that is wrapped up in the Covenant is an everlasting joy and the righteousness that is wrapped up in the Covenant is an everlasting righteousness and the life that is â—râ—pped up in the Covenant is an everlasting cap. life John 3. 16. and all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and salvation that is wrapped up in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—verlâ—sting the Covenant relation that is 〈◊〉 God and his people is everlasting and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant is everlasting viz. Jesus Christ yesterday and Heb. 13. 8. to day and the same for ever Though the Covenant in respect of our own personal entring into it is made with us now in time and hath a beginning yet for continuance it is everlasting and without end it shall remain for ever and ever But Secondly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a Covenant of life Mal. 2. 5. My Covenant was with him of life and peace life is restored and life is promised and life is setled by the Covenant There is no safe life no comfortable life no easie Omnis vita â—st prâ—pâ—â—d â—eâ—ationâ—m Philosophers say that a fly is more excellent than the heaâ—ens because the fly has life which the heavens have not life no happy life no honourable life no glorious life for any sinner that is not under the bond of this Covenant All mankind had been eternally lost and God had lost all the glory of his mercy for ever had he not of his own free grace and mercy made a Covenant of life with poor sinners A man in the Covenant of Grace hath three degrees of life The first in this life when Christ lives in him The second when his body returns to the earth and his soul to God that gave it The third at the end of the world when body and soul reunited shall enjoy heaven Thirdly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints or faithful people of Christ stand is sometimes 〈◊〉 a holy Covenant Daniel describing the wickedness of Antiochus Epiphanes saith His heart shall be against the Daâ— 11. 2â— 30. holy Covenant He shall have indignation against the holy Covenant And have intelligence with them that forsake the holy Covenant So the Psalmist For he remembred his â—sal â—â—5 42 43. Heb. 〈◊〉 of his â—â—liness that is 〈◊〉 sacred and 〈◊〉 Covenant that â—e had â—ade with Abraham and â—is posterity holy promise and Abraham his servant Proâ—ise herâ— being put for Covenant by a Synechdoche Luk. 1. 72. To perfâ—rm the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant The parties interested in this Covenant are holy here you have a holy God and a holy people in Covenant together Holiness is one of the principal things that is promised in the Covenant the Covenant commands holiness and encourages â—â— holiness and works souls up to a higher degree of holiness and sences and arms gracious souls against all external and internal unholiness See my Treâ—tise of holiness Psal â—0 5. Heb. 3. 1. 1 Thes 5. 27. 2 Pâ—t 1. 21. 1 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Câ—r 3. 17. â— Pet. 2. 9 c. The Author of this Covenant is holy the Mediator of this Covenant is holy the great blessings contained in this Covenant are holy blessings and the people taken into this Covenant are sometimes stiled holy brethren holy men holy women An holy Temple an holy Priestood an holy Nation an holy People as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together When ever God brings a poor soul under the bond of the Covenant he makes him holy and he makes him love holiness and prize holiness and delight in holiness and Jâ—b 8. Psal 20. press and follow hard after holiness A holy God will not take an unholy person by the hand as Joh speaks neither will he allow of such to take his Covenant into their mouths as the Psalmist speaks Fourthly This Covenant of Grace under which the Saints stand is sometimes stiled a Covenant of peace Numb 25. 12. Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace Peace is the comprehension of all blessings and prosperity Mat. 2. 5. All sorts of peace viz. peace with God and peace with conscience and peace with the creatures flows from the Covenant of Grace There is 1. An external peace and that is with men 2. There is a supernatural peace and that is with God 3. There is an internal peace and that is with conscience 4. There is an eternal peace and that is in heaven Now all these sorts of peace flow in upon us through the Covenant of Grace The Hebrew word for peace comes from a root which denotes perfection the end of the upright man is perfection of happiness Hence the Rabbins say that the holy blessed God finds not any vessel that will contain enough of blessinâ—â— fâ—â— Israel but the vessel of peace Peace is a very comprehensive word it carries in the womb of it all outward blessings it was the common greeting of the Jews 〈◊〉 be unto you And thus David by his proxy salutes Nabâ—l Peace be to thee and thy house The Ancients were woâ—â— to paint Peace in the form of a woman with a hoâ—n of plenty in her hand The Covenant of Grace is that hand by which God gives out all sorts of peace unto us Isa 54. 10. Neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee The Covenant is here called the Covenant of peace because the Lord therein offers us all those things that may make us compleatly happy for under this word peace the Hebrew comprehend all happiness and felicity Ezek. 34. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace the Hebrew is I will cut with them a covenant of peace This expreâ—ion of cutting a Covenant is taken from the custom of the Jews in their making of Covenants The manner of this ceremony or solemnity Jeremy declares saying I will give Jeâ— 34. 18. the men that have transâ—ressed my Covenant which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had struck before me when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof Their manner was to kill Sacrifices to cut This Ceremony or Solemnity of coâ—enanting The Romans and other Nations used some Juâ—ge Tâ—e Heatâ—â—ns borrowed this custom 〈◊〉 the Jews But of this before these Sacrifices in twain to lay the two parts thus divided in the midst piece against piece exactly one over against another to answer each other Then the parties Covenanting passed betwixt the parts of the Sacrifices so slit in twain and laid answerably to one another The meaning of which ceremonies and solemnities is conceived to be this viz. as part answered to part so there was an harmonious correspondency and answerableness of their minds and hearts that struck Covenant And as part was severed from part so the Covenanters implyed if not
gathered them And in the New Testament Christ sends his hearers to the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred search signifies a strict narrow curious diligent search we must search the Scripture as we would search for Gold or for some Precious Stones which we would fâ—in find we must search the Scriptures as Hunters seek and search out their Game The Scripture is so perfect a Rule that the most specious observances the most glorious performances the most exact worship is no way acceptable unto God if not directed in his word They may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colos 2. 23. A shew of Wisdom in Will-worship to the pleasing of men not to the honour of God God gave Moses a pattern for Exod. 25. 9. the making of the Tabernacle and David for the Temple and all Heb. 8 5. things were to be ordered and regulated according to this pattern God hath set us a perfect Rule of Worship in his Word and no Service pleaseth him but what is according to this Rule As our Joh. 4. 20 21. 22. Saviour told the woman of Samaria concerning the Samaritan Worship at Mount Gerazim and the Jewish Worship at Jerusalem That the Samaritans worshipped they know not what the Jews knew what they worshipped for Salvation was of the Jews Why so because the Jews had God's special direction and appointment of God's Word for their Worship and Service which the Samaritans had not All our Worship must be regulated by God's Will not our own Non ex arbitrio Deo serviâ—ndum sed ex imperio Not according to our own fancy but God's Command and Prescription I say of all humane invented Will-worship of God as Tertullian of the Heathen Worship Ex religione super sâ—itio compingitur eo irreligiosior quanto Ethnicus paratior Men in this are no better than laboriously superstitious taking pains to be irreligious And so the Apostle sends his hearers to the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 â—â— as to a surer word than that of the Revelation all which speaks out the sufficiency of the Scripture to direct us in all matters of Divine Worship and in what ever else may help on the internal and eternal welfare of our precious and immortal souls That which bred the Popish Religion Superstition Idolatry and Pompous Worship was men's departing from the word and not cleaving to the word as a sufficient rule to direct them in all matters of worship and what woful mischiefs and miseries have been brought upon the people of the Lord in this Land and else where by men that make not the word the rule of their worship but cry up an outward pompous worship I have no mind to enumerate at this time But how will these vain men that accuse the holy Scriptures of insufficiency blush be ashamed and confounded when in the great day the Lord shall plead the excellency and vindicate the Sufficiency and Authority of his blessed Book in opposition to all the mixtures of men's Traditions with Divine Institutions Now they that suffer for asserting the holy Scriptures to be a sufficient rule to order guide and direct them in all matters of worship they have a good Cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing But They that are Assertors of the true God in opposition to the Idols of the Nations have a good Cause and they that suffer upon this account suffer as Christians for well doing Upon this foot the Christians under the Heathen Emperours in the primitive times suffered great things and are there none that suffer this day upon this account by the Romish Powers But Fifthly They who assert that God will not bear with mixtures in his worship and service but revenge himself upon the corrupters of his worship they have a good cause and they that suffer upon that account suffer as Christians for well doing All mixtures Isa 29. 13 14. Mat. 15. 3 6 8 9. debase the worship and service of God and makes the worship a vain worship as the mixing of water with wine is the debasing of the wine and the mixing of Tin with Silver or Brass with Gold is debasing of the Silver and Gold so for men to mix and mingle their Traditions and Inventions with God's Institutions is to debase the worship and service of God and to detract from the excellency and glory of it You know that the Kings and Princes of the world have most severely punished such who by their base mixtures have imbased their Coyn. And assuredly there is a day a coming when the King of Kings will most severely punish all such who have imbased his worship and service by mixing Humane Inventions and Romish Traditions with his holy Institutions Rev. 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in There will come a day when Jews Turks Papists shall pay dear for adding to the Scriptures this book And no wonder for what horrible pride presumption stoutness and baseness is it in foolish man to be so bold with the great God as to dare to mix any thing of his own with his worship and service which according to Divine Institution is so perfect and compleat God will never bear it to see men lay their Dirt upon his Gold and to put their Rags upon his Royal Robes Ah Christians 't is best to stand up for holy Ordinances and pure worship in opposition to all mixtures whatsoever Oh do not touch a polluted worship do not plead and contend for a polluted worship but let Baal plead for Baal and though all 1 King 18. 21. Rev. 13. 3 4. 6 17. cap. 14 9 11. the world should wander after the Beast yet do not you wander after the Beast and though every forehead should have the mark of the Beast upon it yet do you abhor his mark and whatever else it be that does but smell and savour of the Beast 'T is a very dangerous thing for any Mortals to be adding to God's worship and word there is a horrible curse that hangs over the heads of all such that add or detract from the blessed Scriptures If falsifiers of Coin are liable unto the Civil Curse of the Law how much more shall the Anathema of Eternal Damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of God's word and worship To them that add thereto God will add all the Plagues of this book to wit the seven last Plagues and cast them into the lake of sire and brimsionâ— Rev. 19. with the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet Now they that suffer for asserting that God will not bear with mixtures in his Worship and Service but revenge himself upon
