and gather his lambs in his armes c. sayth ver 13. Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord and who was his Counsellor with whom took he counsell and who instructed him c. certainly none beloved there was none to do it for he determined his whole work both of creation and redemption before all things if there had bin any being then for any of the sons of men who could have invēted such a way such a means of recovering of reconciling fallen man truly none but the God of wisdome and therefore Christ is called in Scripture the wisdom of God Luk. 11.49 therfore also he is called the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1 21. we preach Christ the wisdom of God c. Chap. 2.7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world began Note beloved the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdome of the Father him in whom the Father manifests his wisdome was ordained before the world began Ephes 3.10 11. it is called the manifold wisdom of God Well may it be called manifold for it is infinite there is no numbering of it Ps 47.5 Great is the Lord and of great power of his understanding there is no number How should this take off from the Saints all cares and feares concerning the things of this world he who is infinite in wisdom wisdom it selfe hath taken care for thy soul for thine eternity Doubt not but rest upon him his wisdome shall be for thee hee will so order and dispose of all thy actions as shall be most advantagious for his owne honour and thy good And know this that nothing comes to passe but by his wise disposing hand of grace nay he is made unto thee that believest wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 ô admirable mercy that the God of wisdom should not only wisely contrive a way for the reconciling of sinners to himself but should become their wisdome he is made to us wisdome admire at this all the sons and daughters of God what God himself become your wisdome then truly thy solly shall not harm thee ô thou art ready to say I am so foolish so ignorant c. ô poore soul it matters not it is mercy thou seest thy solly for the truth is thou must be a foole that thou mayst be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 4.10 that is thou must renounce all thine own wisdom as folly for it is self-wisdome that is the greatest enemy to Christ Therefore let no man deceive himself If any man amongst you seem to be wise in this world let him be a fool that he may be wise 2 What cause have the Saints to admire God in Christ for his love ô admirable love what God to give his Son to become a propitiation for the sin of sinners Is not this rich grace and mercy for God to take upon him the nature of man and the sins of men to make peace and reconciliation for men what soule can behold this love this mercy and not stand admiring in the enjoyment of it Beloved this love of God manifested unto men it is Free Full Everlasting Love it is free without desert there was nothing in man for to procure it hee hath loved thee freely poore soule Hos 14.4 I will heal their back-sliding I will love them Freely for mine anger is turned away Beloved God loved freely for he loved his before they were Ephes 1.4 he loved them freely for he loved them when they were sinners Rom. 5.8 the manifestation of it is free for it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercie Rom. 9.16 1 Cor. 1.27 he manifests it unto them when they would none of it when men had rather keep their sins then receive Christ as a Priest and an atonement so Paul Act. 9. the Lord meets him and over powers him when he was going in a way of persecution as it is in Esay 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for mee and found of them that sought me not c. God first seeking and finding causes the creature to seek after God 2 It is full grace and love great love John 3.16 God so loved the world that hee gave his Son c. O unspeakable love that nothing lesse then the Son of God can serve for a gift and truly beloved nothing lesse could have done the deed and therefore nothing lesse could be given from a God of love who intended in his gift to doe good to man John 4.9 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins and herein is the love of Christ manifested to become a Priest a Sacrifice to lay down his life for sinners Iohn 5.13 Greater love then this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Here is great love love to be admired of al the Saints 3 This love of God manifested in the Son is everlasting love Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore in loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Harke you beloved friends God hath loved his people from everlasting and he will love them to everlasting Iohn 13.1 Having loved his own which were in the world hee loved them to the end that is for ever Hence it is that the kindnesse of God is called everlasting kindnesse Esay 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face frone thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercie on thee c. his mercie is everlasting mercie Psal 100.5 For the Lord is good and his mercie is everlasting and his truth endureth to generation and generation His Covenant made with thee who art a believer is an everlasting covenant Esay 61.8 I will make an everlasting covenant with them saith the Lord a Covenant that shall not bee removed Esay 54.10 neither shalt thou depart out of it Jer. 32.40 and hence it is that the joy of the Saints shall be everlasting for indeed were not Gods mercies Gods Covenants c. everlasting There could he no true joy but this is that which occasions both true and everlasting joy and consolation 2 Thes 2.