of Isa 63. 3. John 17. Luke 23. 34. Math. â—6 28. his Fathers wrath for souls he prayed for souls he payd for souls and he bled out his heart-blood for souls The soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels and the envie of Devils 'T is of an Angelical 1 Pet. 5. 8. nature 't is a heavenly spark a celestial plant and of a Divine off-spring Again weigh well the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incomparable price which Christ payed for the redemption of the soul what are the riches of the East or West Indies the spoil of the richest Nations rocks of 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Diamonds mountains of gold or the price of Cleopatra's draught to the price that Christ laid down for souls 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 1 John 1. 4 12. Heb. 22. 23. The soul is a spiritual substance capable of the knowledge of God of union with God of communion with God and of an eternal fruition of God There is nothing can suit the soul below God nor nothing that can satisfie the soul without God nor nothing that can save the soul but God The soul is so choice so high and so noble a piece that it Divinely scorns all the world in point of acceptation justification satisfaction dilectation and salvation Christ made himself an offering for Heb. 9. 11 12 13 14. Cap. 10 10 14 Ga. 4 4 5 6. Heb. 2. 8. sin that souls might not be undone by sin The Lord dyed that slaves might live The Son dyed that servants might live The natural Son dyed that adopted sons might live The only begotten Son dyed that bastards might live Yea the Judge dyed that malefactors might live Ah Friends as there was never sorrow like Isa 53 3. Gal. 2. 20. Christs sorrow so there was never love like Christs love and of all his love none to that of soul-love to say much in a little room The spiritual enemies which daily war Eph 6. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Heb. ult Rom. 1â— 17. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 27. against the soul the glorious Angels which hourly guard the soul and the precious ordinances which God hath appointed as means both to convert and nourish the soul The soul is capable of a Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. Of a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5 4. Of a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. Of an incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. 25. The Crowns of earthly Princes stand as Queen Elisabeth is said to swin to her Crown through a Sea of sorrow a Sophisters cap on one side of the head Many may say of their Crowns as that King said of â—is O Crown more noble than happy In the time of Galienus the Emperour Anno Christi 260. there were thirty Competitors on foot for the Roman Crown and Throne who confounded and destroyed one another A Princely Crown is oftentimes the mark for envy and ambition to shoot at Henry the VI. was honoured with the Crowns of two Kingdoms France England the first was lost through the faction of his Nobles the other was twice plucked from his head Earthly Crowns have so many cares fears vexations and dangers that daily attend them that oftentimes they make the heads and hearts of Monarchs Prov. 27. 4. Doth the Crown endure to all generations Heb. To generation and generation ake which made Cyrus say You look upon my Crown and my purple robes but did you but know how they were lined with thorns you would not stoop to take them up But the Crowns that immortal souls are capable of are Crowns without crosses they are not attended with care of keeping or fear of losing there are no evil persons nor evil spirits that haunt those Crowns Darius that great Monarch fleeing from his enemies he threw away the Crown of gold from his head that he might run the faster but a sincere Christian 1 Pet. 1. 5. is in no danger of losing his Crown 2 Tim. 4. 8. His Crown is laid up in a safe hand in an omnipotent hand Now what do all these things speak out but the preciousness and excellency of the soul Once more the excellency of the case or cabinet viz. the body intimates a more than ordinary excellency of this Jewel the body is of all materials the most excellent how does David admire the rare texture and workmanship of his body I am wonderfully made I was curiously wrought in Psal 139. 13 15. the lowest parts of the earth When curious workmen have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to the light for men to gaze at so here The greatest miracle in the World is Man in whose very body how much more in his soul are miracles enow betwixt head and feet to fill a volume One complains that men much wonder at the high Austin The Stoick thought it was better to be a fool in the form of a man than wise in the shape of a beast mountains of the Earth the huge waves of the Sea the deep falls of Rivers the vastness of the Ocean and at the motions of the Stars c. but wonder not at all at their wonderful selves Galen a prophane Physician and a great Atheist writing of the excellent parts of mans body he could not chuse but sing an Hymn to that God whosoever he were that was the Author of so excellent and admirable a piece of work he could not but cry out Now I adore the God of Nature Now if the Cabinet be so curiously wrought what is the Jewel that is contained in it O how richly and gloriously is the soul embroydered How Divinely inlaid and enamel'd is that Princes impress their images or effigies upon the choicest mettals viz. gold and silver God hath engraven his own Image with his own hand upon Gen. 1. 26. Damaâ—cen Angels and Men. The soul is the glory of the Creation a beam of God a spark of celestial brightness a vessel of honour a bird of Paradise a habitation for God The soul is spiritual in its essence God breathed it in God hath invested it with many noble endowments he hath made it a mirrour of beauty and printed upon it a Gen. 2. 7. Heb. 12 9. Eccles 12. 7. Zach. 12. 1. surpassing excellency The soul is spiritual in its object it contemplaces God and Heaven God is the orb and center where the soul doth fix God is the Terminus ad quem the soul moves to him as to his rest Return to thy rest O my soul this Dove can find no rest but in this heavenly Ark nothing can fill the soul but God nothing can quiet the soul but God nothing can satisfie the soul but God nothing can secure the soul but God nothing can save the soul but God The soul being spiritual God only can be the adequate object of it The soul is spiritual in its operations it being
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
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
immaterial doth not depend upon the body in its working the rich and rare endowments and the noble operations of the soul speak out the excellency of the soul The soul saith one hath Aristotle a nature distinct from the body it moves and operates of it self though the body be dead and hath no dependence upon or coexistence with the body The soul hath an intrinsecal principle of life and motion though it be separate from the body And doth not the immortality of the soul speak out the excellency of the soul against that dangerous notion of the souls mortality Consult the Scriptures in the margin and seriously and Luke 23. 43. 1 Thess 4. ult Phil. 1. 23. Acts 7. 59. frequently think of this one argument among a multitude of arguments that might be produced to prove the immortality of the soul That which is not capable of killing is not capable of dying but the soul is not capable of killing ergo Our Lord Jesus proves the minor proposition that it is not capable of killing Fear not Luke 12. 4. them them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do Therefore the soul not being capable of killing is not in a possibility of dying the essence of the soul is Metaphysical it hath a beginning but no end it is Eternal à parte post it runs parallel with Eternity the soul doth not wax old it lives for ever which we cannot affirm of any sublunary created glory To conclude this first word of counsel what Job saith of wisdom I may fitly apply to the soul Man knows not the price thereof Job 28. 13 16 17. it cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphir the Gold and Chrystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for Jewels of sine Gold O my Friends it is the greatest wisdom policy equity and Justice to provide for your precious souls to secure your precious souls for they are Jewels of more worth than ten thousand worlds all the honours riches greatness and glory of this world are but chips toyes and pibbles to these glorious pearls But The second word of counsel is this as you would be safe here and saved in the great day of the Lord as Actâ— 2. 20. â—â— 22. 21. ◠〈…〉 poth 1. 15. Joâ— 13. 15. 2 Cor. 2. 11. you would be happy here and blessed hereafter take up in nothing below a gracious acquaintance with Christ a choice acceptation of Christ a holy relyance upon Christ a full resignation of your selves to Christ and a real and glorious union with Christ If you do you are lost and undone in both worlds First Some take up in a name to live when they are dead dead in trespasses and sins dead God-wards and Revel 3 1. Ephes 2. 1. dead Christ-wards and dead Heaven-wards and dead holyness-wards The Sadducees derive their name from Zeduchim or Zadducaeus a just man But the worst Men saith the Historian got the best names The Alcoran of the Turks hath its name from brightness Al in the Arabick being as much as Kazan in the Hebrew to shine or cast forth in brightness when it is full of darkness and fraught with falshoods It will be but a poor comfort to any for the world to commend them as gracious if God condemn them as graceless for the world to commend them as pious if God condemn them as impious for the world to commend them as sincere if God condemn them as hypocrites But Secondly Some take up in a form Godliness when 2 Timoth. 3. 5. they are strangers to the power when they deny yea when they oppose and persecute the power such Monsters this Age has abounded with but their seeming Acts 13. 45 50 goodness is but a Religious cheat Thirdly There are some that take up in their Religious Matth. 9. 22. Luke 18. 12. Cap. 13. 26. Matth. 6. cap. 23. Luke 36. 15. Ezeck 33. 31 32. duties and services in their praying fasting prophesying hearing receiving they make a God a Christ a Saviour of their own duties services this was the undoing and damning sin of the Scribes and Pharisees and is the undoing and damning sin of many thousands in our dayes Fourthly There are many that take up in their common gifts and parts in a gift of knowledge and in a gift Math. â— 22. Rom. 2. 17. 21. 1 Cor. 12. â—eb 6. 4â—5 of teaching and in a gift of knowledge and in a gift of teaching and in a gift of utterance and in a gift of memory and in a gift of prayer and this proves ruinous and destructive to them Fifthly There are many that take up in their riches Prov. 10. 15. Psalm 73. 19. Matth. 20. 26. Diviâ—â—bus i 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rich mens wealth proves an hinderance to their happiness Eccles 5. 13. James 5. 1 2. prosperity and worldly grandure and glory Prov. 18. 11. The rich mans wealth is his strong City it is hard to have wealth and not trust to it Mat. 19. 24. Wealth was never true to those that trusted it There is an utter uncertainty in riches 1 Timoth. 6. 17. A non entity Prov. 23. 5 6. An impotency to help in an evil day Zephan 1. 18. An impossibility to stretch to Eternity unless it be to destroy the owner for ever There is nothing more clear in Scripture and History than that riches prosperity and worldy glory hath been commonly their portion who never have had a God for their portion Luke 16. 25. Ricâ—es are called thiâ—k clay Hal. 2. 6. which will sooner break the back than lighten the heart It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavaria Emperour of Germany Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent Such goods are worth getting and owning as will not sink or wash away if a ship-wrack happen Solus sapiens dives Only the Wise man is the rich man saith the Philosopher Another saith Divitiae Austin corporales paupertatis plenae sunt That earthly riches are full of poverty they cannot enrich the soul for oftentimes under silken Apparel there is a thred-bare soul He that is rich in conscience sleeps more soundly than he that is richly clothed in purple No man is rich which cannot carry hence that which Ambros lib. 8. Ep. 10. he hath that which we must leave behind us is not ours but some others The shortest cut to riches is by their contempt it is Seneca great riches not to desire riches and he hath most that covets least If there were any happiness in riches the Gods would not want them saith the same Author When one was a commending the riches and wealth of Merchants I do not love that wealth said a poor Heathen which hangs upon ropes for if they break the ship miscarrieth and then where is the Merchants riches If I had an
