whose Ruines they were buried The Gates of Hell in them prevailed not against the Rock on which the Church is built But as it was said of Caesar Solus accessie sobrius ad perdendam Rempublicam He alone went soberly about the Destruction of the Commonwealth So we now have great Numbers who oppose the Person and Glory of Christ under a pretence of Sobriety of Reason as they vainly plead Yea the disbelief of the Mysteries of the Trinity and the Incarnation of the Son of God the sole Foundation of Christian Religion is so diffused in the World as that it hath almost devoured the power and vitals of it And not a few who dare not yet express their minds do give broad intimations of their intentions and good will towards him in making them the Object of their scorn and reproach who desire to know nothing but him and him Crucified GOD in his appointed time will effectually Vindicate his Honour and Glory from the vain attempts of Men of corrupt minds against them IN the mean time it is the Duty of all those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity to give Testimony in a peculiar manner unto this Divine Person and Glory according unto their several Capacities because of the Opposition that is made against them I HAVE thought my self on many accounts obliged to cast my Mite into this Treasury And I have chosen so to do not in a way of controversie which formerly I have engaged in but so aâ— together with the vindicaâ—ion of the Truth to promote the strengthning of the Faith of true Believers their Edification in the Knowâ—edge of it and to express the Experience which they have or may have of the Power and Reality of thâ—se â—hings THAT which at present I design to Demonstrate is That the Beholding of the Glory of Christ is one of the greatâ—st Priviledges and Advancements that Believers are capable â—f in this World or that which is to come It is that whereby they are first gradually conformed unto it and then fixed in the Eternal enjoyment of it For here in this life beholding his Glory they are changed or transformed into the likeness of it 2 Cor. 3. 18. and hereafter they shall be for ever like unto him because they shall see him as he is I Joh. 3. 1 2. Hereon do our present Comforts and future Blessedness depend This is the Life and Reward of our Souls He that hath seen him hath seen the Father also Joh. 14. 9. For we discern the Light of the Knowledge of God only in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. THERE are therefore two ways or degrees of beholding the Glory of Christ which are constantly distinguished in the Scripture The one is by Faith in this World which is the Evidence of things not seen The other is by Sight or immediate vision in Eternity 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight We do so whilst we are in this World whilst we are present in the Body and absent from the Lord ver 8. But we shall live and walk by Sight hereafter And it is the Lord Christ and his Glory which are immediate objects both of this Faith and Sight For we here behold him darkly in a Glass that is by Faith but we shall see him face to face by immediate vision 〈◊〉 we know him in part but then we shall know him as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. What is the difference between these two ways of beholding the Glory of Christ shall be afterwards declared IT is the first way namely by Vision in the Light of Glory that is principally included in that prayer of our Blessed Saviour that his Disciples may be where he is to behold his Glory But I shall not confine my enquiry thereunto nor doth our Lord Jesus exclude from his desire that Sight of his Glory which we have by faith in this World but prays for the Perfection of it in Heaven It is therefore the first way that in the first place I shall insist upon and that for the Reasons ensuing 1. NO Man shall ever behold the Glory of Christ by Sight hereafter who doth not in some measure behold it by Faith here in this World Grace is a necessary preparation for Glory and Faith for Sight Where the Subject the Soul is not previously seasoned with Grace and Faith it is not capable of Glory or Vision Nay persons not disposed hereby unto it cannot desire it whatever they pretend they only deceive their own Souls in supposing that so they do Most Men will say with confidence living and dying that they desire to be with Christ and to behold his Glory But they can give no Reason why they should desire any such thing only they think it somewhat that is better than to be in that evil condition which otherwise they must be cast into for ever when they can be here no more If a Man pretend himself to be enamoured on or greatly to desire what he never saw nor was ever represented unto him he doth but dote on his own Imaginations And the pretended desires of many to behold the Glory of Christ in Heaven who have no view of it by Faith whilst they are here in this World are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations SO do the Papists delude themselves Their Carnal Affections are excited by their outward Senses to delight in Images of Christ in his Sufferings his Resurrection and Glory above Hereon they satisfie themselves that they behold the Glory of Christ himself and that with Love and great Delight But whereas there is not the least true Representation made of the Lord Christ or his Glory in these things that being confined absolutely unto the Gospel alone and this way of attempting it being laid under a severe interdict they do but sport themselves with their own deceivings THE Apostle tells us concerning himself and other Believers when the Lord Christ was present and conversed with them in the Days of his Flesh that they saw his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1. 14. And we may enquire what was this Glory of Christ which they so saw and by what means they obtained a prospect of it For 1. It was not the Glory of his outward condition as we behold the Glory and Grandeur of the Kings and Potentates of the Earth For he made himself of no Reputation but being in the Form of a Servant he walked in the Condition of a Man of low Degree The Secular Grandeur of his pretendedVicar makes no Representation of that Glory of his which his Disciples saw He kept no Court nor House of Entertainment nor though he made all things had of his own where to lay his Head Nor 2. Was it with respect to the outward Form of the Flesh which he was made wherein he took our Nature on him as we see the Glory of a comely or beautiful Person For
and Divine Ways of its manifestation those who know not Christ know nothing of them and many things in Providence do interpose to hinder our view of this Love for although that indeed God is Love yet his wrath is revealed from Heaven against the ungodliness of Men As all things at this day are filled with Evidences of his anger and displeasure How then shall we know wherein shall we behold the Glory of God in this that he is Love The Apostle declares it in the next words ver 9. Herein was manifest the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him This is the only Evidence given us that God is Love Hereby alone is the Divine Nature as such made known unto us namely in the Mission Person and Office of the Son of God Without this all is in Darkness as unto the true Nature and supream Operation of this Divine Love HEREIN do we behold the Glory of Christ himself even in this life This Glory was given him of the Father Namely That he now should declare and evidence that God is Love and he did so that in all things he might have the Preheminence Herein we may see how Excellent how Beautiful how Glorious and Desirable he is seeing in him alone we have a due Representation of God as he is Love which is the most joyful Sight of God that any Creature can obtain He who beholds not the Glory of Christ herein is utterly ignorant of those Heavenly Mysteries he knoweth neither God nor Christ he hath neither the Father nor the Son He knows not God because he knows not the holy Properties of his Nature in the Principal way designed by infinite Wisdom for their Manifestation he knows not Christ because he sees not the Glory of God in him Wherefore whatever Notions Men may have from the Light of Nature or from the Works of Providence that there is Love in God however they may adorn them in elegant affecting Expressions Yet from them no Man can know that God is Love In the Revelation hereof Christ hath the Preeminence nor caâ— any Man comprehend any thing of it aright but in him It is that which the whole Light of the Creation cannot discover for it is the Spring and Center of the Mystery of Godliness THESE things are of the deep things of God such as belong unto that Wisdom of God in a Mystery which they that are Carnal cannot receive as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the meanest Believer who lives in the Exercise of Faith may have an Understanding of them so far as is needful unto his Love and Obedience The Sum of the whole is this if you would behold the Glory of Christ as the great Means of your Sanctification and Consolation as the only Preparation for the beholding of his Glory in Eternal Blessedness Consider what of God is made known and represented unto you in him wherein God purposed and designed to glorifie himself in him Now this is all that may be known of God in a saving manner especially his Wisdom his Love his Goodness Grace and Mercy whereon the Life of our Souls doth depend And the Lord Christ being appointed the only Way and Means hereof how exceeding glorious must he be in the Eyes of them that do believe THESE things being promised I shall close this first Consideration of that Glory of Christ which we behold by Faith in this World with some such Observations as may excite us unto the Practise of this great Duty and Improvement of this great Priviledge the greatest which on this side Heaven we can be made Partakers of THERE are some who regard not these things at all but rather despise them They never entertain any serious thoughts of obtaining a View of the Glory of God in Christ which is to be Unbelievers They look on him as a Teacher that came forth from God to reveal his Will and to teach us his Worship and so indeed he was But this they say was the sole use of his Person in Religion which is Mahumetism The Manifestation of all the holy Properties of the Divine Nature with the Representation of them unto Angels above and the Church in this World as he is the Image of the incisible God in the Constitution of his Person and the Discharge of his Office are things they regard not yea they despise and scorn what is professed concerning them for Pride and Contempt of others were always the safest Covert of Ignorance otherwise it would seem strange that Men should openly boast of their own Blindness But these Conceptions of Mens Minds are influenced by that Unbelief of his Divine Person which maketh havock of Christianity at this Day in the World I speak of them whose minds are better disposed towards heavenly things and unto them I say Wherefore do you love Jesus Christ for so you profess to do Wherefore do you trust in him Wherefore do you honour him Wherefore do you desire to be in Heaven with him Can you give a reason of this hope that is in you An account why you do all or any of these things If you cannot all that you pretend towards him is but fancy and imagination you fight uncertainly as men beating the air or is one of your reasons hereof That in him you do by Faith behold that glory of God with the Holy Properties of his Nature and their Principal Operations in order unto your own Salvation and Blessedness which otherwise would have been eternally hid from you Hereon is he precious unto them that do believe LET us therefore as many as are spiritual be thus minded Let us make use of this Priviledge with rejoycing and be found in the discharge of this Duty with diligence For thus to behold the glory of Christ is both our priviledge and our duty The duties of the Law were a burthen and a yoke but those of the Gospel are Priviledges and Advantages IT is a Promise concerning the days of the New Testament that our eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isa. 33 17. We shall behold the Glory of Christ in its Lustre and Excellency What is this Beauty of the King of Saints Is it not that God is in him and he is the great representative of his Glory unto us Wherefore in the contemplation of this Glory consists the principal exercise of Faith And who can declare the Glory of this Priviledge That we who are born in Darkness and deserved to be cast out into utter Darkness should be translated into this marvellous Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. WHAT are all the stained Glories the fading Beauties of this World Of all that the Devil shewed our Saviour from the Mount What are they in comparison of one View of the Glory of God represented in Christ and of the Glory of Christ as his great Representative