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even our father which hath loved and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace c. Note beloved here is everlasting consolation flowing from the love of God and truly the consolation could not be everlasting were not that love communicated through grace everlasting Here is admirable mercie admirable grace free full everlasting 3 The Saints have cause to admire God in his Justice for beloved those two attributes of God are admirably exalted in this one particular giving Christ a reconciliation between God and man his love and his mercie is exalted in that he to accomplish his own end in a way of grace gives his own Son to become an offering for sin to this very end and purpose
to reconcile and save sinners Iohn 3.16 2 Cor. 5.19 such was the love of God from all eternity that nothing could hinder their design of grace The Jews that had a hand in putting Christ to death shall have a part in that mercy and grace purchased by his death Acts 2.37 38. For they did nothing but what God in his counsell had determined Acts 4.28 Now as the mercy of God was herein admirably exalted to men so is his justice his severity also Rom. 11.12 Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God c. Behold here is goodnesse and severity mercy and justice to be admired First the mercy of God is here admirably manifested In freely chusing some and secondly his justice in leaving others First His mercy in chusing some in his Son to life and glory Rom. 9.23 24. That he might make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called c. here is the mercy of God wonderfully made known unto the sons of men and note that this mercy was never manifested but in a way of justice justice must be sarisfied for mans transgression now that God may shew mercy without any wrong to his justice hee gives his Son to take upon him mans sin and to suffer for the sins of his people that so mercy and justice might meet together An admirable worke of grace where God shews mercy and his justice is satisfied Never any mercy to be expected but where justice is satisfied it is in vain for thee ô man to expect mercy out of Christ there justice is satisfied if ever thou hast mercy it must be there therefore Christ calls Matth. 11.28 Come unto me c. Now beloved the Saints may admire of and rejoyce in the justice of God for the justice of God is for every believer and is as ready to plead for them as the mercy of God A creditour that is honest hee will be ready to acquit and cleer the principall when the surety hath paid the debt and made full satrsfaction and to declare that he hath nothing against him it is true the surety may pay the debt and the principall not know it and hee may be affraid and troubled but when the surety shall come and tell him that the debt is paid and the creditour satisfied and when the creditor shall send his bond and discharge under his hand and seal now this satisfies the man and now he is cleer and comforted now he walks boldly So it may be with the poore soule Christ hath paid thy debt he hath satisfied the justice of his Father but perhaps thou wantest the assurance of it beloved to whomsoever the Lord hath or shall give faith there it is sure the Lord hath sent his Ministers to proclaime it to your souls That whosoever believeth shall be saved and here hee hath sent his word to confirme it unto you and if that will not satisfie thou shalt have his seal too Ephes 1.13 And justice is now ready to plead for such a soule to acquit him I am satis fied I have nothing against him and so justice is thine and for thee who indeed believest 2 The Instice of God is manifested in leaving others in a lost condition herein is the severity of God admirably manifested especially of the Saints see Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath made up to destruction see Chap. 11. the elect obtained mercie the rest were hardened ô how should the Saints admire at this justice what God to leave so many in a hardened-blinde-perishing-condition and shew mercie to me O wonderfull what should God see in me more then in such and such hardened ones what God shew mercie perhaps to one and leave twenty a hundred in a hardened lost condition and shall I bee one of the small number O beloved how will the due consideration of this mercie and justice this goodnesse and severity of God set your selves work to admire God and to praise him this is the new song of the Saints Rev. 5.9 And they sung a new song saying thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the seale thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation O this is that which will set thy soule a praysing God indeed when thou shalt see people tongues nations left and thou taken out of them some taken perhaps one or two out of a family others left one or two out of a generation others left some few out of a City a Nation and others left O beloved the due consideration of this one thing will occasion your fouls to sing that song that none else could ever learn Rev. 14.3 They sung a new song and no man could learn that song but they