I shall yet farther propound by way of motive to stirre up unto this union this following difference betwixt the Court of Heaven and those of earth Though men do not shine and glitter in earthly Courts they may be safe in a retired privacy But now in the Court of Heaven there is no middle betwixt the two extreams of intimacy and hatred They are all either enemies or intimates Those are under a cloud that are not in grace and favour All they are rejected that are not accepted in the beloved And therefore in disunion from Christ there is nothing to be expected but rejection disgrace shame everlasting contempt and confusion I passe on unto those exhortations that concerne the members of Christ and they are seven 1. If we compare the transcendency of Gods love of Christ with the greatnesse of his sufferings for their sins this will afford a strong argument unto an hatred of and sorrow or humiliation for sinne For nothing can more lively discover the hainousnesse of sin and the terrour of Gods wrath against it Christ was an object of a fulnesse of grace and favour and withall he was the object of a fulnesse of wrath as our sins were charged upon him as our surety He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities Isai 53.5 For the transgressions of my people was he stricken ver 8. He made his soule an offering for sinne ver 10. God would never have used such a rigour and extremity of severity towards his deare Sonne for sinne imputed to him if sinne had not beene a thing which he infinitely abhorred O what horrour is there in that for which God was u Irae autem hujus objectum fuit Christus non absolute sed tantummodo quoad paenam quae per iram infertur quam ille tanquam sponsor noster subivit Ames med Theol. lib. 1. c. 22. sect 9. angry with the son of his love for which for a while he deserted him in whom he was well pleased which turned the favourable countenance of a loving father into frownes against a beloved sonne 2. They may hence be exhorted unto a fulnesse in their love of Christ If he be the beloved of God it is fit that he should be their beloved too that they may say unto him as the Church Cant. 1.7 O thou whom our soule loveth He is in the bosome of the Father therefore he should be no stranger unto our bosomes We should alwaies lodge him in our hearts thoughts and affections We should not be cold and remisse in our love of the Sonne of Gods love He ever was is and will be the delight of God and therefore our complacency should be in him above all the creatures God hath set his whole love upon him and therefore we semblably should set our whole hearts upon him also and not divide them betwixt him and the creature betwixt him and our corruptions 3. The members of Christ may hence be provoked unto thank-fulnesse and that both unto the father and unto Christ himselfe 1. Unto the father and that in regard of two considerations 1. Because his love of him is the Originall of his love of us 2. The giving of a person so highly beloved unto the death for us is a most evident demonstration of the unmeasurablenesse of his affection unto us 1. Then let us glorify him for the fulnesse of his love unto Christ as man and mediatour because it is the Originall of all the love that he bareth unto his Children if we speake of Gods love quoad effectum that is it is the fountaine of all the good decreed unto them Christ's election is the cause of our election non quoad actum eligentis not of the act of election for that being in God is the same with God himselfe and therefore independant and without a cause but quoad res electione praeparatas as touching the grace and glory unto which we are by election designed All the fruits and effects of our election are derived unto us from Christ's election And if Christ as man had not been elected unto the grace of personall union a fulnesse of habituall grace and perfection of glory we had been for ever rejected from the presence and favour of God If he had not beene the sonne of Gods love we had all of us been for ever Children of wrath and sonnes of perdition and therefore is it that John the Baptist in his testimony of Christ ascribes unto him the comming of grace or favour unto men The law was given by Moses but grace c. came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 If Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh the grace of God that bringeth salvation had never appeared unto the sonnes of men Tit. 2.11 but they had all of them for ever layne under the curse and condemnation of the Law In that benediction of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 grace is appropriated unto Christ and that not onely as God but also as man The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ He was in himselfe the principall object of Gods grace and favour he was the meritorious cause of it's derivation unto us He purchased and procured all the grace and favour we enjoy with God Hence also is it that the Angels in their doxologie averre that the good will of God accrewed unto men by Christ incarnate Luk. 2.14 After the fall all the expressions of Gods good will unto mankind were for the merits of his beloved In him alone he was well pleased Our Saviour himselfe Joh. 17.24 prayeth for the glorification of believers upon the account of his Fathers love of him Father I will that they also whom thou hast given mee be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world This sufficiently intimates that they owe all their glory unto Gods love of Christ as man and mediatour for otherwise there were little congruence in bringing this as an argument to back his prayer for that If God then had not loved Christ before the foundation of the world lapsed man could never have been glorified never have seen the face of God in heaven God hath blessed us saith the Apostle with all spirituall blessings in Christ Eph. 1.3 that is for Christ's sake All the sweet and precious promises of the Gospell are as so many beames of Gods love and that they shine upon us it is onely by reflection from this Sun of righteousnesse If the light of Gods countenance had not shined upon him we had still sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death Not so much as one promise of the Gospell had ever shone upon our poore soules for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen that is they are all made and performed for him 2 Cor. 1.20 2. The dearnesse of Christ unto the Father compared with the Fathers exposall of him unto death for us
up unto a correspondency with him in his affections to love those persons and things which he loveth and to detest whatsoever he hateth Courtiers usually seeme at least to proportion all their passions unto those of the Princes minion They admire whatsoever he liketh they adore whomsoever he affecteth and professe a deepe dislike of all that he disaffecteth They affront and quarrell all upon whom he frowneth Well then may not we be ashamed that there is not the like compliance in us with Gods favourite We dote upon sin which his soule abhorreth We delight in that company and those places unto which he is a stranger We loath those ordinances which have his most evident approbation and institution Those unsavoury and prophane jests rotten communication that are an abomination unto him and stinke before him are the matter of our greatest merriment We distast most the conversation of those that have most intimate communion with him Those are an eye-sore unto us who are as tender unto him as the Apple of his eye His jewels Mal. 3.17 his crowne jewels his crowne of glory and royall diademe Isay 62. ver 3. are accounted by us as the filth of the world and offscouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 There is nothing that he esteemeth more amiable in men then the beauty of holinesse the Image of God This is the chaine upon the neck of his spouse Cant. 4.9 that ravisheth his heart And there is nothing more that our hearts rise against O what a dangerous thing is this antipathy unto him that is in the bosome of the father at his right hand How unsafe is it to be thus opposite unto his affections Hereby we must needs incurre the displeasure both of him his father and that is the undoubted path unto everlasting ruine and destruction for in their favour is lise Psalm 30.5 7. And lastly If Christ be so great and gracious with God It then very much concerneth us to labour for assurance of his love and favour For we must needs be liable unto perpetuall torment and terrour of mind as long as we are in suspense of our eternall condition As long as we are doubtfull whether we shall be for ever miserable or happy And the wrath of Christ who is chiefe in the affection of the father is as Solomon speakes of the wrath of a King as the messengers of death and roaring of a lyon Whereas on the other side in the light of his countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter raine Prov. 16.14,15 and 19.12 and 20.2 If he smile upon a soule nothing can make it miserable and if he frowne upon it nothing can make it happy For God is reconciled to none but in and through him He makes none blessed but for his sake Well then we can expect no tranquility of spirit no solid comfort no sound peace of conscience no joy unspeakable and full of glory untill we have attained a certaine and well bottomed perswasion that the sonne of Gods love in whom alone he is well pleased hath lifted up the light of his countenance upon us What I have said touching our assurance of Christs love may be applied unto our assurance of Gods love of us in and for Christ For it is of no lesse importance as being inseparably connexed therewith and the ground and cause thereof and therefore without Gods love of us for Christ his sake we can never be happy and without assurance of it we can never be comfortable Hereupon is it that in the salutations prefixed unto most of Paul's epistles peace is made a sequele of grace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ Without the grace of acceptation with the father and the Lord Jesus Christ and also sense and apprehension thereof no peace of conscience no serenity of spirit is to be expected That man that is doubtfull of Gods love in and for Christ if his conscience be awak'ned cannot but have a perpetuall tempest in his bosome For he can apprehend God â—o otherwise then a consuming fire And such a consideration must needs beget unutterable horrour Our Saviour himselfe makes this assurance the scope of the revelation of Gods goodnesse and mercy in the gospell John 17.26 And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them There be some that understand that clause that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them concerning the extension or termination of Gods love of Christ unto Believers as a secondary object and they thus glosse the words That thou may'st love them for my sake that thou may'st love them with that love wherewith thou hast loved me Believers are made by faith one body with Christ and therefore cannot but share in Gods love of Christ If God love him They cannot but be beloved in and for him and therefore our Saviour addes and I in them which is saith Maldonate because I am in them to wit as the head in the members As if he should have said seeing I am in them seeing I dwell in their hearts by faith so that I and they make but one body mysticall therefore thy love of me cannot but be derived unto them If thou lovest me it is impossible thou should'st hate them This termination of Gods love of Christ unto Believers is in regard of the fruites and effects of it so it is the same with it's presence of influence on them The body of the Sun is in the heavens but the efficacy of it reacheth unto the lowest of the elements the earth causing on its surface light and warmth and producing in the very bowels of it many rich metalls and minerals Thus the love wherewith God loveth Christ is in God himselfe if we speake of a presence of inherence taking the word largly as it is applicable unto any adjuncts even such as the attributes of God are But it is in all them that believe in regard of a presence of influence and effective presence for it enlightneth and comforteth them and produceth in their bosomes the precious gifts and graces of the spirit But now the love wherewith God loveth Christ is said to be in believers not onely in regard of their participation but also perception of it not onely effectively in regard of its effects grace and glory but also objectively in regard of an objective or intentionall presence as it is the object of their knowledge apprehension and assurance And they never fully and truly know and apprehend it as they ought but in the rebound and by way of reflection untill they be assured of it's being terminated unto and reflected upon them untill as it is Rom. 5.5 the love of God be shed abroad in their hearts untill they have a full sence and feeling of that love wherewith God loveth them in Christ untill they have tasted that the Lord is good