us our sins our burdens and such constant ailments as takes away all the pleasure and comfort of life Here both our outward and inward conditions are very various sometimes heaven is open and Lamen 3 8 44 54 55 56 57. Psal 30. 7. 1 Thes 4 17 18. Isa 35. 10. sometimes heaven is shut sometimes we see the face of God and rejoyce and at other times he hides his face and we are troubled O but now death will bring us to an invariable Eternity It is always day in heaven and joy in heaven Sixthly and lastly You shall gain a clear distinct and full knowledge of all great and deep Mysteries the Mystery 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. of the Trinity the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation the Mystery of Man's Redemption the Mysteries of Providences the Mysteries of Prophecies and all those Mysteries that relate to the Nature Substances Offices Orders and Excellencies of the Angels If you please to consult my String of Pearls or the best thing reserved till last with my Sermon on Eccles 7. 1. Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth which is at the end of my Treatise on Assurance both which Treatises you have by you There you will find many more great and glorious things laid open that we gain by death And to them I refer you But Sixthly Look upon death as a sleep the Holy Ghost hath phrased it so above twenty times in Scripture to 1 Cor. 11. 30. cap. 15. 51. Joh. 11. â—â— Mark 5. 39. The Greeks call their Church-yards Dormitories sleeping places and the Hebrews 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—im the house of the living shew that this is the true proper and genuine notion of death When the Saints die they do but sleep Mat. 9. 24. The maid is not dead but sleepeth The same phrase he also used to his Disciples concerning Lazarus our friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. The death of the Godly is as a sleep Stephen fell asleep Act. 7. 60. And David fell asleep Act. 13. 36. And Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. 20. Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4. 14. The Saints of God do but sleep when they lay down in the Grave that which we call death in such is not death indeed it is but the image of death the Shadow and Metaphor of death death 's younger Brother a mere sleep and no more I may not follow the Analogy that is between death and sleep in the latitude of it the Printer calling upon me to conclude Sleep is the Nurse of Nature the sweet Parenthesis of all a man's griefs and cares But Seventhly Look upon death as a departure 2 Tim. 4. 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand He makes nothing of death It was Deut. 32. 49 50. no more betwixt God and Moses but go up and die and so betwixt Christ and Paul but launch out and land immediately at the fair Haven of heaven Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Paul longed for that hour wherein he should loose Anchor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvâ—râ— Anch ram Or it may be rendered to return home or to change rooâ—s â—t is a similitude â—aken from those that depart out of an Iâ—n to take their journey towards their own Countrey and sail to Christ as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports It is a Metaphor from a Ship at Anchor importing a sailing from this present life to another Port. Paul had a desire to loose from the shore of Life and to launch out into the Main of Immortality The Apostle in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a reference both to his bonds and to his death and his meaning is I desire to be discharged and released as out of a common Goal so also out of the prison of my body that I may presently be with Christ my Saviour in heaven in rest and bliss After Paul had been in the third heaven his constant song was I desire to be with Christ Nature teacheth that death is the end of misery but grace will teach us that death is the beginning of our felicity But Eighthly and lastly Look upon death as a going to Bed The Grave is a Bed wherein the body is laid to rest with its curtains close drawn about it that it may not be disturbed in its repose So the Holy Ghost is pleased to phrase it He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds every one walking in their uprightness Isa 57. 2. As the souls of the Saints pass to a place of rest and bliss so their bodies are laid down to rest in the Grave as in a Bed or Bed-chamber there to sleep quietly until the morning of the Resurrection Death is nothing else but a Writ of ease to the weary Saints 't is a total cessation from all their labour of nature sin and affliction Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord that they may rest Rev. 14. 13. from their labours c. Whilst the souls of the Saints do rest in Abraham's bosom their bodies do sweetly sleep in their beds of dust as in a safe and consecrated Dormitory Every sincere Christian may like the weary child call and cry to be laid to bed knowing that death will send him to his everlasting rest Now you should always look upon death under Scripture Notions and this will take off the terrour of death yea it will make the King of Terrours to be the King of desires it will make you not only willing to die but even long to die and to cry out O that I had the wings of a dove to fly away and be at rest At death you shall have an eternal Jubilee and be freed from all incumbrances Now sin shall be no more nor trouble shall be no more nor pain nor ailments shall be no more Now you shall have your Quietus est now the wicked shall cease from Job 3. 17. troubling and now the weary shall be at rest now all Rev. 7. 17. tears shall be wiped from your eyes now death shall be the way to bliss the Gate of Life and the Portal to Paradise It was well said of one so far as we tremble at death so far we want love it 's sad when the contract is made between Christ and a Christian to see a Christian afraid of the making up the Marriage Lord saith Austin one I will die that I may enjoy thee I will not live but I will die I desire to die that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ The broken Rings Contracts and Espousals contents not the true Lover but he longs for the Marriage day It is no credit to your Heavenly Father for you to be loth to
But what amazing love what matchless love is this for a man to engage his person and life for his friend when as skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and yet according to the Covenant of Redemption Jesus Christ has done all this and much more for us as is evident if you will but cast your eye back upon the Articles of the Covenant or consult the Scriptures in the Margin If a friend to free a Jâ—â— 2. 4. Joâ— 1â— 11 15 17 18 28 Râ—m 5. 6 〈◊〉 Eph. 1. 5 6 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 13 14 15 Heb. 2. 13 1â— 15. captive or one condemned to death should put himself into the state and condition of him whom he freeth that would be an evidence of love beyond all comparison But now if the dignity of Christ's person and our unworthiness if the greatness of the debt and kind of payment and if the benefit which we reap thereby be duly weighed we shall find these evidences of love to come as much behind the love of Christ as the light of a candle cometh short of the light of the Sun Christ's Suretiship according to the Covenant of Redemption is and ought to be a prop of props to our faith It is as sure a ground of confidence that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and us as any the Scriptures does afford by vertue hereof we have a right to appeal to God's Justice for this Surety hath made ful satisfaction and to exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice Christ knew very well what the Redemption of fallen man would cost him he knew that his life and blood must go for it he knew that he must lay by his Robes of Majesty and be cloathed with flesh he knew that he must encounter Sâ—lus Amoâ— nesâ—it difficultates men and Devils he knew that he must tread the Wine-press of his Father's wrath bear the Curse and make himself an offering for our sins for our sakes for our salvation yet for all this he is very ready and willing to bind himself by Covenant that he will redeem us whatever it cost him Oh what tongue can express what heart Eph. 3. 18 19. Look where thou wilt thou art surrounded with flames of his love and it were strange if thou shouldest not be set on fire if not sure thou must needs be a Diabolical Salamander sayâ— Cuâ—anus can conceive what soul can comprehend the heights depths bredths and lengths of this love Oh blessed Jesus what manner of love is this that thou shouldest wash away my scarlet sins in thine own blood that thou shouldest die that I may live that thou shouldest be cursed that I might be blessed that thou shouldest undergo the pains of hell that I might enjoy the joys of heaven that the face of God should be clouded from thee that his everlasting favour might rest upon me that thou shouldest be an everlasting Skreen betwixt the wrath of God and my immortal soul that thou shouldest do for me beyond all expression and suffer for me beyond all conception and gloriously provide for me beyond all expectation and all this according to the Covenant of Redemption what shall I say what can I say to all this but fall down before thy grace and spend my days in wondering at that matchless bottomless love that can never be fathomed by Angels or men Oh Lord Jesus saith one plusquam Bâ—rnard mea plusquam meas plusquam me I love thee more than all my goods and I love thee more than all my friends yea I love thee more than my very self 'T is good to write after this copy But The Eleventh and last Plea that a Believer may form up as to the ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. â—â—at 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Hâ—b 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. refer to the great day of account or to a man's particular account may be drawn up from the consideration of the Book of Life out of which all the Saints shall be judged in the great day of our Lord Rev. 20. 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Vers 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God And the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Vers 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them And they were judged every man according to their works Vers 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire In the 11. verse John describes the Judge with his preparation in the 12. verse he describes the persons that should be judged and then he describes the process and sentence and lastly he describes the execution of the sentence viz. the casting of the reprobates into the Lake of fire and the placing and fixing of the Elect in the heavenly Jerusalem vers 13 14 15. In the five last verses cited you have a clear and full description of the last General Judgment as is evident by the native Context and Series of this Chapter For having Rev. 2â— 1 2 3. Jude vers 6. spoken of the Devil's last Judgment which by Jude is called The judgment of the great day It is consentaneous therefore to understand this of such a Judgment whereby he is judged And indeed the expressions are so full and the matter and circumstances so satisfying and convincing that they leave no place for fears doubts or disputes This Scripture that is under our present consideration runs parallel with that Dan. 12. 1 2 3. and several other places of Scripture where the day of Judgment is spoken of and let him that can shew me at what other Judgment all the dead are raised and judged and all Reprobates sent to hell and all the Elect brought to heaven and death and hell cast into the Lake all which are plainly expressed here He shall be an Apollo to me that can make these things that are hero spoken of to agree with any other Judgment than the last Judgment Let me give a little light into this Scripture before I improve it to that purpose for which I have cited it And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it a lively description of the last Judgment A Great Throne Great because it is set up for the General Judgment of all for the universal judgment of the whole world Before