which were redeemed from the earth called out from earthly men from Nations peoples tongues c. 4 The Saints have cause also to admire the power the almighty power of God working salvation for them he doth declare himselfe to be the Al-mighty God able to doe whatsoever he pleaseth he is able to save he is able to work salvation for his people which way he pleaseth and the power of God is manifested in Christ working salvation for his people see Esay 63.1 I that speak in righteousnesse mighty to save behold the Lord Jesus is called the mighty God Esay 9.6 and a mighty redeemer Prov. 23.11 and their redeemer is mighty he shall plead their cause c. and truly beloved hee had need bee mighty for he hath undertaken a mighty work the redemption and salvation of sinners and this appears to be a mighty work 1 Because none else could do it beloved God hath done such a work for his people that no creature nor created power in heaven or earth could doe it Esay 45.21 There is no God besides me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me none can save beside God Hos 13.4 There is no Saviour besides me therefore in vain is salvation hoped for from the mount ains truly in the Lordour God is the salvation of Israel Jer. 3.23 Beloved it is in vain to look for salvation from the hills and mountains from creatures or any thing beneath the Lord Jesus There is none other name given under heaven whereby wee may be saved but by the name of Jesus Act 4.12 O beloved how should the Saints praise God and admire him for that great and glorious salvation he hath wrought for his people this is the song the Saints sing unto his praise Rev. 7.10 11 12. And they cryed with a loud voyce salvation to our God c. blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever c. They sing forth Gods saving power Who is
aske any Petition of God or man for thirty dayes should be cast into the den of lyons so men set up themselves their own decrees and compell unto it this is not agreeable to the Kingly dominion of Christ Christ hath not been exalted King it is true there hath been a name of Christ but that is all the power of Christ in all his offices hath been rejected and the truth is that the generality have been wholy legall fetching rules from the Law from Moses and so denying Christ to be come in the flesh Legall churches Nationall as the Jews legall Covenant of works made with the Jews taken away to us that believe Heb. 10.9 legall preaching setting up of works with Christ when the Apostle sayth Hee that worketh not but believeth c. Rom. 4. 4 5. Legall Priests the very title and legall maintenance tythes but they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel Legall administrations I mean after legall rules circumcision and the like legall prayers and duties to make peace and atone ment legall laws and institutions compelling all to one worship persecuting the contrary minded because the Iews did so thus beloved hath the men of this and former Generations both in this and other Nations raised up Moses from the dead and put his laws in execution under the name of Christ and so in deed and practice deny Christ to be come in the flesh although in word they acknowledge him the Lord open their eyes that they may see farther into the mystery of the Gospel In a word Christ hath not been exalted as the brazen serpent upon a pole above every thing all duties prayers ordinances in the hearts of men and that hath caused so many as I cannot but judge gracious soules to goe with sorrow to their graves ever kept in a way of working under a legall bondage no longer pray and be spirituall in duty no longer comfort as if a Christian lived by prayer preaching and ordinances no no beloved they live above these upon the Lord Jesus by faith not that the Saints should not make use of these but not live upon them Christ is the Christians life and so far as he communicates himselfe in these to the Christian he hath cause of joy but if he deny himselfe there for the tryall of the soule it is to let him see the emptinesse of all things without himselfe and to cause the Christian to live by faith for we live by faith and not by sense 2 Cor. 5.7 But enough of this here onely let the Saints who are delivered out of this bondage this spirituall Babylonish confused captivity give God the Glory Use 2 A word of Exhortation to the servants of Jesus in all things to exalt and lift him up to lift him up in preaching in their hearts in their obedience to him that Christ may be all and in all to your soules that you give up your selves a holy living acceptable sacrifice to God that you who have taken his name and truth upon you exalt him as your alone Priest Prophet King in your conversations that yee may be such as become the Gospel of Christ holy humble full of love to all as much as in you lyeth do good unto all but especially to the houshold of faith that so your light shining before men they may have cause to glorifie your father which is in heaven and that gain-sayers may be convinced by your godly converstion Beloved if you seeke the lifting up of Christ above all then certainly your care will be to live a Christ-like life while you are in this world 3 And lastly a word of Consolation for poor sinners Christ is to be lifted up in the dayes of the Gospel that men by beleeving in him might have life by him what doe you say to this is there ever a soule present