and Spirits are included in that flesh for it is caro vitalis living flesh and therefore hath Blood and Spirits that flow and move in it then why not the same affections also and those not stirring only and meerely in the soule but working in the body also unto which that soule is joyned and so remaining really humane affections The use of bloud and spirits is as to nourish which end is now ceased so to affect the heart and bowels by their motion to and fro when the soule is affected And why this use of them should not remaine and if not this we can conceive no other I know not Neither why this affection should be onely restrained to his spirit or soule and his corporeall powers not be supposed to communicate and partake in them That so as he is a true man and the same man that he was both in body as well as in soule for else it had not been a true Resurrection so he hath still the very same true humane affections in them both and such as whereof the body is the seat and instrument as well as the soule And seeing this whole man both body and soule was tempted and that as the Text sayes he is touched with a feeling in that nature which is tempted it must therefore be in the whole man both body and soule Therefore when as we reade of the wrath of the Lambe as Revel 6. 16. namely against his enemies as here of his pity and compassion towards his friends and members why should this be attributed onely to his Deity which is not capable of wrath or to his soule and spirit onely And why may it not be thought he is truly angry as a man in his whole man and so with such a wrath as his body is affected with as well as that he is wrathfull in his soule onely seeing he hath taken up our whole nature on purpose to subserve his Divine nature in all the executions of it But now how far in our apprehensions of this we are to cut off the weaknesse and frailty of such affections as in the dayes of his flesh was in them and how exactly to difference those which Christ had here and those which he hath in heaven therein lyes the difficulty and I can speak but little unto it Yet first this we may lay downe as an undoubted Maxime That so far or in what sense his Body it self is made spirituall as it is called 1 Cor. 15. 44. so far and in that sense all such affections as thus working in his Body are made spirituall and that in an opposition to that fleshly and fraile way of their working here But then as his Body is made spirituall not Spirit spirituall in respect of power and likenesse to a Spirit not in respect of substance or nature so these affections of pity and compassion doe work not onely in his Spirit or Soule but in his Body too as their seat and instrument though in a more spirituall way of working and more like to that of Spirits then those in a fleshly fraile body are They are not wholly spirituall in this sense that the soule is the sole subject of them and that it drawes up all such workings into it selfe so that that should be the difference between his affections now and in the dayes of his flesh Men are not to conceive as if his body were turned into such a substance as the Sun is of for the soule as through a case of glasse to shine gloriously in onely but further it is united to the soule to be acted by it though immediately for the soul to produce operations in it And it is called spirituall not that it remains not a body but because it remains not such a body but is so framed to the soule that both it selfe and all the operations of all the powers in it are immediately and entirely at the arbitrary imperium dominion of the soule that as the soule is pleased to use it and to sway it and move it even as immediately and as nimbly and without any clog or impediment as an Angel moves it selfe or as the soule acteth it selfe So that this may perhaps be one difference that these affections so far as in the body of Christ doe not affect his soule as here they did though as then under the command of Grace and Reason to keep their motions from being inordinate or sinfull but further the soule being now too strong for them doth as its owne arbitrement raise them and as entirely and immediately stir them as it doth it selfe Hence 2. these affections of pity and sympathie so stirred up by himselfe though they move his bowels and affect his bodily heart as they did here yet they doe not afflict and perturbe him in the least nor become they a burthen a load unto his spirit so as to make him sorrowfull or heavy as in this life here his pity unto Lazarus made him and as his distresses at last that made him sorrowfull unto death So that as in their rise so in their effect they utterly differ from what they were here below And the reason of this is because his Body and the blood and spirits thereof the instruments of affecting him are now altogether impassible namely in this sense that they are not capable of the least alteration tending to any hurt what ever And so his body is not subject to any griefe nor his spirits to any wast decay or expence They may and doe subserve the soule in its affections as they did whilst he was here but this meerly by a locall motion moving to and fro in the veynes and arteries to affect the heart and bowels without the least diminution or impaire to themselves or detriment to him And thus it comes to passe that though this Blood and spirits doe stir up the same affections in his heart and bowels which here they did yet not as then with the least perturbation in himselfe or inconvenience unto himselfe But as in this life he was troubled and grieved without sinne or inordinancie so now when he is in heaven he pitties and compassionates without the least mixture or tang of disquietement and perturbation which yet necessarily accompanied his affections whilst he was here because of the frailty in which his body and spirits were framed His perfection destroyes not his affections but onely corrects and amends the imperfection of them Passiones perfectivas to bee now in him the best of Schoolemen doe acknowledge Thirdly All naturall affections that have not in them Indecentiam status something unbefitting that state and condition of glory wherein Christ now is both Schoole-men and other Divines doe acknowledge to be in him Humanae affectiones quae naturales sunt neque cum probro vel peccato conjunctae sed omni ex parte rationi subduntur denique ab iis conditionibus liberantur quae vel animo vel corpori aliquo modo officiunt
