condition and therefore not within the comprehension of an earthly understanding It is a wisedome which is from above The holy Ghost likewise is a Revealer of the Gospell unto the faithfull He was sent that hee might Convince the world not onely of sinne but of righteousnesse and judgement too which are Evangelicall things The spirit searcheth all things even the deepe things of God that is his unsearchable love wisedome and counsell in the Gospell Therefore the Gospell is called The Law of the spirit of life and the ministration of the spirit and the Revelation of the spirit and No man can call Iesus Lord but by the holy spirit that is though men may out of externall conformity to the discipline and profession under which they live with their mouthes acknowledge him to be the Lord yet their hearts will never tremble nor willingly submit themselves to his obedience their conscience will never set to its seale to the spirituall power of Christ over the thoughts desires and secrets of the soule but by the over-ruling direction of the holy Ghost Nature taught the Pharises to call him Beelzebub and Samaritan but it is the Spirit onely which teacheth men to acknowledge him a Lord. Christ is not the power nor the wisedome of God to any but to those who are called that is to those unto whose consciences the Spirit witnesseth the righteousnes which is to bee found in him So then the Publication of the Gospell belongeth unto men but the effectuall teaching and revelation thereof unto the soule is the joynt worke of the holy Trinity opening the heart to attend and perswading the heart to beleeve the Gospell as a thing worthy of all acceptation Thus the Gospell is a Glorious thing in regard of the Originall and Authour of it From whence wee may inferre that what-ever men thinke of the ministerie and dispensation of the Word yet undoubtedly the neglect and scorne which is shewed unto it is done unto Christ himselfe and that in his glory he that receiveth not his Word rejecteth his person and the sinne of a man against the words which we speake in the name and authority of Christ and in the dispensation of that office wherewith he hath entrusted us is the same with the sinnes of those men who despised him in his owne person You will say Christ is in heaven how can any injuries of ours reach unto him Surely though he be in heaven which is now the Court of his royall residence yet hee hath to doe upon earth as one of the chiefe territories of his dominion and in the ministerie of his Word hee speaketh from heaven still He it was who by his Ambassadour Saint Paul came and preached Peace to the Ephesians who were afarre off His spirit it was which in the Prophets did testifie of his sufferings and glory Hee it was who gave manifest proofe of his owne power speaking in his Apostles He then who refuseth to obey the words of a Minister in the execution of his office when hee forewarneth him of the wrath to come and doth not discerne the Lords voice therein but in despight of this ministeriall citation unto the tribunall of Christ will still persist in the way of his owne heart and as he hath beene so resolveth to continue a swearing blasphemous luxurious proud revengefull and riotous person thinking it basenesse to mourne for sinne and unnecessary strictnesse to humble himselfe to walke with God and yet because all men else doe so will professe his faith in the Lord Iesus that man is a notorious liar yea as the Apostle speaketh he maketh God a liar too in not beleeving the record which he giveth of his Sonne which is that hee should wash away the filth and purge out the bloud of his people with a spirit of judgement and a spirit of burning that he should sit as a refiner and purifier of silver purging his priests that they might offer unto the Lord an offring in righteousnesse Hee walketh contrary to that Covenant of mercy which he professeth to lay hold on for this is one of the great promises of the Covenant I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I clense you I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Hee walketh contrary to the quality of that feare of God which yet he professeth to feele as well as others For the feare of the Lord is a cleane thing He walketh contrary to the vertue of that bloud with which notwithstanding hee professeth to bee sprinkled for the bloud of Christ cleanseth not onely the lives but the very consciences of men from dead workes that is makes them so inwardly labour for purity of heart as that they may not be conscious to themselves of any though the most secret allowed sinne He walketh contrary to the fruitfulnesse of that grace which alone he professeth to boast in for the Spirit of grace which is powred from on high maketh the very wildernesse a fruitfull field He walketh contrarie to the properties of that faith by which alone he hopeth to be saved For true faith purifieth the heart and therefore a pure heart and a good conscience are the inseparable companions of an unfained faith And therefore what-ever verball and ceremonious homage hee may tender unto Christ yet in good earnest he is ashamed of him and dares not preferre the yoke of Christ before the lusts of the world or the reproaches of Christ before the treasures of the world Why should it be treason to kill a Judge in his ministerie on the bench or esteemed an injurie to the state to doe any indignitie to the Ambassadour of a great prince but because in such relations they are persons publike and representative ut eorum bona malaque ad Rempublicam pertineant why should the supreme Officer of the kingdome write Teste meipso in the name and power of his Prince but because he hath a more immediate representation of his sacred person and commission thereunto Surely the case is the same between Christ and his Ministers in their holy function And therefore we finde the expressions promiscuous sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospell of Christ and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Gospell sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The preaching of Iesus Christ and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My preaching In the vertue of which synergie and co-partnership with Christ and with God as he saveth so we save as he forgiveth sinnes so we forgive them as he judgeth wicked men so wee judge them as he beseecheth so we also beseech saith the Apostle that you bee reconciled and receive not the grace of God in vaine Wee by his Grace and he by our ministerie He therefore that despiseth any conviction out
and draw it away ever so should the word and worship of God worke upon us in all our distempers and in all our deviations Christ was hungry and faint with fasting it was about the sixth houre and hee had sent his Disciples to buy meate and yet having an occasion to doe his Father service hee forgat his food and refused to eate Ioh. 4.6.8.34 The Love of Children hee that is begotten loveth him that did beget him 1 Ioh. 5.1 with a Love of Thankfulnesse We love him because He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.19 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and my supplication Psal. 116.1 With a love of obedience faith worketh by love Gal. 5 6. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 If a man love me hee will keepe my words Ioh. 14.23 with a love of reverence and awfull feare A Sonne honoureth his Father Mal. 1.6 If you call on the Father c. Passe the time of your sojourning here in feare 1 Pet. 1.17 The faith of Children For whom should the Childe relie on for maintenance and supportance but the Father Take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall wee drinke or wherewith shall wee bee cloathed For your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things Matth. 6.31 32. The hope assurance and expectation of Children For as Children depend on their parents for present supply so for portions and provisions for the future fathers lay up for their Children and so doth God for his There is an inheritance reserved for us 1 Pet. 1.4 Lastly the Prayers and requests of Children Because ye are Sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Note 2. The Birth of a Christian is a divine and heavenly workâ— God is both Father Mother of the Dew by his power and wisedome a Father by his providence and indulgence a mother Progenitor genitrixque therefore hee is cald in Clem. Alex. Metripater to note that those causalities which are in the second agents divided are eminently and perfectly in him united as all things are to bee resolved into a first unity Hath the Raine a Father or who hath begotten the Drops of Dew saith Iob. Out of whose wombe came the Ice and the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it None but God is the parent of the Dew it doth not stay for nor expect any humane concurrence or causality Mich. 5.7 Esai 55.10 such is the call and conversion of a man to Christ A heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 the operation of God in us Col. 2.12 A birth not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh noâ— of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1 1â— 1 Ioh. 3.9 Paul may plaâ—t and Apollo may water but it is God that must blesse both nay it is God who by them as his instruments doth both of his owne will begat he us Iam. 1.18 The Miâ—isters are a Savor of Christ 2 Cor. 2.15 It is not the garment but the perfume in it which diffuseth a sweet sent It is not the Labor of the Minister but Christ whom hee preacheth that worketh upon the soule I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with mee 1 Cor. 15.10 It is not good therefore to have the faith of God in respect of persons the seed of this spirituall generation cannot otherwise bee given us than in earthen vessels by men of like passions and infirmities with others Therefore when pure and good seed is here and there sowed to attribute any thing to persons is to derogate from God where gifts are fewer parts meaner probabilities lesse God may and often doth give an increase above hope as to Daniels Pulse that the excellency of the power may bee of him and not of man Though it bee a lame or a leprous hand which soweth the seed yet the successe is no way altered good seed depends not in its growth on the hand that sowes it but on the earth that covers and on the heavens that cherish it So the word borroweth not its efficacy from any humane vertue but from the heart which ponders and the Spirit which sanctifies it When then thou comest unto the word come with affections suteable unto it All earth will not beare all seed some wheate and some but pulse there is first required a fitnesse before there will bee a fruitfulnesse Christ had many things to teach which his Disciples at the time could not carry away because the Comforter was not then sent who was to lead them into all truth they who by use have their senses exercised are fit for strong meate The truth of the Gospell is an heavenly truth and therefore it requires a heavenly disposition of heart to prosper it It is wisedome to those that are perfect though to others foolishnesse and offence The onely reason why the word of truth doth not thrive is because the heart is not fitted nor prepared unto it The seed of it selfe is equall unto all grounds but it prospers onely in the honest and good heart the raine in it selfe alike unto all but of no vertue to the rocks as to other ground by reason of their inward hardnesse and incapacity The Pharises had covetous hearts and they mocked Christ the Philosophers had proud hearts and they scorned Paul The Iewes had carnall hearts and they were offended at the Gospell the people in the wildernesse had unbeleeving hearts and the word preached did not profit them But now a heavenly heart comes with the affections of a Scholer to bee taught by God with the affections of a servant to bee commanded by God with the affections of a Sonne to bee educated by God with the affections of a sinner to bee cur'd by God It considers that it is the Lord from heaven who speakes in the Ministery of the word to him who is but dust and ashes and therefore hee puts his hand on his mouth dares not reply against God nor wrestle with the evidence of his holy Spirit but falleth upon his face and giveth glory unto God beleeves when God promiseth trembles when God threatneth obeyes when God commandeth learnes when God teacheth bringeth alwayes meeknesse and humility of Spirit ready to open unto the word that it may incorporate Lastly from hence we must learne to looke unto God in all his ordinances to expect his arme and Spirit to bee there in revealed to call on and depend on him for the blessing of it If a man could when hee enters into Gods house but powre out his heart in these two things A Promise and a Prayer Lord I am now entring into thy presence to heare thee speake from heaven unto mee to receive thy raine and spirituall Dew which never returneth in vaine but ripeneth a harvest either of corne or weeds of grace or judgement My heart is prepared ô Lord my heart is prepared to learne
enriched to be stedfast unmoveable abundant in the worke of the Lord to doe his will as the Angels in heaven doe it yet in many things they faile and have daily experience of their owne defects But here is all the comfort though I am not able to doe any of my duties as I should yet Christ hath finished all his to the full and therefore though I am compassed with infirmities so that I cannot doe the things which I would yet I have a compassionate advocate with the Father who both giveth and craveth pardon for every one that prepareth his heart to seeke the Lord though he be not perfectly cleansed 1 Ioh. 2.2 2 Chron. 30.18 19. Secondly Against the pertinacie and close adherence of our corruptions which cleave as fast unto us as the very powers and faculties of our soule as heat unto fire or light unto the Sunne Yet sure we are that he who forbad the fire to burne and put blacknesse upon the face of the Sunne at midday is able likewise to remove our corruptions as farre from us as he hath removed them from his owne sight And the ground of our expectation hereof is this Christ when he was upon the earth in the forme of a servant accomplished all the Offices of suffering and obedience for us Therefore being now exalted farre above all heavens at the right hand of Majestie and glory he will much more fulfill those Offices of Power which he hath there to doe Which are by the supplies of his Spirit to purge us from sinne by the sufficiencie of his grace to strengthen us by his word to sanctifie and cleanse us and to present us to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle He that brought from the dead the Lord Iesus and suffered not death to hold the head is able by that power and for that reason to make us perfect in every good worke to doe his will and not to suffer corruption for ever to hold the members It is the frequent argument of the Scripture Heb. 13.20 21. Col. 2.12 Eph. 1.19 20. Rom. 6.5 6. Rom. 8.11 Thirdly against all those firie darts of Satan wherby he tempteth us to despaire and to forsake our mercie If he could have held Christ under when he was in the grave then indeed our faith would have been vaine we should be yet in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15. 17. But he who himselfe suffered being tempted and overcame both the sufferings and the temptation is able to succor those that are tempted and to shew them mercie and grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 2.17 18. Heb. 4. 15 16. Lastly against death it selfe For the Accomplishment of Christs Office of redemption in his resurrection from the dead was both the Merit the Seale and the first fruits of ours 1 Cor. 15.20 22. Thirdly The sitting of Christ on the right hand of his Father noteth unto us the actuall Administration of his Kingdome Therefore that which is here said sit at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole the Apostle thus expoundeth He must raigne till he hath put all enemies vnder his feete 1 Cor. 15.25 And he therefore died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living namely by being exalted unto Gods right hand Rom. 14.9 Now this Administration of Christs Kingdome implies severall particulars First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The publication of established Lawes For that which is in this Psalme called the sending forth of the rod of Christs strength out of Sion is thus by the Prophets expounded Out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Esai 2.3 Mich. 4.2 Secondly The conquering and subduing of subjects to himselfe by converting the hearts of men and bringing their thoughts into the obedience of his Kingdome Ministerially by the word of reconciliation and effectually by the power of his Spirit writing his Lawes in their hearts and transforming them into the image of his word from glorie to glorie Thirdly Ruling and leading those whom he hath thus converted in his way continuing unto their hearts his heavenly voice never utterly depriving them of the exciting assisting cooperating grace of his holy Spirit but by his divine power giving unto them all things which pertaine unto life and godlinesse after he had once called them by his glorious power Esai 2.2 Ioh. 10.3 4. 1 Cor. 1.4 8. Esai 30.21 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Pet. 1.3 Fourthly Protecting upholding succouring them against all temptations and discouragements By his compassion pittying them by his power and promises helping them by his care and wisedome proportioning their strength to their trials By his peace recompencing their conflicts by patience and experience establishing their hearts in the hope of deliverance Heb. 2.17 Ioh. 16.33 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 1.5 Phil. 4.7 19. Rom. 15.4 Fifthy Confounding all his enemies First Their projects holding up his Kingdome in the midst of their malice and making his truth like a tree settle the faster and like a torch shine the brighter for the shaking Secondly Their Persons Whom he doth here gall and torment by the Scepter of his word constraining them by the evidence thereof to subscribe to the Iustice of his wrath and whom he reserveth for the day of his appearing till they shall be put all under his feete In which respect he is said to stand at the right hand of God as a man of warre ready armed for the defence of his Church Act. 7.56 Fourthly the sitting of Christ on the right hand of God noteth unto us his giving of gifts and sending downe of the Holy Ghost upon men It hath been an universall custome both in the Church and elsewhere in dayes of great joy and solemnitie to give gifts and send presents unto men Thus after the wall of Ierusalem was built and the worship of God restored and the Law read and expounded by Ezra to the people after their captivitie it is said that the people did eate and drinke and send portions Nehem. 8. 10 12. The like forme was by the people of the Iewes observed in their feast of Purim Ester 9.22 And the same custome hath bin observed amongst heathen Princes upon solemne and great occasions to distribute donations and congiaries amongst the people Thus Christ in the day of his Majestie and Inauguration in that great and solemne triumph when he ascended up on high and led captivity captive he did withall give gifts unto men Eph. 4.10 Christ was notably typified in the Ark of the Testament In it were the Tables of the Law to shew that the whole Law was in Christ fulfilled and that he was the end of the Law for Righteousnesse to those that beleeve in him There was the golden pot which had Manna to signifie that heavenly and abiding nourishment which from him the Church receiveth There was the Rod of Aaron which budded Signifying either the miraculous incarnation of Christ in a Virgin or
completely sent both in regard of manifestation and efficacie than ever before The difference is chiefly in three things First In the manner of his mission To the old Church in dreames and visions in figures and latent waies But to the Evangelicall Churches in power evidence and demonstration 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Therefore it is called the spirit of revelation and knowledge which discovereth and that unto principalities and powers by the Church the manifold and mysterious wisedome of God in Christ Eph. 1.17.3.10 Therefore the Spirit was sent in the latter dayes in wind and fire and tongues and earthquake all which have in them a selfe-discovering propertie which will not be hidden Wheras in the time of the Prophets God did not in any such things save onely in a low and still voyce reveale himselfe 1 Kings 19.11 12. Secondly In the subjects unto whom he was sent Before onely upon the inclosed garden of the Iewes did this winde blow but now is the Spirit powred upon all flesh and this heavenly dew falleth not upon the fleece but upon the whole earth And therefore our Savior opposeth Ierusalem and the Spirit Ioh. 4.21 23. Every beleever is of the Israel of God every Christian a Temple of the Holy Ghost no people of the earth secluded But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted no place uncleane but every where pure hands may be lifted up Thirdly In the measure of his grace At first he was sent onely in drops and dew but after he was powred out in showres and abundance Tit. 3.6 and therefore as I have before observed the grace of the Gospell is frequently expressed by the name of Riches to note not onely the pretiousnesse but the plentie thereof in the Church And it is here worth our observation that the Spirit under the Gospell is compared to things of a spreading multiplying and operative nature First To water and that not a little measure to sprinckle or bedew but to Baptize the faithfull in Matth. 3.11 Act. 1.5 and that not in a font or vessell which growes lesse and lesse but in a springing and living river Ioh. 7.39 Now water besides its purging propertie is first of a spreading nature It hath no bounds nor limits to it selfe as firme and solid bodies have but receives its restraint by the vessell or continent which holds it so the Spirit of the Lord is not straightned in himselfe but onely by the narrow hearts of men into which he comes Ye are not straitned saith the Apostle in us that is in that ministerie of grace and dispensation of the Spirit which is committed to us but in your owne bowels which are not in any proportion enlarged unto that abundance and fulnesse of heavenly grace which in the Gospel of salvation is offered unto you Secondly Spring water is a growing and multiplying thing which is the reason why rivers which rise from narrow fountaines have yet by reason of a constant and regular supply a great breadth in remote channels because the water lives Wheras in pits and torrents it groweth lesse and lesse so the graces of the Spirit are living and springing things the longer they continue the larger they grow like the waters of the sanctuary Ezek. 36.25 and the reason is because they come from a fountaine which is all life Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 14.6 Col. 3.4 Thirdly as water multiplies in it selfe so by insinuation and mollification it hath a fructifying vertue in other things Fruitfull trees are planted by the waters side so the Spirit searching and mollifying the heart maketh it fruitfull in holy obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Fourthly water is very strong in its owne streame we see what mighty engines it moveth what huge vessels it rouleth like a ball what walls and bulwarkes it overthrowes so the spirit of God is able to beate downe all strong holds which the wit of man or the malice of Satan can erect against the Church The horses of Egypt are flesh not Spirit saith the Lord not by might nor by power but by my Spirit noting that that which might and created power could not doe the Spirit of the Lord was able to effect And this strength of water serves to carry it as high as its owne spring and levell so the Spirit will never cease to raise the hearts of his people till it carries them up to their fountaine and spring-head in heaven Secondly The Spirit is compared to the rushing of a mighty winde The learned observe that before Christs time God spake unto men in a soft still voyce which they called Bath Koll but after in the time of the Gospell by a mighty wind noting thereby both the Abundance of his Spirit which he would powre out in the latter dayes and the strength thereof as of a rushing winde Though a man have walls of brasse and bars of iron upon his conscience though he set up fortifications of fleshly reason and the very gates of hell to shut out the Spirit of grace yet nothing is able to withstand the power of this mighty rushing winde Who art thou O great mountaine Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine c. Zech. 4.7 No mountaines no difficulties can prevent the power of Gods Spirit He hath strength to pull downe the strongest oppositions and to enable the weakest condition unto the service which he will have done Though there be mountaines betweene Israel and their deliverance yet the blinde and the lame and the woman with childe and her that travelleth with childe together will he strengthen to climbe over the precipices of the highest mountaine Ier. 31.8 Thirdly The Spirit is compared to Fire noting likewise both the multiplying or diffusive property thereof turning every thing into its owne nature and the mighty strength thereof wherby it either cleanseth or consumeth any thing that it meets with If thou art stubble it will devoure thee if stone it will breake if gold it will purge thee The hard heart it can melt and the foule heart it can purifie Lay downe thine heart under the word and yeeld it to the Spirit who is as it were the artificer which doth manage the word he can frame it into a vessel of honour but if thou resist and be stubborne against the Spirit in the word know that it is but the crackling of a leafe in the fire if thou wilt not suffer it to purge thee thou canst not hinder it to torment thee nothing is more comfortable nothing more consuming than fire nothing more comfortable than the light warmth and witnesse of the Spirit nothing more terrible than the conviction condemnation and bondage of the Spirit Now this difference in the measure of the Spirit may be seen in two things First in a greater measure of knowledge They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord Ier. 31.34 And the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Esai 11.9 Our Saviour told his Disciples that all things which he had heard of his Father he had made knowne unto them Ioh. 15.15 and yet a little after he telleth them that many other things he had to say unto them which they could not beare till the Spirit of truth came who should guide them into all truth Ioh. 16.12 13. noting that the Spirit when hee came should enlarge their hearts to a capacity of more heavenly wisedome than they could comprehend before For we may observe before how ignorant they were of many things though they conversed with Christ in the flesh Philip ignorant of the Father Ioh. 14.8 Thomas of the way unto the Father Ioh. 14.5 Peter of the necessity of his sufferings Matth. 