is set upon saving of it when Christ calls upon him to lay it down for his sake or the Gospels sake No fool to him that thinks to avoid a less danger by running himself into a greater danger who thinks to save his body by losing his soul and to save his temporal life by losing eternal life There is no loser to him who by sinful attempts to save his life shall lose a better life than ever he can save But Fifthly Consider That of old there hath been a very great willingness readiness forwardness and resoluteness in the people of God chearfully to suffer for Christ his Truth his Gospel his Worship his Ways his Ordinances his interest his honour Consult the Scriptures in the margin and many others of the like import which all knowing Christians can turn to at Dan. 2. 16 17. Rom. 8. 36. Psal 44. Phil. 2. 17. Act. 20. â—2 23 24 cap. 21. 13 c. Dan. 6. 1 Pet. â— 16. Act. 5 41. Act. 7. 55 56. 2 Cor 1. 3 4. 5. Acts and Mâ—n Fol. 857. Medestus Lieâ—tenant to Julian the Emperour told him that when the Christians suffered they did but deride them and the torments said he with which Christians are tormented are more terrible to the tormentors than they are to the tormented pleasure To these I shall add a few examples amongst a multitude of those blessed souls who willingly readily chearfully resolutely hazarded all for Christ while they were on earth and are now a receiving their reward with him in heaven Oh how my heart leapeth for joy said Mr. Philpâ—t the Martyr that I am so near the apprehension of eternal life I with my fellows were carried to the Cole-house where we do rouse together in the straw as chearfully we thank God as others do in their beds of Downe Mr. Glover the Martyr wept for joy of his imprisonment And Mr. Bradford put off his cap and thanked the Lord when his Keeper's Wife brought him word that he was to be burnt the next day and Mr. Taylor fetched a pleasant delightful frisk when he was come near to the place where he was to suffer Mr. Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Mary's days did sing in the flames Vincentius laughing at â—his tormentors said that death and tortures were to Christians socularia ludiera matters of sport and pastime and he joyed and gloried when he went upon hot burning Coals as if he had trod upon Roses Fire Sword Death Prison Famine are all pleasures they are all delightful to me saith Bazil and in his Oration for Barlaam that famous Martyr saith that he delighted in the close prison as in a pleasant green Meadow and he took pleasure in the several inventions of tortures as in several sweet flowers William Tim. Martyr in a letter to a friend of his a little before his death writeth thus Now I take my leave of you till we meet in heaven and hic you after I have tarried a great while for you and seeing you are so long in making ready I will tarry no longer for you you shall find me merrily singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath at my journey's end c. And when they kindled the fire at the feet of James Bainham me thinks said he you strew Roses before me when the Preâ—â—ct urged Basil to comply with the Emperour Socrat. Eccles Hist l. 4. c. 26. Gr. and threatned him with death if he denied he gave him thâ—s resolute and sâ—out answer Thou threatnest me with death saith he and I would that it would fall out so well on my side that I might lay down this carcase of mine in the Quarrel of Christ and in deâ—ence of the truth who is my Head and Captain And when the Preâ—â—ct presâ—ed him to remember himself and obey the Emperour he rejecting all told him what I am to day the same thou shalt find me to morrow When Chrysostom was greatly threatned by the cruel Empress and others he made this answer If they keep me poor I know Christ had not a house to put his head in If they silence me and put me out of the Synagogue so was that poor man that confessed Joh. 9. 22 24. Act. 5. 40. cap. 12. Eph. 6. 20. Rev. 1. Christ and the Apostles enjoyned not to speak in the name of Jesus If they cast me into prison so was Jeremy St. Peter and St Paul and many more If I am forced to flee my Countrey I have that beloved Jâ—hn and that Atlas-like Athanasius for Precedents of the like nature Or whatsoever else should be done unto me I have the holy Martyrs for my fellow-sufferers and I will never count my life dear unto me so I may finish my course with joy but I will by God's help be ever ready with all my heart to suffer any thing for the name of Jesus Christ and for the least jot of his truth Neither were they only a few choice persons who willingly readily cheerfully and resolutely endured Martyrdom in Christ's Cause but such multitudes year after year month after month Hier. id Helic â— week after week and day after day as that one of the Ancients testifieth That there was never a day in the year except the first of January whereunto the number of five hundred Martyrs at least might not be ascribed So many one after another in one Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 8. c. 9. day suffered as the Executioner blunted his sword and with the pains he took fainted That which many of them endured though to flesh and blood it seemed intolerable yet with much patience excellent chearfulness and divine courage they endured it They were not like bears halled to the stake but while Persecutors were sitting on their Judgment-seats and condemning some Christians others leaped in and professed themselves Christians and suffered the uttermost that could be inflicted with Euseb l. c. citat joyfulness and a kind of pleasantness singing Psalms as long as their breath lasted Bucer in an Epistle to Calvin tells him that there were some that would willingly redeem to the Commonwealth the ancient liberty of worshipping Christ with their very lives True Grace makes a Christian of a very heroick nature Holy Zeal will make a Christian very ready to endure any thing or to suffer any thing for Christ his Worship his Ways his Truth It is a high vanity for any man to think of getting to heaven without suffering in all the Ages of the world the Saints have found the way to happiness paved with troubles and we must not think of finding it strewed with Rose-buds When Paul and Silas were in prison their hearts were so full Act. 16. 25. Paul 〈◊〉 his chain whâ—â—h he did bear for the Gospel sake and was as proud of it as a woman of her Ornaments saith Chrysostom of joy that they could not hold but at midnight when others were sleeping they must fall a singing out the Praises of
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill c. Here God's Glory wonderfully shines out of their Sufferings Here this poor blind Idolatrous Heathen Prince is forced to confess that there is no God like Israel's God Basil and Tertullian do well observe of the Primitive Martyrs that divers of the Heathen seeing their zeal courage and constancy glorified God and turned Christians Religion is that Phoenix which hath always revived and flourished in the ashes of holy men and Truth hath never been so honoured and gloriously dispersed as when it hath been sealed by the blood of the Saints This made Julian to forbear to persecute non ex clementia sed invidia not out of piety but envy because the Church grew so fast and multiplied as Nazianzen well observes We read that some times the Sufferings of one Saint have begot many to the love of the Truth We read that Cicilia a poor Captive Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Justine Martyr was also converted by observing the chearful and gracious Carriage of the Saints in their Sufferings And so Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer readily and joyfully such grievous torments asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselves Upon which one of them cited that Text Eye hath not 1. Cor. 2. 9. seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Upon the naming of this Scripture and seeing of them suffer so willingly chearfully and resolutely such a Divine Power took hold of his heart that he was converted and afterwards became a Martyr Now God and Christ and Truth and Religion are never more honoured than when poor souls are soundly converted Surely the Crown of Martyrdom is a Glorious Crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient Pearl and Precious Diamond in his Crown of far more value than that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the Battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Pope's Tripple Crown O A 7. 55 56 57. what foreâ—asts of Glory what ravishments of Soul have many of the Blessed Martyrs had in their sufferings for Christ Holy Lord stay thy hand I can bear no more said one of the Martyrs like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light Is it not a high honour to a King to have such Captains and Champions as will not yield to their Sovereign's enemies but stand it out to the uttermost till they get the Victory though it cost them their lives to get it yet no mortal King can as Christ doth put spirit courage and strength into a Subject only we may well conceive and conclude that such Valourous Soldiers as are ready to hazard their lives for their Sovereign serve a good Master Thus do suffering Christians and Martyrs give Persecutors to understand that they serve a good Master and that they highly prize him who hath done more and suffered more for them than their dearest Blood is worth and who enables them with courage constancy and comfort to endure whatsoever for his names sake can be Rom. 8. 37. inflicted on them and therein to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More than Conquerors or above Conquerors How can that be can a man get more than the Victory The meaning is we do over overcome super superanus that is triumph or overcome before we fight we are famous and renowned Conquerors we easily conquer we 2 Cor. 2. 14. conquer by those things which are used to conquer us we beat our enemies with their own Swords as Julian sometime said being confuted by Heathen Learning Martyr and Piscator expound it thus we do more than overcome that is we obtain a Noble a famous Victory And is not this a great honour to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Captain of our Salvation The invincible courage of suffering Christians puts life and spirit into others In an Army valorous Leaders much animate the rest of the Soldiers and embolden them to follow their Leaders Now you know the Church is an Army with Banners and suffering Ministers and suffering Saints Cant. 6. 4. are as Leaders they couragiously and victoriously make the onset and other Christians by their pious examples are pricked on to follow them so far as they are followers of the Lamb. But Twelfthly Consider That all the Sufferings and Persecutions that you meet with on earth shall advance your Glory in Heaven Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae saith Augustine The more we suffer with and for Christ the more Glory we shall have with and from Christ Rom. 2. 6. the more Saints are persecuted on earth the greater shall be their reward in heaven Look as Persecutions do encrease a Christian's Grace so they do advance a Christian's Glory in Heaven the Martyrs shall have the highest Degree of Glory for though God doth not reward men simply for their Works namely for the merit of them yet he rewards according to their Works and proportions the degree or measure thereof according to the kind of work which on earth is done and according to the measure of Grace whereby he enables men to do it Now Martyrdom is the most difficult the most honourable and the most acceptable Work that on earth can be done and therefore in heaven Martyrdom shall be crowned with the highest degree of Glory on this ground they who set down the different degrees of Celestial Glory by the different Fruits which the good Ground brought forth some thirty some sixty and some a hundred Mat. 13. 8. fold apply the hundred fold which is the highest and Mat. 19. 27 28 29 Keep your eye upon the recompence of reward as Moses did Heb. 11. 26. and as Christ did cap. 12 2. as Paul did Rom. 8. 18. This will work you 1. To walk more holily humbly thankfully 2. To live more chearfully and comfortably 3. To suffer more patiently freely resolutely 4. To fight against the world the flesh and the devil more stoutly and valiantly 5. To withstand Temptations more stedfastly strongly 6. To be contented with a little 7. To leave the world Relations and friends more willingly 8. And to embrace death more joyfully greatest Degree of Glory to Martyrdom Doubtless God's suffering Servants and amongst them especially his Martyrs shall sit down in the chiefest Mansions and in the highest Rooms in the Kingdom of Glory According to the Degrees of our sufferings for Christ will be the degrees of our Glory What shall we have says Peter that have suffered so many great and grievoâ—◠〈…〉 ngs for thy name that have forsaken all and followed thee Veriâ—y says our Saviour every one that hath forsaken