is a foolish thing for any to think of keeping both Christ and their lusts too it is a vain thing for any to think of saving the life of his sins and the life of his soul too If sin escape your soul cannot escape if thou art not the death of thy sins they will be the death and ruin of thy soul Marriage is a knot or tye wherein persons are mutually limitted and bound each to other in a way of conjugal separation from all others and this in Scripture is Prov. 2. 17. called a Covenant So when any one marries Christ he doth therein discharge himself in affection and subjection from all that is contrary unto Christ and solemnly Covenants and binds himself to Christ alone he will have no Saviour and no Lord but Christ and to him will he cleave for ever Psal 63. 8. Acts 11. 23. But Secondly This marriage-union with Christ doth include John 1. 12. Acts 5. 31. Coloss 2. 6. Weigh well these Scriptures Psalm 1â—2 3. Psalm 5. 5. Hosea 2. 7. and take in a hearty willingness to take to receive the Lord Jesus Christ for your Saviour and Soveraign Are you willing to consent to the match 't is not enough that Christ is willing to enter into a marriage-union with us but we must be willing also to enter Many can chuse Christ as a Refuge to hide them from danger and as a Friend to help them in their need who yet refuse him as a Husband into a marriage-union with him God will never force a Christ nor force salvation upon us whether we will or no Many approve of Christ and cry up Christ who yet are not willing to give their consent that he and he alone shall be their Prince and Saviour though knowledge of persons be necessary and fit yet it is not sufficient to marriage without consent for marriage ought to be a voluntary transaction of persons in marriage we do in a sort give away our selves and elect and make choice for our selves and therefore consent is a necessary concurrence to marriage Now this consent is nothing else but a free and plain act of the will accepting of Jesus Christ before all others to be its Head and Lord and in the souls choice of him to be its Saviour and Soveraign Then a man is married to Christ when he doth freely and absolutely and presently receive the Lord Jesus not I would have Christ if it did not prejudice my worldly estate ease friends relations c. or hereafter I will accept of him when I come to dye and be in distress but now when salvation is offered now while Christ tenders himself I now yield up my heart and life unto him But Thirdly This marriage union with Christ includes and takes in an universal and perpetual consent for all time and in all states and conditions There is you know a great difference between a wife and a strumpet a wife takes her husband upon all terms to have and to hold for better and for worse for richer and for poorer in sickness and in health whereas a strumpet is only for hire and lust when the purse is emptied or the body wasted and strength consumed the harlots love is at an end so here That acceptance and consent which tyes the marriage knot between Christ and the soul must be an unlimited and indefinite acceptance and consentâ— when we take the Lord Jesus Christ wholly and entirely without any secret reservations or exceptions That soul that will have Christ must have all Christ or no Christ For Christ is not divided That soul must entertain 1 Cor. 1. 13. Rev. 14. 4. Psal 66. 12. him to all purposes and intents he must follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth though it should be through fire and water over mountans and hills he must take him with his cup of affliction as well as his cup of consolation with his shameful cross as well as his glorious Heb. 2. 3. crown with his great sufferings as well as his great salvation with his grace as well as his mercy with his spirit to lead and govern them as well as his blood to redeem and justifie them to suffer for him as well as to 2 Tim. 2. 12. Acts 21. 13. Rom. 14. 7 8. reign with him to dye for him as well as to live to him Christianity like the wind Caecias doth ever draw clouds afflictions after it All that will live godly in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 12. shall suffer persecution A man may have many faint wishes and cold desires after godliness yet escape persecution yea he may make some assays attempts as if he would be godly and yet escape persecution but when a man is The common cry of Persecutors hath been Christianes ad I câ—nâ—s within the first 300. years after Christ upon the matter all that made a profession of the Apostles Doctrine were cruelly murdered thorowly resolved to be Godly and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holyness and living a life of Godlyness then he must expect to meet with afflictions and persecutions who ever escapes the Godly man shall not escape persecution in one kind or another in one degree or another He that is peremptorily resolved to live up to holy rules and to live out holy principles must prepare for sufferings All the Roses of holyness are surrounded with pricking Briars The History of the Ten Persecutions and that little Book of Martyrs the 11. of the Hebrews and Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments with many other Treatises that are extant do abundantly evidence that from age to age and from one generation to another they that have been born after the flesh have persecuted them that hath been born after the Gal. 4. 29. spirit and that the seed of the Serpent have been still a multiplying of troubles upon the seed of the Woman But a Believers future glory and pleasure will abundantly recompense him for his present pain and ignominy But such as will have Christ for their Saviour and Soveraign but still with some proviso or other viz. That they may keep such a beloved lust or enjoy such carnal pleasures and delights or raise such an estate for them and theirs or comply with the times and such and such great mens humours or that they may follow the Lamb only in Sun-shine weather c. these are still Satans bondslaves and such as Christ can take no pleasure nor delight to espouse himself unto But The third word of Advice and Counsel is this viz. Put off the old man and put on the new Consult the Scriptures Col. 3. 9 10. Eph. 4. 22 23 24. Gal. 6. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 2. in the margin You must be new Creatures or else it had been better you had been any Creatures than what you are 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a nâ—w Creature old things are past away behold all
Psalm 39. 1 c. a holy watchfulness over your own thoughts hearts words and wayes You know that in infectious times men and women carry their several preservatives about them that they may be kept from the infection of the times Never were there more infectious times than now O the snares the baits the infections that attend us at all times in all places in all companies in all employments and in all enjoyments so that if we do not carry our soul-preservatives about us we shall be in eminent danger of being infected with the pride ill customes and vanities of the times wherein we lâ—ve But The ninth word of advice and counsel is this Live not at uncertainties as to your spiritual and eternal estates See my Box of precious Ointment in that Glass you may read the state of your souls there are none so miserable as those that are strangers to the state of their own souls It is good for a man to know the state of his Flock the state of his Family the state of the Nation the state of his Body but above all to know the state and condition of his own Soul How many thousands are there that can give a better account of their Lands their Lordships their Riches their Crops their Shops their Trades their Merchandize yea of their Hawkes their Hounds their Misses than they can of the esâ—ate of their own Souls O my Friends your souls are more worth than ten thousand Matth. 16. 26. worlds and therefore it must be the greatest prudence and the choicest policy in the world to secure their everlasting welfare and to know how things stands between God and your souls what you are worth for Eternity and how it is like to go with you in that other world whilst a Christian lives at uncertainties as to his spiritual and everlasting estate as whether he has grace or no grace or whether his grace be true or counterfeit whether he has an interest in Christ or not a work in power upon his soul or not or whether God loves him or loathes him whether he will bring him to Heaven or throw him to Hâ—ll How can any Christian who lives at so great an uncertainty delight in God rejoyce Job 27. 10. Phil. 4. 4. 2 Cor 2. 14. Phil. 1. 23. ever more triumph in Christ Jesus be ready to suffer and desirous to die All men love to be at a certainty in all their outward concernments and yet how many thousands are there that are at a marvellous uncertainty as to the present and future state of their precious and immortal souls But The tenth word of advice and counsel is this Set the highest Scripture examples and patterns before you of grace and holiness for your Imitation In the point of 1 Cor. 4. 16. Gen. 12. Cap. 21. Numb 12. 3. Joshua 1. Psalm 18. 23. Faith and Obedience set an Abraham before you in the point of meekness set a Moses before you in the point of courage set a Joshua before you in the point of uprightness set a David before you in the point of zeal set a Phinehas before you and in the point of patience set a Job before you make Christ your main pattern Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ And next to him James 5. 11 12. 1 Cor. 11. 1. set the patterns of the choicest Saints before you for your Imitation the nearer you come to those blessed copies Precepta decent exempla movâ—nt Precepts may instruct but examples do perswade that they have-set before you the more will be your joy and comfort and the more God will be honoured Christ exalted the Spirit pleased Religion adorned the mouths of Sinners stopped and the hearts of Saints rejoyced He that shooteth at the Sun though he shoot far short yet will shoot higher than he that aimeth at a shrub it is safest it is best to eye the highest and worthiest examples Examples are 1. More awakening than precepts 2. More convincing than precepts Heb. 11. 8. 3. More encouraging than precepts and that because in them we see that the exercise of Godliness though difficult yet is possible when we see men subject to like passions with our selve to be so and so mortified self-denying humble holy c. what should hinder but that it may be so with us also Such as begin to work with the needle look much on their sampler and pattern it is so in learning to write and indeed in learning to live also Observe the gracious conversations and carriages of the choicest Saints keep a fixed eye upon their wise prudent humble holy and heavenly deportment write after the fairest copy you can find labour to imitate those Christians that are most eminent in grace I shall conclude this head with that of the Heathen Optimum est majorum sequi vestigia si rectè praecesse Sences riâ—t It is best to tread in the steps of those who are gone in a safe and good way before us But The eleventh word of advice and counsel is this Be much in the most Spiritual exercises of Religion There are external excercises such as hearing praying singing Isa 1. 11 12 13 14. 1 Timoth. 4. 8. Matth. 6. receiving holy conference c. Now custom conviction education and a hundred other external considerations may lead persons to these external exercises But then there are the more spiritual exercises of Religion such as loving of God delighting in God prizing of Christ complyance with the motions counsels and dictates of the Spirit living in an exercise of grace triumphing in Christ Jesus setting our affections upon things above meditation self-examination self-judging c. Now the more you live in the exercise of these more spiritual duties of Religion the more you glorifie God the more you evidence the power of grace and the indwellings of the Spirit and the more you difference and distinguish your selves from Hypocrits and all unsound Professors and the better foundation you lay for a bright strong and growing assurance But The twelfth and last word of advice and counsel I shall give you is to make a wise a seasonable a sincere a daily and a through improvement of all the Talents that God has entrusted you with There is a Talent of time of power of riches of honour of greatness that some are more entrusted with than others are the improvement of these is your great wisdom and should be your daily works You know you are but Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. â— and that you must shortly give an account of your Steward-ship And O that you may make such a Luke 16. 1 2 3 4. faithful and full improvement of all the great Talents that God has intrusted you with that you may give up your account at last with joy and not with grief Some Princes have wished upon their beds that they had never reigned because they have not improved their