16.22 The two Disciples of his resurrection Luk. 24.45 all of them of the quality of his Kingdome Act. 1.6 Thus before the sending of the Holy Ghost the Lord did not require so plentifull knowledge unto salvation as after as in the valuations of money that which was plentie two or three hundred years since is but penurie now Secondly in a greater measure of strength for Spirituall obedience They who before fled from the company of Christ in his sufferings did after rejoyce to be counted worthy of suffring shame for his name or as the elegancie of the originall words import to be dignified with that dishonor of Christians Act. 5.41 For suffering of persecution for Christ and the triall of faith by diverse temptations is in the Scriptures reckoned up amongst the gifts and hundred fold compensations of God to his people Mark 10.30 Phil. 1.29 Heb. 11.26 Iam. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.6 7. No man saith our Saviour putteth new wine into old bottles that is exacteth rigid and heavie services of weake and unqualified Disciples and therefore my Disciples fast not while I am amongst them in the flesh But the dayes will come when I shall be taken from them in body and shall send them my holy Spirit to strengthen and prepare them for hard service and then they shall fast and performe those parts of more difficult obedience unto me Matth. 9.15 17. Now farther touching this sending of the Holy Spirit which together with Christs intercession was one of the principall ends of his ascending up unto the right hand of power it may be here demanded why the Holy Spirit was not before this exaltation of Christ sent forth in such abundance upon the Church The maine reason wherof next unto the purpose and decree of God into which all the acts of his wil are to be resolv'd Eph. 1.11 is given by our Savior Ioh. 14.16 Ioh. 16.7 Because he was to supply the corporall absence of Christ and to be another comforter to the Church Of which Office of the Spirit because it was one of the maine ends of his mission and that one of the chiefe workes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand I shall here without any unprofitable or impertinent digression speake a little First then the Spirit is a comforter because an Advocate to his people for so much the word signifies and is else where rendered 1 Ioh. 2.1 Now he is called another comforter or Advocate to note the difference betweene Christ and the Spirit in this particular There is then an Advocate by Office when one person takes upon himselfe the cause of another and in his name pleads it Thus Christ by the Office of his Mediation and intercession is an Advocate for his Church and doth in his owne person in heaven apply his merits and further the cause of our salvation with his Father There is likewise an Advocate by energie and operation by instruction and assistance which is not when a worke is done by one person in the behalfe of another but when one by his counsell inspiration and assistance enableth another to manage his owne businesse and to plead his owne cause And such an Advocate the Spirit is who doth not intercede nor appeare before God in person for us as Christ doth but maketh interpellation for men in and by themselves giving them an accesse unto the Father emboldning them in their feares and helping them in their infirmities when they know not what to pray Eph. 2.18 Heb. 10.15.19 Rom. 8.26 Eph. 3.16 First then the Spirit as our Advocate justifieth our persons and pleadeth our causes against the accusations of our spirituall enemies For as Christ is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods justice to plead our cause against the severitie of his Law and that most Righteous and undeniable charge of sinne which he layeth upon us so the Holy Spirit is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods mercie enabling us there to cleere our selves against the temptations and murtherous assaults of our Spirituall enemies The world accuseth us by false and slanderous calumniations laying to our charge things which we never did the Spirit in this case maketh us not onely plead our innocencie but to rejoyce in our fellowship with the Prophets which were before us to esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world to count our selves happy in this that it is not such low markes as we are which the malice of the world aimeth at but the Spirit of glory and of God which resteth upon us who is on their part evill spoken of 1 Pet. 4.14 Satan that grand accuser of the brethren doth not onely load my sinnes upon my conscience but further endeavoreth to exclude me from the benefit of Christ by charging me with impenitencie and unbeliefe But here the Spirit enableth me to cleere my selfe against the Father of lies It is true indeed I have a naughty flesh the seeds of all mischiefe in my nature but the first means which brought me hereunto was the beleeving of thy lies and therefore I will no longer entertaine thy hellish reasonings against mine owne peace I have a Spirit which teacheth me to bewaile the frowardnesse of mine owne heart to denie mine owne will workes to long and aspire after perfection in Christ to adhere with delight and purpose of heart unto his Law to lay hold with all my strength upon that plaâ—ck of salvation which in this shipwrack of my soule is cast out unto me These affections of my heart come not from the earthly Adam for whatsoever is earthly is sensuall and devillish too And if they be holy and heavenly I will not beleeve that God will put any thing of heaven into a vessell of Hell Sure I am he that died for me when I did not desire him will in no wise cast me away when I come unto him He that hath given me a will to love his service and to leane upon his promises will in mercy accept the will for the deed and in due time accomplish the worke of holinesse which he hath begun Thus the Spirit like an Advocate secureth his clients title against the
sophisticall exceptions of the adversarie and when by temptations our eye is dimmed or by the mixture of corruptions our evidences defaced he by his skill helpeth our infirmities and bringeth those things which are blotted out and forgotten into our remembrance againe Secondly an Advocate admonisheth and directeth his client how to order and solicite his owne businesse what evidences to produce what witnesses to prepare what offices to attend what preparations to make against the time of his hearing so the Spirit doth set the hearts of beleevers in a right way of negotiating their Spirituall affaires maketh them to heare a voyce behinde them furnishing them with wisedome and prudence in every condition How to grapple with temptations how to serve God in all estates when to reprove direct counsell comfort when to speake and when to be silent when to let out and when to chaine up a passion when to use and when to forbeare libertie how to prosecute occasions and apply occurrences unto Spirituall ends every where and in all things strengthning and instructing us to mannage our hearts unto the best advantages of peace to our selves and of glory to our Master Esai 30.21 Col. 1.9 10. Phil. 4.12 13. Eph. 4.20 21. Thirdly an Advocate maketh up the failings of his client and by his wisedome and observation of the case picketh out advantages beyond the instructions and gathereth arguments to further the suite which his client himselfe observed not So the Spirit when we know not what to pray when with Iehoshaphat we know not what to doe when it may be in our owne apprehension the whose businesse of our peace and comfort lieth a bleeding doth then helpe our infirmities and by dumbe cries and secret intimations and deepe and unexpressible gronings presenteth arguments unto him who is the searcher of hearts and who knoweth the minde of the Spirit which we our selves cannot expresse Thus as an infant crieth and complaineth for want of sleepe and yet knoweth not that it is sleepe which he wanteth as a sick man goeth to the physitian and complaineth that some physick he wanteth but knoweth not the thing which he asketh for so the soule of a Christian by the assistance of the Spirit is enlarged to request things of God which yet of themselves doe passe the knowledge and understandings of those that aske them Rom. 8.26 27. Eph. 3.19 Phil. 4.7 1 Cor. 14.15 Secondly the Spirit is a comforter by applying and Representing Christ absent unto the soule againe For first the Spirit carrieth a Christian heart up to Christ in heavenly affections and conversation Col. 3.1 3. Phil. 3.20 as a piece of earth when it is out of its place doth ever move to the whole earth so a sparkle of Christs Spirit will naturally move upward unto him who hath the fulnesse in him A stone though broken all to pieces in the motion will yet through all that perill and violence move unto the center so though the nature of man abhorre and would of it selfe decâ—ine the passages of death 2 Cor. 5.4 yet the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be taken asunder that by any meanes he might be with Christ who is the center of every Christians desire Phil. 1.23 Secondly the Spirit bringeth Christ downe to a Christian formeth him in his heart evidenceth him and the vertue of his passion and resurrection unto the conscience in the powerfull dispensation of his holy ordinances Therefore when our Savior speakes of sending the holy Spirit he addeth I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you when the world seeth me not yet ye see me This noteth the presence of Christ by his Spirit with the Church but there is more than a presence there is an inhabitation At that time you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Ioh. 14.18 20. Thirdly the Spirit is a comforter by a worke of sweet and fruitfull illumination not onely giving the knowledge but the love and comfort of the truth unto a Christian making him with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of God and therby transforming him into the same image from glory to glory The light of other sciences is like the light of a candle nothing but light but the knowledge of Christ by the Spirit is like the light of the Sunâ—e which hath influences and vertue in iâ— And this is that which the Apostle cals the Spirit of Revelation in the knowledge of God for though there be no Propheticall nor extraordinary revelations by dreames visions extasies or enthusiasmes yet according to the measure of spirituall perspicacie and diligent observation of holy Scriptures there are still manifold revelations or manifestations of Christ unto the soule The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soule with God the heavings aspirings and harmony of the heart with Christ the sweete illapses and flashes of heavenly light upon the soule the knowledge of the depths of God and of Satan of the whole armor of God and the strong man of conflicts of Spirit protection of Angels experiences of mercie issues of temptation and the like are heavenly and constant revelations out of the word manifested to the soules of the faithfull by the Spirit Lastly and principally the Spirit is a comforter in those effects of joy and peace which he worketh in the heart For joy is ever the fruite and Companion of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Act. 13.52 and the joy of the Spirit is like the intercession of the Spirit unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 not like the joy of the world which is empty false and deceitfull full of vanity vexation insufficiency unsuâ—eablenesse to the soule mingled with feares of disappointment and miscarriage with tremblings and guilt of conscience with certainty of period and expiration but cleere holy constant unmixed satisfactory and proportionable to the compasse of the soule more gladnesse than all the world can take in the increase of their corne and wine Psal. 4.7 And this joy of the Spirit is grounded upon every passage of a Christian condition from the entrance to the end First the Spirit worketh joy in discovering and bending the heart to mourne for corruption For it is the Spirit of grace and supplications which maketh sinners mourne and loath themselves Zech. 12.10 11. Ezek. 36.27.31 and such a sorrow as this is the seed and the matter of true joy our Iosephs heart was full of joy when his eyes powred out tears upon Benjamins neck As in wicked laughter the heart may be sorrowfull so in holy mourning the heart may rejoyce for all Spirituall afflictions have a peaceable fruite This was the first glimpse and beame of the Prodigals joy that he resolv'd with teares and repentance to returne to his Father againe For there is a sweete complacencie in an humble and Spirituall heart to be vile in its owne eyes as to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweete Sacrifices we know were to be offered
of their adoption which is the hansell and earnest of their inheritance and thereby begetteth a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and security thereupon by which fruits of faith and hope there is a glorious joy shed abroad into the soule so ful and so intimately mingled with the same that it is as possible for man to annihilate the one as to take away the other For according to the evidence of hope and excellencie of the thing hoped must needs the joy there from resulting receive its sweetnesse and stability By all this which hath been spoken of the mission of the Spirit in such abundance after Christs sitting at the right hand of God wee should learne with what affections to receive the Gospel of salvation for the teaching whereof this Holy Spirit was shed abroad abundantly on the Embassadors of Christ and with what heavenly conversations to expresse the power which our hearts have felt therin to walke as children of the light and as becommeth the Gospell of Christ to adorne our high profession and not to receive the grace of God in vaine Consider first that the word thus quickned will have an operation either to convince unto Righteousnesse or to seale unto condemnation as the Sunne either to melt or to harden as the raine either to ripen corne or weeds as the Scepter of a King either to rule subjects or to subdue enemies as the fire of a Goldsmith either to purge gold or devoure drosse as the waters of the sanctuary either to heale places or to turne them into salt pits Ezek. 47.11 Secondly according to the proportion of the Spirit of Christ in his word revealed shall be the proportion of their judgment who despise it The contempt of a great salvation and glorious Ministery shall bring a sorer condemnation Heb. 2.2.4 If I had not come and spoken unto them saith our Savior they had not had sinne Ioh. 15.22 Sins against the light of nature are no sins in comparison of those against the Gospell The earth which drinketh in the raine that fals often on it and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars is rejected and nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.7 8. Thirdly even here God will not alwayes suffer his Spirit to strive with flesh there is a Day of Peace which he calleth our day a day wherein he entreateth and beseecheth us to be reconciled but if we therein judge our selves unworthy of eternall life and goe obstinately on till there be no remedy he can easily draw in his Spirit and give us over to the infatuation of our owne hearts that we may not be cleansed any more till he have caused his fury to rest upon us Ezek. 24.13 We see likewise by this Doctrine wherupon the comforts of the Church are founded namely upon Christ as the first comforter by working our Reconciliation with God and upon the Spirit as another comforter testifying and applying the same unto our soules And the continuall supply and assistance of this Spirit is the onely comfort the Church hath against the dominion and growth of sinne For though the motions of lust which are in our members are so close so working so full of vigor and life that we can see no power nor probabilities of prevailing against them yet we know Christ hath a greater fulnesse of Spirit than we can have of sinne and it is the great promise of the new covenant that God will put his Spirit into us and thereby save us from all our uncleanesses Ezek. 36.27 29. for though we be full of sin and have but a seed a sparkle of the Spirit put into us and upheld and fed by further though small supplies yet that little is stronger than legions of lust as a little salt or leven seasoneth a great lump or a few drops of Spirits strengthen a whole glasse full of water Therefore the Spirit is called a Spirit of judgment and of burning because as one Iudge is able to condemne a thousand prisoners and a little fire to consume abundance of drosse so the Spirit of God in and present with us though received and supplied but in measure though but a smoaking and suppressed fire shall yet breake forth in victory and judgment against all that resist it In us indeed there is nothing that feeds but onely that which resists and quencheth it But this is the wonderfull vertue of the Spirit of Christ in his members that it nourisheth it selfe Therefore sometimes the Spirit is called fire Esai 4.4 Matth. 3.11 and sometimes Oyle Heb. 1.9 1 Ioh. 2.27 to note that the Spirit is nutriment unto it selfe that that grace which we have received already is preserved and excited by new supplies of the same grace Which supplies we are sure shall be given to all that aske them by the vertue of Christs prayer Ioh. 14.16 by the vertue of his and his Fathers promise Ioh. 16.7 Act. 1.4 and by the vertue of that Office which he still beares which is to be the head or vitall principle of all holinesse and grace unto the Church And all these are permanent things and therefore the vertue of them abideth their effects are never totally interrupted Fiftly and lastly this sitting of Christ at the right hand of God noteth his intercession in the behalfe of the whole Church and each member thereof Who is he that condemneth saith the Apostle it is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 But of this Doctrine I shall speake more fitly in the fourth verse it being a great part of the Priesthood of Christ. I now proceed to the last thing in this first verse the continuance and Victories of Christs Kingdome in these words untill I make thy foes thy footstoole Wherin every word is full of weight For though ordinarily subdivisions of holy Scripture and crumbling of the bread of life be rather a loosing than an expounding of it yet in such parts of it as were of purpose intended for models and summaries of fundamentall Doctrine of which sort this Psalme is one of the fullest and briefest in the whole Scriptures as in little maps of large countries there is no word wherupon some point of weighty consequence may not depend Here then is considerable the terme of duration or measure of Christs Kingdome Vntill The Author of subduing Christs enemies under him I the Lord. The manner thereof ponam and ponam scabellum Put thy foes as a stoole under thy feete Victory is a relative word and presupposeth enemies and they are expressed in the text I will but touch that particular because I have handled it more largely upon another Scripture and their enmitie is here not described but onely presupposed It shews it selfe against Christ in all the Offices of his Mediation There is enmity against him as a Prophet Enmity against his Truth
statutes and Ahab confirme idolatrous counsels by his owne practices the Prophet shewes how forward the people are to walke in them Mich. 6.16 Therefore it is that our Saviour saith of the best sort of wicked men Those who with gladnesse and that is ever a symptome of love received the Gospell that yet in time of persecution they were offended and fell away Matth. 13.21 To note unto us that when Christ is forsaken because of persecution the imaginary love which was bestowed upon him before was certainly supported by no other ground than that was is contrary to persecution namely the countenance and protection of publike power Secondly a great part of men professe faith and love to Christ meerely upon the rules of their Education The maine reason into which their religion is resolv'd is not any evidence of excellencie in it selfe but onely the customes and traditions of their fore-fathers which is to build a divine faith upon an humane authoritie and to set man in the place of God certaine it is that contrary religions can never be originally grounded upon the same reason that which is a true and adequate principle of faith or love to Christ can never be sutable to the conclusions of Mahumetisme or idolatry now then when a professed Christian can give no other account of his love to Christ than a Turke of his love to Mahumet when that which moveth an Idolater to hate Christ is all that one of us hath to say why he beleeveth in him certainly that love and faith is but an empty presumption which dishonoureth the Spirit of Christ and deludeth our own soules There is a naturall instinct in the minde of man to reverence and vindicate the traditions of their progenitours and at first view to detest any novell opinions which seeme to thwart the received doctrine wherein they had beene bred and this affection is ever so much the stronger by how much the tradition received is about the nobler and more necessary things And therefore it discovereth it selfe with most violence and impatiency in matters of Religion wherin the eternall welfare of the soule is made the issue of the contention We finde with what heaâ—e of zeale the Iewes contended for the Temple at Ierusalem and with how equall and confident emulation the Samaritans ventured their lives for the precedencie of their Temple on mount Gerazim and took an oath to produce proofs for the authority therof and yet all the ground of this will-worship was the tradition of their Fathers For our Savior assures us that they worshipped they knew not what and onely tooke things upon trust from their predecessors The Satyrist hath made himselfe merry with describing the combate of two neighbor townes amongst the Egyptians in the opposite defence of those ridiculous idoles the severall worship of which they had been differently bred up unto And surely if a prophane Christian and a zealous Mahumetan should joyne in the like contention notwithstanding the subject it selfe on the one side defended were a sacred and pretious truth yet I doubt not but the selfe same reasons might be the sole motive of the Christian to vindicate the honor of Christ and of the other to maintaine the worship of Mahomet I meane a blinde and pertinacions adhering to that Religion in which they had been bred a naturall inclination to favor domesticall opinions a high estimation of the persons of men from whom by succession they have thus been instructed without any Spirituall conviction of the truth or experience of the good which the true members of Christ resolve their love unto him into And this we finde was ever the reasons of the Iewes obstinacy against the Prophets they answered all their arguments with the practice and traditions they had received from their Fathers Ier. 9.14.11.10.44.17 Act. 7.51 Thirdly the heart may be misperswaded of its love to Christ by judging that an affection unto him which is indeed nothing but a selfe love and a desire oâ— advancing private ends The rule whereby Christ at the last day will measure the love or hatred of men unto him is their love or hatred of his brethren and members here Mat. 25.40 45 for in all their afflictions Christ himselfe is afflicted Peter lovest thou me feed my sheepe make proofe of thy love to me by thy service and compassion to my people And how many are there every-where to be found whose love unto themselves hath devoured all brotherly love who take no pitty either upon the soules or temporall necessities of those with whom they yet pretend a fellowship in Christs owne body who spend more upon their owne pride and luxury upon their backs and bellies their pleasures and excesses yea bury more of their substance in the mawes of hawkes and dogs than they can ever perswade themselves to put into the bowels of the poore Saints surely at the day of judgment how-ever such men here professe to love Christ and would spit in the face of him who with Iustin Martyr should say they were not Christians it will appeare that such men did as formally and â—â—properly denie Christ as if with Peter they had publikely sworne I know not the man The Apostle plainly intimates thus much when he sheweth that the experiment of the Corinthians ministration to the necessity of the Saints was an inducement unto the Churches to praise God for their professed subjection to the Gospell of Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 Againe as Christ is present with us in his poore members so likewise in the power of his ordinances and in the light and evidence of his Spirit shining forth in the lives of holy men If then we are as impatient of the edge of his word when it divides betweene the bone and the marrow when it discerneth and discovereth our secret thoughts our bosome sinnes our ambitions uncleane and hypocriticall intents if the lives and Communion of the Saints be in like manner an eye-sore unto us in shaming and reproving our formall and fruitlesse profession of the same truth as Christs was unto the Iewes certainly the same affections of hatred reproach and disestimation which we shew unto them we would with so much the more bitternesse have expressed unto Christ himselfe if we had lived in his dayes by how much that Spirit of grace against which the Spirit which is in us envieth was above measure more abundantly in him than in the holiest of his members If you were of the world saith our Savior the world would love their owne but now I have called you out of the world I have given to you a Spirit which is contrary to the Spirit of the World therefore the world hateth you And this is evident when men hate another meerly for that distinction which differenceth him from them they much more hate him from whom the difference it selfe originally proceedeth We see then that they who openly professe Christ may yet inwardly hate him because the ground