way or manner of its accomplishment But now when every word of it is explained declared and its Mystical Sence visibly laid open unto us in the Gospel and by the accomplishment exactly answering every expression in it it is Judicial Blindness not to receive it Nothing but the Satanical Pride of the hearts of men which will admit of no effects of Infinite Wisdom but what they suppose they can comprehend can shut their eyes against the Light of this Truth 6. PROMISES Prophesies Praedictions concerning his Person his coming his Office his Kingdom and his Glory in them all with the Wisdom Grace and Love of God to the Church in him are the Line of Life as was said which runs through all the Writings of the Old Testament and take up a great portion of them Those were the things which he expounded unto his Disciples out of Moses and all the Prophets Concerning these things he appealed to the Scriptures against all his adversaries Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of me And if we find them not if we discern them not therein it is because a vail of Blindness is over our minds Nor can we read study or meditate on the Writings of the Old Testament unto any Advantage unless we design to find out and behold the Glory of Christ declared and represented in them For want hereof they are a sealed book to many unto this day 7. IT is usual in the Old Testament to set out the Glory of Christ under Metaphorical Expressions yea it aboundeth therein For such Allusions are exceedingly suited to let in a sense into our minds of those things which we cannot distinctly comprehend And there is an Infinite Condescention of Divine Wisdom in their way of Instruction Representing unto us the Power of Things Spiritual in what we naturally discern Instances of this kind in calling the Lord Christ by the Names of those Creatures which unto our senses represent that Excellency which is spiritually in him are innumerable So he is called the Rose for the sweet savour of his Love Grace and Obedience the Lilly for his gracious Beauty and Amiableness the Pearl of Price for his worth for to them that believe he is precious the Vine for his fruitfulness the Lion for his Power The Lamb for his Meekness and Fitness for Sacrifice with other things of the like kind almost innumerable THESE Things have I mentioned not with any design to search into the depth of this Treasury of those Divine Truths concerning the Glory of Christ but only to give a little Light unto the words of the Evangelist that he opened unto his disciples out of Moses and all the Prophets the things which concerned himself and to stir up our own souls unto a contemplation of them as contained therein CHAP. IX The Glory of Christ in his intimate Conjunction with the Church VVHAT concerns the Glory of Christ in the Mission of the Holy Ghost unto the Church with all the Divine truths that are branched from it I have at large declared in my Discourse concerning the whole dispensation of the Holy Spirit Here therefore it must have no place amongst those many other things which offer themselves unto our contemplation as part of this Glory or intimately belonging thereunto I shall insist briefly on Three only which cannot be reduced directly unto the former heads AND the first of these is That intimate Conjunction that is between Christ and the Church whence it is just and equal in the sight of God according unto the Rules of his Eternal Righteousness that what he did and suffered in the Discharge of his Office should be esteemed reckoned and imputed unto us as unto all the fruits and benefits of it as if we had done and suffered the same things our selves For this conjunction of his with us was an act of his own Mind and Will wherein he is ineffably glorious THE Enemies of the glory of Christ and of his Cross do take this for granted That there ought to be such a conjunction between the guilty person and him that suffers for him as that in him the guilty person may be said in some sense to undergo the punishment himself But then they affirm on the other hand That there was no such conjunction between Christ and sinners none at all but that he was a man as they were men and otherwise that he was at the greatest distance from them all as it is possible for one man to be from another Socin de Servat lib. 3. cap. 3. The falseness of this latter Assertion and the gross ignorance of the Scripture under a pretence of subtilty in them that make it will evidently appear in our ensuing Discourse THE Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 2. 24. That in his own self he bare our sins in his own body on the tree and chap. 3. 18. That he suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God But this seems somewhat strange unto Reason where is the Justice where is the Equity that the just should suffer for the unjust Where is Divine Righteousness herein For it was an act of God The Lord hath laid on him the iniquites of us all Isa. 53. 6. The Equity hereof with the grounds of it must be here a little enquired into FIRST of all it is certain that all the Elect the whole Church of God fell in Adam under the curse due to the transgression of the Law It is so also that in this curse Death both Temporal and Eternal was contained This curse none could undergo and be saved Nor was it consistent with the Righteousness or Holiness or Truth of God that sin should go unpunished Wherefore there was a necessity upon a supposition of Gods Decree to save his Church of a Translation of punishment namely from them who had deserved it and could not bear it unto one who had not deserved it but could bear it A SUPPOSITION of this Translation of punishment by Divine dispensation is the foundation of Christian Religion yea of all supernatural Revelation contained in the Scripture This was first intimated in the first promise and afterwards explained and confirmed in all the institutions of the Old Testament For although in the Sacrifices of the Law there was a revival of the greatest and most fundamental principal of the Law of Nature namely That God is to be worshipped with our best yet the principal end and use of them was to represent this translation of punishment from the offender unto another who was to be a Sacrifice in his stead THE reasons of the equity hereof and the unspeakable glory of Christ herein is what we now enquire into And I shall reduce what ought to be spoken hereunto to the ensuing Heads 1. IT is not contrary unto the nature of Divine Justice it doth not interfere with the principles of natural light in man that in sundry cases some persons should suffer punishment for the fine
of slumber seems to be poured on many 2. TO improve this Conviction I would ask of some whether they have been able to maintain Spiritual Peace and Joy in their Souls I take it for granted that ordinarily they are inseparable Adjuncts of the Life of Faith in an humble fruitful Walk before God The Scripture testifieth that they are so and no Experience lyes against it in ordinary Cases And I suppose that those unto whom I speak do in some measure know what they are and do not delude themselves with Fancies and Imaginations they have substance in them however by some derided and to some unknown Have this Peace and Joy been maintained and born sway in your Minds Have they under all Tryals and Surprizals been quickly composed by them Or are you not rather on all Occasions uneasie and perplexed This is certain that a decaying Spiritual State and solid Spiritual Peace are inconsistent And if ever you had such Peace you may by the loss of it know into what state you are come 3. NOT to enquire further into things internal and hidden wherein Men may justifie themselves if they please there are too many open visible Evidences of these Decays among Professors of Religion they have not kept them from he Eyes of the Church nor yet from the World Do not Pride Selfishness Worldliness Levity of Attire and Vanity of Life with corrupt unsavoury Communication abound among many The World was never in a worse posture for Conformity than it is at this day wherein all Flesh hath corrupted it's ways and yet as unto things of outward appearance how little dinstinction is left between it and those who would be steemed more strict Professors of Religion was this the way and manner of the Saints of old of those that went before us in the same Profession Was it so with our selves in the time of our first Espousals when we went after God in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown as Jerem. 2. 2 Some understand what I say If we have not some of us had better days we never had good days in our Lives if we have had them why do we not stir up our selves to look after a Recovery 4. MAY not God say of many of us what he said of his People of old Thou hast been weary of me O Israel Isa. 43. 22. Have we not been weary of God untill we have abundant cause to be weary of our selves The most I presume will be ready with them in Malachi to say How or wherein have we been weary of God Do we not abide yea abound in the Duties of his Service What can be more required of us wherein are we to blame This were something indeed but that it is often so that Men are weary of Cod when they even weary God with their Duties and Services Isa. 1. 13 14. God says in his Word He is weary They say in their Hearts they are weary Mal. 1. 