he knows experimentally by what he himself hath felt and endured how to pity us The Apostle sets this down as one great fruit of the Incarnation Heb. 2.16 17. Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same What is the fruit and advantage of this Why was it that Christ took a part of our nature The next verse tells us It was that he might be a merciful and a faithful High-Priest Calvin observes upon this Text When all sorts of miseries do oppress us we ought to remember there is nothing befals us which the Son of God hath not experienced in himself neither ought we to doubt but he is so present with us to help and pity us as if he himself were afflicted with us The experience of our miseries doth so bend and incline Christ to compassion that he is exceeding solicitous of obtaining help from God for us Hence is it said in the last verse For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ having been exercised with the same miseries and afflictions that we are is most propense and ready to afford help and relief to us Christ now he is in Heaven hath not forgotten his own sorrows and sufferings here on earth and the remembrance of his own sufferings cannot but incline him to pity and compassionate his people who are a part of his own nature in the like sufferings It is true Christ as he is God wants no love neither needed Christ to have known what sufferings and afflictions were experimentally to have inclined him to a merciful disposition for God is love God is so in his own nature and it was the love that was in the Divine nature that inclined him to assume our nature but because we could not be otherwise perswaded that there was so much kindness in his heart therefore in condescension to our infirmity and for the strengthening of our faith Christ would become man and taste of sufferings and affliction that having done so we might be the better assured he would be the more ready to pity
thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Let us take heed how we mistake here the Love of the Father was not the cause of the Divinity of the Son although the Son be begotten of the Father yet the Generation of the Son proceeds not from an act of Gods will the Father did not first love the Son and then beget him but the Generation of the Son was natural the Father begets the Son from Eternity and cannot but beget him God doth necessarily understand himself therefore his eternal Son is his natural Image Therefore in this last clause For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Christ speaks of himself as man the humanity of Christ was beloved of the Father from Eternity above every creature that humanity of his was so chosen and beloved above all creatures as to be united to the Divinity Now in Heaven the Elect shall see that Christ is in the possession of that which he was elected and chosen unto from Eternity And this will be one singular demonstration of the love of God to them that they shall see themselves taken so near to God in the person of their Head For although it be true there will always remain a vast difference between Christ the Head and the Elect that are Members to him none of the Elect have or can have that personal union which his humanity hath to the Divinity yet all the Elect in the glory of their Head shall see and behold the greatness of the love of God to themselves for it was for their sakes he took part of their nature into personal union and a part of their nature being united to God all the Elect are confirmed in their Head and by means of their Head are brought into the nearest communion with God they are capable of So that I say this will be matter of wonder to the Elect to Eternity to see a part of their nature placed so near to the Divinity yea to see a part of their nature so intimately united to the Divinity in the bond of personal union and to become the seat and Temple of the Divinity to all Eternity Vse And now I shall winde up all in one short word of Application From all that hath been said let us learn to admire and adore the infinite and transcendant love of Christ in his Incarnation Here may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and lengths and depths and breadths that are in the love of Christ in his Incarnation I have shewn you in seventeen Propositions how great the love of Christ is in the work of his Incarnation and when we have dived never so much into this Mystery it is but little that we do understand of the glory of it in comparison of what it is in it self O study more this great work of the Incarnation of the Son of God this is the greatest of all the works of God the greatest work that ever he hath done or that ever he will do The Incarnation of the Son of God is more than the glorification of all the Saints in Heaven O therefore study this Mystery the more we study it the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the reason why we are no more affected with it is because we know and understand so little of it And let us not only labour to understand the greatness of the thing it self but also of what importance this work of the Incarnation of the Son of God is to our salvation The work of the Incarnation is that which hath laid the foundation of the whole work of Redemption The Son of God therefore took our nature and became true man that he might transact the business of our Salvation in the humane nature assumed Vnigenitus venit in hominem propter hominem Hoc Deus in nobis salvavit quod pro nobis accepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are memorable passages which the Ancients have The only begotten Son of God came into the nature of man for man If the Word had not been pleased to have become flesh no flesh could have been saved God hath saved that in us which he hath assumed and took for us And it is a common saying among the Ancients That which was not assumed was not healed If Christ had not assumed the whole of our nature our whole nature had not been healed and restored We have heard somewhat of the Mystery of Christ in his Incarnation let us meditate on what we have heard Our work will be to meditate on these Truths all our days The best of us have arrived but to a little understanding in the Mystery of Christ The Apostle prays for the Saints Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Let us pray for great affection to Christ Great love to the Person of Christ will procure great manifestation of Christ So Christ hath promised Joh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him The more you love Christ the more fond you are of his person if I may so speak the more will Christ discover himself to you The more you love him the more will Christ lead you into the understanding of those Mysteries concerning his Person Divinity the Union of his Natures his Offices his Grace which the rest of men are little acquainted with They that love most shall know most Love Christ much and then Christ will manifest and discover himself much to you and the more Christ discovers himself to you the more sweet will you find the knowledge of Christ to be from day to day The end of the eighth Sermon SERMON I. Gal. 4. vers 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law THat which hath been in my desire hath been to unfold as I am able some part of the Mystery of Christ and to speak something concerning the great dimensions of the Love of Christ And as a bottom to build upon I pitched upon that Text Eph. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Now to shew what these dimensions of Christs love were I propounded to speak to three things 1. To shew the Properties of Christs Love 2. To shew that this love of Christ is surpassing great as it is to be found in both his Natures in his humane and in his Divine nature And here we considered the love of Christ distinctly the love that was found in his humane nature and in his Divine nature 3. To shew that the love of Christ is surpassing great if we consider the great
doubting Christians who are concerned about their Salvation other men are concerned about their temporal interests in this world but the great concernment of serious Souls is to secure their Salvation Now these considerations may be of great use unto such The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends IN the former Discourse I dispatched the two first Particulars 1. I opened the import of the Phrase what this Phrase did import for a man to lay down his life for his friend 2. I shewed you how it was that Christ laid down his life for us It remains now that I proceed to speak something to the third thing and that is this How is it said that Christ laid down his life for his friends whereas elsewhere it is said that we were enemies when Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Here it is said that we were enemies when Christ dyed for us and yet in the Text it is said that Christ did lay down his life for his friends How are these two to be reconciled I shall lay down several Particulars for the clearing of this which also are necessary to be laid down for the understanding of the Text it self 1. It is certain that by Nature we are all enemies unto God and Christ when he dyed for us when he laid down his life for us found us in a state of enmity Although some of the Elect who then lived when Christ suffered were already reconciled to God yet consider them and us all by nature we are enemies unto God and Christ dyed for us when we were enemies so in the Text before If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 Also it appeareth from another Text Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Sin is a plain rebellion against God sin is a fighting against him a perfect opposition to the will of God so opposite is the sinner to Gods will and so much bent upon his own will that he is angry with God and hates God because Gods will crosses his will Now when we were sinners and enemies when we stood in this direct opposition and desiance to God even then Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 God commended his love to us that whilst we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Those who are called Sinners in this verse are called Enemies in the 10. verse If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Every sinner is an enemy to God Christ therefore dyed for us when we were enemies that is the first thing 2. The second Particular to clear the Point in hand is this Though we were truly and properly enemies unto God yet in some sense God accounted us and looked upon us as friends how so not as being friends to him but as he being a friend to us not that we had any love or affection for God but that God had good will and kindness for us It is a great Text to clear this 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that God loved us and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Hence is it that one of the Ancients hath this expression Etsi nondum quidem amantibus sed tamen jam amatis Christ saith he dyed for his friends although not for such friends as did already love him yet for such friends as were in some sort beloved by him For it was out of his love that he dyed for us 3. The third Particular to clear it is this Christs Death was the means to make us friends and to reconcile us to God Col. 1.22 You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death It is a Speech of one of the Ancients Christus non aliter pro amicis mortuus est nisi pro acquirendis scil ut amicos faceret ex inimicis Christ did no otherwise dye for his friends than that he might make them friends that is that he might make them friends who were enemies before and Christs death was influential to make us the friends of God or to reconcile us to him these two ways 2. Christ by his death hath abolished and taken away the enmity that was between God and us Hence is it said expresly that Christ hath slain the enmity by his Cross Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile both in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby That he might reconcile both that is that he might reconcile both Jews and Gentiles in one body by the Cross that is by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross Having slain the enmity thereby that is having taken away the enemity that was between God and us by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross God was infinitely offended with us by reason of sin now Christ offering himself as a Sacrifice upon the Cross for our sins hereupon God is pacified and appeased the enmity that God had against us is now slain and taken quite away God hath now no more against us There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Now the enmity that was between God and us being slain and removed there is a foundation laid for friendship between God and us whilst two persons remain unreconciled they cannot cordially love one another whilst the difference remains there are heats and animosities heart burnings one against another but when the difference is taken up then there is a foundation laid for love and friendship So in this case so long as we apprehend that God hath a controversie with us that he is angry with us for our sins that he is ready to condemn us for them this drives us farther from God we cannot love him whilst we are under such apprehensions but when we know that God is reconciled by the death of Christ that his Justice is satisfied that he will not condemn us for our sins this lays the foundation for friendship then are we ingaged to draw near to God and to give up our selves in ways of obedience to him Now Christ by his death hath satisfied Gods Justice and thereby slain the enmity that was between God and us and so laid the foundation of friendship between God and us 2. Christ by his death hath purchased the spirit of regeneration which doth renovate and change our hearts and take away the natural enmity that is in them against God and inclines our hearts unto God Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour The Holy Ghost is shed on us through Jesus
nature to lay down his life and dye for our sins Certainly he that believes this will find no reason to doubt of the love of God If God sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins if he had no other end in sending of him and if the Son of God did freely lay down his life for us then there is no reason that we should retain suspicious and jealous thoughts of the Father or the Son We know and believe the love that God hath to us How so Because God hath sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins If we can realize the sufferings of Christ to our minds by the eye of faith this will confirm our souls in the love of God towards us 2. Another effect of our studying the love of Christ in his sufferings for us is This will be a means to beget much love in us to Christ What more powerful argument to inflame our love to Christ than to consider what Christ hath done and suffered for us Can we behold the Son of God the second Person in Trinity God equal with the Father Emmanuel God with us God come down into our nature can we behold this great and excellent Person giving himself to suffer and dye for us taking the whole curse and punishment upon himself that we deserve and not love this person who hath so loved us and hath done and suffered such things for us The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constrains us The love of Christ that is Christs love to us the apprehension of Christs love to us constrains us why so Because saith the Apostle we thus judge That if one dyed for all then were all dead If Christ had not dyed we must all have dyed If Christ had not suffered the wrath of God we must have suffered it to Eternity If Christ had not been deserted we must have been deserted If he had not undergone dereliction and the hiding of Gods face the face of God must have been turned away from us for ever If Christ had not conflicted with the Divine displeasure we must have conflicted with the wrath of God for ever If Christ had not been cast into that Agony wherein he sweat drops of blood we must have been cast into those inexpressible horrours and torments of soul and body which would have pressed us down to all Eternity The deep and serious consideration of these things cannot but constrain us to love Christ The love of Christ constrains us saith the Apostle because we thus judge That if one dyed for all then were all dead The consideration of this That Christ hath freed us from that by his death which otherwise we must necessarily have undergone must needs be a strong ingagement upon us to love Christ We love him because he first loved us Learn how great the sin and ingratitude of the world is in slighting and abusing all this love Vse 2 and also how just that revenge is which God takes upon the world for slighting and abusing all this love If the love of Christ be so eminently seen in his suffering and dying for sinful men for the sinful world then how great is the sin and ingratitude of the world in slighting and abusing all this love God hath sent his Son from Heaven to save the world he hath sent his Son from Heaven to dye for the world but all this love is little thought of little regarded or esteemed by the generality of men this is the cause of the Lords great indignation against the world The world is guilty of many other sins it is guilty of great immoralities and many abominations in point of practice and these may have their influence and no doubt have as to the bringing down Gods displeasure upon the sinful world but that which is the fundamental sin the root sin of all it is the contempt of Christ and the Gospel the slighting and rejecting Gospel-love Gospel-grace This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light And we may say This is the condemnation that love is come into the world that the Son of God who is love it self the Son of God who hath all the love of the Father in him and God is love that he is come into the nature of man and hath dyed for men that they might be saved and this is not at all regarded by them When all this love of his hath been published and made known to men the generality of men have taken no notice of Christ and his love so they may have their honours pleasures and profits take Christ and his grace who will for them for this so great contempt of Christ and his grace when God hath offered his love and the grace of his Gospel to the world and men have slighted it taken no notice of it hath God come to revenge himself upon the ingrateful world and I speak it with a bleeding heart I fear will yet revenge it more sorely The end of the sixteenth Sermon SERMON XVII Job 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends I Come now to other Particulars that set forth the greatness of Christs suffering for us 5. The greatness of Christs love in laying down his life for us appears in this That there was no one else that could have satisfied for us If men or Angels had attempted this work their sufferings had been but the sufferings of finite creatures there would not have been infinite worth and value in them to have satisfied for the sins of the whole world The expiation of sin requires a price of infinite value and the reason is because every sin is committed against an infinite Majesty an infinite Majesty being offended there must be a price of infinite value to expiate the offence Now whoever had been but a meer man could not have offered a price of infinite value but Christs sufferings were of infinite value because he was God as well as man and this is that which enhanceth the price of Christs love that none else could have suffered for us but Christ so as to have satisfied Gods Justice this Christ himself sets before us Isa 63.3 I have trod the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me So vers 5. I looked and there was none to help and I wondered there was none to uphold therefore mine own arm brought salvation This commends the greatness of Christs love in his sufferings That when none was able to suffer for us so as to satisfie Gods Justice Christ undertook the work The sixth Consideration is The greatness of Christs love in his sufferings appears in this That so great and excellent a person should come to suffer for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us that is that he who was the Son of God and God that
Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Our Saviour was not ignorant of his own sufferings but had a perfect contemplation of them in his mind before-hand he knew how great and bitter and sore they would be and yet he was content to undergo them for our sakes Consid 8 The love of Christ in his sufferings appears in this That so great a person should give himself to suffer such things to expiate so vile a thing as sin which yet he hated so much and had power to punish that the life of the best person should go to expiate the worst thing this is admirable Sin is the worst of evils the vilest thing in the world Now that the life of the most excellent person the life of the Son of God should be given to expiate so vile a thing as sin this is admirable indeed The Lord hath caused to meet on him the iniquity or perversness of us all Isa 53. Sin is the perversness of the creature it is the crookedness or depravation of a mans actions sin is a defection or turning aside from a right path and yet the Son of God gave himself to expiate so vile a thing as sin is Dedit tam inaestimabile pretium pro tam despecta odioque dignissima re Luther It is a speech of Luther He gave so inestimable a price for our sins for a thing so vile so despicable so worthy to be hated What more abominable what more odious in the sight of God than sin and yet the Son of God gave himself to expiate our sins Sin is most hareful to Christ Heb. 1.9 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity it is spoken of Christ and yet though Christ hated sin so much he gave himself for our sins Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins and as Christ hated sin so had he power to punish and to be avenged for it and yet rather than we should undergo the punishment that was due to us he himself who had power to inflict the punishment and might justly have done it was content to suffer the punishment for us Well may we cry out with Luther O the condescension and love of God to wards man God was the person offended and yet God came to suffer the punishment that man deserved Consid 9 The love of Christ in his sufferings appears in this That Christ had all the Elect before him at once and suffered for all the Elect. It was not for one or a few of the Elect only that he suffered or for some or a few of their sins that he suffered but it was for all the sins of all the Elect Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it It was the Church that Christ gave himself for Christ knew all his sheep by name and he laid down his life for his sheep Paul could say He hath loved me and given himself for me and every true Believer may say He hath loved me and given himself for me Why now what an insinite Sea and Ocean of love must there needs be in the heart of Christ when as Christ out of the greatness of his love gave himself as a Sacrifice to expiate the guilt of all the sins of all the Elect that ever had been committed or should be committed to the end of the world This is set forth by the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world that is Christ is not only the propitiation for ours sins who do now live and believe on him but he is also the propitiation for the sins of all others who shall live after us and believe on him even to the end of the world The virtue of Christs death and the efficacy of his sufferings to the Elect of all Ages Consid 10 The love of Christ in his sufferings appears in this That Christ by his death and sufferings hath delivered us from that which was the greatest matter of fear to us The great thing which all the sons of men have feared hath been death and the consequence of death The great thing threatned for sin was death In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Death was the great punishment threatned for sin hence it comes to pass that all mankind ever since the Fall have been under a slavish fear of death and the consequence of death The great things which we do naturally dread are death and what follows death Hell and the wrath of God Now Christ by laying down his life hath taken away the fear of death and the consequences of death This is fully expressed by the Apostle Heb. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage There are two things which the Apostle intimates are the great things that do keep men in bondage all their days the one is the fear of death and the other is the power that the Devil had over men That he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil The Devil hath not the power of death simply and absolutely but he is said to have the power of death as he is the Executioner of Gods wrath and drags men to the torments of Hell Now Christ by his death delivers us from both these he delivers us from the fear of death and from the power of the Devil 1. Christ by death delivers us from death the strength and venom of death is spent in the death of Christ Christ underwent death as it was the Curse that was denounced upon us for sin Now death is no more a part of the Curse to a Believer because Christ hath undergone it as a curse for us 2. Christ hath also undergone the pains and torments of Hell as formerly hath been shewed and therefore he hath enervated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made void or frustrated the power of the Devil as the word signifies Christ by his death hath taken away Satans power The Devil after a sort as he was the Executioner of Gods wrath might be said to have the power of death that is of eternal death after a sort and in a sense he hath power over those torments which the damned feel But now Christ having born those pains and torments for his people the Devil hath nothing to do with them he hath no power over them Could we contemplate death as we ought to do in the death of Christ we might see death to have lost all its strength all its venom in the death of Christ It is the observation of Luther Could we believe so firmly as we ought to do that Christ dyed for our sins and rose again for our justification there would remain nothing of fear or terrour in us for saith he the
death of Christ is a certain Sacrament or pledge which certifies us that our death is nothing at all For if death hath executed all its power and strength upon Christ if death hath poured out all its venom and malignity upon Christ then there is nothing that remains in death to hurt us Death had nothing at all to do with Christ but only as he put himself under the power of death for our sakes Now the Son of God who was above death freely subjecting himself to death for our sakes and death having done all that it could against Christ it hath nothing more to do against a poor Believer It is true Believers dye still but yet their death is not part of the Curse the death of the Saints is only a passage unto life and it is that which prepares the way for a more blessed Resurrection Whatever was truly formidable or terrible in death is taken away by the death of Christ That which was most formidable in death was this that it was a part of the Curse that it was the effect of Divine wrath Now Christ having suffered the whole of Gods wrath for us death is not inflicted upon Believers as the effect of Gods wrath nay it is so far from being sent to a Believer in wrath that it is sent in mercy to him and death is an introduction unto a Believers happiness All things are yours things present things to come life is yours and death is yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord Rev. 14. Death is an introduction to the Saints unto their perfect and compleat happiness the Saints happiness is inchoate and begun in this life when they are first brought into the Kingdom of Grace and their happiness is compleat and consummate in the next life when they are by death ushered into the Kingdom of Glory Consid 11 The love of Christ in his sufferings appears in this That he came into our nature and became man on purpose that he might suffer for us One of the principal ends of the Incarnation of the Son of God was that he might suffer and dye for men This is intimated by the Apostle Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are made partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil It is as much as if he had said Had he not partaken of our nature he could not have suffered for us as he was the Son of God and possessed of the Divine nature so he was not capable of suffering but therefore did he take on him our nature and became the Son of man that he might be in a capacity to suffer for men O what overcoming love was this that the Son of God did therefore take upon him our nature that he might be in a capacity to suffer for men had he always abode in the form of God only it had not been possible for him to suffer but therefore would he take upon him part of our passible and mortal flesh that so he might be in a capacity to suffer and dye for us Consid 12 The love of Christ in his suffering may be seen in this Because so great benefits accrue and come to us by the sufferings of Christ Christ by the merit of his sufferings hath purchased and procured the greatest blessings for us To instance in a few briefly 1. Christ by his sufferings hath purchased for us the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 2. Christ by his sufferings hath purchased for us peace and reconciliation with God Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile us to God by the cross Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death 3. Eternal life it self is the purchase of Christs sufferings Rom. 6. ult The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord that is through the merit of Jesus Christ our Lord so that eternal life is the merit of Christs death We have another clear Text to confirm this Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance The eternal inheritance the inheritance which all the Elect are brought unto in Heaven is purchased by the death of Christ for so the Apostle expresseth it That by means of death those that are called might have the promise of eternal inheritance Hence is it that Heaven is called a purchased possession Eph. 1.14 Vntil the redemption of the purchased possession the Glory of Heaven is called a purchased possession Now in every purchase there must be a price there can be no purchase without a price the price therefore that was laid down for us that we might obtain eternal life was the price of Christs blood the death of Christ as appears from the former Scriptures 4. The Spirit of God and all that grace whereby we are inabled to believe and obey and in general whatever blessings are comprehended in the Covenant of Grace these are all the purchase of the death of Christ This is apparent from those words of our Saviour in the institution of the Supper This cup is the new Testament in my blood as much as if he should say All the mercies all the blessings of the new Covenant are the purchase of my blood and the Covenant it self is ratified and confirmed by my blood Now in the Covenant of Grace there are many great things promised in it the Lord promiseth to forgive the sins of his people he promiseth that he will put his Law in their minds and write it in their hearts he promiseth that he will give his Spirit to them and the like all these blessings are purchased and procured by the death of Christ great therefore must the love of Christ be in giving himself to suffer and dye for his people since by the death of Christ such great and admirable priviledges are purchased for them The Covenant of Grace is the greatest Charter of all our spiritual Priviledges whatever Priviledges belong to a Believer they are contained within the compass of the Covenant Now the Covenant it self is founded in the blood of the Mediator of the Covenant How precious then is that blood that purchased such great things for us And how great was the love of Christ that shed his blood to obtain such things for us Vse If the love of Christ be so great in his sufferings let us be exhorted from hence to meditate much on the sufferings of Christ O it were well for us if we could take many a turn at the Cross of Christ and
by the eye of faith see and behold what it was that the Son of God suffered in our nature for us There may we see him suffering dereliction undergoing the deprivation of the sense and comfort of Gods love there may we see him bear the whole Curse suffering the wrath of God yea the very pains and torments of Hell for us We ought to contemplate these things and by faith to realize the sufferings of Christ and the greatness of his love to us in his sufferings We ought not to look upon the sufferings of Christ as a story but to see what he suffered was for our sakes and out of love to us and the desire of our salvation Now the more we meditate upon the sufferings of Christ there are two things that will follow thereupon 1. The more we meditate upon the sufferings of Christ the more shall we understand what those heights and depths and lengths and breadths of the love of Christ are which the Apostle speaks of The Apostle speaks of infinite dimensions in the love of Christ and the more we study the sufferings of Christ the more shall we see what those heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love are O what immense love was this that the Son of God should come from Heaven to Earth to suffer and dye for men God might have glorified himself although man had never been saved A manifest proof of this we have in the Angels the Angels that fell were never recovered out of their sin and misery and yet God is glorified upon them and if fallen man had never been recovered God might have glorified himself upon men in their condemnation and destruction as he is now glorifying himself upon the fallen Angels Now this was the abundant love of God to man that God did not only will mans salvation but that so great a person as the Son of God and God should come from Heaven to Earth to save and dye for man O let us stand and wonder at this love the more we soak our hearts in the meditation of these things that the Son of God and God should come into the nature of man for this very end to suffer such things for man that man might be saved the more shall we be taken up in the admiration of this love 2. The more we meditate on Christs sufferings and of the end which Christ had in his sufferings that he suffered such and such things for us the more shall we be confirmed in the belief and assurance of our own salvation Christ did not suffer in vain he did not shed his blood in vain If Christ did indeed suffer the pains of Hell that is a certain sign that God hath no mind that such as believe in Christ shall suffer those pains The sufferings of Christ are a clear miroir to shew us what we are delivered from What Christ hath suffered we shall not suffer for God will not punish sin twice If God hath inflicted the full punishment of our sins upon the person of our Head he will not lay the punishment of sin upon us too God indeed may correct his children in a way of fatherly discipline but he will not lay the punishment of sin upon them in a way of vindictive Justice and the reason is because God hath already punished their sins in the person of their Head Christ their Head and Surety hath born the full punishment of their sins for them This is the force of the Apostles argument Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed As much as if he had said If Christ hath dyed we shall not dey if we be Believers who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed that is if Christ hath dyed we shall not dye eternally if the Law hath had its full power and strength upon Christ if the Law hath put Christ to death if it hath executed the Curse upon Christ to the uttermost then it hath no more to execute upon a Believer as a part of the Curse for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Therefore the consideration of what Christ hath suffered for us may be as food to our faith Hath Christ indeed suffered such things as we have heard of in the Doctrine of Satisfaction then we shall never suffer them Hath Christ suffered dereliction hath he been forsaken of God and that as our Surety then will God never forsake us for ever God may hide his face from us for a moment but he will not forsake us for ever Hath Christ born the wrath of God then shall we never bear it O when-ever the sense of guilt and the fear of Gods wrath oppress our consciences and lye heavy upon us the best course we can take is to dip our consciences in the wounds and blood of Christ as Luther's expression is and the realizing by faith what Christ hath suffered will be the best balm to cure a wounded conscience for if the sufferings of Christ were real then first there is real satisfaction made and if there was real satisfaction made then is God really pacified and really atoned and if God be really satisfied why then should we doubt and call in question his love any more Only our great concernment is to secure our part in Christ and to secure our interest in his sufferings till Christ himself be ours we can lay no claim to the benefits of his sufferings 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life We must first have the Son himself before we can have life by the Son Our first work therefore is to make sure our interest in the Son himself Let me now in a few words close up the whole Doctrine concerning the Sufferings of Christ and the work of his Satisfaction We have heard much concerning the preciousness of Christs sufferings and that ample and full satisfaction that he hath made by his sufferings All that we have heard concerning the sufferings of Christ and the work of his satisfaction will signifie nothing to us will nothing at all avail us as to our salvation unless we get an interest in that great and blessed Person who hath done and suffered all these things That which must make the sufferings of Christ and his satisfaction available unto us is to know that Christ hath suffered as our Head that he hath suffered in our room and in our stead Now we cannot know that Christ hath suffered as our Head and as our Representative unless we first chuse him for our Head and pitch our faith upon his Person It is the Person of the Son of God who hath done and suffered all that in our nature which is necessary to be done and suffered for our salvation therefore as ever we expect benefit by what Christ hath done and suffered in our nature we must first direct the eye of our faith to that great person who hath taken up our nature and done and suffered such things in it Joh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life We must first by the eye of faith see that great Person the Son of God come down into our nature and doing and suffering such things in it for the accomplishment of our salvation and then we must close with this Person and embrace him with both the arms of our faith It is the Election of Christs Person that gives us union with him Now we having chosen Christ to be our Head we ought to contemplate what was done by him in our nature and to have all our expectation of salvation from what was wrought by him in it thus shall we have communion in the obedience death sufferings and satisfaction of Christ and what Christ our Head hath done and suffered in our nature he dwelling in our hearts by faith shall be accounted as if we had done it The end of the twentieth Sermon FINIS