Eph. 2.20 in which he will dwell and walke The high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity who dwelleth in the high and holy place would never have dwelt and tabernacled amongst us Joh. 1.14 never have dwelt in the flesh unlesse it had been his gratious purpose to dwell with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isay 57.15 The personall union you see considered single by it's selfe is a very high demonstration of Christ's love unto mankind But it is capable of farther amplification and exaggeration by comparison with his actions and sufferings in our nature Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid downe his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Because Christ who was God laid downe his life for us because he in whom dwelled all fulnesse of the Godhead bodily submitted himselfe unto the shamefull and painfull death of the crosse unto the curse of the law and the wrath of God and that for us that harboured nothing but thoughts of hostility against him This therefore speaks such a matchlesse eminency of love as is beyond the comprehension of either men or Angels To distrust the constancy and future expressions of such a love is a high piece of ingratitude Seeing a person so infinitely great and glorious hath done and suffered so much for the purchase of our salvation we may therefore collect that it was his absolute decree to apply and conferre the salvation thus purchased and consequently to accomplish all things requisite for the compleating thereof He will make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 Thirdly from the personall union we may be dehorted from embasure of our natures by sin The relative presence of God in the midst of his people was used as an argument against not only Morall but also Leviticall and Ceremoniall uncleannesse Defile not the land which ye shall inhabit wherein I dwell for I the Lord dwell amongst the Children of Israel Num. 35. ver 34. And the Lord said unto mee Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and my holy name shall the house of Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome nor by the carcasses of their Kings in their high places Ezek. 43.7 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Command the Children of Israel that they put out of their camp every leper and every one that hath an issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead c. that they defile not their camp in the midst whereof I dwell Num. 5.1,2,3 Now this relative presence is nothing almost in comparison of that substantiall and personall presence of the Godhead in Christ's humane nature and therefore that is a more effectuall disswasive from the pollution of sin There can be no greater grace shewed towards man then that God should vouchsafe to unite to mans nature the person of his only begotten son Hooker p 297 We should then be very mindlesse of and unthankfull for Gods thus gracing and exalting of our nature if we should by sinfull lusts corruptions defile our natures which are for sort or kind the same with that of the only begotten son of God 4. From this doctrine of the personall union we may first be exhorted unto the worship of Christ 2. Directed in our worship of God 1. We may hence be exhorted unto a divine worship and a religious adoration of him Revel 1.5,6 Chapt. 5.8,12,13,14 Chapt. 7.9,10 the fulnesse of the Godhead in him is the ultimate formall and adequate object of divine worship and calls for a divine faith and trust in him Joh. 6.29 John 14.1 John 16.9 As also for such an height of love as cannot be given unto a meere creature without Idolatry Luk. 14.26 Because he is the Lord therefore serve him with feare and rejoyce with trembling He is the son therefore kisse him least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Psalm 2. v. 11 12. He is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal 45.11 He is the Lord of Hosts therefore sanctify him and let him be your feare and your dread Isai 8.13 He is God and none else therefore let every knee bow unto him let every tongue swear by him Isai 45.22,23 He thought it not robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2.6 And therefore let us honour him even as we honour the father Joh. 5.23 He is God over all and therefore let him be blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 He is the mighty God Isai 9.6 therefore let us humble our selves under his mighty hand 1 Pet. 5.6 He is worthy to receive glory honour and power for he hath created all things Revel 4. ult 2. From the personall union we may take direction for our worship of God The Israelites under the old testament were to bring all their holy thinges their offerings and sacrifices before the Altar and Tabernacle and afterwards the Temple the habitation of Gods howse and the place where his honour dwelt Levit. 16.13,14 Deut. 12.5,6 They were to pray and worship towards the city which God had chosen and towards the howse the holy temple which God had built for his name 1 Kings 8.35,44,48 Psalm 5.7 Dan. 6.10 But now the Arke tabernacle and temple were but types of Christ's manhood and the presence of God in them was but typicall In the manhood it selfe there is a personall presence of the Godhead And therefore we should bring all our duties and services all our acts of worship unto Christ man and present them in his name and through his mediation that is in our performance of them we should eye Christ man as the instrument and morall cause meriting of and interceding for their acceptation From above the mercy seate where God dwelt typically betwixt the Cherubims Psalm 80.1.2 Kings 19.15 there God communed with Moses and met with his people Exod. 25.22 Exod. 29.42,43 Numb 7.89 And this was to teach that all the approaches of Gods people unto him and all acts of their communion with him in faith hope love prayers prayses hearing of the word and receiving of his sacraments should be in Christ our alone mercy seate or propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 as the way and means of their acceptance For in him onely dwelleth all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and therefore in him alone for his sake meerely will God be well pleased with our persons and services all the worship and honour that we tender him For farther application of this point I shall referre the reader unto what I have said on Joh. 1.14 and for the present I shall onely dispatch the consideration of those inferences that the Apostle himselfe drawes from it in this place in the words foregoing and
clearly demonstrates the matchlesse eminency of the Fathers love unto us and so is a very pressing argument for our thanksgiving See what our Saviour himselfe speakes in exaltation and as it were admiration of this love Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten sonne c. The particle so points out such an height of love as is unexpressible Ransacke all the Poëts and in all their fictions you can find no paralell unto this love That he should seeme for a time to suspend his love unto his beloved that he might extend his love unto enemies unto traytors and rebels that he should deliver up the sonne of his love unto the utmost severity and rigour of the law for the ransome of Children of wrath that he should not spare him for this intent that he might spare them that hee should make him a curse to redeeme them from the curse of the law Galat. 3.13 that hee should scourge him to heale them Isai 53.5 punish him to save them give him up unto death that they might enjoy eternall life that he should desert him in point of consolation that they might not be eternally lost but embraced in the armes of his love for ever O this speaketh the most transcendent love that ever God shewed towards any miserable creature And therefore the most enlarged thankes and praises will fall infinitely short of it In the next place if we consider the connexion of this fulnesse of Gods love unto Christ with Christ's fulnesse of love unto us we shall find very great reason for the direction of our thankes and praises unto Christ himselfe as well as unto the Father We have these two fulnesses of love connexed by Christ under the name of wisdome Prov. 8.30,31 Though he was by God as one brought up with him and was daily his delight rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth and his delights were with the sons of men Which passage we may expound by those words of our Saviour Joh. 15.3 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you O what an astonishable condescention is there in this love of our Saviour that the darling and onely beloved of the great God of glorious heaven should fetch a spouse from this miserable earth should cast his eye and set his heart upon such forlorne creatures and depraved sinners as we are that he which is in the bosome of the Father should take such despicable wretches as we are into his owne bosome marry us unto himselfe and rejoyce over us as a Bridegroome rejoyceth over his bride Isai 62.5 Such was the happinesse of Christ in the fruition of his Fathers eternall love as that it was uncapable of any further improvement But yet notwithstanding this his happy state and condition he stooped so low as to make his rebellious servants the objects of a boundlesse affection Was not this as it were a debasing of himselfe and such a mercy unto us as is above recompence All that we can do is humbly and thankfully to acknowledge admire and adore it to resigne up our selves unto the service of him and unto suffering for him if he honour us with a call thereunto and to make it the chiefest matter of our care to decline whatsoever is unsuitable unto this high place of grace and favour with him and will reflect any dishonour or reproach thereon 4. The height of Christs grace and favour with God should prevaile with us for obedience unto his doctrine and submission unto his directions This use was made of it by Christ himselfe Prov. 8.30,32 c. I was dayly his delight Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keepe my wayes vers 33. Heare instruction and be wise and refuse it not It is also pressed by his father in his transfiguration Math. 17.5 This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased Heare ye him that is in the language of scripture obey him accept him not onely as a priest to satisfy for you as a redeemer to save you but also as a prophet to instruct you as a King and soveraigne Lord to governe and guide you The onely begotten sonne is alone in the bosome of the father and therefore best acquainted with his mind and will and consequently best qualified and enabled for the revelation thereof He onely can declare him for no man besides him hath seen God at any time Joh. 1.18 Unto him therefore in his word let us onely have recourse for instruction in things towards God And unto such instructions let us lend an open eare and heart let us yield a ready and full conformity without farther consulting with flesh and bloud 5. Because Christ is in such great grace and favour with God it will be discretion to have all our addresses unto and worship of God in his name through his mediation He is the powerfull favourite of heaven and therefore all accesses unto the God of Heaven are by him all dispatches from heaven unto earth passe through him not a promise not a saving mercy not a word of peace and comfort is conveyed unto a believing soule but through his mediatorship The greatest part of publicke ceremoniall worship under the law was lawfull and acceptable unto God onely at the Temple in Jerusalem Sacrifices were to be offered onely upon the Altar there Isai 20.4 and 56.7 The Temple and Altar were herein types of Christ in whom alone the whole morall worship and service of God is acceptable out of him God rejecteth and looketh upon the most glorious performances as heathenish abominations as the butchery of a man the cutting off a dogs neck the offering swines bloud the blessing of an Idol Isay 66.3 It is in the beloved alone that God accepteth of and is well pleased with as our persons so our services all prayers preferred all duties performed in his name will speed well and find a gracious and favourable reception It is related in Plutarch of Themistocles that when he fled from the fury of his Citizens unto Admetus King of the Molossians whom yet he had formerly provoked he tooke the Kings little young sonne in his armes and went and kneeled downe before the Altar in his chappel which humble manner of sueing the Molossians tooke to be most effectuall and such as was not to be refused When being pursued by the guilt and cry of our sinnes the rigorous sentence of the law the accusations of Sathan and the terrours of our owne conscience for them we runne unto an incensed God for mercy there is no way to appease him but to take his deare sonne in the armes of our faith and to lodge or offer him as it were upon the Altar of his bosome This is such an enforcing manner of supplication as that God in his new covenant of grace hath engaged himselfe unto a complyance with it 6. Because Christ is so eminently gracious with God the father we should be stirred
and gracious unto them for Christ Psalm 34.8 1 Pet. 2.3 A practicall and experimentall full knowledge then and assurance of Gods love of Christ implieth in the result knowledge and assurance of Gods love of us so that they who are doubtfull and distrustfull of Gods love of themselves fall short in a due apprehension of Gods love of Christ The reason for this coherence of these two assurances is the connexion betwixt their objects Gods love of Christ and Gods love of us For 1. If wee looke upon the act of each as considered in God so they are one and the same decree of election Gods election of Christ and his members are not different acts à parte rei à parte rationis in our manner or way of conceiving they are as Dr Twisse often sheweth coordinate and simultaneous as being parts of one formall compleat decree de mediis 2. If we compare the fruites of each love so the fruits or effects of God's love of us all the good we enjoy for the present or expect for the future depend upon the effects of Gods love of Christ the habituall grace of his humane nature the satisfaction and merit of his obedience c. This assurance and feeling that believers have of Gods love of Christ and of themselves for Christ is amplified here from the cause and from a concomitant of it 1. From the cause of it manifestation of the name and revelation of the arme of the Lord Isai 53.1 I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved mee may be in them By the name of God is meant the x Cyrilli interpretationem magis probo nomen hoc loco pro gloria positum esse ut apud Solomonem cùm dicit melius est nomen bonum quam divitiae multae Hoc ita esse ex eo perspicuum est quod pro eodē accipiat glorificare Patrem id est ejus declarare apud homines gloriam nomen ejus hominibus manifestare Continet ergò hoc loco nomē Dei quicquid in Deo gloriosum quicquid beneficum quicquid hominibus salutare est quale imprimis fuit quod ita mundum dilexerit ut filium suum unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam Maldonate glory of God even as the name of men is taken for that credit estimation and regard which they are in There is a glory of God which the very creatures declare Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 The glory of his power wisdome and generall love as he is the creatour preserver governour of the world But now the glory which is the name of the Lord of which Christ here is the revealer is that of especiall saving and redeeming love and mercy which shineth in the Gospell covenant of grace The heavens and firmament declare not so much glory as the crosse of Christ What glory of God can be cōparable unto his so loving the world that lieth in wickednesse as to give for it his only begotten son Joh. 3.16 And therefore this glory doth most eminently merit to be intitled his name Well you see the knowledge sence of Gods love of Christ and of us in Christ is the maine end and drift of Christs manifesting this name this glory of God by his word and Spirit And therefore we should give all diligence to make this love sure to have a due and deep taste and feeling of it to have it shed abroad in our hearts If