13. But I answer MANY cannot with any modesty make use of this pretence Their Sloth Indifferency and Negligence in the Observance of the Duties of Divine Worship both in private and publick is notorious In particular is not the Duty of Family Prayer neglected by many at least as to it's constancy and fervency And although it be grounded in the Light of Nature confirmed by the general Rules of the Scripture requisite unto the Dedication of a Family unto God strengthened by the constant Example of all the Saints of old and necessary in the Experience of all that walk with God yet do not many begin to seek out pleas and arguings to justifie their Omission hereof Are not all things filled with the fruits of the negligence of such Professors in the Instruction of their Children and Servants And hath not God given severe Rebukes unto many of us in their fearful miscarriages And as unto the publick Worship of God I wish that Sloth and Indifferency did not appear upon too many under various pretences But 2. THIS is not that which I do intend Men may be weary of God whilst they abide in the observance of a multitude of outward Duties 1. THEY may be so with respect unto that Spirituality and Intention of mind unto the Exercise of all Grace which are required unto such Duties These are the Life the Soul the animating Principle of them without which their outward performance is but a dead Carkass Men may draw nigh to God with their Lips when their Hearts are far from him This is that which becomes God in his Worship and is useful to our own Souls for God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth which he is not but in the Exercise of the Graces of his Spirit in the Worshippers For bodily exercise profiteth little but Godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. TO keep up the Mind unto this frame to stir up all Grace unto a constant vigorous Exercise in all Holy Duties is a matter whereunto great Spiritual Diligence and Watchfulness is required Watch unto Prayer A thousand pretences rise against it all the Arts of Sloth Formality weariness of the Flesh and the business of Life do contend to frustrate the design of it And the suitableness of resting in the work done unto the Principles of a Natural Conscience gives efficacy to them all And when Men come to satisfie themselves herein it may be it were better that for a time such Duties were wholly omitted for in that case Conscience it self will urgently call on Men not hardened in Sin to a consideration of their Condition wherefore much Spiritual Labour and Diligence is required in this matter The outward performance of Religious Duties be they never so many or however strictly enjoyned as the daily and nightly Canonical hours amongst the Popish Devotionists is an easie task much inferiour unto the constant labour which some Men use in their Trades and Callings And in them in the performance of them either publick or in their Families men may be weary of God And according as they are remiss in the constant keeping up of Spirituality and the Exercise of Grace in sacred Duties so is the Degree of their Weariness And there is almost nothing whereby Men may take a safer Measure of their Decays or Growth than by the usual frame of their Minds in these Duties If they do constantly in them stir up themselves to take hold of God as Isa. 64. 7. it is an evidence of a good Temper of Spiritual Health in the Soul But this will not be done without the utmost Watchfulness and Care against Impressions from the Flesh and other Temptations But Sloth and Formality herein is a sign of a thriftless State in the inner man And all Inventions of such Formality are disserviceable unto the Interest Grace 2. SO is it with them also who attending unto the outward Duties of Religion do yet indulge themselves in any known Sin for there
it's Exercise for it first respects him and then other things for him when the Mind is fixed on him and his Glory every Grace will be in a Readiness for it's due Exercise And without this we shall never attain it by any Resolutions or Endeavours of our own let us make the Tryal when we please 3. THIS will assuredly put us on a vigilant watch and constant conflict against all the deceitful workings of Sin against all the Entrances of Temptation against all the ways and means of Surprizals into foolish frames by vain Imaginations which are the causes of our Decays Our Recovery or Revival will not be effected nor a fresh Spring of Grace be obtained in a careless slothful Course of Profession Constant watching fighting contending against Sin with our utmost endeavour for an absolute Conquest over it are required hereunto And nothing will so much excite and encourage our Souls hereunto as a constant view of Christ and his Glory every thing in him hath a constraining Power hereunto as is known to all who have any Acquaintance with these things FINIS Books Sold by William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street Books written by the late Dr. John Owen In Folio 1. His Exposition on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews with Exercitations concerning the Messiah Wherein the Promises concerning him to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind are explained and vindicated His Coming and Accomplishment of his Work according to the Promises is proved and Confirmed The Person or who he is declared The whole Oeconomy of the Mosaical Law Rites Worship and Sacrifices is explained And in all the Doctrine of the Person Office and Work of the Messiah is opened The Nature and demerit of the first Sin is unfolded The Opinions and Traditions of the Ancient and Modern Jews are examined Their Objectious against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are Answered The time of the Coming of the Messiah is stated And the great fundamental Truths of the Gospel vindicated In four Volumes Folio 2. A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit Wherein an Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches The Nature also and Necessity of Gospel Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared Fol. 3. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance explained and confirmed Or the certain Permanency of their 1. Acceptation with God and 2. Sanctification from God manifested and proved from 1. The Eternal Principles 2. The Effectual Causes And 3. The External Means thereof c. Fol. Books in Quarto written by the same Author 1. THe True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government Wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled I. The Subject Matter of the Church II. The formal Cause of a particular Church III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in general IV. The Officers of the Church V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders VIII The nature of Church Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders IX Of Deacons X. Of Excommucation XI Of the Communion of Churches Price Bound 3. s. 2. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ explained confirmed and vindicated 3. An Enquiry into the Original Nature Institution Power Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches With an Answer to the Dscourse of the Vnreasonableness of Separation written by Dr. Edward Stillingfleet And in the Defence of the Vindication of Nonconformists from the Guilt of Schism 4. The Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded declared and practically Improved 5. A Discourse of Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost each Person distinctly In Love Grace and Consolation Or the Saints fellowship with the Father Son and Holy Ghost unfolded 6. Vindiciae Evangelicae Or The Mystery of the Gospel vindicated and Socinianism examined in the Consideration and Confutation of a Catechism called A Scripture Catechism written by J. Biddle M. A. And the Catechism of Valentinus Smalcius commonly called the Racovian Catechism 7. A Display of Arminianism Being a Discovery of the Old Pelagian Idol Free-will with the New Goddess Contingency advancing themselves into the Throne of the God of Heaven to the prejudice of his Grace Providence and Supreme Dominion over the Children of Men. Wherein the main Errors of the Arminians are laid open by which they are fallen off from the received Doctrine of all the Reformed Churches with their Opposition in divers particulars to the Doctrine established in the Church of England Discovered out of their own Writings and Confessions and confuted by the Word of God 8. The Death of Death in the Death of of Christ. A Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation that is in the Blood of Christ with the Merit thereof and the Satisfaction wrought thereby Wherein the proper End of the Death of Christ is asserted the immediate Effects and Fruits thereof assigned with their Extent in respect of it's Object and the whole Controversie about Vniversal Redemption fully discussed In four Parts 9. A Declaration of the Glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ God and Man With the Infinite Wisdom Love and Power of God in the Contrivance and Constitution thereof As also the Grounds and Reasons of his Incarnation the Nature of his Ministry in Heaven the Present State of the Church above thereon and the Use of his Person in Religion With an Account and Vindication of the Honour Worship Faith Love and Obedience due unto him in and from the Church Books in Octavo written by the same Author 1. THe Nature of Apostasie from the Profession of the Gospel and the Punishment of Apostates declared in an Exposition of Heb. 6. 4 5 6. With an Enquiry into the Causes and Reasons of the Decay of the Power of Religion in the World or the present general Defection from the Truth Holiness and Worship of the Gospel Also of the Proneness of Churches and Persons of all sorts unto Apostasie With Remedies and Means of Prevention 2. Exercitations concerning the Name Original Nature Use and Continuance of a Day of Sacred Rest. Wherein the Original of the Sabbath from the Foundation of the World the Morality of the Fourth Commandment with the Change of the Seventh Day are enquired into Together with an Assertion of the Divine Institution of the Lord's Day and Practical Directions for it's due Observation 3. The Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers Together with the ways of it's working and Means of Prevention Opened evinced and applyed with a Resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto appertaining 4. An Answer to a Book entituled Fiat Lux. 5. A Vindication of the
