the Second thing Christ presents all his Commissions to his Father he gives up his Priestly Prophetical and regal offices at his first entrance into heaven 4. He presents himself unto his Father not only his offices but Christ himself is presented and subjected unto God This I take it is the meaning of the Apostle when he saith then shall the Son also be Subject unto him 1 Cor. 15.28 that put all things under him The words are mystical and therefore we had need to understand them soberly and according to the Analogy of Faith The Arrians hence inferr'd that the Son was not equal with the Father because he that is subject must needs be inferiour to him whose Subject he is But the Answer is easie Christ is considered either as God or as man and Mediatour betwixt God and Man Christ as God hath us Subject to him and is Subject to none but Christ as man and Mediatour is Subject to his Father together with us Some would have it that Christ is Subject to his Father in respect of his mystical body the Church and that this only should be the meaning of the Apostle then shall the Church be Subject to the Father but I cannot assent to this Exposition 1. Because the Apostle speaks expresly of Christ and of his Kingdom 2. Because though Christ be sometimes in Scripture read for the Church or for the body of Christ yet the Son as opposed to the Father is never so read or understood 3. Because we read that he that is to be Subject must first have all things Subject to himself Now the Father doth not properly Subject or subdue all things to the Church of Christ but only unto Christ and therefore the Apostle speaks of Christ's subjection to the Father In the same way as Christ delivers up the Kingdom to the Father is Christ also to be subject to his Father but Christ delivers up his Kingdom as man and as mediatour betwixt God and man in these respects Christ as we have heard must Reign no more at that day his Mediatourship shall cease and by consequence in respect of his Mediatourship or in respect of his humanity he shall that day be subject to his Father You will say is not and was not Christ always subject to his Father as man or as mediatour betwixt God and man how then do we limit this subjection to that day then saith the Apostle shall the Son be subject I answer this subjection will be then or at that day more clearly manifested then ever it was before then he must surrender his Kingdom to his Father in the sight of men and Angels then he shall lay aside all his Offices in the view of all so that henceforth God shall not Reign by the humanity of Christ but by himself nor shall we henceforth be subject to God through a mediatour Christ but immediately to God himself nor shall Christ himself reign over us as mediatour any more for the very glory of his Majesty shall become so illustrious that all eyes shall see how transcendently eminent the Deity of Christ is above all creatures even above the humanity of Christ himself That a fuller view of Christ's subjection shall be at that day then ever before we may illustrate thus by night the Sun Reigns or rules over us but by the Moon for the light of the Moon is borrowed from the Sun though in the night we see not any subjection of the Moon to the Sun at all but so soon as the Sun riseth presently the Moon surceaseth its office of lightning others and becomes subject to the Sun it self not by a new subjection but by a declaration of its former subjection so that now all may see what eminency of glory and light the Sun hath both above the Stars and above the Moon thus it is with God and Christ now it is God reigns over us but only by Christ as Mediatour God's immediate Reign we discern not so clearly for the present but when the end shall come and Christ shall surcease his Office of Mediatourship then shall the glory of Christ's Divinity appear more eminently not only above all creatures but above the brightness of Christ's humanity it self and in this respect Christ then shall be Subject if not by a new subjection yet certainly by a new declaration and manifestation of his subjection so as never was before Vse O the wonders of this day O the admirable shews in heaven at Christ and his Saints first entrance into heaven O my soul where wilt thou stand or what wilt thou say when Christ shall take thee by the hand and bring thee into the presence of his glorious Father when he shall present thee and present all his Commissions which he received for thee and present himself unto his Father with thee saying O my Father here we are all before thy glorious God-head thus far I have carryed on the great work of man's Salvation and now all 's done according to the Covenant betwixt thee and me lo here all the Saints which by decree thou gavest me before the world was made lo here all the Commissions which I received from thee in order to their Salvation lo here the humanity which thou gavest me when I came into the World such were the sins of my redeemed ones and grown to such an height that Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not have but a body thou preparedst for me Heb. 10.5 and lo here I present all these before thee come take thy Commissions and be thou all in all we praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Come welcome me and welcome mine we all stand here before thy glorious Throne and expect every way as high an entertainment as Heaven or the God of heaven can afford us O my soul what joy will possess thee at this passage be sure now thy danger is over and thy arrival is safe neither