EMMANVEL OR THE LOVE of CHRIST Explicated and Applied in his INCARNATION Being made under the LAW AND HIS SATISFACTION IN XXX Sermons Preached by JOHN ROW Minister of God's Word AND Published by SAMUEL LEE LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton Book-seller at the Three Daggers near the Inner Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1680. TO THE PIOUS READER THIS Treatise here presented to thine eyes first sounded in the ears of a gracious Society by that Gospel-Trumpet Mr. John Row It was a Darling-child brought forth from a judicious head and a sanctified heart The Ancients compared John to the Eagle in the Vision of Cherubims because soaring high in the contemplation of our Lords Divinity Our John as if he had lain in the bosom of that John who lay in the bosom of our Saviour hath sweetly attempted to descant upon the Song of Angels about the Vnion of Heaven and Earth God and man together Luk. 2.10 The heavenly Host answered in a heavenly Anthem to that single Angel who brought the good Tydings of great joy for all people to the Shepherds of Bethlehem and behold here one of the Shepherds of Zion sings his Epiphonema to theirs Glory to God in the highest Indeed the union of two Natures in one Person and of three Persons in one Essence are Mysteries unaccountable by Angels but the joy of its influence shall never forsake the Harps of Angels or Saints to all Eternity None but who is assumed into that glorious Vnion can exhaust the Treasury of Divine Wisdom Rev. 5.5 John the beloved Disciple could not unloose the seven Seals of these Mysteries but must weep at the foot of the Lamb to do it Yet what is to be believed admired adored may and ought to be the subject of our most profound Meditations and delight What God hath revealed let none presume to count impertinent to dive into though they can feel no bottom they will find more amiable Gemms than Pearl and Coral adhering to the sides of the adamantine Rocks in this unfathomable Abyss True none can fully explain this Vnion but he that injoys it To delineate some glittering rays that stream from it requires deep communion with the person in union We are not able to conjecture what pleasures flow in upon the palates of Angels as they stand drinking of the beams of the Divine Essence neither can they transfuse or pour out those Paradise-rivers into our broken cisterns How far this holy man hath added to the point I rather leave to the Candidates of these Mysteries than determine Each may see deeper into their own Notions than others and it is far easier to conceive than express and yet there is infinitely more left for all Ages in the remainder of the Spirit than ever was uttered or can be thought of Yet I think with respect had to others he hath rendred some things more intelligible and many things more applicable and useful to common capacities The Cherubims that stood looking down upon the crowned Mercy-seat might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25.11 1 Pet. 1.12 but could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might gaze upon it but not through it It was not transparent Gold like the streets of Jerusalem Rev. 21.21 but too thick a plate of Ophir for an Angels eye to pierce They may pry into the state of Saints in Glory but not the contrivance of Grace to bring Saints thither Much less can man and man fallen receive or sustain wings strong enough to fly into the depth of this amazing Firmament What God bath made on the back-side of the exteriour Heavens hath a terminating bound because a Creature though it pose Astronomy it self to measure and square the Circle of the Heavens so what God hath written is infinitely true though our finite and crooked thoughts can never unfold or draw a parallel what Scripture reveals though it do not fully unveil it is our duty both to study and embrace Divine love say the Platonists made the Vniverse and therefore more capacious and were it not more comprehensive than all created love it would never take a Saint He finds a bottom in all created joy and not like the Sea the fresher at the bottom but sometimes more salt and bitter but uncreated love hath no shoars nor centre but the bosom of God and the depth is upward still higher and sweeter These things are reserved for such as pass Kidron and Olivet let us a while step into the Sanctuary and study to grow in the Mystery of the Father and of Christ and pray that the Spirit would reveal in us what the Son hath revealed to us from the Father Joh. 1 1◠and then draw spiritual and sweet consequences from above Did the Son of God come down from Heaven to earth was it not to take the sons of men from earth to Heaven Did not the second Person partake of the humane Nature that we might partake of the Divine He took not the persons of Enoch or Abraham or Paul that they only might be happy but the nature of the first Adam that all who by faith are united to the second Adam in Grace may triumph in Glory Did not he lye in Davids Inn at Bethlehem that we might lye in the Son of Davids mansions that are above in that Zion of Zions Was not he made of a woman in Canaan to restore us to a better Paradise than what was lost by the woman of Eden Was not he made under the Law that we might be new born under Grace Was not he exalted on the Cross this Josephs Son to speak with reverence to erect a more firm and sublime Ladder into Heaven than Jacob's That Patriarch saw only a Vision of Angels by star-light but we by this Ladder ascend up to the Angels themselves that are singing in the Noon of Glory Was not his most precious Blood poured out as a Ransom for many to the remission of sins that ours might not be poured out like oyl to feed the perpetual Lamps in the flames of Hell Did not the Father make his love honourable as the Prophet speaks by his Son 's more honourable obedience and justifie his Justice by his Son's Righteousness and quench his anger in the Ocean of his Son's love Thus doth our blessed Author from the Son's Deity proceed to the great Doctrine of his most meritorious Sufferings and full Satisfaction for the sins of all the Elect. The Father by his Eternal love made way for his Temporal anger to his beloved Son that he might redeem his adopted sons from eternal wrath and made a way through the heart of his Son for them to pass into eternal love This point he no less sweetly than substantially clears against the Socinians venom who aim by darkning the Deity of Christ to extinguish the glory and honour of his Satisfaction Act. 20.28 For if it had not been the Blood of God it could never have purchased the Church But it is that
all the money he hath to purchase that inheritance it is a sign he loves that child well So is it in this case the things that God intends to bestow upon his people are the greatest things and he hath been at the greatest cost and charges to bring them to this inheritance 1. God bestows upon his people the greatest things and therein he shews how strong his love is to them What things are they no less than himself his own glory and blessedness all the riches of Heaven Heirs of God coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Heirs of God what is that We shall inherit God himself for our portion we shall enjoy all that he is all that God hath so far as we are capable or according to the measure and capavity of creatures 2. As the things are great in themselves which God bestows upon his people so God hath been at great charge and expences to bring us to this inheritance He hath given us his Son his Spirit his Promises his Providences his Ordinances to bring us to this inheritance All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Observe the last expression the called according to his purpose Those whom God hath a purpose to save those whom he hath laid out his eternal love upon all things are ordered to bring them to that happiness he hath purposed to bestow upon them God lays the train of all his providences so as to bring his Elect to that happiness he hath chosen them to 3. The love of Christ is constant unchangeable and everlasting The unchangeableness of Gods love ariseth from the unchangeableness of his nature Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed As much as if God should have said My nature is unchangeable and that is the reason my love and mercy towards you is never changed The manifestation of Gods love may be changed towards us we may not apprehend the same effects of love at one time as at another therefore doth the Church complain Lam. 5. ult Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us but yet the root and fountain of Gods love is still the same Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens Rev. 3.20 Gods correction of his people proceeds from his love Not but that God is truly displeased with the sins of his people when his people give way to such particular sins he disapproves of such particular acts of theirs and disapproves of them in relation to those acts therefore when David committed that sin in taking Vriah's wife the Text saith expresly but the thing which David did displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult It is contrary to the nature of God who is Holiness it self to approve of the sins of his people or of them with relation to such sinful acts nay God may be so far angry for particular miscarriages in his people as to take up the rod and correct them yet in this very case Gods original love remains The Scripture is very clear to this purpose Psal 89.30 31. If his children forsake my law c. then will I visit their transgression with the rood c nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him Here we see Gods paternal displeasure or his fatherly corrections may consist with his love yea in some sense Gods corrections are the Fruit of his love 1 Cor. 11.32 We are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world he therefore chastens that he may not condemn Gods love to his people is a fixed unalterable thing Gods love is founded in his eternal purpose now there is no changing of Gods purpose It is a great expression that of the Apostle Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God according to election might stand The purpose of God in election stands firm and this is matter of singular and unspeakable comfort to the Saints of God If thou canst once see a line of electing love drawn forth upon thee thou mayst conclude the purpose of God remains unalterable concerning thee Now it is possible a Saint may know his election 1 Thess 1.4 Knowing beloved your election of God A Saint may know his Election by his Vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure Now if thou canst find out thy election thou mayst conclude the purpose of God stands unalterable to thee Christs love is from Eternity and his love never ends Having loved his own he loved them to the end Joh. 13.1 2. Having spoken of the Properties of Christs love I come to speak of the love that is to be found in both his Natures in the Divine and in the humane nature The Love of Christ is a great love if we consider the love that is to be found in each of his Natures the Divine and humane nature Eph. 5.25 it is said Christ hath loved the Church and given himself for it Christ as God hath loved the Church from Eternity therefore is it said I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 Now to this ancient and first love of his there was a new love added and that was the love of Christ as Man this love which is founded in his humane nature had a beginning even as the humanity it self had a beginning but yet it is such a love as never shall have an end Christ therefore loves his Church with a twofold love with a Divine and a humane love each of which is the most sincere the greatest the most perfect the most constant and abiding love I shall speak 1. Of the love that is in his humane nature because that will help us to conceive the better of the love that is in his Divine nature the love that is in the humane nature is the product or effect of the love that is in his Divine nature and if the love of his humane nature be so great the love of his Divine nature must needs be far greater as we shall hear The love which is in his humane nature is exceeding great To understand which we must consider as there are two natures in Christ the Divine and humane nature so there are two wills the Divine and humane will and as there are two wills in Christ so we must necessarily suppose a twofold operation of those wills and so by consequence a twofold love in Christ for love is nothing but the efflux of the will some motion in the will whereby some good is willed to another now the love that is in Christs humane nature is exceeding great It is true that which the School men call Habitual grace which is in the soul of Christ is not simply infinite and the reason that they give is this The humane soul of Christ being but a creature and not infinite the habits of grace which do inhere in his humane soul as the subject they
yet thus we ought to conceive of it God being love love being his very nature and essence God loves the creatures freely indeed but yet he loves according to the condecency or becomingness of his own goodness What so proper to Love as to love God is love Bonum est sui ipsius diffusivum and therefore he loveth us The more good any thing is the more diffusive it is of it self God is good by nature and essence there is no one good but God Mat. 19.17 Creatures are good by participation but they are not originally essentially good but the Essence of God is goodness therefore God being goodness it self it is most agreeable to his nature to impart and communicate good to the creature 3. The third Consideration The love that is in the Godhead or Divine nature in Christ is the cause of all the love that is to be found in his humane nature The humane nature indeed is the glass in which the perfections of the Divine nature do shine forth but the Godhead is the source and spring of all Gods love is most visible to us in the effects of it that God should be incarnate and become man that the Law should be fulfilled for us that the pains and torments of Hell should be suffered and undergone for us that our nature should be carried into Heaven and filled with glory there these are the effects of Divine love and these effects of love are made visible and conspicuous in the humane nature but the Divine nature is the principal Efficient in all these For mark it it is the Divine nature in the person of the Son which sanctifies the humanity and assumes it into unity of person that carries forth the humanity as to all actions and sufferings so that if these be demonstrations of the highest love for God to dwell in our nature to see the Law fulfilled for us to see the torments and pains of Hell undergone for us to see Divine Justice satisfied for us we ought to behold and contemplate the love of the Divine nature as the first root of these things for it is the Divine nature that is the principal efficient cause of all God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. 1 Joh. 3.16 There was the love of the humanity which did concur in Christs laying down his life for us That the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Joh. 14.31 Christ as man loved the Father and having received a commandment from the Father he laid down his life for the sheep He was willing even as man out of love to the Father and to the sheep to lay down his life but notwithstanding this the love that was in his Divine nature was the principal therefore doth John say Hereby we perceive the love of God that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Therefore we ought not to terminate our thoughts or to stick meerly in the consideration of the actions and sufferings of Christ-man but we ought to contemplate the love of the Divine nature in all these things for it was the Godhead was the primary and principal cause Habuit rationem causae minùs principalis ministrae and the humane nature is to be considered as the less principal cause and as the servant to the Divinity So that whatsoever is sweet or amiable in Christ as man consider all his actions and sufferings in the humane nature and whatsoever may make him amiable in that respect we ought to look to the Divine nature as the principal cause and to the humanity as acted by the Divinity the humanity is the Organ of the Divinity in all these things Thus have we passed over the second Consideration there are heights and lengths and depths and breadths in the love of Christ if we consider the love of Christ distinctly as it is to be found in both his natures in his Divine and humane nature 3. I proceed in the third place to speak something of the effects of Christs love As the love of Christ hath heights depths lengths and breadths and all manner of dimensions in it if we consider it in the properties of it and as it is to be found in both his natures so it hath the same dimensions in it if we consider the effects of his love The effects of Christs love are most admirable 1. The first effect of Christs love is his Incarnation O that God would give us an heart to listen to the great Mysteries of God that are contained herein as the weight of these things requires that the Word should be made flesh that God should assume a part of humane nature and become true man here are heights breadths lengths Opus mirabile opus singulare inter omnia super omnia opera sua and depths of love indeed Bernard calls the Incarnation of Christ a wonderful work a singular work among all the rest of Gods works yea above all the rest of his other works The work of Incarnation is the greatest of all the works of God it is a greater work than the creation of Heaven and Earth for God to make all creatures out of nothing this is a work suitable to the Majesty of God but for God to come into the nature of his own creature after he hath made it this is more wonderful Quid potentius quà m conjungere Creatorem creaturam Creator ac Dominus omnium unus voluit esse mortalium qui manens in forma Dei fecit hominem idem in formaservi factus est homo Leo. Non miror miracula mundi miror Deum in utero Virginis What greater Argument of power than to joyn the Creator and the creature in one Phil. 2.7 8. Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man They are melting expressions to any one that weighs them and considers what the meaning of them is For the God of Heaven to be made in the likeness of men and to be found in fashion as a man this will overcome and swallow him up that understands a little what the meaning of that is Heb. 4.15 This work of Christs Incarnation is a stupendious work the greatest work that ever was done the greatest that ever shall be done The glorification of all the Saints in Heaven is not so much as this for the Godhead to dwell personally in our nature This was that made Cyprian to say I do not wonder at the other miracles that are in the world I wonder at this that God should be in the womb of a Virgin that God who is incorporeal should cover himself with the covering of our flesh that he who is invisible should after a sort make himself visible that he who is the immortal God should become a mortal man that he who is infinite and uncircumscribed should take to himself a finite nature these