likewise is touched notwithstanding all his glory as also by his annexing the reason of it or shewing the way how it comes to passe in that in all points he was tempted like as we are Now in handling and opening these which is a matter full of difficulty I shall with all warinesse proceed to the discovery of what manner of affection in Christ this is and that by these steps and degrees 1. This affection of compassion or his being touched with the feeling of our infirmities is not wholly to be understood in a metaphoricall or a similitudinary sense as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament are to be understood when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him and his bowels are said to be rowled together or as when as it is said of God that he repented and was afflicted in all his peoples afflictions All which expressions were spoken of God as wee all know but meerely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men so to convey and represent to our apprehensions by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases what provoke them unto such and such actions which like effects proceede from God towards us when he sees us in distresse And so they are spoken rather per modum Effectus then Affectus rather by way of like Effect which God produceth then by way of such Affection in Gods heart which is not capable of any such passions as these are Now towards the right understanding of this the first thing which I affirme is that barely in such a sense as this that which is here spoken of Christ is not to be understood and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together First that this affection of his towards us here spoken of is manifestly meant of his humane nature and not of his God head only for it is spoken of that nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are So expresly in the next words which can be meant of no other then his humane nature And Secondly That those kind of expressions which were used of God before the Assumption of our nature onely in a way of metaphor and similitude after the manner of men should in no further or more reall and proper sense be spoken of Christ and his humane nature now assumed when he is a man as truly and properly as we are I cannot imagine when I consider and remember that which I last insisted on that one end of Christs taking an humane nature was that hee might be a mercifull High-Priest for ever in such a way as he being God alone could not have beene I confesse I have often wondred at that expression there used Heb. 2. He tooke the seede of Abraham that he might he made a mercifull high-Priest which at the first reading sounded as if God had beene made more mercifull by taking our nature But this solved the wonder that this assumption added a new way of Gods being mercifull By meanes of which it may now bee said for the comfort and reliefe of our faith that God is truly and really mercifull as a man And the consideration of this contributes this to the clearing of the thing in hand that whereas God of himselfe was so blessed and perfect that his blessednesse could not have beene touched with the least feeling of our infirmities neither was he in himselfe capable of any such affection of pitty or compassion He is not as a man that he should pittie or repent c. He can indeed doe that for us in our distresse which a man that pitties us useth to do but the affections and bowels themselves he is not capable of Hence therfore amongst other ends of assuming mans nature this fell in before God as one that God might thereby become loving and mercifull unto men as one man is to another And so that what before was but improperly spoken and by way of Metaphor and similitude in the Old Testament so to convey it to our apprehensions might now be truly attributed unto him in the reality that God might be for ever said to be compassionate as a man and to be touched with a feeling of our infirmities as a man And thus by this happy union of both Natures the language of the Old Testament uttered onely in a figure becomes verified and fulfilled in the truth of it as in all other things the shadows of it were in Christ fulfilled And this is the first step towards the understanding of what is here said of Christ taken from this comparison with the like attributed unto God himselfe A second and further step to let in our understanding to the apprehension of this is by the like further comparison to be made with the Angels and those affections of love and pity that are certainly found in them In comparison of which these affections in Christs humane nature though glorified must needs be far more like to ours even more tender and more humane For in that Heb. 2. it is expresly said He therefore took not the nature of the Angels that he might be a mercifull High-Priest Part of the intendment of those words is to shew and give the reason not onely why he took our nature under fraile flesh though that the Apostle mentions ver 14. but why an humane nature for the substance of it and not the nature of Angels Because in his affections of mercy he would for ever come neerer to us and have such affections and of the same kind with ours Whereas otherwise in other respects an Angel would have been an higher and more glorious High-Priest then a man Now the Angels being fellow-servants with us as the Angel called himself Rev. 22. 9. they have affections towards us more assimilated unto ours then God hath and so are more capable of such impressions from our miseries then God is Although they be Spirits yet they partake of something analogicall or resembling and answering to those affections of pity griefe c. which are in us And indeed so far as these affections are seated in our soules and not drencht in the passions of the body unto which our soules are united they are the very same kind of affections in us that are in them Hence the same lusts that are in men are said to be in devils John 8. 44. and therefore the devils also are said to feare and tremble c. And so oppositely the same affections that are in men so far as they are spirituall and the spirit or soule is the seat of them they must needs be found in the good Angels But Christ having an humane nature the same for substance that ours is consisting both of soule and body although through glory made spirituall yet not become a Spirit A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have sayes Christ of himselfe after his Resurrection Luke 24. 39. therefore he must need have affections towards us yet