And therfore it is called the fulfilling of the Law True love unto Christ keepes the whole heart together and carries it all one way and so makes it universall uniforme and constant in all its affections unto God for unstedfastnesse of life proceeds from a divided or double heart Iam. 1.8 As in the motions of the heavens there is one common circumvolution which ex aequo carrieth the whole frame daily unto one point from east to west though each severall spheare hath a severall crosse way of its owne wherin some move with a swifter and others with a slower motion So though severall Saints may have their severall corruptions and those likewise in some stronger than in others yet being all animated by one and the same Spirit they all agree in a steddy and uniforme motion unto Christ. If a stone were placed under the concave of the moone though there bee fire and aire and water between yet through them all it would hasten to its owne place so bee the obstacles never so many or the conditions never so various through which a man must passe through evill report and good report through terrors and temptations through a sea and a wildernesse through firy Serpents and sons of Anak yet if the heart love Christ indeed and conclude that heaven is its home nothing shall bee able totally to discourage it from hastning thither whither Christ the forerunner is gone before Secondly the true Love of Christ is grounded upon the evidence of that Proprietie which the soule hath unto him And of that mutuall inhabitation and possession which is between them So that our love unto him in this regard is a kinde of selfe love and therefore very strong because Christ and a Christian are but one And the more perswasion the soule hath of this unity the more must it needs love Christ. For wee love him because hee loved us first 1 Ioh. 4.16.19 And therefore our Saviour from the womans apprehension of Gods more abundant love in the remission of her many and great sinnes concludeth the measure and proportion of her love to him But saith he To whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Luke 7.47 Now True Love of Christ and his Kingdome thus grounded will undoubtedly manifest it selfe first in an universall extent unto any thing wherin Christ is present unto his Church First the soule in this case will abundantly love and cherish the Spirit of Christ. Entertaine with dearest embraces as worthy of all acceptation the motions and dictates and secret illapses of him into the soule will bee carefull to heare his voice alwayes behinde him prompting and directing him in the way he should walke will endevour with all readinesse and pliablenesse of heart to receive the impression of his seale and the testimonie which hee giveth in the inner man unto all Gods promises will feare and suspect nothing more than the frowardnesse of his owne nature which daily endevoureth to quench grieve resist rebel against this Holy Spirit and to fling off from his conduct againe Secondly the soule in this case will abundantly love the Ordinances of God in which by his Spirit hee is still walking in the midst of the Churches for the Law is written in it by the finger of God so that there is a suteablenesse and coincidencie betweene the Law of God and the heart of such a man He will receive the word in the puritie thereof and not give way to those humane inventions which adulterate it to that spirituall treason of wit and fancie or of heresie and contradiction which would stampe the private image and superscription of a man upon Gods owne coine and torture the Scriptures to confesse that which was never in them Hee will receive the word in the power majestie and authority thereof suffering it like thunder to discover the forrest and to drive out all those secret corruptions which shelterd themselves in the corners or deceit of his heart He will delight to have his imaginations humbled and his fleshly reasonings non plus'd al his thoughts subdued unto the obedience of Christ. Hee will receive the word as a wholsome potion to that very end that it may search his secret places and purge out those tough and incorporated lusts which hitherto hee had not prevailed against Hee will take heed of hardning his heart that hee may not heare of rejecting the counsell of God against himselfe of thrusting away the word from him of setting up a resolved will of his owne against the call of Christ as of most dangerous down-fals to the soule Lastly he will receive the word in the spiritualnesse thereof subscribing to the closest precepts of the Law suffering it to clense his heart unto the bottome hee will let the consideration of Gods command preponderate and over-rule all respects of feare love profit pleasure credit compliancy or any other charme to disobedience hee will bee contented to bee led in the narrowest way to have his secretest corruption reveal'd and remov'd to expose his conscience with patience under the saving though severest blowes of this spirituall sword In one word hee will deny the pride of his owne wit and if it bee the evident truth of God which is taught him though it come naked and without any dressings or contributions of humane fancie hee will distinguish betweene the author and the instrument betweene the treasure and the vessell in which it comes and from any hand receive it with such awefull submission of heart as becommeth Gods owne word Thirdly the soule in this case will most dearly love every member of Christ. For these two the love of Christ and of his members doe infallibly accompany one another For though there bee a farre higher proportion of love due unto Christ than unto men yet our love to our brethren is quoad nos and à posteriori not onely the evidences but even the measure of our love to Christ. He that loveth not his brother whom hee hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seene saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4.20 hee that hath not love enough in him for a man like himselfe how can hee love God whose goodnesse being above our knowledge requireth a transcendency in our love This then is a sure rule He that loveth not a member of Christ loveth not him and hee who groweth in his love to his brethren groweth likewise in his love to Christ. For as there is the same proportion of one to five as there is of twenty to an hundred though the numbers be farre lesse as the motion of the shadow upon the diall answereth exactly to that proportion of motion and distance which the Sunne hath in the firmament though the Sunne goeth many millions of miles when the shadow it may bee moveth not the breadth of a hand so though our love to Christ ought to be a far more abundant love than to any of his members yet certaine it is that the measure
upon Christ. In the midst of thine enemies Some understand it of changing the hearts of his enemies and converting them as captives unto his obedience Other understand the wonderfull effect of the power of Christs kingdome that he can by his Word and Spirit hold up his Church in despight of all the enemies thereof round about The Church ever was and will be pester'd with divers kindes of adversaries heretikes and hypocrites and false brethren with profanenesse temptations persecutions spirituall wickednesses and in the midst of all these the Church of Christ groweth as a Lily amongst the thornes Now this In medio noteth two things Dominium plenum and dominium securum A perfect and full governement without mutilation without impediment the Church being amongst the wicked as a rocke in the midst of the sea or as a garrison in an enemies towne Media dominantur in urbe is an expression of such a rule as can no way be hindered or removed The Church of God is a burdensome stone they who goe about to remove it out of that place where Christ will plant it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth should gather together against it Zech. 12.3 A secure and confident governement so in the Scripture phrase In the midst notes confidence and security When the Prophet asked the Shunamite would'st thou be spoken for to the king or to the Captaine of the host she answered I dwell amongst mine owne people that is I am safe and have enough already 2 King 4.13 When they of the Synagogue would have cast Christ downe head-long from the brow of a hill it is said that he passed through the midst of them and went his way that is with much confidence safety and assurance he withdrew himselfe Luk. 4.29 30. As the Prophet was full of security and quietnesse in the midst of the Syrian siege 2 King 6 14-16 The words being thus unfolded wee may observe in them Three of Christs principall Regalities Sceptrum Solium and Imperium The Scepter the Throne and the Power or governement of his kingdome His Scepter is the Word of his Gospell animated by the Power of his holy Spirit and accompanied with the blessing and authority of God the Father who sendeth it abroad into the world His Throne from whence this his Scepter is extended Sion the Church of the Jewes His victorious plenarie and secure governement Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies First the Scepter here is the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Christ is a Shepheard towards his Flocke the Church Esai 40.11 A great Shepheard Heb. 13.20 that notes his Power and Majesty over them and a good Shepheard Ioh. 10.14 that notes his care and tendernesse towards his Sheepe Kings in the Scripture are called Shepheards to lead and to feed and to govern the people So David is said to have beene taken from the sheepfolds to feed Iacob and Israel Psal. 78.71 2 Sam. 5.2 and thus Christ is a Shepheard and a King I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feede them Even my servant David I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Ezek. 34.23 24. Prophets Teachers are in the Scripture likewise called Shepherds Ier. 23.1 4. and so Christ is a Shepheard and a Bishop Ye were as sheepe going astray but now ye are returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules 1 Pet. 2.25 And therefore wee finde in the Scripture that Christ hath two pastorall staves to note his great care and double office in his Church The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want I will feare no evill for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal. 23.4 I tooke unto me two staves the one I called Beauty and the other I called Bands and I fed the flocke Zech. 11.7 So then the Rod of Christs strength or his strong staffe doth in these severall relations note unto us three things As it is a staffe of strength so it notes the power of Christ. As it is the Scepter of a King so it notes the majestie of Christ. As it is the staffe of a Bishop or Prophet so it notes the care and superintendencie of Christ over his Church So then this first particular of the Rod of Christs kingdome affoords unto us three observations First that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of power and strength towards the Church Secondly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of Glory and Majesty towards his Church Thirdly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of care and of tendernesse towards his Church First the words of the Gospell with the spirit is full of power and strength No man will denie that Christ in his owne person is full of power And as the power of a Prince is principally seene in his lawes edicts pardons and gratious patents so is the power of Christ wonderfully magnified towards the Church in his Gospell which unto us is both a Covenant of mercy and a Law of obedience We may observe how Christ is frequently pleased to honor his Gospell with his owne titles and attributes And therefore the Apostle speakes of him and his word as of one and the same thing The word of God is quicke and powerfull a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe That which is the word in one verse is Christ himselfe in another which hath given occasion to some learned men without any constraining reason as I conceive to take the Word there for the essentiall Word of God or the person of Christ himselfe to whom I thinke that appellation is not given by any of the sacred Writers but onely by his beloved Disciple Saint Iohn We know that Christ was crucified at Jerusalem and yet the Apostle saith that he was crucified amongst the Galatians Certainely in that he died he died but once unto sin S. Paul could not doe that himselfe which he curseth others for doing Crucifie againe the Lord of Glory So then at Jerusalem he was crucified in his person and at Galatia in the ministery of his Word One and the same crucifying was as lively set forth in Saint Pauls preaching as it was really acted upon Christs person for Christ is as really present to his Church now in the spirituall dispensation of his ordinances as hee was corporally present with the Jewes in the dayes of his flesh And therefore I say it is that we finde the same attributes given to both Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God and the Gospell else-where the Power of God and the wisdome of God in a mystery to them that are perfect Againe Christ the Lord of glory and the Gospell the Gospell of
men on the earth The Gospell is the Patent and Charter of a Christian all that hee hath to shew for his Salvation the treasure of his wealth and priviledges all that he hath to boast in either for this life or another the armory of a Christian all that he hath to hold up against the temptations and conflicts of his sorest enemies the only toole and instrument of a Christian all that he hath to doe any action of piety charity loyalty or sobriety withall the onely glasse of a Christian wherein he may see his owne face and so learne to deny himselfe and wherein he may see the face of God in Christ and so learne to desire and to follow him So that upon the matter for any man to be ignorant of the Gospell is to unchristian himselfe againe and to degenerate into a heathen Powre out thine indignation upon the heathen that know thee not Ignorance makes a man a very heathen This I say and testifie saith the Apostle that you henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind for you have not so learned Christ. It is not the title nor the profession which maketh a man a reall Christian and distinguisheth him from other heathen men but the learning of Christ in his Spirit and Gospell For as he who was onely outwardly and in the flesh a Jew might be uncircumcized in his heart so he who is onely in title and name a Christian may be a heathen in his heart and that more fearefully than Sodome and Gomorrah or Tyre and Sydon because he hath put from himselfe the Salvation of the Lord and judged himselfe unworthy of eternall life Lastly if there bee indeed such power in the Gospell wee should labour to beare witnesse unto the testimony which God giveth of his Word in a holy conversation It is a reproach cast upon the ordinances of God when men doe in their lives denie that vertue which God testifieth to be in them Wicked men are said to crucifie Christ againe to put him to shame to make God a liar not that these things can so really bee but because men in their evill lives carry themselves as if indeed they were so And in this sense the Gospell may bee said to bee weake too because the pride of men holds out against the saving power thereof But these men must know that the word returneth not empty unto God but accomplisheth some worke or other either it ripeneth weeds or corne There is thunder and lightning both in the word if the one breake not a heart the other will blast it if it bee not humbled by the word it will certainly bee withered and made fruitlesse Shall the clay boast it selfe against the fire because though it have power to melt wax yet it hath not power to melt clay Is it not one and the same power which hardneth the one and which softneth the other Is not the word a sweete Savor unto God as well in those that perish as in those that are saved Certainly there is as wonderfull a power in adding another death to him who was dead before which upon the matter is to kill a dead man as in multiplying and enlarging life And the Gospell is to those that perish a Savor of death unto death such a word as doth cumulate the damnation of wicked men and treasure up wrath upon wrath If it doe not convert it will certainly harden if it doe not save it will undoubtedly judge and condemne The Lord doth never cast away his Gospell hee that gave charge to gather up the broken meate of loaves and fishes that nothing might bee lost will not suffer any crumme of his spirituall manna to come to nothing Yet wee finde the Lord giveth a charge to his Prophets to preach even there where hee foretold them that their words would not bee heard Thou shalt speake all these wordes unto them but they will not hearken to thee thou shalt also call unto them but they will not answere thee Sonne of Man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellions nation they are impudent Children and stiffe hearted Yet thou shalt speake my words unto them whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are rebellion it selfe They will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto mee For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Certainly when the Lord taketh paines by his Prophets to call those who will not heare hee doth it not in vaine they shall know at length that a Prophet hath been amongst them Therefore as the Apostle saith that the Gospell is a sweet Savour even in those that perish So wee finde those messages which have contained nothing but curses against an obstinate people have yet been as honie for sweetnesse in the mouth of those that preached them I did eate the roule saith the Prophet and it was in my mouth as honie for sweetnesse and yet there was nothing in it written but lamentations and mourning and woe Ieremie did not desire the woefull day but did heartily say Amen to the false Prophets in their predictions of safety yet in regard of his ready service unto God and of that glory which God would worke out unto himselfe in the punishment of that sinfull people the word of Prophesie which was committed unto him was the joy and rejoicing of his heart so that in all respects the Gospell of Christ is a word of power and therein wee doe and must rejoice Wee observed before that this Rod of strength is both Sceptrum Majestatis and Pedum Pastorale Both the Scepter of Christ as hee is a King and his Pastorall staffe as hee is a Bishop It denoteth the Administration of Christs Kingdome which consisteth in the dispensing of his Gospell as it is a word of Majesty and of care So then here are as I before observed two observations yet remaining to bee noted out of these words Virga Virtutis the Rod of thy strength The first that the Gospell of Christ accompanied with his Spirit is a word of great glory and Majesty For wee must ever make these concomitants wee preach the Gospell saith S. Peter with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 And indeed the Spirit is peculiar to the Gospell and not belonging to the Law at all if wee consider it alone by it selfe under the relation of a distinct covenant For though as it proceedeth out of Sion that is as it is an appendix and additament unto the Gospell it tend unto liberty and so cōmeth not without the Spirit yet by it selfe alone it gendreth nothing but bondage And therefore when the Apostle sheweth the excellency of the Gospell above the Law hee calleth one a ministration of death and of the letter the other a ministration of the Spirit and life To shew that properly the Spirit belongeth unto the Gospell of grace
intendeth to visit another there is no state nor distance no ceremonies nor solemnities observed but when a prince will communicate himselfe unto any place there is a publication and officers sent abroad to give notice thereof that meete entertainements may be provided So doth Christ deale with men he knoweth how unprepared wee are to give him a welcome how foule our hearts how barren our consciences and therefore he sendeth his Officers before his face with his owne Provision his Graces of Humiliation Repentance Desire Love Hope Joy hungring and thirsting after his appearance and then when hee is esteemed worthy of all acceptation he commeth himselfe Looke upon the more consummate publication of the Gospell for Christ in his owne personall preaching is said but to have begun to teach and we shall see that as Princes in the time of their solemne Inauguration doe some speciall acts of magnificence and honour open prisons proclaime pardons create nobles stampe coyne fill conduits with wine distribute donatives and congiaries to the people So Christ to testifie the glory of his Gospell did reserve the full publication thereof unto the day of his instalment and solemne readmission into his Fathers glory againe When he ascended up on high he then led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men namely the Holy Ghost who is called the Gift of God Act. 2.38 Act. 8 20 Ioh. 4.10 and in the plurall number Gifts as elsewhere he is called seven spirits Revel 1.4 to note the plenty and variety of graces which are by him shed abroad upon the Church Wisedome and faith and knowledge and healings and prophesie and discerning and miracles and tongues All these worke one and the selfe-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will And these gifts were all shed abroad for Evangelicall purposes for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the body of Christ. And this spirit Saint Peter telleth us is a spirit of Glory and therefore that Gospell for the more plentifull promulgation wherof he was shed abroad must needs be a Gospell of Glorie too And this further appeares because in this more solemne publication of the Gospell there was much more Abundance of glorious light and grace shed abroad into the world The Sunne of Righteousnesse in his estate of humiliation was much ecclipsed with the similitude of sinfull flesh the Communion of our common infirmities the poverty of a low condition the griefe and vexation of the sinnes of men the overshadowing of his divine vertue the forme and entertainement of a servant the burden of the guilt of sinne the burden of the Law of God the ignominie of a base death the agonie of a cursed death But when hee ascended up on high like the Sunne in his glory hee then dispell'd all these mists and now sendeth forth those glorious beames of his Gospell and Spirit which are the two wings by which he commeth unto the Churches and under which the healing and salvation of the world is treasured Iohn Baptist was the last and greatest of all the Prophets who foretold of Christ a greater had not beene borne of women and yet he was lesse than the least in the kingdome of heaven that is than the least of those upon whom the Promise of the Spirit was shed abroad for the more glorious manifestation of the kingdome of his Gospell All the Prophets and the Law prophesied untill Iohn but at the comming of Christ they seem'd to bee taken away not by way of abrogation and extinguishment as the ceremonies but by way of excesse and excellency ut stellae exiliores ad exortum solis as the Orator speakes so saith the Apostle Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth Therefore the full Revelation of the Gospell is called an effusion of the spirit not in dew but in showres of raine which multiply into rivers of living water for the raine of the spirit floweth from heaven as from a spring and into wels of Salvation and into a sea of knowledge Which attributes note unto us two things First the abundance of spirituall grace and knowledge by the Gospell it should be a River Secondly the growth and increase thereof it should be living water multiplying and swelling up like the waters of the Sanctuary till it came to a bottomelesse and unmeasurable sea of eternall life And to touch that which was before spoken of very glorious are the vertues of the Spirit in the Gospell intimated in this similitude of living water To quench the wrath of God that otherwise consuming unextinguishable fury which devoureth the adversaries with everlasting burnings To satisfie those desires of the thirsty soule which it selfe begetteth for the Spirit is both for medicine and for meate for medicine to cure the dull and averse appetites of the soule and for meate to satisfie them The Spirit is both a Spirit of supplication and a Spirit of grace or satisfaction A Spirit of supplication directing us to pray and a Spirit of Grace supplying those requests and satisfying those desires which himselfe did dictate To cleanse to purifie to mollifie to take away the barrennesse of our naturall hearts To overflow and communicate it selfe to others To withstand and subdue every obstacle that is set up against it To continue and to multiply to the end By this then wee learne the way how to abound in grace and glory and how to bee transformed into the Image of Christ. The beame and light of the Sunne is the vehiculum of the heate and influence of the Sunne so the light of the Gospell of Christ is that which conveieth the vertue and gracious workings of his Spirit upon the soule And therefore we are to seeke those varieties of grace which are for meate to satisfie the desires and for medicine to cure the bruizes of the soule onely upon the bankes of the waters of the Sanctuary that is in the knowledge of the word of truth which is the Gospell of Salvation The more of this glorious light a man hath the more proportion of all other graces will he have too And therefore the Apostle puts the growth of these two together as contributing a mutuall succour unto one another Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. Your Grace will inlarge your desires of knowledge and your knowledge will multiply your degrees of Grace And Saint Paul makes the knowledge of the will of God in wisdome and after a spirituall maner to be the ground of fruitfulnesse in every good worke and that again an inducement to increase in knowledge as in the twisting together of two cords into one rope they are by art so ordered that either shall bind and hold in the other As in the heavens the inferior orbes have the measure and proportion of their