that wants faith and is sensible of it that wants life Christ came to give life he is lifted up now in the days of the Gospel for that very end and purpose that dead men might have life by him O is not here mercy here is a way made whereby sinners may become Saints slayes may become sons Here is a fountaine opened for sin and for uncleannesse if the Lord help your soules to wash there What say your souls to this is there ever a poore creature bit with the fiery serpēt with the sense of the evill of sin O here is a Christ lifted up for that very end and purpose that poore self-destroying sinners may come to him and live Esay 45.22 looke to me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth O here is blessed newes a blessed word for sinners if the Lord give you hearts to make use of it Christ excludes none to whome he gives a heart to receive him is it not a mercy that God hath provided an object for dead soules to looke upon and live Truly beloved it is the richest mercy in the world where God gives a heart to accept it Here is discovered the blessed condition of the poore despised Saints O they are in a saved condition those to whom Christ hath given faith O they have cause to rejoyce overmore they have cause to be filled with Joy and peace Joy unspeakable and full of glory What if they are reproached and persecuted for the name and sake of CHRIST their Saviour their Husband their All in the delight of their soules yet they are happy and they shall never perish but they shall one day be freed from all these enemies and when Christ who is their life shall appeare they shall appeare with him in glory that Christ who is lifted up high in their hearts in their souls here will lift them up one day as high as himselfe in glory above devill above men above sin and set them with himself where they shall enjoy pleasure without sorrow felowship without mixture and sing prayses and Halelujahs without end FINIS
is that he is called a Lamb slain from the beginning beloved Christ having undertaken to become a High-Priest a peace-maker between God and man nothing lesse then his bloud could doe it Heb. 9.22 Without bloud there is no remission no justification without bloud Christs dying is a Christians justification Rom. 5.9 being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved c. no purging of sin without bloud Heb. 9.14 how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Rev. 1.5 who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud c. there is no pardon and so no peace without bloud Heb. 9.22 Thus beloved you see that all must be done by bloud and that by the bloud of Christ too the bloud of all the creatures in the world nay of all the men in the world was not able to redeem to make satisfaction for one soule nay for one sin nothing lesse then the bloud of Christ could doe it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. silver and gold could not doe it the bloud of creatures could not doe it Heb. 10.5 It is not possible that the bloud of buls and goats should take away sin Object But some may say that God had never any thing against his elect he ever loved them from eternity Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ephes 1.4 he chose us in him from before the foundatien of the world Ans True God ever loved his elect and ever intended mercie and love unto them yet he so loved them as with relation to the death of his Son and from everlasting determined to satisfie his justice to take away sin and work peace by the death of his Son and the truth is that God had as really an eye to the death of his Son from all eternity and saw it as actually then as if Christ had then suffered see Ephes 1.4 He chose us in him from before the foundation of the werld in him with relation to his death to his making satisfaction for sin not that God could not have made the Saints at once and have saved them presently and never have suffered them to sin but this is the way God in his wisdome appointed to manifest his mercie on the vessels of mercie and his justice on his enemies so that now beloved God having appointed this to be the means to bring sons to glory there could never have been any remission any peace but by a dying Christ therfore he is called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 and indeed Christ was as a lamb ever slain in Gods account and he beheld all things as present and saw both the work of creation redemption and glory of his Saints from all eternitie The second part of Christs priestly office consists in his intercession at the right hand of the glory of his Father Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed year ather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Hee ever liveth to make intercession Beloved this is one part of Christs Priestly office to intercede for the Saints Note beloved Christ intercedes 1 In the Saints 2 For them 1 In them Rom. 8.26 27. The Spirit it selfe to wit of Christ Gal. 4.6 Maketh intercession for us or in us according to the will of God that is God by his Spirit helpeth us to ask things according to the will of God for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit helpeth us c. 2 He maketh intercession For us also hee ever liveth to make intercession O blessed word for the Saints hee maketh intercession for every particular Saint hee maketh intercession for his Churches for us saith the Apostle and through him