all I know thy workes thy labour and thy patience c. Rev. 22. He therewithall hath an act of memory and recalls how himself was once affected and how distressed whilst on earth under the same or the like miseries For the memory of things here below remaines still with him as with all spirits in either of those two other worlds heaven or hell Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus evill c. sayes Abraham to the soule of Dives in hell Luke 16. 25. Remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome said the good theefe to Christ And Revel 1. I am hee sayes Christ that was dead and am alive Hee remembers his death still and the sufferings of it and as he remembers it to put his Father in mind thereof so he remembers it also to affect his owne heart with what we feele And his memory presenting the impression of the like now afresh unto him how it was once with him hence he comes feelingly and experimentally to know how it is now with us and so affects himselfe therewith as Dido in Virgil Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Having experience of the like miseries though a Queene now I know how to succour those that are therein As God said to the Israelites when they should be possessed of Canaan their own land Exo. 23. 9. Ye know the hearts of strangers seeing ye were strangers c. and therefore doth command them to pitty strangers and to use them well upon that motive So may it be said of CHRIST that he doth know the hearts of his children in misery seeing himselfe was once under the like Or as the Apostle exhorts the Hebrews Heb. 13. 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being your selves in the body and so ere you die may come to suffer the like So Christ the Head of the body which is the fountaine of all sense and feeling in the body doth remember them that are bound and in adversity having himselfe beene once in the body and so he experimentally compassionates them And this is a further thing then the former We have gained this further That Christ hath not onely such affections as are reall and proper to an humane nature but such affections as are stirred up in him from experience of the like by himselfe once tasted in a fraile nature like unto ours And thus much for the way of letting in all our miseries into Christs heart now so as to strike and affect it with them §. II. A more particular disquisition What manner of affection this is The Seat thereof whether in his spirit or soule onely or the whole humane nature Some Cautions added BUt concerning this Affection it selfe of pity and compassion fellow-feeling and sympathie or suffering with as the Text calls it which is the product result or thing produced in his heart by these there still remaines another thing more particularly to be inquired into namely What manner of affection this is For that such an affection is stirred up in him besides and beyond a bare act of knowledge or remembrance how once it was with himselfe is evident by what we find in the Text. The Apostle sayes not onely that he remembers how himselfe was tempted with the like infirmities that we are though that be necessarily supposed but that he is struck and toucht with the feeling of our infirmities to the producing of which this act of remembrance doth but subserve And he tels us Christ is able and his heart is capable of thus being toucht And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a deep word signifying to suffer with us untill we are relieved And this affection thus stirred up is it which moveth him so cordially to helpe us Now concerning this affection as here thus expressed how far it extends and how deep it may reach I think no man in this life can fathome If Cor Regis the heart of a King be inscrutable as Solomon speaks the heart of the King of Kings now in glory is much more I will not take upon me to intrude into things which I have not seen but shall endeavour to speak safely and therefore warily so far as the light of Scripture and right reason shall warrant my way I shall set it forth three wayes 1. Negatively 2. Positively 3. Privatively 1. Negatively It is certaine that this affection of sympathie or fellow-feeling in Christ is not in all things such a kind of affection as was in him in the dayes of his flesh Which is cleare by what the Apostle speaks of him and of his affections then Heb. 5. 7. Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and teares was heard in that which he feared Where we see his converse and state of life here below to be called by way of difference and distinction from what it is now in heaven The dayes of his flesh By flesh meaning not the substance of the humane nature for he retaines that still but the fraile quality of subjection to mortality or passibility So Flesh is usually taken as when all flesh is said to be grasse It is spoken of mans nature in respect to its being subject to a fading wearing and decay by outward casualties or inward passions So in this Epistle Chap. 2. 14. For as much as the children we his brethren did partake of flesh and bloud that is the frailties of mans nature he himselfe also took part of the same And accordingly the Apostle instanceth in the following words of that 14. verse as in death which in the dayes of his flesh Christ was subject to so also in such fraile passions and affections as did work a suffering in him and a wearing and wasting of his spirits such as passionate sorrow joyned with strong cryes and teares both which he mentioneth and also feare in those words He was heard in that which he feared Now these dayes of his flesh being over and past for this was onely as sayes the Apostle in the dayes of his flesh hence therefore all such concomitant passionate overflowings of sorrow feare c. are ceased therewith and he is now no way capable of them or subjected to them Yet 2. Positively why may it not be affirmed that for substance the same kinde of affection of pittie and compassion that wrought in his whole man both body and soule when he was here workes still in him now he is in heaven If this Position be allayed with those due cautions and considerations which presently I shall annexe For if for substance the same flesh and blood and animall spirits remaine and have their use for though Christ in Luke 24. 29. mentioned only his having flesh and bones after his resurrection unto Thomas and the other Disciples because these two alone were to be the object of his Touch and Feeling yet Blood