believers have not attained hitherto they walke as yet below the revelation of Gods name and arme in the Gospell But now the first manifestation of Gods name at our first conversion will not serve the turne I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it c. I have manifested it in their first illumination and I will manifest it in the further growth and progresse of their knowledge Hence then we may observe that to raise believers unto such an height as the due assurance of this love there will be continuall need of new fresh farther and fuller discoveries or manifestations of Gods name in the Gospell And therefore let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome Col. 3.16 Watch daily at the gates of wisdome waiting at the posts of her doores Prov. 8.34 Narrownesse in the manifestations of Gods name is ever followed with weaknesse and feeblenesse in our assurance of his love They to whom the arme of the Lord is revealed but in a small measure may presume much but they know but little of the love wherewith God loveth Christ and his members 2. We have this assurance of believers amplified from the concomitant of it growth in their union with Christ That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them The meaning of those last words and I in them is that I may dwell more and more in their hearts by faith The increase of our union with Christ is inseparably connexed with our assurance of Gods love of us for Christ as a necessary effect thereof And this may serve both for comfort and triall 1. For Comfort For what an unspeakable Comfort and advantage doe believers reape by their assurance in that it thus promoteth their union with Christ by knowledge and assent by love and adherence It begets more clearenesse and evidence in their knowledge of more certainty in their assent unto the promises of the Gospell It workes fulnesse in their love of and firmnesse in their adherence unto Christ and so every way in every regard it knits and unites more closely unto him and increase of our union with him enlargeth our communion with him in all the blessings flowing therefrom and depending thereon 2. This may serve for tryall of the soundnesse and sincerity of believers assurance of Gods love wheresoever it is there is a progresse in their union with Christ he dwelleth more and more in their hearts by faith He doth not onely knock at the doores of their hearts as a passenger but he comes in unto them and makes his abode with them Joh. 14.23 He dwels in them He doth not onely dwell in their tongues and in their understandings but he dwelleth in their hearts Ephes 3.17 He hath his throne in their wills and affections Those that grow in such an union as this with Christ they have fruitfulnesse for their character assigned by Christ himselfe Joh. 15.5 He that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit He in whom Christ hath his abode is no barren professour but is filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 2. Christ as a man was the subject of a fulnesse of grace He had a twofold grace the grace of his favour towards us the grace of his spirit in himselfe and of both there was
inherent in it but by the power and Spirit of Christ concurring with it actuating applying and mightily enforcing of it In Isa 53.1 The Gospell is refer'd to the Prophets and Apostles in regard of ministry and dispensation our report but it is refer'd to the Lord only in point of efficacy and operation the arme of the Lord. Upon the Lord Christ therefore let us depend and to him let us repaire for the successe thereof which brings me to the last particular Fifthly Ministers and people are in the ordinances of Christ all acts of worship to do all in the name of Christ that is with invocation of his name calling upon the name of God through his mediation and this to be included in the phrase as it is used Col 3.17 is the consent of most interpreters on the place by this it is that as all creatures and actions in generall so all ordinances in a more speciall and peculiar manner are sanctified unto us How can we with any probability expect a blessing from Christ upon our publique assemblies on the Lords day when we rush unto them from our beds or worldly businesse without so much as imploring such a blessing in our families or closets If we do not seeke Christ in our home devotions in a way of preparation unto our publique I believe we can hardly be said to be gathered together in his name according to the full import of the expression and without this it will be but presumption to flatter our selves that Christ will be in the mid'st of us Doth a minister preach in the name of Christ when he doth not before hand so much as open his mouth for Christs assistance in his study and concurrence in his pulpit Do people heare in the name of Christ when all the weeke long they do not put up so much as one petition unto him to enable their minister for his worke and to blesse it unto them And if we do not meet together in the name of Christ we may justly feare that Christ will be a stranger unto our meetings Lastly This fulnesse of Christs office bespeakes our due respects it challengeth faith in him obedience unto him and worship of him All Saints should obey the King of Saints the members of the Church should follow the full direction of their head both inward and outward servants should be ruled by the sonne and Lord of the family sheep should be guided by their shepherd the stones in the spirituall building should be regulated unto the foundation Not to hearken unto the messenger of the Covenant how can it be interpreted any other then a refusall of the Covenant To slight the high Priest of our profession what is it but a vertuall renouncing of the Christian religion To be disobedient and disloyall unto the King and head of the Church what is it but an interpretative disclaiming of his soveraignty over the Church Consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Jesus Heb. 3.1 The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pareus noteth is very emphaticall for it signifies not barely to understand apprehend or behold a thing but farther with very great and earnest endeavour to bend and apply the mind unto the consideration of a thing to consider it diligently and heedfully Consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession is as much as ponder the perfection of Christs office with all possible diligence and attention with all your heart and minds But now words of knowledge in Scripture imply the affections and practice Consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is attentively and deeply weigh the fulnesse and dignity of his calling and accordingly feare love worship serve and obey him Give him all honour and glory throw all your faith and hope upon him seeke for your salvation only in him and carefully decline all offence of him The Apostle Peter having proved 1. Epistle Chapt. 2. vers 6. out of the Prophet Isaiah that Christ is the chiefe corner stone elect and precious which God hath laid in Zion the spirituall house of his Church he inferreth hereupon vers 7. that he is of great price and excellency unto every believer unto you therefore which believe he is precious Here the abstract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for the concrete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the putting of Abstracts for their Concretes usually encreaseth and heightneth a matter and puts weight and an emphasis upon it Vnto you that believe he is an honour that is he is or should be very honourable and exceeding precious in your eies and indeed whom should we esteeme reverence and honour if not the foundation of our salvation that by the faithfull and full discharge of his office upholds every one of our soules from sinking into the very bottom of hell and damnation Can we have too high an estimate of such a person Who would not come unto him and by faith leane upon him Saint Peter exhorts hereunto and backs his exhortation with many motives He is a stone a chiefe corner stone vers 4 6. and therefore you may safely rely upon him He is a living stone a vitall foundation and therefore quickneth whom he will Joh. 5.21 He maketh every member a lively stone Those therefore that are not built upon him are spiritually dead and livelesse Indeed not only the Jewes but the generality of men reject all his offices refuse to build and rely upon him But though he be disallowed of men he is chosen of God God from all eternity designed him unto this office of foundation and in the fulnesse of time actually called sent sealed sanctified qualified and enabled him for execution thereof He is a stone as of great strength so of great price also he is a precious stone precious in regard of the infinite dignity of his person precious in respect of the incomparable value of his satisfaction and merit and precious also in regard of the riches of the gifts and graces wherewith his humane nature was adorned Thus you see that here is stability an enlivening efficacy the decree and call of heaven unspeakable beauty and excellency inviting to come unto Christ come unto him because he is a stone a living stone a stone chosen by God a precious stone You may see farther how that by coming unto him great and ineffable benefit comfort and honour will redound unto us It will be a profitable a comfortable or honourable Course 1. Then it will be very beneficiall and advantageous unto us if we come unto him as unto a living stone we shall as lively stones be built up a spirituall house v. 5. for an habitation of God through the spirit Ephes 2.21 And without dependance upon him as our foundation by faith there will be no place and existence for us in the spirituall structure 2. It will be very comfortable unto us Behold I lay in Zion a chiefe corner stone and he that believeth on him
locum Speciem ponit pro genere nam per lotionem pedum quod omnium ministeriorum humillimum est omnia exempla omnia ministeria intelligit humilitatis Maldonat in locum Quod ad externam pedum ablutionem attinet minimè fuit Christo propositum talem ritum sacrum in Ecclesia instituere sed secutus morem illis temporibus regionibus ab ultima vetustate consuetum ablutionis pedum ad viatores praesertim vespere excipiendos ut ex quamplurimis Scripturae locis apparet hoc genere sermonis mutuam verorum Christi Discipulorum omnium inter se conjunctionem ad quid vis muruae aedificationis causâ praestandum commendavit non verbo tantum sed suo quoque ipsius exemplo 1 Cor. 9.19.1 Tim. 5.10 Luc 7.44 Generalis est ergo haec praeceptio mutuam Christianorum omnium inter se charitatem omni officiorum genere testandam complectens quidem iis inprimis conveniens quos Dominus caeteâ—is doctrina omni verarum virtutum exemplo praefecit inter quas excellit profecto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantopere ipsis commendata Mat. 20.27,28 Beza in locum Vide Piscatorem in locum The holiest of men have Christ for their Master the greatest and most powerfull have him for their Lord his washing then the feet not the head of his Disciples and servants should be a forcible inducement unto any man whatsoever to serve even the meanest of his brethren in the most condescending and self-denying acts of love especially seeing hee himselfe tells his disciples that this his practice was not so much for admiration as imitation vers 15. for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you This example of Christ obligeth all Christians for he speaketh unto his Apostles not only in the notion of Apostles or Ministers but also under the capacity of Christians and believers but yet there may be and no doubt is an appropriation of the obligation unto ministers so that it concerneth them in a more especiall manner then it doth others and so much may very probably be gathered from the last words of the next verse neither is he that is sent greater then he that sent him They that are sent by Christ as Ambassadors should not above all men disdaine the doing that of which they have a president in him their great Lord and Master but should make use of the meditation hereof as a powerfull incentive unto an affable humble carriage and behaviour and that unto both their fellow ministers and their brethren First unto their fellow brethren of the ministry no kind of eminency whatsoever can put such a distance between ministers of the gospell as there was between Christ the Apostles for he had all things delivered into his hand and them amongst the rest yet though he knew this he performed unto them an act of such servility as that when he addressed himselfe unto the performance thereof Peter was transported with a just wonder and utterly refused it as he thought then out of a devout reverence because he judged it no way suiting with the relation he had unto Christ for he was his Lord and Master and therefore he thought he should much forget himselfe to receive such service from him Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet thou shalt never wash my * Tu mihi quid est tu quid est mihi cogitanda sunt potius quaÌ„ dicenda ne forte quod ex iis verbis aliquatenus dignum concepit anima non explicet lingua Aug. Oratio est abominantis remabsurdam indignam nam interrogando quidnam faciat Christus quasi manuÌ„ illi injicit Calv. in locum Interrogatio admirantis detrectantis tanquam rem absurdam minimeque decentem Piscat in locum feet ver 6 8. would some ministers but seriously sadly ponder this servile act of our Saviour unto his disciples servaÌ„ts they would not looke with such an eye of scorne neglect as they doe upon their poore brethren over whom they are advanced in this worlds lottery either by others ignorance or their own confidence Pragmaticalnesse rather then any true desert and ability This point of the humility of ministers towards one another our Saviour enforceth from the scope of his whole humiliation and from the last and lowest act thereof his death and passion Math. 20.28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Seeing Christ who is the King of Kings hath for our sake subjected himselfe as a servant taken upon him the form and nature of a servant done the worke of a servant dyed the * Crucifixion was a death that commonly servants were sentenced unto seldome times freemen whence it is many times noted out by the name of servile supplicium by Tacitus Godwin Rom. Ant. death of a Servant he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 There is a great deale of reason that as all Christians so all ministers should serve one another by love Gal. 5.13 Looke upon the words foregoing those but now quoted out of Mathew and you may see that Christ brought this his example as a motive whereby first he backs his prohibition of all affectation of Prelacy or domination in his ministers verse 25 26. Secondly he presseth them either unto humility diligence and faithfulnesse in discharge of the worke of their ministry in generall or else more particularly as some thinke unto an humble submission unto their fellow servants in the ministry for the furtherance of that which should be the common designe the salvation of mens soules and in this only he placeth the eminency of a minister vers 26 27. whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister And whosoever will be chiefe among you let him be your servant Those ministers that otherwise have been of great parts and learning have not left behind them so precious a name in the Church of God as those despised ones that have made it their study by submissive service of their brethren to further the common worke Mr Dickson hath another interpretation of these last words with which I have not met in any other and therefore I think it not amiss to acquaint the Reader with it If this command do not prevaile with the ambitious party but he must needs bring forth his ambitious desires then the rest of the Ministers are warranted to diminish of that mans estimation and to account the lesse of him by so much as he is ambitiously inclined to a principality and majority over the rest for so do the words beare let him be your Servant that is let him be so esteemed of and no more If any one among you affect to rule the rost to be a Dominus fac totum expect that his ipse dixit