Médiator and Christ in the truth of both his natures the same have not God they have no such knowledge of him as to have any interest in him and at last to be brought to the injoyment of him 1 Joh. 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God How must Jesus be confessed to be the Son of God He must be so confessed to be the Son of God as to be God the Son of God and God that is the meaning compare this with 1 Joh. 5.20 He that is the Son of God is the true God to confess Jesus to be the Son of God is to confess him so to be the Son of God as to be the true God Now if he only dwells in God and God in him that thus owns the Divinity of Christ what shall become of them that deny his Divinity Certainly God doth not dwell in them nor they in God they are never like to have any thing to do with God To owne Christ in words Vse 2 and yet in deed and in truth to deny him this is as dangerous Some tell us that the light within that is Christ but take heed of being deceived in so great a matter as salvation is Believe it your salvation lies at stake here the light within is not that that can save us that Christ who must save us is no other but the Word incarnate he who in the beginning was with God and who in the beginning was God he by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made and who afterward in the fulness of time was made flesh this is he by whom you must be saved if ever you be saved It was not by the light within that we were made no the light within is but a creature Christ the eternal Word is the light of men Joh. 1.4 All the light that is in men is but a created spark from Christ who was the first increated light it is by him you must be redeemed and saved by whom you were at first made and created The same eternal Word who was with God in the beginning and by whom all things were made at first is he who afterwards was made flesh and by whom we must be saved Was the light within from Eternity or will you call the creature of God God himself The light within is a thing of Gods creation where was that which some call the Light within before Adam was If it had a beginning then it was a creature If men will tell you there is something of God a measure of God that is let down into every man unless by something of God they understand some created thing they do apparently confound the Being of God and the being of the creature and so do make the creature it self to be God but it is God himself must be our salvation so the Church sings in that triumphant Song of hers Isa 12.2 Take heed how you go off from how you frame to your selves any other Saviour besides this great Saviour whose Name is the Lord our Righteousness who is God and man in one person Learn from what hath been said Vse 3 what the true way is of getting the nearest and sweetest communion with God and the whole Trinity and that is by studying much the Son incarnate The study of one Christ will bring us to the highest knowledge of God that we are capable of Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life He that injoys Christ hath all that can be desired and therefore it is a good observation Calvin hath upon that Text If Christ be the way the truth and the life he must needs soar beyond perfection aspire at something beyond the last perfection who is not content with one Christ Christ is the way the truth and the life he is the beginning middle and end in him we must begin in him we must go on and make progress and in him we must end Christ-man is the way and Christ as he is one and the same God with the Father so he is the life The humanity of Christ is the gate or portal that opens the way to the Divinity when by the sight of his humanity we are led to the sight of him as God then is he to be acknowledged to be wholly in the Father and the Father to be wholly in him He that hath seen him hath seen the Father 2 Joh. 9. Most sweet are those promises of the Lord Jesus Joh. 14.21 23. If any man love me he shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him and we will come and make our abode with him If we would have the Father and the Son make their abode with us we must first begin at the Son incarnate we must be fond of him if I may so speak make much of him have an high esteem of him If any man love me he shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him Christ speaks now as being present in our nature as cloathed with the humanity and saith He that loves me shall be beloved of my Father that is he that loves me who am the Son incarnate God hath brought down himself to us in the person of the Son who is incarnate All the Trinity is brought near to us in that one person the Divine persons though they are distinct in their relative properties yet they are inseparable where the one is the other is wherefore let us keep close to the Son love the Son adhere to the Son the Son incarnate will lead us to the Father By this Son we shall have the sweetest communion with God therefore make much of Christ it is a vain thing to think of getting God any other way The end of the fourth Sermon SERMON V. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE have already mentioned five Propositions to discover the greatness of the love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation we now come to the sixth 6. The sixth Proposition is this The greatness of the love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation will appear in the great advancement that cometh to our nature by the Incarnation of the Son of God It is the greatest advancement of humane nature imaginable that God should take a part of our nature into unity of person with himself This I shall illustrate by four Considerations 1. By means of the Incarnation of the Son of God a part of our nature is advanced above the Angels Heb. 2.16 Verily he took not on him the nature of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Adverb of confirmation a word that is used to assert the
fetch as much grace as our souls need Joh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink There is a spring of grace opened to us in a part of our own nature here may we come and be supplied Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink If you thirst for grace it is but turning your eyes upon the Lord Jesus who is God in your nature and there is a fountain of grace set open Vse 5 See the ground of the perseverance of the Saints and why none who are true Believers and are implanted into Christ can fall from grace The reason is because grace is kept sure and safe in the Head of the Church the fountain of grace the Lord Jesus Adam indeed had a stock committed to him but he being a creature and therefore mutable did not keep that stock committed to him the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam the Head of the Church is God as well as man and grace being deposited in him it is now lodged in a sure hand Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also As much as if our Saviour had said Your life depends upon my life when my life fails your life may fail but while my life continues your life shall continue And our Saviour tells us The salvation of the Elect depends upon his and his Fathers power A great Scripture Joh. 10.27 28 29. he is there speaking of his sheep and of them he says None shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and none shall pluck them out of my Fathers hand The sum of our Saviours asseveration is this That if he and his Father be able to keep the sheep from perishing and bring them to eternal life then they shall never perish never fail of eternal life therefore are we said to be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 So that if the Divine power can preserve the Saints they shall be preserved to eternal life Let us labour to be in the number of Christs sheep such as truly follow him and he hath undertaken to keep us from perishing and to bring us safe to eternal life The end of the sixth Sermon SERMON VII Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE now come yet to some other Propositions for the opening of this great Mystery to shew the greatness of the Love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation 11. The eleventh Proposition is this The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our Adoption and being made the sons of God It was a speech of Irenaeus The Son of God was made the Son of man Filius Dei factus est filius hominis ad hoc ut homo fieret filius Dei Irenaeus for this very end that man might be made the son of God Rom. 8.29 Christ is said to be the first-born among many brethren Peter Martyr observes from that expression So good is God that when as God had a Son and such a Son whom he took perfect delight and complacency in yet he was pleased to adopt more sons of the stock of mankind among whom Christ is the first born and whereas it is said He was the first-born among many brethren this must be understood in respect of his humane nature assumed for as to the Divine nature Christ is not so properly called Primogenitus as Vnigenitus the first born as the only begotten Son of the Father Christ is the Head of all the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 that is before the foundation of the world he was ordained to be the Head of the Church Sicut praedestinatus est ille unus ut caput nostrum esset ita multi sumus praedestinati ut essemus ejus membra Aug. Deus Christum ipsum quatenus homo est primum omnium praedestinavit in quo caeteros servaret It is Austins expression As Christ was that one only who was predestinated to be our Head so we being many are predestinated to be his members Hence is that expression we have Eph. 1.6 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. The Original of our Adoption is Gods Predestination having predestinated us the foundation of our Adoption is in Jesus Christ having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ God did first of all predestinate Christ himself as he was man that in him he might save all the rest of the Elect. To understand this we must consider That Christ was the natural Son of God the only begotten Son of God from Eternity therefore is he said to be the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 Now the natural and only begotten Son of God being pleased to assume a part of our nature he is and remains to be the natural Son of God in and with the humane nature assumed Christ did not cease to be the natural Son of God by his Incarnation and taking our nature upon him As he was the natural Son of God before his Incarnation so he is after his Incarnation Now the natural Son of God being come into our nature the humane nature assumed is one in person with the Son of God and Christ remaining to be the natural Son of God after his assumption of our nature makes way for us to be the adopted sons of God The Civil Lawyers observe that no one can obtain the Right and Priviledge of Adoption but by leave of him who is the natural son If there be a natural son none can be an adopted son without the leave of the natural son Christ is the natural Son and he being come into our nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave this Right or Power that we should become the sons of God even to as many as receive this natural Son by faith into their hearts Joh. 1.12 They who receive the natural Son by faith are made adopted Sons Hence is it said Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ It is an excellent expression Zanchy hath upon that Text Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. For this very end did Christ assume our nature being made our Brother according to the flesh that we having his Spirit given to us might be made the sons of God and the brethren of Christ and for this cause is he said to be the first-born among many brethren 12.
us to himself by Jesus Christ And that passage of our Saviour is most remarkable to this purpose Joh. 17.7 where he makes this to be the property of the Elect They have known that all things that thou hast given me are of thee The Saints do know that whatever Christ is that God himself is to them by Christ so that as God hath brought himself near to us in that way in the first place to make himself more facile and easie to be apprehended by us and to render himself more sweet and kind for us to approach to him so God in Christ doth actually communicate and give himself to us and God in Christ is the Author of our salvation and doth all that is done in the business of our salvation 13. The thirteenth Proposition for the clearing of this great Mystery is the love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God as God is brought near to us so we are brought near to him Christ is the bond of our union unto God Nexus unionis nostrae ad Deum Christus est Cyril Quod homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo posset esse quod Christus est Cyprian Christ is he that ties the knot between God and us Christ as man is united unto us Christ as God so he is naturally united to the Father It was a good speech of Cyprian Christ would be that which man is that man might be that which Christ is This will be illustrated by considering that great Scripture Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you These words are some of the most mysterious words in all the Book of God and I remember Cyril saith of this Text It is a difficult Text and prays for Divine grace to help him to understand it I shall modestly give as I am able the interpretation of this Text here are three great Vnions insinuated in this Text. 1. The essential Union 2. The Incarnation of the Son of God the Vnion of the two Natures in the person of Christ 3. The mystical Union All these three great Unions are held forth to us in this Text. 1. The essential Union the Union of the Son and Father in the self-same Essence In those words In that day you shall know I am in my Father that is you shall know that I am the natural Son of God and that the Father hath communicated all his perfections unto me by eternal Generation Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine You shall know that I am in the Father by the unity of the Divine Essence Inspecto Christo videtur illa unitas essentiae ac gloriae Patris ac Filii Or else as another Learned Divine expounds this Phrase You shall know that I am in the Father Christ being once looked upon and beheld by the eye of faith the unity of the Essence and the glory of the Father and the Son is seen both at once You shall know that I am in the Father that is you shall know me to be the Son of God true God of one and the same Substance Essence and Divinity with the Father 2. There is the Union of the two Natures in Christ implied in these words You shall know that you are in me Percipietis Divinae meae incarnationis mysterium that is as a Learned man expounds those words You shall perceive the Mystery of my Divine Incarnation by means of which the humane nature is united to my Divinity and taken into unity of person with the Son of God by means of which you also after a sort may be said to be in me To understand this we must know although it be true that the Son of God assumed humane nature not the whole mass or lump of it but in a certain part and particle of it and hereupon that part of humane nature which is taken into personal union with the Son of God hath a nearer relation to the Trinity than any creature whatsoever yet the Son of God assuming a part of our nature into personal union with himself all the Elect being united to Christ by faith are included in Christ as Members relating to the Head and so injoy the benefit of his Incarnation Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same So that although the union be personally made in one part of humane nature viz. that part which was personally united to the Son of God yet all the seed have benefit by Christs Incarnation and being implanted into Christ by faith are made members of his body Sicut membra in capite sicut contentum in continente sicut palmes in vite sicut effectus in fontali principio of his flesh and of his bone and are comprehended in him as in their Head You shall know that you are in me that is as one explains this Phrase As the members are in the head as the thing contained in the thing containing as the branches in the Vine as the effect is in its fontal Principle This interpretation is further confirmed by that Scripture Eph. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one in Christ The word in the Original is an emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Chrysostome interprets thus To reduce all things under one head All the Elect are reduced and brought under Christ as their common Head and thus we are said to be in him You in me We are in him as members in the head And it is observed further by a Learned man That the Elect are said to be in Christ in respect of both his natures 1. As Christ is man Per communionem naturae ut in causa servante conservante sicut in ultimo fine so we are said to be in him by communion of nature 2. As Christ is God so we are in him as in the saving and conserving cause and as in the last end Hence are those expressions Preserved in Jesus Christ Jude 1. Col. 1.16 All things were created by him and for him 3. Here is the Mystical or Spiritual Union set down and I in you As Christ is in the Father by Vnity of Essence we in Christ as being taken in to be members of his body and standing related to him as a Head so Christ is in us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 6.16 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit This is another part of the love of Christ in his Incarnation that by this means we are brought near to God as one of the Ancients expression is Consummati sumus reductique ad unionem Dei Patris mediatione Salvatoris Cyril We are consummated and brought back again into union with God the Father by the mediation of Christ our Saviour This