it is wee have accesse with boldnesse unto the Father c. Object But some may object did not Christ make satisfaction peace and reconciliation when hee dyed upon the crosse when he sayd It is finished Ans It is true that Christ in his death and resurrection finished the work of mans justification Rom. 5.9 being justified by his bloud and he made peace and reconciliation Col. 1.20 having made peace by the bloud of his crosse but wee are not to understand by Christs interceding any new act of Christ done eyther in way of satisfaction or justification neyther are wee to understand that Christ sits in Heaven pleading with the Father in words as a counfellour pleads a cause before the judge but Christ is in Heaven with the Father at his right hand that is in glory with him presenting our persons and in presenting our persens all our services in his owne person not by any new act of doing but by the worth of his merits the excellency of his person the neer relation of the Saints to himself viz. members of his body so that now God cannot look upon the Son but he must behold the Saints in him he having so neer a relation to his Father both by his personall presence and the excellent worth of his merits whose bloud spake better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 he continually makes intercession to God for the Saints Esay 53.12 He hath poured out his soule to the death and he was numbred among the transgressors he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors here you have the whol priestly office of Christ 1 Bearing sin and so working peace 2 Making intercession by that means for transgressors Use If so that Christ Jesus is to be exalted and lifted up as the alone High-Priest in the dayes of the Gospel hence will properly arise foure words of application 1 A word of Admiration 2 A word of Information 3 A word of Exhortatiō 4 A word of Consolatiō Use First a word of Admiration O what cause have the Saints to admire God who hath manifested himselfe in his Son I say to admire him 1 His Wisdom 2 His Love and his Mercie 3 His Iustice 4 His Power all manifested in his Son to and for the good of sinners whom he maketh Saints 1 How should the Saints admire his wisdom truly beloved the wisdom of God as in other things so in this particular making peace by the bloud of his Son is very admirable the wisdom of God wonderfully appeared in the whole work of God with relation to the creation Iob 37.14 15 16. Chap. 38.4 c. and this the Saints should be acquainted with that their hearts might admire him But the redemption of the Saints is much more admirable for beloved this was Gods end in making a world that he might set forth his wisdom in the redemption of the Saints Esay 40. The Lord speaking as it seems with relation to the comming of his Son a Saviour ver 11. he shall feed his flock like a sheepherd
will have much against thee the world that is the men of the world will have much against thee for thy religion as once those against Daniel 6.10 11 12. nay thou mayst have much against thy selfe yet God hath nothing against thee he is at peace with thee Christ hath made peace for thee and secondly thou hast nothing now against God perhaps when thou wast in a naturall condition before faith came the mightiest have some hard thoughts of God like the evill servant in the Gospell Luke 19.20 21. thou thoughtest God to be a hard master time was perhaps that thou thoughtest do what thou couldest yet thou shouldest be damned but now thou seest that God hath given Christ to do all for thee to bear all thy sins to performe all righteousnesse to make true and perfect peace thou canst say or at least mayst say it God hath given al faith as the Apostle Ephes 2.14 He is my peace O blessed word what comfort may this afford your souls I speak to you believers it is your portion what ever men may do unto thee yet God is thy friend hee is at peace with thee what ever man or Devill hath against thee there is nothing in heaven against thee a high priviledge for poore christians that can look upon Christ as their peace The second spring that flows forth from hence is joy and consolation peace is a fruit of justification joy a fruit of peace and all flows from Christ our High-priest the fountain received by faith here lyes the ground of a Christians joy Peace with God Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with joy and peace through believing through believing of what that our peace is made with God through Christ This is the alone ground of joy I mean in the first place it is true that when once a soul attains to this he then shall have cause to rejoyce in every good thing of God wherein God is honoured or the Saints benefited as Acts 15.3 But this is the first fundamentall ground of joy Rom. 5.11 And not only so but wee also joy in God through our Lord Jesus by whom wee have now received the attonement when once your souls come to receive the attonement the peace that is Christ who is our peace then your souls will rejoyce indeed with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 What do your souls say to this now is your peace made with God and cannot yee rejoyce Is God become thy friend thy true friend thine everlasting friend and can ye not rejoce Mee thinks your hearts should leap for joy What if thou hast corruption stirring in thee What if thou art persecuted for the name and sake of Christ yet rejoyce