shall it ever be heard friend how camest thou hither for the Lord himself will run unto thee he will hug thee and embrace thee mouth on thy mouth eyes on thy eyes and hands on thy hands and each hand shall clap for joy each harp shall warble each knee shall bend and bow and each heart be merry and glad O for the day Oh when will the day come on when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father SECT IX Of Christ's Subjection to the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 9. FOR the end of Christ's Subjection to his Father that God may be all in all Surely this is the meaning Christ therefore Subjects himself unto his Father that God himself might be all in all that God may no more Reign by a Deputy or by a Christ but that immediately and perfectly he may reign by himself so that every one may see him face to face Here we enjoy God as it were by means as in the use of the
At one act he foreknew whom he would choose and set apart of his own free love to life and salvation And here you have the cause of Gods predestinating his Saints to glory it was only the foreknowledge and free love of God the Lord from everlasting and before the foundation of the world fore-ordained or fore-appointed some to salvation nothing moving him thereunto but his own good pleasure and his own free love This is it that in order of nature and strictly goes before and is the cause of our Predestination Rom. 8.27 for whom he did foreknow he also did Predestinate first he foreknew and then he did Predestinate first he loved and then he Elected first he embraced them as his own in the Arms of his eternal love and then of his free love he set them apart to life and to salvation hence the Apostle calls it the Election of Grace Rom. 11.5 signifying that our Election springs out of the womb of love free love free grace is the cause of our Election Some Object that we are Predestinated and Elected according to fore-knowledge i.e. say they according to the fore-knowledge of our Faith and Repentance and Perseverance Rom. 8.29 but if that were Pauls fore-knowledge why then would he say that those whom he did fore-know he also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son if God did fore-know them first conformed why did he then Predestinate them to be conformed And if that were Peters foreknowledg why then would he say that they were Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father unto Obedience 2 Pet. 1 2 if God did fore-know them first Obedient how then did he fore-know them unto Obedience I know it is a question whether God in fore-sight of belief and perseverance in Faith and Holiness do choose us to Salvation For my part I am for the Negative upon these well-known grounds 1. Because Election on Faith foreseen makes God to go but of himself looking to this or that in the Creature upon which his will may be determined to Elect now this is against the all-sufficiency of Gods knowledge as if he should get knowledge from the things we know and against the all-sufficiency of Gods Will as if he must be beholding to something in us before the business of our Election can be determined 2. Because Election on Faith or Love fore-seen it makes God to choose us when we have chosen him and to love us when we have loved him first but this is contrary to Scripture 1 John 4.19 Verse 10. We love him because he loved us first and herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 3. Because Election on faith fore-seen stands not with the freedom of Gods Will within himself Rom. 9.15 but God tells us plainly I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion * John Goodwins exposition on Rom. 9.15 16. I know some would not have this Text understood of Election from Eternity but of Justification Adoption Salvation and yet they grant the truth of it to be alike whether in reference to Election or Justification the words I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy are one and the same with those words spoken by God to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious Now to be gracious as is confessed properly imports a propenseness of mind and will to do some signal good without any motive or engagement thereunto from without especially from the person or persons to whom this good is done or intended which is a plain Argument that I will have mercy is not of that kind of mercy the exercise whereof is drawn out or procured by any thing whatsoever in those to whom it is shewed but because it pleaseth it self or him in whom it resideth so to do and in this respect mercy differs very litle or nothing at all from grace the Apostle exchanging Moses his words was but his Interpreter 4. Because Election on Faith fore-seen is all one as to say we are ordained to Eternal Life because we believe Acts 13.48 but the Scripture speaks contrary as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed and not as many as believed were Ordained to Eternal Life 5. Because a prime and Eternal cause cannot depend upon the self-same temporal effects which are thereby caused Now Election is the prime and eternal Cause whence our Faith Repentance and Perseverance were derived and therefore our Faith Repentance and Perseverance cannot be imagined antecedent Causes Conditions or Motives unto the Divine Election 6. Because Election on Faith fore-seen or Election of men believing and persevering in Faith and Holiness unto the last gasp brings with it many absurdities As 1. This is to Elect men not considered as in the State of Innocency nor