and help us True indeed God is love in himself his name is the Lord gracious merciful long-suffering pardoning iniquity transgression and sin but God being at such a distance from us and also a God of such infinite Purity and Majesty we are apt to doubt whether God will take any notice of such vile and sinful worms as we are therefore in a way of condescension God is come down into our nature that so faith may have the greater incouragement that since God dwells in the nature of man he will not shut up his own bowels against them who are his own brethren and kindred Christ is akin to us nearly allied to us in respect of his humanity one in nature with us in respect of his humanity as he is nearly allied to his Father and one in nature with him in respect of his Divinity Heb. 2.11 The Apostle here speaks of Christ and his Members He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are of one that is they are one and the same nature of one and the same common nature We may well suppose that part of our nature which Christ wears will put him in mind to be kind to us if he were not otherwise inclined unto us There is a common Law of humanity which commands some compassion in all men even in those who are most degenerate by sin the Law of common humanity will force some bowels from the worst of men to them that are in great distress How powerful then is this Law where the force of it is not abated by any allay from sin but where this Law is heightned and elevated by the greatest measures of grace and the presence of the Divinity inhabiting in the humanity Thus it is in Christ Christ hath the greatest perfection of grace in him and the presence of the Divinity inhabiting in his humanity Hence it is our Saviour comforts the hearts of his Disciples upon this account Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me It is as much as if he should say You take this for granted this is a confessed Principle among you you ought to believe in God now you believe in God believe also in me Our Saviours meaning is this Look upon God come down into a part of your nature behold God in my humanity Ye believe in God believe also in me Faith in Christ is no prejudice to faith in God the Father at the same time we believe in Christ we believe in God the Father for the Divine Essence is one and the same in all the three persons at the same time we believe in the Son we believe in the Father Now our Saviour to incourage us to believe would have us to behold God in the glass of his humanity You believe in God believe also in me As much as if he should say I that am now speaking to you am God and man in one person you cannot think that I your Lord and Master who have been conversing with you so long and of whose tenderness and compassion you have had so much experience should want any bowels or tenderness in me to do you good now I am God as well as man if you think I am inclined to pity you as I amman I want no power to help and relieve you as I am God 15. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of his Incarnation there is a foundation laid for the work of his Mediatorship in general and also for executing those three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in particular My design is not at present to treat of Christs Mediatorship at large nor to speak largely of his Offices but only to shew how Christs Incarnation or his taking of our nature lays the foundation for his undertaking the work of Mediatorship in general and also of executing those three great Offices in particular of a Prophet Priest and King and also to shew how his love is demonstrated to us in this 1 Christs undertaking the Office of Mediatorship is the great demonstration of his love to us for Christ as Mediator brings us back to God we were at variance with God now we being at a distance from God and at enmity with him by reason of sin there was need of a Mediator to reconcile the difference and bring God and us together Now here was the great demonstration of the love of Christ that the Son of God would undertake the Office of Mediator and that he might do so he was willing to take up our nature in his Incarnation that he might perform the Office of Mediator in it Hence is that expression of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the man Jesus Christ The Apostles intention in using this expression the Man Christ Jesus is not to exclude the Divine nature from the person of the Mediator for it is here observed by Calvin when the Apostle calls him Man he doth not hereby deny him to be God for this is a sure Rule in Divinity The person of the Mediator accomplisheth the work of Redemption according to both natures so that the work of Redemption is the work of the person working in both natures that which is proper to each nature Hence is it that a Judicious Divine observes By a wonderful temperament it is so ordered that the Hypostatical union of the two natures is made in the person of Christ Vt esset mediatrix humana Divinitas Divina humanitas August that he who is our Mediator should be Man-God and God-man therefore we ought thus to conceive of it Christ took up our nature that he might perform the Office of Mediator in it and this is expressed by the Apostle Heb. 10.5 When he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me When he comes into the world Christ came into the world by his Incarnation by his Assumption and taking up of our nature and wherefore did he come into the world It was to perform the Office of a Mediator to reconcile us to God to offer up the great Sacrifice for sin Other Sacrifices would not serve the turn and therefore the Son of God would offer the great and true Sacrifice namely the Sacrifice of himself and by this means reconcile us to God Now what must Christ do that he may perform the Office of Mediator and reconcile us to God He must take a true humane body Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me The Son of God must assume mans nature if he will be a Mediator between God and man It is the office of a Mediator to conjoyn and unite those between whom he is a Mediator The extremes are united in some middle and he that is Mediator had need to have some interest in both parties to be reconciled Christ therefore being to reconcile us to God and to unite
corroborated and strengthened the humane nature in suffering so that as the Apostle saith it was Christ that was offered There was a concourse of both natures in his Satisfaction If he were not man he could not have suffered and if he were not God he could not have satisfied Christ is a Priest in our nature and as the High-Priest under the Law bare all the names of the children of Israel upon his Breast-plate so Christ bears all the names of the Elect upon him Christ sustains the persons of all the Elect Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Christ assuming the nature of man sustains the persons of all the Elect and in their room and in their stead in a part of their nature presents himself to God and taking their guilt upon him is willing to bear the punishment due to them therefore he suffers and dyes in their nature and remains under the power of death for a time 2. Christ by his Incarnation is fitted for the work of his Intercession As it was the work of the Priest to offer Sacrifice and make atonement so to intercede and pray for the people Now Christ by taking our nature is fit for this work also Christ as to his Divine nature is equal with the Father and so is the object of prayer together with the Father but Christ according to his humane nature is inferiour to the Father and so fit to intercede And therefore it is a common saying among Divines Christ intercedes and prays as he is man and Mediator 3. Christ by assuming our nature performs the Office of a King to the Church Christ hath a natural Kingdom and he hath a dispensatory Kingdom As he is God so he hath a natural Kingdom over all creatures Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion is an everlasting dominion As he is God-man so he hath a Kingdom by way of donation and dispensation Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Psal 2.6 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Joh. 5.22 that is to the Son incarnate Christ as Head and King of the Church dispenseth all grace to the Church rules and governs the Church in and by the humane nature assumed Eph. 1.21 22 23. Thus have we shewn how that Christ by the work of his Incarnation lays the foundation for the work of Mediatorship in general and for the executing of those three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in particular 16. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of Christs Incarnation our nature which was alienated from God deprived of communion with him lay under the curse was subject to all sorts of miseries and unto death it self is now restored to communion with God again delivered from the curse set above all misery and death cloathed with immortality and possessed of perfect happiness 1. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath restored our nature unto communion with God Adam by his Fall was turned out of Paradise banished from the presence of God lost his communion with God Now the Son of God taking a part of our nature into unity of person with himself hath brought our nature near to God again our nature in Christ is admitted to the sight of God and communion with him Christi humana natura semper usque à primordio incarnationis vidit Deum Divines observe That the humane nature in Christ had the sight of God from the beginning of his Conception and Incarnation and the reason of this assertion is this Christ was full of grace he had the Spirit of God given to him not by measure Aquinas observes That Christ from the beginning of his Incarnation had more grace given to him than the Saints in Heaven Now the Saints in Heaven are admitted to a clear sight and vision of God therefore if Christ had more grace given to him from the beginning than the Saints in Heaven we must suppose Christ had a clear sight and vision of God besides the great demonstration of Christs love in his sufferings was that he was content to be deprived of the sight and comfort of his Fathers love therefore he crys out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This argues Christ had been used and accustomed to the sight of his Fathers face and countenance otherwise why did he cry out Why hast thou forsaken me But for our sakes he was content to have his Fathers face hid from him for a time that it might not be hid from us for ever Now then Christ in his humane nature being admitted to the sight of God all the Elect in their measure shall have a share in this priviledge Scientia visionis competit Christo ut capiti electis ut membris The knowledge of vision is first given to Christ as the Head to the Elect as Members and although all the Elect be not as yet admitted to the vision of God yet it is certain they shall be as Christ now is When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 and in the mean time our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 hid as in the fountain root Tanquam in fonte radice principio and principle of that life Christ in his humane nature being admitted unto the sight of God and communion with him is an argument all the Elect also shall be brought to the same happiness 2. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath delivered our nature from the Curse set it above misery sorrow and death and cloathed it with immortality The sentence pronounced concerning man was That in case he sinned he should dye the death Gen. 2.17 Christ by taking our nature and dying in it hath born the substance of that curse The curse comprehended two things in it First natural death the separation of the soul from the body Secondly spiritual death the separation of the soul from God Here lay the sting of the curse Thou shalt dye the death or In dying thou shalt dye thou shalt not dye once only but dye twice as it were thy soul shall not only be separated from thy body but both body and soul shall be separated from me Now Christ under-went both parts of the curse if rightly understood First Christ in a right sense endured that part of the curse which consisted in a separation from God for although the personal Vnion was never dissolved neither was Christs humane soul ever separated in love or affection from his Father his soul clave in love and affection to his Father in the midst of all his sufferings Christ did not undergo separation from God in either of those respects yet his humane soul was separated for a time from the light and comfort of his Fathers love as was hinted before when he cryed out My God
my God why hast thou forsaken me He was deprived of the sense and comfort of his Fathers love Secondly Christ suffered natural death his humane soul was truly separated from his body Now Christ having satisfied that Law In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death by suffering the penalty of that Law hath fully delivered his people from the curse Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us A Learned man observes Because according to the sentence of the Divine Judgment in that day Adam fell and sinned humane nature ought to have been punished with eternal perdition therefore the Son of God offered himself to assume humane nature and afterwards did assume it that so man might not dye the death And the same Learned man hath another expression to the same purpose Because humane nature was depraved and lost so that it became the body of sin and death therefore the Son of God in lieu thereof was pleased in the humane nature assumed to condemn sin and abolish death and in his own person restore humane nature to righteousness life and happiness Christ having dyed for sin once dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 10. Our nature as it is in Christ it is above death and the fear of death O let us think of these things these things are the most solid grounds of comfort Our nature in Christ is above death and the fear of death it is possessed of life and immortality and brought to perfect happiness Hence is that expression 2 Tim. 1.10 Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Christ hath already brought life and immortality into our nature Christ doth already stand possessed of immortality in his own person And this is the singular comfort of Believers that they may see a part of their own nature set above sorrow misery and death and brought to the greatest happiness they can wish or long for and that they may be assured they shall be possessed of the same happiness in their measure which Christ their Head is possessed of This Christ assures them of Joh. 17.22 The glory which thou hast given me I have given them Christ had glory with the Father from Eternity as he was his natural and coessential Son this he speaks of vers 5. Glorifie me with thy self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Now besides this there is a glory which is given to him the glory which thou gavest me I have given them Christ had a glory given to him as man and Mediator Now the glory which was given to Christ as man and Head of the Church is given to the Elect so that all the Elect do participate and share in it in their measure The glory which thou hast given me I have given them Calvin observes upon that Text The Samplar or pattern of perfect happiness is so exprest and set forth in Christ that nothing is confined to Christ only but Christ was therefore inriched that he might inrich Believers the glory which thou hast given me I have given them Christ and his Members share in glory in common only reserving the difference between Head and Members Christ hath the glory of the Head Believers have glory as Members Christs glorification is the surest pledge of our glorification for how is it possible that he who is our Head and is now in glory with the Father should leave us to those miseries we are now obnoxious to whenas we are so nearly related to him we being members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit The Church being so nearly related to Christ and Christ being in glory how is it possible Christ should leave them under those miseries they are now subject unto 17. The greatness of Christs love in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation all the Elect shall have a standing Monument before their eyes wherein they may see and behold the infiniteness and transcendency of the love of God to all Eternity And the reason of this Proposition is this Because the Hypostatical or personal Union shall not be dissolved in Heaven the humane nature shall remain and abide united to the Divinity to all Eternity As in Heaven we shall be admitted to the sight of God we shall see the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity we shall see the Unity of the Essence and the three persons Father Son and Spirit subsisting in this one Essence of God so in Heaven we shall see the great Mystery of the personal Union the Mystery of the two Natures in the person of Christ more than now we can And this will be one part of the happiness of Heaven that we shall see our nature united to the Divinity in the person of the Son of God and by this means we shall come to understand the greatness of the love of God by seeing how near our nature is taken unto God in the person of our Head The Hypostatical or personal Union is the foundation of the mystical Union viz. of our union and communion with God God hath taken a part of our nature into personal union with himself and by means of this we have union and communion with him Now in Heaven we shall have a clear sight what that glory is which Christ our Head is advanced unto by the personal union And this I take to be carried in that great Text Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The happiness of Heaven will be to gaze upon the glory of Christ as a Learned Divine expresseth it That they may behold my glory as if so be this would be Heaven enough for the Elect to see the glory their Head is possessed of And what glory is this That they may behold my glory certainly the glory of his Divinity Christ had glory with the Father before the foundation of the world Joh. 17.5 He was in the form of God saith the Apostle now all the Elect shall see and behold his glory that is they shall see the glory of his Divinity and how so They shall see and behold the glory of his Divinity shining forth through his humanity The humane nature is united to the Divinity in the person of the Son now the Elect in Heaven shall see that person who hath assumed their nature to be true God and to have all the glory of the Divinity in him As the second person in Trinity is true God and hath all the glory of the Divinity in him so the Elect in Heaven shall see the humane nature united to the Divinity in the person of the Son Therefore is it added in the close of the verse For