by choice persons chosen out one by another and about choice matters and upon choice conditions chosen out and agreed upon by both parties Secondly because in making of Covenants commonly sacrifices were stricken and slain for confirmation and solemnity Of old God sealed his Covenant by sacrifices of beasts slain divided and cut asunder and the choice fat and other parts offered upon the Altar And in making of great and solemn Covenants men in old time were wont to kill and cut asunder sacrificed beasts and to pass â—eâ— 15. 9 10 17. Jeâ— 34. 18 19 20. Levâ— 26. 25. weigh well these two Scriptures 〈◊〉 breakers may well look â—pon them as flaming swords is terrible thunder-bolts between the parts divided for a solemn testimony or for the confirmation of the Covenants that they had made And as learned men have long since observed that the very Heathen in their covenanting used sacrifices and divided them passing between the parts and this they did as some conjecture in imitation of God's people This third is the common opinion about the Original of this name and therefore preferred before all other So this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith Covenant seems to sound as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kerith a smiting or striking because of sacrifices slain in covenanting Hence the word Covenant is often joyned witst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karath which signifies striking of Covenant An example of this beyond all exception And Riven in Gen. 31. Exerciâ—at 135. saith my Author is in that sacrifice wherein God by Moses made a Covenant with all the people of Israel and bound them to obey his Law the description of it is in Exod. 24. 4 5 6 7 8. And Moses wrote all the wards of the Lord and rose up early in the morning and builded an Altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel And he sent young men of the children Anciently Coâ—enants were made with blood to be taken conâ—â—an y in the covenant eâ—en to the the◠〈…〉 of blood loss of life of Israel which offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons and half of the blood he sprinkled on the Altar And he took the book of the Covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said all that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words I shall not Rupâ—rtus Ambrâ—se Cajetan c. trouble my reader with that mystical and too curious a sence that some of the Ancients put upon these words the historical sense is here more fit For in this Ceremony of dividing the blood in two parts and so besprinkling the Altar with the one half which represented God and the people with the other between whom the Covenant was confirmed the old use in striking of Covenants is observed For the ancient custom was that they which made a League or Covenant divided some beast and put the parts asunder walking in the midst signifying that as the beast was divided so they should be which brake the Covenant So when Saul went against the Ammonites coming out of the field he hewed two Oxen and sent them into all the coasts of Israel expressing the 1 Sam. 11. 7. like signification that so should his Oxen be served that came not forth after Saul and Samuel After the same manner when God made a Covenant with Abraham and he had divided certain beasts as God had commanded Gen. 15. 12. to the 19. him and laid one part against another a smoaking â—irâ—brand went between representing God signifying that so he should be divided which violated the Covenant So in this place not much unlike the blood is parted in twain shewing that so should his blood be shed which kept not the Covenant Fourthly some derive the word Berith from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bara to create and the reason they give for this derivation is this because the first state of creation was confirmed by the Covenant which God made with man and all creatures were to be upheld by means of observing of the Law and condition of the Covenant and that Covenant being broken by man the world made subject to ruine is upheld yea and as it were created anew by the Covenant of grace in Christ Fifthly some derive the word Berith from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berath which signifies firmness sureness because Covenants are firm and sure and all things agreed on are confirmed and made sure by them God's Covenant is a sure Covenant Deut. 7. 9. The Lord thy God he is the faithful God or the God 〈…〉 31. 31 23 35 â—6 37. â—sâ—l 19. 7. Rev. 3. 14. Isa 54. 10. of Amen which keepeth covenant with them that love him Psal 89. 34. My covenant will I not break Hebrew I will not profane nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips All God's precepts all God's predictions all God's menaces and all God's promises are the issue of a most just faithful and righteous will There are three things that God cannot do 1. He cannot die 2. He cannot lie Tiius 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 3. He cannot deny himself Now the derivation of Berith from the several roots specified and not from one only doth give much light to the point under consideration and doth reconcile in one all the several opinions of the learned and justifies their several derivations without rejecting or offering any wrong or disgrace to any Secondly The Greek name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diatheke A Covenant or a Testament By this Greek word the Septuagint in their Greek Translation do commonly express the Hebrew word Berith and it is observeable that this is the only word by which the Hebrew word Berith is rendered in the New Testament This Greek word Diatheke is translated Covenant in the New Testament about Heb. 8. 6 7 8 9 10 cap. 1. 4. Luk. 1. 72. Rom. 9. 4 c. Mat. 26. 28. Luk. 22. 20 c. twenty times and the same word is translated Testament in the New Testament about twelve times Wherever you find the word Covenant in the New Testament there you shall find Diatheke and wherever you find the word Testament in the New Testament there you shall find Diatheke so that it is of importance for us to understand this word aright Now this Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diatheke is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diatithemai which hath divers of the significations of the Hebrew words of which Berith is derived for it signifies to set things in order and frame to appoint orders and make Laws to pacifie and make satisfaction and to
thee Though huge mountains should remove which is not probable or though heaven and earth should meet which is not likely yet his Covenant shall stand immoveable and his mercy and kindness to his people shall be immutable This new Covenant of grace is like the new heavens and new earth which will never wax old or vanish away Isa 66. 22. But Secondly The Covenant of grace is called an everlasting Covenant â—x parte confaederatorum in respect of the people of God who are brought into Covenant and shall continue in Covenant for ever and ever You have both these expressed in that excellent Scripture Jer. 32. 40. Mâ—â— 3. 6. Hâ—â— 2 19. Gen. 17. 7. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Heb. I will cut out with them a Covenant of perpetuity that I will not turn away from them to do them good but Heb. and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Seriously dwell upon the place it shews that God will never â—â—rcease to pur 〈…〉 and follow his Covenant-people with 〈◊〉 and blessings iâ—cessâ—â—â— the Covenant is everlasting on God's part and also on our part On God's part I will never turn away from them to do them good and on our part They shall never depart from me How so I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me That they may continue constant with me and not constrain me by their Apostasie to break again with them I will so deeply rivâ—t a reverend dread of my self in their souls as shall cause them to cling and cleave and keep close to me forever In the Covenant of grace God undertakes for both parts For his own that he will be their God i. e. that all he is and all he has shall be employed for their external internal and eternal good And for ours that Jer. 32. 38. we shall be his people i. e. That we shall believe love Eâ—â—k 36. 26 27. fear repent obey serve him and walk with him as he requires and thus the Covenant of grace becomes an everlasting Covenant yea such a 〈◊〉 as hath the sure o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Covenant of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ment which God hath made with sinful man out of his mere mercy and grace wherein he undertakes both for himself and for fallen man and wherein he engages himself to make fallen man everlastingly happy In the Covenant of Grace there are two things considerable First the Covenant that God makes for himself to us which consists mainly of these branches 1. That he will be our ult 〈◊〉 9. 1â— 17 18. God that is as if he said you shall have as true an interest in all my attributes for your good as they are mine for my own glory My grace saith God shall be yours to pardon you and my power shall be yours to protect you and my wisdom shall be yours to direct you and my goodness shall be yours to releive you and my mercy shall be yours to supply you and my glory shall be yours to crown you This is a comprehensive promise for God to be our God it includes all Deus meus omnia said Luther 2. That he will give us his spirit 〈◊〉 44. ◠〈◊〉 31. 33. 〈◊〉 2. 28. 〈◊〉 14. 16 20. 〈◊〉 â— 23. 〈◊〉 2â— 4◠〈◊〉 15. â—6 cap. 16. 7. hence the spirit is called the holy spirit of promise The giving of the Holy Ghost is the great promise which Christ from the father hath made unto us It is the spirit that reveils the promises that appliâ—s the promises and that helps the soul to live upon the promises and to draw marrow and fatness out of the promises The great promise of the Old Testament was the promise of Christ Gen. 3. 16. and the great promise of the New Testament is the promise of the spirit as you may see by the Scriptures in the margent That in this last Age of the world there may be a more clear and full discovery of Christ of the great things of the Gospel of Antichrist and of the glorious conquests that are in the last days to be made upon him the giving of the spirit is promised as the most excellent gift 3. That he will take away the heart 〈◊〉 36. 26. Jâ—r â—2 40. 〈◊〉 36. 25. Jer. 33. 9 10. Jer. 32. 41. of stone and give a heart of flesh i. e. a soft and tender heart 4. That he will not â—uâ—n away his â—aâ—e from us 〈◊〉 doing of us good and that he will put his fear into our hearts 5. That he will cleâ—â—se us from all our â—ilthiness and fâ—om all our Idols 6. That he will râ—jâ—yce ouer us to do us good The second thing considerable in the Covenant of Grace is the Covenant which God doth make for us to himself which consists mainly in these things 1. That we shall Jer. 32. 38 40. Ezek. 36. 27. Job 17. 9. Prov. 4. 18. Psal 1. 3. â—â—â—sâ—a 14. 5 6 7. Zaâ—h 12. 18. Mal. 4. â— Jer. 24. 5. Râ—m 8. 28. Luk. 12. 3â— Rev. 2. 10. Psal 84. 11. John 10. 28. See the truth of this fully evidenced in 12 particularâ— in my box of precious â—vntâ—nâ—nt 〈◊〉 364 365 366 367 be his people 2. That we shall fear him for ever 3. That we shall walk in his Statutes keep his Judgments and do them 4. That we shall never depart from him 5. That wâ— shall persevere and hold out to the end 6. That we shall grow and â—lourish iâ— grâ—â—e 7. A true right to the creatures 8. That all providences changes and conditions shall work for our good 9. Vnion and communion with Christ 10. That â—â— sâ—all 〈◊〉 Kingdom a Crown and glory at last and whâ— would wâ— have more By these short hints 't is most evident that the Covenant of Grace is an entire Covenant an everlasting Covenant made by God both for himself and for us Oh sirs this is the glory 〈…〉 the Covenant of Grace That whatsoever God râ—quiâ—â—s of us that he stands engaged to give unto us whatever in the Covenant of Grace God requires on 〈◊〉 's put that he undertakes to perform for man That this Covenant of Grace is an everlâ—â—ing Covenant may be madâ— further clear from God's denomination who hath 〈◊〉 stiled it an everlasting Covenant In the Old Testament he frequently calls it in Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith â—â—olam A Covenant of â—ternity In the New Testament he calls it in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diatheke Aioniâ—s The eternal Covenant or the everlasting Covenant And those whom God has taken into Covenant with himself they have frequently acknowledged it to be an everlasting Covenant as is evident up and down the Scripture The Covenant of works was not everlasting it was soon overthrown by Adam's sin but the Covenant of grace is Isâ— â—5 10. Dâ—â— 9. 24. everlasting The joy