saith that we are saved by hope Rom. 8. vers 24. that is we are saved here in this life not in regard of a present and plenary possession or fruition but onely in respect of an assured expectation thereof And thus I have ended with the exposition of the words in themselves I am in the next place briefely to examine the inference of them from the foregoing There dwelleth in Christ as man all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily therefore ye who believe in Christ are compleat in him for he is able to make you compleat Because hereupon it followeth 1. that in all that he did and suffer'd there was an infinite merit able to purchase this compleatnesse 2. That there was in him an insinite power able to conferre this compleatnesse Some understand those words of our saviour Joh. 6.63 concerning the humanity of Christ considered alone without his Deitie It is the spirit that quickneth that is it is the Godhead united unto the humane nature that giveth spirituall life The flesh profiteth nothing that is the humane nature of Christ if it were disunited from the divine it would be of little availe unto the quickenance of our soules It s concurrence is not onely profitable but necessary yet it is onely instrumentall and therefore in the vertue of it's principall agent the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling bodily in it If Christ had beene meere man though clothed with all the power that a creature is capable of He could not have saved so much as one single soule from eternall death But he is God as well as man and therefore able to justifie sanctifie and glorifie even millions of worlds With thee saith the Psalmist unto God is the fountaine of life Psalm 36.9 A fountatine that can never be exhausted The fulnesse of the Godhead in Christ is not as a river but as a sea whence flow all those streames that make glad the city of God Psalm 46.4 It was from his Deity that there was in him an ample sufficiency to finish the transgression to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Because his righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of God Phil. 3.9 therefore it is appliable to and available for all the believers that ever were are or shall be in the world Because it was the great God that was our Saviour and gave himselfe for us Therefore he hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified us unto himselfe a peculiar people Tit. 2.13,14 Because he is the Sonne of God therefore his bloud cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 therefore by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Because the Father hath by eternall generation given unto the Sonne to have life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 therefore he quickeneth whom he will vers 21. He can quicken those soules that are dead in sinns and trespasses and he will at the last day quicken those bodies that have for thousands of yeares beene rotten in their graves Because he is the Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 The Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 therefore he can clothe our mortall and corruptible bodies with incorruption and immortality He can change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according unto the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Phil. 3.21 Can you desire more comfort then that which this point yeeldeth It promiseth as much perfection as our natures can hold But it is indeed onely unto those who are qualified as those Colossians were unto whom our Apostle directs this Epistle Saints and faithfull Brethren Chapt. 1.2 who have received Christ Jesus the Lord rooted and built up in him and established in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving Chapt. 2. vers 6 7. This restriction is implied thinke some in that the Apostle doth not say ye are compleate from him or by him but ye are compleat in him That clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him containeth say they a description of those that are thus compleate They are such as are in Christ as have an actuall inexistence in him Such as are incorporated and implanted into him by the spirit and faith And they are all new creatures 2. Cor. 5.17 they have all the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Men may take a full draught of a * Musculus Da venant naturall fountaine and yet not goe into it but stand without it But now as for this spirituall fountaine Christ Jesus none can so much as sippe of the water of life in him without passing into him by the act of a faith that purifyeth the heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by love Galat. 5.6 and out of the belly of him that believeth shall flow rivers of living water John 7.38 Branches separate from the vine wither and grow saplesse Members cut off from the head are dead and become carrion Professours disunited from Christ can have no vitall communion with him no participation of any true and reall compleatnesse from him They are but livelesse pictures of Christians have onely a forme of Godlinesse onely the carcasse of that perfection which Christ imparteth unto his members and therefore however they may be for their naturall and acquired endowments most accomplished persons yet as touching spirituals they are next to divels of all creatures most imperfect and incompleate wretched and miserable poore blind and naked Revel 3.17 able to doe nothing John 15.5 In a second place Paul inferreth from the personall union the dignity of the humane nature of Christ in comparison of the good Angels Because in him dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godhead therefore he is the head of all principality and power Here examine we 1. what is meant by principality and power 2. How Christ as man is the head of all principality and power 1. Then enquire we what is meant by principality and power In vers 15. of this chapter and in Ephes 6.12 they signify evill Angels But here they are taken onely for the good Angels Angels which are tearmed in scripture the elect Angels 1 Timoth. 5.21 the Angels of heaven Math. 24.36 the Angells of light 2 Cor. 11.14 the sonnes of God Job 1.6 Job 38.7 who are tearmed 1. Principalities from that excellency which they have by nature and grace above other creatures they are the chiefe of the creation as it were Princes in comparison of other creatures 2. They are stiled powers for that Authority which God hath delegated unto them over other creatures For the restriction of the tearmes here unto the good Angels I shall alleadge 3 arguments 1. This headship is a sequele of the personall union and therefore no meere creature shareth in it But if it denoted barely a superiority over the wicked Angels it were a priviledge communicable unto the good Angels 2. To be head is properly a superiority that is some way or other beneficiall unto those
may dearely affect and yet they may be displeased with them But Christ is such a sonne in whom his father delighteth and with whom he is fully contented This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a fulnesse of approbation an infinitenesse of affection without any mixture of displeasure and such an height of delight complacency and contentment as is unexpressible This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well-pleased that is of whom I have an high estimate unto whom I bare singular good-will and affection and in whom I wonderfully delight and rejoyce The Demonstrative * Pareus on Math. 17.4,5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this especially Math. 17.4,5 distinguisheth him from Moses and Elias and all other saints as the Lord from the servants He is exalted above the prophets as a sonne as a lord above the servants He is nearer and dearer unto the father then they are or can be In Col. 2.13 He is tearmed the sonne of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Apostle useth an Hebraisme whereby the genitive case is put in the roome of an epithete So that the son of his love is as much as his beloved or deareson his most beloved sonne Looke as filius perditionis is filius perditissmus that is most worthy to be destroyed destinated to destruction desperately perishing or notoriously wicked Joh. 17.12.2 Thes 2.3 So Christ is tearmed the sonne of Gods love because he was transcendently beloved by God As also because he was most worthy to be beloved Because he was designed unto all the the possible expressions of love Beza illustrates this Hebraisme by Psalm 15.1 where the mountaine or hill of Gods holinesse is as much as his holy hill or mountaine And Conelius A lapide paralelleth it with Prov. 5.19 Where the hind of loves is as much as the most beloved hind A second particular in Christ that deserveth a fulnesse of grace and favour with God is his service of him and obedience unto him both active and passive And hereupon is it that in Math. 12.18 the Evangelist applieth unto Christ that of the propher Isaiah Chapt. 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soule delighteth God had chosen him to be his servant a mediatour betwixt himselfe and man and because he hath discharged this his office therefore he is his beloved in whom his soule is well-pleased Therefore doth my father love me saith Christ himselfe John 10.17 Because I laid downe my life c. Suitable unto this is that analysis which Å¿ Sicut priore clogio personam filiâ— unigenici asseruit pater ita hoc altero commendat ejus officium docens hunc unum esse nobis datum mediatorem servatorem in quo velit nobis esse propitius in quo nos salutem quaerere oporteat sicut testantur Apostoli non est in alio salus nec est datum aliud nomen in quo possimus servari c. Pareus makes of these words this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased The former part of of the words This is my beloved sonne concerneth his person The latter in whom I am well pleased regardeth thinks he his office as he is mediatour our Saviour and surety in and for whom God is propitious to us and reconciled with us Because he was his only begotten sonne therefore he was beloved by him because he would faithfully discharge his office therefore he was well-pleased with him And hereupon it was that his voyce was heard from heaven as at his Baptisme which was a publick inauguration of him for the publicke performance of all his offices so also in his transfiguration which was a private preparation of him for the finall discharge of so much of his office as was to be performed here upon earth But this is not the fulnesse meant here in the text Col. 1.19 For Gods love of and favour towards Christ respected Christ onely objectively and extrinsecally as his adjunctum occupatum terminated unto him Whereas the fulnesse in the text regarded him subjectively and intrinsecally as adjunctum receptum dwelling and inhering in him This fulnesse therefore of Gods grace and favour towards Christ I shall passe over as soone as I have made some briefe use and application thereof The first use is of information The fulnesse of Christs grace and favour with God compared with the fulnesse of his afflictions that he suffered by the decree of God do clearely evince that an height of love and favour is consistent with a depth of affliction Christ was an object of a fulnesse of grace and yet the subject of a fulnesse of sufferings It pleased the Lord to bruise his naturall sonne Isai 53.10 Therefore it is no marvell that he scourgeth every adopted son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 If the darling of the father the first borne among many brethren our elder brother were all his life long a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefe Isai 53.3 oppressed and afflicted ver 7. If he suffer'd before he enter'd into his glory Luk 24.26 The rest of the brethren then must not thinke it strange if their way lieth through much tribulation unto the Kingdome of God Act. 14.22 Christ was the beloved son of God even when he hung upon the crosse even then was the Father well pleased with him And therefore to roâ—… in a prison to expire in an ignominious way at a stake or upon a scaffold or under a gallows is not in it selfe a marke of Gods displeasure unto his children The Sonne of Gods love cryed out that he was sorsaken of God Mat. 27.46 that is deprived of the sense of all consolation and therefore spirituall desertions are not alwayes an argument of disfavour Gods dearest children may for a long time walke in darknesse and see no light Isai 50.10 A second use is of consolation For this fulnesse of grace unto Christ reflecteth in some measure upon his members It is impossible that God should hate or abhorre those that are so neerly related unto the Son of his love If he delight in him he cannot be averse from them If the name of Christ be Jedidiah beloved of the Lord His spouse's name is Hephzibah because the Lord delighteth in her Isai 62.4 The God of heaven cannot looke upon the members as enemies as long as the head is his favourite If he be gracious they cannot be disgracious Because he is in the bosome of the Father therefore they are not strangers unto the father but he will carry them in his bosome too as a nursing father beareth the sucking child Numb 11.12 If the first borne be beloved by way of eminency the rest of the brethren are beloved too in a way of subordination If he be the primary object of Gods love They are the Secondary If he be God's elect servant in whom his soule delighteth Isai 42.1 then he hath chosen us