Peter that he could command millions of Angels to his rescue but he meerly submits unto his Father Not my will but thy will be done sayes he for God had laid upon him the iniquities of us all Esay 53. Let our faith therefore look mainly to this designe and plot of God and of Christ in his suffering to satisfie for our sins and to justifie us sinners When we consider him as borne flesh and bloud and laid in a manger think we withall that his meaning was to condemne sin in our flesh Rom. 8. 4. So when we read of him fulfilling all or any part of righteousnes take we his mind in withall to be that the Law might be fulfilled in us as it follows there who were then represented in him and so the fulfilling of it is accounted ours Behold we him in his life time as Iohn the Baptist did even as the Lamb of God bearing and taking away the sins of the world and when upon the Crosse let our faith behold the iniquities of us all met in him Surely he hath borne our sorrowes bearing our sinnes in his body on the tree and thereby once offered to beare the sinnes of many 1 Pet. 3. Heb. 9. c. This intent of Christ in all that he did and suffered is that welcome newes and the very spirit of the Gospel which faith preys and seiseth on CHAP. III. What support or matter of triumph Christs death affords to faith for Justification NOw having thus directed your Faith to the right object Christ and Christ as dying let us secondly see what matter of support and encouragement faith may fetch from Christs death for Justification And surely that which hath long agoe satisfied God himselfe for the sins of many thousand soules now in heaven The fulnesse of Christs satisfaction may very well serve to satisfie the heart and conscience of any sinner now upon earth in any doubts in respect of the guilt of any sins that can arise We see that the Apostle here after that large discourse of Justification by Christs righteousnes in the former part of this Epistle to the Rom. and having shewed how every way it abounds Chap. 5. he now in this 8. Chap. doth as it were sit down like a man over-convinced as ver 31. What then shall we say to these things He speaks as one satisfied and even astonished with abundance of evidence having nothing to say but onely to admire God and Christ in this work and therefore presently throws downe the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute in this point with all commers Let Conscience and carnall reason Law and Sinne Hell and Devils bring in all their strength Who is he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who shall condemne Paul dares to answer them all and carry it with these few words It is God that justifies It is Christ that dyed And as in ver 37. We are more then conquerours in all these It was this that brought in the Prodigall that in his Fathers house there was bread enough And so likewise he who ever he was who was the Author of the 130. Psal when his soul was in deep distresse by reason of his sins ver 1 2. yet this was it that setled his heart to wait upon God that there was plenteous redemption with him Christs redemption is not meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price or ransome aquivalent or making due satisfaction according to the just demerit of sinne but it is plenteous redemption there is an abundance of the gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5. 17. and unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. Yea 1 Tim. 1. 14. the grace of our Lord that is of Christ as ver 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it was abundant but the word reacheth farther it was over-full redundant more then enough And yet sayes Paul ver 13. I had sins enough to pardon as one would think that might exhaust it I was a blasphemer c. But I found so much grace in Christ even more then I knew what to doe withall I shall not insist so largely on this first Head of Christs dying as upon those three following because it is the main subject of another Discourse which through Gods grace I intend to publish though in another method Onely for a taste to instance in some few particulars How Christs satisfaction may be set against the guilt of any sins and so made use of by faith shewing how Christs satisfaction may be opposed and set against the guilt of a poore sinners offences What is there that can be said to aggravate sin in the generall or any mans particular sins that may not be answered out of this Christ hath dyed and something not be considered in it which the conscience may oppose thereto So that what ever evill which according to the rules of spirituall reason which the righteous Law proceedeth by and containeth as the foundation of its righteousnesse in condemning or aggravating sinne a mans conscience may suggest to be in sinne oppositely hereunto may a mans faith according to the like rules of true spirituall reason shew a more transcendent goodnesse to have been in Christs death which the Gospel reveales and so may oppose the one to the other and have as good reason to shew why sinne should not condemne from CHRISTS death as Conscience can have that the Law may condemne As first 1. Against the hainousnesse of sin in the generall Is sinne the transgression of the Law Christ dying the Law-maker was subjected to the Law and will not that make amends Is sin the debasement of Gods glory manifested in his Word and Works Christs dying was the debasement and emptying of the brightnesse of his glory in the highest measure being personally manifested in the flesh The one of them is but as the darkning the shine or lustre of the Sun upon a wall but the other is as the obscuring of the Sun it selfe Sins highest evill lies in offending God but Christs righteousnesse is oppositely the righteousnesse of God himselfe or Iehovah made our righteousnesse So that God in our sinne is considered but as the object against whom but God in this our righteousnesse is the subject from whom and in whom this righteousnesse comes and is feated And so his God-head answerably gives a higher worth to it by how much the alliance which the subject hath to an action of its owne that proceeds from it is nearer then that which an object hath against which the action is committed Or secondly 2. Against any aggravation of particular sins what peculiar aggravations or circumstances are there in thy sinnes to weigh down with which some circumstances in Christs obedience and death may not be paralleld to lift thee up againe As first 1. Against the greatnesse of the act of any particular sin what ever Is it the greatnesse of thy sinne in the substance of the fact committed hath there been