of Misery but as in state of Grace contrary to their own Tenets 2. This is not to bring Faith Holiness Perseverance out of the gracious benefit of Election but to bring Election out of the foreseen Acts of believing Eâ—cles 1.4 obeying persevering quite contrary to Scriptures he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love 3. This were to say that Election or Predestination affords no man any help at all in the way unto Eternal Salvation for how can that be the cause leading infallibly in the way unto Eternal Life which comes not so much as into consideration until a man have run out his Race at least in Gods fore-knowledge in Faith and Godliness and be arrived at Heavens Gates Such a falsely named Predestination might more truly and properly have been called a Post-destination But I have too long stood on this Controversie 1 Tim. 1.4 and indeed it is against my design which is not to minister questions but rather edifying which is in Faith I remember what I have Read and indeed I begin already to feel that these Controversal Points will but discompose our spirits and wast our zeal our love our delight in Jesus this lovely subject and object we are a viewing even by the interruption and diversion of our contemplations not a word more in that Kind SECT VII The Purpose OF the Purpose of God concerning mans salvation before all worlds we read in Scriptures we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 to them who are called according to his purpose And it is said of Jacob and Esau that being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand And in Christ we are said to obtain an inheritance Rom. 9 11 being predestinate according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
there 's no room for faith in this case these are the hinderances 2. The helps of faith in this sad condition are these 1. A consideration that God is pleased to pass by and to overlook the unworthiness of his poor creatures this we see plain in the very act of his incarnation himself disdains not to be as his poor creatures to wear their own flesh to take upon him humane nature and in all things to become like unto man sin only excepted 2. A consideration that God satisfies Justice by setting up Christ who is Justice it self now was it that mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other now was it that free grace and merit that fulness and nothingness were made one now was it that all things became nothing and nothing all things our nature which lay in rags was enriched with the unsearchable treasures of glory now was it that God was made flesh and so that flesh which was so weak as not able to save its own life was now enabled to save millions of souls and to bring forth the greatest designs of God now was it that truth ran to mercy and embraced her and righteousness to peace and kissed her in Christ they meet yea in him was the infinite exactness of God's Justice satisfied 3. A consideration that God hath set up Christ as a Mediator that he was incarnate in order to reconciliation and salvation of souls but for the accomplishment of this design Christ had never been incarnate the very end of his uniting flesh unto him was in order to the reconciliation of us poor souls alas we had sinned and by sin deserved everlasting damnation but to save us and to satisfie himself God takes our nature and joyns it to his Son and calls that Christ a Saviour This is the Gospel-notion of Christ for what is Christ but God himself in our nature transacting our peace In this Christ is that fulness and righteousness and love and bowels to receive the first acts of our faith and to have immediate union and communion with us indeed we pitch not our faith first or immediately on God himself yet at last we come to him and our faith lives in God as one saith sweetly before it is aware through the sweet intervention of that person which is God himself only called by another name the Lord Jesus Christ and these are the helps of faith in reference to our unworthiness Gods justice and the want of a Mediator betwixt God and us 3. The manner how to act our faith on Christ incarnate is this 1. Faith must directly go to Christ we find indeed in the Bible some particular promises of this and that grace and in proper speaking the way to live by faith it is to live upon the promises in the want of the thing or to apprehend the thing it self contained in the promise but the promises are not given to the elect immediately without Christ no no first Christ and then all other things Encline your ears and come unto me 1. Come unto Christ and then I will make an everlasting Covenant which contains all the promises even the sure Mercies of David As in marriage the woman first consents to have the man and then all the benefits that necessarily follow so the soul by faith first pitcheth upon Christ himself and then on the priviledges that flow from Christ Say Soul dost thou want any temporal Blessing suppose it be the payment of Debts thy dayly Bread Health c. Why look now through the Scripture for promises of these things and let thy faith act thus If God hath given me Christ the greatest blessing then certainly he will give me all these things so far as they may be for my good in the twenty thirst Psalm we find a bundle of promises but he begins thus The Lord is my Shepherd saith David and what then Therefore I shall not want the believing Patriarchs through faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stoped the mouths of Lyons did wonders in the world but what did they chiefly look to in this their Faith Surely to the promise to come and to that better thing Christ himself and therefore the Apostle concludes having such a cloud of witnesses that thus lived and died by faith let us look unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith 2. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in our flesh some think it a carnal apprehension of Jesus Christ to know him as in flesh I confess to know him only so and absolutely so to consider Jesus no other way but as having flesh and going up and down in weakness it is no better than a carnal apprehension but to consider Christ as God in flesh and to consider that flesh as acted by God and filled with God it is not a carnal but a true and spiritual apprehension of Jesus Christ and hither is faith to be directed immediately and in the first place suppose a case of danger by some enemies and I find a promise of protection from my enemies I look on that but in the first place thus I argue if the Lord hath given me Christ God in the flesh to save me from Hell then much more will he save me from these fleshly enemies Thus Juda had a promise that Syria should not prevail against Judah they doubted of this Isa 7.14 but how doth the Lord seek to assure them why thus a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and his name shall be Immanuel this seems a strong reason to flesh and blood I knew one turn Infidel and to deny Jesus Christ upon this very argument Ah thought he what a grand imposture is this that Christ's conception and Christ's birth many years after should be a present sign of ruin of Rezin King of Aram and of the preservation of Ahaz King of Judah alas poor soul he was not acquainted with this art of living by faith he might have seen the very same reason elsewhere the yoke of their burthen Isa 9.4 6. and the stuff of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressor shall be broken for unto us a child is born and unto us a Son is given if their faith had not first respected Christ incarnate they could never have expected any temporal deliverance by that promise of deliverance first laid down But in this way they might and so may we You will say what 's this to us they looked for Christ to come in the flesh but now he is come and that time and design is gone and past many a year since I answer no the time is gone but the design is not Christ remains God in the flesh to this very day he came not as once to manifest himself in flesh to satisfie Gods justice in the flesh for sin and so to lay it down again that flesh remains and shall remain nor is it without use for all the spirit and life which the
the injury we have done unto God as our Judge and the other is a performance of a service which we owe unto God as our Maker O then how large and full and comprehensive is this life of Christ 2. Consider the excellency the glory of this Object Christ's life is glorious and hence it is that the righteousness of Christ is the most glorious garment that ever the Saints of God did wear It is Marlorat's saying Marlorat Rev. 12.1 that the Church which puts on Christ and his righteousness is more illustrious than the Ayr is by the Sun John thus sets her out in his Vision And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet I take this to be a lofty Poetical description of Christ's imputed righteousness imagine a garment were cut out of the Sun and put upon us how glorious should we be O but the righteousness of Christ is much more glorious No wonder if the Church cloathed with the Sun tread the Moon under her feet i.e. if she trample on all sublunary things which are uncertain and changeable as the Moon I count all things but dung saith Paul that I may win Christ Phil. 3.8 9. and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith When Paul compares Christ's righteousness with the glory of the world then is the world but dung O the glory O the excellency of the righteousness of Christ 3. Consider the suitableness of this object Christ's life and the virtue of it is most suitable to our condition Thus I might apply Christ to every condition if thou art sick he is a Physitian if thou fearest death he is the way the truth and the life if thou art hungry he is the bread of Life if thou art thirsty he is the water of Life But not to insist on these words It is the daily complaint of the best of Saints O my sins I had thought these sins had been wholly subdued but now I feel they return upon me again now I feel the springs in the bottom fill up my soul again Oh I am weary of my self and weary of my life Oh what will become of me In this case now Christ's life is most sutable his righteousness is a continual righteousness it is not a Cistern Zech. 13.1 but Fountain open for thee to wash in as sin abounds so grace in this gift of righteousness abounds much more Christ's life in this respect is compared to changes of Garments Thou criest O what shall become of me Oh I feel new sins and old sins committed afresh why but these changes of garments will hide all thy sins Zech. 3.4 if thou art but cloathed with the robes of Christ's righteousness there shall never enter into the Lords heart one hard thought towards thee of casting thee off or of taking revenge upon any new occasion or fall into sin Why here is the blessedness of all those that believe Oh then believe Say not would Christ be incarnate for me would he lead such a life on earth for my soul Why yes for thy soul never speak of thy sins as if they should be any hinderance