Christ our Saviour that is through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour It is God that sheds the Holy Ghost into our hearts but it is through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour It is through the Merits of Christs death that this Spirit is purchased for us Well! but what doth the Holy Ghost do when he is sent into our hearts as the purchase of Christs death He regenerates and renews us So the former verse tells us According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God takes away the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh The Spirit of God working grace in the heart takes away the enmity and opposition that naturally lies in our heart against God and inclines our hearts to love God and to fear him 4. The fourth Particular we would lay down for the clearing of the Point is this That our Saviour here in the Text is speaking of the greatest love amongst men Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends The greatest love amongst men will go no higher than this for one man to lay down his life for another Now saith our Saviour you cannot complain that my love is defective towards you in that I am ready to do as much for you as ever any man did for his friend The highest love that you can instance in is when one man doth lay down his life for another now I am ready to lay down my life for you therefore it is that our Saviour saith here Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends 5. Another Particular for the clearing of it is this The Disciples to whom Christ was here speaking Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends were already made friends but yet they and all others who were made friends before his incarnation were made friends to God by virtue of that Sacrifice which now he was about to offer up For Christ was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and the virtue of his death and sufferings was extended to all the Saints that were made so in all Ages therefore although they to whom Christ was now speaking were already made friends yet it was through the virtue of his death and sufferings that now he was to undergo that they were made so All men by nature are enemies alike and that now any were made friends was by virtue of the death of Christ that he was to suffer and undergo for them For it was the Decrce of God that Christ should dye and suffer before he did dye and suffer and it was in the virtue of his sufferings that all the Elect that lived before his Incarnation and those that lived in the time when he was here in the flesh were reconciled unto God 6. The sixth Particular is this Christ had in the former verse been exhorting his Disciples to love one another according to the Pattern himself had given to them This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Now in this verse he shews wherein he did manifest his love to them he was ready to manifest his love to them by Laying down his life for them therefore if they intended to love one another in conformity to his Pattern they must be ready to shew the highest offices of love one to another He would have them love one another even as he hath loved them His love to them made him willing to lay down his life for them and therefore if they would love in conformity to him they should be ready to perform the highest offices of love one towards another Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren 1 Joh. 3.16 7. Our Saviour was about to owne them as his friends and to acquaint them that he intended to deal with them as with friends Now it was not accommodate to his present design and scope in this place to say he would lay down his life for his enemies for immediately after he tells them that he owns them for his friends in the 14. verse Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Henceforth I have not called you servants but I have called you friends And he tells them he deals with them as with friends The servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you Joh. 15.15 Christ tells them that he looked upon them as friends and that he intended to deal with them as friends therefore it was not accommodate with our Saviours present scope and design in this place to use the expression of enemies though we were all enemies when Christ dyed for us but he chuseth to express it thus Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Upon these accounts I conceive it is in this place that Christ saith he laid down his life for his friends whereof elsewhere it is said we were enemies when Christ dyed for us Thus have I dispatched the third Particular to shew you how it is said Christ laid down his life for his friends It remains now that I should enter upon the fourth Head and that is to speak something concerning the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction but because I chuse to reserve that intire to be spoken to by it self I shall make some Application of what hath been mentioned and indeed the Use that ariseth from hence is of great moment The first Use therefore shall be this Vse 1 Doth Christ lay down his life for his friends Let us be exhorted from hence to be sensible of the condition that we are in by nature we are not born friends but we are made so by the Death of Christ We are so far from being born friends as that we are born enemies unto God now we ought to be sensible of the natural enmity that is in us against God But here it may be said Wherein doth this enemity consist How doth it appear that we are enemies unto God I answer It appears in these three Particulars 1. It appears in this That our wills are most opposite to the Will of God That natural enmity that is in us against God appears in this Qui alterius voluntati adversatur saith a Learned man He that resists and sets himself to cross the will of another and doth this always so that his will can by no means consent or agree to anothers will he is said to be a mans enemy Now such is the will of every natural man the will of every natural man doth perpetually rise in opposition against Gods Will. Rom. 8.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it
will for the most part depend one upon another and the former Proposition will be introductory and leading to them that do succeed Before I come to lay down those Propositions that do immediately concern the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction it self there are some Propositions to be laid down that are preliminary and necessary to make way thereupon 1. The first Proposition then is this Man was created under a Law of service and obedience to his Maker Man when first he came out of the hands of God must needs see himself in a state of inferiority unto God he saw that God was above him and that he had received his being from God and that receiving his Being from God he must necessarily be in a state of inferiority and subjection to him Man also saw that having received his Being from God he was under a vast obligation of gratitude love and service into God who had given him Being and such an excellent Being man also saw that receiving his Being from another and not having it from himself it was most just and reasonable that he should be under the will of him who gave him his Being and not under the conduct and government of his own will These deductions do naturally flow from the principles of right reason which we must suppose to be in man in his primitive estate 2. The second Proposition is this That man was every way fitted and qualified to give obedience to the Law of his Creation Man we know at first was created after the image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness and man being cloathed with the image of God was every way fitted to give to God that obedience which the Law of his Creation required from him Mans mind or understanding was filled with light and knowledge whereby he clearly understood what the will of God and what his own duty was Mans will also as it was first created had no obliquity in it but was inclined to good his affections were all regular God made man upright as the Scripture speaks Eccles 7.29 Every thing was upright most upright in man in his first Creation there was nothing out of order in him the will of man was then upright It is true although the will of man was made upright and good at first yet it was not made immutably good but that it was possible for man to decline from good to evil otherwise it had not been possible for man to have fallen and sinned but sin and fall he did and that we know by our own sad experience But yet though man was not created at first in an impeccable estate but that it was possible for him to sin yet he was created in so perfect a state that it was possible for him not to have sinned Tale erat adjuâ—orium quod desereret cùm vellet in quo permaneret si vellet non quo fieret ut vellet Aug. Hence is that of Austin Adam had that help and assistance given to him at first which he might desert when he would and in which he might have abode and continued in case he would but he had not that help and assistance whereby he should so will 3. The third Proposition is this God to lay a further ingagement upon man to persevere in the course of his obedience entred into a Covenant or stipulation with man promising him life in case of obedience and threatning him with death in case of disobedience This we have expressed in that known Text Gen. 2.16 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Here we have a positive Law supperadded unto the natural Law the Law of mans creation and there is a threatning annexed to deter man from breaking this Law in which threatning also there is a promise supposed to be included in case man did not break it for if God threatned man in case he did eat that he shall dye this is to be supposed if he did not eat nor transgress this command he should not dye else the threatning had been in vain Now we must know that man by virtue of the natural Law the Law of his creation was bound to observe this positive Law of God And the reason is because man being a creature must necessarily be under the will and at the dispose of him that makes him and therefore must necessarily be obliged to observe his Creators will in all things that he shall declare to be his will therefore it pleasing God to give out this positive Law concerning the not eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil as a tryal of mans obedience man by virtue of the natural Law the Law of his creation is bound to give obedience to God in this positive Law of his For man as he is a creature is bound to give obedience to the Law and Will of his Creator in that way God requires and expects it of him and God having manifested this to be his Will the Law of his creation obligeth him to testifie his respect and obedience to God according as he hath discovered his mind to him 4. The fourth Proposition is this That man sinning God is highly offended with him by reason of sin Sin is most displeasing to God upon several accounts 1. Because sin is most contrary to the Nature and Will of God 1. Sin is contrary to the Nature of God Psal 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity 1 Joh. 1.5 God is light and in him is no darkness at all God is perfection and sin is imperfection God is purity and Holiness it self and sin is a defect of that purity therefore the nature of God is most diametrically opposite to sin 2. Sin is contrary to the Will of God The Will of God is expressed and declared in his Law Now the Law of God commands rectitude nothing but rectitude The commandment is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy law is truth Psal 119.142 Now sin is a deviation from that rectitude which the Law requires sin is a perfect contradiction to the will of God revealed in his Law 2. Sin is most displeasing unto God because it is a casting off of Gods Authority This we must necessarily suppose that God being infinitely superiour unto man and the Author of mans Being must needs have the most perfect and absolute authority over man Now man when he sins when he takes upon him to sin acts according to his own will and takes no notice of the Divine Law and so consequently casts off Gods Authority Man when he sins acts after that manner as if so
were the offenders and yet the punishment was laid upon Christ who was an innocent person Therefore it is a good expression of one of the Ancients Non ille maledictus sed in te maledictus Christ was not accursed in himself but he was accursed in thee It was we that deserved the curse the curse was due to us but the curse lighted upon Christ that so it might not fall upon us Therefore it is wisely observed by another of the Ancients That no one ought to be offended at this that Christ is said to be made a curse who himself was without sin Because saith he Christ was made a curse Factus est ille maledictus non natus he was not born a curse Christ was most free from the curse in himself but he most voluntarily took the curse upon him Therefore another of the Ancients observes Christ was made a curse Non per necessitatem sed per obedientiam not out of necessity but in a way of obedience He was made under the Law and therefore he subjected himself to the curse of the Law he that would be made under the Law must undergo all that the Law required of him now the Law required obedience and the Law requires suffering therefore Christ being made under the Law must not only do but suffer what the Law requires Divines observe That Christ was born and dyed after a special Law different from other men Christ was born not for himself but for others and he dyed not for himself but for others Manifestum est Christum potuisse non mori sed voluisse ut mors sua nobis prodesset Ambros Christ is to be considered as a common person Hence it follows Christs bearing the curse was not for himself but for others Christ suffered and underwent the wrath of God which we should have born Hence is that of one of the Ancients It is manifest that Christ might have chosen whether he would have dyed but he therefore chose to dye that his death might become profitable Learn from what hath been opened Vse 1 what an infinite evil sin is that he who was most blessed in himself should yet be made a curse for us that the fountain of blessing should become a curse O how great a venom is there in sin that Christ having no sin of his own but being a sinner only by imputation should be made a curse that sin should cause him that was the Author of all blessing to become a curse Learn from hence the severity of Gods Justice Vse 2 that when Christ had no sin of his own but only took upon him the guilt of our sins that yet Divine Justice should fall so foul upon so innocent a person He spared not saith the Apostle his own Son Rom. 8. Christ taking upon him the guilt and punishment of our sins God did not spare him but executed upon him the severity of his Justice Now if Divine Justice did not spare him who was but a Surety how shall it spare us if we be found under the guilt of our sins Certainly every impenitent sinner may read his own destiny in the sufferings of Christ If Christ suffered such things who was meerly a Surety and bare the guilt of other mens sins not his own what is like to become of us that must bear the guilt and punishment of our own sins as certainly we must if we continue in unbelief and impenitency He that believes not on the Son the wrath of God abides upon him Joh. 3. ult O it is of infinite concernment to us all to secure our part and interest in the sufferings and satisfaction of the Lord Jesus for if the Justice of God arrested Christ seized upon him and proceeded so severely against him as we have heard if the curse did cut off him we cannot expect but Divine Justice will seize on us and cut us off unless we be hid in the clefts of this Rock Oh let us endeavour to get a part in him that was made a curse that we may be delivered from the curse The end of the tenth Sermon SERMON XI Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THere is one thing more to be answered to that inquiry to make the answer full and compleat over and above what was said in the last Discourse How was it possible for Christ to suffer the wrath of God that was always beloved of him The third thing therefore that is to be said is this It was possible for Christ by faith to know that he was beloved of God and he did know that he was beloved of God when yet as to sense and feeling he tasted of Gods wrath Faith and the want of sense are not inconsistent there may be no present sense of Gods love nay there may be a present sense of his wrath and yet there may be faith at the same time This is manifest from that description of faith which the Apostle gives Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Faith makes those things evident which are not evident and apparent unto sense This also is manifest from the experience of several of the Saints It is said of Abraham That he believed in hope against hope Rom. 4.18 Abraham had the hope of faith against the dictates of sense his faith prevailed against sense he believed when all things in sense made against him Thus was it with Job in one place he saith That God hunted him as a fierce lyon and that he shewed himself amrvellous upon him And yet in another place he saith Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Here was faith against sense In like manner in another place he saith That God counted him for his enemy in his sense and feeling God seemed as an enemy to him And yet in another place he saith I know that my Redeemer liveth Here was an opposition to sense Thus was it with Heman he complains Psal 88.7 That Gods wrath lay hard upon him that God had afflicted him with all his waves and in the sixteenth verse of that Psalm he saith Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and yet in the beginning of the Psalm he calls God the God of his salvation O Lord God of my salvation vers 1. here was faith contradicting sense Thus was it with our Saviour Christus licèt se in anima derelictum sentiret ut in nobis fuit tamen in anima intellexit in sese semper deamatum fuisse our Saviour had a present sense and feeling of Gods wrath and yet by faith he might know he was beloved of God Hence is that of a Learned man Christ although he felt himself forsaken as he was in us yet he understood that he was always beloved considered as in himself Thus have I spoken that which I think may be sufficient for the clearing of that objection
of the wrath of God And the wine press was trodden without the city and blood came out of the wine-press even unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs It is observable these two Angels which come out with their sickles to reap down the world with great Judgments come not until after the Promulgation of the Gospel which was made to the world by the three Angels which we read of in the beginning of this Chapter When God had sent the Gospel to the world and offered reformation to it and the world did not obey the Gospel nor embrace the reformation offered to it then God sent these two Angels to reap down the world with his Judgments Cluverus in Apocalyp It is the opinion of a Learned man that this Prophecy concerns the times of Reformation when light had been offered to the world and the world grew wicked after light and reformation was offered to it Now that which is observable in the second Angels Commission is That he should thrust in his sickle and gather the cluster of the vine of the earth And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth Now this expression of the Vine when it is taken mystically doth usually in Scripture signifie the Church of God Jer. 2.21 I have planted thee a choice vine And so in that passage of the Psalmist Behold and visit this thy vine The Church is compared to a Vine frequently in Scripture Now the Angel is commanded to gather the vine of the earth so that the Judgment here Spoken of is such a Judgment as did concern the Church at least the people that do profess themselves to be the Church The Reformed Churches which were planted at the first as a choice Vine with purity of Doctrine and more integrity of manners being degenerated from their first purity and bringing forth wild grapes of corrupt Doctrine and evil manners God sends his Angel with his sickle to cut down the cluster of this Vine And that which doth confirm this interpretation is this That the wine press is to be trodden without the City the City in the Revelations is Babylon the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the earth Now the wine-press was trodden without the City and blood came out of the wine-press even to the horses bridles So that the Judgment here spoken of doth not reach Babylon Rome which is mystical Babylon God hath his time when he will visit her he hath reserved a more fore Judgment for her but the Judgment that is here spoken of is a Judgment that reaches the Protestant Churches they are the Vine of the Earth the true Church by profession but not living up to their profession God punisheth them for their sinful and profane lives and the Judgment which God executes upon these is no small Judgment We read here of blood coming out to the horses bridles Which notes the copiousness and abundance of bloodshed which shall be at the time of the pouring out of this Judgment The Lord grant that we may not see this Scripture more and more verified I have been apt to think that the destruction which the Sword hath already made hath been in part a fulfilling of this Scripture and O that we could say that the force of this Prophecy and the strength of that Judgment which flows from it were already spent and exhausted but may not we yet fear that this Prophecy may bring forth more wrath and judgment upon us than yet we have seen If any thing prevent the farther effusion of blood which we read of here in this Scripture and that great wrath here threatened it must be humble hearty affectionate crys to Heaven faith in the blood of Christ with the through reformation of our lives for otherwise there seems to be great wrath determined against us therefore let us make this use of it to cry heartily to God let us endeavour to stand between the living and the dead to divert if it be possible that wrath which yet hangs over our heads The end of the fifteenth Sermon SERMON XVI Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THere have been two Observations that have been propounded out of this Verse The first was Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people The second was Doct. 2 That the love of Christ in laying down his life for us was the highest expression or demonstration of his love Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Under the former Point I have had occasion to open the nature of Christs sufferings and to unfold as I was able the great Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction that which I am now to do in this latter Point is to shew the greatness of the love of Christ in his suffering and in the work of his Satisfaction for here lies the stress of the Text to shew that the love of Christ was eminently displayed in the work of his Satisfaction Greater love than this saith our Saviour hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Christs laying down his life for us was the most eminent expression of his love to us The Scripture when it speaks of the love of Christ it speaks of the heights and depths lengths and breadths of the love of Christ Now there are five things especially wherein these heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love are eminently to be seen and they are 1. His Incarnation 2. His subjection to the Law 3. The work of his Satisfaction 4. The work of his Intercession 5. His Headship Now having already spoken of the Love of Christ in his Incarnation and also of the Love of Christ in his being made under the Law I come to shew how the love of Christ doth manifest it self and is to be seen in the work of his Satisfaction It is very observable that the Scripture when it speaks of the love of Christ lays the stress here it sets before us the love of Christ in his sufferings making the sufferings of Christ to be the great instance of Christs love to us Eph. 5.2 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 So at the 25. verse of that Chapter Even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Christ giving himself for the Church that is giving himself to suffer for it this was the great instance of his love Gal. 2.20 Who hath loved me and given himself for me Rev. 1.5 To him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2 Cor. 5.12 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead 1 Joh. 4.16 Hereby perceive we