in him a fulnesse A fulnesse 1 of the grace of his favour love and mercy towards us The Apostle ascribes unto him riches of this grace and affirmeth that therein he hath abounded unto us Ephes 1.7,8 neither is this barely affirmed but as strongly confirmed from the effects or fruits thereof 1. In our justification In whom we have redemption the forgivenesse of sins according unto the riches of his grace c. both of which are plenary Psal 130.7 In him there is plenteous redemption He will abundantly pardon Isay 55.7 or he will multiply to pardon as it is in the margent 2. In our vocation In the riches of his grace he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence ver 8. Thus also Rom. 10.12 the Lord is said to be rich to wit in mercy love and favour Ephes 2.4 Vnto all that call upon him Where by Lord saith Diodati is meant Jesus Christ who by his death resurrection hath gotten himselfe a title over all men to be their Lord master to be the head of the elect amidst all Nations And he is said to be rich in the fruits and effects thereof For as Calvin and Estius upon the place observe rich is here taken actively for bountifull liberall or gracious The bounty and liberality of men may be disenabled by extensivenesse unto too many but it cannot be so with the grace love and favour of our Lord Jesus Christ for he hath unsearchable riches Eph. 3.8 that cannot be impaired by communicativenesse He cannot be impoverished though he be rich unto all that call upon him This fulnesse of Christs love is to the full displayed in the Song of Solomon and that both in the Churches confessions and Christs owne professions of it 1. In the Churches confessions of it and that both to Christ and others 1. She makes a gratefull acknowledgement of it unto Christ himselfe Thy love saith she is better then wine Cant. 1.2 Next she celebrates and reports it unto others chap. 3.9,10 King Solomon that is Christ made him a chariot that is framed assumed unto himselfe an humane nature the midst or innermost whereof his heart being paved with love of the daughters of Jerusalem that is the elect of God the children of Jerusalem the mother of us all In Isay 49.16 Zion is said to be engraven upon the palmes of his hand but here to be as it were written upon his heart y But as the heart signifieth inward love so the arme of Christ signifieth his outward manifestation of love by helping bearing supporting her in all her infirmities through his power Psal 77.15 89.10 Esa 40.10,11 Ainsworth She was in his heart to live and dye for her 2 Corin. 7.3 Againe chap. 7.10 His desire saith she or desirous affection is towards mee As it said of the woman Gen. 3.16 that her desire should be unto her husband Next we have Christs owne profession of this great love of his unto his Church He termeth her his love his dove his spouse his sister his beloved his friends Chap. 5. v. 1. He acquaints her that in expression of his love unto her he had endured much trouble and misery for her My head saith he is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night Chap. 5.2 Unto the Churches confession and Christs owne profession of this fulnesse of love we joyne also the Churches petition for it Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale upon thy heart as a seale upon thine arme This was a prayer dictated unto and penned for the Church by the Holy Ghost himselfe and therefore if she put it up with faith and confidence it cannot be successelesse From it then we may conclude that the Church is very precious in Christs esteeme graven as the graving of a seale upon his heart And this his estimate of her he will manifest by wearing her as a signet upon his right hand The high priest Exod. 28. was to beare the names of the children of Israel engraven upon twelve precious stones and set in gold in the breast-plate of judgement upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memoriall before the Lord continually vers 17 18 19 20 21 29. Herein the exceeding and wonderfull care and love of Christ unto his members is plainly typified and that in diverse particulars 1. The names of the children of Israel were engraven upon twelve precious stones set in gold to shew that the people of Christ are very deare and precious unto him as it were his jewels and precious stones Mal. 3.17 2. Besides there was curious art bestowed upon the engraving of these names It was like the engraving of a signet ver 21. And this might figure the curiosity of Christs workmanship in creating and engraving holinesse the image of God upon the spirits of his people which farre exceeded that which was used in the framing of those glorious and celestiall bodies the sunne moone and starres And the curiositie of this his workmanship in the beautifying of his members is a demonstration of his extraordinary affection unto them 3. His care of them and affection to them is not onely joynt and generall but particular and severall of one by one * Babington in locum The High priest was to have in his brest-plate the twelve stones with the particular names of the Tribes 4. Christ beareth his members not onely on his shoulders vers 12. by his protection of them and patience unto them but in his breast and heart by his singular and most tender affection towards them While he was here on earth his heart was so set upon them as that he shed his heart blood for them And now he is gone into the holy place they are still upon and in his heart he is still mindfull of and deeply sollicitous for promoting their salvation He even now rejoyceth in the habitable part of his earth and there will never be a period in his delights with the sonnes of men Prov. 8.31 the twelve stones are termed Exodus 25.7 lapides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is stones of fulnesses or filling stones Perhaps thinks Altingius loc com part 2. pag. 1. because the breast plate was filled with them and this might signifie that the breast or heart of Christ was even filled with his members in regard the love of his heart was fully placed upon them more then on all the rest of the creatures 5. The High Priest was to beare the names of the children of Israel for a memoriall before the Lord continually And this might denote that Christ is ever mindfull of his people Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord Christ unto his Zion Isay 49.15 Christ remembreth all his people even when as man he seeth them not And this might be imported by the High
Priests bearing the names of the children of Israel upon his two x Quod verò spectat usum Ephod seu amiculi debuit reliquis vestibus summi Sacerdotis superindui eidem pectorale inseri in gemmis quae humero aptarentur habere nomina duodecim filiorum Israel ut significaret Christum Ecclesiam ejusque membra omnia semper in memoria habere etiam obverso tergo propter amorem ardentissimum quo eos prosequitur ac propter ipsos coram Deo semper apparere Heb. 7.16 Rivet in locum shoulders for a memoriall as well as on his breast plate ver 12. His heart is towards them when his face is not I shall close all these testimonies with that of the Apostle Paul Ep. 3.18,19 then which no one place of Scripture more fully expresseth the transcendency of Christs love unto us 1. Vers 18. He ascribes unto Christ's love one dimension more then Naturalists attribute unto bodies not onely length breadth depth but also height a Dickson in locum Length in regard of it's eternity breadth in respect of it's extent unto all ages and orders of men unto the Catholique Church scattered over the face of the whole earth depth in regard of it's condescension unto a deliverance of us out of an abysse of sinne and misery Height in regard of it's exaltation of us unto an heavenly happinesse Aquinas as Estius informeth mee thinkes that the Apostle here alludeth unto Job 11.8,9 It is as high as heaven what canst thou doe Deeper then Hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea But now in vers 19. we have this immensity of Christ's love set forth more plainly The love of Christ passeth knowledge that is cannot be perfectly fully and exactly knowne either by men or Angels The Apostle thinks b Videri potest Apostolus respice real Gnosticos qui hoc superbo nomine sese nuncupaverunt à scientia quam sihi peculiariter venditabant utitur enim vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atqui longè majus est scire charitateÌ„ Christi â—…pote quae universam Gnosticorum omniúmque Philosophorum scientiam excedit quia mysterium charitatis Christi quâ semetipsum pro nobis tradidit in cor hominis cujusquam non ascendit sicut in genere de hujusmodi mysteriis sapientiae Christianae testatur Apostolus 1. Cor. 2.9 Estius seems to have regard unto the Gnosticks who called themselves by this proud name from that knowledge which they pretended unto above others To take them off from this overweening conceit the Apostle tels them that the love of Christ is so incomprehensible as that it surpasseth all the capacity of our wits fully to conceive it in our minds and therefore it is able to puzzle and non-plus them and all others that vainly boast a knowledge of darke and hidden mysteries Unto these testimonies I shall adde two other arguments of the fulnesse of Christs love 1. The freenesse of it And 2. the unmeasurablenesse of it's fruits or effects 1. The absolute freenesse of it It was neither for his advantage as an end nor for our deservings as a motive He first loved us 1 Joh. 4.19 While we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne vers 10. As it is unmerited so secondly its fruits and effects to wit his purchase and application of our redemption are unmeasurable by our understandings here in this life 1 His purchase of our redemption not by corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18,19 did so farre exceed humane reason as that it became thereunto a rocke of offence Greater love saith our Saviour hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friend Joh. 15.13 But he himselfe hath given us a greater expression of his owne love He hath laid downe his life for enemies for traytours and rebels and besides this life that he laid downe cannot be equalled by the lives of the greatest of all the sons of men For it was the life of the Son of God and therefore of peerelesse and inestimable value 1 Joh. 3.16 2. As for his application of our redemption if we endeavour to search it unto the bottome it will be found farre to surmount humane reach Is not the originall of it our election one of the most mysterious points in all Divinity are not the parts of it vocation justification adoption sanctification glorification all matters of perplext difficulty Alas how endlesse intricate are the disputes of most learned Theologues touching their nature order and distinction And we should but flatter our selves to expect a decision of these disputes fully and clearely satisfactory as long as we remaine cloathed with corruptible flesh To make now some briefe application of this fulnesse of Christ's love unto us 1. It yeilds abundant consolation unto all true believers That may be said of them which was prophesied of Naphtali Deut. 33.23 They shall be satisfied with favour and full of the blessing of the Lord. The earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord Psal 33. â—5 Therefore much more the Church Riches of patience long suffering and forbearance are extended unto vessels of wrath Rom. 9.22 Rom. 2.4 therefore undoubtedly the c Divitias gloriae pro gloriofissimas Hebraismus Pareus riches of glory that is glorious grace or the most glorious riches of grace Rom. 9.23 shall be heaped and poured upon vessels of mercy If Christ as a private person out of Charity unto the humane nature as * Dr Twisse some hold did commiserate the impenitent Jewes and wept over them Luk. 19.41 O then what yearning of bowels what tendernesse of compassion is there in him by vertue of his office as he is mediator towards those whom his father hath given him If our hearts be sad and disconsolate our spirits weary wounded and heavy laden with the sense of sinne Why Christ's love saith the Church is better then wine Cant. 1.2 Wine is a very comfortable creature making glad the heart Psal 104.15 and the life merry It maketh the needy and those that are of heavy heart to forget their poverty and remember their misery no more Prov. 31.6,7 and therefore may very well by a synecdoche be put for all worldly delights The words then may be thus paraphrased Thy love is sweeter more comfortable pleasant and rejoycing the heart then the choicest of earthly pleasures If we are assayled by our Corruptions within by temptations afflictions and persecutions without why Christ's love is a banner over us animating us to quit our selves as becommeth the souldiers of the Lord of Hosts for the use of a banner standard or ensigne is as to draw and keepe souldiers togeither Isay 5.26 and 11.10 So also to encourage them Psal 60.4 thou hast given a