of thy Faith If the wicked that apply this righteousness presumptiously can say Let us sin that grace may abound and so they make no other use of Grace but to run in debt and to sin with a licence how much rather mayest thou say on good ground Oh let me believe Oh let me own my portion in this righteousness of Christ that as my sins have abounded so my love may abound that as my sins have been exceeding great so the Lord may be exceeding sweet that as my sins continue and encrease so my thankfulness to Christ and glory in God and triumph over sin death and the grave may also encrease Why thus be encouraged to believe thy part in the Lord Jesus Christ SECT VI. Of Loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us during his Life Now what is Love but a motion of the Appetite by which the Soul unites it self to what seems fair unto it And if so O what a lovely Object is the Life of Christ who can read over his Life who can think over his worthiness both in his person relations actions and several administrations and not love him with a singular love That which set the Daughters of Jerusalem in a posture of seeking after Christ was that Description of Christ which the Spouse made of him My Beloved is white and ruddy Cant. 5.10 11.12 13 14 15. the chiefest of ten thousands his head is as the most fine Gold his Locks are bushy and black as a Raven his eyes are as the eyes of Dovâ—s by the Rivers of water washed with milk and finely set his cheeks are as a bed of Spices and sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe c. By these are intimated unto us the government of Christ the unsearchable counsels of Christ the pure nature of Christ without any impurity or uncleanness the gracious promises of Christ the soul saving instructions of Christ the holy actions and just administrations of Christ the tender affections and amiable smilings of Christ the gracious inward and wonderful workings of Christ so that he is altogether lovely or he is composed of loves from top to toe there is nothing in Christ but 't is most fair and beautiful lovely and desirable Now as this Description enflamed the Daughters of Jerusalem so to act our loves towards the Lord Jesus Christ take we a copy of the Record of the Spirit in Scriptures see what they say of Christ John 5.39 this was his own advice Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me O my soul much hath been said to perswade thee to Faith and if now thou believest thy part in those several actings of Christ why let thy Faith take thee by the hand and lead thee from one step to another from his Baptism to his Temptations from his Temptations to his Manifestations and so on Is not here fewel enough for Love to feed upon Canst thou read the history of Love for such is the history of Christ's Life and not be all on a flame Come read again there is nothing in Christ but 't is lovely winning and drawing as 1. When he saw thee full of filth he goes down into the waters of Baptism that he might prepare a way for the cleansing of thy defiled and polluted soul 2. When he saw the Devil ready to swallow thee up or by his baits to draw and drag thy soul down to hell he himself enters into the List with the Devil and he overcomes him that thou mightest overcome and triumph with Christ in his Glory 3. When he
there is a conveyance of an healing strengthning quickning vertue flowing into the Soul in the time of its viewing eying contemplating reflecting upon Christ crucified Christ lifted up and this comes from the secret presence of God blessing this our looking upon Christ as the Ordinance by which he hath appointed to make an effectual impression upon the heart It is not for us curiously to enquire how this should be Principles we say are not to be proved save only God hath said it and experience hath found it out that when Faith is occasioned to act on any sutable sacred object God by his Spirit doth not fail to answer in such a case he fills the Soul with comfort blessing vertue he returns upon the Soul by from and through the actings of Faith whatsoever by it is looked for Indeed none knoweth this but he that feels it and none feels this that knoweth how to express it as there is somewhat in the fire heat warmth and light which no Painter can express and as there is somewhat in the face heat warmth and life which no Limner can set forth so there is somewhat flowing into the soul while it is acting faith on the Death of Christ which for the rise or way or manner of its working is beyond what tongue can speak or pen can write or pencil can delineate Come then if we would have grace endure afflictions die to sin grow in our mortification let us again and again return to our duty of looking unto Jesus or believing in Jesus as he was lifted up And yet when all is done let us not think that sin will die or cease in us altogether for that is an higher perfection than this life will bear only in the use of the means and through God's blessing we may expect thus far that sin shall not reign it shall not wear a Crown it shall not sit in the Throne it shall hold no Parliaments it shall give no laws within us we shall not serve it but we shall die to the dominion of it by vertue of this Death of Jesus Christ And this He grant who died for us Amen Amen Thus far we have looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his sufferings and death Our next work is to look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation during the time of his Resurrection and abode upon earth until his Ascension or taking up to Heaven LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Resurrection The Seventh Book PART VII CHAP. I. Matth. 