obstinate Rebellion of the greatest part of the Jews against that blessed word which he had clearly and faithfully made known to them When Christ looked upon the paucity and small number of those that his Ministry had any saving and powerful work upon he pours out his complaints before the father not that Christ's pains in his ministry among the Jews were wholly in vain either in regard of God that sent him or in regard of the persons unto whom he was sent as if not any at all were converted Oh no! for some were called converted and sanctified as you may see by the Scriptures in the margin Or in regard of himself as if any loss or prejudice should thereby redound unto him Oh no! but in regard of the small the slender effect that his great labours had hitherto found yet surely my judgment is with the Lord. Christ for the better support and re-encouraging of himself to persist in his employment opposeth unto the want of the chiefly desired success of his labours with men the gracious acceptance of them with God It is as if Christ had said although my labour hath not produced such fruits and effects as I indeed desired yet I do comfort and bear up my heart with this that my heavenly father knows that in the office and place wherein he hath set me I have faithfully done all that could be done for the salvation of poor sinners souls and for the securing of them from wrath to come And my work or reward with my God that is the reward of my work or my wages for my work which God will render unto me not according to the issue or success of my labours but according to my pains therein taken and the faithful discharge of my office and duty therein What saith Christ though the Jews believe not repent not return not to the most high yet my labour is not lost for my God will really he will signally reward me Upon this God the father comes off more freely and roundly and opens his heart more abundantly to Jesus Christ and tells him in the fifth and sixth verses following that he will give him full compleat and honourable satisfaction for all his pains and labours in preaching in doing in suffering and dying that he might bring many sons to glory vers 5. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob again to him though Israel is not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength In this verse you have a farther encouragement to our Lord Jesus Christ God the father engaging himself not only to support him and protect him in the work of his Ministry but of making him glorious in it and by it also and that though his work should not prove so successful among his own people as he desired yet his Ministry should become very glorious and efficacious upon the Gentiles far and near throughout the whole world Jesus Christ is very confident of his being high in the esteem of his father for the faithful discharge of his duty And that notwithstanding all the hard measure that he met with from the body of the Jews that yet his father would Joh. 5. 20 23. cap. 10. 15 17. Joh. 17. 1 5. Thil. 2. 9. crown him with honour and glory and that he would enable him to go through the work that is incumbent upon him and that he would protect him and defend him in his work against all might and malice all power and policy that should make head against him vers 6. And he said it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth Thus you see that God the father still goes on to shew that the labours of Christ should be very glorious not only in the eyes of God but in the eyes of all the world Yow know elsewhere Christ is called the way Joâ— 14. 6. the truth and the life and here he is called the light and salvation of the Gentiles God the father speaking to Jesus Christ tells him that it was but a small matter a mean thing Heb. it is too light for him to have such happy and ample success as to reduce and win the Jews in comparison of that further work that he intended to effect by him even the salvation of the Gentiles unto the ends of earth God the father seems to say thus to Jesus Christ the dignity and worthiness of thy person thou being the eternal and only son of God as also the high office whereunto I have called thee requireth more excellent things than that thou shouldest only raise up and restore the people of Israel to their right I have also appointed and ordained thee for a Saviour to the Gentiles even to the ends of the earth therefore though the greatest parâ—â—mong the Jews will not receive thee nor submit unto thee yet the Gentiles they shall own thee and honour thee they shall embrace thee and give themselves up unto thee I shall be briefer in the remaining proofs And therefore The Fourth Scripture is that Isa 52. 13 14. Behold The fourth proof The Chaldee Paraphrast some Jewish Doctors expound this place of the Messias Isa 42. 1. cap 53. 11 c. my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high The three last verses of this chapter with the next chapter do joyntly make up an entire Prophecy concerning Christ his person parentage condition manner of life sufferings humiliation exaltation c. with the noble benefits that redound to us and the great honour that redounds to himself In these two verses you have 1. The two parties contracting viz. God the father and Jesus Christ Behold my servant saith God the father this title is several times given by the father to Jesus Christ because he did the father great service in the work of man's Redemption freeing fallen man from the thraldom of sin and Satan 2. Both parties are very sure and confident of the event of the paction and of the accomplishment of the whole work of Redemption Behold my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high Here are divers terms heaped up to express in part the transcendent and unexpressible advancement of Jesus Christ when men are raised from a mean and low estate to some honourable condition when men are furnished with such parts and endowments of prudence wisdom and understanding as makes them admirable in the eyes of others and when they are enabled to do and suffer great things whereby they become famous and renowned far and near then we say they are highly exalted Now in all the serespects our Lord Jesus Christ was most eminently
exalted above all creatures in heaven and earth as is most evident throughout the Scriptures Thirdly He tells you of the price which Jesus Christ should pay for the Redemption of his people agreed upon by paction viz. the humbling of himself to the death of the Cross as you may see in vers 14. As many were astonied at thee his visaâ—â— was so marred more than any mans and his form more than the sons of men This is the speech of the father to Jesus Christ his visage was so marred that the Jews were ashamed to own him for their King and Messiah The astonishment here spoken of is such an astonishment as ariseth from the contemplation of some strange uncouth and ruful spectacle of desolation deformity and misery And no wonder if many were astonished at the sight of our Saviour's condition in regard of those base disgraceful and despightful usages that were offered and done to him in the time of his humiliation here on earth when his own followers were so amazed at the relation of them Mar. 10. 32 33 34 when they were foretold of them Oh sirs the words last cited are not so to be understood as if our blessed Saviour had in regard of his bodily person or presence been some strange deformed or mishapen creature but Isa 51. 3. in regard of his outward estate coming of mean and obscure parents living in a low despicable condition exposed to scorn and contempt and to much affliction through the whole course of his life and more especially yet in regard of what he was also in his personal appearance through the base and scornful usages that he sustained at the hands of his malicious and mischievous adversaries when they had gotten him into their power besides his watchings draggings to and fro from place to place buffettings scourgings carrying his cross and other base usages could not but much alter the state of his body and impair yea deface all the sightliness of it And yet all this he suffered to make good the compact and agreement that he had made with his father about the Redemption of his Elect. But The fifth Scripture is that 53. of Isaiah This Scripture The fifth proof among many others gives us very clear intimations of a Federal transaction between God the father and Jesus Christ in order to the recovery and everlasting happiness of poor sinners The glorious Gospel seems to be epitomised in this chapter the subject matter of it is the grievous sufferings and dolorous death of Christ and the happy and glorious issue thereof Of all the Prophets this Prophet Isaiah was the most Evangelical Prophet and Hierom calls him Isaiah the Evangelist of all the Prophecies of this Prophet that which you have in this chapter is the most Evangelical Prophecy In this chapter you have a most plain lively and full description In this chapter you have the compact and agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ plainly asserted and proved and representation of the humiliation death and passion of Jesus Christ which indeed is so exact and so consonant to what hath fallen our since that Isaiah seems here rather to pen an history than a Prophecy The matter contained in this chapter is so convictive from that clear light that goes along with it â— that several of the Jews in reading of this chapter have been converted as not being able to stand any longer out against the shining light and evidence of it Out of this chapter which is more worth than all the Gold of Ophir yea than ten thousand worlds Observe with me these eight things First Observe that God and Christ are sweetly agreed and infinitely pleased in the conversion of the Elect vers 10. He shall see his seed that is he shall see them called converted changed and sanctified he shall see his seed that is an innumerable company shall be converted to him by his word and spirit in all countreys Psal 110. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23. and nations through the mighty workings of the spirit and the incorruptible seed of the word infinite numbers of poor souls should be brought in to Jesus Christ which Rev. 7. 9. Heb. 2. 10 13. he should see to his full content and infinite satisfaction He shall see his seed that is he shall see them encrease and multiply he shall see believers brought in to him from all corners and quarters and he shall see them greatly encrease and grow by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel especially after his ascention into heaven and a more glorious pouring forth of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and others Act. 2. 37 41. Act. 4. 1 2 3 4. Act. 8. No accountants on earth can count or reckon up Christ's spiritual seed and issue But Secondly observe with me that in the persons redeemed by Jesus Christ there was neither weight nor Exâ—k 16. 1 10. worth neither portion nor proportion neither inward or outward excellencies or beauties for which the punishment due to them should be transferred upon dear Jesus for if you look upon them in their sins in their guilt you shall find them despisers and rejecters of Christ vâ—rs 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Christ took upon him not our nature alone but the infirmities also of it and became liable to such sorrows and afflictions and pains and griefs as man's sinful nature is exposed and subject unto They Râ—m 8. 3. Heb. 4. 15. are called ours because they were procured to him by our sins and sustained by him for the discharge of our sins unto the guilt whereof out of love to us undertaken by him they were deservedly due Christ for our sakes hath taken all our spiritual maladies that is all our sins upon him to make satisfaction for them and as our surety to pay the debt that we had run into Christ in the quality of a pledg for his Elect hath given full satisfaction for all their sins bearing all the punishments due for them in torments and extreme griefs both of body and soul The reason why they so much disesteemed of Christ was because they made no other account but You know they traduced hiâ— as a notorious deceiver a drunkard a friend of publicans and sinners and one that wrought by the Deâ—il that all those afflictions that befel him were by God inflicted upon him for his own evil deserts They accounted him to be one out of grace and favour with God yea to be one pursued by him with all those evils for his sins when the Jews saw what grievous things Christ suffered they wickedly and impiously judged that he was thus handled by God in way of vengeance for his sins By all which you may see that in the persons redeemed by Christ there was nothing of worth or honour to be found for which the punishment due to them should