lay them down for his sake and the Gospel's sake He that shall attempt to save his life by crossing his light by shifting off the truth or by forsaking of Christ shall lose it 'T is a gainful loss to suffer for the truth 't is a lossful gain by time-serving and base complying with the times the lusts the wills the humours of the men of this Age in whom the spirit of Cain and Fsau works so furiously to provide for our present safety security plenty peace and ease c. either by denying the truth or by betraying the truth or by exchanging the truth or by forsaking the truth Mat. 10. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it This is a strange expression a riddle to the world a seeming contradiction such as natural reason can never reconcile He that 1 Tim. 1. 19 20 findeth his life that is redeemeth it with the forfeiture of his Faith with the shipwrack of his Conscience makes a loser's bargain he makeâ— more haste than good speed whilst in running from death as far as he can he runs to it as fast as he can See it in some great instances when Henry the fourth of France French History had conquered his enemies he turned Papist and gave this reason of it That he might settle himself in peace and safety Ravillak who slew him as he was riding abroad in his Coach to refresh himself confessed that the reason why he stabbed him was because he was of two Religions as thus by his sinful endeavours to save his life he lost it There was one Philbert Hamliâ— in Non pâ—test qui pati timet ejus esse qui pâ—ssusest Tertul. France having converted a Priest to the profession of the truth was together with the Priest apprehended and cast into prison at Burdeaux but after a while the Priest being terrified with the prison and fear of death renounced Christ and was set at liberty Whereupon Philbert said unto him O unhappy and more than miserable man is it possible that to save your life for a few days you should so deny the truth Know therefore though A Prediction you have avoided the Corporal fire yet your life shall not be prolonged for you shall die before me and you shall not have the honour to die for the cause of Christ but you shall be an example to Apostates And accordingly as he went out of the prison two Gentlemen that had a former quarrel with him met him and slew him And thus also he loâ—t his life by endeavouring sinfully to save it The Angrognian that yielded to the Papists Acts and Monuments Fol. 885. and complyed with them that they might sleep quietly in a whole skin were more sadly and cruelly lâ—ndled by the Papists than those that continued sâ—out couragious and resolute for the truth Under the fourth Persecution there were some Christians who for fear of torments and death denied their faith and sacrificed to Idols yet did not their bloody Persecutors spare them and iâ— was observed that being full of guilt they went to their deaths with dejected and ill-favoured countenances so that the very Gentiles took notice of it and reproached them as base Apostates and as such who were worthy to suffer as evil-doers 〈◊〉 that was Chaplain to Bishop Pâ—dlâ—y refusing to die in Christ's cause with his Master said Mass against his Conscience and soon after pined away with sorrow and grief A Smith in King â—dward's the Sixth's days called Richard Denton was a forward Acts and Monuments third Volume pag. 960. Professor of Religion and by his Christian instruction the happy instrument of the conversion of a young man to the Faith afterwards in the Reign of Queen Mary this young man was cast in prison for his Religion who remembring his old friend and spiritual father the Smith to whom he always carried a reverend respect for the good he had received by him sent to know whether he was imprisoned also and finding that he was not desired to speak with him and when he came he asked his advice whether he thought it best for him to remain in prison and whether he would encourage him to burn at a stake for his Religion To whom the Smith answered that his cause was good and that he might with comfort suffer for it but for my part said the Smith I cannot burn But shortly after he that could not burn for Religion by God's just Judgment was burned for his Apostacy for his shop and house being set on fire and he overbusie to save his Goods was burnt in the flames They that will not burn for Christ when he calls them to it shall burn whether they will or no. He that will not suffer for Christ shall be sure to suffer worse things from Christ than ever he could have suffered for Christ And therefore Doctor Taylor the Martyr hit the nail Ibid. 1382. when he said If I shrink from God's truth said he I am sure of another manner of death than Judge Hales had who being drawn for fear of death to do things against his light and Conscience did afterwards drown himself Cyprian in his Sermon De Lapsis makes mention of divers who forsaking the Profession of their Faith were given over by God to be possessed by evil spirits and so died fearfully and miserably making good that word that is more worth than a world Joh. 12. 25. He that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here used of excessive and preposterous love He that so loveth his life that out of a desire to save it he denieth me and my Gospel so this Greek word is used Mat. 10. 37. loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal A man that is sparing of his life when Christ calls for it doth take the ready way to lose it and he that doth hazard it for him at his call is sure to live eternally Christ approves of no followers who are not resolved on the loss of what is dearest to them yea even of life for his sake therefore doth he mention our life to be hated which is not to be understood absolutely as if it were a sin to love life as it is the gift of God or that they should be weary of it but comparatively that they should not love it more than Christ his Word his Worship his Ways He that resolves to save his temporal life upon any terms he takes the shortest cut to lose both temporal and eternal life also He that loveth his life shall lose it He that prefers the honour and service of Christ above his own life he takes the surest way to preserve both body and soul unto eternal life for he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal Though life be sweet and every creature makes much of it from the highest Angel to the lowest Worm yet wo wo to him that
23 26. can never be happy here nor blessed hereafter and yet it is possible for a man with Herod to reform many things Mark â—â— 2â— Mat. 26. 20 21. 22 1 Theâ—s 5. 23. and yet be a lost and undone man for ever as he was Judas was a very reformed man but he was never inwardly changed nor throughout sanctified The Scribes and Pharisees were outwardly reformed but they were not inwardly renewed A man may be another man than what once he was and yet not be a new man a new creature When a sinner is sermon-sick O! then he will 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Pâ—t 2. 20 22. Dâ—st 5. 5 6 7 8. leave his sins but when that sickness is off he returns with the dog to his vomit and with the sow to her wallowing in the mire Sometimes conscience is like the hand-writing upon the wall it makes the sinners countenance to change and his thoughts to be troubled and the joints of his loins to be loosed and his knees to smite one against another and now the sinner is all for reforming and turning over a new leaf but when these agonies of conscience are over the sinner returns to his old courses again and often times is twofold more a Child of Hell than before There was a Matth. 23. 15. man in this City who was given up to the highest wickednesses on his sick bed conscience made an Arrest of him and he was filled with such wonderful horrour and terrour that he cryed out day and night that he was damned he was damned he was damned and when he had some small intervals O what large promises did he make what a new man a reformed man he would be but when in time his terrors and sickness wrought off he was seven-fold worse than before Sometimes the awakened Sinner parts with some sins to make room for others and sometimes the Sinner seems to give a Bill of divorce to this sin and that but it is only because his bodily strength fails him or because he wants an opportunity or because there is a more strict eye and watch upon him or because the sword of the Magistrate is more sharpned against him or because James 4. 3. he wants fuel he wants a purse to bear it out or because some Company or some Relations or some Friends lye between him and his sins so that he must either tread over them or else keep from his sins or because he has deeply smarted for this sin and that his name has been blotted his credit and reputation stained Prov. 6. 32 33 34 35. his Trade decayed his health empaired his body wasted c. By these short hints it is evident that men may attain to some outward reformation whose states and hearts were never changed and who were never taken into marriage union with Christ But Tenthly and lastly many take up in a party as of old some cryed up Paul as the only deep Preacher and others cryed up Apollos as the only eloquent Preacher and 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12 13. many cryed up Cephas as the most zealous Preacher We are for the Church of England say some we are for the baptized People say others we are for the Presbyterian government cry some we are for the congregational way cry others I have so much ingenuity and charity as to judge that some of all these several parties and perswasions are really holy and will be eternally happy are gracious and will be glorious are sanctified and will be saved are now governed by Christ and will be hereafter glorified with Christ Judas was one of Christs party Mat. 26. 20. to the 26. if I may so speak and yet he had no part nor portion in Christ Demas was one of Paul's party and yet he 2 Tim. 4. 10. plaid the Apostat and turn'd an idolatrous Priest at 2 Tim. 1. 15. Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith And Phygellus and Hermogenes were of Paul's party but were only famous for 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. their recidivation and Apostasie Hymeneus and Alexander were of Paul's party but they made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience The five foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 12. were in society with the wise and were accounted as members of their association and yet the door of Heaven was shut against them Many light slight and vain persons went with the Children of Israel out of the Land Exod. 1â— 38. Num. 11. 4. of Egypt even a mixt multitude that imbarkt in the same bottom with them and yet never arrived at the Land of promise O my Friends it is not a mans being of this party or that this Church or that this way or that this society or that that will bring him to Heaven without 1 Pet. 1. 4. Heâ— 1. 2. 1 John 5. 12. a spiritual conjunction with Christ he that would enjoy the Heavenly inheritance must be espoused to Christ the heir of all things For he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life This marriage union between Christ and the soul is set forth to the life throughout that Book of Solomon's Songâ— though the marriage-union between Christ and the soul Cant. â— 16. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eccl. 11. 6. be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet it is real things in nature work often insensibly yet really we do not see the hand move on the dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and drawes up the vapours of the Earth insensibly yet really Now this marriage-union between Christ and the soul includes and takes in these following particulars First This marriage-union between Christ and the soul does include and take in the souls giving a present bill of Divorce to all other lovers Sin the world and Consult these Scriptures Hosea 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. Cap. 30. 22. Psalm 45. 10. Exod. 12. 33. Isa 59. â—o C. 3. 3. Satan Are you seriously and sincerely willing for ever to renounce these and be divorced from these there is no compounding betwixt Christ and them sin and your souls must part or Christ and your souls can never meet sin and your souls must be two or Christ and your souls can never be one you must in good earnest fall out with sins or else you can never in good earnest fall in with a Saviour the heart must be separated from all other lovers before Christ will take the soul into his bed of loves Christ takes none into marriage-union with himself but such as are cordially willing that all old former leagues with sin and the world shall be for ever broken and dissolved your cordial willingness to part with sin is your parting with sin in Divine account you may as soon bring East and West together light and darkness together Heaven and Hell together as bring Christ to â—spouse himself to such a soul as has no mind no will no heart to be divorced from his former lovers 'T