shew that this his justification and pronouncing him without sin thus done at his Resurrection was done to him as the First-fruits and as to a Common person bearing our persons so in our names From whence wil necessarily follow as the Conclusion of all That the persons of all the elect Beleevers have beene justified before God in Christ as their Head at or from the time of his Resurrection and so that Act of Justification to have beene so firmly past as it cannot be revoked for ever Now this is proved Proved 1. 〈◊〉 the common analogie of the former instances first by the very same reason or respect that he was said to be the first-fruits of them that sleep as representing the rest in his Resurrection which I shewed at large in the former Chap. upon the same ground he is to be so lookt at also in this his Justification pronounced upon him at his Resurrection even as the first-fruits also of them that are justified And so in the same sense by the same reason that we are said to be risen with Christ in his Resurrection we must also be said to be justified with him in this his justification at his Resurrection And indeed In all things which God doth unto us Christ is the first-fruits and God doth them first upon him to enlarge this a little as there is the same reason ground for the one that there is for the other he being a publike person in both so the rule will hold in all other things which God ever doth to us or for us which are common with Christ and were done to him that in them all Christ was the first-fruits and they may be said to have beene done in us or to us yea by us in him and with him Yea what ever God meant to doe for us and in us what ever priviledge or benefit he meant to bestow upon us he did that thing first to Christ and some way bestowed the like on him as a Common person that so it might be by a solemne formall Act ratified and be made sure to be done to us in our persons in due time having first been done to him representing our persons and that by this course taken it might when done to us be effected by vertue of what was first done to him Thus God meaning to sanctifie us Thus in Sanctification Christ first sanctified then we in him he sanctifies Christ first in him as a Common person sanctifying us all For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through thy truth Iohn 17. 19. He sanctifies the humane nature of Christ personall that he may sanctifie Christ mysticall that is his body and him first as a Common person representing us that so we being virtually and representatively sanctified in him may be sure to be sanctified afterwards in our own persons by means of his sanctification And so in like manner for our sakes he was justified in the Spirit because we were to be justified and so to be justified first in him So in all blessings else and with him as a Common person Now this rule holds in all blessings else bestowed for Paul pronounceth of them all that God hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus Ephes 1. 3. which God did so order that as he speaks of ordaining salvation to be by faith Rom. 4. 16. that all those blessings might be sure to all the seed For this formall investiture of estating us into all blessings by such solemne acts done to Christ as our Head and Representer of us makes what he intends to bestow sure before-hand by an irrepealable act and sentence which hath its warrant in all Laws of men as I have shewne and shall anon again urge And secondly 2. Proved by the equity of that in Adams condemnation we were all condemned by the equity of the same Law that in Adam we were all condemned Adam being a Type of him in this by the same Law I say we were all justified in Christ when he was justified else the Type were not therein fulfilled Now the sentence of condemnation was first passed upon Adam alone yet considered as a Common person for us therefore also this Acquitance and Justification was then passed towards Christ alone as a publique person for us Yea in this his being justified Christ much rather a Common person in his being justified then Adam was in his condemnation Christ must much rather be considered as a Common person representing us then Adam was in his condemnation For Christ in his owne person as he had no sinne so he had no need of any justification from sinne nor should ever have been condemned And therefore this must be onely in a respect unto our sins imputed to him and if so then in our stead And so herein he was more purely to be considered as a Common person for us then ever Adam was in his being condemned For Adam besides his standing as a Common person for us was furthermore condemned in his own person but Christ in being justified from sinne could onely be considered as standing for others Thus Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so or in like manner by the righteousnesse of that one man Christ the free gift came upon all men namely in Christ unto justification of life He parallels both with a So only with this difference betweene Adams being a Common person for us and so betweene the ground of our being condemned in him and Christ his being a Common person for us and our Acquitance in him that the condemnation came upon all by a necessary naturall covenant for by such a covenant was Adam appointed a Common person for us but Christ his being appointed thus a Common person for us it was by a free gift of grace and therefore in like manner by a free gift of grace it is that the imputation of that which he did or was done to him is reckoned ours As then in Adam all dyed when he sinned as the Apostle speaks so in Christ were all justified when he was justified For as in his death Christ was a publique person for us and in all that befell him so in his Resurrection and in all that was then done to him and so in this his being then justified And as when he dyed the Iust was put to death for the unjust as Peter speaks so when he rose and was justified the Just that needed no justification was justified for the unjust who else had been condemned and so we were then justified with him CAP. VI. How our faith may raise from hence just matter of Triumph about our Justification An explication how we are justified by faith although justified in Christ at his Resurrection ANd hereupon is grounded this Triumph of Faith here from Christs Resurrection Who shall condemne It is Christ that is risen The