unto obedience If he be grieved and made retire for he is of a delicate and jealous disposition if hee turne his wind from our sailes alas how slow and sluggish will our motion be How poore our progresse Vpon these and severall other the like grounds may the best of us bee possessed with feares discomforts and unwillingnesse in Gods service But yet Fifthly none of all this takes off the will a Toto though it doe a Tanto but that the faithfull in their greatest heavinesse and unfitnesse of spirit have yet a stronger by as towards God than any wicked man when he is at best for it is true of them in their lowest condition that they Desire to feare Gods name Nehem. 1.11 That the desire of their soule is towards the remembrance of him Esay 26.8 that they are seriously displeased with the distempers and uncomfortablenesse of their spirit Psal. 42.5 that they long to be enlarged that they may run the way of Gods Commandements Psal. 119.32 That they set their affection unto God and his service 1 Chron. 29.3 That they prepare their heart to seeke the Lord God 2 Chron. 30.19 That they strive grone wrestle and are unquiet in their dumpes and dulnesse earnestly contending for joy and freedome of Spirit Psal. 51.8.11.12 In one word that they dare not omit those duties which yet they have no readinesse and disposednesse of heart to performe but when they cannot doe them in alacrity yet they doe them in obedience and serve the Lord when he hideth his face from them I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will looke againe towards thy holy Temple Ionah 2.4 He that feareth the Lord will obey his voice though he walke in darknesse and have no light Esay 50.10 So then the faithfull have still thus much ground of comfort that God hath their wils alwaies devoted and resign'd unto him though thus much likewise they have to humble them too the daily experience of a back-sliding and tired spirit in his service and should therefore be exhorted to stirre up the spirit of grace in themselves to keepe fresh and frequent their communion with Christ. The more acquaintance and experience the heart hath of him the more abundantly it will delight in him and make haste unto him that it may with Saint Paul apprehend him in fruition by whom it is already apprehended and carried up unto heavenly places in assurance and representation As long as wee are here there will be something lacking to our faith some mixture of unbeleefe and distrust with it 1 Thess. 3.10 Marke 9.24 corruptions temptations afflictions trials will be apt to beget some feares discomforts wearinesse and indisposednesse towards Gods service The sense whereof should make us long after our home with the Apostle grone and wait for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies for the manifestation of the sons of God for though we are now sonnes yet it doth not appeare what we shall be 1 Ioh. 3.2 should make us pray for the accomplishment of his promises for the hastening of his Kingdome where we shall be changed into an universall spiritualnesse or purity of nature where those relickes of corruption those strugglings of the law of the members against the law of the minde shall be ended those languishings decayes ebbes and blemishes of grace shall be removed where all deficiencies of grace shall be made up and that measure and first fruits of the Spirit which we here receive shall be crowned with fulnesse and everlasting perfection Here we are like the stones and other materials of Salomons Temple but in the act of fitting and preparation no marvell if we be here crooked knottie uneven and therefore subject to the hammer under blowes and buffets But when we shall be carried to the heavenly building which is above and there laid in there shall be nothing but smoothnesse and glory upon us no noise of hammers or axes no dispensation of Word or Sacraments no application of censures and severity but every man shall bee filled with the fulnesse of God Faith turned into sight Hope turned into fruition and Love everlastingly ravished with the presence of God with the face of Iesus Christ with the fulnesse of the holy Spirit and with the communion and societie of all the Saints And so much for the first observation out of the third particular concerning the willingnesse of Christs people There was further therein observed the Principle of this Willingnesse In the day of thy power or of thine armies that is when thou shalt send abroad Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Doctours and Teachers for evidencing the Word and Spirit unto the consciences of men Whence we may secondly observe that the Heart of Christs people is made willing to obey him by an act of Power or by the strength of the Word and Spirit It is not barely enticed but it is conquered by the Gospell of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. And yet this is not a compulsory conquest which is utterly contrary to the nature of a reasonable will which would cease to be it selfe if it could be compell'd but it is an effectuall conquest The will as all other faculties is dead naturally in trespasses and sins And a dead man is not raised to life againe by any enticements nor yet compell'd unto a condition of such exact complacencie and suteablenesse to nature by any act of violence So then a man is made willingly subject unto Christ neither by meere morall perswasions nor by any violent impulsions but by a power in it selfe supernaturall spirituall or Divine and in its manner of working sweetly tempered to the disposition of the will which is never by grace destroyed but perfected Therefore the Apostle saith that it is God who worketh in us to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 first he frameth our will according to his owne as David was said to be a man after Gods owne heart and secondly by that will and the imperate acts thereof thus sanctified and still assisted by the Spirit of grace he setteth the other powers of nature on worke in further obedience unto his will And therefore the Prophet David praised God that had enabled him and his people to offer willingly unto the service of Gods house and prayeth him that he would ever keepe that willing disposition in the imaginations and thoughts of the hearts of his people 1 Chron. 29.14.18 Therefore the Apostle saith that Our faith standeth not in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore likewise it is called The faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead Col. 2.12 For the more distinct opening and evidencing this point how Christs people are made Willing by his power I will onely lay together some briefe positions which I conceive to be thereunto pertinent and proceed to that which is more plaine and profitable First let us consider the nature of the will which is to
to the wayes of grace as there is in any The consideration whereof may justly humble us in our reflexion upon our selves whom neither the promises of heaven can allure nor the bloud and passions of Christ perswade nor the flames of hell affright from our sinnes till the Lord by the sweet and gracious power of his holy â—â—irit subdue and conquer the soule unto himselfe If a man should rise from the dead and truly relate unto the conscience the woefull and everlasting horrors of hell if a mans naturall capacity were made as wide to apprehend the wrath fury and vengeance of a provoked God the foulenesse guilt and venome of a soule fuller of sins than the heavens of stars as the most intelligent divels of hell doe conceive them If an Archangell or Seraphim should be sent from heaven to reveale unto the soule of a naturall man the infinite glory of Gods presence the full pleasures of his right hand the admirable beauty of his wayes the intimate conformity and resemblance between his divine nature in himselfe the Image of his holinesse in the creature the unsearchable and bottomlesse love of Christ in his Incarnation and sufferings the endlesse incomprehensible vertue pretiousnesse of his bloud and prayers yet so desperately evill is the heart of man that if after all this God should not afford the blessed operation and concurrence of his owne gratious Spirit the revelation of his own arme and power upon the soule to set on those instrumentall causes it would be invincible by any evidence which all the cries and flames of hell which all the armies and hosts of heaven were able to beget There is no might or power able to snatch a man out of the hands of his sin but onely Gods Spirit Notable are the expressions which the holy Ghost every where useth to set forth this wretched condition of the heart by nature wilfulnesse and selfe-willednesse We will not hearken we will not have this man to raigne over us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many wils in one Rebellion and stubbornenesse stoutnesse of heart contestation with God and gain-saying his Word Impudence stiffenesse and hard-heartednesse mischievous profoundnes and deepe reasonings against the Law of God pertinacie resolvednesse and abiding in mischiefe they hold fast deceit obstinacie and selfe-obduration They have hardned their neckes that they might not heare Impotencie immoveablenesse and undocilenesse their heart is uncircumcised they cannot heare there is none that understandeth or seeketh after God scorne and slighting of the messages of the Lord where is his Word Where is the promise of his comming Incredulity and belying the Lord in his Word saying it is not he Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Wrestling resisting and fighting with the Word rejecting the counsell of God vexing and striving with his holy Spirit ye have alwayes resisted the holy Ghost Rage and fiercenesse of disordred affections despising of goodnesse trayterous heady and high-minded thoughts Brutishnes of immoderate lust the untamed madnesse of an enraged beast without any restraint of reason or moderation In one word a hell and gulfe of unsearchable mischiefe which is never satisfied It is impossible that any reasonable man duly considering all these difficulties should conceive such an heart as this to be overcome with meere morall perswasions or by any thing lesse than the mightie power of Gods owne grace To him therefore we should willingly acknowledge all our conversion and salvation So extremely impotent are we O Lord unto any good so utterly unprofitable and unmeet for our Masters use and yet so strongly hurried by the impulsion of our owne lust towards hell that no precipice nor danger no hope nor reward no man or Angell is able to stop us without thine owne immediate power and therefore Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name onely be attributed the glory of our conversion Againe by this consideration we should be provoked to stirre up and call together all our strength in the Lords service to recover our mispent time to use the more contention and violence for the kingdome of heaven when wee consider how abundant wee have beene in the workes of sinne in the pursuing of vast desires which had neither end nor hope in them O how happie a thing would it be if men could serve God with the same proportion of vigour and willingnesse of mind as they served Satan and themselves before I was never tired in that way I went on indefatigably towards hell like a swift Dromedary or an untamed heifer I pursued those evill desires which had vanity for their object and misery for their end no fruit but shame and no wages but death But in the service of Christ I have a price before mee an abiding Citie an enduring substance an immarcescible crowne to fix the highest of my thoughts upon I have the promises of Christ to strengthen me his Angels to guard his Spirit to lead his Word to illighten me In one word I have a soule to save and a God to honour And why should not I apply my power to serve him who did reach forth his owne power to convert me A long way I have to goe and I must doe it in a spanne of time so many temptations to overcome so many corruptions to shake off so many promises to beleeve so many precepts to obey so many mysteries to study so many workes to finish and so little time for all my weaknesses on one side my businesses on another mine enemies and my sinnes round about me take away so much that I have scarce any left to give to God And yet alas if I could serve God on earth as he is served in heaven if I had the strength of Angels and glorified Saints to doe his will it would come infinitely short of that good will of God in my redemption or of his power in my conversion If God should have said to all the Angels in heaven there is such a poore wretch posting with full strength towards hell goe stand in his way and drive him back againe all those glorious armies would have beene too few to blocke up the passageâ— betweene sin and heâ— without the concurrence of Gods owne Spirit and power they could have returned none other answer but this we have done all we can to perswade and turne him but he will not be turned If then the Lord did put to his owne power to save me great reason there is that I should set my weake and impotent faculties to honour him especially since hee hath beene pleased both to mingle with his service great joy liberty and tranquillity here and also to set before it a full a sure and a great reward for my further animation and encouragement thereunto The fourth thing observed in this Verse was the attire wherein Christs people should attend
upon his service In the Beauties of Holinesse These words referre to those before and that either to the word People or to the word willing If to People then they are a further description of Christs Subjects or Souldiers they shall be all like servants in Princes Courts beautifully arraied like the Priests of the Law that had garments of beauty and glory and so Schindler expounds it In societate sacerdotum If to the word willing then it notes the ground and inducement of their great devotion and subjection unto Christs kingdome that as the people came up in troopes to the Lords house which was the Beauty of his Holinesse or as men doe flocke together to the sight of some honorable and stately solemnity so Christs people should by the beauty of his banners be allured to gather unto him and flye in multitudes as Doves unto their windowes Which way ever wee understand the words we may from them observe First That Holinesse is a glorious and a beautifull thing The holy oile with which all the vessels of the Sanctuary were to be consecrated was a type of that Spirit which sanctifieth us and maketh us Kings and Priests unto God and it was to be compounded of the purest and most delicate ingredients which the art of the Apothecary could put together Therefore our Saviour still calleth his Spouse the fairest of womâ—n to note that no other beauty in the world is to be compared with Holinesse Therefore our Faith and Holinesse is called a Wedding Garment at which solemnitie men use above all other to adorne themselves with their costliest and most beautifull attire Therefore we are said to Put on the Lord Iesus and to Put on bowels of mercie and humblenesse of minde and meekenesse c. and therefore likewise the Church is compared to a Bride decked in her choicest ornaments and jewels broidred worke silke fine linnen bracelets chaines jewels crownes gold silver perfect comelinesse garments of salvation and of praise robes of righteousnesse c. And Christ the husband of this Spouse the chiefest and most amiable of ten thousand even altogether lovely The Desire of all Nations and the allurement of all hearts that can looke upon him And Ierusalem the palace of this glorious couple described by the most pretious and desireable things which can bee thought on Iaspar the wall gold the pavement pearle the gates pretious stones the foundation and the Lord the light thereof Of our selves by reason of sinne we are full of filthinesse and deformity in flesh and spirit clothed with filthy garments and overspread from the head to the foot with blaines and putrefactions It is only the holy Word of God which maketh us cleane from our filthinesse and from all our pollutions By the washing of water through the Word Christ sanctifieth us that he may present unto himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle that it might be holy and without blemish Ephes. 5.27 And therefore the Apostle Saint Peter exhorteth Christian women to adorne the inner man of the heart with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God whose pure eye they ought rather to please than the wanton eye of man of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. And the truth hereof may bee proved even from the practice of hypocrites themselves for no man will counterfeite villanies and make a shew of the vices which indeed hee hath not except he be desperately thereunto swayed by an humor of pleasing his wicked companions And therefore Saint Austin complaineth of it as of a prodigious corruption of his nature that he did sometimes belie himselfe to his wicked associates and boasted of the wickednesse which he durst not practise No woman will paint her selfe with dung or spread inke upon her face It must be beautifull in it selfe which any man will ordinarily counterfeit so that Holinesse hath the prerogative of an enemies suffrage which is one of the strongest evidences to testifie the beauty and excellency thereof This point will more distinctly appeare if we consider either the Author Nature properties or Operations of this Holinesse First the Author is God himselfe by his spirit The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly saith the Apostle and the God of peace make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will Therefore the spirit is called a spirit of Holinesse by the power whereof Christ rising from the dead was declared to bee the Sonne of God to note the answerablenesse betweene raising from the dead or giving life where there was none before and the sanctification of a sinner Therefore the Apostle calleth it the renewing of the Holy Ghost and the forming of Christ in us the quickning and creating us to good workes By all which we may note that what Beautie the Creation brought upon that emptie and unshaped Chaos when it was distributed into this orderly frame which we now admire or what beautie the reunion of a living soule unto a dead and gastly body doth restore unto it the same beautie doth Holinesse bring unto the soule of a man which was filthy before But yet further we must note that God did not make man as other ordinarie Creatures for some low and inferior use and yet Salomon saith that they were made all beautifull in their time but there was a pause a consultation a more than common wisedome power and mercie revealed in the workemanship of man for God made man for his owne more peculiar delight company and communion one whom hee would enter into a more intimate league and covenant withall The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himselfe This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise I will magnifie the beautie of my glorious vertues in those whom I have sanctified for my selfe Thus wee finde what perfect comelinesse the Lord bestowed upon his people when he entred into Covenant with them and made them his owne one which was alwayes to leane on his bosome and to stand in his owne presence Ezek. 16.8 14. The Church is the Lords owne House a Temple in the which hee will dwell and walke it is his Throne in which he sitteth as our Prince and Law-giver And in this regard it must needs bee extraordinarie beautifull for the Lord will beautifie the place of his Sanctuary and will make the place of his feet glorious Now then if by Holinesse we are made Gods building and that not as the rest of the world is for his Creatures to inhabite but as a Temple for himselfe to dwell in as a gallerie for himselfe to walke and refresh himselfe in certainely Holinesse which is the Ornament and ingraving of this temple must needs be a glorious thing for there is much glory and wisedome in all Gods workes Secondly if we consider the