it received the Word with joy for a season but when the Sun of Persecution arose upon it it fell away Men that in times of Liberty and Prosperity embrace the Word will in times of Persecution distrust the Word reject the Word and turn their backs upon the Word if it be not rooted in their Understandings Judgments Wills Affections and Consciences Men may court the Word and complement the Word and applaud the Word and seemingly rejoyce in the Word but they will never suffer Persecution for the Word if it be only received into their heads and not fast rooted in their hearts The house built upon the Sands was as lovely as comely as goodly and Mat. 7. 26 27. as glorious a house to look upon as that which was built upon the Rock but when the Rain of Affliction descended and the Floods of Tribulation came and the Winds of Persecution blew and beat upon the house it fell and great was the fall of it No Professors will be able to stand it out in all Winds and Weathers but such as are built upon a Rock all others will sink shatter and fall when the Wind of Persecution blows upon them As sure as the Rain will fall the Floods flow and the Winds blow so sure will an unsound heart give out when tryals come no heart but a sound heart will hold out bravely when Suâ—ferings come no heart but a sincere heart will bear the brunt of Persecution Dan. 3. 17 18. The three Worthies Shadrach Meshâ—â—h and Abednego would rather burn than bow they would rather suffer than sin which was aâ— evident proof of their sincerity and ingenuity they would be Non-conformists though Court City and Countrey cryed up Conformity which was a sure argument of their integrity Hypocrites have heart enough for themselves but none for God If they see their Names Estates or Carnal Interest any way touched they are all on fire and ready to be burnt up with the flames of their own zeal but they can see the Name Truth and Interest of God assaulted and torn in pieces and never stir in their own Concerns they are as if they were all heart but in the cause of Hos 7. 11. God they are as if with Ephraim they had no heart at all O it s sad that men should have a heart for themselves and none for God that they should have courage in their own cause and none in his As the soul is the glory of the body so integrity is the glory of the soul A sincere Christian with Job will rather let Job 27. 5. all go than let his integrity go he will sooner let the blood bâ— pressed out of his veins and his soul out of his body than his integrity out of his soul O how bravely did the Primitive Christians Epist 97. p. 316. carry themselves as to this Matter Pliny writing to Trajan declares to him that such was their zeal and courage in the behalf of their God that nothing could stir them from it neither the Imperious checks of the Potent Emperours nor the soft language of the eloquent Orators could draw them from the Faith but they stedfastly owned it and constantly persevered in the defence of it But now base unsound hearts will exceedingly shuffle and shifâ— to shake off Persecution witness those false Teachers Gal. 6. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew or as the Greek has it to set a good face on it in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer Persecution for the Cross of Christ Mark at this time the Jews out of zeal to their Law did sorely persecute those that did either preach or practise any thing contrary to their Law Now these false teachers set a good face on 't and make a fair shew as if they were all for carnal Rites and Ceremonies and they pressed Circumcision upon the Galatians but not out of any true affection or zeal that they did bear to the Law but only to procure favour on the one hand and to avoid and escape the malice and Persecution of the Jews on the other hand They that were no Jews to avoid Persecution would comply with them that were they would seem to be very earnest for Judaism but not for Christianism that so they might escape the fury of the Jews Unsound hearts will say any thing and do any thing and be any thing to avoid Persecution and to ingratiate themselves with Persecutors The Samaritans so long as Joseph Hist lib. 13 the Jewish Religion flourished and was in honour caused a Temple to be built on Mount Garazin that therein they might not be inferiour to the Jews and they boasted themselves to be of the Progeny of Joseph and Worshippers of God with them But when they perceived that the Jews were cruelly afflicted and persecuted by Antiochus Epiphanes for worshipping of the true God and fearing lest they should be handled in the like manner they changed both their Coat and their Note affirming that they were not Israelites but Sidonians and that they had built their Temple not unto God but unto Jupiter Thus you see that times of Affliction and Persecution will distinguish the Precious from the Jer. 15. 19. Vile 't will difference the counterfeit Professor from the true Persecution is a Christian's Touch-stone 't is a Lapis Lydius that will try what mettal men are made of whether they be silver or Tin Gold or Dross Wheat or Chaff shadow or substance carnal or spiritual sincere or hypocritical Nothing speaks out more soundness and uprightness than keeping close to Christ his Worship Truth and Ways in a day of warm Persecution To stand close and fast to God and his Interest in fiery tryals argues much integrity within These thirteen Particulars are so great Truths written with the beams of the Sun that no man nor Devil can deny and therefore I shall make no Apology to the Persecutors of the day to execuse my writing of this General Epistle but shall beg hard of God that it may be so own'd and crown'd and blessed from on high that it may really and fully answer to all those holy and gracious aims and ends that the Author had in his eye and upon his heart when he writ it And thus much for this General Epistle Dear Lady and Sister in the Lord I Shall now address my self to you in a few lines and so conclude I know you have for many years been the Lord's Prisoner Great have been your Trials and many have been your Trials and long have been your Trials but to all these I have spoken at large in my Treatise called The mute Christian under the smarting Rod which you have in your hand which you have read and which God has greatly blessed to the support comfort quiet and refreshment of your soul under all your Trials and therefore I shall say no more as to those Particulars But knowing
that the many weaknesses that hang upon you and the decays of Nature that dayly do attend you seem to point out an approaching dissolution I shall at this time give you this one word of Counsel viz. That every day you would look upon Death in a Scripture-glass in a Scripture-dress or under a Scripture-notion That is First Look upon death as that which is best for a believer Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—c Christus nec caelum patitur hyperbolen saith one here it is hâ—rd to hyperbolice a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better The Greek is very significant far far the better or far much better or much more better 't is a most transcendent expression Eccles 7. 1. Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth A Saint's dying day is the day-break of Eternal Righteousness In respect of pleasure peace safety company glory a Believer's dying day is his best day I have read of one Trophonius that when he had built and dedicated that stately Temple at Delphos he asked of Apollo for his recompence that thing which was best for man The Oracle wished him to go home and within three days he should have it and within that time he died It was an excellent saying of one of the Ancients That is not a death but life which joyns the dying man to Christ and that is not a life but death which separates a living man from Christ But Secondly Look upon Death as a remedy as a cure Death will perfectly cure you of all corporal and spiritual Vltimus morborum medicus mors diseases at once the crazy body and the defiled soul the aking head and the unbelieving heart Death will cure you of all your ails aches diseases and distempers At Stratford-bow in Queen Mary's days there was burnt Act. and Mon. Fol. 1733. a lame man and a blind man at one stake the lame man after he was chained casting away his crutch bad the blind man be of good comfort for death saith he will cure us both thee of thy blindness and me of my lameness And as Death will cure all your bodily diseases so it will cure all your soul distempers also Death is not Mors hominis but Mors peccati not the death of the man but the death of his sin Death will work such a cure as all your Duties Graces Experiences Ordinances Assurances could never do for it will at once free you fully perfectly and perpetually from all sin yea from all possibility of ever sinning more Sin was the Midwife that Peccâ—tum erat obstetrix mortis c. mors sepuâ—chrum pec aâ—i Ambrose de bono mortis c. 4 brought death into the World and death shall be the grave to bury sin and why then should a Christian be afraid to die or unwilling to die seeing Death gives him a Writ of ease from infirmities and weaknesses from all aches and pains griefs and gripings distempers and diseases both of body and soul When Sampson died the Philistines also died together with him so when a Saint dies his sins die with him Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death as the worm kills the worm that bred it so death kills sin that bred it But Thirdly Look upon death as a rest a full rest a believer's dying day is his resting day It is a resting day Rev. 14. 13. Job 3. 13 to 17. 2 Thes 1. 7. Micah 2. 10. Jer. 50. 6. from sin sorrow afflictions temptations desertions dissentions vexations oppositions and persecutions This world was never made to be the Saints rest Arise for this is not your resting place they are like Noah's Dove they can rest no where but in the Ark and in the Grave In the grave saith Job the weary are at rest Upon this very ground some of the most refined Heathens have accounted Mortality to be a mercy for they brought their friends into the World with mournful Obsequies but carried them out of the world with all joyful sports and pastimes because then they conceived they were at rest and out of Gun-shot Death brings the Saints to a full-rest to a pleasant rest to a matchless rest to an eternal rest But Fourthly Look upon your dying day as a reaping day Now you shall reap the fruit of all the prayers 2 Cor. 9. 2. Gal. 6. 7 8 9. Isa 38. 3. Mat. 25. 31 to 41. that ever you have made and of all the tears that ever you have shed and of all the sighs and groans that ever you have fetched and of all the good words that ever you have spoke and of all the good works that ever you have done and of all the great things that ever you have suffered When Mortality shall put on Immortality Eccles 11. 1. 6. you shall then reap a plentiful Crop a glorious Crop as the fruit of that good seed that for a time hath seemed to be buried and lost As Christ hath a tender heart and a soft hand so he hath an Iron memory he punctually Mat. 10. 24 25. remembers all the sorrows and all the services and all the sufferings of his people to reward them and crown them Rev. 22. 12. But Fifthly Look upon your dying day as a gainful day there is no gain to that which comes in by death Phil 1. Eccles 7. 1. Phil. 1. 23. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain A Christian gets more by death than he doth by life to be in Christ is very good but to be with Christ is best of all 'T was a mighty blessing for Christ to be with Paul on earth but 't was the top of Blessings for Paul to be with Christ in heaven Seriously consider of a few things First That by death you shall gain incomparable Crowns 1. A Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. Jam. 1. 12. 2. A Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. 3. An Incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. 4. A Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. Now there are no Crowns to these Crowns as I have fully discovered in my discourse on The Divine Presence to which I refer you But Secondly You shall gain a Glorious Kingdom Luk. 12. 32. It is your father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom But death is the young Prophet that anointeth them to it and giveth them actual possession of it They must put off their rags of Mortality that they may put on their robes of Glory Israel must first die in Egypt before he can be carried into Canaan There is no entring into Paradise but under the flaming sword of this Angel Death that standeth at the Gate Death is the dirty Lane through which the Saint passeth to a Kingdom to a great Kingdom to a glorious Kingdom Heb. 12. 28. Dan. 2 44. cap. â— 3. Rev. 19 7. to a quiet Kingdom to an
unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. But Thirdly You shall gain a safe and honourable Convoy into that other world Luk. 16. 22. Oh in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus ride to heaven on the wings of Angels The Angels conduct the Saints at death through the Air the Devil's Region every gracious soul is carried into Christ's Presence by these heavenly Courtiers Oh what a sudden change does death make behold he that even now was scorned by men is all on a sudden carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom But Fourthly You shall gain a glorious welcome a joyful Rev. 4. 8 to 11. Luk. 15. 7 10. Heb. 12. 23. welcome a wonderful welcome into heaven By general consent of all Antiquity the holy Angels and blessed Trinity rejoyce at the sinner's Conversion but oh what inexpressible what transcendent joy is there when a Saint is landed upon the Shore of Eternity God and Christ Angels and Arch-angels all stand ready to welcome the Believer as soon as his feet are upon the threshold of Glory God the Father welcomes the Saints as his elect and chosen ones Jesus Christ welcomes them as his redeemed and purchased ones and the Holy Spirit welcomes them as his sanctified and renewed ones and the Blessed Angels welcome them as those they have Heb. 1. ult guarded and attended on When the Saints enter upon the Suburbs of Glory the glorious Angels welcome them with harps in their hands and ditties in their mouths But Fifthly You shall gain full freedom and liberty from all your enemies within and without viz. Sin Satan Luk. 1. 70 71 74 75. and the World 1. Death will free you from the indwelling power of sin In heaven there is no complaints Rom. 7. 23. as in hell there is nothing but wickedness so in heaven there is nothing but holiness 2. Death will free Gal. 5. 17. you from the power and prevalency of sin Here sin plays the Tyrant but in heaven there is no Tyranny but perfect felicity 3. Death will free you from all provocations temptations and suggestions to sin Now you shall be above all Satan's batteries Now God will make Rom. 16. 20. good the promise of treading Satan under your feet Some say Serpents will not live in Ireland The old Serpent Rev. 12. 8 9. cap. 21. ult is cast out and shall be for ever kept out of the new Jerusalem above 4. Death will free you from all the effects and consequents of sin viz. losses crosses sicknesses diseases disgraces sufferings c. when the cause is taken away the effect ceases when the fountain of sin is dried up the streams of afflictions of sufferings must be dryed up the fuel being taken away the fire will go out of it self Sin and sorrow were born together do live together and shall die together To open this fourth Particular a little more fully to you consider these four things First That death will free you from all reproach and ignominy on your names Now Elijah is accounted the 1 King 18. 17. Nâ—hem 6. 6. Psal 69. 12. Jer. 15. 10. Troubler of Israel Nehemiah a Rebel against his King and David the song of the Drunkards and Jeremiah a man of contention and Paul a pestilent fellow Heaven Act. 24. 10. wipes away all blots as well as all tears as no sins so no blots are to be found in that upper world The names of all the Saints in a state of Glory are written as I may say in Characters of Gold But Secondly Death will free you from all bodily infirmities and diseases we carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may die a thousand several Above all things let us every day think 〈◊〉 our last day 〈◊〉 〈…〉 naus ways each several hour As many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows there are for death to enter in at death needs not spend all its arrows upon us a worm a gnat a fly a hair the stone of a raisin the kirnel of a grape the fall of a horse the stumbling of a foot the prick of a pin the pairing of a nail the cutting of a corn all these have been to others and any one of them may be to us the means of our death within the space of a few days nay of a few hours Here Job had his Botches and Job 2. 6 7. Isâ— 37 21. 〈◊〉 â—8 5. 〈◊〉 20. Maâ— 9. 20. Hezekiah had his Boil and David his Wounds and Lazarus his Sores and the poor Widow her Issue of Blood Now the Feaver burns up some and the Dropsie drowns others and the Vapours stifle others one dies of an Appoplexy in the head another of a Struma in the neck a third of a Squinancy in the throat and a fourth of a Cough and Consumption of the lungs others of Obstructions Inflamations Plurisies Gouts c. We are commonly full of complaints one complains of this distemper and another of that one of this disease and another of that but death will cure us of all diseases and distempers at once But Thirdly Death will free you from all your sorrows whether inward or outward whether for your own sins Psal 38. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 119 136. Nehem. 1. 3 4. or the sins of others whether for your own sufferings or the sufferings of others Now it may be one shall seldom find you but with tears in your eyes or sorrow in your heart O but now death will be the funeral of all your sorrows death will wipe all tears from your eyes and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 51. 11. But Fourthly Death will free you from all those troubles calamities miseries mischiefs and desolations that are Isa 57 1. Mâ—â—h 7. 1 to 7. a coming upon the earth or upon this place or that A year after Methuselah's death the Flood came and carried away the old world Augustine died a little before the sacking of Hippo Luther observes that all the Apostles died before the destruction of Jerusalem And Luther himself died a little before the Wars brake forth in Germany Dear Lady death shall do that for you which all your Physicians could never do for you which all your Relations could never do for you which all Ordinances could never do for you nor which all your faithful Ministers could never do for you it shall both instantly and perfectly cure you of all sorts of Maladies and weaknesses both inward and outward or that respects either your body or your soul or both Oh my dear friend is it not better to die and be rid of all sin to die and be rid of all temptations and desertions to die and be rid of all sorts of miseries than to live and still carry about with
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
utter any thing to the prejudice of them that put him to death but prayed for them that crucified Luk. 23. 34. Mat. 26. â—3 cap. 27. 12 14. him He was led as a lamb to the slaughter properly as an ewe-lamb or she lamb the ewe is mentioned as the quieter of that kind because the rams are sometimes more unruly and as a sheep that is dumb before the face of her shearers A lamb doth not bite nor push him that is going about to kill it but goeth as quietly to the shambles or the slaughter-house as if it were going to the fold wherein it is usually lodged or the field where it is wont to feed But Sixthly Observe with me That the original cause of this compact or Covenant between the father and the son by vertue of which God the father demands a price and Jesus Christ pays the price according to God's demands is only from the free grace and favour of God vers 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief God the father looks upon Jesus Christ as sustaining our person and cause he looks upon all our sins as laid upon him and to be punished in him Sin could not be abolished the justice of God could not be satisfied the wrath of God could not be appeased the terrible curse could not be removed but by the death of Christ and therefore God the father took a pleasure to bruise him and to put him to grief according to the agreement between him and his son It must be readily granted that God did not incite or instigate the wicked Jews to those vile and cruel courses and carriages of their to Jesus Christ but yet that his sufferings were by God predetermined for the salvation of mankind is most evident by the Scriptures in the margin and accordingly it pleased Act. 2. 23. cap. 4. 28. the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief The singular pleasure that God the father takes in the work of our Redemption is a wonderful demonstration of his love and affection to us Seventhly Observe with me That it is agreed between the father and the son that our sins shall be imputed unto him and that his righteousness should be imputed unto us and that all the redeemed shall believe in him and so be justified vrrs 11. He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledg or faith in him shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall hear their iniquities Or as some render it He shall see the fruit of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied That is Jesus Christ shall receive and enjoy that as the effect and issue of all the great pains that he hath taken and of all the grievous things that he hath suffered as shall give him full content and satisfaction when Christ hath accomplished the work of Redemption he shall receive a full reward for all his sufferings Christ takes a singular pleasure in the work of our Redemption and doth herein as it were refresh himself as with the fruits of his own labours God the father engages to Jesus Christ that he should not travel in vain but that he should survive to see with great joy a numerous issue of faithful souls begotten unto God you know when women after sore sharp hard labour are delivered they are so greatly refreshed delighted gladded and satisfied that they forget their former pains and sorrow for joy that a manchild is born into the world God the father undertakes Joh. 16. 21. that Jesus Christ should have such a holy seed such a blessed issue as the main fruit and effect of his passion as should joy him please him and as he should rest satisfied in Certainly there could be no such joy and satisfaction to Christ as for him to see poor souls reconciled justified and saved by his sufferings and satisfaction as 't is the highest joy of a faithful minister to see souls 1 Thes 2. 19 20. Gal. 4. 19. won over to Christ to see souls built up in Christ Christ did bear the guilt of his peoples sins and thereby he made full satisfaction and therefore he is said here to justifie many not all promiscuously but those only whose sins he undertook to discharge and for whom he laid down his life Christ's justifying of many is his discharging of many from the guilt of sin by making satisfaction to God for the same But Eighthly Observe with me That it is agreed between the Father and the Son that for those persons for whom Besides the Eleâ—t be iâ—terceeds for none Joh. 17. 9 10. Jesus Christ should lay down his life he should stand intercessour for them also that so they may be brought to the possession of all those noble favours and blessings that he has purchased with his dearest blood vers 12. He bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors saying father forgive them for they know not what they Luk. 23. 24. do For those very transgressors by whom he suffered he does intercede for the article here is emphatical and seems to point unto that special act and those particular persons Not but that these words have relation also to Christ's intercession for all those sinners that belong to him and that have an interest in him which intercession continues still and shall do to the end of the world Heb. 7. 25. But The Sixth Scripture is that Isa 59. 20 21. And the The Sixth Proof redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth noâ— out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from hence forth and for ever Out of this blessed Scripture you may observe these following things First the parties covenanting and agreeing and they are God the father and Jesus Christ God the father in those words saith the Lord and Jesus Christ in those words The redeemer shall come to Zion Secondly You have God the father first covenanting with Jesus Christ and then with his seed as is evident in the 21. vers Thirdly You have the persons described that shall be sharers in Redemption mercies and they are the Sionites the people of God the citizens of Zion but lest any should think that all Zion should be saved it is added by way of explication that only such of Zion 〈…〉 urn from transgression in Jacob shall have benefit by the Redeemer The true Citizens of Rom. 11. 26. Zion the right Jacobs the sincere Israelites in whom there is no guile are they and only they that turn from their sins None have interest in Christ none have redemption by Christ but converts but such as