Animadversions on Fiat Lux. Wherein the Principles of the Roman Church as to Moderation Unity and Truth are examined And sundry Important Controversies concerning the Rule of Faith Papal Supremacy the Mass Images c. discussed 6. A Vindication of some Passages in a Discourse concerning Communion with God from the Exceptions of William Sherlock Rector of St. George Botolph-lane 7. A Discourse concerning Evangelical Love Church-Peace and Vnity With the Occasions and Reasons of present Differences and Divisions about things Sacred and Religious Written in the Vindication of the Principles and Practice of some Ministers and others 8. A brief Declaration and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity As also of the Person and Satisfaction of Christ. Accommodated to the Capacity and Use of such as may be in danger to be seduced and the establishment of the Truth 9. A Discourse of the Mortification of Sin in Believers 1. The Necessity 2. The Nature and 3. 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An Answer to Doctor Parker 16. An humble Testimony unto the Goodness and Severity of God in his dealing with sinful Churches and Nations Or the only way to deliver a sinful Nation from utter Ruine by Impendent Judgments Price bound 1 s. 17. A Discourse of Temptation the Nature and Power of it the Danger of entring into it and the Means of Preventing that Danger With a Resolution of sundry Cases there to belonging Price bound 1 s. 18. The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ unfolded Wherein those Principles of Religion are explained the Knowledge whereof is required before any Person be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For the use of Christian Congregations Price bound 6 d. 19. The Original of the Scriptures 20. Diatriba de Justitiâ Divinâ 21. The Defence of Mr. Cotton against Mr. Cawdrey 22. Eshcol or Rules for those in Church Fellowship 23. Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ in his Person Office and Grace with the difference between Faith and Sight Applyed unto the use of them that Believe It was formerly Printed and is now Reprinted and may be bound up with the Second Part being the Application both to Unconverted Sinners and Saints under Spiritual Decays Both bound together 2 s. 6 d. All these by the late Reverend Dr. John Owen Books written by other Authors CAryl's Exposition on the Book of Job Two Volumes Pool's Synopsis in Latin Five Volumes With the Index's Pool's Synopsis on the New Testament In Two Volumes in Latin with the Index is sold very Cheap for 20. s. in Quires and 30 s. Bound Index's on the Old and New Testament to be sold alone Price 5. s. Clarks Martyrology Christ alone Exalted Being the compleat Works of Tobias Crisp D. D. containing XLII Sermons on several Select Texts of Scriptures Which were formerly Printed in three small Volumes by that late Eminent and Faithful Dispenser of Gods Word Who was sometime Minister at Brinkworth in Wiltshire and afterward many of the Sermons were preached in and about London To which is now added ten Sermons whereof eight were never before Printed Faithfully transcribed from his own Notes Which is all that ever will be Printed of the said Dr's An Exposition of the whole Book of the Revelation Wherein the Visions and Prophecies of Christ are opened and expounded Shewing the great Conquests of our Lord Jesus Christ for his Church over all his and her Adversaries Pagan Arian and Papal and the glorious State of the Church of God in the New Heavens and New Earth in these latter days By Hanserd Knowles Preacher of the Morning Lecture at Pinners-Hall The Character of a Good Commander together with a short Commendation of the famous Artillery more properly Military Company of London also a brief Encomium on the Great Duke and worthy Prince Elector of Brandenburg Lastly Plain Dealing with Treacherous Dealing Whereunto is annexed the general Exercise of the Prince of Oranges Army By Captain Tho. Plunket The General Exercise ordered by his then Highness the Prince of Orange to be punctually observed of all the Infantry in service of the States General of the Vnited Provinces Containing the General Exercise of Pike and Musket with their Facings Doublings and â—heelings of a Battalion ordered by his present 〈◊〉 to be observed of all the Infantry in his service being short easie and graceful The Second Edition corrected The Heavenly Trade or the best Merchâ—ndizing The only way to live well in impoveâ—shing Times A Discourse occasioned from the decay of Earthly Trades and visible wastes of Practical Piety in the day we live in offering Arguments and Counsels to all towards a speedy revival of dying Godliness and timely prevention of the dangerous Issues thereof impending on us Necessary for all Families The second Edition corrected By Bartholomew Ashwood Minister of the Gospel Author of the Best Treasure Christ a Christians Life Or a Practical Discourse of a Believers Life derived from Christ and Resolved into Christ. Being the substance of several Sermons Preach'd by the Author upon his Recovery from a Fit of Sickness and now extorted from him by the Importunity of Friends By John Gammon Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of â— Congregation in White-Chappel Cook 's Mellifigium Chirurgia or the Marrow of Chirâ—rgery with Anatomy The Fourth Edition enlargeâ— with many Additions Chaâ—eton 's Anatomy Lectures FINIS See Joh. 1. 18. Chap. 14. 7 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Col. 1. 16. Ephes. 3. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Heb. 1. 2.
THE most pernicious effect of Unbelief under the preaching of the Gospel is that together with an influence of Power from Satan it blinds the eyes of mens minds that they should not see this Glory of Christ whereon they perish eternally 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. BUT the most of those who at this day are called Christians are strangers unto this duty Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees that notwithstanding all their boasting of the knowledge of God they had not heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape that is as Moses did They had no real acquaintance with him they had no spiritual view of his Glory and so it is amongst our selves Notwithstanding the general profession that is of the Knowledge of Christ they are but few who thus behold his Glory and therefore few who are transformed into his Image and Likeness SOME Men speak much of the Imitation of Christ and following of his Example and it were well if we could see more of it really in effect But no Man shall ever become like unto him by bare Imitation of his Actions without that view or iâ—â—ition of his Glory which alone is accompanied with a transforming power to change them into the same image THE Truth is the best of us all are wofully defective in this Duty and many are discouraged from it because a Pretence of it in some hath degenerated into Superstition But we are loth at any time seriously to engage in it and come with an unwilling kind of Willingness unto the Exercise of our Minds in it THOUGHTS of this Glory of Christ are too high for us or too hard for us such as we cannot long delight in we turn away from them with a kind of Weariness yet are they of the same Nature in general with our beholding of the Glory of Christ in Heaven wherein there shall be no weariness or Satiety unto Eternity Is not the Cause of it that we are unspiritual or carnal having our Thoughts and Affections wonted to give Entertainment unto other things For this is the principal Cause of our Unreadiness and Incapacity to exercise our Minds in and about the great Mysteries of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. And it is so with us moreover because we do not stir up our selves with Watchfulness and Diligence in continual Actings of Faith on this Blessed Object This is that which keeps many of us at so low an Ebb as unto the Powers of an Heavenly Life and spiritual Joys DID we abound in this Duty in this Exercise of Faith our Life in walking before God would be more sweet and pleasant unto us our spiritual Light and Stâ—â—ngth would have a daily Encrease we should more represent the Glory of Christ in our Ways and Walking than usually we do and Death it self would be most welcome unto us THE Angels themselves desire to look into the things of the Glory of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 10 12. There is in them Matter of Enquiry and Instruction for the most high and holy Spirits in Heaven The manifold Wisdom of God in them is made known unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places by the Church Ephes. 3. 10. And shall we neglect that which is the Object of Angelical Diligence to enquire into especially considering that we are more than they concerned in it IS Christ then thus glorious in our Eyes Do we see the Father in him or by seeing of him Do we sedulously daily contemplate on the Wisdom Love Grace Goodness Holiness and Righteousness of God as revealing and manifesting themselves in him Do we sufficiently consider that the immediate Vision of this Glory in Heaven will be our everlasting Blessedness Doth the imperfect View which we have of it here encrease our Desires after the perfect Soght of it above With respect unto these Enquiries I shall briefly speak unto sundry sorts of Men. SOME will say they understand not these things nor any Concernment of their own in them If they are true yet are they Notions which they may safely be without the Knowledge of for so far as they can discern they have no Influence on Christian Practice or Duties of Morality And the preaching of them doth but take off the Minds of Men from more necessary Duties But if the Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish And unto the Objection I say 1. NOTHING is more fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel than that unto us Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God that he is the Character of the Person of the Father so as that in seeing him we see the Father also that we have the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in his Face alone as hath been proved This is the Principal Fundamental Mystery and Truth of the Gospel and which if it be not received believed owned all other Truths are useless unto our Souls To refer all the Testimonies that are given hereunto to the Doctrine which he taught in Contradistinction unto his Person as acting in the Discharge of his Office is Antievangilical Antichristian turning the whole Gospel into a Fable 2. IT is so that the Light of Faith is given unto us principally to enable us to behold the Glory of God in Christ to contemplate on it as unto all the Ends of its Manifestation So is it expresly affirmed 2 Cor. 4. 6. If we have not this Light as it is communicated by the Power of God unto them that do believe Ephes. 1. 17 18 19. we must be Strangers unto the whole Mystery of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. 3. THAT in the beholding of the Glory of God in Christ we behold his Glory also For herein is he infinitely glorious above the whole Creation in that in and by him alone the Glory of the Invisible God is represented unto us Herein do our Souls live This is that whereby the Image of God is renewed in us and we are made like unto the First born 4. THIS is so far from being unnecessary unto Christian Practice and the sanctified Duties of Morality that he knows not Christ he knows not the Gospel he knows not the Faith of the Catholick Church who imagins that they can be performed acceptably without it Yea this is the Root whence all other Christian Duties do spring and whereon they grow whereby they are distinguished from the Works of Heathens He is no Christian who believes not that Faith in the Person of Christ is the Spring of all Evangelical Obedience or who knows not that this Faith respects the Revelation of the Glory of God in him IF these things are so as they are the most important Truths of the Gospel and whose Denial overthrows the Foundation of Faith and is ruinous to Christian Religion Certainly it is our Duty to live in the constant Exercise of Faith with respect unto this Glory of Christ. And we have sufficient Experience of what kind of Morality the Ignorance of it hath