banner to them that feare thee that it may be displayed because of the trueth If the great men of the world be averse from us slight and contemne us it matters not Christ's desire is unto us Can. 7.10 He will put us as a seale upon his heart and his arme Can. 8.6 Though we have but little favour with the world we have a fulnesse of favour riches of grace with Christ We should not be discouraged at the unspeakable and implacable malice and hatred of our rageing persecutors as long as we have an unexpressible and incomprehensible love of Christ to oppose unto it We should not be dismayed at the depth's of Satans envy and malignity Revel 2.24 For in Chri'sts love there are all dimensions We should not afflict our selves for our povertie meannesse of birth and calling and the like outward abasures For none of them exclude from the grace of Christ He is rich unto all that call upon him We should not therefore despaire of pardon though guilty of many and great enormities For Christ's love passeth knowledge the comprehension of men or Angels and therefore hideth covereth nay quite burieth a multitude of sins All the sinnes of believers But now that prophane persons may not abuse this comfortable doctrine of the fulnesse of Christ's love I shall desire you to take notice of the character that the Scripture giveth of those unto whom it is appropriated The riches of his Glory that is glorious grace is made knowne only on vessells of mercy Rom. 9.23 and vessells of mercy are vessells unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good worke 2 Tim. 2.21 The Lord Jesus Christ is rich in mercy but it is only unto those that call upon him to wit out of an unfeigned faith and undissembled love Rom. 10.12 that have a Spirit of prayer and supplication powred upon them 2. From this fulnesse of Christs love we may be exhorted unto three dutyes 1. Thankefulnesse for it 2. A diligent study and 3. a carefull imitation of it 1. Thankefulnesse for it We will remember thy love more then wine saith the Church unto Christ Cant. 1.4 But she hath a thankfull tongue as well as heart as she remembreth it inwardly in her selfe so with joy and triumph she outwardly publisheth and manifesteth it unto others chap. 2. chap. 3. chap. 7. And this her recognition and commemoration of Christs love is not in a formall dull cold and unpracticall way for it hath such an impression upon her heart as that it makes her even sicke with the love of him Cant. 2.5 It begets in her a love of a most powerfull and unconquerable influence It is a love as strong as death Cant. 8.6 that is it is as forcible and irresistible trampling upon and breaking through all difficulties that occurr in performance of duties unto or undergoing of sufferings for Christ This love is inflamed into jealousy and this jealousy is as cruell or hard as the Grave ibid. that is as inexorable unto all the enemies of Christ unto her most profitable and pleasant sins her darling and most indulged lusts This love is for its intensivenesse motion upwards unto heaven and consumptive efficacy compared unto fire ibid. The coales thereof are as coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame 1. Fire is the hottest of elements So the Churches love of Christ is more solidly intense then her love of any creature whatsoever She is as it were all in a fire with the love of him 2. The motion of fire is upwards towards heaven The love of Christ is as a fiery Chariot whereby a soule is carried up unto heaven 3. Fire burnes all things combustible So love of Christ consumeth all a mans corruptions And whereas elementary fire may be quenched the love of Christ is a celestiall flame Many waters cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it Cant. 8.7 It cannot be extinguished or abated by calamities And in the last place it is so sincere and incorrupt as that it cannot be bribed by any treasure If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned ib. If your love of Christ reach not this height we have described it comes short of a due gratitude we are unthankfull for Christs fulnesse of love if it be not as a loadstone to attract from us a love of him with all our hearts soules and might In the language of the Scripture we are utterly forgetfull of Christs love if it do not constraine unto duty and restraine from sin We despise the riches of Christs goodnesse grace and bounty forbearance and long-suffering if it do not lead us unto a strict and severe repentance 2. The fulnesse of Christs love may provoke unto a most diligent study of it It is an inexhaust fountaine an unfathomeable ocean a bottomelesse unsearcheable mine There is therefore more then enough in it to satisfy the restlesse inquiries of those that are most curious and thirsty after knowledge In Eph. 3.13,16,17,18 There be 4. Motives unto this study of Christs love 1. The comprehensivenesse 2. the incomprehensiblenesse of this love 3. The subject and 4. the influence of the knowledge thereof 1. The comprehensivenesse of the Love of Christ It takes in all the d Paulus nihil per istas dimensiones intelligit quam Christi charitatem de quâ continuò post significans eum cui verè perfectè cognita est undequaque sapere ae si diaeisset quaquaâ—versùm respiciant homines nihil reperient in salutis doctrinâ quod non huc referendum sit Continet enim una Christi dilectio omnes sapientiae numeros ideo quo facilior sit sensus ita resolvi debent verba ut valeatis comprehendere Christi dilectionem quae est longitudo latitudo profunditas alâ—…tudo sapientiae nostrae hoc est tota perfectio Similitudinem enim sumit à Mathematicis ut à partibus totum desigâ—et Quoniam hic omnium ferè communis est morbus rerum inutilium studio ardere utilis vallè est ista admonitio quod scire nobis expediat quid Dominus considerare nos velit sursum deorsum ad dextram sinistram à fronte à tergo Dilectio Christi nobis proponitur in cujus meditatione nos exerceamus dies ac noctes in quam nos quasi demergamus Hanc unam qui tenet satis habet extra eam nihil est solidum nihil utile nihil â—enique rectum aut sanum Circumeas licet coelum terras maria non altius transcendes quin legitimum sapiendi finem transilias Calvin in Ephes 3. v. 18. dimensions the length breadth depth height of spirituall wisedome all the objects of saving knowledge which are some way or other reducible unto it And hereupon that great Doctor of the Gentiles resolved to study privately and to preach publikely nothing but what did some way or other referre unto that
great expression of Christs love his death upon the crosse 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Indeed Christs love is the epitome and center the fulfilling of both Law and Gospell Rom. 13.8 it was out of love that he performed the duties and sufferd the penalties of the law for us It is out of love that he hath revealed and will accomplish the promises of the Gospell unto us A second motive unto the study of the love of Christ is the incomprehensiblenesse of it It passeth knowledge and therefore though we arrive unto never so great a degree in our knowledge of the love of Christ yet still there will be a terra incognita place for new and farther discoveries Christs love is a structure of vast indeed infinite extent It is as it is said of God Iob. 11.8,9 As high as heaven deeper then hell larger then the earth and broader then the sea and therefore impossible we should exactly measure it in all these dimensions However let us labour to measure it as exactly as we can that we may comprehend so much of the length breadth depth and height thereof as is discoverable by the saints here in this life The love of Christ then is a most spacious object for contemplation in the meditation of which we may exercise our selves day and night and into which to use the expression of Calvin nos quasi demergamus we may as it were plunge our selves over head and eares as into an ocean that hath no bottome A third motive in this place is from the proper and adequate subject of this knowledge That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints c. The knowledge of Christs love is the priviledge of the saints common unto all believers and withall it is so proper and peculiar unto them as that it belongs unto none but saints If thou hast an effectuall and applicative knowledge though but in a remisse degree of the transcendent love of Christ thou art then a saint and if thou art a gratious faint here on earth thou maist be confident that thou shalt be a glorious saint in heaven But now if on the other side thou livest dyest in ignorance or meerely in a notionall or uneffectuall knowledg of the love of Christ thou can'st have no evidence of thy saintship And if thou art not a saint here thy portion will be with damned Fiends and Divels in hell hereafter A fourth motive is the influence of the knowledge of Christ's love and that is 1. preservative from fainting in tribulations here 2. preparative for the allfulnesse of God in heaven hereafter 1. Preservative from fainting in tribulation here And this may be gathered from comparison of these verses with the foregoing For vers 13. The Apostle dehorts them from fainting at the newes of his troubles I desire that you faint not at my tribulation for you and in the following verses he backes this dehortation with a most humble and fervent petition the preface unto which we have verses 14 15. for this cause I bow my knee unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. The matters or things petitioned for are three 1. Corroboration and confirmation by the spirit of God vers 16. that he would grant you according unto the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man 2. A further union with Christ vers 17. and 3. which belongs unto our purpose a practicall and experimentall apprehension of the love of Christ 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 c. 18 19. By this coherence you see that a feeling and efficacious knowledge of Christs love and the dimensions thereof will embolden and hearten the saints in their owne and others troubles and as a soveraigne cordiall keep them from all despondency and sinking of spirit A second branch of its influence is preparative for the all fullnesse of God vers 19. I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ vers 14. that ye may be able to comprehend c. and to know the love of Christ c. that ye might be filled with all the fullnesse of God vers 18 19 that is with a full knowledge of God in the beatificall vision the full image of God a full participation of the divine nature a full union with fruition of God full and immediate influences from God according unto that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all that is in all the elect he shall be vice omnium instead of all ordinances unto their soules instead of all meanes and helpes unto their bodies And I saw no temple therein for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the city had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Revel 21.22,23 The meaning of the place is that God shall immediatly by himselfe supply the efficiency of all second causes whatsoever Before I leave these words I shall out of them direct unto a cause of the knowledge of the love of Christ to wit to be rooted and grounded in love vers 17. that is either in our assurance of Gods love in Christ unto us or else in the habit of our love unto God and Christ I bow my knees unto the father c. that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend know the love of Christ c. They which are rooted and grounded in love are able to reach the dimensions of Christs love to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. A full and firme assurance of Gods love in Christ unto us and our firme and constant love of God and Christ will put us upon a most industrious search after all the secrets of Christs love unto our soules Whereas on the other side those that either despaire or doubt of that love of God and Christ as also those that have but faint affections and inconstant desires towards them all such make but a very slow progresse in the study and knowledge of Christs love The last exhortation is unto an imitation of this fulnesse of love Walke in love saith the Apostle as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice unto God c Ephes 5.2 In which words we have 1. An exhortation unto the duty of love walke in love 2. A direction unto a patterne whereunto we must conforme our selves in performance of this duty 1. As for the exhortation it is observed by the solid and judicious Zanchy that it is not barely to love but to walke in love that is to passe the whole course of our life to spend all
adequate or commensurate unto the object of grace God who is cognoscibilis amabilis and participabilis in infinitum Before I proceede unto the third acception of the fulnesse of grace I must remove an objection out of my way It may be objected that it were not an endowment sufficient to qualify Christ for the relation of headship to have so much grace as would fill his capacity His capacity might be but narrow and so though he had as much grace as he could receive yet he might not have much in that he might not be able to receive much A small vessell may be full of any liquor and yet containe no great quantity of it Even so might Christ be full of grace in this sence and yet have no great measure of grace Unto this some answere that the humane nature in vertue of that most intimate association of the natures divine and humane in one person had it's capacity it 's power of receiving grace enlarged as much as might be So that by means hereof it became larger then the capacity of all the Angels in heaven comprehensive of more grace then they nay farre wider then it would have beene if it had not been joyned or then it would be if it should be disjoyned from the person of the word But this is an opinion that e Quod Bonav Ricard affirmant quamounque puram creaturam sive Angelum sive rationalem animam esse capacem gratiaeusque ad certum gradum ita ut de potentia absoluta non possit recipere majorem nihilcminus animam Christi unitam verbo fact am esse capaciorem intenfioris gratiae quam esse possit in aliqua pura creatura in ipsamet animae Christi si non esset unita verbo hoc enim fine fundamento dictum est nullo-modo intelligi potest nam licet congruentia ad recipiendam majorem gratiam possit esse major ratione unionis sicus capacitas proxima quae est per actum vel dispositionem propriam augeri possit ut loquitur D. Thom. 2 a. 2 ae q. 24 art 7. tamen capacitas remota quasi fundamentalis quae est in natura ipsa nec crescere potest nec mutari quia haec nihil aliud est quam entitas naturae cui talis perfectio non repugnat Et deinde multò minùs intelligi potest quod per unionem augeatur cùm verbum ipsum nec possit concurrere per modum potentiae passivae ad suscipiendam gratiam nec aliquo modo immutet ipsam animam secundùm entitatem naturalem ejus ut capaciorem illam faciat gratia haec non aliter inhaereat illi animae quam si per se esset separata Adde quòd si illa anima capacior fieret per unionem sicut unio eft infinita ita illa capacitas infinitè augeretur ergò vel haberet illa anima infinitam gratiam vel certe posset in illâ gratia in infinitum augeri quod isti autores non concedunt Suarez in tertiam part Thomae disp 22. s 2. Censures for groundlesse and sencelesse He confesseth that by union of both natures in one person the congruity for the humanity to receive from the divine nature a larger measure of grace is much increased Meeter it is that from the Deitie there should be a cōmunication of a greater measure of grace unto that nature in which the fulnesse of it dwelleth bodily then unto another not linkt unto it in so neere and close a tye And then farther he doth not deny but that by the conjunction of the manhood with the divine person and nature the more neere and immediate capacity