See Luke 6.22.23 Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out you name as evill for the Son of mans sake rejoyce in that day and leap for joy and this the Apostle Paul doth 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Most gladly therefore will I glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake Mee thinks your soules should rejoyce in the Lord always as Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce that soule that hath fled to the Lord Jesus who is the alone hope set before us may have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 The third ground of consolation is that the Saints are made Priests to the Lord and so can now through Christ have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace every believer is made a Priest in Christ and note this by the way that those that dare attribute that name to themselves by way of office it is no lesse then blasphemy against the Lord Jesus but every believer is made a spirituall Priest to the Lord and so the Church a holy Priesthood to offer up acceptable Sacrifice to God by Jesus Christ not propitiatory sacrifice that belonged to Christ alone but yet acceptable sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 Yee also as living stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Beloved here is your priviledge let it be your comfort that now you are made a holy priesthood unto God you may come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace through that new and living stay which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Beloved is not this a mercie that God should make way for sinners to come unto his presence and to have accesse unto him Ephes 2.18 Chap. 3.12 and that with confidence of acceptance Now thou maist goe to thy Father and make all thy wants known unto him and lay open all thy wrongs before him as those Act. 4. from the 24. to the 30 verse The fourth ground of cōsideration that flows from Christ thy High-Priest it is that assurance of in joying everlasting peace joy and glory with himselfe in another world after the resurrection of the just there shall be a fredome from sin and a freedome from sorrow a time will come when there shall be a deliverance from those miseries that the best of the Saints are now incident unto Note beloved you shall be freed from sin O thou hast a body of sin now and thou couldest be contented to part with any thing to be rid of sin why thou shalt be rid of it one day and thy vile body shall be changed and made like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 1 John 3.2 Then thou shalt be rid of the Devill and wicked men there shall be no Devill to torment thee the accuser of the Brethren shall be cast down there shall be no wicked men to persecute thee here will be a glorious deliverance for the Saints when there shall be no bad thing to them no bad person amongst them hence it is that there shall be no more death nor crying nor sorrow for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 and they shall not onely be freed of those former things but they shall possesse the same glory with Christ Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory and Rom. 8.17 If so be that we suffer together with him that we may be glorified together and this glory is conferred on the Saints by Christ Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Note here 1 They were given to Christ to the end that hee might redeeme them and save them John 6.39 And secondly those whom Christ hath redeemed he will not leave them till hee bring them into his presence to behold and to be made partakers of his glory THE EXALTATION OF
through believing The second is in expecting that from those who indeed falsly have appropriated that title of Priest to themselves which they are to expect from Christ as namely Teaching O how have those men been and still are to this day set up as Christ amongst many people making their words their rule as if it were not possible such learned men might erre and I conceive it arises partly from the misunderderstanding of that Scripture Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Now this usually is applyed to the Ministers who have given themselves the title of Priests and that the people should seeke the law at their mouthes and indeed they themselves have done what in them lyes not only to bring people into this errour this ignorance but to keep them in it whereas Christ is indeed the alone Priest the substance of the lews type And the people are to seek the Law at his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of hoasts he is called the messenger of the covenant Mal. 3.1 the alone Prophet and Teacher of his people Object But Christ hath appointed Ministers to teach his people are not the people to seek the Law at their mouthes Answ 1. Not by vertue of that Scripture for Christ is the alone Priest and there is none in that office beside him though it is true all the Saints are Priests and the Church a holy Priesthood 2 Wee are to receive nothing from any man as truth but what hee brings from Christ and therefore our duty is to try all things and hold fast that which is good We are men subject to errour and it is our duty to try the truth of what is delivered and not receive any thing because another sayth it but see whether the Lord hath said it therefore the Apostle sayth Gal. 1.8 If I or an Angell from Heaven teach