if he observe any faculty naked and neglected The actuall and totall breach of any one Commandement Totall I meane when the whole heart doth it though haply it execute not all the obliquitie which the compasse of the sinne admits is an implicite habituall interpretative and conditionall breach of all His soule stands alike dis-affected to the holinesse of every Commandement and hee would undoubtedly adventure on the breach of this if such exigences and conditions as misguided him in the other should thereunto as strongly induce him He that hath done any one of these abominations hath done all these abominations in Gods account Ezek. 18.10 13. There being then in a Christian man a suteable life and vigour of holinesse in every part and a mutuall conspiring of them all in the same wayes and ends there must needs likewise be therein an excellent beauty Thirdly growth and further Progresse in these Proportions for it is not onely uprightnesse and Symmetrie of parts which causeth perfect beauty and comelinesse but stature likewise Now Holinesse is a thriving and growing thing The Spirit is seede and the Word is raine and the Father is an Husbandman and therefore the life of Christ is an abounding life Ioh. 10.10 The rivers of the Spirit of Grace spring up unto Eternity Ioh. 7.36 As Christ hath no Monsters so neither hath hee any Dwarfes in his mysticall body but all his grow up unto the pitch of perfection which it becommeth them to have in him even unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes. 4.12 13. The meaning of the Apostle is that Christ is not alwayes an infant in us as when he is first formed but that he doth Grandescere in Sanctis as Musculus well expresseth it that he groweth up still unto the stature of a man for wheresoever there is faith and holinesse there is ever ingenerated an appetite for augmentation Faith is of a growing and Charitie of an abounding Nature 2 Thes. 1.3 By the Word of truth as by incorruptible seed wee were begotten and by the same Word as by the sap and milke are we nourished and grow up thereby This affection holinesse ever workes as it did in the Disciples Lord increase our faith and in David Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us Fourthly besides the Rectitude Harmonie and Maturitie which is in Holinesse there is another propertie which maketh the Beautie thereof surpasse all other Beautie and that is Indeficiencie The measure of Christ must be the Rule of our growth but Christ never was overtaken by old age or times of declining He never saw corruption so wee must proceede from strength to strength like the Sunne to the perfect day but there is no sinking or setting of Holinesse in the heart They that are planted in Gods House doe still bring forth fruit in their Old age and are even then fat and flourishing As our outward man decaieth so our inward man groweth day by day Our Holinesse is a branch of the life of Christ in us which doth never of it selfe runne into death and therefore is not apta nata of it selfe to decay for that is nothing but an earnest inchoation and assurance of death That which waxeth old saith the Apostle is ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 Fourthly and lastly if we consider the Operations of Holinesse that likewise will evidence the Beautie thereof for it hath none but gratious and honourable effects It filleth the Soule with Joy Comfort and Peace All Joy unspeakeable and glorious joy peace quietnesse assurance songs and everlasting joy It maketh the blinde see the deafe heare the lame leape the dumbe sing the wildernesse and parched ground to become springs of water It entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of refined wines and carrieth it into the banquetting-house unto apples and flagons It giveth the soule a deare communion with God in Christ a sight of him an accesse unto him a boldnesse in his presence an admission into most holy delights and intimate conferences with him in his bed-chamber and in his galleries of love In one word it gathers the admiration of men it secures the protection of Angels and which is argument of more beautie than all the creatures in the world have besides it attracteth the eye and heart the longings and ravishments the tender compassions and everlasting delights of the Lord Iesus I have insisted on those properties of holinesse which denote inward beautie because all the graces of the Spirit doe beautifie inherently But the word properly signifying Decus or Ornatum outward adorning by a metaphor of rich apparell expressing the internall excellencie of the soule notes unto us two things more First that the people of Christ are not only sanctified within but have interest in that unspotted holinesse of Christ wherewith they are clothed as with an ornament So the Priests of God are said to be clothed with righteousnesse and we are said to put on Christ And the righteousnesse of Christ is frequently compared to long white robes fit to cover our sins to hide our nakednesse and to protect our persons from the wrath of God so that to the eye of his justice we appeare as it were parts of Christ as when Iacob wore Esau's garment he was as Esau to his father and in that relation obtained the blessing God carrieth himselfe towards us in Christ as if we our selves had fulfilled all righteousnesse as if there were no ground of contestation with us or exception against us And this is indeed the beautie of holinesse The modell prototype and originall of all beautie Secondly from the metaphoricall allusion as it is usually understood it notes unto us likewise that all the people of Christ are Priests unto God to offer up sacrifices acceptable unto him by Iesus Christ. They have all the priviledges and the duties of Priests To approach unto God wee have libertie to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Iesus to consult and have communion with him to be his Remembrancer for as his Spirit is his Remembrancer unto us hee shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you so is he our Remembrancer unto God to put him in minde of his mercy and promises to make mention of him and to give him no rest To know and propagate his truth this was the office of the Priest to be the keeper of the knowledge and to teach it unto others and this knowledge in the Gospell doth overflow the earth and make every man in a spirituall sense a Priest an instructer and edifier of his brother To offer to him such sacrifices as hee now delighteth in the sacrifices of thanksgiving the sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit the sacrifices of praise confession good works and mutuall communicating unto one another in one word the sacrificing of a
rule to besiege heaven with armies of united Prayers to be mutually serviceable to the City of God and to one another as fellow members Therefore hath the Lord given unto men severall gifts and to no one man all that thereby wee might bee enabled to and induced to worke together unto one end and by Love to unite our severall graces for the edification of the body of Christ Ephes. 4.11 13. Now for the manner of producing or procuring these multitudes it is set forth unto us in two Metaphors A wombe and Dew of the morning Now the birth of Dew is first generatio caelestis That which is exhal'd is an earthly vapor but the heavenly operation changeth it into Dew no art of man is able to doe it It is also undiscerned and secret when it is fallen you may see it but how it is made you cannot see Lastly it is a sudden Birth in a night or morning it is both begotten conceived and brought forth Here then wee have foure notes First that all Christs subjects are withall his Children They are borne unto him Christianity is a Birth except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of God There is a Father Christ our Father by generation Behold I and the Children whom thou hast given mee as wee are his brethren by adoption Hee is not ashamed to call us brethren There is a Mother Ierusalem which is above is the Mother of us all And there are subordinate instruments both of one and other the holy Apostles Evangelists Doctors and Pastors who therefore are sometimes called Fathers begetting us in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell and sometimes Mothers bearing and bringing forth of whom I travell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you There is a holy seed out of which these Children of Christ are formed namely the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For the heart of a man new borne unto Christ cometh from the word as a paper from the presse or as a garment from a perfume transformed into that quality of spiritualnesse and holinesse which is in the word There is a Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative vertue which is the energie and concurrence of the Spirit of grace with the word for the truth is not obeyed but by the Spirit except a man bee borne of water and the Spirit water as the seed and the Spirit as the formative vertue quickning and actuating that seed hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God There are Throwes and paines both in the Mother and in the Childe much trouble and care in the ministery of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom I travell in paine againe I ceased not to warne every one night and day with teares As a woman with Childe by reason of the feare and danger of miscarriages doth abridge her selfe of many liberties in meates physick violent exercise and the like so those who travell in birth with the Children of Christ are put to denie themselves many things and to suffer many things for the successe of their service I will eate no flesh while the world standeth rather than make my brother to offend I am appointed a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffer these things I endure all things for the elects sake that they may obtaine the salvation which is in Christ Iesus And there is paine in the Childe too a sinner doth not leave the warmth and pleasure of his former condition without paine Christ comes not without shaking unto the soule There is a New being or nature a corruption of our old man and a formation of the new Old things are done away behold all things are become new the same holy nature the same minde judgement will affections motions desires dispositions spirit wrought in us which was in him Hee that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure as hee is so are wee in this world patient as hee is patient Heb. 12.2 Holy as hee is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 Humble as hee is humble Ioh. 13.14 Compassionate as he is compassionate Col. 3.13 Loving as hee is loving Ephes. 5.2 in all things labouring to shew Christ fashioned in our nature and in our affections There is a new conversation answerable to our new nature that as God is good in himselfe and doth good in his workes Psal. 119.68 so we both are as Christ was 1 Ioh. 4.17 and walke as hee walketh 1 Ioh. 2.6 There is new food and appetites thereunto sutable A desire of the sincere immediate untempered uncorrupted milke of the word as it comes with all the spirits and life in it that wee may grow thereby New Priviledges and Relations the Sonnes of God the brethren of Christ the citizens of heaven the houshold of the Saints New Communion and society the fellowship of the Father and the Sonne by the Spirit fellowship with the Holy Angels we have their love their ministery their protection followship with the spirits of just men made perfect by the seeds and beginnings of the same perfection by the participation of the same Spirit of holinesse by expectance of the same glorie and finall redemption In the meane time then wee should walke as Children of the light or as it is here as Children of the morning The Day is given us to worke in and therefore in the morning as soone as wee have our Day before us wee should endevour to walke honestly Night-workes are commonly workes of uncleanesse violence dishonor and therefore want a cover of darknesse to hide them Theeves use to come in the night 1 Thes. 5.2 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twylight saying no eye shaâ—l see mee and disguiseth himselfe Iob 24.15 In the twylight in the evening in the black and darke night hee goeth to the house of the strange woman Prov. 7.9 The oppressor diggeth through houses in the darke For the morning is to them as the shaddow of death Iob 24.16 17. They that are drunken are drunken in the night 1 Thes. 5.7 Sinnes are of the nature of some sullen weeds which will grow no where but in the side of wells and of darke places But workes of Christianity are neither uncleane nor dishonorable they are beautifull and roiall workes they are exemplary and therefore publike workes they are themselves light let your light shine before men and therefore they ought to bee done in the light If wee bee Children wee should expresse the affections of Children The innocencie humility and Dove-like simplicity of little Children as the Sonnes of God blamelesse pure and without rebuke Children in malice though men in understanding The Appetite of little Children As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby In all impatiencie the breast will pacifie a little infant in all other delights the breast will entice it
AN EXPLICATION OF THE HVNDRETH AND TENTH PSALME WHEREIN The severall Heads of CHRISTIAN Religion therein contained touching the Exaltation of Christ the Scepter of his Kingdome the Character of his Subjects His Priesthood Victories Sufferings and Resurrection are largely explained and applied Being the Substance of severall Sermons preached at LINCOLNS INNE By EDWARD REYNOLDES sometimes Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford late Preacher to the foresaid Honorable Society and Rector of the Church of Braunston in Northhampton-shire LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD COVENTRY Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England c. Most Noble Lord IT was the devout profession which Saint Austin once made of himselfe when speaking of the great delight which hee tooke in Ciceroes Hortensius as containing a most liberall exhortation to the love of wisdome without any bias or partiality towards sects he affirmeth that the heate of this his delight was by this onely reason abated because there was not in that booke to bee found the Name of Christ without which Name nothing though otherwise never so polite and elaborate could wholly possesse those affections which had beene trained to a nobler studie And Gregory Nazianzen that famous Divine setteth no other price upon all his Athenian learning wherein hee greatly excelled but onely this that hee had something of worth to esteeme as nothing in comparison of Christ herein imitating the example of S. Paul who though hee profited in the Iewish Religion above many others yet when the Sonne of God was revealed in him laid it all aside as losse and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord. The consideration of which sacred affections in those holy men together with the many experiences of your Lordships abundant favor hath put into mee a boldnesse beyond my naturall disposition to prefix so great a name before these poore pieces of my labours in Gods Church Other argument in this booke there is none to procure either your Lordships view or patronage than this one which that good Father could not finde in all the writings of Plato or Cicero that it hath that High and holy Person for the Subject thereof the knowledge of whom is not onely our greatest learning but our Eternall Life In this confidence I have presumed to present unto your Lordship this publike Testimony of my most humble duty and deep obligations for your many thoughts of favour and bounty towards me not in my selfe onely but in others unto whom your Lordships goodnesse hath vouchsafed under that respect to overflow The Lord Iesus our eternall Melchisedek meet your Lordship in al those honorable affaires which hee hath called you unto with the constant refreshment and benediction of his holy Spirit and long preserve you a faithfull Patrone of the Church which hee hath purchased with his owne blood and a worthy instrument of the justice honour and tranquilitie of this kingdome Your Lordships most humbly devoted Ed. Reynolds To the Reader CHristian Reader when I was first perswaded to communicate some of my poore labours to the publike my purpose was to have added unto those Treatises which were extant before so much of these which I now present unto thy view as concerneth the Elogies of the Gospell of Christ the instrument of begetting the life of Christ in us for little reason had I considering mine owne weakenesse the frequent returnes of that service wherein these pieces were delivered and the groning of the presse of late under writings of this nature to trouble the world a second time with any more of my slender provisions towards the worke of the Sanctuary in this abundance which is on every side brought in But finding that worke grow up under mine hand into a just volume and conceiving that it might bee both more acceptable and usefull to handle a whole Scripture together especially being both of so noble a nature and at first view of so difficult a sense as this Psalme is than to single out some verse and fragment by it selfe I therefore resolved once more to put in my Mite into the Treasurie of the Temple which though for no other reason may yet I hope be for this cause accepted because it beareth the Image and Inscription of Christ upon it Some passages therein are inserted which were delivered in another order and on other Scriptures and some likewise which were delivered in other places and on other occasions which yet being pertinent to the series of the discourse I thought might justly seeme as naturall parts and not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incoherent and unsuteable pieces Such errors as have escaped in the presse and the unfitnesse of some of the Titles of the Pages which in my farre absence from the presse while most of the booke was under it were ordered by others who attended upon it I shall desire thee courteously to passe by those greater slips which may haply perturbe the sense I have noted together So submitting my poore labours to thy favourable Censure and commending thee to the Blessing of God I rest E. R. A Table of the Contents CHrist Iesus the summe of Holy Scriptures Pag. 1 The Ordination of Christ unto his Kingdome 6 The Qualifications of Christ for his Kingdome 7 The Qualitie of Christs Kingdome 9 How the will is drawen unto Christ. 11 Subjection unto the Kingdome of Christ. 12 How Christ is a Lord to his people and to his fore-fathers 17 The right hand of God 22 Christs sitting at Gods right hand noteth 1 His glorious Exaltation 23 All strength from his exciting and assisting grace 25 2 His accomplishing all his workes on earth 29 3 The actuall Administration of his Kingdome 33 4 The giving of gifts unto men 34 The Arke how a Type of Christ. 35 How the Spirit was given before Christ and how after 37 The difference was in the Manner of his mission pag. 39. The difference was in the Subjects to whom hee was sent pag. 39. The difference was in the Measure of his grace in regard of knowledg p. 42 The difference was in the Measure of his grace in regard of strength p. 42 The Reason of the Spirits Mission How the Spirit is a comforter to the Church 43 1 By being our Advocate and how 44 2 By representing Christ absent to the soule 47 3 By a sweete and fruitfull illumination  4 By unspeakable and glorious joy 48 How the Spirit worketh this joy in the heart 49 By his Acts of Humbling By his Acts of Healing By his Acts of Renewing By his Acts of Preserving By his Acts of Fructifying By his Acts of Sealing Enmitie against Christ in all his Offices 56 Grounds of misperswasion touching our love to Christ 1 The countenance of Princes and publick Laws 59 2 The
Rules of tradition and education 60 3 Selfe love and furtherance of private ends 61 4 An Historicall assurance of his being now in glory 66 5 A false and erronious love to his ordinances 68 True love unto Christ is grounded on the Proportion that is in him to our soules 69 True love unto Christ is grounded on the Propriety that our soules have unto him 69 This true love will manifest it selfe 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Spirit 71 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Ordinances 71 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Members 71 2 In a right manner it is love Incorrupt 74 2 In a right manner it is love Superlative 74 2 In a right manner it is love Vncommunicated 74 3 In the genuine effects thereof Vniversall obedience 75 3 In the genuine effects thereof Chearefull suffering 75 3 In the genuine effects thereof Zeale of his glory 76 3 In the genuine effects thereof Longing after his appearance 77 The continuance and limitation of Christs Kingdome 77 The stability of the Church grounded upon An unalterable Decree 79 The stability of the Church grounded upon A free gift of God to Christ. 80 The stability of the Church grounded upon A growing Nature of its owne 81 Papall Monarchy raised upon inevident presumptious 82 The stability of the Church a ground of comfort against the violence of the enimy 89 The present inconsummatenesse of Christs victories over his Enemies with the reasons of it 91 Gods patience hath fixed bounds 93 The wicked shall bee punished by Gods immediate power 98 The easinesse of Christs victorie over his Enemies 108 The folly of nature to Iudge of God or our selves by things in the present 110 The punishment of the wicked bringeth order and beauty on the face of the World 113 What it is to bee under Christs feete 114 Christ suffereth in the sufferings of his Church 115 Christs Triumph over his enemies and the comforts thereof to us 118 Footstoole noteth Shame 122 Footstoole noteth Burden 123 Footstoole noteth Recompence 124 Footstoole noteth Vsefulnesse 126 The Gospell with the Spirit is full of power and strength 135 1 Towards those that are saved in their Conversion 137 1 Towards those that are saved in their Iustification 140 1 Towards those that are saved in their Sanctification 141 1 Towards those that are saved in their Perseverance 142 1 Towards those that are saved in their Comforts 143 1 Towards those that are saved in their Temporall blessings 144 2 Towards those that perish in Convincing them 145 2 Towards those that perish in Affrighting them 150 2 Towards those that perish in Iudging them 151 2 Towards those that perish in Ripening their sinnes 153 2 Towards those that perish in Enraging them 153 2 Towards those that perish in Altering them 155 The Gospell to bee preached with authoritie 156 The Gospell to bee received in the power thereof 157 The Gospell onely able to hold up in extremities 158 No acquaintance with God but in the Gospell 159 The Gospell is not sent in vaine 161 The Gospell with the Spirit is full of glory 162 1 In regard of Author of it 165 The Gospell a mystery unsearchable by humane reason 167 Contempt of the Gospell preached is contempt of Christ in his glory 171 Expect to heare Christ speaking from heaven in his word 173 2 In the promulgation thereof 176 Evangelicall knowledge the measure of grace 179 3 In the matters therin contained 180 His Wisedome Goodnesse Power Grace Kingdome 182 Gods glory can no where bee looked on with comfort but in Christ. 184 4 In ends and purposes for which it serveth 186 To illighten the conscience 187 To bee a ministration of righteousnesse 189 To bee a ministration of life 190 To bee a spirituall Iudge in the heart 191 To bee an abiding ministration 192 To enoble the heart 195 With Magnanimity 196 With Fortitude 198 With Lustre and majesty 200 With Liberty and joy 201 The dispencers of the Gospell are therein to use Libertie 201 The dispencers of the Gospell are therein to use Sinceritie 205 The Gospell to bee received with all honor and acceptation 208 And to bee adorned in a suteable conversation 214 Wee adorne the Gospell of Christ. 1 When wee set it up in our hearts as our onely rule 216 2 When wee walke in fitting obedience thereunto 219 3 When wee continue therein 219 4 VVhen wee hold it in the unitie of the Spirit 221 5 VVhen wee seriously seeke the knowledge of Christ and heaven in it 222 6 VVhen wee make it our onely Altar of refuge in trouble 223 Christ in the ministery of his Gospell is full of care over his Church 228 This care seen in his Love 233 Studie inquisitivenesse 233 Constancy continuance 234 Emptying of himselfe 235 Laying downe his life  Grace and Spirit 236 Preparations for the future  The effects of his care Food 237 The effects of his care Guidance  The effects of his care Health 238 The effects of his care Comfort 239 The effects of his care Protection  The grounds of this care Hee is our Kinsman 240 Hee is our Companion 241 Hee is our Head  Hee is our Advocate 242 Hee is our Purchaser 244 A right Iudgement of God in Christ doth much strengthen faith 245 The Gospell is Christs owne strength 249 Christ then is to bee preached and not our selves 250 With Authoritie 254 With Wisedome 254 With Meeknesse 256 With Faithfulnesse 256 Christ preached is to bee received 257 With Faith 257 With Love 259 With Meeknesse 259 Gods ordination gives life and majesty to his ordinances 260 There is a naturall Theologie no naturall Christianitie 261 Gods Iudgement unsearchable in hiding the Gospell from former ages 262 The Gospell an heavenly invitation unto mercy 263 The Gospell not to bee preached but by those that are sent 264 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Gods providence casting upon the meanes 265 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Meete qualification of the person sent Fidelity 265 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Meete qualification of the person sent Ability 268 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Ecclesiasticall ordination by imposition of hands 269 The Church of the Iews was the chiefe Metropolitan Church 269 The calling of the gentiles to be Daughters of that Mother Church 271 The Church is the seate of saving Truth 273 The office of the Church concerning Holy Scriptures 275 The stabilitie of the Church with the grounds thereof 278 VVhether the Church may faile 281 VVhether the Church bee alwayes visible 282 Christs Kingdome is a Hated Kingdome 284 Christ hath enemies there where his Kingdome is set up 286 Christs Kingdome stronger than all adverse opposition 287 Christs Kingdome quiet in the mids of enemies 290 The faithfull are Christs owne people By a right of Donation 296 By a right of Purchase 297 By