work of Creation Again the works of Providence are great very great in the eye of God of Angels of men but what are the workâ— of Providence to the works of Redemption for in order to the accomplishment of that great work Christ must put off his Royal Robâ—s take a journey from heaven to earth assume our nature do and die c. Again the work of Redemption by Christ will be sound a great work if you will but compare it with those Redemptions that were but Types of this Israel's Redemption from their Egyptian Bondage and from their Babilonish Bondage were very great Redemptions that were brought about by a strong hand a mighty hand and an out-stretched arm as the Scripture speaks But alas what were those Redemptions to our being redeemed from the love of sin the guilt of sin the dominion of sin the damnatory power of sin and to our being redeemed from the power of Satan the curse 1 Tâ—â—s 1. 〈…〉 of the Law Hell and wrath to come Lastly the great things that are wrapped up in the womb in the belly of Redemption speak out our Redemption by Christ to be a very great Redemption in the womb of this Redemption you shall find reconciliation justification adoption eternal salvation c. and are not these great very great things surely yes But A Second excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Christ is this that its a free and gracious Redemption All the rounds in this Ladder of Redemption are made up of free rich and soveraign grace though our Redemption cost Christ dear as has been before hinted yet as to us it is most free Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blâ—od the forgiveness of sins according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word properly signiâ—ies a deliverance which is brought to pass by â—â—â—ing of a ranâ—â—â— and price 〈◊〉 Mat. 20. 28. 1 â—â—r 6. 20. 1 〈◊〉 1. 18. to the riches of his grace that is according to his exceeding great and abundant grace Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus our Redemption is from the free love and favour of God It was free grace that put God the father upon finding out a way for the redemption of lost sinners It was free Grace that put God upon providing of such a surety as should undertake the work of Redemption as should carry on the work of Redemption and as should accomplish and compleat the work of Redemption And it was free grace that moved God the father to accept of what Christ did and suffered in order to the bringing about of our Redemption and it is free Grace that moves God to make an application of this Redemption to the souls of his people Ah poor souls the Lord looks not neither Isa 52. 3. for money nor moneys worth from you towards the purchase of your Redemption and therefore always look upon your Redemption as the mere fruit of rich Grace But The Third excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this it is a full and plenteous Redemption Psal 130. 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption Christ redeems us from all sin and from all Tit. 2. 14. Hos 13. 14. the consequences of sin he redeems from death and from the power of the grave he redeems us from the Rom. 7. 6. Gal. 4. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Law and from the malediction of the Law Christ took that off he was made a curse for all that believe on him he did not only stand in the room of eminent believers but he stood in the room of all believers and endured the wrath of God to the uttermost for every one that believeth on him Every believer is freed from a cursed estate by the least faith every degree of true faith makes the condition to be a state of life and passeth us from death and condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus And Christ redeems us from this present Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 1. 4. Rev. 14. 3 4. 1 Thes 1. 10. Luk. 1. 71 74. evil world and from the earth and from among men and from wrath to come and from the hands of all our enemies Jesus Christ hath gone thorough-stitch with the work of our Redemption Christ does not his work by halves all his works are perfect there is no defect or flaw in them at all Christ does not redeem us from some of our sins and leave us to grapple with the rest he doth not work out some part of our Redemption and leave us to work out the rest he doth not bear the heat and burden of divine wrath in part and leave us to wrestle with other parts of divine wrath O! no Christ makes most complete work of it he redeems us from all our iniquities he delivers us out of the hands of all our enemies he pays Heb. 7. 25. all debts he cuts all scores he delivers from all wrath he takes off the whole curse he saves to the uttermost and will settle us in a state of full and perfect freedom when grace shall be turned into glory in heaven our Redemption shall be entire and and perfect The Fourth excellent Property of that Redemption that we have by Jesus Christ is this It is an eternal a permanent a lasting yea an everlasting Redemption Heb. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eâ—ernal redemption for us Redemption is in general Exod. 6. 6. a freeing one out of thraldom Now this is done three ways 1. By interceding and pacifying wrath Thus the Prophet Oded procured Redemption for the Captives 2 Chron. 28. 9 c. of Judah by his intercession 2. By force and might Thus Abraham redeemed his brother Lot and the people that Gen. 14. 16. were captives with him by overcoming their enemies 3. By ransom or paying a price Thus an Hebrew that Levit. 25. 48 49. was sold a slave to a stranger might be redeemed by one of his brethren the last of these is most agreeable to the notation of the several words which in the three learned languages do signify to redeem though the last be especially intended In that mention is made of a price namely Christ's blood yet the other two are not altogether exempted for Christ hath all those three ways redeemed his people This will more clearly appear if we duly weigh the distinct kinds of bondage in which we Maâ— 6. 12. Eph. 2 3. Heb. 2. 143 5. were by reason of sin 1. We were debtors to Divine Justice 2. We were children of wrath 3. We were slaves to Satan 1. As debtors Christ hath paid a ransom for us 2. As children of wrath Christ makes intercession for us 3. But though Divine
applicable to the person of Christ He that by his office is to be Emmanuel God with us he must in regard of his person be Emanuel also that is God-man in one person He that by office is to make peace between God and man he must be God-man he that by office is to stand and minister between God and men he must be God and Heb. 2. 17 18. cap. 4. 15 16. man that so he might not be only zealously faithful towards God's justice but also tenderly merciful towards men's errours Look as he must be more than man that he may be able so to suffer that his sufferings may be meritorious that he may go through-stitch with the work of Redemption and triumph over death Devils difficulties discouragements curse hell wrath c. All which Christ could never have done had he been but a mere man So it was requisite that he should be man that he might be in a capacity to suffer die and obey for these are not works for one who is only God A God only cannot suffer a man only cannot merit God cannot obey man is bound to obey wherefore Christ that he might obey and suffer he was man and that he might merit by his obedience and suffering he was God-man now such a person and only such a person did the work of Redemption call for That is a mighty Scripture Phil. 2. 6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God here 's Christ's pre-existing in the nature of the Godhead and then after comes his manhood But made hiâ—self of no reputation Greek he emptied Isa 53. 6. 9. himself as it were of his divine dignity and majesty he did disrobe himself of his glory and became a sinner both by imputation and reputation for our sakes for our salvation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men All this Christ did upon his father's prescription and in pursuit of the great work of Redemption The blessed spirit fitted the man Christ Jesus to be a meet Mediatour and Redeemer for poor sinners The spirit formed the nature of man Luk. 1. 35. Gal. 4. 4. of the substance of the Virgin after an extraordinary manner for the service of the Lord Christ he sanctined the humane nature which Christ assumed after such a perfect manner that it was free from all sin in the very Luk. 1. 35. moment of conception he united this pure humane nature with the divine in the same person the person of the Heb. 10. 5. son of God that he might be a fit head Mediatour and Redeemer for us But The Eighth Proposition is this viz. That there were commandments from the father to the son which he must obey and submit to God the father did put forth his paternal authority and lay his commands upon his son to engage in this great work of redeeming and saving poor sinners souls he had a command from the father what to teach his people as the Prophet of the Church For I have not spoken of my self saith Christ but the father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and Joh. 12. 49. what I should speak Christ declares that he had received a Commission from the father who sent him concerning his Doctrine and what to say and speak and that he was perswaded that this Doctrine delivered to him by the father points out the true way to eternal life and that he had exactly followed this Commission in preaching both for matter and mannor The two words of saying Between saying and speaking there is this difference saith à Lapide that to say is to teach and publish a thing gravely to speak is familiararly to utter a thing and speaking may be taken comprehensively pointing out all the ways of delivering his commission by set and solemn preaching or occasional conferences and the whole subject matter of his preaching in precepts promises and threatnings and so it will 〈…〉 port that his commission from the father was full both for matter and manner and his discharge thereof answerable Christ is a true Prophet who speaks neither more or less in the Doctrine of the Gospel than what was the father's will should be delivered to us For whatsoever I speak even as the father said unto me so I speak Christ keeps close to his Commission without adding or diminishing and herein Christ's practice should be every faithful minister's patternâ— Again Christ had a command to lay down his life for those that were giu 〈…〉 No man taketh it from Joâ— 1â— 18. me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commundment have I received of my father The father is so well pleased with the reconciliation of lost sinners that he loveth Christ for the undertaking thereof and is fully satisfied with his suffering for attaining that end in both these respects it holds good Therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life vers 17. The father is pleased with him that he undertook this service and is content with his death as a sufficient ransom Christ having laid down his life for the Redemption of lost man did take it again as a testimony that the father was satisfied with his sufferings Now the way of the accomplishment of our Redemption was agreed on betwixt the father and the son before the accomplishment thereof Therefore saith he this commandment have I received of my father which Psal 40. 6 7. with Heb. 10. 6 7 8. makes it clear that he came into the world fully instructed about carrying on the work of Redemption It pleased Christ to suffer death not only voluntarily but in a way of subjection to his father's command that so the merit thereof might every way be full and acceptable to the father for this commandment have I received he was content to be a servant by paction that so his sufferings might be accepted for his people And so when Christ was going to die he saith That the world may know that I love the Joh. 14. 31. father and as the father gave me commandment even so I do arise let us go hence As if he had said power is permitted to Satan and his accomplices to persecute me to death that dying for man's Redemption the world may see the obedience and love I bear to the father who hath thus determined All that Christ suffered for the Redemption of sinners was by the order and at the command of the father who did covenant with him concerning this work For as the father gave me a commandment even so do I In this Scripture as in a crystal-glass you may see that Christ did enter the lists in his sufferings with much willingness and alacrity with much courage and resolution that so he might commend his love to us and encourage