you any other dectrine then that you have received hold him accused And the Noble Bereans were commended for searching the Scriptures to try if those things preached were truth Acts 17.11 If the Bereuns try the truth of Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures who spake by divine inspiration from Christ much more should you search and try the truth of things delivered and not build your faith upon any others word but the word of Christ your High-Priest who keepeth knowledge for you and hath promised to teach you Esay 54.13 The fifth and last ground of mens I meane still those that have some knowledge of God comming short of answering the rules of the Gospel is their ignorance in not understanding the difference between covenant and covenant God owned the lews as they were a body a Church under a covenant of works but the church of the Gospel under a covenant of grace It is true the covenant God made with Abraham Gen. 17. from the first verse no the fifth is a covenant of grace and by vertue of that covenant he promised to be 2 God to Abrahams naturall seed but he never owned Abrahams naturall seed in a covenant of grace if so then they must all of them have been saved for the covenant of grace is sure to those that were under it see Esay 55.3 it is called An everlasting covenant even the sure mercies of David Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but will put my feare in them and they shall not depart from me But God never made such a covenant with Abrahams naturall seed nay the truth is that God never intended such a thing neither to Abraham nor any man in the world to make a covenant of grace with their naturall seed for God himselfe sayth of the Iews the seed of Abraham Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved Esay 10.22 23. with Rom. 9.27 now the covenant under which God owns his church under the Gospel is an everlasting covenant Heb. 8.10 11 12. when God promiseth this covenant in Ier. 31.3 32. Behold that day is come sayth the Lord That I well make a new covenant not according to the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt which covenant they brake c. This covenant of works it was under which God owns the children of Israel as a church to which circumcision hath a relation therefore called a covenant Gen. 17.10 binding to to this covenant the Law Gal. 5.3 Rom. 2.25 Now there are two evils that usually flow from this misunderstanding of the covenant The first is this that seeing the covenants are one and the same under which God owned the church of the Iews under the Law and now owns the church 〈◊〉 Gentiles under the Gospel which 〈◊〉 is not so the conclusion is drawn that we must lay the foundation of Gospel churches and Gospel Ordinances in the Law and hence it is that men are so hardly drawn off from their legall principles we must have nationall Churches we must have infants baptized the ground ariseth from the Law because the Iews were a nation all church and their males were baptized O grosse legality Is not this to deny Christ to be come in the flesh 1 Iohn 4.3 Truly if it be not I confesse I am yet ignorant of what God intends in that Scripture O how hard it is to bring learned wise men to lay the foundation of their practice in the Gospel It is almost impossible nay I had almost sayd altogether impossible if God doe not mightily work to perswade them that Christ Jesus as a Son over his own house is faithfull in all things giving exact rules in every particular for the well ordering and governing of his house that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 and for the administration of every ordinance although Moses himselfe hath sayd Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy brethren like unto me him shall yee hear If the Lord 〈◊〉 you once to see that yee are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6.14 Then you will be contented to receive your rules from the hands of grace the Lord Jesus Christ A second evill that flows from hence is this many a poore soul for want of a cleer apprehending of the differēce between the covenān the one of works the other of grace are held under much slavish feare and legall bondage the poore creature lookes upon the law the covenant from Mount Sinay Exod. 19. 20. chapters Where is nothing but feare and dread and hence it is that no longer then the creature can worke can it have comfort and the reason is because it hath been ever set upon working out salvation not remembring that blessed word of truth Heb. 12.18
to 23. For ye are not come to the mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest c. ver 23. but unto mount Sion c. Believers are not come to mount Sinay to burnings blacknesse and darknesse they are not called to a covenant wherein is the administration of condemnation that is done away to believers 2 Cor. 3.7 11. But they are come in deed to mount Sion to the city of the living God to the covenant of Grace where is mercy and pardon in its administration Heb. 8.12 To the bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel where is nothing but cause of joy and gladnesse joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 All which many a poore soule is deprived of for want of a right understanding between the covenants of Law and Gospel Thus have I plainly though very briefly endevoured to lay open the grounds or true causes why many men and women