not change it into a thing Divine and Spiritual but preserved it entire in all its Essential Properties and Actings Hence it really did and suffered was tried tempted and forsaken as the same Nature in any other Man might do and be That Nature as it was peculiarly his and therefore he or his Person therein was exposed unto all the temporary Evils which the same Nature is subject unto in any other Person THIS is a short general View of this incomprehensible Condescention of the Son of God as it is described by the Apostle Pil. 2. 5 6 7 8. And this is that wherein in an especial manner we are to behold the Glory of Christ by Faith whilst we are in this World BUT had we the Tongue of Men and Angles we were not able in just measure to express the Glory of this Condescention For it is the most ineffable Effect of the Divine Wisdom of the Father and of the Love of the Son the highest Evidence of the Care of God towards Mankind What can be equal unto it What can be like it It is the Glory of Christian Religion and the animating Soul of all Evangelical Truth This carryeth the Mystery of the Wisdom of God above the Reason or Understanding of Men and Angels to be the Object of Faith and Admiration only A Mystery it is that becomes the Greatness of God with his Infinite Distance form the whole Creation which renders it unbecoming him that all his Ways and Works should be comprehensible by any of his Creatures Job 11. 4 5 9. Rom. 11. 34 35 36. HE who was eternally in the Form of God that is was essentially so God by Nature equally participant of the same Divine Nature with God the Father God over all blessed for ever who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth he takes on him the Nature of Man takes it to be his own whereby he was no less truly a Man in time than he was truly God from Eternity And to encrease the Wonder of this Mystery because it was necessary unto the end the designed he so humbled himself in this Assumption of our Nature as to make himself of no Reputation in this World yea unto that Degree that he said of himself that he was a Worm and no Man in comparison of them who were of any Esteem WE speak of these things in a poor low broken manner We teach them as they are revealed in the Scripture We labour by Faith to adhere unto them as revealed But when we come into a steady direct View and Consideration of the thing it self our Minds fail our Hearts tremble and we can find no rest but in an Holy Admiration of what we cannot comprehend Here we are at a loss and know that we shall be so whilst we are in this World But all the ineffable Fruits and Benefits of this Truth are communicated unto them that do believe IT is with reference hereunto that that great Promise concerning him is given unto the Church Isa. 8. 14. He shall be for a Sanctuary namely unto all that believe as it is expounded 1 Pet. 2. 8. but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them that stumble at the Word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed HE is herein a Sanctuary an assured Refuge unto all that betake themselves unto him What is it that any Man in distress who flies thereunto may look for in a Sanctuary A Supply of all his Wants a Deliverance from all his Fears a Defence against all his Dangers is proposed unto him therein Such is the Lord Christ herein unto sin-distressed Souls he is a Refuge unto us in all spiritual Distresses and Disconsolations Heb. 6. 18. See the Exposition of the Place Are we or any of us burdened with a Sense of Sin Are we perplexed with Temptations Are we bowed down under the Oppression of any Spiritual Adversary Do we on any of these accounts walk in Darkness and have no Light One View of the Glory of Christ herein is able to support us and relieve us UNTO whom we betake our selves for Relief in any case we have regard to nothing but their Will and their Power If they have both we are sure of Relief And what shall we fear in the Will of Christ as unto this end What will he not do for us He who thus emptied and humbled himself who so infinitely condescended from the Prerogative of his Glory in his Being and Self-sufficiency in the Susception of our Nature for the Discharge of the Office of a Mediator on our Behalf will he not relieve us in all our Distresses Will he not do all for us we stand in need of that we may be eternally saved Will he not be a Sanctuary unto us NOR have we hereon any Ground to fear his Power For by this infinite Condescention to be a suffering Man he lost nothing of his Power as God Omnipotent nothing of his Infinite Wisdom or glorious Grace He could still do all that he could do as God from Eternity If there be any thing therefore in a Coalescency of Infinite Power with Infinite Condescention to constitute a Sanctuary for distressed Sinners it is all in Christ Jesus And if we see him not glorious herein it is because there is no Light of Faith in us THIS then is the Rest wherewith we may cause the weary to rest and this is the Refreshment Herein is he an hiding place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Hereon he says I have satiated the weary soul and have refreshed every sorrowful soul. Under this Consideration it is that in all Evangelical Promises and Invitations for coming to him he is proposed unto distressed Sinners as their only Sanctuary HEREIN he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto the unbelieving and disobedient who stumble at the Word They cannot they will not see the Glory of this Condescention they neither desire nor labour so to do yea they hate it and despise it Christ in it is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto them Wherefore they chuse rather utterly to deny his Divine Person than allow that he did thus abase himself for our Sakes Rather than they will own this Glory they will allow him no Glory A Man they say he was and no more and this was his Glory This is that Principle of Darkness and Unbelief which works effectually at this day in the Minds of many They think it an absurd thing as the Jews did of old that he being a man should be God also or on the other hand that the Son of God should thus condescend to take our Nature on him This they can see no Glory in no Relief no Refuge no Refreshment unto their souls in any of their Distresses Therefore do they deny his Divine
heavenly wherein and whereby our Life is hid with Christ in God is the Glory the Exaltation the Honor the Security of the Church unto the Praise of the Grace of God The Understanding of it in its Causes Effects Operations and Priviledges wherewith it is accompanied is to be preferred above all the Wisdom in and of the World 2. HE thus communicates himself unto us by the Formation of a new Nature his own Nature in us so as that the very same spiritual Nature is in him and in the Church Only it is so with this difference that in him it is in the absolute perfection of all those glorious Graces wherein it doth consist in the Church it is in various Measures and Degrees according as he is pleased to communicate it But the same Divine Nature it is that is in him and us for through the precious Promises of the Gospel we are made Partakers of his Divine Nature It is not enough for us that he hath taken our Nature to be his unless he gives us also his Nature to be ours that is implants in our Souls all those gracious Qualifications as unto the Essence and Substance of them wherewith he himself in his human Nature is endued This is that new Man that new Creature that Divine Nature that Spirit which is born of the Spirit that Transformation into the Image of Christ that putting of him on that Workmanship of God whereunto in him we are created that the Scripture so fully testifieth unto Joh. 3. 6. Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Chap. 5. 17. Ephes. 4. 20. 24. 2 Pet. 1. 4. AND that new Heavenly Nature which is thus formed in Believers as the first vital Act of that Union which is between Christ and them by the Inhabitation of the same Spirit is peculiarly his Nature For both is it so as it is in him the Idaea and the Exemplar of it in us inasmuch as we are predestinated to be conformed unto his Image and as it is wrought or produced in our Souls by an Emanation of Power Vertue and Efficiency from him THIS is a most heavenly Way of the Communication of himself unto us wherein of God he is made unto us Wisdom and Sanctification Hereon he says of his Church This now is Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh I see my self my own Nature in them whence they are comely and desirable Hereby he makes way to present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but holy and wiâ—hout Blemish On this Communication of Christ unto us by the forming of his own Nature in us depends all the Purity the Beauty the Holiness the inward Clory of the Church Hereby is it really substantially internally separated from the World and distinguished from all others who in the outward forms of things in the Profession and Duties of Religion seem to be the same with them Hereby it becomes the First Fruits of the Creation unto God bearing forth the Renovation of his Image in the World Herein the Lord Christ is and will be glorious unto all Eternity I only mention these things which deserve to be far more largely insisted on 3. HE doth the same by that actual Insitition or Implantation into himself which he gives us by Faith which is of his own Operation For hereon two Things do ensue one by the Grace or Power the other by the Law or Constitution of the Gospel which have a great Influence into this Mystical Communication of Christ unto the Church AND the first of these is that thereby there is communicated unto us and we do derive Supplies of spiritual Life Sustentation Motion Strength in Grace and Perseverance from him continually This is that which himself so divinely teacheth in the Parable of the Vine and its Branches Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. Hereby is there a continual Communication from his All fulness of Grace Vnto the whole Church and all the Members of it unto all the Ends and Duties of spiritual Life They live nevertheless not they but Christ liveth in them and the Life which they lead in the Flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God And the other by vertue of the Law and Constitution of the Gospel is that hereon his Righteousness and all the Fruits of his Mediation are imputed unto us the Glory of which Mystery the Apostle unfolds Rom. 3. 4 5. I MIGHT add hereunto the mutual Inbeing that is between him and Believers by Love for the way of the Communication of his Love unto them being by the shedding of it abroad in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost and their returns of Love unto them being wrought in them by an Almighty Efficiency of the same Spirit there is that which is deeply mysterious and glorious in it I might mention also the Continuation of his Discharge of all his Offices towards us whereon all our Receptions from him or all the Benefits of his Mediation whereof we are made Partakers do depend But the few Instances that have been given of the Glory of Christ in this Mysterious Communication of himself unto his Church may suffice to give us such a View of it as to fill our Hearts with holy Admiration and Thanksgiving CHAP. XI The Glory of Christ in the Recapitulation of all things in him IN the last Place the Lord Christ is peculiarly and eminently glorious in the Re-capitulation of all things in him after they had been scattered and disordered by sin This the Apostle proposeth as the most signal Effect of Divine Wisdom and the soveraign Pleasure of God HE hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence having made known unto us the Mystery of his Will according unto his good Pleasure which he hath purposed in himself That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in the Heavens and which are on Earth even in him Ephes. 1. 8 9 10. FOR the Discovery of the Mind of the Holy Ghost in these Words so far as I am at present concerned namely as unto the Representation of the Glory of Christ in them sundry brief Observations must be premised and in them it will be necessary that we briefly declare the Original of all these things in Heaven and Earth their Primitive Order the Confusion that ensued thereon with their Restitution in Christ and his Glory thereby GOD alone hath all being in him Hence he gives himself that Name I AM Exod. 3. 14. He was eternally All when all things else that ever were or now are or shall be were nothing And when they are they are no otherwise but as they are of him and from him and to him Rom. 11. 36. Moreover his Being and Goodness are the same The Goodness of Good is the Meetness of the Divine Being to be communicative of it self in its Effects Hence this is the first Notion of