right hand All things committed to him ver 20. that he hath put all things under his feete ver 22. A phrase importing the highest soveraignty and power not used of any Creatures Angels or Men none of them have other things under their feet i. e. in so low a subjection as to be their vassals especially not all things and therefore by that very phrase the putting all things under his feete the Apostle argues in that second to the Heb. that that man of whom David in the 8. Psalm there cited by him had spoken was no other but Christ not Adam nor the Angells for to neither of these hath God subjected all things ver 5. but to Christ onely ver 8. who sits in the highest Throne of Majesty And to make his seate the easier hath a world of enemies made his foote-stoole even all his enemies so Psal 110. which is the highest triumph in the world Now to what end hath God committed this power to him Which power God hath committed to him to save his Elect. but that himselfe may be his owne Executor and Administrator and performe all the Legacies which he made to those whom hee died for as the expression is Heb. 9. 15 16 and 17. verses that none of his heires might be wronged Fairer dealing then this could there ever be nor greater security given to us This to have beene Gods very end of investing Christ with this soveraigne power is declared by Christ himselfe Iohn 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him And accordingly at his Ascension to comfort his Disciples in the fruit of their Ministery Mat 21. 18. he saies All power is given to mee in Heaven and in Earth What holy confidence may this breede in us He is at Gods right hand and we are in his hands Iohn 10. 28. and all his Enemies are under his feete who then can pul us out Revel 1. 18. saies Christ I have the Keyes of Hell and Death The Key is still in the Scripture phrase the Ensigne of Power and authority Now Christ hath both the Keyes of Death What security this affords the postern gate out of this world and of Hell even of the broad gates of that eternall prison So as none of his can be fetched out of this world by Death but Christ he must first open the doore much lesse can any go to Hell without his warrant Yea Matth. 16. 19. He hath the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven also to open to whom he will By his Resurrection we may see and rest assured that he hath the Keyes of Death and Hell for he unlockt the doors and came out from thence and by his Ascension and sitting at Gods right hand that he hath the Keyes of heaven whose doore he hath unlockt and now set open What need we then feare Hell when Christ our Redeemer hath the keyes of it Secondly 2. Prerogative All judgement and authority committed to him to sit at Gods right hand imports all judgement to be committed to him for sitting was a posture of Iudges a phrase used to note out their authority So Prov. 20. 8. A King that sitteth on the throne of judgement scattereth the wicked with his eyes and so doth Christ his and our enemies See what Christ sayes Iohn 5. 21 22. The Sonne of man raiseth up whom he will for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Now if he who loved us so and dyed for us be the Iudge himselfe then Who shall condemne Christ sits on Gods right hand This is the very inference that after followeth ver 24. of that 5. Chap. of Iohn He that beleeves shall not come into condemnation Christ utters it upon his having said he had all judgement committed to him in the fore-going ver 22. on purpose that he might from that consideration ascertaine Beleevers of their non-condemnation For what need we feare any Under-officers §. 2. when we have the Judge thus for us 2. Particular Both which being his as he is an Head to his Elect. But then in the last place add that second particular mentioned to all these that Christ sits there as an Head as a Common person for us First as an Head so Eph. 1. when the Apostle had so hyperbolically set forth his power of being advanced unto Gods right hand ver 21. farre above all Principalities and powers and above every name that is named not only in this world but that which is to come and how God hath put all things under his feet he adds and hath given him to be head over all things to the Church Observe now he is said to sit there over all things not in his own pure personall right simply as it is his inheritance as he is the Son of God as Heb. 1. ver 3 4 5. it is affirmed of him but he sits thus over all as a Head to the Church That same over all things comes in there betweene his being a Head and to the Chuch on purpose to shew that he is set over all in relation to his Church So that we see that our relation is involved and our right included in this exaltation of his and so put into his commission for this prerogative is there said to be given him He sits not simply as a Son but as an Head and he sits not as an Head without a Body and therefore must have his Members up to him Wherefore in the next ver Therefore hee must have all his members up to him it is added Which is his body yea his fulnesse so as Christ is not compleat without all his Members and would leave heaven if any one were wanting It were a lame maimed body if it wanted but a toe Christ is our Element and he being ascended we are sparks that fly upwards to him He took our Flesh and carryed it unto heaven and left us his Spirit on earth and both as pawnes and earnests that we should follow Nay farther yet Especially seeing he sits as representing them and they sit together with him he is not onely said to sit as our Head but we are also said to sit together with him That is made the up-shot of all in the next Chapter Ephes 2. 6. So that as we arose with him he being considered as a Common person and ascended with him as was said So yet farther we sit together with him in the highest heavens as there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in supercoelestibus in his exalted estate above the heavens as is the meaning of that phrase not that Christs being at Gods right hand if taken for that sublimity of power is communicable to us How to sit at Gods right hand is Christs prerogative alone that is Christs prerogative onely So Heb. 1. 5. To which of all the Angels did he ever say Sit thou at my right hand