28.6 He is risen Come see the place where the Lord lay 2 Tim. 2.8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead SECT 1. Of the Time of Christ 's Resurrection THe Sun that went down in a ruddy cloud is risen again with glorious beams of light In this piece as in the former we shall first lay down the Object and then give directions how to look upon it The Object is Jesus carrying on the work of man's salvation in his Resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth after his Resurrection Now in all the transactions of this time I shall only take notice of these two things 1. Of this Resurrection 2. Of his Apparitions for first he rose and secondly he shews himself that he was risen in the first is the Position in the second is the Proof 1. For the Position the Scripture tells us that he rose again the third day In this point I shall observe these particulars 1. When he arose 2. Why he arose 3. How he arose 1. When he arose it was the third day after his crucifying Mat. 12.40 As Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth This was the time he had appointed and this was the time appropriated to Christ and marked out for him in the Kalender of the Prophets of all those whom God raised from death to life there is not one that was raised on the third day but Jesus Christ some rose afore and some rose after the Son of the Shunamite the son of the widow of Sarephtah the daughter of Jairus he of Naim and some others rose afore Lazarus and the Saints that rose again from the dust when Christ rose staid longer in the grave but Christ takes the day which discovers him to be the Messiah Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Had he rose sooner a doubt might have been of his dying and had he lain longer a doubt might have been of his rising he would rise no sooner because in some diseases as in the Apoplexy or such like examples are given of such as seeming to be dead have indeed revived and he would lie no longer in his grave because in all dead carcasses and especially in a wounded body putrefaction and corruption begins the third day this may be gathered by the Story of Lazarus in the Gospel where Jesus commanding the stone to be rolled from his grave John 11.39 Psal 16.10 Martha his Sister answered Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four dayes Now the body of Christ as it was prophesied must not corrupt for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Mark this Text All men shall rise again but their bodies must first see corruption only the Messiah was to rise again before he saw corruption and therefore he would not delay his resurrection after the third day Hosea 6.2 Some think this and that of Hosea after two days he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up to be the main Texts to which Christ refers when he said Luke 24.46 Thus it is written And to which the Apostle refers when he said that Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 I dare not be too curious in giving reasons for this set time and the rather because Christ is a free worker of his own affairs he doth what he pleaseth and when he pleaseth times and actions are in his own power and he needs not to give us any account of them and yet so far as Scripture discovers we may go along and amongst many others I shall lay down these following Reasons 1. Because the Types had so prefigured we see it in Isaac Jonah and Hezekiah a Patriarch a Prophet and a King 1. For Isaac from the time that God commanded Isaac to be offered for a burnt offering Isaac was a dead man but the third day he was released from death this the Text tells us expresly that it was the third day when Abraham came to Mount Moriah Gen. 22.4 Heb. 11.19 and had his Son as it were restored to him again Gen. 22.4 And Paul discovers that this was in a figure
2.16 and we abound more and more in the work of the Lord. I know thy works said Christ to the Church of Thyatyra I know thy works and the last to be more than the first 3. We grow when the fruits and duties we perform grow more ripe more spiritual and more to the honour of Christ it may be we pray not more nor longer than sometimes we used it may be our prayers have not more wit or memory than sometimes they had yet they are more savory more spiritual and more to Christ's honour than sometimes they were Now we must know that one short prayer put up in faith with a broken heart and ayming at the honour of Christ argues more of growth in grace than prayers of a day long and never so eloquent without the like qualifications In every duty we should look at their ends and ayms for if we debase our selves in the sense of our own vileness and emptiness and inability and if we aym at God's honour and power and praise and glory it is a good sign of growth we call this spiritual part of duty when it is from God and through God and to God 4. We grow when we are more rooted in Christ so the Apostle describes it Eph. 4.15 a growing up unto him in all things This is Scripture phrase growth of grace is usually expressed by growing into Christ but now in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if to grow in grace without him were nothing as indeed it is not 2 Pet. 3.18 Philosophers moral men and others may grow in vertues but not in Christ Come then search and try whether we are more rooted in Christ when a young plant is new set the roots are a small depth