a right of Conquest 297 By a right of Covenant 297 By a right of Communion 298 VVee may belong unto Christ by Externall profession 299 VVee may belong unto Christ by Reall Implantation 299 Christ bringeth selfe-evidencing properties into the soule 300 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Caring for us 305 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Purging of us 306 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Sparing of us 307 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Praying of us 307 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Teaching of us 308 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his chastising us in mercy 308 Christs people militarie men 308 Satans wayes and Methodes of assaulting the Church 309 Christs people are willingly subject unto him 312 By nature men are utterly unwilling 312 Apt to charge the wayes of God as Grievous 313 Apt to charge the wayes of God as Vnprofitable  Apt to charge the wayes of God as Vnequall 314 The Spirit of Bondage compelleth many to unwilling services 314 The power of the word in naturall men worketh a velleitie or incomplete will 315 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Evidence and sense of their naturall estate 320 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Spirituall illumination of minde 321 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Comâ—union and adspiration of the Spirit 324 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Apprehension of Gods deare Love 324 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Beauty and pretiousnesse of heavenly promises 325 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Experiences of peace comfort and security in Gods wayes 326 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Beauty of holinesse 327 Such as the will is such is the service Because the will is the first mover 328 Because God esteemeth himselfe most honoured thereby 330 Whether those who are truly Christs people may not have feares and unwillingnesse in his service 330 1 They may have a feare of Suffering Gods wrath 331 1 They may have a feare of Of medling with his service 331 2 They may have deadnesse wearinesse and a mixture of unwillingnesse in his service 332 From the Strength of corruptions 333-334 From the Weaknesse of graces 333-334 From the Importunitie of Temptations 333-334 From the Weight of some fresh sinne 333-334 From the Spirituall desertions 333-334 3 Yet still their wills are sincerely carried towards God 335 Christs people are made willing to obey him by an act of power 337 The ground hereof is the universall fleshlinesse and reluctancy of the will naturally against grace 344 The more earnest should wee bee to serve Christ when wee are his 347 Holinesse a glorious and beautifull thing 349 In regard of the Author of it 351 In regard of the Nature of it 352 Properties of it Rectitude 354 Properties of it Harmonie 354 Properties of it Maturitie 356 Properties of it Indeficiency 357 In regard of the Operations of it 357 All Christs people are Priests unto God 359 Holinesse the character of Christs subjects 359 None willing to come to Christ till they see beauty in his service 363 Multitudes borne unto Christ by the Gospell 365 Whether universality and visible pompe bee a note of the Church 369 All Christs subjects are withall his Children 374 And should expresse the affections of Children 376 The Birth of a Christian is a heavenly worke 377 Therefore the seed must bee received with heavenly affections 379 Therefore wee must looke unto God in his Ordinances 380 The Birth of a Christian a secret and undiscerned worke 380 The Birth of a Christian is a sudden Birth 381 How the Lord sweareth 384 VVhy the Lord confirmed the priesthood of Christ by an oath 385 Christs solemne Ordination unto the office of a Priest 387 Which is the foundation of all the Churches Comfort 388 in regard of Christs Fidelity 390 in regard of Christs Mercy 391 in regard of Christs Power ibid. in regard of Christs Propriety ibid. in regard of Christs Sympathy 393 in regard of Christs Consanguinity ibid. How God is said to repent 393 Whether God hath repented him of the law 395 Why the Covenant of Grace is immutable 398 What a priest is 402 Grounds tending to discover the necessity of a priest for man 403 A discovery of that necessity 408 With the Application thereof 411 Qualifications of the person which was to be our Priest 416 He was to bee all in the unity of one Person 420 a Mediator 417 a Surety 418 a Sacrifice ibid. an Altar 419 Wherein the Acts of Christs Priesthood consisted namely Oblation 424 Wherein the Acts of Christs Priesthood consisted namely Intercession 424 Christs will made his death a Sacrifice 425 Christs Intercession or Appearing in Heaven for us 428 Christs death did merit and his life conferre Redemption 429 Wherein Christs Intercession consisteth 431 No Mediators of Intercession 433 The great benefits which come to us by Christs Intercession 434 What is the fruit and vertue of Christs Priesthood namely Satisfaction for our debt 438 What is the fruit and vertue of Christs Priesthood namely Acquisition of our inheritance 438 An Explication of the Doctrine of justification by righteousnesse imputed 440 How Christ being innocent might justly suffer the punishment of our sinnes 444 1. God may cast paines upon an innocent person 445 2. It is not against generall equity for one to suffer anothers sinne 446 3. This Equity in the present case is that all parties are both Willing and 446 3. This Equity in the present case is that all parties are both Glorified 446 4. In the innocent person thus suffering as a sacrifice for the nocent is required 1. An intimate conjunction with him that is nocent 447 2. A full dominion over that from which in suffering he parteth 448 3. A strength to breake through the sufferings 449 How sinne thus punished may be said to be pardoned 449 A double use of the doctrine of Righteousnesse imputed Selfe-deniall 450 A double use of the doctrine of Righteousnesse imputed Confidence 452 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Immunity from evils 455 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Vnction 456 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Adoption 456 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Exaltation 456 Duties growing out of the consideration of Christs priesthood 457 Of Melchisedek his Person Order Bread and VVine Benediction Tithes Genealogie 461 Christ is a King of Righteousnesse 465 Christ is a King of Canaanites 467 VVhere Christ is a King of Righteousnesse he is a King of Peace 469 Christs forwardnesse to meete and to blesse his people 471 Christ a Comforter and Refresher of his people 472 Christ a Receiver of Homage and Tribute 473 Liberall maintenance due unto the Ministers of the Gospell 475 Christs priesthood is everlasting 482 VVhy
in dying rising and reviving he became Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14.9 Revel 5.12 And thus he is Lord in two respects First A Lord in Power and strength Power to forgive sinnes Power to quicken whom hee will Power to cleanse justifie and sanctifie Power to succor in temptations Power to raise from the dead Power to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Power to hold fast his sheepe Power to cast out the accuser of the brethren Power to put downe all his enemies and to subdue all things unto himselfe Secondly A Lord in Authoritie To judge to anoint to imploy to command whom and what hee will He onely is Lord over our persons over our faith over our consciences To him onely we must say Lord save us lest wee perish to him onely wee must say Lord what will thou have me to doe And such a Lord Christ was to his owne fore-fathers They all did eate of the same Spirituall meate and all dranke of the same Spirituall drinke even of that rock which was Christ 1 Cor. 10.3 4. He was the substance of the Ceremonies the Doctrine of the Prophets the accomplishment of the Promises the joy and salvation of Patriarchs and Princes the desire and expectation of all flesh The Gospell to us a History and narration and therefore delivered by the hand of witnesses to them a promise and prediction and therefore delivered by the hand of Prophets The Apostles entered into the Prophets Labours and were servants in the same common salvation these as sowers and they as reapers these as preachers of the seed hoped and they as preachers of the same seed exhibited The ancient Iewes then were not saved by bare temporall promises neither was their faith ultimately fixed upon Ceremonies or earthly things but as their preachers had the same Spirit of Christ with ours so the Doctrine which they preached the faith and obedience which they required the salvation which they foretold was the same with ours As the same Sun illightens the starres above and the earth beneath so the same Christ was the Righteousnesse and salvation both of his fore-fathers and of his seed They without us could not be made perfect that is as I conceive their faith had nothing actually extant amongst themselves to perfect it but received all its forme and accomplishment from that better thing which was provided for and exhibited unto us For the Law that is the carnall Commandement and outward Ceremonies therein prescribed made nothing no grace no person perfect but the bringing in of a better hope that is of Christ who as hee is unto us the hope of glory so hee was unto them the hope of deliverance for he alone it is by whom wee draw nigh unto God doth perfect for ever those that are sanctified Heb. 7.19 Heb. 10.14 If Christ then be our Lord wee must trust in him and depend upon him for all our present subsistence and our future expectations For he never faileth those that wait upon him He that beleeveth in him shall not bee ashamed And indeed faith is necessary to call Christ Lord. No man can call Iesus Lord but by the Spirit Because other Lords are present with us they doe with their own eye oversee and by their owne visible power order and direct us in their service But Christ is absent from our senses Though I have knowne Christ after the flesh yet henceforth saith the Apostle know I him no more Therefore to feare and honor and serve him with all fidelity to yeeld more absolute and universall obedience to his commands though absent though tenderd unto us by the Ministerie of meane and despicable persons than to the threates and Scepters of the greatest Princes to labour that not only present but absent we may bee accepted of him to doe his hardest workes of selfe-deniall of overcomming and rejecting the assaults of the World of standing out against principalities powers and spirituall wickednes of suffering and dying in his service needs must there bee faith in the hart to see him present by his Spirit to set to our seale to the truth authoritie and Majesty of all his commands to heare the Lord speaking from heaven and to finde by the secret and powerfull revelations of his Spirit out of the word to the soule evident and invincible proofes of his living by the power of God and speaking mightily in the Ministery of his Word to our consciences Therefore when the Apostle had said Wee are absent from the Lord hee presently addes We walk by faith That is we labor to yeeld all service and obedience to this our Lord though absent because by faith which giveth presence to things unseen and subsistence to things that are yet but hoped wee know that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of those that diligently seeke him And indeed though every man call him Lord yet no man doth in truth and sincerity of heart so esteeme him but those who doe in this manner serve him and by faith walke after him If I be a Master saith the Lord where is my feare Malach. 1.6 It is not every one that saith Lord Lord but hee that doth my will that trembleth at my word that laboureth in my service who declares himselfe to be mine indeed For the heart of man cannot have two Masters because which way ever it goes it goes whole and undivided Wee cannot serve Christ and any thing else which stands in Competition with him First because they are Contrary Masters one cannot bee pleased or served without the disallowance of the other The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy that is grudgeth and cannot endure that any service should be done to the Lord. For the Friendship of the World is enmitie against God Iam. 4.4 5. And therefore saith the Apostle If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him and the reason is because they are contrarie principles and have contrary Spirits and lusts and therefore must needs over-rule unto contrary services Secondly because both Masters have employments enough to take up a whole man Satan and the World have lusts to fill the whole head and heart of their most active and industrious servants for the Apostle saith that all which is in the World is lusts And the heart of man is wholy or most greedily set in him to doe that evill which it is tasked withall Eccle. 8.11 The all that is in man all his faculties all his affections the whole Compasse of his created abilities are all gone aside or turned backward there is no man no part in man that doth any good no not one Psal. 14.3.53.3 Christ likewise is a great Lord hath much more businesse than all the time or strength of his Servants can bring about Hee requireth the obedience of every thought of the heart 2 Cor. 10.5 Grace and edification and profit in all the words
which a created nature joyned to an infinitie and bottomlesse fountaine could receive From hence therefore wee should learne to let the same minde bee in us which was in Christ to humble our selves first that wee may bee exalted in due time to finish our workes of selfe-deniall and service which wee owe to God that so wee may enter into our Masters glory For he himselfe entred not but by a way of bloud Wee learne likewise to have recourse and dependance on him for all supplies of the Spirit for all strength of grace for all influences of life for the measure of every joynt and member He is our treasure our fountaine our head it is his free grace his voluntarie influence which habituateth and fitteth all our faculties which animateth us unto a heavenly being which giveth us both the strength and first act wherby we are qualified to worke and which concurreth with us in actu secundâ— to all those workes which wee set our selves about As an instrument even when it hath an edge cutteth nothing till it be assisted and moved by the hand of the artificer so a Christian when hee hath a will and an habituall fitnesse to worke yet is able to doe nothing without the constant supply assistance and concomitancie of the grace of Christ exciting moving and applying that habituall power unto particular actions He it is that giveth us not onely to will but to doe that goeth through with us and worketh all our works for us by his grace Without him wee can doe nothing all our sufficiencie is from him But it may bee objected if wee can doe nothing without a second grace to what end is a former grace given or what use is there of our exciting that grace and gift of God in us which can doe nothing without a further concourse of Christs Spirit To this I answer first that as light is necessarie and requisite unto seeing and yet there is no seeing without an eye so without the assisting grace of Christs Spirit concurring with us unto every holy Dutie wee can doe nothing and yet that grace doth ever presuppose an implanted seminall and habituall grace fore-disposing the soule unto the said Duties Secondly as in the Course of naturall Effects though God bee a most voluntary Agent yet in the ordinary Concurrence of a first Cause hee worketh ad modum naturae measuring forth his assistance proportionably to the Condition and Preparation of the second Causes so in supernaturall and holy operations albeit not with a like certaine and unaltered constancy though Christ bee a most voluntary head of his Church yet usually he proportioneth his assisting and second grace unto the growth progresse and radication of those Spirituall habits which are in the soule before From whence commeth the difference of holinesse and profitablenesse amongst the Saints that some are more active and unwearied in all holy conversation than others as in the naturall bodie some members are larger and more full of life and motion than others according to the different distribution of Spirits from the heart and influences from the head This then affords matter enough both to humble us and to comfort us To humble us that wee can doe nothing of our selves that wee have nothing in our selves but sinne All the fulnesse of grace is in him and therefore whosoever hath any must have it from him as in the Egyptian famine whosoever had any corn had it from Ioseph to whom the granaries and treasures of Egypt were for that purpose committed And this Lowlinesse of heart and sense of our owne Emptinesse is that which makes us alwayes have recourse to our fountaine and keepe in favor with our head from whom wee must receive fresh supply of strength for doing any good for bearing any evill for resisting any temptation for overcomming any enemie For beginning for continuing and for perfecting any Dutie For though it bee mans heart that doth these things yet it is by a forraigne and impressed strength as it is iron that burnes but not by its owne nature which is cold but by the heate which it hath received from the fire It was not I saith the Apostle but that grace of God which was with mee To comfort us likewise when wee consider that all fulnesse and strength is in him as in an Officer an Adam a treasurer and dispencer of all needfull supplies to his people according to the place they beare in his bodie and to the exigence and measure of their condition in themselves or service in his Church Sure wee are that what measure soever hee gives unto any hee hath still a residue of Spirit nay hee still retaineth his owne fulnesse hath still enough to carry us through any condition and according to the difficulties of the service hee puts us upon hath still wisedome to understand compassion to pitie strength to supply all our needs And that all this hee hath as a mercifull and faithfull depositarie as a Guardian and husband and elder brother to imploy for the good of his Church that he is unto this office appointed by the will of him that sent him to lose nothing of all that which is given him but to keepe and perfect it unto the resurrection at the last day That God hath planted in him a Spirit of faithfulnesse and pittie for the cheerfull discharge of this great Office given him a propriety unto us made us as neere and deare unto him as the members of his sacred body are to one another and therfore whosoever commeth to him with emptines and hunger and faith he will in no wise cast them out it is as possible for him to hew off and to throw away the members of his naturall body to have any of his bones broken as to reject the humble and faithfull desires of those that duly waite upon him Againe from this Exaltation of Christ in his humane nature wee should learne to keepe our vessels in holinesse and in honor as those who expect to bee fashioned at the last like unto him For how can that man truly hope to bee like Christ hereafter that labors to bee as unlike him here as hee can Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot saith the Apostle So may I say shall I take the nature of Christ that nature which he in his person hath so highly glorified and make it in my person the nature of a devill If a Prince should marry a meane woman would he endure to see those of her neerest kindred her brethren and sisters live like scullians or strumpets under his owne eye Now Christ hath taken our nature into a neerer union with himselfe than marriage for man and wife are still two persons but God and man is but one Christ. Death it selfe was not able to dissolve this union for when the soule was separated from the body yet the Deitie was separated from neither it was the Lord that lay
in the grave and he that ascended was the same that descended into the lower part of the earth Matt. 28.6 Eph. 4.10 and shall we then defile this nature by wantonnesse intemperance and vile affections which is taken into so indissoluble an unitie with the Sonne of God Christ tooke it to advance it and it is still by his Spirit in us so much the more advanced by how much the neerer it comes to that holinesse which it hath in him We should therefore labour to walke as becommeth those that have so glorious a head to walke worthy of such a Lord unto all well pleasing in fruitfulnesse and knowledge to walke as those that have received Christ and expect his appearing againe Phil. 1.27 Col. 1.10.2.6.3.4 5. Secondly the sitting of Christ on the right hand of God notes unto us the Consummation of all those Offices which hee was to performe here on the earth for our redemption For till they were all finished hee was not to returne to his glorie againe Hee that hath entred into his rest hath ceased from his owne workes saith the Apostle Heb. 4.10 first he was to execute his Office before hee was to enter into his rest Though he were a Sonne and so Iure naturali the inheritance were his owne before yet he was to learne Obedience by the things which hee was to suffer before hee was made perfect againe Heb. 5.8 9. After hee had offered one Sacrifice for sinnes for ever that is after he had made such a compleat expiation as should never need bee repeated but was able for ever to perfect those that are sanctified hee then sate downe on the right hand of God expecting till his enemies bee made his footstoole Heb. 10.12 13 14. This is the argument our Savior useth when hee prayeth to be glorified againe with his Father I have glorified thee on earth or revealed the glorie of thy truth and mercy to thy Church I have finished the worke which thou gavest mee to doe and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe c. Ioh. 17.4 5. Hee humbled himselfe saith the Apostle and became obedient to death even the death of the crosse wherefore God hath highly exalted him c. Phil. 2.8 9. Noting unto us the Order of the Dispensation of Christs Offices some were workes of Ministrie and service in the Office of Obedience and suffering for his Church Others were workes of power and Majestie in the protection and exaltation of his Church and those necessarily to precede these He ought to suffer and to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 46. Necessarily I say First by a Necessity of Gods Decree who had so fore-appointed it Act. 2.23 24. Secondly by the Necessity of Gods Iustice which must first be satisfied by obedience before it could bee appeased with man or in the person of their head and advocate exalt them to his glory againe Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.10 Rom. 6.6 11. Eph. 2.5 6. Thirdly by the Necessity of Gods Word and will signified in the predictions of the Prophets Luk. 24.46 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Fourthly by the Necessity of Christs infinite Person which being equall with God could not possibly be exalted without some preceding descent and humiliation That hee ascended saith the Apostle what is it but that hee descended first into the lower parts of the earth Eph. 4.9 Therefore it is that our Savior saith The Spirit should convince the World of Righteousnesse because hee was to goe to the Father and should bee seen here no more Ioh. 16.10 The meaning of it is that the Spirit shall in the Ministery of the Word reveale unto those who are fully convinced of their sinfull condition and humbled in the sense thereof a treasure of full and sufficient Righteousnesse by my obedience wrought for sinners And the reason which is given of it stands thus Our Righteousnesse consists in our being able to stand in Gods presence Now Christ having done all as our suretie here went up unto glory as our head and advocate as the first fruits the Captaine the Prince of life the author of salvation and the forerunner of his people so that his going thither is an argument of our justification by him First because it is a signe that hee hath finished the worke of our redemption on earth a signe that hee overcame death and was justified by the Spirit from the wrongs of men and from the curse of the Law Therefore hee said to Mary after his resurrection Goe tell my Disciples I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Ioh. 20.17 that is by my death and victory over it you are made my brethren and reconciled unto God againe Secondly because hee hath Offices in heaven to fulfill at the right hand of his Father in our behalfe to intercede and to prepare a place for us to apply unto us the vertue of his death and merits If hee had ascended without fulfilling all Righteousnesse for the Church hee should have been sent downe and seen againe but now saith he you see me no more for by once dying and by once appearing in the end of the world I have put away sin by the Sacrifice of my selfe Heb. 9.26.7.27 Rom. 6.9 10. He was taken saith the Prophet from Prison and judgment to note that the whole debt was payed and now who shall declare his generation That is hee now liveth unto numberlesse generations he prolongeth his dayes and hath already fulfilled Righteousnesse enough to justifie all those that know him or beleeve in him Esai 53.8 10. Thus wee see that Christs deliverance out of prison and exaltation at the right hand of God is an evident argument that he is fully exonerated of the guilt of sinne and curse of the Law and hath accomplished all those workes which he had undertaken for our Righteousnesse And this likewise affords abundant matter both to humble and to comfort the Church of Christ. To humble us in the evidence of our disabilities for if we could have finished the workes which were given us to doe there would have been no neede of Christ. It was weaknesse which made way for Christ. Our weaknesse to fulfill obedience and that weaknesse of the Law to justifie sinners Rom. 5.6 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 7.18 19. All the strength we have is by the power of his might and by his grace Eph. 6.10 2 Tim. 2.1 and even this God dispenceth unto us in measure and by degrees driving out our Corruptions as he did the Canaanites before his people by little and little Exo. 23.30 because while we are here he wil have us live by faith and fetch our strength as we use it from Christ and waite in hope of a better condition and glorifie the patience and forbearance of God who is provoked every day To comfort us likewise First against all our unavoidable and invincible infirmities every good Christian desires to serve the Lord with all his strength desires to be