things will abound in us if we are not wanting unto the due exercise of Faith and intense inflamed Affections unto him will ensue thereon at least they will be active unto our own refreshing experience And where these things are not in reality though in some they may be only in a mean and low degree Men do but deceive their own Souls in hopes of any benefit by Christ or the Gospel THIS therefore is the present case Where there are prevailing sinful Distempers or inordinate Affections in the Mind such as those before mentioned as Self love love of the World cares and fears about it with an excessive valuation of relations and enjoyments they will so far cumber and perplex it with a multitude of thoughts about their own Objects as shall leave no place for sedate Meditations on Christ and his Glory And where the thoughts are engaged the Affections which partly excite them and partly are led by them will be fixed also Col. 3. 1 2. THIS is that which in the most greatly promoteth that imperfection which is in our View of the Glory of Christ by Faith in this Life According to the proportion and degree of the prevalency of Affections corrupt earthly selfish or sensual filling the Heads and Hearts of Men with a multitude of thoughts about what they are fixed on or inclined unto so is Faith obstructed and weakened in this Work and Duty WHEREFORE whereas there is a remainder of these Lusts as to the Seeds of them in us all tho more mortified in some than in others yet having the same effects in the minds of all according to the Degree of their remainder thence it is as from an Efficacious cause of it that our View of the Glory of Christ by Faith is in many so weak imperfect and unsteady THIRDLY We have interruption given unto the work of Faith herein by the Temptations of Satan His original great design wherever the Gospel is preached is to blind the Eyes of Men that the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should not shine into them or irradiate their Minds 2 Cor. 4. 4. And herein he prevails unto astonishment Let the Light of the Gospel in the preaching of the Word be never so glorious yet by various means and artifices he blinds the Minds of the most that they shall not behold any thing of the Glory of Christ therein By this means he continues his rule in the Children of Disobedience With respect unto the Elect God overpowers him herein He shines into their Hearts to give them the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Christ Jesus vers 6. Yet will not Satan so give over He will endeavour by all ways and means to trouble discompose and darken the mind even of them that believe so as that they shall not be able to retain clear and distinct Views of this Glory And this he doth two ways 1. WITH some he imploys all his Engines useth all his Methods of Serpentine Subtilty and casts in his fiery Darts so to dâ—squiet discompose and deject them as that they can retain no comfortable Views of Christ or his Glory Hence arise fears doubts disputes uncertainties with various Disconsolations Hereon they cannot apprehend the Love of Christ nor be sensible of any Interest they have therein or any refreshing perswasions that they are accepted with him If such things sometimes shine and beam into their Minds yet they quickly vanish and disappear Fears that they are rejected and cast off by him that he will not receive them here nor hereafter do come in their place hence are they filled with Anxieties and Despondencies under which it is impossible they should have any clear View of his Glory I KNOW that Ignorance Atheism and Obstinate Security in sensual Sins do combine to despise all these things But it is no new thing in the World that Men outwardly professing Christian Religion when they find gain in that Godâ—iness should speak evil of the things which they know not and corrupt themselves in what they know naturally as bruit Beasts 2. WITH others he deals after another manner By various means he seduceth them into a careless Security wherein they promise Peace unto themselves without any diligent search into these things Hereon they live in a general presumption that they shall be saved by Christ although they know not how This makes the Apostle so earnest in pressing the Dury of self-examination on all Christians 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith Prove your own selves know you not your own selves that Christ is in you except you be reprobates The Rule of Self-judging prescribed by him is whether Christ be in us or no and in us he cannot be unless he be received by that Faith wherewith we behold his Glory For by Faith we receive him and by Faith he dwelleth in our hearts Joh. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. THIS is the principal way of his prevailing in the World Multitudes by his Seduction live in great security under the utmost neglect of these things Security is granted to be an Evil destructive of the Souls of Men but then it is supposed to consist only in Impenitency for great and open Sins but to be neglective of endeavouring an experience of the Power and Grace of the Gospel in our own Souls under a Profession of Religion is no less destructive and pernicious than impeniâ—ency in any course of sin THESE and the like Obstructions unto Faith in its Operations being added unto its own imperfections are another cause whence our View of the Glory of Christ in this World is weak and unsteady so that for the most part it doth but transiently affect our Minds and not so fully transform them into his likeness as otherwise it would IT is now time to consider that sight which we shall have of the Glory of Christ in Heaven in comparison of that which we have herebelow Now this is equal stable always the same without interruption or diversion And this is evident both in the causes or means of it as also in our perfect Deliverance from every thing that might be an hindrance in it or an obstrunction unto it 1. WE may consider the state of our minds in Glory The faculties of our Souls shall then be made perfect Heb. 12. The Spirits of just Men made perfect 1. Freed from all the clogs of the flesh and all its influence upon them and restraint of their Powers in their Operations 2. Perfectly purified from all Principles of instability and variety of all Inclinations unto things Sensual and Carnal and all Contrivances of Self-preservation or Advancement being wholly transformed into the Image of God in spirituality and holiness And to take in the state of our Bodies after the Resurrection even they also in all their Powers and Senses shall be made entirely subservient unto the most spiritual actings of our Minds in their highest Elevation
all these things pass by without any further consideration BUT here I must fix with them unto whom I speak at present unless there be a full Conviction in them of the woful deplorable condition of every Soul of whatever Quality Profession Religion outward State it be who is not yet made partaker of Christ all that I have further to add will be of no signification Remember then that the due consideration hereof is unto you in your State your chiefest concernment in this World and be not afraid to take in a full and deep sense of it for if you are really delivered from it and have good Evidence thereof it is nothing unto you but matter of eternal Praise and Thanksgiving And if you are not so it is highly necessary that your Minds should be possessed with due Apprehension of it The work of this Conviction is the first effect of true Religion and the great Abuse of Religion in the World is that a pretence of it deludes the Minds of men to apprehend that it is not necessary for to be of this or that Religion of this or that way in Religion is supposed sufficient to secure the Eternal State of men though they are never convinced of their lost estate by Nature 4. HEREON consider the Infinite Condescention and Love of Christ in his Invitations and Calls of you to come unto him for Life Deliverance Mercy Grace Peace and Eternal Salvation Multitudes of these Invitations and Calls are recorded in the Scripture and they are all of them filled up with those blessed Encouragements which Divine wisdom knows to be suited unto lost convinced Sinners in their present state and condition It were a blessed Contemplation to dwell on the Consideration of the Infinite Condescention Grace and Love of Christ in his Invitations of Sinners to come unto him that they may be saved of that mixture of Wisdom and perswasive Grace that is in them of the force and efficacy of the pleading and Argument that they are accompanied withal as they are recorded in the Scripture but that belongs not to my present Design This I shall only say that in the Declaration and Preaching of them Jesus Christ yet stands before Sinners calling inviting encouraging of them to come unto him THIS is somewhat of the Word which he now speaks unto you Why will ye dye why will ye perish why will you not have compassion on your own Souls Can your Hearts endure or can your hands be strong in the day of Wrath that is approaching It is but a little while before all your Hopes your Reliefs and Presumptions will forsake you and leave you eternally miserable Look unto me and be saved come unto me and I will ease you of all Sins Sorrows Fears Burthens and give rest unto your Souls Come I entreat you lay aside all Procrastinations all delays put me off no more Eternity lyes at the door cast out all cursed self-deceiving Reserves do not so hate me as that you will rather perish than accept of Deliverance by me THESE and the like things doth the Lord Christ continually declare proclaim plead and urge on the Souls of Sinners as it is fully declaclared Prov. 1. ver 20. to the 34. He doth it in the preaching of the word as if he were present with you stood amongst you and spake personally to every one of