Redemption bringing in the father and the son as conferring and agreeing together about the terms of it and the first thing agreed on between them is the price and the price that God the father stands upon is blood and that not the blood of Bulls and Goats but the blood of his son which was the best the purest and the Hâ—b 10. 4. cap. 9 22. Jâ—h 10. 11 15 17. 18. Jâ—â— 1. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. noblest blood that ever run in veins Now Christ to bring about the redemption of fallen man is willing to come up to the demands of his father and to lay down his blood The Scripture calls the blood of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious blood Oh! the vertue in it the value of it through this Red Sea we must pass to heaven Sanguis Christi clavis coeli Christ's blood is heaven's key Isal 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the blood of the Saints and truly precious in the sight of the Saints is the blood of Christ Vna guttula plus valet quam coelum terra Luther One little drop is more worth than heaven and earth Christ's blood is precious blood in regard of the dignity of his person it is the blood of God himself it is the blood Act. 20. 28. of that person who is very God as well as very man Christ's blood was noble blood and therefore precious he came of the race of Kings as touching his manhood but being withal the soh of God This renders his nobility Isa 19. 11. matchless and peerless It was Pharaoh's brag that he was the son of ancient Kings who can lay claim to this more than Christ who can challenge this honour before him he is the son of the ancientest King in the Dan. 7. 9 13 2â— world he was begot a King from all Eternity and the blood of good Kings is precious Thou art worth ten thousand 2 Sam. 18. 3. of us said David's subjects to him and therefore they would not suffer him to hazard himself in the battâ—l The nobleness of his person did set a high rate upon his blood and whom doth this argument more commend unto us than Christ And the blood of Christ is precious blood in regard of the vertues of it by this blood God and man are reconciled by this blood the chosâ—n of God are redeemed It was an excellent saying of Leo The effusion of Christ's blood is so rich and available that Leo de pâ—s sâ—rm 12. c. 4. if the whole multitude of captive sinners would believe in their Redeemer not one of them should be detained in the Tyrant's chains This precious blood justifiâ—s our Act. 13. 38 39. Râ—m 3. 24 25. 1 Jâ—h 1. 7. 1 Iâ—â—s 1. 10. persons in the sight of God it frees us from the guilt of sin and it frees us from the reign and dominion of sin and it frees us from the punishments that are due to sin it saves us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that wrath that is to come Now were not Christ's blood of infinite value and vertue it could never have produced such glorious effects the blood of Christ is precious beyond all account and yet our Lord Jesus did not think it too dear a price to pay down for his Saints God the father would be satisfied with no other price and therefore God the son comes up to his father's price that our Redemption might be sure But Secondly Observe that God rejects all ways of satisfaction by men Could men make as many prayers as there be stars in heaven and drops in the Sea and could they 1 Cor. 13. 3. weep as much blood as there is water in the Ocean and should they give all their goods to the poor and their bodies to be burnt as some have done yet all this would not satisfie for the least sin not for an idle word not for a vain thought Heb. 10. 5. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not that is thou wilt not accept of them for an expiation and satisfaction for sin as the Jews imagined The Apostle shews the impotency and insufficiency of legal sacrifices by God's rejecting of them the things here set down not to be regarded by God as sacrifices offerings burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin together with other legal ordinances comprised under them do evidently demonstrate that God regards none of those things in a way of satisfaction they are no current price they are no such pay that will be accepted of in the Court of heaven Remission of sin could never be obtained by sacrifices and offerings nor by prayers tears humblings meltings watchings fastings penances pilgrimages c. Remission of sins cost Christ dear though it cost us nothing Remission of sins drops down from God to us through Christ's wounds and swims to us in Christ's blood It was well said by one of the Ancients I have not whence Ambros de Jacob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 290 291. I may glory in my own works I have not whence I may boast my self and therefore I will glory in Christ I will not glory that I am righteous but I will glory that I am redeemed I will glory not because I am without sin but because my sins are forgiven I will not glory because I have profited or because any hath profited me but because Christ is an Advocate with the father for me but because the blood of Christ is shed for me Certainly the Popish Doctrine of man's own satisfaction in part for his sins is most derogatory to the blood and to the plenary and complete satisfaction of Jesus Christ But Thirdly Observe that nothing below the obedience and sufferings of Christ our Mediator could satisfie divine Justice Heb. 10. 5. But a body hast thou prepared me the Hebrew text Psal 40. 7. saith Thou hast boared through mine ears but the Apostle follows the Greek Translation seeing the same sence is contained in both Christ having declared what his father delighted not in he further sheweth affirmatively what it was wherein he rested well pleased in these words but a body hast thou prepared me In this phrase A body hast thou prepared me Christ is brought in speaking to his father By body is meant the humane nature of Christ Body is Synecdochically put for the whole humane nature consisting of body and soul the body was the visible part of Christ's humane nature A body is fit for a sacrifice fit to be slain fit to have blood shed out of it fit to be offered up fit to be made a price and a ransom for our sins and fit to answer the types under the Law Pertinently therefore to this purpose is it said of Christ He himself bare our sins 1 Pâ—t 2. 24. Hâ—b 2. 9 14 17. in his own body and those infirmities wherein he was made like unto us were most conspicuously evidenced in his body and hereby
engaged himself for us as that he neither can nor will start from his engagement You shall as soon remove the earth stop the Sun in his course empty the Sea with a cockle-shell make a world and unmake your selves as any power on earth or in hell shall ever be able to hinder Christ from the performance of the office of a surety A perfect fulfilling of all righteousness according to the tenour of the Law is required of man Now Christ our surety by a voluntary subjection of himself to the Law â—al 4. 4. Mat. 3. 15. and by being made under the Law he hath fulfilled all righteousness and that he did this for us is evident by that phrase of the Apostle Rom. 5. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous The contents of the Law must be accomplished by our surety or else we can Gal. 3. 10. 13. never escape the curse of the Law there must be a translation of the Law from us in our persons unto the person of our surety or we are undone and that for ever Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and hath Rom. 10. 4. made us just by his obedience we are made the righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 21. of God in him Our surety became subject to the Law that he might redeem us that were obnoxious to the Law Again full satisfaction for every transgression is required of man Now Christ our surety hath made satisfaction for all our sins He was made a curse for us and by that Gal. 3. 13. means he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law To exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice now Christ our surety having made full satisfaction for all our sins we need not fear to stand before the face of God's justice A debtor that hath a surety that is able and willing to pay his debt yea who hath fully paid it need fear no colours This Title a surety of a better Covenant does necessarily import a blessed Covenant between Jesus Christ and his dear father to whom he freely and readily becomes surety for us for what is suretiship but a voluntary transferring of another's debt upon the surety he obliging to pay the debt for which he engageth as surety Thus you see by the blessed and glorious Titles that are given to Jesus Christ in the Scriptures that there was a Covenant of Redemption past between God the father and Jesus Christ But The Fifth Proposition is this That the work of our Redemption and Salvation was transacted between God the father and Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world This federal transaction between the father and the son was from eternity upon this account the Lord Rev. 13 8. God loved his people and provided for them and contrived all their happiness before they were yea before the world was Jesus is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world because that it was agreed and covenanted between God the father and Jesus Christ that he should in the fulness of time be made flesh and die for sinners and therefore it was said to be done from the foundation of the world Though Christ was not actually slain but when he suffered for us upon the Cross yet he was slain from the beginning in God's purpose in God's decrees in God's promises in the sacrifices in the faith of the elect and in the martyrs for Abel the first that ever died died a Martyr he died for Religion This compact betwixt the father and the son bears date from Eternity this the Apostle asserts 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called The Grace here spoken of cannot be understood of in 〈…〉 Grace unless we will say that it could be inf 〈…〉 into us beâ—â—re either the world was or we were in it us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Here is grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But what grace was that which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began doubtless it was the Grace of Redemption which God in his purpose and decree had given us in Christ Jesus before the world began The Scripture last cited does clearly shew that God the father and Jesus Christ dealt together about the Redemption of souls before the world began and that all our everlasting concernments were agreed on and made sure between them so that Titus 1. 2. gives the same sound In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began How was this life promised before the world began but in this Covenant of Redemption wherein God The whole business of our salvation was first transacted between the father and Christ before it was reveiled to us Joh. 6. 27. The Apostle Peter speaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Christ saith That Christ was fore-ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. the father promised and engaged to Jesus Christ that he would give eternal life to all his seed So the Apostle tells us He hath chosen us in him that is in Christ before the foundation of the world There was an eternal contrivance compact covenant or agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ concerning the sanctification holiness and salvation of the Elect. God agrees with Christ about the everlasting happiness of his chosen before the world began So Joh. 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring Why must he bring them home how was he bound how was he engaged to bring home his other sheep that he puts a must upon it them also I must bring Doubtless it was from this Covenant and agreement which he had made with God the father wherein he had engaged himself to bring home all his Elect. Christ takes a great deal of pains to bring home his sheep being bound in the Covenant of Redemption to present all that are given him by charter blameless before the father therefore saith Colos 1. 22. he I bring them and I must bring them the matter not being lest arbitrary even in respect of his obligation to Psal 2. 7. Act. 15. 18. Act. 2. 23. Eph. 1. 9. Prov. 8. 22 32. God the father Certainly the Decree Covenant and agreement between God the father and Jesus Christ about the whole way of Redemption about all things belonging to the salvation of the Elect to be brought about in due time was fixed and setled before the world began Ponder seriously on this it may well be a load-stone to draw out your hearts more than ever to love the father and the son and to delight in the father and the son and to act faith upon the father and the son and to long to be with the