his sufferings which are expressed by stripes Esai 53.5 and our resurrection with him noted in the budding of a dry rod. Or lastly noting the sanctifying and fruitfull vertue of his word which is the rod of his strength Vpon it also was the Mercie seate to note that in Christ is the foundation of all that mercie and atonement which is preached unto men But in two things principally did it signifie Christ unto our present purpose First It was overlaid within and without with gold and had a Crowne of gold round about it Exod. 25.11.37.2 denoting the plentifull and glorious Kingdome of Christ who was crowned with glorie and honor Heb. 2.7 Secondly it had rings by which it was carried up and downe till at last it rested in Salomons Temple with glorious and triumphall solemnitie Psal. 132.89 2 Chron. 5.13 So Christ while he was here upon earth being anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power went about doing good Act. 10.38 and having ceased from his workes did at last enter into his rest Heb. 5.10 which is the heavenly Temple Revel 11.19 Now this carrying of the Ark into his resting place denotes two things First a finall conquest over the enemies of God For as the moving of the Ark signified the acting and procuring of victorie Iosh. 6.11 20. So the Resting of the Ark noted the Consummation of Victorie And therefore the Temple was built and the Ark set therein in the dayes of Salomon when there was not an emendicated or borrowed peace depending upon the courtesie of the neighbor nations but a victorious and triumphall peace after the great victories of David and tributarie subjection and homage of all the Canaanites which were left in the Land 2 Chro. 8.7 8.9.26 2 Sam. 7.9.12 Psal. 68.29 Secondly it notes the conferring of gifts as we see in that triumphall song at the removall of the Arke being also a prediction both of that which literally hapned in the raigâ—e of Salomon and was mystically verified in Christ Psal. 68.18 Thus Christ our Prince of peace being now in the Temple of God in heaven hath bound hell sinne and death captive and hath demolished the wals of Iericho or the Kingdom of Satan throwne him downe from heaven like lightning and passed a sentence of judgment upon him And hath received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost and given gifts unto men Act. 2.32 35. before his entring into his rest it was but a promise and they were to waite at Ierusalem for it Act. 1.4 but after his departure and intercession at his Fathers right hand it was powred forth in abundance upon them Ioh. 14.16.16.7 And we are to note that as it began with his sitting there so it continueth as long as he shall there sit It is true all Holy Scripture which God ordained for the gathering of his people and for the guidance of them in the militant Church is already long since by the Spirit dictated unto holy and selected instruments for that purpose inspired with more abundance of grace and guided by a full and infallible Spirit but yet we must note that in those holy writings there is such a depth of heavenly wisedome such a sea of mysteries and such an unsearchable treasure of puritie and grace that though a man should spend the longest life after the severest and most industrious manner to acquaint himselfe with God in the revelations of his word yet his knowledge would be but in part and his holinesse after all that come short of maturity as the enemies are not all presently under Christs feete but are by degrees subdued so the Spirit is not presently conferred in fulnesse unto the members of Christ but by measure and degrees according to the voluntary influences of the head exigences of the members So much of the Spirit of grace and truth as we have here is but the earnest and hansell of a greater summe Ephes. 1.14 The seed and first fruits of a fuller harvest 1 Ioh. 3.9 Rom. 8.23 Therefore the Apostle mentions a growing change from glorie to glorie by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Wee must not expect a fulnesse till the time of the restitution of all things till that day of redemption and adoption wherein the light which is here but sowen for the Righteous shall grow up into a full harvest of holinesse and of glory But here ariseth a question out of the seeming contradiction of Holy Scripture It is manifest that the Spirit of Christ was in the Church long before his Ascension The Prophets spake by him 1 Pet. 1.11 The ancient Iews vexed him Esai 63.10 Iohn Baptist was even filled with the Spirit to note a plentifull measure for the discharge of his Office Luk. 1.15 and yet S. Iohn saith That the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified Ioh. 7.39 To this I answere that the Fathers were sanctified by the same Spirit of Christ with us difference there is none in the substance but onely in the accidents and circumstances of effusion and manifestation As light in the Sunne and light in a starre is in it selfe the same originall light but very much varied in the dispensation It was the same truth which was preached by the Prophets and by Christ but the Apostle observes in it a difference sundry times and in sundry manners hath God spoken by the Prophets but unto us by his Son that is more plentifully and more plainly unto us than unto the Fathers Heb. 1.1 Ioh. 16.25 Therefore though it be true that Abraham saw Christs day as all the Fathers did though he haply being the Father of the faithfull more than others in which respect Eusebius saith of them that they were Christians really and in effect though not in name yet it is true likewise that many Prophets and Righteous men did desire to see and heare the things which the Apostles saw and heard but did not Matt. 13.17 namely in such plaine and plentifull measure as the Apostles did They saw in glimpses and morning stars and prefigurations but these the things themselves They saw onely the promises and those too but afarre off Heb. 11.13 these the substance and gospell it selfe neere at hand in their mouth and before their eyes and even amongst them Rom. 10.8 Gal. 3.1 Ioh. 1.14 1 Ioh. 1.2 3. They by Prophets who testified before-hand these by eye-witnesses who declared the things which they had seen and heard Act. 1.8.22.10.41 Therfore it is said that Christ was a Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and yet in the end of the world that he appeared to take away sinne by the Sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9.26 to note that the Fathers had the benefiâ— but not the perfection of the promises Heb. 11.40 for the Apostle every where makes perfection the worke of the Gospell 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 4.13 Heb. 6.1 So then after Christs sitting on the right hand of power the Holy Spirit was more
up with joy Mal. 2.13 and of all Sacrifices a broken heart is that which God most delighteth in Psal. 51.16 17. there is joy in heaven at the repentance of a sinner and therefore there must needs be joy in the heart it selfe which repenteth in as much as it hath heavenly affections begunne in it Therefore as the Apostle saith Let a man become a foole that he may be wise so may I truly say let a man become a mourner that he may rejoyce If it be objected how one contrary affection can be the ground and inducement of another and that he who feeleth the weight of sinne and displeasure of God can have little reason to boast of much joy To this I answere First that we doe not speake of those extraordinary combates and grapplings with the sense of the wrath of God breaking of bones and burning of bowels which some have felt but of the ordinary humiliations and courses of repentance which are common to all Secondly that such Spirituall mourning and joy are not contrary in regard of the Spirit nor doe one extinguish or expell the other As black and white are contrary in the wall but meete without any repugnancie in the eye because though as qualities they fight yet as objects they agree in communi conceptu visibilis so joy and mourning though contrary in regard of their immediate impressions upon the sense doe not onely agree in the same principle the grace of Christ and in the same end the salvation of man but may also be subordinated to each other as a darke and muddie color is a fit ground to lay gold upon so a tender and mourning heart is the best preparation unto spirituall joy Therefore our Savior compareth Spirituall sorrow unto the paines of a woman in travell other paines growing out of sicknesse and distempers have none but bitter ingredients and anguish in them but that paine groweth out of the matter of joy and leadeth unto joy so though godly sorrow have some paine in it yet that paine hath ever joy both for the roote and fruit of it Ioh. 16.21 and though for the present it may haply intercept the exercise yet it doth strengthen the habit and ground of joy as those flowers in the spring rise highest and with greatest beautie which in winter shrinke lowest into the earth I trembled saith the Prophet in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble Hab. 3.16 Secondly the Spirit doth not onely Discover but heale the corruptions of the soule and there is no joy to the joy of a saved and cured man The lame man when he was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exultation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 for this cause therefore amongst others the Spirit is called the oile of gladnesse because by that healing vertue which is in him he maketh glad the hearts of men The Spirit of the Lord saith Christ is upon me because the Lord anointed me to preach good tydings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde the broken hearted Esai 61.6 and againe I will binde that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick Ezek. 34.16 Now this healing vertue of Christ is in the dispensation of his word and Spirit and therefore the Prophet saith the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 where the Spirit in the word by the which he commeth and preacheth unto men Eph. 2.17 1 Pet. 3.19 is called the wing of the Sunne because he proceedeth from him and was sent to supply his absence as the beame doth the Suns and this Spirit the Apostle calleth the strengthner of the inner man Eph. 3.16 Thirdly the Spirit doth not onely heale but renew and revive againe when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischiefe a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgian can heale the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because totall privations admit no regresse or recovery but the Spirit doth not onely heale and repaire but renew and reedifie the spirits of men As he healeth that which was torne and bindeth up that which was smitten so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos. 6.1 2. and this the Apostle cals the Renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 whereby old things are not mended and put together againe for our fall made us all over unprofitable and little worth Rom. 3.12 Prov. 10.20 but are done quite away and all things made new againe 2 Cor. 5.17 The heart minde affections judgment conscience members changed from stone to flesh from earthly to heavenly from the image of Adam to the image of Christ Ezek. 11.19 1 Cor. 15.49 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy For so the Lord comforteth his afflicted people Esai 54.11 12 13. Fourthly the Spirit doth not renew and set the frame of the heart right and then leave it to its owne care and hazards againe but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it against all Tempests and batteries And this further multiplieth the joy and comfort of the Church that it is established in Righteousnesse so that no weapon which is formed against it can prosper Esai 54.14.17 Victory is ever the ground of joy Esai 9.3 And the Spirit of God is a victorious Spirit His judgment in the heart is sent forth unto victory Matth. 12.20 and before him mountaines shall be made a plaine and every high thing shall be pulled downe till he bring forth the head stone with shoutings Ezek. 4.6 7. To Stephen he was a Spirit of Victory against the disputers of the World Act. 6.10 To the Apostles a Spirit of liberty in the prison Act. 16.25 26. To all the faithfull a Spirit of joy and glory in the midst of persecutions 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Fifthly the Spirit doth not onely preserve the heart which he hath renewed but maketh it fruitfull and abundant in the workes of the Lord Gal. 5.22 Rom. 7.4 And fruitfulnesse is a ground of rejoycing Esai 54.1 Therefore they which are borne of God cannot commit sinne that is they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers or artificers or finishers of iniquity because they have the seed of God that is his Spirit in them which fitteth them as seed doth the wombe or the earth to bring forth fruite unto God Partly by teaching the heart and casting it as it were in the mould of the world fashioning such thoughts apprehensions affections judgements in the soule as are answerable to the will and Spirit of God in the word so that a man cannot but set his seale and say Amen to the written Law partly by moving animating applying and most sweetly leading the heart unto the Obedience of that Law which is thus written therein Lastly those whom he hath thus fitteth he sealeth up unto a finall and full redemption by the Testimony
In opinion by adulterating it with humane mixtures and superinducements teaching for Doctrines the traditions of men In affection by wishing many divine truths were razed out of the Scriptures as being manifestly contrary to those pleasures which they love rather than God In conversation by keeping downe the truth in unrighteousnesse and in those things which they know as brute beasts corrupting themselves Enmity against his Teaching by quenching the motions and resisting the evidence of his Spirit in the word refusing to heare his voyce and rejecting the counsell of God against themselves There is Enmitie against him as a Priest by undervaluing his Person Sufferings Righteousnesse or Merits And as a King Enmity to his Worship by profanesse neglecting it by idolatry communicating it by superstition corrupting it Enmity to his wayes and service by ungrounded prejudices mis-judging them as grievous unprofitable or unequall wayes and by wilfull disobedience forsaking them to walke in the wayes of our owne heart And this is a point which men should labour to trie themselves in for the enemies of Christ are not onely out of the Church but in the midst where his kingdome is set up v. 2. Esay 8.14 And indeed by how much the more dangerous it is by so much the more subtil wil Satan and a sinfull heart be to deceive it selfe therein for this is a certaine truth that men may professe and falsly beleeve that they love the Lord Iesus and yet be as reall enemies unto his Person and Kingdome as the Iewes that accused and the Heathen that crucified him Hee was set up for a signe to be spoken against for a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling which the very builders themselves would reject False brethren amongst the Philippians there were who professed the name of Christians and yet by their sensuall walking and worldly mindednesse declared themselves to bee enemies to the crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 19. To honour the bodies of the Saints departed with beautifull sepulchres is in it selfe a testimoniall of sincere love and inward estimation of their persons and graces and therefore the Holy Ghost hath recorded it for the perpetuall honour of Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus that they embalmed the body of Iesus and laid it in a new sepulcher Ioh. 19 38-41 yet our Saviour pronounceth a woe against the Scribes and Pharisees because they built the tombe◠of the Prophets and garnished the sepulchres of the righteous Matth. 23.29 The fault was not in the fact it selfe but in the hypocrisie of the heart in the incongruitie of their other practices and in that damned protection which by this plausible pretext of honour to the Prophets they laboured to gaine to their persons and approbation to their attempts against Christ in the mindes of the people who yet ordinarily esteemed Christ whom they persecuted a Prophet sent from God They professe If we had beene in the dayes of our Fathers wee would not have done as they did But our Saviour reproves this hypocriticall perswasion by shewing first that it was no strange thing with them to persecute Prophets but a nationall and hereditary sinne and therefore they had no reason to boast of their descent as their manner was Luke 3.8 Ioh. 8.39 or to thinke that Gods mercies were entail'd unto them since by their owne confession they were the posteritie of those that had killed the Prophets and secondly that they did fulfill the measure of their Fathers that is that which their Fathers had beene long and leasurely a doing they now did altogether in one blow for it was the same Christ whom they persecuted in his person and their fathers in his Prophets and therefore though they seemed to honour and revive the memory of those holy martyrs yet upon them should light the guilt of all the righteous bloud which had ever beene shed in the Land inasmuch as their malice was directed against that fulnesse of which all the Prophets had but a measure If by severall enemies a man be severally mangled one cuts off a foot another an hand another an arme and after all this there come one who cuts off the head and yet bestows some honourable ceremonies upon those members which the rest had abused he shall justly suffer as if he had slaine a whole man inasmuch as his malice did eminently containe in it the degrees of all the rest and that pretended honour shall be so far from compensating the injury that it shall adde thereunto an aggravation of base hypocrisie Thus as the Iewes when they thought they did honour and admire the Prophets did yet harbour in their brests that very root of fury and had that selfe-same constitution of soule which was in their fore-fathers who shed their bloud so in our dayes men may say and thinke that they love Christ and court him with much out-side and emptie service may boast that if they had lived in the dayes of those unthankfull Iewes they would not have partaked with them in so execrable a murther and yet interpretatively and at second hand shew the very same root of bitternesse and rancorous constitution of heart against him in his Spirit and ordinances which was in those men when they cried Away with him crucifie him crucifie him Many grounds there are of this grand misperswasion of the heart in its love to Christ which I will but touch upon The first is the generall acceptation and continuance which the Gospell of Christ receiveth amongst the Princes of this world who in Christian Common-wealths doe both by their owne voluntary and professed subjection and by the vigour of their publike lawes establish the same Now this is most certain that as in all other sciences there cannot be transitus à genere in genus the principles of one will not serve to beget the conclusions of another so here especially if a spirituall assent and affection be grounded upon no other than humane inducements it is most undoubtedly spurious and illegitimate That reason which the Pharisees used to disswade men from beleeving in Christ Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees beleeved on him Ioh. 7.48 is one of the principall arguments which many men have now why they doe beleeve him because the Rulers whose examples and lawes they observe more upon trust than triall doe lead them thereunto and therefore wee finde amongst the Iewes that those very men who when the Government of the whole twelve Tribes was one did all consent in an unity of religion upon the distraction of the kingdome under Ieroboam were presently likewise divided in their observance of Gods worship and they who before were zealous for the Temple at Ierusalem were after as superstitious for Dan and Bethel the Prophet giveth the reason of it They willingly walked after the commandement namely of Ieroboam Hos. 5.11 no sooner did the Prince interpose his authoritie but the people were willing to pin their opinions and practices upon his word If Omri make
they but have an exemption from his spirituall government and a dispensation to live according to their owne lusts stil no man should be more greedily desirous As Sampson met the Lion as an enemie when hee was alive but after he was slaine he went unto him as to a table there was onely terrour while he lived but honey when hee was dead so doubtlesse many men to whom the bodily presence of Christ and the mighty power and penetration of his heavenly preaching whereby hee smote sinners unto the ground and spake with such authoritie as never man spake would have beene unsufferably irkesome and full of terrour as it was unto the Scribes and Pharisees can yet now that he is out of their sight and doth not in person but onely by those who are his witnesses torment the inhabitants of the earth pretend much admiration and thankfull remembrance of that death of his which was so full of hony for all that come unto him for as particular dependencies and expectations may make a man flatter and adore the greatnesse of some living Potentate whose very image notwithstanding the same man doth professedly abominate in other tyrants of the world who are dead or upon whom he hath not the same ends so the selfe-same reason may make men in hypocriticall expressions flatter fawne upon Christ himselfe who is absent and yet hate with a perfect hatred the very image of his Spirit in the power of his Word and in the lives of his people The very Scribes and Pharisees who blasphemed his Spirit and contrived his death could yet be contented to be gainers thereby for see they confesse It is expedient for us that one die for the people Lastly a false love to Christ may be grounded upon a false conceit of love to his ordinances For as it is certaine that he who loves the Word and worship of Christ as his doth love him too who is the Author of them so it is certaine likewise that that love which is sometimes pretended unto them may indeed in them fix upon nothing but accidentall and by-respects This people saith the Lord to his Prophet come and sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Here is love in pretence but falshood in the heart what then was it which in the Prophet they did thus love That presently followes Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument Ezek. 33.31 32. that is it is not my will which in thy ministery they at all regard but onely those circumstantiall ornaments of gracefull action and elocution which they attend with just alike proportion of sensuall delight as an eare doth the harmony of a well tuned instrument for as a man may be much affected with the picture of his enemie if drawne by a skilfull hand and yet therein love nothing of the person but only the cunning of the workman who drew the peece So a man who hates the life and Spirit of the Word of God it selfe as being diametrically contrary to that spirit of lust and of the world which rules in him may yet be so wonderfully taken with that dexteritie of wit or delicacie of expression or variety of learning or sweetnesse of speech and action or whatsoever other perfection of nature or industry in the dispencers of that Word are most sutable to his naturall affections as that he may from thence easily cheat his owne conscience and ground a misperswasion of his love to Gods Word which yet indeed admireth nothing but the perfections of a man Nay suppose he meete not with such lenocinia to entice his affection yet the very pacification of the conscience which by a notorious neglect of Gods ordinances would haply be disquieted or the credit of bearing conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and the established service of God in his Church or some other the like sinister respect may hold a man to such an externall faire correspondence as by a deceitfull heart may easily be misconstrued a love of Gods ordinances Nay further a man may externally glory in the priviledge of Gods oracles hee may distinctly beleeve and subscribe to the truth of them he may therin heare many things gladly and escape many pollutions of the world and yet here hence conclude no cleerer evidence of his love to Christ in his word than the unbeleeving Iews or Herod or Ahab or Simon Magus or the foolish Virgins and apostates all which have attained to some of these degrees could have done For the cleering then of this great case touching the evidence of a mans love to Christ wee must first know that this is not a flower of our owne garden for every man by nature is an enemie to Christ and his Kingdome of the Iews minde wee will not have this man to raigne over us and the reason is because the image of the old Adam which we beare is extremely contrary to the heavenly image of the second Adam unto which wee are not borne but must bee renewed And this is certaine our love is according to our likenesse he who hath not the nature and Spirit of Christ can never love him or move towards him For love is like fire congregat homogenea it carrieth things of a nature to one another Our love then unto Christ must bee of a spirituall generation and it is grounded upon two causes First upon the Proportion which is in him unto all our desires or capacities upon the evidence of that unsearchable and bottomlesse goodnesse which is in him which makes him the fairest often thousand even altogether lovely For that heart which hath a spirituall view of Christ will bee able by faith to observe more dimensions of love and sweetnesse in him than the knowledge of any creature is able to measure In all worldly things though of never so curious and delicate an extraction yet still even those hearts which swimme in them and glut upon them can easily discover more dregs than Spirits nothing was ever so exactly fitted to the soule of man wherein there was not some defect or excesse something which the heart could wish were away or something which it could desire were tempered with it But in Christ and his kingdome there is nothing unlovely For as in man the all that is is full of corruption so in Christ the all that hee is is nothing but perfection His fulnesse is the center and treasure of the soule of man and therefore that love which is therupon grounded must needs be in the soule as an universall habit and principle to facilitate every service whereby we move unto this center for love is the weight or spring of the soule which sets every facultie on worke neither are any of those commandments grievous which are obeyed in Love