in the earth one may pull them up with his hand but as the tree shooteth up in height so it strikes the root deep and deeper downward that no force can move it so it is with us we have not for degree so firm and near a conjunction with Christ at our first union but the more we live with him like good trees spreading in the sight of all men and bringing forth the fruits of righteousness the more we come to root downwards by a more firm faith and firm confidence Our union is answerable to that which uniteth us now at the first faith is but weak like a smoaking wick or a poor bruised reed but whiles faith is drawing the Spirit away from Christ the more it exerciseth the more it is strengthened even as in babes their powers every day at first are feeble but the more they feed and exercise by so much the more they put forth their strength in all their operations time was that Peters faith was so weak that at the voice of a Damosel Peter was shaken but by walking while in Christ he was so rooted that neither threatnings whippings imprisonment conventings before great powers nor any other thing could shake him you may object if we are not at first rooted in Christ a weak faith may be quite overthrown we may then fall away true if we be not rooted in any manner but this we are at our first setting into Christ by faith only this I speak of is of an higher degree of rooting which doth not only shut out falling away but very shaking and tottering in a good measure surely this is not the state of every believer no no it is only the condition of such who have long walked in Christ and are grown in grace holiness vivification O my soul try now the growth of vivification by these few signs art thou led on to the exercises of new graces adding grace to grace dost thou find new degrees of the self same grace is thy love more hot thy faith more firm all thy boughs more laden and filled with the fruits of righteousness are all thy dutyes more spiritual are thy ends more raised to ayme at God to sanctifie him and to debase thy self art thou more rooted in Christ in all thy dutyes graces and gracious actings hast thou learnt habitual to say I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me dost thou interest Christ more and more in all thou dost dost thou know and affect Christ more and more Oh when would an ambitious courtier be weary of being graced by his Prince when would a worlding be weary of having the world come in upon him why shouldst thou O my soul be weary of insinuating thy self by faith and affection into Christ come scearch try it may be little winds have formerly shaken thee but so it is that insencibly and thou knowest not how thy root is struck lower and lower into Christ and now thou art not so soon shaken with every wind surely thy hope is well grounded thou hast a part in Christs resurrection it is thine even thine SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us in his resurrection This is one main article of our faith the third day he rose again from the dead and this now I propound as the object of our faith O let us believe it let us believe our part and interest in it And to that purpose let us look on Jesus as a common Person whatever consideration he passed under it was in our stead and in that respect we are to reckon our selves as sharers with him Scrupulous souls may object is it possible that Christ should rise and that I should rise with him and in him is it possible that Christ should dye as a common Person for my sins and that Christ should rise and by his resurrection should be justified as a common person in my room O the Mystery of this redemption without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness which is God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 justified in the Spirit it is a mystery beyond my fathoming that Christ who is God in the flesh should be justified in the Spirit for my justication that Christ should dye in my stead as a condemned man and when he had finished his work that he should rise again in my stead as a righteous Person These passages are past fathoming and beyond believing O what shall I do I find it hard very hard to believe this poynt Luke 24.26 Scrupulous souls throw not away your confidence ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory was not satisfaction and justification payment of debt and discharge of bonds required of him and of necessity for us O believe and that I may perswade to purpose I shall lay down 1. Some directions and 2. Some encouragements of faith 1. For directions of faith in reference to Christ's resurrection observe these particulars 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
Christ 2 Cor. 11 2. And after this when Christ takes the bride home brings her into Heaven and leads her by the hand into his Fathers presence then is his last presentation then he presents her faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy The word signifies leaping springing exalting joy O what springing leaping exalting is in heaven when Christ takes the hand of his Bride and gives her into the hand of his Father q. d. O my Father see what a number I have brought home to thee thou knowest what I have done and what I have suffered and what offices I have gone through to bring these hither and now my Mediatourship is done I resign all my charge to thee again see what a goodly Troop what a noble Army I have brought thee home why all these are mine and all mine are thine and all thine are mine Joh. 17.10 12. and I am glorified in