Sermon after Acts 2. 33. he then received it and visibly powred him out So Ephes 4. 8. it is said He ascended up on high and gave gifts unto men for the work of the Ministery ver 15 and for the joynting in of the Saints to the encrease of the body of Christ ver 16. that is for the converting of elect sinners and making them Saints And the gifts there mentioned some of them remain unto this day in Pastors and Teachers c. And this spirit is still in our preaching and in your hearts in hearing in praying c and perswades you of Christs love to this very day and is in all these the pledge of the continuance of Christs love still in Heaven unto sinners All our Sermons and your Prayers are evidences to you that Christs heart is still the same towards sinners that ever it was for the Spirit that assists in all these comes in his name and in his stead and works all by commission from him And doe none of you feele your hearts moved in the preaching of these things at this and other times and who is it that moves you it is the Spirit who speakes in Christs name from heaven even as himselfe is said to speake from heaven Heb. 12. 25. And when you pray it is the Spirit that endites your prayers and that makes intercession for you in your own hearts Rom. 8. 26. which Intercession of his is but the evidence and eccho of Christs Intercession in heaven The Spirit prayes in you because Christ prays for you he is an Intercessor on earth because Christ is an Intercessor in Heaven As he did take off Christs words and used the same that he before had uttered vvhen he spake in and to the Disciples the vvords of life so he takes off Christs prayers also when he prayes in us hee takes but the vvords as it were out of Christs mouth or heart rather and directs our hearts to offer them up to God He also follovvs us to the Sacrament and in that Glasse shews us Christs face smiling on us and through his face his heart and thus helping of us to a sight of him vve goe away rejoycing that we savv our Saviour that day Then secondly all those vvorks both of miracles and conversion of sinners in answer to the Apostles prayers are a demonstration of this What a handsell had Peters first Sermon after Christs Ascension when three thousand soules were converted by it The Apostles you know went on to preach forgivenesse through Christ and in his Name and to invite men to him and what signes and wonders did accompany them to confirme that their preaching and all were the fruits of Christs Intercession in heaven So that what he promised Iohn 14. 12. as an evidence of his minding them in heaven was abundantly fulfilled They upon their asking did greater works then he so Acts 4. 29 30. at the prayers of Peter And Heb. 2. 3 4. the Apostle makes an argument of it How shall we escape sayes he if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witnesse both with signes and wonders and with divers miracles c. Yea let me adde this that take all the New Testament and all the Promises in it and expressions of Christs love it was written all since Christs being in heaven by his Spirit and that by commission from Christ and therefore all that you find therein you may build on as his very heart and therein see that what he once said on earth he repealeth not a word now he is in heaven his mind continues the same And the consideration hereof may adde a great confirmation to our faith herein Thirdly some of the Apostles spake with him since even many yeeres after his Ascension Thus Iohn and Paul of which the last was in heaven with him and they both doe give out the same thing of him Paul heard not one Sermon of Christs that we know of whilst on earth and received the Gospel from no man Apostle or other but by the immediate Revelation of Jesus Christ from heaven as he speaks Gal. 1. 11 12. But he was converted by Christ himselfe from heaven by immediate speech and conference of Christ himselfe with him and this long after his Ascension And in that one instance Christ abundantly shewed his heart and purpose to continue to all sorts of sinners to the end of the world Thus in two places that great Apostle telleth us the first is 1 Timoth. 1. 13. I was a persecuter a blasphemer sayes he but I obtained mercie and the grace of our Lord namely Jesus Christ was exceeding abundant and upon this he declares with open mouth as it were from Christs own selfe who spake to him from Heaven that this is the faithfullest saying that ever was uttered that Christ came into the World to save sinners whereof I am chiefe sayes he ver 15. And to testifie that this was the very scope of Christ in thus converting of Paul himselfe and Pauls scope also in that place to Timothy to shew so much appears by what follows v. 16. For this cause I obtained this mercie that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to all them that should hereafter beleeve on him unto life everlasting It is expresse you see to assure all sinners unto the end of the world of Christ heart towards them this was his drift For this very cause sayes Paul The second place I alledge in proofe of this is the story of Pauls conversion where he diligently inserts the very words that Christ spake to him from heaven Acts 26. 16. which were these I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a Minister and a witnesse to send thee to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me Brethren these are Christs words since he went to Heaven and he tels Paul hee appeared unto him to testifie thus much This for Pauls conference with him Then againe sixty yeares after his Ascension did the Apostle Iohn receive a Revelation from him even when all the Apostles were dead for after all their deaths was that book written and that Revelation is said to be in a more immediate manner the Revelation of Iesus Christ so Chap. 1. 1. then any other of the Apostles writings and you read that Christ made an Apparition of himselfe to him and said I am he that was dead and am alive and live for evermore Chap. 1. 18. Now let us but consider Christs last words in that his last book the last that Christ hath spoken since he went to Heaven or that hee is to utter till the day of Judgement