this Throne all the Great ones of the world must stand Popes Emperours Kings Princes Nobles Judges Prelates without their Mitres Crowns Sceptres Royal Robes Gold chains c. And before this Throne all other sorts and ranks of men must stand And he that sits upon this Throne is a great King and a great Rev. 1. 5. cap. 17. 14. Rev. 19. 16. All the thrones of the Kings of the earth with Solomon's Golden Throne are but petty Thrones to this Throne yea they are but footstools to this Throne and therefore upon this single ground it may well be called a great Throne God above all Gods he is Prince of the Kings of the earth who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Upon all which accounts this Throne may well be called a great Throne And 't is called A White Throne because of its Celestial Splendor and Majesty and to shew the uprightness and Glory of the Judge The white colour in Scripture is used to represent purity and glory here it signifies that Christ the Judge shall give most just and righteous Judgment free from all spot of partiality From whose Face the heaven and the earth fled away The Splendor and Majesty of the Judge is such as neither heaven or earth is able to behold or abide the same how then shall the wicked be able to stand before him Augustine understands it for the future renovation of heaven and earth and here he acknowledgeth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the heaven and the earth fled not before but after the Judgment to wit saith he The Judgment being finished then shall this heaven and earth cease to be when the Hysterosis is when a thing is before put down which should come after or contrariwise Aug. lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14. 1 â—â—t 3. 12. new heaven and earth shall begin for this world shall pass away by a change of things not by an utter destruction The heaven and the earth shall flee away that is this shape of heaven and earth shall pass away because they shall be changed from vanity through fire that so they may be transformed into a much better and more beautiful estate according to that which the Apostle Peter writeth The heaven shall pass away with a great noise and the elements melt with heat but we expect new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness How this passing away â—r perishing of heaven and earth shall come to pass there are divers opinions of learned men Some think that the substance or essence it self of the world shall wholly perish and be annihilated Others are of opinion that only the corruptible qualities thereof shall perish and be changed and the substance or essence remain There shall be a renovation of all things say most and that only the fashion of the world that is the outward form and corruptible qualities shall be destroyed and so the earth shall be found no more as it was but shall be made most beautiful and glorious being to be delivered into the glorious liberty as far as 't is capable of the sons Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. of God being to be freed from corruption and bondage And with these I close The summ of the 21. verse is That the Creature shall not be always subject to vanity but shall have a manumission from bondage of the which deliverance three things are declared First who the Creature that is The World Secondly From what from Corruption which is a bondage Thirdly Into what estate into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Some here note the time of the deliverance of the Creature namely when the children of God shall be wholly set free for though they have here a freedom unto righteousneess from the bondage of sin yet they have not a freedom of glory which is from the bondage of misery But others take it for the state it self which shall be glorious not the same with the children of God but proportioned according to its kind with them for it is most suitable to the liberty of the faithful that as they are renewed so also should their habitation And as when a Noble man mourneth his servants are all clad in black so it is for the greater glory of man that the Creatures his servants should in their kind partake of his glory And whereas some say that it is deliverance enough for the creature if it cease to serve man and have an end of vanity by annihilation I affirm it is not enough because this 21. verse notes not only such deliverance but also a further estate which it shall have after such deliverance namely to communicate in some degree with the children of God in glory Certainly the Creatures in their kind and manner shall be made partakers of a far better estate than they had while the world endured because that God shall fully and wholly restore the world being fallen into corruption through the transgression and sin of Man-kind And this doth more plainly appear by the Apostle's opposing subsequent liberty against former bondage which that he might more enlarge he calleth it not simply freedom or liberty but liberty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any shall enquire what shall be the particular properties works and uses of all every creature after the last Judgment I answer 1. That as to these things the word is silent and 't is not safe to be wise above what is written 2. Here is place for that which Tertuâ—ian calls a learned Ignorance Glory as it is in the Greek Text meaning thereby according to the phrase and propriety of the Hebrew tongue glorious liberty or liberty that bringeth glory with it under which term of glory he compriseth the excellent estate that they shall be in after their delivery from their former baseness and servitude As for those words of the sons of God to which we must refer the glorious liberty before mentioned they must be understood by a certain proportion or similitude thus that as in that great day and not before God's children shall be graciously freed from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoever either in body or soul and on the other side made perfect partakers of Eternal Blessedness so the Creatures then and not before shall be delivered from the vanity of man and their own corruption and restored to a far better estate than at present they enjoy which also may further appear by the words the Apostle useth setting glorious liberty deliverance and freedome against servile bondage and slavery Chrysostome reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the glorious liberty of the sons of God as if the end or final cause of their deliverance were pointed at namely that as God made the world for man and for man's sin subdued it to vanity So he would deliver it and restore it for men even to illustrate and enlarge the glory of God's children I could by variety of Arguments prove that
this deliverance of the Creature that our Apostle speaks of shall not be by a reduction into nothing but by an alteration into a better estate But I must hasten to a close Vers 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God The Judge before whom all do appear is our dear Lord Jesus who hath the keys of hell and death in Rev. 1. 18. Act. 17. 30 31. his hands and who is designed and appointed by God the Father to be the Judge of quick and dead he hath Authority and a Commission under his Father's hand to sit and act as Judge Here you see that John calleth the Judge absolutely God but Christ is the Judge therefore Christ is God absolutely and he will appear to be God in our nature in that great day The Parties judged who stand before the Throne are 1. Generally the dead all who had died from Adam to the last day he calls them the dead after the common Law of Nature but then raised from death to life by the Eph 2. 5. Colos 2. 13. power of God he speaks not of men dead in sins and trespasses but of such as died corporally and now were raised up to judgment But shall not the living then be judged Oh yes For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 149 10. of Christ That he may be Judge of the quick and the dead and be Lord both of the dead and the living Under this phrase the dead are comprehended all those that then shall be found alive By the dead we are to understand the living also by an Argument from the lesser If the dead shall appear before the Judgment-seat how much more the living But the dead alone are named either because the number of the dead from Adam to the last day shall be far greater than those that shall be found alive on earth in that day or because those that remain alive shall be accounted as dead because they shall be 1 Cor. 15. 52. changed in the twinkling of an eye Secondly he describes them from their age and condition for the words may be understood of both Great and small which takes in all sorts of men Tyrants Emperours Kings Princes Dukes Lords c. as well as Subjects Vassals Slaves Beggars rich and poor strong and weak bond and free old and young all and every one without exception are to be judged for the Judgment shall be universal no man shall be so great as to escape the same nor none so small as to be excluded but every one shall have justice done him without respect of persons as that great Apostle Paul tells us We must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad I am no admirer of the School-men's notion who suppose that all shall be raised about the age of Lum lib dist 44 33. which was Christ's Age but do judge that that perfection which consisteth in the conforming them to Christ's glorious body is of another kind than to respect either age stature or the like Stand before God that is brought to Judgment the Joh. 3. 18. guilty standing ready to be condemned and the Saints standing ready in Christ's presence to be absolved and pronounced blessed And the books were opened Christ the Judge being set on his Throne and having all the world before him the books are opened 1. In the general the books are said to be open 2. Here is a special book for the Elect The book of life was opened 3. Here you have sentence passed and pronounced according to what was written in these books and according to their works And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Here the Judicial Process is noted by imitation of Humane Courts in which the whole Process is wont to be drawn up and laid before the Judge from whence the Judge determineth for or against the person according to the Acts and Proofs that lie open before him The Equity Justice and Righteousness of Christ the Judge that sits on his white Throne is set forth by a Metaphor taken from Humane Courts where the Judge pronounceth sentence according to the written Law and the Acts and Proofs agreeing thereunto All things are Heb. 4. 13. Rev. 1. 14. naked and bare before him whose eyes are as a flame of fire But to shew that the Judgment shall be as accurate and particular in the trial and just and righteous in the close as if all were registred and put on Record nothing shall escape or be mistaken in its circumstances but all things shall be so cleared and issued beyond all doubts and disputes as if an exact Registre of them had been kept and published in all which there is a plain allusion unto the words of Daniel speaking thus of this Judgment The Dan. 7. 10. Judgment was set and the books were opened We find six several books mentioned in the Scripture First The Book of Nature that is mentioned by David Psal 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 'T is a Metaphor from curious work men that do all by the The world saith Clemens Alexandrious is Deâ— Scriptura the first Bible that God made for the instruction of Man Book or by a Model set before them that nothing may be deficient or done amiss Had God left out an eye in his common place Book saith one thou hadst wanted it The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The Psalmist looks upon that great Volume of heaven and earth and there reads in Capital letters the Prints and Characters of God's glory This Book saith one was imprinted at the New Jerusalem by the finger of Jehovah and is not to be sold but to be seen at the sign of Glory of every one that lifts up his eyes to heaven In this Book of nature which is made up of three great leaves Heaven Earth and Sea God hath made himself visible yea legible even his eternal power and Godhead So that all men are left without Rom. 1. 20. excuse Out of this Book the poor blind Gentiles might have learned many choice lessons as First that they had a maker Secondly That this Maker being before the things made is eternal without beginning or ending Thirdly That he must needs be Almighty which made all things out of nothing and sustained such a Mass of creatures Fourthly The order variety and distinction of creatures declare his marvellous Wisdom Fifthly In this Book they might run and read the great goodness and the admirable kindness of God to the sons of men in making