the love of God because he laid down his life for us Still we see when the Scripture speaks of the love of Christ it expresseth it by what he suffered for us Now the greatness of Christs love the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love in his sufferings and in the work of his Satisfaction may be illustrated by several Particulars And I shall propound several things for the clearing up of this truth 1. That the sufferings of Christ were the lowest degree of his humiliation The Scripture speaks of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation so we translate it the word in the Original is he emptyed himself out of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex omni seipsum ad nihilum redegit exhausit Tertul. he reduced himself to nothing One of the Ancients renders the expression he exhausted himself Now this Exinanition or emptying of the Son of God was his own voluntary laying aside of his own glory as to manifestation and also his subjecting himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes The Son of God did not could not divest himself of his essential glory he did not cease to be the Son of God and God in the lowest state of his humiliation but he did strip and divest himself of his manifestative glory he was content not to appear to be what indeed he was and he submitted-himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes Now there were two parts of Christs Exinanition or emptying of himself The first was his Incarnation his assumption of our nature The second was his suffering death for us and the Apostle speaks of both these in this place The first part of Christs Exinanition was his Incarnation He made himself of no reputation or emptied himself How so He took upon him the form of a servant he was in the form of God saith the Apostle and made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant That he who was in the form of God should take upon him the form of a servant this was emptying himself indeed That the eternal God should become a mortal man this was great humiliation indeed He was in the form of God saith the Apostle and yet he was made in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man These expressions must cautiously be understood we must not understand them as some ancient Hereticks did that Christ only had a fantastical body that is the shew and appearance of a body because it is said here the likeness of men and that he was found in fashion as a man I say we must not understand them as if Christ only had a fantastical body not a true and a real body for the Scripture tells us plainly That Christ was made of the seed of David and he was in all things made like unto us sin only excepted And it is a true expression that of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which was not assumed was not healed If the Son of God had not had the verity of humane nature in him humane nature could never have been restored If he had not assumed a true humane soul and a true humane body our fouls and bodies which were tainted with original sin could never have been recovered therefore when it is said He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man we must not understand it as if Christ had the likeness of a humane body and not a true humane body but these expressions Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man not only set forth the greatness of his humiliation and condescension that he that was God blessed for ever that he who was so far above men did yet take to himself the common nature of men He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man The plain meaning seems to be That the Son of God taking our nature appeared among men as to his external visage and appearance as another man as one like the rest of men It is true spiritual eyes could behold the beams of the Divinity breaking through the veil of his flesh Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The Apostles and other Believers who saw Christ in the days of his flesh with spiritual eyes and hearts that were given to them could see the beams of the Divinity breaking through his Humanity they could see something more than a man in him But look upon him as to his external form and habit and so he appeared to the generality of men like one of the rest of men he was wrapt up in swadling cloaths laid in a Manger he was subject to his Parents he did hunger and thirst and eat and drink and he was subject to the same common infirmities with other men and therefore doth the Apostle say He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashionas a man that is as to his external form and habit he seemed to be like to the common sort of men Hence are those expressions of the Prophet He was as a root out of a dry ground He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 This is the first part of Christs humiliation Creator ac Dominus omnium rerum unus voluit esse mortalium that he who was in the form of God should yet take to himself the form of a servant He that was the Creator and Lord of all things as Leo expresseth it would yet become one of mortal men and he that abiding in the form of God did also make man himself the very same person taking on him the form of a servant himself is made man The second part of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself was his subjecting himself to death for us This is that which the Apostle takes particular notice of in the Text Phil. 2.8 He humbled himself and how did he humble himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross It is observable that when the Apostle had spoken of Christs Incarnation or his taking our nature he calls that his emptying himself so likewise when he comes to speak of Christs sufferings he calls that his humbling himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death This was great humiliation indeed that the Lord of glory should be crucified that the Prince of life should be killed and hung upon a tree Impassibilis Deus non dedignatus est esse homo passibilis immortalis mortis legibus subjacere Leo. He that was God impassible did not yet refuse to become a passible man and he that was immortal did not refuse to subject himself to the laws of death It was a
That Christ hath given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Observe that expression That he might purifie unto himself Christ did not give himself that he might purifie to the Father only a peculiar people but also that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people So Eph. 5.25 Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church Here it is said That he might present it to himself a glorious Church As Christ by his death and sufferings reconciled us to God the Father so he reconciled us to himself also It is true the Scripture when it speaks of the work of reconciliation doth in a peculiar manner attribute it to the Father as the Person to whom we are reconciled and it speaks of our reconciliation to God by Christ 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of Godâ— who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Col. 1.20 By him to reconcile all things to himself By him that is by Christ To reconcile all things to himself that is to the Father by Christ then we are reconciled to the Father But we must understand this aright When it is said We are reconciled to the Father by Christ we must not suppose that the other Persons are excluded We are not only reconciled to the Father but we are reconciled to the whole Trinity and Christ considered as Mediator as God-man reconciles us to himself considered as God simply And here lies the Mystery of Divine wisdom and goodness that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself God is the person offended and yet in and by his Son it is he that offers reconciliation to the world 3. The greatness of Christs love in laying down his life for us appears in this That there was no merit in us to move Christ to lay down his life for us It is well observed by Austin It was our sins not our merits that drew Christ from Heaven to earth As we could not merit Christs Incarnation so neither could we merit his death and sufferings for us For what is it that we can suppose that should merit Christs death and sufferings for us Was it our fore-seen faith or our fore-seen obedience This is all that can be supposed Now these were the effects of Christs death and sufferings therefore they could not be the cause of them It is observed by Alvarez That Christs fore-seen Merits were the cause of all that grace that was bestowed upon man in the state of lapsed nature Joh. 1.17 Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ All the grace that we receive in lapsed nature is by Jesus Christ Eph. 1.4 God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Christs Merits are the foundation of our faith and obedience Whatever faith and obedience is found in us is wrought by the Spirit of Christ in us Now the Spirit it self that works all grace in us is the purchase and fruit of the death of Christ Tit. 3.4 After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour The Holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that is through the Merit of Jesus Christ our Saviour Now it is by this Spirit that faith it self and all other effects of grace are wrought in us therefore it is said By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 4. We were so far from having any merit to oblige Christ to suffer and dye for us that we were full of demerit full of evil merits We were sinners enemies rebels against God and herein God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 The greatest love amongst men is when one friend will dye for another Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend But where was it known that ever any man laid down his life for his enemy Yet Christ hath commended his love to us in that while we were enemies he dyed for us Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death It is commonly said That sin is a kind of God-murther Peccatum est Deicidium the sinner would dethrone God and take away the life and Being of God if it lay in his power Now herein the admirable and transcendent love of God to man appeared That when man by sin would dethrone God and take away the life and Being of God if it were in his power that God would lay down his life for them that would take away his life and Being God redeemed the Church with his own blood and Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us Learn to study much the greatness of Christs love in his sufferings Vse 1 and in the work of his Satisfaction Let us often have recourse to the Cross of Christ and by the eye of faith behold the Son of God in our nature giving himself a Sacrifice for our sins The more we study the love of Christ in his sufferings and in the work of his Satisfaction we shall find two notable effects of it 1. Hereby we shall be strengthened and confirmed in our belief of Christs love to us 2. This will be a means to beget greater measures of love in our hearts to Christ 1. The more we contemplate the love of Christ to us in his sufferings and satisfaction the more shall we be strengthened and confirmed in our belief of Christs love to us 1 Joh. 4.16 We have known and believed the love that God hath towards us for God is love How come we to know and believe the love that God hath towards us Compare this with the former verses and they will shew us vers 8 9 10. God is love In this was manifested the love of God to us that he sent his only begotten Son that we might live through him Herein was love not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins When by faith we can apprehend and believe that God hath sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins this will confirm us in the certain belief and perswasion of the love of God to us Who hath reason to doubt of Gods love when he is certainly perswaded and doth firmly believe that God hath sent his Son from Heaven to earth to take our nature and being in our
he who was so excellent a person should lay down his life for us By this perceive we the love of God that is this was the most eminent expression and declaration of the love of God that that person who was no other than the Son of God and God should lay down his life for us As the dignity and excellency of Christs person gives virtue and value to his Sacrifice so the dignity and excellency of his person is that which doth enhance the price of his love that so great and excellent a person should come to suffer and to dye for us this commends the greatness of Christs love to us Act. 20.28 God redeemed the Church with his own blood The person that redeemed the Church was no other than God in our nature Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 In him the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily Col. 2.9 The whole Divinity says one of the Ancients fills his whole humanity Totum corpus ejus implet tota Divinitas And Athanasius hath this expression When the Son of God suffered he was not out of his own body but the Word was intimately present was personally united to the flesh that suffered Non erat extra corpus The Word the second Person in Trinity was not absent from but was personally united to the flesh that suffered therefore he says This is my body that was broken for you The Son of God calls it his body when it was broken Now that so great a person should give himself to suffer and dye for us this is that which demonstrates the greatness of Christs love to us This is notably set forth by the Apostle Phil. 2.6 8. Who being in the form of God counted it no robbery to be equal with God and yet vers 8. saith the Apostle He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross The Apostle sets forth the greatness of Christs condescension and humiliation by this That so great a person as Christ was should come to suffer and dye for us He was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God Now that this person who was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with him that he should come to suffer and dye for us this was the admirableness of his love And that we may see how excellent a person that was that came to suffer and dye for us there are several things to be considered in what the Apostle here speaks of him 1. The Apostle speaks of Christ as a person long before his Incarnation that is to be gathered from that expression when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui existens Who existing in the form of God The Apostle saith of Christ That he existed in the form of God before he took upon him the form of a servant Christ then had his existence and subsistence before his Incarnation 1. He had his Existence Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word He speaks of Christ the essential Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity Now saith the Evangelist In the beginning was the Word The Word the Son of God had his existence in the beginning that is in the beginning of the Creation The Word was that is when all other things had their being and beginning given them before that the Word was the Word had his Being and existence before that and therefore by consequence he was from Eternity for whatever was before all time that must needs be from Eternity Now the Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity was in the beginning that is he was in the beginning of time and the Creation when all other things began to be he had his Being and Existence antecedent unto this 2. The Evangelist doth not only say In the beginning was the Word but he also saith The Word was with God there is his subsistence he had his subsistence with the Father in the Divine Essence The first Proposition In the beginning was the Word declares the Eternity of the Son of God that his Being was from Eternity The second Proposition And the Word was with God declares the manner of his Being namely that he had a distinct subsistence in the Divine Essence with the Father The Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity had his subsistence with the Father in the Divine Essence This is that which is set forth by the Apostle in this expression Who being in the form of God or as it is most properly rendred Who existing in the form of God The Son of God then had his existence in the form of God before he took on him the form of a servant i. e. before he took up humane nature And this perfectly cuts the throat of that Heresie of some of the Ancients and of the Socinians their off-spring who deny that the Son of God had any existence before his being born of the Virgin The Apostle saith plainly he had his Being and existence in the form of God before he took on him the form of a servant 2. As the Apostle speaks of Christ as a person before his Incarnation so he shews what manner of person he was he shews him to be an excellent person yea the most excellent person He was saith he in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God We ought to consider both these expressions a little because this person of whom it is said He was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God this was the person that humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross 1. It is said He was in the form of God What doth that expression import The plain meaning I take to be this That he was truly and properly God he was God by nature he was not God by name only as some have been called Gods and have had that appellation given to them but were not so by nature so Magistrates are sometimes called Gods I have said ye are Gods but ye shall dye like men Psal 82 6. God said to Moses I have made thee a God to Pharaoh so that some have been called Gods by name and appellation but were not so by nature but Christ was so by nature truly and properly God he had the verity and truth of the Divine Essence in him In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God that is he was truly and properly God as the Father was whatever might be said of God might be said of him God is eternal infinite almighty omniscient now all this was Christ because he was in the form of God and whatever was proper to God was proper to him Essentia Dei suis coloribus depicta Essentia omnibus suis proprietatibus