them all those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost see here is Adam and Abel and Noah and Sem and every Saint from the beginning to the end of the World the Nuptial between them and me is solemnized and whither should I lead them but to my Father's house and into my Father's presence I have already pronounced them blessed and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them Joh. 17.22.23 that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Here take them from mine hands now give them a welcome into glory and let them know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me 2. He presents all his Commissions to his Father as he is a Mediatour at least by Destination from all Eternity Eph. 1.4 were not the Saints chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World then was he a Mediatour in the business of Election and then was he Predestinated to be a Mediatour of Reconciliation Prov. 8.23 I was set up from Everlasting i.e. I was appointed and designed to be a Mediatour from all Eternity Howsoever he was a Mediatour virtually and inchoatively from the Fall of Adam then did he undertake that great Negotiation of reconciling God to man and man to God and actually he was a Mediatour after his Incarnation for then was he manifested in the flesh then was he manifested to be what before he was then did he act that part visibly upon earth which before he had acted secretly and invisibly in heaven then he entred upon the work of his active and passive obedience then he discharged his Prophetical and Priestly office here on Earth which having done then he entred upon his Kingly Administration in Heaven Now as to this work he was called by God him hath God the Father sealed John 6.27 it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself Colos 1.19 And as to these offices severally he had Commission from God the Lord hath annoynted me to Preach good tydings unto the meek and the Lord hath sworn Isa 61.1 Psal 110.4 Psal 110.1 and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever and the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool So now he comes with all his Commissions in his hand and he delivers them all up unto his Father again In this case it is with Christ as with some General whom the King sends forth with Regal Authority to the War who having subdued the Enemy he returns in Triumph and all being finished he makes a surrender of his place thus Christ having discharged all his offices imposed on him now the work is finished he leaves his function by delivering up his Commissions to his Father Rev. 21.23 In Heaven there is no need of Sun or Moon that is as some interpret there is no need of Preaching or Prophesying of the Word or Sacraments for the Lamb is the light thereof Christ is the only means of all the communication that the Elect there shall have and as for his Regal Office 1 Cor. 15.24 the Apostle is express then shall he deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father Only here is the question how is Christ said to resign his Kingdom to God the Father Luk. 1.33 Heb. 1.8 for saith not the Scripture that Christ's Kingdom shall have no end and that Christ's Throne is for ever and ever for answer I see no contradiction but that Christ may both resign his Kingdom and yet reserve it See a like case Mat. 28.18 All Power saith Christ in heaven and earth is given to me of my Father shall we say now that the Father himself was quite stript of it no but as the Kingdom which the Father gave the Son is nevertheless called the Father's Kingdom or the Kingdom of God so Christ shall return it yet retain it also Two things we say are contained in the Term of Reign sci Dominion and Execution to wear the Crown and to bear the Scepter now Christ in the former sense shall reign for ever the honour of dominion and of wearing the Crown he shall never resign up to his Father for his Fathers Throne disturbs not his there are both their Thrones at once Rev. 7.11 but the functions of a King to sit in Judgment to reward deservers to punish evil-doers to rescue the oppressed to fight with the enemy Christ in this sense shall cease to reign and shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father More particularly Christ is said to deliver up the Kingdom in three respects 1. Because he ceaseth to execute that Authority which nevertheless he hath as a Judge that goeth from the Bench is a Judge still although he giveth no judgment but imployeth his time about other occasions so Christ is said to resign his place not that his Authority is subject to Diminution but in that he makes no shew for when his enemies are all put under there is no need that any more blows should proceed from his Kingly power 1. Because the manner of his Kingdom after the judgment day shall be wholly changed he shall not Reign in the same fashion that he did before there 's no need in heaven of good Laws to keep men from starting into wickedness the orders of this life are changed into a new kind of Government and in that respect he is said to give over the Kingdome 3. Because he ceaseth to increase his Dominion In this World Christ was still gaining more souls to his Kingdom by the Preaching of his Word and so he spread his dominion further and further but when the Lord shall have made up the number of his Servants to his mind then he will end the World and give up the Kingdom i.e. he will cease to enlarge his confines any more he will be content with the number of his Subjects that he hath already Here is