more like to these of ours then those are which the Angels have So then by these two steps we have gained these two things That even in Christs humane nature though glorified affections of pity and compassion are true and reall and not metaphorically attributed to him as they are unto God and also more neere and like unto ours here then those in the Angels are even affections proper to mans nature and truly humane And these he should have had although this humane nature had from the very first assumption of it been as glorious as it is now in heaven But now thirdly adde this further that God so ordered it that before Christ should cloathe this his humane nature with that glory he hath in heaven and put this glory upon it he should first take it as cloathed with all our infirmities even the very same that doe cleave unto us and should live in this world as we doe for many yeeres And during that time God prepared for him all sorts of afflictions and miseries to run through which we our selves doe here meet withall and all that time he was acquainted with and inured unto all the like sorrowes that we are and God left him to that infirmity and tendernesse of spirit to take in all distresses as deeply as any of us without sin and to exercise the very same affections under all these distresses that we at any time doe find stirring in our hearts And this God thus ordered on purpose thereby to fit him and to frame his heart when he should be in glory unto such affections as these spoken of in the Text. And this both this Text suggests to be Gods end in it as also that fore-mentioned place Heb. 2. 13. For as much as we namely his members are partakers of flesh and bloud which phrase doth ever note out the frailties of mans nature as 1 Cor. 15. 50. c. he himselfe tooke part of the same that he might be a mercifull High-Priest c. ver 17. And then the Apostle gives this reason of it ver 18. For in that himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able this Ability is as was before interpreted the having an heart fitted and enabled out of experience to pity and to succour them that are tempted The meaning of which is that it was not the bare taking of an humane nature if glorious from the first that would thus fully have fitted him to be affectionately pitifull out of experience though as was said the knowledge of our miseries taken in thereby would have made him truly and really affectionate towards us with affections humane and proper to a man and so much neerer and liker ours then what are in the Angels themselves or then are attributed to God when he is said to pity us but further his taking our nature at first cloathed with frailties and living in this world as we This hath for ever fitted his heart by experience to be in our very hearts and bosomes and not onely or barely to know the distresse and as a man to be affected with an humane affection to one of his kind but experimentally remembring the like in himselfe once And this likewise the Text suggests as the way whereby our distresses are let into his heart the more feelingly now he is in heaven We have not an High-Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne And the more to comfort us herein observe how fully and universally the Apostle speaks of Christs having beene tempted here below First for the matter of them or the severall sorts of temptations he sayes he was tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all points or things of any kind wherewith we are exereised Secondly for the manner he addes that too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like as we are His heart having been just so affected so wounded pierced and distressed in all such tryals as ours use to be onely without sinne God on purpose left all his affections to their full tendernesse and quicknesse of sense of evill So that Christ took to heart all that befell him as deeply as might be he slighted no crosse either from God or men but had and felt the utmost load of it Yea his heart was made more tender in all sorts of affections then any of ours even as it was in love and pity and this made him a man of sorrows and that more then anyother man was or shall be Now therefore to explicate the way how our miseries are let into his heart come to stir up such kindly affections of pity and compassion in him it is not hard to conceive from what hath now been said and from what the Text doth further hint unto us 1. The understanding and knowledge of that humane nature hath notice and cognisance of all the occurrences that befall his members here And for this the Text is cleare For the Apostle speaks this for our encouragement That Christ is toucht with the feeling of our infirmities Which could not be a reliefe unto us if it supposed not this that he particularly and distinctly knew them And if not all as well as some we should want reliefe in all as not knowing which he knew and which not And the Apostle affirmes this of his humane nature as was said for he speaks of that nature that was tempted here below And therefore the Lambe that was slaine and so the man Christ Jesus is Revel 5. 6. said to have seven eyes as well as seven hornes which seven eyes are the seven spirits sent forth into all the earth His eyes of Providence through his annointing with the Holy Ghost are in all corners of the world and view all the things that are done under the sunne in like manner hee is there said to have seven hornes for power as seven eyes for knowledge and both are defined to be seven to shew the perfection of both in their extent reaching unto all things So that as all power in heaven and earth is committed unto Him as Son of man as the Scripture speakes so all knowledge is given him of all things done in heaven and earth and this as Son of man too his knowledge and power being of equall extent He is the Sunne as well in respect of knowledge as of Righteousnesse and there is nothing hid from his light and beames which doe pierce the darkest corners of the hearts of the sons of men He knowes the sores as Solomon expresseth it and distresses of their hearts Like as a looking-glasse made into the forme of a round globe and hung in the midst of a roome takes in all the species of things done or that are therein at once so doth the enlarged understanding of Christs humane nature take in the affairs of this world which hee is appointed to governe especially the miseries of his members and this at once 2. His humane nature thus knowing