everlasting life for it is explained that not to lose them vers 39. is that they may have everlasting life for the further assurance of believers of their eternal happiness it is also covenanted that they shall have this life in present possession in the earnest and first fruits thereof for they have everlasting life even here and before their raising up They have everlasting life 1. in prâ—misso 2. in pretio 3. in primltiis he stands already on the battlements of heaven he hath one foot in the porch of Paradise Again Christ having given an earnest-penny of salvation will not suffer it to be lost by any difficulty or impediment in the way but will carry believers through all difficulties till he destroy death and the grave and raise up their very dust that in body and soul they may partake of that bliss and that he may make it manifest that death and rotting in the grave doth not make void his interest nor cause his affection to cease Therefore it is added And I will raise him up at the last day Thus you see that God the father did lay his commands upon his son to engage in this great work of redeeming and saving poor sinners souls c. In the third place I shall shew you that the manner or quality of the transaction between God the father and Jesus Christ was by mutual engagements and stipulations each person undertaking to perform his part in order to our recovery and eternal felicity we find each person undertaking for himself by solemn promise The father promiseth that he will hold Christ's hand and keep him Isa 42. 6. God the father engages himself to direct and assist Christ and to keep him from miscarrying and that he will give him all necessary strength and ability for the execution of his mediatory office and work wonders by him and with him according to that word My father hitherto worketh and I work and the son engages Joh. 5. 17. himself that he will obey the fathers call and not be rebellious Isa 50. 5. I was not rebellious neither turned away Exod. 3. 11 13. cap. 4. 1 10 13. back that is I did not hang back as Moses once and again did nor refuse to go when God sent me as once Jon. 1. 3. Jon. â—s did but I offered my self freely and readily to my father's call there was no affliction no opposition no persecution no evil usage that I met with in carrying on the work of Redemption that did ever startle me or discourage me or make me flinch or shrink back from that great and blessed work that I had undertaken I was dutiful and obedient to the calls commands of my father in all things that he required of me or set me about Now the father the son being thus mutually engaged by promise one to another in honour and faithfulness it highly concerned them to keep one another close to the terms of the Covenant that was made between them and accordingly they did for God the father peremptorily stands upon that compleat and full satisfaction that Christ had promised to give to his justice and therefore when the day of payment came he would not abate Jesus Christ one penny one farthing of the many ten thousand Talents that he Mat. 18. 24. was to pay down upon the nail for us Rom. 8. 32. God spared not his own son that is he abated nothing of that full price that by agreement with his father he was to lay down for us other fathers give their all to spare and redeem their children but the heart of God the father is so fully and strongly set upon satisfaction that he will not spare his son his own son his only son but give him up to death yea to an accursed death that we might be Mauritius who died most miserably spared and saved for ever I have read of a Roman Emperour who chose rather to spare his money than to redeem his souldiers being taken prisoners But to redeem us God would not spare no not his own son because no money nor treasure would serve the turn but only the blood yea the heart-blood of his dear son 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And as God the father keeps Christ close to the terms of the Covenant so Jesus Christ keeps his father close to the terms of the Covenant also Joh. 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth saith Christ to his father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was O my father I have finished the work of Redemption but where 's the wages where 's the glory where 's the reward that thou hast promised me There was nothing committed to Christ by the father to be done on earth for the purchasing of our Redemption but he did finish it so that the debt is paid justice satisfied and sin Satan and death spoiled so that nothing remains but that Christ be glorified according to the promise of the father to him The summ of Christ's petition is this that since he had finished the work of Redemption that therefore the father according to his engagement would advance him to the possession of that glory that he enjoyed from all eternity Now for the clearing of this we must consider that as Christ was from Eternity the glorious God so we are not to conceive of any real change in this glory of his Godhead as if by his estate of humiliation he had suffered any diminution or by his state of exaltation any real accession were made to his glory as God But the true meaning is this That Christ having according to the paction past betwixt the father and him obscured the glory of his Godhead for a time under the veil of the Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. form of a servant and our sinless infirmities doth now expect according to the tenour of the same paction after he had done his work to be exalted and glorified and openly declared to be the son of God the veil of his estate Rom. 1. 4. of humiliation though not of our nature being taken away It is further to be considered that however this eternal glory be proper to him as God yet he prays to be glorified in his whole person Glorifie me because not only his humane nature was to be exalted to what glory finite nature was capable of but the glory of his Godhead was to shine in the person of Christ God-man and in the man Christ though without confusion of his natures and properties Christ did so faithfully discharge his trust and perfect the work of Redemption as that the father was engaged by paction to glorifie him and accordingly Christ God incarnate is exalted with the father in glory and majesty so that believers may be as sure that all things necessary for their Redemption are done as
it is sure that Christ is glorified But In the fourth place let us seriously consider of the Articles agreed on between the father and the son let us weigh well the promises that God the father makes to Jesus Christ and the promises that Jesus Christ makes to the father for the bringing about our reconciliation and Redemption that so we may the more clearly see how greatly both the heart of the father and the heart of the son is engaged in the salvation of poor sinners souls Now there are Seven things which God the father promiseth to do for Jesus Christ upon his undertaking the work of our Redemption First That he will give him the spirit in an abundant measure The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit sa 11. 12. of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord God the father fits Jesus Christ for the work of Redemption by a large effusion of the Graces and gifts of the spirit upon him The spirit of the Lord shall not only come upon Christ but rest and abide with him the holy spirit shall take up in a more special yea singular manner its perpetual and never interrupted or eclipsed residence with him and in him God the father promises that Christ shall in his humane nature be filled with all the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost that he may be as an everlasting treasure and as an overflowing fountain to all his people So Isa 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mâ—â—â—â— elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles So Isa 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord is upon me So Joh. 3. 34. God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him Christ as Mediator is endued with the spirit for the discharge of that office and though Christ as man hath not an infinite measure of the spirit though indeed in that person the fulness of the Godhead dwells as being God also for that were to be no more man but God Yet the gifts and graces of the spirit are poured out upon the man Christ in a measure far above all creatures for though Celos 2. 10. every believer be compleat in him yet for what is inherent â— Cer. 12. 4. Eph. 4. 7. in him they have but some gifts of the spirit but Jesus Christ had all sorts of gifts They had gifts for some particular uses but he had gifts for all uses they have a measure of gifts which are capable of encrease he above measure so much as the humane nature is capable of which though it be finite in it self yet it cannot be measured nor comprehended by us So much is imported in that God giveth not the spirit by measure to him being understood of his manhood Though as we said if we Celes 1. 19. cap. 2. 3 9. speak of his person he hath the spirit infinitely and without measure This fulness became Christ as man that he might be a fit temple for the Godhead and as a Mediatour that he might be the universal head of his Church and store-house of his people that from him as from a common person spiritual root or principle the Holy Ghost with his gifts and graces might be communicated Psal 68. 18. to us He received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them of his fulness Joh. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 45. we receive grace for grace The first Adam was a living soul but the second Adam is a quickening spirit In the man Christ Jesus there is a Treasury and fulness of grace and glory for us he is the Lord-keeper of all our lives of all our souls of all our comforts and of all 2 Tim. 1. 12. our graces and he is the Lord-Treasurer of all our spiritual durable and eternal riches we lost our first stock Prov. 8. 18. by the fall of Adam God put a stock into our own hands and we soon proved Bankrupts and run out of stock and block Now since that fatal fall God will trust us no more but he hath out of his great love and noble bounty put a new stock of grace and glory for us into the Isa 9. 6. Heb. 7. 25. Colos 2. 3. hands of Jesus Christ who is mighty who is able to save to the uttermost and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Christ was more capable by infinite degrees of the fulness of the holy Ghost than mere men were or could be and his employment being also infinitely beyond the employment of men the measure of the Holy Ghost's fulness in him must needs be accordingly beyond all measure Hence by way of Emphasis Joh. 1â— 15. Luk. 32 33. Act. 3. 22 23. Christ is called the anointed one of God The Kings Priests and Prophets among the Jews who were anointed were in their unction but types of Christ who is the great King Priest and Prophet of his Church and anointed above them all yea and above all the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers and Believers under the New Testament ministration In Christ there is all kind of grace and it is in him in the highest and utmost degree that he might be able to manage all his offices and finish that work which God gave him to do and Joh. 17. 4. God hath filled him with his spirit that he might succesfully bring about the Redemption and salvation of sinners But Secondly God the father promiseth to invest Jesus Christ with a three-fold office and to anoint him and Isa 61. 1 2 3. cap. 33. 22. furnish him with what ever was requisite for the discharge of those three offices viz. his prophetical priestly and kingly offices Christ never forced himself into any of these offices he never intruded himself into any one office he never run before he was sent he never assumed any office till his father had signed and sealed his Commission Jâ—h 6. 27. Whatever Jesus Christ had acted without a Commission under his father's hand had been invalid and lost and God would one day have said to him who hath required this at thy hand In order to our spiritual sa 1. 12. A 〈◊〉 was a King 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 a Prieâ—t a was 2 King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never â—et all tiâ—â— in any but in Christ alone and eternal recovery out of sin and misery it was absolutely necessary that whatever Christ did act as a Priest Prophet or King he should act by the authority of his father by a Commission under the Broad Seal of heaven Heb. 5. 5. so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest but he that said unto him thou art my son These two conjunctions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also being joyned together are notes of a reddition or later part of a