Conscience hath an Iron Memory In the last day God will bring the Book of Conscience out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Josiah's time and the very laying open of this Book before sinners will even put them besides their wâ—ts and fill them with unspeakable horrour and terrour and be a hell on this side hell unto them In this Book they shall find an exact account of every vain thought they have had and of every idle word they have spoke and of every evil action they have done and Oh what amazement and astonishment will this fill them with By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Origen does Comm. ad Rom. 14. understand the Books of Conscience which now are hid not from God but from most men for the hidden things of the heart are not now known but then they shall be opened and manifested to the Consciences of every sinner so as there shall be no place no room left for any Ambr. in Psâ—l 1. excuse or Plea Ambrose saith that the Books that are here said to be opened are the Books of men's Consciences and God's Omniscience Oh what dreadful challenges and accusations will every sinner be forced to read out of this Book of Conscience in the great day Oh how in that great day will all wicked men wish that they had followed the counsel of the Heathen Orator when he said A recta conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum Ciâ— â—â— Ossic A man may not depart an hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good Conscience The Book of God's Omniscience takes in all things past present and to come as if he had kept a Diary of every man's thoughts words and actions But Fifthly There is the Book of Scripture and of all Books this Book is the most precious Book The Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods the Book of the Scripture is the evidence and conveyance and assurance of all good to us The Book of Scripture is the Book of the Statutes and Ordinances of the King of Heaven which must be opened and consulted and by which all must be judged in the great day Jam. 2. 12. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged Jam. 23 25. by the law of liberty i. e. by the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the whole Word of God registred in the blessed Scriptures Now the whole Word of God is called the Law of Liberty because thereby we are born again to a new spiritual life and so freed from the Bondage and Slavery of sin and Satan Our Lord Jesus Christ in his proceedings Let the Word be President in all Assemblies and Judgments saith Beza In the Nicene Council Censtâ—nâ—â—e caused the Bible to be set upon a Desk aâ— Judge of all controversies the Word shall be the Judge of all men's Estates at last every man shall stand or fall according as he holds weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary in the great day of Account will judge us by the Scriptures and pass everlasting sentence upon us according to the tenour of the Scriptures At the great and general Assizes Christ will try all causes by the Word of God and pass Judgment upon all sorts of persons according to the Word Joh. 12. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The persons that are to be judged in the great day are not believers in Christ they are not receivers of Christ but such as reject his person and receive not his Doctrine He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him c. However the rejecters of Christ may escape Judgment for a time yet they shall never be able to escape the Judgment of the last day they shall assuredly they shall unavoidably be judged in the last day Though the rejecters of Christ had none to witness against them yet the Word of the Lord shall be more than a thousand witnesses against them in the great day The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The Word of the Lord is so sure and infallible a word that Christ's Sentence in the great day when heaven 2 Pet. 3. 7 10 11 12. and earth shall pass away shall proceed according to the Verdict and Testimony thereof For the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day Christ will pronounce then according to what it saith now and that as well in favour of Believers as against unbelievers Ad. 17. 31. Look as Christ himself is ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead so the Word the Doctrines which he hath delivered will be the rule of all his Judicial proceedings both in acquitting the righteous and condemning the wicked By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Augustine Lib. 20. De C. Dei c. 14. and Beda saith the same with Austin understands the Books of the Old and New Testament which shall then be opened because according to them the Judge will pronounce sentence Rom. 2. 16. When God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel which promiseth heaven and happiness to all believers The Sentence of the last day shall be but a more manifest declaration of that Judgment that the Lord in this life most an end hath passed upon men Heathens shall be judged by the Law of Nature profligate Professors by the written Law and the Word Mar. 16. 16. preached Believers by the Gospel which saith He that believeth shall be saved He that believes shall not Joh. 3. 15 16. 36. cap. 5. 24. Paâ—eus 2 Cor. 8. 12. perish but have eternal life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life He that believeth shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Christ shall in the great day give Sentence according to the Doctrine of the Gospel which saith If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Jesuits report of a Student at Paris who coming to Confession and not being able for tears and sobbings to speak was willed by his Confessor to write down his sins which he did and when the Confessor received it the writing vanished and there remained nothing but the white and clean paper this say they was by a miracle because of his great contrition Let the credit of this story be upon the reporter but upon the credit of the Word of God if we believe really savingly and repent unfeignedly all our sins shall be blotted out and a Book of clean paper in respect of sin shall be presented to the God neither needeth nor useth Books to judge by but this is spoken after the manner of men
Mordecai's name was Registred in the Chronicles of Persia Ejih 6. 1 2 3. And Iamerlane had always by him a Catalogue of his best Servants and their good deserts which he daily perused Judge But Sixthly and lastly There is a Book of Life Rev. 20. 12. And another book was opened which is the book of life the Book of Life is the Book of all those that were elected and redeemed to life through Christ Jesus This Book of Life containeth a Register of such particular persons in whose Salvation God from all Eternity determined to have his mercy glorified and for whom Christ merited Faith Repentance and perseverance that they should repent believe and be finally saved The book of life shall be opened that is to say the Decrees of God will be then published and made known which now are sealed up in his breast and locked up in his Archives Then it will be seen who are appointed to life for the glorifying of God's free rich and Soveraign Grace and whom he purposed to leave in their sins and to perish for ever for the exaltation of his Justice 'T is called A Book of Life not that God hath need of a Book but to note the certainty of Predestination viz. that God knows all and every of the Elect even as men know a thing which for memory's sake they set down in writing This Book of Life shall be opened in the great day because then it shall appear who were Elect who Reprobates who truly believed in Christ who not who worshipped God in spirit and in truth and who not who walked with God as Noah and who not who set up God as the object of their fear who not who followed the Lamb whither ever he went and who not who were sincere and who not who preferred Christ above ten thousand worlds and who preferred Barrabas before Jesus and their Farms and their Oxen and their Mat. 25. 32. Swine yea their very Lusts before a Saviour a Redeemer Ezek. 9. 4 6. who are Sheep and who are Goats who are Sons and who are Slaves who have mourned for their own sins and the sins of the time and who they are that have made a sport of sin c. Of this Book of Life you read often in Scripture Phil. 4. 3. And I intreat thee also true yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of life Vorstius thinks it a speech taken from the custome of souldiers or Cities in which the chosen Souldiers or Citizens are by name written in a certain Book or Roll. This Book or Roll is called here The Book of Life because therein are written all the Elect who are ordained to Eternal Life Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh the same shall be cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life In this Book of Life all the just that live by faith are written The Elect are certain of Joh. 10. 28 29 30 31. eternal life they shall never perish nor none can ever pluck them out of the Father's hand nor out of Christ's hand God is said to have Books Metaphorically The Holy God by an Ambrâ—pepatheria speaketh to our capacity for he doth all things without the help of Books he needs no Books to help his Memory he does all things by his infinite Wisdom Eternal Foreknowledge Counsel Government and Judgment but thus men cannot do for whatsoever is done in their Councils Cities Families Contracts c. for memory's sake is set down in writing that so as there is occasion they may look it over and call to mind such things as they desire Mark not to have our names blotted out of the Book of Life is to have them always remain therein that is to enjoy Eternal Glory and what can the soul desire more The names of the Elect are written in the Book of Life they do not obtain Salvation by chance but were elected of God to life and happiness before the Foundation of the World Now their names being once written in the Book of Life they shall never never be blotted out of that Book In the Book of Predestination there is not one blot to be found the Salvation of the Elect is most sure and certain Rev. 13. 8. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The names of the Elect are said to be written in the Book of Life by an usual Metaphor for we commonly write down the names of such as are dear unto us that we may continually remember them So God having in his Eternal Council elected some to Salvation hath written their names in the Book of Life as our Saviour tells us Rejoyce because your Luk. 10. 20. names are written in heaven Some understand the Metaphor of the Sonship of the Elect so that to be written in the Book of Life shews that they are heirs of Glory for we know that such are to inherit whose names are written in the last Will and Testament of men Of this Book of Life you may further read Rev. 17. 8. Rev. 20. 15. Rev. 21. 27. Rev. 22. 19. Now from this Book of Life that shall be opened in the great day when the other Books shall be opened as hath been shewed every sincere Christian may form up this Eleventh Plea as to the Ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that refer to the great Eccles 9. 11. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Hâ—b 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. â— 5. Dan. 9. 24. Coles 2. 14. day of account or t 〈…〉 man's particular account Most Holy and Blessed Lord cast thine eye upon the Book of Election and there thou wilt find my name written Now my name being written in that Book I am exempt from all condemnation and interested in the great Salvation my name being written in the Book of Life I am secured from coming into the Judgment of Reprobation or Condemnation Joh. 5. 14. Revel 21. 27. Jesus Christ who hath written my name in the Book of Life hath made up my acounts for me he hath satisfied thy Justice and pacified thy Wrath and born the Curse and purchased my Pardon and put upon me an everlasting Righteousness and given me my Quietus est he has crost out the black lines of my sins with the red lines of his blood he has cancelled all the Bonds wherein I stood obliged to Divine Justice I further plead O Blessed Lord That there is an immutable Connexion betwixt being written in this Book of Life and the obtaining of Eternal Life and if the Connexion betwixt being written in this Book of Life and the obtaining of Eternal Life were not peremptory what reason could there be of opening this Book in the day of Judgment The Book of Life is a Book of Sovereign Grace upon which lies the weight of my Salvation my happiness my all and therefore by that Book I desire to stand or fall Well saith the Lord I cannot but accept of this Plea as holy honourable just and righteous and therefore enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee Mat. 25. 21 34. Thus by Divine Aslistance and by a special and a gracious hand of Providence upon me I have finished those select and important Cases of Conscience which I designed to speak to Soli Deo Gloria in Aeternum