though otherwise godly yet come short of walking up with God according to Scripture rules I must leave it to the great Prophet Christ to reach your souls The second sort of people that comes here to be reproved are those that pretend to be for Scripture yet indeed doe make the prescriptions of men their rule that resolve what ever the Magistrate requires or commands they will do a very sad thing and as much to be lamented that ever men that would be counted Christians should set up man in the room of God see what a dreadfull curse is pronounced upon such Jer. 17.5 6. Thus sayth the Lord note it is the word of God cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme whose heart departeth from the Lord What is the curse ver 7. He shall be like the hearth in the desart he shall not see good when it commeth he shall inhabit the parched places in the wildernesse Note The curse consists in two particulars 1 He shall be barren like the hearth in the desarts dry empty poore nothing of God in him O this is it that is the cause men grow so barren dry empty because they rest upon man they durst not entertain thoughts of going farther then they conceive the Magistrate intends ministers admire why so many gracious people leave them they see they are grown barren through their dependencie upon men the curse of God is come upon them they are like the barren hearth in the wildernesse Professours wonder why they are left of their companions many of them why they are barren empty they cannot profit by them and all because they trust upon men they dare not entertain thoughts of submitting to Scripture farther then the Magistrate goes along with them and therefore it is that they leave them A second curse is They shall not see when good commeth this is the reason why so many choice lerned men see not that good which is comming that truth that grace that glory that God le ts shine through the Gospel into the soules of many of his people but they oppose it and persecute it the curse of God being upon them blinding them because they trust upon man and make flesh their arme and their strong confidence and had rather deny truth then suffer affliction with the people of God but blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope is the Lord ver 7. He shall be fruitfull as a tree planted by the rivers of water c. O take heed of receiving or at least of resolving to receive rules from man in matter of worship without an exact tryall of it by the word of God If ever men should again as I trust it shall not be but I say if it should be so that men should as those Mat. 15.9 teach for doctrines the traditions of men yet that you would not receive those traditions for your Scripture for in so doing you can doe no lesse then incur that curse of being made like unto a barren hearth in the wildernesse c. The third thing propounded concerning Christ as he is a Prophet is the manner how he teacheth his people now he is in heaven and that is 1 Ministerially 2 Spiritually 3 Powerfully 1 Ministerially by his Ministers yet ever according to the rule viz the Scriptures thus Christ when he ascended to heaven sent forth his Disciples Mat. 28.19 20. and promised to be with them to the end of the world and you shall ever finde Christ teaching by this means Act. 2. Peter preaches the Jews are converted Chap. 5. and so the 8.12 Philip preaches the things concerning Jesus and they believed and in the churches Christ hath appointed Ministers with their gifts sed Ephes 4.11 and all for the edifying of the body of Christ so that this is the first means by which he teaches Rom. 10.14 17. How then shall they call on him on whom they have believed How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard How shall they learn without a Preacher ver 17. Faith commeth by hearing c. 1 Cor. 5.19 He hath put in us the word of reconciliation 2 Christ teacheth Spiritually The Word and the Spirit goe both together the word is but a dead letter in it selfe farther then the Spirit goes along with it therefore Joh. 6.36 It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak are Spirit and life but if the spirit goes with the word then the word proves Spirit and life the Spirit worketh freely in the preaching of the Gospel the word is but an instrument in the hand of the Spirit by which it works see Iohn 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is borne of the Spirit so it is the Spirit that worketh in the word and by the word 3 He teacheth powerfully where Christ comes he teacheth powerfully therefore the Gospel is called The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes 1 Thes 1.3 For our Gospel came not to you in word onely but in power and in much assurance c. So that the Gospel it is the power of God you see that it is that wherein Christ manifests his power in teaching poor ignorant unknowing creatures therefore it is said Mat. 7.29 that He taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes that is his Word had a commanding power and authority over their spirits beloved if Christ once comes to teach your spirits he will come with power with authority he will make a separation between thy soul and thy sins he will pluck thee off from thy base lusts and cursed practises as once he did Saul Christ came with power and great authority upon him and took him off from his persecution and makes him a preacher of that truth which before he