of the soule to receive grace may be much enlarged Seeing that even is us our hearts by the habit 's and exercise of our proper graces are wonderfully dilated and opened as it were made more comprehensive able to receive more grace then otherwise By Solomons Wisedome and understanding the largenesse of his heart was even as the sand that is on the sea shore 1 Kings 4.29 I will runne the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psalm 119.32 to wit by holinesse and sanctification O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged 2 Corinth 6.11 to wit by love and affection But now as for the remote obedientiall and as it were the fundamentall capacity of the soule towards grace of which the patrons of the forementioned opinion onely speake how the union should stretch and widen that he cannot conceive For that being undistinguished from the very nature and being of the soule indeed being nothing else but the soule it selfe considered as compatible with grace how can it possibly admit either of change or encrease Equall it is alike large in all reasonable and intellectuall creatures and is not to be measured by any naturall or supernaturall perfection of its subject but is of it selfe indifferent unto the receipt of any kind or degree of grace consistent with the finite and created being of an intellectuall nature Not resting therefore in this unsatisfying answere we will in the next place shew how that in Chist there was a fulnesse of grace not onely in regard to his capacity his power of receiving it but also in respect of f Aliquando plenitudo significateximiam aliquam perfectionem gratiae quae adaequet statum vel munus aut dignitatem suscipientis Plenum enim propriè dicitur quod tantum habet quantum capere potest ad bunc modum plenus gratiâ dicitur Qui habet eximiam aliquam gratiam proportionalam dignitati vel muneri in quo à Deo constitutus est haec plenitudo cum respectiva fit potest esse multiplex major vel minor juxta veritatem statuum vel dignitatum cum quibus fit comparatio hoc modo alia est plenitudo B. Virginis alia Johan Baptistae c. omnis verò haec plenitudo est respectiva secundùm quid Christi verò plenitudo est plenitudo simpliciter quia licet gratiae Christi plenitudo etiam fuerit proportionata dignitati personae unionis tamen quia illa dignitas personae erat suprema omnium eminenter omnes alias continens ideò talis plenitudo respectiva in plenitudinem simpliciter redundavit Et hinc etiam factum est ut haec plenitudo fit quanta esse potest non tantum ex parte objecti sed etiam ex parte formae quia scilicet in Christo pervenit gratia ad totam intentionem perfectionem quam secundùm se habere potest saltem secundùm legem ordiuariam Suarez in tertiam part Thomae disp 22. sect 2. pag. 395. grace it selfe And such a fulnesse I am sure is sufficient to constitute him head of the Church What it is Aquinas tels us pag. 3. quaest 7. Art 10. Ex parte quidem ipsius gratiae dicitur esse plenitudo gratiae Ex eo
and confirmation of his veracity He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true And this he proves because his testimony is alwayes the testimony of God For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God ver 34. Ordinary Prophets did not alwayes speake the words of God but sometimes they spake out of their owne private spirit and not as Prophets having the spirit of prophecy upon them as is plain in Samuel 1 Sam. 16.6 and Nathan 2 Sam. 7.3 But now Christ whom God hath sent singularly and eminently as the chiefe of all his ambassadours speaketh only the words of God so that his testimony is simply and absolutely divine And of this he assigneth the reason ground or cause in the following words for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him Secondly Hence we may be informed that if Christ had lived in these our dayes he would have beene extreamly hated by all carnall and unregenerate men who yet carry a very great outward and ceremonious respect unto him and professe a deep detestation of all that had any hand in his murder and crucifying For there is nothing that they so much maligne as holinesse and therefore their malignancy against Christ the most holy would have beene unspeakable If but some few and faint some broken raies or beames of grace shine in the life of a member of Christ this presently makes him the butt of their malice And therefore if they had conversed with Christ in the dayes of his flesh they would have accounted him of all persons living the most odious They that disgust the drops of goodnesse in his would never have relished the fountaine and ocean thereof in himselfe They looke with envy upon starres of the least magnitude in the Churches firmament And therefore the sunne of righteousnesse could not but be a most unpleasing object unto them They loath the least measure of the spirit and therefore what would their abhorrence have been of him unto whom God gave not the Spirit by measure They contemne and deride that anoynting which believers receive from the holy one and therefore the unmeasurablenesse of his owne unction would have ministred unto them ample matter for their contempt and derision Secondly this point may serve for confutation of a passage in the Learned Dr Hammond against Mr Cawdrey to wit that Christs love of God was capable of farther degrees That I doe not fasten this tenet wrongfully upon him will appeare unto any rationall man by his owne words which I will therefore transcribe Dr Hammond pag. 222. In the next place he passeth to the inforcement of my argument from what we read concerning Christ himselfe that he was more intense in prayer at one time then another when yet the lower degree was sure no sin and prepares to make answer to it viz. that Christ was above the Law and did more then the Law required but men fall short many degrees of what is required But sure this answer is nothing to the matter now in hand for the evidencing of which that example of Christ was brought by me viz. that sincere love is capable of degrees This was first shewed in severall men and in the same man at sever all times in the severall rankes of Angels and at last in Christ himselfe more ardent in one act of prayer then in another The conclusion which the Dr undertakes to evidence is that sincere love is capable of degrees Now this the example of Christ will never prove unlesse it inferre that Christs love of God was capable of degrees more intense at one time then at another If Christs greater ardency in one act of prayer then in another doth not argue a greater fervency in his love at one time then another this argument from Christs praying more earnestly will never reach the proposition for which it was brought Indeed in his treatise of Will-worship p. 24. he minceth the matter and speaketh more cautelously It is possible saith he for the same person constantly to love God above all and yet to have higher expressions of that love at one time then another Thus we read of Christ himselfe Luk. 22.24 c. But of this we may say as he doth of Mr Cawdrey's answer It is nothing to the matter now in hand Because there may be a graduall difference in the expressions of the same love for degree Christs death for us was a higher expression of his love of us then his poverty hunger thirst c. and yet they might proceed from a love equally intense His Argument then you see from Christs example will not serve his turne unlesse it conclude a greater intension in his love of God at one time then at another And the falsehood of such an assertion is evident from the point here handled and confirmed the absolute fulnesse of Christs grace which by the generall consent of the Fathers and Schoolmen was such as that it excluded all intensive growth It was a sequele of the personall union and therefore it was from the very first moment of his conception The Word was no sooner made flesh but it was forthwith full of grace truth His love of God was uncapable of farther degrees unto whom God gave not the spirit that is the gifts and graces of the spirit by measure But unto Christ God gave not the spirit that is the gifts graces of the Spirit by measure Joh. 3.34 therefore his love of God was not capable of farther degrees There have beene some that here by Spirit have understood the Godhead of Christ which was given unto him as Sonne by eternall generation as man by the Hypostaticall union But whether the Doctor will imbrace either of these expositions I cannot divine Indeed many learned men have thought that the Spirit of Christ may signifie his Godhead in distinction from or opposition unto either his flesh Rom. 3.4 1 Tim. 3.16 or blood Heb. 9.14 yet that standing single and absolutely by it selfe without such comparison it should have any such signification in Scripture can never I am very confident be made good by the Doctor and therefore I shall acquiesce in the common interpretation which giveth an utter and totall overthrow unto the Doctors opinion Unto it also the Schoolmen are generally opposite as will soone be confessed by those that will peruse such of them as comment in tertiam part Summae Aquinatis quaest 7. art 12. and in tert lib. sentent distinct 13. The Scotists thinke that in grace and consequently in the love of God there is a maximum quod sic impertransibile per divinam potentiam absolutam and then they conceive that there is a great condecency in the cloathing dignifying or beautifying of Christs humanity therewith Because of all other creatures it was most straitly nearly conjoyned with the Deity the author of grace also for that it was by God designed to be the universall principle and fountaine of grace
to meddle with the comfort of this point Though in Christ there was a fountaine of oyle as it was said there was in * The new Annotations on Canti 1.2 Rome at the day of his birth yet the streames thereof make glad the city of God Psalm 46.4 The two olive branches through the two golden pipes empty the golden oyle out of themselves Zachar. 4.12 Here grace is the golden oyle Gods ordinances are the golden pipes The two olive branches are the two anointed ones vers 14. that is say they that interpret the words of Christ only either the two natures of Christ his Godhead and Manhood or his two offices Royall and Priestlie as man and priest of his Church he merited and purchased grace as God and King he actually produceth it in the soules of such as have relation unto him As the ointment trickled downe from Aarons head unto the very skirts of his garment Even so the oyle of the Spirit in Christ is diffused from him unto all the members of his body unto his lowest members Yee have received an unction from the holy one saith John 1 Joh. 2.20,27 unto those little children new converts or novices in the faith that he wrote unto In these words there is remarkeable for our speciall consolation the influence of this unction we receive from Christ against errour and seduction in fundamentals plainly implyed in the adversative particle prefixed unto both verses In ver 18.19 he speakes of Antichrist and Apostates that swarmed every where But he hath no sooner mentioned them but he forthwith opposeth this unction of the Spirit from Christ as a preservative against the poyson of their heresie and danger of their Apostacy But ye have received an unction from the holy one that will preserve you from all back-sliding Hereticks In vers 26. he makes speciall mention of seducers These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you And presently vers 27. he directs unto this spirituall anointing as a sufficient antidote against their infection But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him There are two properties in the words of this anointing which yeild full security unto believers against such false teachers The sufficiency and the permanency of it 1. The fulnesse and sufficiency of it Ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things vers 20. that is all things necessary to salvation And ye need not that any man teach you vers 27 to wit the grounds and principles of Christian Religion 2. The permanency of it The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you vers 27 and hereupon in the close of the verse he inferreth their perseverance in union with Christ even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him In Ephes 4.7 The Apostle sheweth what kind of doale or distribution Christ makes of grace unto his Church and there be 4 particulars by which he illustrates it 1. the universality 2. The variety diversity or inequality 3. The limitation 4. The freenesse of it 1. It is common and universall Vnto every one of us grace is given not unto every man but unto every believer unto every true member of Christ and his Church 2. This distribution is with great diversity and inequality Thus Cornel. Alapide comments upon it Cuique data est saith he gratia non una par sed varia dispar huic major illi minor Unto every one of us are given severall graces We have not the same degrees if we speake of the graces of sanctification We have not the same sorts or kinds if we speake of the graces of edification There is great variety both in the quantity and quality of the talents or gifts of the servants of Christ One may have five another but two talents The talents of the one may be of gold the talents of the other but of silver 3. We have the limitation that is observed in this distribution of grace Unto every one of us Grace is given by measure The best of us have but our measure a small and narrow scantling For an absolute fulnesse is the incommunicable property of Christ himselfe 4. Lastly Here is the freenesse of this distribution Unto every one of us grace is freely given not sold The diversity that is in the measure of mens gifts and graces proceedeth not from any inequality in their merits or foregoing preparations but meerely from the free grace the gift the good will and pleasure of Christ Grace is given unto us according unto the measure of the gift of Christ It may perhaps seeme that this place is not so pertinently alleadged because it speakes only of a measure in the grace of the saints and so asserts not a conformitie unto the fulnesse thereof in Christ But in the least measure of sincere grace there is a kind of fulnesse Plenitudo respectiva secundum quid And that Christ communicateth such a fulnesse unto his Church I shall farther confirme 1. From it's relation unto Christ 2 from Gods end in the collation of all fulnesse of grace upon Christ 3. By going over the severall gradations of the fulnesse of grace that Christ imparts unto her in this life 1. From the relation of the Church unto Christ She is related unto him as a spouse unto her husband as a house unto the Lord or Proprietary as a body unto the head 1. As a wife or spouse unto her husband Canticl 4.8 Eph. 5.23,25,29,30,31 In him the husband there are hid unsearchable riches of grace and wisedome And will he then suffer her whom he hath taken so neare unto himselfe to want to be poore in grace He hath grace as a treasurer and can dispense of it to whom he will May not shee who is as it were the wife of his bosome freely begge it of him The garments of holinesse are all in his custody and at his disposall Can his tender heart then possibly endure to see her goe naked and in rags Christ was a lambe absolutely without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 and therefore he will not suffer any raigning or unmortified spot in his love Thou art all faire saith he himselfe unto her and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.7 that is if we understand the words of sanctification comparatively in comparison of the wicked and unregenerate who are all over defiled Deut. 32.5 and spotted with the world Jam. 1.27 2. The Church is related unto Christ as a house unto the Lord or proprietary Christ was faithfull as a sonne over his house whose house are we Heb. 3.6 Now did he of old fill his materiall house the Temple with his presence and glory and will he not now fill his spirituall house with his spirit and grace undoubtedly