to the last But Fourthly God the father promiseth to Jesus Christ that he shall not labour in vain and that the work of Redemption shall prosper in his hand and that he will give a blessed success to all his undertakings and crown all his endeavours He shall see his seed and he shall see the travail of his soul Another promise of the father 〈◊〉 â—â— 1. 53. 10. 〈◊〉 49. 6 7 â— 9 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 4. 3. to the son you have in that Isa 55. 5. Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee The Gentiles that never heard of Christ nor ever were acquainted with Christ nor ever had any notice of Christ when Christ calls they shall readily and speedily repair unto him and submit unto him Christ shall one day see and reap the sweet and happy fruit of his blood sufferings and undertakings the pleasure of the Lord shall certainly prosper in his hand Christ's sufferings were as a woman's travail sharp though short Now though a woman suffers many grievous pains and pangs yet when she sees a man child brought into the world she joys and is satisfied So when nations shall run to Christ he shall see his seed and be satisfied God the father promiseth that Jesus Christ shall have a numerous spiritual postâ—rity begetting and bringing many thousands to the obedience of his father Nations shall run unto thee And this shall fill the heart of Jesus Christ with abundance of joy and comfort contentment and satisfaction when he shall see the fruit of his bitter sufferings when he shall see abundance of poor filthy guilty condemned sinners pardoned justified and accepted with his Psal 63. 5. father His soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness The numerous body of believers past present and to come that God the father had promised to Jesus Christ was the life of his life That 's a sweet promise Psal 110. 2. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies they that will not bend must break those that will not stoop to his government shall feel his power Thy people the people Joh. 17. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Luk. 1. 57. 1 Cor. 3. ult of God are Christ's five ways 1. By donation 2. By purchase 3. By conquest 4. By covenant 5. By communication shall be willing in the day of thy power Heb. willingnesses in the abstract and in the plural number as if the Holy Ghost could not sufficiently set forth their exceeding great willingness to submit to all the Royal commands of the Lord. All Christ's Subjects are Volunteers free hearted like those Isles that wait for God's Law Isa 42. 4. cap. 56. 6. Zach. 8. 21. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Here 's the success of Christ's office promised both in the victorious subduing of his enemies and in the chearful willingness of his subjects and in the wonderful numerousness of his people brought over to him even like the innumerable drops of the morning dew Another promise of that great and compleat success that God the father hath made for Jesus Christ in his Mediatory office you have in that Isa 49. from the 6. verse to the 14. verse Christ shall have a people gathered to him and a seed to serve him Because he hath made his soul an offering for their sins The multitude of sinners brought over to Jesus Christ is the product of the satisfaction which he hath made for them and the trophies of the victory that he hath got by dying the death of thâ— Cross Thus you see that God the father hath not only engaged himself by compact to preserve Jesus Christ in his work but he hath also made to him several precious promises of preservation protection and success so that the work of Redemption shall be sure to prosper in his hand And to make these glorious promises the more valid and binding God confirms them solemnly by an oath Heb. 7. 21. This Priest Christ was made with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a priest for ever God the father foresaw from everlasting that Jesus Christ would so infinitely satisfie him and please him by his incarnation obedience and death that thereupon he swears But Fifthly God the father promiseth to Jesus Christ Rule Dominion and Sovereignty This Sovereignty and Rule Psal 2. 8 9. is promised to Jesus Christ in Isa 40. 10. His arm shall rule for him He shall sit in judgment in the earth and the Isles shall wait for his law Isa 42. 4. not the Jews only but the Gentiles also the people of divers countries and nations shall willingly and readily receive and embrace his doctrine and submit to his Laws and give up themselves to his rule Mic. 4. 3. He shall judge among many nations that is rule order command and direct as a Judge and and Ruler among many nations The Conquests that Christ shall gain over the Nations shall not be by swords and arms but he shall bring them to a voluntary obedience and spiritual subjection by his Spirit and Gospel Joh. 3. 35. The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand that is God the father hath given the rule and power over all things in heaven and earth to Jesus Christ In carrying on the Redemption of sinners as the matter is accorded betwixt the father and the son so the redeemed are not left to themselves but are put under Christ's charge and custody who has purchased them with his blood God the father having given him dominion over all that may contribute to help or hinder his peoples happiness that he may order them so as may be for their good And this power he hath as God with the father and as man and Mediatour by donation Mat. â—8 18. câ—p 2. 3. and gift from the father and thus every believer's happiness is most firm and sure all things being wisely and faithfully transacted between the father and the son Colâ—s 1. 19. cap. 2. 1. As long as Jesus Christ has all power to defend his people and all wisdom and knowledg to guide and govern his people and all dominion to curb the enemies of his people and a commission and charge to be answerable for them we may roundly conclude of their eternal safety security and felicity But Sixthly God the father promiseth to accept of Jesus Isa 49. 5. Christ in his Mediatory office according to that of Isaiah Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord that is as if he had said notwithstanding the infidelity obstinacy and impenitency of the greatest part of the Jews yet my faithful labour and diligence in the execution of my Mediatory office is and shall
and blood vers 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Christ assumed the common nature of man and not of any particular person The Apostle doth here purposely use this word seed to shew that Christ came out of the Gen. 46. 26. Exod. 1. 5. Heb. 7. 5. 1 King 8. 19. loins of man as Jacob's children and their children are said to come out of his loins and as all the Jews are said to come out of the loins of Abraham and as Solomon is said to come out of the loins of David in a man's loins his seed is and it is a part of his substance Thus it sheweth that Christ's humane nature was of the very substance of man and that Christ was the very same that was promised to be the Redeemer of man for of old he was foretold under this word seed as The seed of the woman Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 18. Rom. 9. 7. Heb. 11. 18. 2 Ram. 7. 12. Joh. 8. 58. the seed of Abraham the seed of Isaac the seed of David This word he took on him as it setteth out the humane nature of Christ so it gives us a hint of his Divine Nature for it presupposeth that Christ was before he took on him the seed of Abraham He that taketh any thing on him must needs be before he do so is it possible for him that is not to take any thing on him Now Christ in regard of his humane nature was not before he assumed that nature therefore that former being must needs be in regard of his divine nature in that respect he ever was even the eternal God being God he took on him an humane nature Christ's Eternal Deity shines in this 16. verse and so does his true humanity in that he took upon him the seed of man it is most evident that he was a true man Seed is the matter of man's nature and the very substance thereof The seed of man is the root out Isa 11. 1. Luk. 1. 35. of which Christ assumed his humane nature The humane nature was not created of nothing nor was it brought from heaven but assumed out of the seed of man The humane nature of Christ never had a subsistence in it self At or in the very first framing or making it it was united to the Divine nature and at or in the first uniting it it Creanâ—â—â— fundiâ—ur inâ—undâ—ndo creatuâ— was framed or made Philosophers say of the uniting of the soul to the body in creating it it is infused and in infusing it it is created Much more is this true concerning the Humane nature of Christ united to his Divine Fitly therefore is it here said that he took on him the seed of Abraham So Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us The Evangelist having proved the Divinity of Jesus Christ comes now to speak of his humanity incarnation and manifestation in the flesh whereby he became God and Man in one person Flesh here signifies the whole man in Scripture ye all know that man consisteth of two parts which are sometimes called flesh and spirit and sometimes called soul and body Now by a Synecdoche either of these pâ—rts may bâ— put for the whole And so sometimes the soul is put for the whole man and sometimes the body is put for the whole man as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margin Aâ—l. 27. 37. Gen. â—6 27. Râ—m 12. 1. cap. 3. 20. Christ put himself into a low siâ— leprous suit of ours to expiate our pride and robbery in reaching after the Dâ—ity and to heal â—â— of our spiritual Leprosie for if â—â— had nâ—t assumed our flesh he had not saved us Nâ—zianz together Christ did assume the whole man he did assume the soul as well as the body and both under the term Flesh And indeed unless he had assumed the whole man the whole man could not have been saved if Christ had not taken the whole man he could not have saved the whole man Christ took the nature of man that he might be a fit Mediator if he had not been man he could not have died and if he had not been God he could not have satisfied So great was the difficulty of restoring the Image of God in lost man and of restoring him to God's favour and the dignity of sonship that no less could do it than the natural son of God his becomeing the son of man to suffer in our nature and so great was the Father's love and the Son's love to fallen man as to lay a foundation of reconciliation betwixt God and man in the personal union of the Divine and Humane nature of Christ so much is imported in those words the word was made flesh The person of the Godhead that was incarnate was neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son the second Person for the Word was made Flesh There being a real distinction of the Persons that one of them is is not another and each of them having their proper manner of subsistence the one of them might be incarnate and not the other and it is the Godhead not simply considered but the Person of the Son subsisting in that Godhead that was incarnate And it was very convenient that the second or middle Person in order of subsistence of the blessed Trinity should be the Reconciler of God and man and that he by whom all things Celes 1. 16 17. Heb. 1. 2 3. were made should be the Restorer and Maker of the new World and that he who was the express Image of his Father should be the Repairer of the Image of God in us Oh the admirable love and wisdom of God that shines in this that the second Person in the Trinity is set on work to procure our Redemption Though reason could never have found out such a way yet when God hath revealed it reason though but shallow can see a fitness in it because there being a necessity that the Saviour of man should be man and an impossibility that any but God should save him and one Person in the Trinity being to be incarnate it agrees to reason that the first Person in the Trinity should not be the Mediator for who should send him he is of none and therefore could not be sent There must be one sent to reconcile the enmity and another to give gifts to friends two proceeding Persons the Son from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son Accordingly the second Person which is the Son he is sent upon the first errand to reconcile man to God and the third person the Holy Ghost he is sent to give gifts to men so reconciled so as to reason it is suitable and a very great congruity that God having made all things by his Son should now repair all things by his Son that he that was the middle Person
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
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