Fathers love that he should give so excellent a person as his own Son his only begotten Son to suffer and to dye for us God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 3.16 How did he give him He gave him to be incarnate and to become man that was one way of his giving of him and secondly he gave him to suffer and dye for us that is another way of his giving of him Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all That the Father should give such a Son so great a Son a Son that was equal with himself as we have heard that he should give him to become man to suffer and dye for man how great was the Fathers love 2. Learn to admire the Sons love that he that was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God should yet come to suffer and dye for men Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 The love of Christ in giving himself for us is exceeding admirable for Christ as we have heard as he was God willed his own sufferings as he was man yea he ordered and disposed of his own sufferings and that which is more admirable he inflicted sufferings on himself for our sakes This is wonderful indeed No man saith the Apostle ever hated his own flesh and yet Christ after a sort might seem to hate his own flesh that is he afflicted himself for our sakes Isa 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him he put him to grief the hand of the Father was upon Christ It pleased the Lord to bruise him he put him to grief It was not only the hand of the Jews that was upon him but the hand of the Father was upon him Now the Father had not only a hand in Christs sufferings but Christ himself as God had a hand in his own sufferings as he was man The Lord that is the Father bruised him saith the Prophet the Father put him to grief the Son also bruâ—sed himself he put himself to grief for all the actions of the Trinity towards the creature are inseparable and undivided what one of the Persons doth the other doth If the Father bruised the Son and put him to grief as he was man the Son also as he was God bruised himself and put himself to grief as he was man Now who ever was known to be cruel to himself And yet the Son of Son to express his love to us after a sort was cruel to himself he afflicted his own flesh and put it to grief for our sakes therefore is it said By his stripes we are healed Christ gave stripes and wounds to himself that so we might escape stripes and wounds Vse 2 This shews us our great stupidity and dulness that we should be no more affected with this stupendious and amazing love of God Hath Christ loved us as we have heard in such a manner was Christ so excellent a person had he his existence and subsistence with the Father from Eternity Did he know himself to be equal with God so that he should do no wrong or injury if he had kept to himself the same honour always which the Father did without abasing himself by his Incarnation and sufferings Hath he ordered his own sufferings willed them permitted them upheld his Humanity in them was he united to his own flesh in suffering Hath the Son of God done all this for us O let us be ashamed at our own stupidity and dulness that we should be no more affected with these things That God should become man for our sakes and being man give himself to suffer and dye for us and we no more affected with this O what strange stupidity is it The holiest and the best hearts have too snallow thoughts of these things and I for my part who am not worthy to be numbered among the Saints upon the slender consideration I have had of these things cannot but wonder at my self that I am no more affected with them SERMON XVIII Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends 3. THE third Consideration arising from the Dignity of Christs Person to shew the greatness of his love in his sufferings is this It was the Deity the Divine nature in Christ that gave virtue and efficacy to the sufferings of the humane nature Chemnitius It is the observation of a Judicious Divine That it is one thing to speak of the Passion and death of Christ as it is the property of the humane nature and another thing to speak of the Passion and death of Christ as by that Passion and death of his the wrath of God is pacified the head of the Serpent broken death destroyed and life restored these are the operations of the Divine power although not without the humane nature The humane nature could never have done this without the virtue of the Deity Therefore we must consider that although it was in the humane nature that Christ obeyed and kept the Law and though it was in the humane nature that he suffered and dyed yet it was by the power and virtue of the Deity that these actions and sufferings of the humane nature were meritorious and satisfactory as to God and salutary as to men that is that they had an influence upon our salvation Had not Christ been God as well as man neither would his actions and sufferings been satisfactory and meritorious with God neither would they have brought salvation unto us Who but God could have conquered death hell and the grave Who but God could have wrought out redemption and salvation for us Hence is it that the Church in her triumphant Song when she declares how it was that her salvation was wrought out for her she attributes it wholly unto God Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation The Church looks upon all her salvation to be from God in Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 It was God in Christ that gave the ranson and laid down the price for the Churches redemption Act. 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood The fourth Particular to set forth the greatness of Christs love in the work of his sufferings from the consideration of the dignity of his person That in the sufferings of Christ there was the humiliation of the whole person of the Mediator who was God as well as man This is a great thing to set forth the love of Christ in his sufferings to consider how great a person he was that humbled himself Phil. 2.8 He humbled himself and became obedient to the death Who was he that humbled himself that very person which the Apostle had spoken of before Now the person which he had spoken of before was he
have crucified the Lord of glory The Apostle here speaks of Christ crucified as the Wisdom of God this the Princes of the world knew not The Rabbies among the Jews the Philosophers among the Heathen knew not this Wisdom of God they were not acquainted with it they little knew the Lord of Glory was in that body that was crucified pierced and that hung upon the Cross they were ignorant of the Divinity of Christs person the Son of God containing and keeping in the rays of his Divinity and permitting his flesh his humane nature to suffer they thought him to be but as another man Hence was it that the spectators mockt him with those words If thou be the Son of God come down from the cross they took it for granted that he that was the Son of God and God would not have suffered in that manner Now this was the great the wonderful and stupendious humiliation of this great Person that the Divinity in Christ hid it self and withdrew its lustre as it were in the time of Christs suffering that so the Humanity might suffer It is true there were some rays of his Divinity let forth in the time of his suffering that the veil of the Temple was rent from the top to the bottom that the rocks clave in sunder that the Sun was darkened and the graves were opened and the bodies of the dead Saints arose Such prodigious things as these were manifest tokens that the person that suffered was more than an ordinary person therefore the Centurion and those that were with him said Truly this was the Son of God But yet these things had not such an influence upon the generality of men but that the Cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness the world hath not been able to bear the Doctrine of a crucified Saviour and as Luther hath observed There is no Doctrine of Faith that the world is so offended at as this That whereas the wisdom and love of God hath been laid out to the uttermost in this way namely to save men by the death of his Son this hath been the greatest offence to the world Such is the pride and ignorance of men that they cannot think of being saved by one that was crucified But what doth the Apostle say The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.20 24. Whatever the world thinks of it this is the way of God and the wisdom of God to save men by the death of his own Son And herein did the greatness of Christs love to us appear That he who was so great a Person would suffer the glory of his Divinity to be obscured and darkened by his death and sufferings whenas he knew what he did and suffered for man would expose him to the disesteem of men and minister an occasion to them to think the more contemptuously of him than ever they would have done had he not stooped so low to do and suffer such things as he did for their sakes Behold Vse how great the price of our Redemption was the Word the second Person in Trinity was united to the flesh that suffered as we have heard God incarnate is the price of mans Redemption God hath redeemed the Church with his own blood Act. 20. This is notably set forth by the Apostle Peter We were redeemed not with corruptible things as gold and silver from our vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 Precious blood indeed which was the blood of that person that was God as well as man It is well observed by Cyril It was not the blood of Peter or Paul or some other particular Saint that was but a meer man that we were redeemed by but it was by the blood of Christ God-man whose name is Emmanuel God with us Tanta medicina salus requiritur Divinitas incarnata sanguis ipse Filii Dei Luther This should teach us to have high thoughts of the work of our Redemption and of the price that was laid down for it O that the work of our Redemption should cost the death of so excellent a person as the Son of God! So great aremedy so great salvation says Luther was required that Divinity it self must be incarnate and the very blood of the Son of God must be shed for us O let us labour to get our hearts more deeply affected with these things The end of the eighteenth Sermon SERMON XIX Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THE second Use is this Vse 2 Learn from what hath been opened how great a sin the contempt of Christs person and of his sufferings is If so excellent a person as the Son of God and God was the person that suffered for us and wrought out redemption for us how great a sin then must it be to contemn this person and his sufferings The Apostle joyns both these together Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant by which he was sanctified an unholy thing The Apostle here speaks 1. Of the contempt of Christs person Who hath trodden under foot the Son of God 2. Of the contempt of his sufferings And counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing So that to be guilty of the contempt of Christs person and of his sufferings must needs be the most hainous sin 1. As for the contempt of Christs person the Apostle calls it a treading under foot the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Treading upon a thing is an argument of contempt and scorn we tread upon nothing but what is vile and of no esteem we tread upon a worm as upon a poor abject thing a thing of no account yea sometimes treading upon a thing is an argument of hatred thus we tread upon spiders and other venemous creatures Now that so excellent a person as the Son of God one and the same God with the Father that he should be contemned and looked upon as a vile person what an indignity is this which is offered to so excellent a person 2. The contempt of Christs sufferings is set forth in that other expression And hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he is sanctified an unholy thing We may render it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath counted the blood of the Covenant a common thing To count the blood of the Covenant the blood of Christ as common blood to count the sufferings of Christ but as the sufferings of a common ordinary man this is great contempt The blood of Christ is the blood of that person who is God as well as man and therefore to reckon his sufferings but as the sufferings
him giving himself to us for these are no vain words This is my body which was broken for you setting aside those gross conceits of the Papists That the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ and that Christ is corporally present under the outward form of the Elements I say setting aside their gross conceits there is certainly a real though spiritual presence of Christ to every believing soul in the Sacrament The humane nature of Christ indeed is really present in Heaven therefore is it said Whom the heavens must contain till the time of the restitution of all things Act. 3. Yet the virtue of Christs body and blood is still really communicated to every believing soul Corpus ipsum in quo passus est resurrexit yea not only so saith Calvin Not only the virtue of his Death and Resurrection but that very body that dyed and rose again this is offered to us in the Sacrament these are great Mysteries indeed Now not to have a due reverence to such great and sublime Mysteries as these are to come to these as if they were common and ordinary things or to come to them with a common and slight spirit this is to come unworthily 2. Then do we come unworthily to the Sacrament when we live in the practice of any gross sin or retain the love of any sin We profess by our coming to the Sacrament that we believe that Christ dyed for such and such sins and yet we love these sins or continue in the practice of those sins that cost Christ his life this is to offer the greatest indignity to the Son of God This is as if a Traitor should come to sit at Table with the King to dine or sup with him and yet never repent of his treason but retain a traiterous mind and intention in his heart all the while When a man sits at the same table to eat and drink with another it is a sign of friendship no one would willingly admit another to his table but whom he accounts to be his friend When we come to the Lords Table we profess the highest friendship to Christ now when we profess the highest friendship to Christ and yet retain that in our love and practice that is most directly contrary to the honour and glory of Christ this is the greatest indignity that can be This is that the Apostle calls the crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 What is this but crucifying Christ afresh and making Christ as contemptuous as possibly we can whenas we profess to expect salvation by the death and sufferings of Christ and yet in the mean time love harbour entertain and practise those very things we say we believe Christ dyed for Certainly every loose Christian that makes a profession of Christ and yet lives in gross open sins makes a plain mock of Christ and his sufferings for he professeth that he believes he shall be pardoned by the sufferings and death of Christ and yet he continues in the love and practice of those sins as if so be the end of Christs death were that men might continue in their sins and not be delivered from them 3. Then do men come unworthily to the Sacrament when they come without examining themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup 1 Cor. 11.28 It is observable the Apostle opposeth this examining a mans self to his eating unworthily In the former verse he had said He that eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord now he adds But let a man examine himself so then if a man do not examine himself then he eats unworthily But it may be said Object What ought a man to examine himself about Concerning two things Answ 1. Concerning his state 2. Concerning the present frame and dispostion of his heart 1. A man ought to examine himself concerning his state whether he be in Christ whether he have a right to such an Ordinance 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobate We must examine our selves concerning our fundamental estate whether that be good yea or no to examine what standing we have in Christ 2. We ought to examine our selves concerning the frame and disposition of our souls whether we be in a fit frame to partake of such an Ordinance We ought to examine our selves whether our hearts be strongly bent and inclined to any sin whether we be under the power of any sin this is the examination of our repentance We ought to examine what the frame of our hearts is God-ward whether the bent of our hearts be towards God and the ways of God this is the examining of our other graces Now when we rush upon the Sacrament without reflexion and examination of our spiritual state this is unworthy coming And here let us observe That the children of God themselves may in a degree come in an unworthy manner for there are several degrees of unworthy receiving They that have slight and contemptuous thoughts of this Ordinance they that live in gross and scandalous sins they are guilty of unworthy receiving in the highest degree But then they that have true grace and do not retain in their hearts the love of any sin yet if they are remiss in searching into their hearts to find out their secret corruptions and to judge themselves for them they come unworthily in a lesser degree and God may correct his own children for their spiritual remisness in this kind The Apostle tells us For this cause many were sickly and weak and many were fallen asleep 1 Cor. 11.30 that is for coming to the Sacrament without due preparation Others who grosly profane this Ordinance that come to this Ordinance and live in gross sins and continue to live and dye in them God punisheth them otherwise he punisheth them with eternal condemnation He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself or judgment to himself as the word may be rendred The godly themselves coming in a rude and careless manner to this Ordinance may and oftentimes do bring the judgment of temporal chastisement upon themselves for not coming in a right manner to so great an Ordinance But such as are profane who come to this Ordinance and yet live in sin they eat to themselves the judgment of eternal condemnation Now to return unto what we first propounded to come unworthily to the Sacrament is one way of contemning Christs sufferings And if it be asked What is the reason of it why is the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament a contemning of Christs sufferings I answer 1. Because the Sacrament is a plain revelation and exhibition of Christ crucified This is my body which was broken