you And because this would not suit his present state of Glory he hath appointed the Ministers of the Gospel to appear before you and to deal with you in his stead avowing as his own the Invitations that are given you in his Name 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. CONSIDER therefore his Infinite Condescention Grace and Love herein Why all this towards you doth he stand in need of you Have you deserved it at his hands Did you love him first Cannot he be happy and blessed without you Hath he any Design upon you that he is so earnest in calling you unto him Alas it is nothing but the overflowing of Mercy Compassion and Grace that moves and acts him herein Here lyes the entrance of innumerable Souls into a Death and Condemnation far more severe than those contained in the Curse of the Law 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. In the contempt of this Infinite Condescention of Christ in his Holy Invitation of Sinners to himself lies the sting and poyson of Unbelief which unavoidably gives over the Souls of Men unto Eternal Ruine And who shall once pity them to Eternity who are guilty of it Yea but 5. PERHAPS if you should on his Invitation begin to look to him and resolve to come to him you are greatly afraid that when it comes to the Tryal he will not receive you for no Heart can conceive no Tongue can express what wretched vile and provoking Sinners you have been That the Lord Christ will receive unto him such as we are we have no hopes or that ever we shall find Acceptance with him I say it is not amiss when Persons come so far as to be sensible of what Discouragements they have to conflict withall what difficulties lye in their way and what objections do arise against them for the most do perish in a senceless stupidity they will not consider how it is with them what is required of them nor how it will be in the latter end they doubt not but that either they do believe already or can do so when they please but when any come so far as to charge the failure of their Acceptance with Christ on their own unworthiness and so are discouraged from coming unto him there are Arguments for their Conviction and Perswasion which nothing but the Devil and Unbelief can defeat Wherefore that which is now proposed unto consideration in answer hereunto is the Readiness of Christ to receive every Sinner be he who or what he will that shall come unto him And hereof we have the highest Evidences that Divine Wisdom and Grace can give unto us This is the Language of the Gospel of all that the Lord Christ did or suffered which is recorded therein This is the Divine Testimony of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and of the Three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood all give their joynt Testimony that the Lord Christ is ready to receive all Sinners that come to him they who receive not this Testimony make God a Lyar both Father Son and Spirit Whatever the Lord Christ is in the Constitution of his Person in the Representation of the Father in his Office in what he did on the Earth in what he doth in Heaven proclaims the same Truth Nothing but cursed Obstinacy in Sin and Unbelief can suggest a thought unto our minds that he is not willing to receive us when we come unto him Herein we are to bear Testimony against the Unbelief of all unto whom the Gospel is preached that come not unto him Unbelief acting
is nothing of God in those Duties which tend not unto the mortification of all Sin and Men may keep up a Form of Godliness to countenance themselves in the neglect of it's Power And in particular where any known Sin is indulged unto where the mortification of it is not duly endeavoured where our Religious Duties are not used applied and directed unto that end there is a weariness of whatever is of God in them nor hath the Soul any real entercourse or Communion with God by them 5. IF we should make a particular Enquiry into the State of our Souls with respect unto those Graces which are most useful and tend most to the Glory of God it is to be feared that the Decays of many would be made very evident such are Zeal Humility Contriteness of Heart Spiritual mindedness vigour of Soul and Delight in the ways of God Love Charity Self-denial and like Are we fat and flourishing in these things even in old Age Are they in us and do abound as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 1. 8. Do we bring forth the fruit of them so as to show the Faithfulness of God in his supply of Grace I shall not make a particular Enquiry into them but only give two General Rules whereby we may try our selves with respect unto them all 1. THE loss of a Spiritual Appetite unto the Food of our Souls is an Evidence of a Decay in all these Graces Spiritual Appetite consists in Earnest Desires and a Savoury Relish So it is described by the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious There is required unto this Spiritual Appetite an earnest desire of the Word grounded on an Experience of the Grace of God in it unto this end that we may grow and thrive Spiritually thereby And this Appetite will give us as just a measure of the State of Grace in us as a Natural Appetite unto wholsome Food with due digestion thereon doth give of a good state of Health in the Body THIS therefore we are to enquire into Doth it abide in us as formerly We hear the Word preached as much as ever but do we do it with the same desire and Spiritual Relish as before Some hear to satisfie their Convictions some to please their Fancies and some to judge of the Persons by whom it is dispensed It is but in few that the necessary preparation for the due receiving of it are found WHEN Men grow in Age they lose much of their Natural Appetite unto Food they must eat still for the maintenance of Life but they do it not with that desire after it and that gust in it as in the days of Youth and Health Hence they are apt to think that the meat which they had formerly was more savoury than what is now provided for them though what they now enjoy is much to be preferred before what they then had the change is in themselves So we may find not a few Professors who are ready to think and say that the preaching which they had in former days and the Religious Exercises which they were ingaged in were far to be preferred above what they now enjoy But the Change is in themselves they have lost their Spiritual Appetite or their hunger and thirst after the Food of their Souls THE full Soul loatheth the Honey-comb but to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet Prov. 27. 7. Men being grown full of themselves and of a good conceit of their own Abilities have lost their Spiritual Appetite unto the Word of God and this makes the Word lose it's Power and Efficacy towards them That Word which the Psalmist says is sweeter than the honey or honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. hath little or no taste or relish in it unto them If they were hungry they would find a sweetness in the bitterest of it's Reproofs beyond what they can now find in the sweetest of it's Promises They come to hear the Word with sick Desires and low Expectations as if they were invited to eat after a Feast being self-full before But this loss of a Spiritual Appetite is an Evidence of the Decay of all other Graces whatever 2. A neglect of making Religion our Principal business is another Evidence of the Decay of all sorts of Grace in us For where Grace is in it's proper Exercise it will subordinate all things unto Religion and the Ends of it as David twenty times declares in the 119th Psalm All things all Occasions of Life shall be postponed thereunto The Love and valuation of it will bear sway in our Minds our Thoughts and Affections and the practice of it shall give Rule unto all other Concernments But is it so with many amongst us It is well if Religion be one thing it is far enough from being the One thing every other thing is preferred before it and it can hardly crowd in to possess any place in their Minds To see Men continually plodding in the Affairs of the World regulating all their actings by their concernment in them diverting only at some seasons as it were out of their way unto Duties of Religion it is vain to say that they make Religion their Business But there is scarce a more certain Evidence of a frame of Mind spiritually Decaying in all sorts of Graces if ever any of them were in it in Sincerity and Power than this one that Men do not make Religion their chiefest Business And a little Self-Examination will help Men to judge what it is that they make so to be LASTLY I might also instance in the uselesness of Men in their Profession in want of Love unto all Saints Barrenness in Good Works unreadiness and unwillingness to comply in any extraordinary manner with the Calls of God unto Repentance and Reformation in Love of the World and Pride of Life with Passions suited unto such Principles predominant in them for they are all undeniable Evidences that those with whom they are found had never any true Grace at all or that they are fallen under woful Decays But what hath been spoken may be sufficient unto our present purpose THIS is the third thing that was proposed namely an endeavour to leave Convictions on the Minds of some concerning their Spiritual Decays and the necessity of seeking after a Revival by the Means that shall be insisted on And I intend it principally for those of us who under a long Profession are now come unto Age aud shall not have much time for Duty continued unto us And the Truth is I meet with none who are Christians of any considerable Experience and are Spiritually minded but they are sensible of the Danger of such Decays in this hour of Temptation and how difficult it is in the use of all means to keep up a vigorous active frame of Mind in Faith Love Holiness and Fruitfulness And for those