he will As the cloud of Gods glorious presence first filled the Sanctuary and afterwards the whole temple Even so the spirit of grace in Christ shall first fill the soule in believers and it's faculties and then spread it selfe over the body so that that shall be become an outward temple of the holy Ghost It is said of the oyntment wherewith Mary anointed the feet of Christ that the whole house was filled with the odour of it Joh. 12.3 Semblably may we say of the spirit and grace wherewith Christ was anointed that his whole house to wit Church is filled with the fruits and comforts of it 3. She is related unto him as the body unto the head The Church which is his body The fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 In which words we have as the relation of the Church unto Christ so also the influence of Christ upon the Church 1. We have here the relation of the Church unto Christ She is his body and hereupon his fulnesse The name of fulnesse is as Rollocke thinks a declaration of the relation of body from it's office which is to compleat and in an externall way to perfect the head For the members are a superadded ornament unto the head and an object of it's influence So that though it were in it selfe never so comely yet it would sever'd from them be defective nay loose the very nature and relation of head as having nothing whereon to exercise its office So though Christ considered personally be possest with an overflowing fulnesse yet if we consider him mystically as head of his Church such is his love unto his Church as that he esteemeth himselfe but maimed and imperfect unlesse he have her joyned unto him as his body By this then we see that Christs own interest will lie upon him as an engagement to be carefull for the filling of his Church and every member thereof with all requisite graces for because she is his fulnesse therefore by filling her he himselfe under the capacity and notion of head becommeth the more full His glory and honour is the more advanced His joy and comfort the more enlarged The more gracious his members are the more joyfull and glorious he is But this engagement of Christ unto his Church as his body and fulnesse we have made good by the second particular in the text Christs influence upon the Church who filleth all in all that is who filleth all things to wit all powers and parts in all Saints in all his members He filleth their understandings with a saving light their wills with holy and heavenly purposes and intentions desires and affections their consciences with peace and purity their bodies with promptnesse and readinesse of obedience unto the commands of God and their soules There be some that differ from us in the interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others in the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But their sence doth very well sort unto that for which we alleadge the place 1. There be some as Rivet and Grotius that take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a passive signification The Church is Christs passive fulnesse filled or made full by Christ not onely with common but with spirituall sanctifying and saving graces and this sence you see serves expresly for the proofe of the matter in hand And no lesse is implied by those who translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passively and so read the words thus The Church is the fulnesse of him who is filled all in all As the Church considered in common and generall is the fulnesse of Christ so every true member of the Church is a part and portion of that fulnesse and therefore however Christ as head cannot be absolutely compleat untill all his elect members are gathered and fully united unto him joyntly or together all at once in the resurrection in their bodies as well as soules Yet he may be said to be filled inchoatively and gradually in the successive vocation Sanctification and glorification of his severall members The union betweene Christ and the Church is so neare as that Christ is sometimes taken collectively for the whole Church consisting of head and body And hereupon what is done and suffered by the Church is frequently ascribed unto Christ himselfe Gal. 2.20 Act. 9.5 And here in this place according unto the now mentioned reading of the words he is said to be filled in all that is in all the Saints in all believers when they receive of his fulnesse and are thereby filled Musculus and Cornelius Alapide note that by an usuall Graecisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All for according unto all so that in the words we have a twofold extent of this paso sive repletion of Christ 1. Of the subject or persons in whom he is under the capacity of an head said to be filled In all that is in all his members 2. Of the matter wherewith he is filled in these persons According unto all that is all gracious gifts pertaining unto the fulnesse and perfection of his body the spirituall life and salvation of all his members Though he of himselfe personally be so full that he filleth all in all yet he is pleased to account himselfe under a mysticall consideration to be filled in all his members according unto all graces either of sanctification or edification that are powred upon them both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto all and in all are as Calvin observeth concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all here to be restrained according unto the present circumstance of the place Now the Apostle speakes here in particular concerning the Spirituall government of the Church and unto this drift of the Apostle it will be most suitable to understand both the all 's in the text with reference unto the Church In all concerning the members of the Church According to all touching such blessings and gifts as are proper and peculiar to Church members There is also another interpretation that comes home to our purpose and it is o Christum implere omnia in omnibus id est licet Ecclesia sit ejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non idcò tamen est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd Christus perse ea carere non possit Is enim potiùs in ea in singulis membris implet omnia veri capitis officia omniáque beneficia immediatè praestat in fingulis Ergè Ecclesia non data est eapiti ut sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi sed potius Christus datus est Ecclesiaecaput ut omnia colligat membra in omnibus omnia bona felicia operetur omnia inquam veri capitis officia in singulis membris perficit Zanchie's The summe of which is He fulfilleth or dischargeth all the offices of a true head in every member and immediately conferreth upon each all graces requisite for their salvation and for their
men without Christ for without him in themselves and in all things else there is nothing but vanity and emptinesse In him alone there dwelleth all-fulnesse And if they have no part in him how can they partake of the blessed influence of his fulnesse As there can be no sap in those branches which have no true union with the roote so neither can there be any true and saving good in those men which are not ingrafted into the true vine Christ Jesus they may have a great deale of worldly treasure to lay up for themselves but as our Saviour saith Luk. 12.21 They are not rich towards God In the fulness of their sufficiency they shall be in great streights Job 20.22 and wants for they have not the love of God in whose favour is life Psal 30.5 They are voide of the image and spirit of God the earnest of that inheritance which God reserveth for his sons and therefore they shall never see the face of God never enjoy the life of God But in the state of disunion from Christ there is not onely an utter emptinesse of any saving good but also a fulnesse of all evill Prov. 1.31 and 14.14 Psalm 31.23 a fulnesse of sinne and a fulnesse of misery 1. A fulnesse of sinne As the earth upon the withdrawing of the sunne is covered with darknesse and with many thick and grosse vapours fogs and mists so the soule upon the absence of Christ is overspread with spirituall darknesse with ignorance with sinne with noysome and corrupt lusts And upon this secondly there will follow another fulnesse a fulnesse of misery and unhappinesse They shall be filled with mischiefe Prov. 12.21 They shall be filled with drunkennesse and sorrow with the cup of astonishment and desolation Ezek. 23.33 Sometimes God gives many of them a foretast of their future fulnesse of misery in the horrible terrours of their guilty consciences The seven Angells poure out upon the heads and hearts of wicked men even here in this life seven golden vials full of the wrath of God Revel 15.7 The Apostle speakes in Heb. 10.27 of a certaine fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries But alas the expectance of hell is but a flea-biting in comparison of the experience of it For this is the full wages of wickednesse and the highest degree of Gods displeasure against sin One reason why such as are reprobated from union and communion with Christ are called vessels of wrath Rom. 9 is because they shall be filled with the wrath of God and all the direfull fruits thereof they shall be filled with all the fulnesse of Satan they shall be like the full roll of Ezekiel chap. 2.9,10 that was written within and without and the contents thereof were lamentations and mourning and woe they shall be not only miserable but all over miserable miserable in both soules and bodies they shall not only be full of misery but the very fulnesse of misery shall be in them A second exhortation shall be addressed unto those that have already relation unto him and it is to labour after farther enlargements in their participation of his fulnesse For in him dwelleth all-fulnesse and of that we can never partake enough In him are unsearchable riches and treasures and therefore we can never come unto the bottome We should not therefore put any stop or suffer any diversion in our endeavours to be inriched by him To provoke hereunto I shall propound by way of motive Christs willingnesse to impart of his fulnesse his invitation of us to receive it Bishop Andrews on John 1.14 The breasts that are full have as great pleasure in being drawen as the child that draweth them Assure our selves it is so here There is majus desideriuÌ„ deplendi in him then repleÌ„di in us a greater desire in him to impart of his fulnesse then in us to receive in him to fill theÌ„ in us to be filled Heare how earnestly he himselfe inviteth us Eate O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved Cant. 5.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse Incline your eare and come unto me Esay 55.1,2,3 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke John 7.37 Let him that is a thirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Revel 22.17 We have a call and this licenseth us to receive of his fulnesse we have a command and this obligeth us to receive of his fulnesse Should some great man proclaime that his house was free and open to all commers that they might freely enter and take their fill of pure and rich wines of sweet and dainty viands and withall load themselves with treasures and precious jewels what flocking would there be unto such an ones house what thronging and crowding about his gate to presse in upon him Behold Christ in Prov. 9. is represented under the name of wisdome as a great Queene that keeps an open and a royall house for all commers She sends forth her maydens vers 2 3. that is ministers of uncorrupt both doctrine and life to invite guests unto her well-furnished table He sends Ambassadours beseeching by them to feed on his fatnesse and fulnesse He counselleth every soule as he did the Church of Laodicea Revel 3.18 to buy gold of him tryed in the fire that they may be rich to come unto him as unto a spirituall ward-robe and Iewelihouse and to take from him the robes of righteousnesse the rich and precious ornaments of all sorts of graces But this gracious offer this beneficiall ad vice we slight and contemne like the Prodigall Luk. 15.16,17 We forsake the plentifull provision that is in our fathers house where the hindâ—servans have enough and to spare And all our travaile is to fill our belly with huskes that the swine doe eat How cold are we in the acceptance of those true divine and celestiall riches and treasures that are in Christ and yet how doe our hearts pant after earthly treasures that are subject to corruption by the moth and rust and unto the violence and rapine of robbers Math. 6.19 Christ complained of the Jewes how often would I have gathered you But ye would not Math. 23.37 He may complaine of us how often would I have filled you and ye would not Well were men but truly convinced of their utter emptinesse and insufficiency as touching spirituals and were their eyes opened to behold that all-sufficient supply which is to be had against it in the all-fulnesse that dwelleth in Christ it is impossible they should be so backward as they are in their reception thereof But alas this is a thing that is hidden from most of our eyes Before I make an end of this use I shall direct unto some helps or meanes conducing unto enlargements in the communication of Christs