it self herein includes a contempt of the Wisdom of God a Denial of his Truth or Faithfulness an Impeachment of the sincerity of Christ in his Invitations making him a Deceiver and will issue in an express hatred of his Person and Office and of the Wisdom of God in him Here then you are shut up you cannot from hence take any Countenance unto your Unbelief 6. CONSIDER that he is as able to Save us as he is ready and willing to Receive us The Testimonies which he hath given us unto his Goodness and Love are uncontrollable and none dare directly to call in Question or deny his Power Generally this is taken for granted by all that Christ is able to save us if he will yea who shall question his Ability to save us though we live in Sin and Unbelief and many expect that he will do so because they believe he can if he will But indeed Christ hath no such Power no such Ability he cannot save unbelieving impenitent Sinners for this cannot be done without denying himself acting contrary to his Word and destroying his own Glory Let none please themselves with such vain Imaginations Christ is able to save all them and only them who come to God by him Whilst you live in Sin and Unbelief Christ himself cannot save you but when it comes to the Tryal in particular some are apt to think that although they will not conclude that Christ cannot save them yet they do on various accounts that they cannot be saved by him This therefore we also give Testimony unto in our Exhortation to come unto him namely that his power to save those that shall comply with his Call is Soveraign Incontrollable Almighty that nothing can stand in the way of All things in Heaven and Earth are committed unto him all power is his and he will use it unto this end namely the assured Salvation of all that come unto him 7. CONSIDER greatly what hath been spoken of the Representation of God and all the Holy Properties of his Nature in Him Nothing can possibly give us more encouragement to come unto him for we have manifested that God who is infinitely Wise and Glorious hath designed to exert all the Holy Properties of his Nature his Mercy Love Grace Goodness Righteousness Wisdom and Power in him in and unto the Salvation of them that do believe Whoever therefore comes unto Christ by Faith on this Representation of the Glory of God in him he ascribes and gives unto God all that Glory and Honour which he aimeth at from his Creatures and we can do nothing wherewith he is pleased equal unto it Every poor Soul that comes by Faith unto Christ gives unto God all that Glory which it is his Design to manifest and be exalted in and what can we do more There is more Glory given unto God by coming unto Christ in believing than in keeping the whole Law inasmuch as he hath more eminently manifested the holy Properties of his Nature in the way of Salvation by Christ than in giving of the Law There is therefore no Man who under Gospel Invitations refuseth to come unto and close with Christ by believing but 〈◊〉 through the Power of Darkness Blindness and Unbelief he hates God dislikes all his ways would not have his Glory exalted nor manifested choosing rather to dye in Enmity against him than to give Glory to him Do not deceive your selves it is not an indifferent thing whether you will come in unto Christ upon his Invitations or no a thing that you may put off from one season unto another Your present Refusal of it is as high an Act of Enmity against God as your Nature is capable of 8. CONSIDER that by coming unto Christ you shall have an interest in all that Glory which we have proposed unto you for Christ will become yours more intimately than your Wives and Children are yours and so all his Glory is yours also All are apt to be affected with the good things of their Relation their Grace their Riches their Beauty their Power for they judge themselves to have an Interest in them by reason of their Relation unto them Christ is nearer to Believers than any Natural Relations are to us whatever they have therefore an Interest in all his Glory And is this a small thing in your Eyes that Christ shall be yours and all his Glory shall be yours and you shall have the advantage of it unto your Eternal Blessedness Is it nothing unto you to continue Strangers from and uninterested in all this Glory To be left to take your portion in this World in Lusts and Sins and Pleasures and a few perishing Trifles with Eternal Ruine in the close whilst such durable Substance such Riches of Glory are tendred unto you LASTLY Consider the horrible ingratitude there is in a neglect or refusal to come in to Christ upon his Invitation with the doleful Eternal Ruine that will ensue thereon How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Impenitent Unbelievers under the preaching of the Gospel are the vilest and most ungrateful of all Gods Creation The Devils themselves as wicked as they are are not guilty of this Sin for Christ is never tendred unto them they never had an offer of Salvation on Faith and Repentance this is their peculiar Sin and will be the peculiar Aggravation of their misery unto Eternity Hear ye Despisers wonder and perish The sin of the Devil is in malice and opposition unto knowledge above what the Nature of Man is capable of in this World Men therefore must sin in some instance above the Devil or God would not give them their Eternal Portion with the Devil and his Angels this is Unbelief SOME it may be will say What then shall we do What shall we apply our selves unto What is it that is required of us 1. TAKE the Advice of the Apostle Heb. 3. 7 8 13. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin This day even this is unto you in the tender of Grace the acceptable time this is the day of Salvation Others have had this day as well as you and have missed their Opportunity take heed lest it should be so with you also How if any one should write it down or peculiarly commit it to remembrance this day there was a tender of Christ and Salvation in him made unto my Soul from this time I will resolve to give up my self unto him And if you find your Resolutions charge your Consciences with what you have engaged and make your selves to know that if you go back from it it is a token that you are going to Ruine 2. CONSIDER that it is high time for you to make somewhat of Religion Do not hang always in suspense
let it not be a question with your selves whether you have a mind to be saved or no. This is as good a time and season for a Resolution as ever you are like to have whilst in this World Some things nay many things may fall in between this and the next opportunity that shall put you backward and make your entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven far more difficult than ever it was and the living in that uncertainty at best which you do of what will become of you unto Eternity is the most miserable kind of Life in the World Those who put far from them the evil day and live in the pursuit of lusts and pleasures have somewhat that gives them present satisfaction and they say not There is no hope because they find the Life of the hand But you have nothing that gives you any prevalent Refreshment neither will your latter end be better than theirs if you dye without an Interest in Christ Jesus Come therefore at length unto a determinate Resolution what you will do in this matter Christ hath waited long for you and who knows how soon he may withdraw never to look after you any more UPON occasion of the preceding Discourse concerning the Glory of Christ I thought it necessary to add unto it this brief Exhortation unto Faith in him aiming to suit it unto the Capacity of the meanest Sinner that is capable of any self-consideration as unto his Eternal Welfare But yet a little further to give efficacy unto this Exhortation it will be necessary to remove some of those common and obvious Tergiversations that convinced Sinners do usually betake themselves unto to put off a present compliance with the calls of Christ to come unto him for although it is Unbelief alone acting in the darkness of mens minds and the obstinacy of their Wills that effectually keeps off Sinners from coming unto Christ upon his Call yet it shrouds it self under various pretences that it may not appear in it's own ugly Form for no Sin whereof Men can be guilty of in this World is of so horrible a Nature and so dreadful an Aspect as is this Unbelief where a clear view of it is obtained in Evangelical Light wherefore by the aid of Satan it suggests other pleas and pretences unto the Minds of Sinners under which they may countenance themselves in a Refusal to come to Christ see 2 Cor. 4. 4. Any thing else it shall be but not Unbelief that they all disavow I shall therefore speak unto a few of those Tergiversations in this case which are obvious and which are exemplified in the Gospel it self I. SOME do say on such Exhortations What is it that you would have us to do We hear the Word preached we believe it as well as we can we do many things willingly and abstain from many evils diligently what is more required of us This is the Language of the Hearts of the most with whom in this Case we have to do And I say 1. IT is usual with them who do something in the ways of God but not all they should and so nothing in a due manner to expostulate about requiring of them more than they do So the People dispute with God himself Mal. 1. 6. Chap. 3. 8 13. So they in the Gospel who esteemed themselves to have done their Duty being pressed unto Faith by Christ Jesus ask him with some Indignation What shall we do that we might work the work of God John 6. 28. If what we do be not enough what is it that you require more of us So was it with the Young Man Mat. 19. 20. What do I lack yet Be advised therefore not to be too confident of your State left you should yet lack that one thing the want whereof might prove your Eternal Ruine 2. THE things mentioned with all of the like nature which may be multiplied may be where there is no one spark of saving Faith Simon Magus heard the Word and believed as well as he could Herod heard it and did many things gladly and all sorts of Hypocrites do upon their Convictions perform many duties and abstain from many sins so as that notwithstanding this plea you may perish for ever 3. WHERE these things are sincere they belong unto the exercise of Faith they may be after a sort without Faith but Faith cannot be without them But there is a fundamental Act of Faith whereby we close with Christ whereby we receive him that is in order of Nature antecedent unto it's actings in all other Duties and Occasions it is laying the foundation other things belong to the building This is that you are called on to secure and you may know it by these two Properties 1. It is Singular So our Saviour tells the Jews Joh. 6. 29. This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he hath sent The Act Work or Duty of Faith in the receiving of Christ is a peculiar singular Work wherein the Soul yields especial obedience unto God It is not to be reckoned unto such common Duties as those mentioned but the Soul must find out wherein it hath in a singular manner closed with Christ upon the Command of God 2. IT is accompanied with an universal Spiritual Change in the whole Soul 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Wherefore if you would not chuse rather to deceive and ruine your own Souls come to the tryal whether indeed you have received Christ in such a singular transforming act of Faith do not on such pretences want a compliance with the word of Exhortation proposed unto you But II. SOME will say they know not how to proceed in this Work They can make nothing of it they have tryed to come to this believing but do still fail in what they design they go on and off but can make no progress can come to no satisfaction therefore they think it best to let things go in general as they are without putting themselves to farther trouble as unto any especial Act of Faith in the receiving of Christ. This is the language of Mens Hearts though not of their mouths another shelter of Unbelief and they act accordingly they have a secret Despondency which keeps them safe from attempting a real closure with Christ on the tender of the Gospel Something may be offered unto this distempered frame of Mind 1. REMEMBER the Disciples that were fishing and had toiled all night but caught nothing Luk. 5. 3 4 upon the coming of Christ unto them he requires that they should cast out their Nets once more Peter makes some excuse from the labour which they had taken in vain all Night however he would venture once more on the Command of Christ and had an astonishing draught of Fishes ver 5 6 7 8 9. Have you bin wearied with disappointments in your attempts and Resolutions yet cast in