owne vices But now first the power of Christ in his Church is universall there is in him all power and no weaknesse no power without him or against him and therefore no wonder if from a fulnesse of power in him and an emptinesse in his enemies the argument of continuance in his kingdome doth infallibly follow for what man if hee were furnished with all sufficiencie would suffer himselfe to be mutilated and dismembred as Christ should if any thing should prevaile against the Church which is his fulnesse Againe this power of Christ is supported with wisdome it can never miscarry for any inward defect for the wisdome is proportionable to the power this All power and that All the treasures of wisdome Power able by weaknesse to confound the things which are mighty and wisdome able by foolishnesse to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and both these are upheld by righteousnesse which is indeed the very soule and sinewes of a kingdome upon which the thrones of Princes are established and which the Apostle makes the ground of the perpetuitie of Christs kingdome Thy throne O God is for ever and ever a scepter of righteousnesse is the scepter of thy kingdome Hebr. 1.8 Thirdly the quality of Christs kingdome is to be a Growing kingdome though the originals thereof be but like a graine of mustard-seed or like Eliahs cloud to a humane view despicable and almost below the probabilities of subsistence the object rather of derision than of terrour to the world yet at last it groweth into a widenesse which maketh it as catholike as the world And therefore that which the Prophet David speakes of the Sunne the Apostle applies to the Gospell Rom. 10.18 to note that the Circle of the Gospell is like that of the Sunne universall to the whole world It is such a kingdome as groweth into other kingdomes and eats them out The little stone in Nebuchadnezzars vision which was the Kingdome of Christ for so Ierusalem is called a stone Zech. 12.3 brake in peeces the great Monarchies of the earth and grew up into a great mountaine which filled the world Dan. 2.34 35. for the kingdomes of the earth must become the kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ Revel 11.15 Therefore the Prophets expresse Christ and his kingdome by the name of a Branch which groweth up for a standard and ensigne of the people Esay 11.1.10 Zech. 3.8 A branch which growes but never withers It hath no principles of death in it selfe and though it be for a while subject to the assaults of adversaries and forren violence yet that serves onely to trie it and to settle it but not to weaken or overturne it The gates of hell all the powers policies and lawes of darknesse shall never prevaile against the Church of Christ he hath bruized and judged and trodden downe Satan under our feet He hath overcome the world he hath subdued iniquitie hee hath turned persecutions into seminaries and resurrections of the Church he hath turned afflictions into matters of glory and of rejoycing so that in all the violence which the Church can suffer it doth more than conquer because it conquers not by repelling but by suffering And this shewes the sacrilege and sawcinesse of the Church of Rome which in this point doth with a double impiety therefore pervert the Scriptures that it may derogate from the honour of Christ and his kingdome And those things which are spoken of the infallibility authority and fulnesse of power which Christ hath in his body of the stability constancie and universalitie of his Church upon earth doth arrogate onely to the Pope and his See at Rome As the Donatists in S. Augustines time from that place of the Spouse in the Canticles Tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocke to rest in Meridie excluded all the world from being a Church save onely a corner of Africa which was at that time the nest of those hornets So because Christ sayes his Church is built upon a rocke and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it therefore the Romanists from hence conclude all these priviledges to belong to them and exclude all the famous Churches of the world besides from having any communion with Christ the Head That scornefull expostulation which Harding makes with that renowned and incomparable Bishop under whose hand hee was no more able to subsist than a whelpe under the paw of a Lion shall wee now change the song of Micheas the Prophet Out of Sion shall come the Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem and sing a new song out of Wittenberg is come the Gospell and the Word of the Lord from Zurich and Geneva may most truely and pertinently be retorted upon himselfe and his faction who boldly curse and exclude all those Christian Churches from the body of Christ and the hope of salvation who will not receive lawes from Rome nor esteeme the Cathedrall determinations of that Bishop though haply in himselfe an impure diabolicall and intolerable beast as by their owne confessions many of them have beene to be notwithstanding the infallible Edicts of the Spirit of God and as undoubtedly the Word of Christ as if S. Peter or Saint Paul had spoken it an arrogancie than which there is scarce any more expresse and characteristicall note to discerne Antichrist by It is true that Christs regal power doth alwaies shew forth it selfe in upholding his Catholike Church and in revealing unto it out of his sacred Word such necessary truths as are absolutely requisite unto its being and salvation but to binde this power of Christ to one man and to one See as if like the Pope he were infallible only in S. Peters chaire is the meere figment of pride and ambition without any ground at all raised out of a heape and aggregation of monstrous presumptions of humane and some most disputable others most false conceits of which though there be not the least vestigia in sacred Scriptures yet must they be all first wrested in for indubitate principles and laid for sure foundations before the first stone of Papall authoritie can bee raised As first that the externall and visible regiment of the whole Church is Monarchicall and that there must be a predominant mistresse Church set over all the rest to which in all points they must have recourse and to whose decisions they must conforme without any hesitancie or suspition at all whereas the Apostle tels us that the unity of the Church is gathered by many Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 12 13. for as if severall needles bee touched by so many severall Loadstones all which have the selfe-same specificall vertue in them they doe all as exactly bend to one and the same point of heaven as if they had beene thereunto qualified by but one so in as much as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers come all instructed with one and
the rage of hell the persecutions and policies of wicked men the present immunity of desperate sinners are evidences that Christ hath yet much worke to doe in his Church But doth not the Apostle say that all things are put under his feete Eph. 1.22 It is true quoad judiciariam potestatem but not quoad exercitium potestatis Hee shall not receive any new power to subdue his enemies which hee hath not already but yet hee can execute that power when and how hee will And hee is pleased to suffer his enemies in this respite of their reprivall to rage and revile and persecute him in his members Every wicked man is condemned already and hath the wrath of God abiding upon him Iob. 3.18.36 Onely Christ doth suspend the execution of them for many weighty reasons As first to shew his patience and long suffering towards the vessels of wrath for hee ever comes first with an offer of peace before hee drawes the sword Rom. 2.4 Rom. 9.22 Deut. 20 10-13 Luk. 10.5 11. Secondly to magnifie the power of his protection and providence over the Church in the midst of their enemies for if the Lord were not on the Churches side when man riseth up against it if hee did not rebuke the proud waves and set them their bounds how farre they should goe there could bee no more power in the Church to withstand them than in a levell of sand to resist an inundation of the Sea Psal. 124.1.5 Thirdly to reserve wicked men unto the great day of his appearing and of the declaration of his power and righteousnesse wherin all the world shall bee the spectators and witnesses of his just and victorious proceedings against them Act. 17.31 Fourthly to shew forth his mighty power in destroying the wicked all together They who here carried themselves with that insolence as if every particular man meant to have plucked Christ out of his throne shall there all together bee brought forth before him That as the righteous are reserved to have their full salvation together 1 Thess. 4.17 so the wicked may bee bound up in bundles and destroied together Psal. 37.38 Esai 1.28 Fifthly to fill up the measure and to ripen the sinnes of wicked men for the Lord puts the wickednesse of men into an Epha and when they have filled up their measure he then sealeth them up unto the execution of his righteous judgements And hence it is that the Scripture calleth wicked men Vessels fitted for destruction for they first fill themselves with sin and then God filleth them up with wrath and shame Sixthly to fill up the number of his Elect for hee hath many sheepe which are not yet within his fold and they many of them the posterity of wicked men Ioh. 10.16 Seventhly to fill up the measure of his owne sufferings in his members that they may follow him unto his kingdome through the same way of afflictions as he went before them Col. 1.24 Revel 6.11 Eighthly to exercise the faith of his Church to drive the faithfull with the Prophet Habakuk into their watch-tower and with David into the Sanctuary of the Lord thereto waite upon him in the way of his judgements to consider that the end of the righteous man is peace and that the pride and prosperity of the wicked is but as the fat of Lambes and as the beauty of grasse that God hath set them in slippery places and will cast them downe at the last Hab. 2.1 3. Psal. 37.2.10.20 Psal. 73.18 Lastly to weane the faithfull from earthly affections and to kindle in them the desires of the Saints under the altar How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Revel 6.10 Secondly as donec notes the Patience of Christ towards his enemies so it notes likewise that there are fixed bounds and limits unto that patience beyond which he will no longer forbeare them There is an appointed day wherein hee will judge the world with righteousnesse Act. 17.31 There is a yeere of vengeance and of recompences for the controversies of Sion Esai 34.8 The wilde asse that sucketh up the winde at her pleasure may be found in her moneth Ier. 2.24 The Lord seeth that the day of the wicked is comming It is an appointed time though it tarry yet if we waite for it It will surely come it will not tarry Psal. 37.13 Hab. 2.3 Well then let men goe on with all the fiercenesse and excesse of riot they will let them walke in the way of their heart and in the sight of their eyes yet all this while they are in a chaine they have but a compasse to goe and God will bring them to judgement at the last When the day of a Drunkard and riotous person is come when he hath taken so many hellish swallowes and hath filled up the measure of his lusts his marrow must then lie downe in the dust though the cup were at his mouth yet from thence it shall be snatch'd away and for everlasting hee shall never taste a drop of sweetnesse nor have the least desire of his wicked heart satisfied any more A wicked mans sinnes will not follow him to hell to please him but onely the memory of them to bee an everlasting scourge and flame upon his conscience O then take heed of ripening sinne by custome by security by insensibility by impudence and stoutnesse of heart by making it a mocke a matter of glory and of boasting by stopping the eare against the voice of the Charmer and turning the backe upon the invitations unto mercy by resisting the Evidence of the Spirit in the Word and committing sinne in the light of the Sunne for as the heat of the sunne doth wither the fruit which falls off and ripen that which hangs on the tree so the Word doth weaken those lusts which a man is desirous to shake off and doth ripen those which the heart holds fast and will not part with When was Israel overthrowne but when they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets and rejected the remedy of their sinne and when was Juda destroyed but when they hardened themselves against the Word and would not take notice of the day of their peace Alas what haste doe men make to promote their owne damnation and to goe quickly to hell when they will breake through the very Law of God and through all his holy Ordinances that they may come thither the sooner as if the gate would bee shut against them or as if it were a place of some great preferment as if they had to doe with a blinde God which could not see or with an impotent God which could not revenge their impieties Well for all this the Wise mans speech will prove true at the last Know that God will bring thee unto judgement Thirdly donec notes the infallible accomplishment of Christs victories and triumph over his enemies at the last
the land of Canaan which was a type of Christs Church which he should conquer unto himselfe if any people accepted of the peace which they were first to proclaime they were to become tributaries and servants unto Israel So it is said of Salomon whose peaceable kingdome was a type of Christs after his many victories that he bond-service upon all the nations about Israel and that those princes with whom he held correspondence brought unto him presents as testimonies of his greatnesse and wisedome So when the wise men the first fruits of the Gentiles after Christ exhibited came to submit unto his kingdome they opened their treasure and presented him with gifts gold frankincense and myrrh Againe Monetarum leges valores the authorizing and valuations of publike coines belong unto the prince onely it is his image and inscription alone which maketh them currant Even so unto Christ onely doth belong the power of stamping and creating as it were new ordinances in his Church nothing is with God nor should be currant with us which hath not his image or expresse authority upon it Neither can any man falsify or corrupt any constitution of his without notable contempt against his royall prerogative Againe Iudicium or potestas judiciaria a power of judging the persons and causes of men is a peculiar royalty the administration whereof is from the prince as the fountaine of all humane equitie under God deposited in the hands of inferiour officers who are as it were the mouth of the prince to publish the lawes and to execute those acts of justice and peace which principally belong to his owne sacred breast And so Christ saith of himselfe The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne and hath given him authority to execute judgement Againe Ius vitae necis A power to pardon condemned persons and deliver them from the terrour of the Lawes sentence is a transcendent mercie a gemme which can shine only from the diadems of Princes Now unto Christ likewise belongeth in his Church a power to forgive sinnes it is the most sacred roialty of this prince of peace not onely to suspend but for ever to revoke and as it were annihilate the sentence of malediction under which every man is borne There are likewise Ornamenta Regia regall Ornaments a Crowne a Throne a Scepter and the like Thus we finde the Romanes were wont to send to those forraine kings with whom they were in league as testimonies and confirmations of their dignity scipionem eburneum togam pictam sellam curulem an ivorie scepter a roiall robe and a chaire of state And the like honours wee finde in the Scriptures belonging unto Christ that hee was crowned with glory and honour and that hee had a Throne and righteous scepter belonging to his kingdome Thus we have seene in severall particulars how Christ hath his Royalties belonging to his kingdome Some principall of them we finde in this place A throne a scepter ambassadours armies for the right dispensing of his sacred power We will first consider the words and then raise such observations as shall offer themselves First what is meant by the Rod of Christs Strength or his Strong Rod It notes a thing which a man may leane upon or lay the whole weight of his body on in his wearinesse But being spoken of Christs kingdome wee take it for a scepter or rod of majestie I will not hold you with the variety of acceptions in Expositors Some take it for the branch that groweth out of that roote of Iesse Some for the wood of the crosse Some for the body of Christ borne of a Virgin Some for the kingdome of Christs power taking the signe for the thing signified Some for the power of his mightie workes and preaching That of the body and of the crosse of Christ except by them wee understand the vertue of Christ crucified I conceive to be not so pertinent to the purpose of the Prophet The rest agree in one But for the more distinct understanding of the words wee may consider out of the holy Scriptures what things were sent out of Sion And we finde there two things First the word of the Lord or his holy Gospell The Law shall proceed out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Mic. 4.2 Secondly the spirit of the Lord which was first sent unto Sion for at Hierusalem the Apostles were to wait for the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 and from thence was shed abroad into the world upon al flesh Act. 2.17 and both these are the power or strength of Christ. His word a Gospell of power unto salvation Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 4.7.10.4 and his spirit a spirit of power 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Tim. 1.7 which is therefore called the finger and the arme of the Lord Luk. 11.20 Matt. 12.28 Esai 53.1 so by the Rod is meant the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Secondly what is meant by Gods sending this Rod of Christs strength It notes the manifestation of the Gospell we knew it not before it was sent The donation of the Gospell we had it not before it was sent the invitations of the Gospell we were without God in the world and strangers from the Covenant of promise before it was sent The Commission of the Dispensers of the Gospell they have their patent from heaven they are not to speake untill they be sent Thirdly what is meant by sending it out of Sion It is put in Opposition to mount Sina from whence the Law was sometimes sent with thunders and fire and much terrour unto the people of Israel Ye are not come saith the Apostle unto the mount that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest c. but yee are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant c. Heb. 12.18.24 and the Apostle elsewhere sheweth us the meaning of this Allegoricall opposition betweene Sina and Sion betweene Sarah and Hagar namely the two covenants of the Law and of Grace or of bondage and liberty Gal. 4.24 25. Sion was the place whither the tribes resorted to worship the Lord the place towards which that people praied the place of Gods mercifull residence amongst them the beauty of holines the place upon which first the gift of the holy Ghost was powred forth and in which the Gospell was first of all preached after Christs Ascension We may take it by a Synechdoche for the whole Church of the Jewes unto whom the Lord first revealed his Covenant of Grace in Christ Act. 3.26 Act. 13.46 Rom. 2.10 Rule Thou that is Thou shalt rule which is a usuall forme to put the Imperative for the future Indicative It is not a command which hath relation unto any service but it is a promise a commission a dignity conferred
soule did before shelter whole flocks of evill affections when hee came out the tide was driven back the streame turned the center of his heart altered his forrest discovered his lusts scattered and subdued What ailes this man Hee hath but heard an houres discourse the same which others heare and their tide riseth the higher by it Certainly these Devils were not cast out these streames were not turned back but by the finger of God himselfe When the minister of Christ shall whisper in the ears of a dead man whom no thunder could have awakened and hee shall immediatly rise up and give glory to God when Christ shall call men to denie themselves to get above themselves to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and their owne life to sell all that they have to crucifie and be cruell to their owne members to pull out their right eyes to cut off their right hands to part from those sinnes which before they esteemed their choicest ornaments and from those too which before they made their chiefest support and subsistence to stand at defiance with the allurements or discouragements of the world to bee set up for signes and wonders for very proverbs of skorne and objects of hatred to those of their owne house to receive persecutions as rewards and entertaine them not with patience onely but with thankfulnesse and rejoicing to bee all their life long in the midst of enemies put to tedious conflicts with the powers of the world and of darknesse to beleeve things which they have not seen and to hope for things which they doe not know and yet maugre all this to refuse to consult with flesh and bloud to stand still more in awe of Gods word than of any other thing certainly that which with the voice of a weake man bringeth such great things to passe must needs bee Virga virtutis a Rod of strength A Rod like the Rod of Moses which can lead us through such seas as these to one whom wee have never seen nor knowen before Esai 55.5 Secondly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the justification of men as it is Sceptrum Iustitiae a Scepter of Righteousnesse a word of reconciliation a Gospell of salvation a Law of the Spirit of life a ministration of the Spirit of life and of Righteousnesse an opening of prisons and a proclaiming of liberty unto captives in these respects likewise it is full of power There was a mighty power in the Law of God typified in those thundrings and terrors with which it was administred upon mount Sina the Apostle calleth it a Schoolmaster to scourge and drive us unto Christ and the Psalmist an iron Rod able to breake in pieces all the potsherds of the earth And we know boies in a Schoole doe not apprehend so much terror in the King as in their Master Yet in comparison of the Power of the Gospell the Law it selfe was very weake and unprofitable able to make nothing perfect The Power of the Law was onely to destruction the Power of the Gospell for edification The Law could onely hold under him that was downe before it could never raise him up againe Now the power is farre greater to raise than to kill to forgive sinnes than to bind them Herein is the mighty strength of Gods mercy seen that it can passe by iniquities transgressions and sinnes To preach the Gospell of Christ in his name and authority is an evident argument of that plenary power which is given unto him both in heaven and earth And the very dispensing of this word of reconciliation which is committed unto the Ministers of the Gospell how basely soever the ungratefull world may esteeme of them hath honored them with a title of as great power as a man is capable of to bee called Saviors to have the custodie of the keyes of heaven ministerially and instrumentally under Christ and his Spirit to save the soules and to cover the sinnes of men Now then that word which from the mouth of a weake man is able to reconcile a child of wrath unto God and by the words of one houre to cover and wipe out the sinnes of many yeares which were scattered as thick in the soules of men as the starres in the firmament must needs bee virga virtutis a Rod of strength Thirdly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the sanctification of men as it is Sceptrum cum unctione a Scepter which hath ever an unction accompanying it As it is a Sanctifying Truth an heavenly teaching a forming of Christ in the soule a making of the heart as it were his Epistle by writing the Law therein and manifesting the power and image of Christ in the conscience If a man should touch a marble or adamant stone with a seale and taking it off should see the print of it left behinde hee could not but conceive some wonderfull and secret vertue to have wrought so strange an effect Now our hearts are of themselves as hard as the nether milstone when then a holy word so meekly and gently laid on upon them shall leave there an impression of its own puritie when so small a thing as a graine of mustard-seed shall transforme an earthy soule into its owne nature when the eyes and hands and mouth of Christ being in the ministerie of his word spread upon the eyes and hands and mouth of a Childe shall revive the same from death when by looking into a glasse wee shall not onely have a view of our owne faces but shall see them changed into the image of another face which from thence shineth upon us how can wee but conclude that certainly that word by which such wonders as these are effected is indeed virga virtutis a Rod of strength Fourthly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the Perservation and Perseverance of the Saints as it is Virga germinans a Rod like Aarons Rod which blossomed and the blossomes perished not but remained in the Ark for a Testimony of Gods power For as those buds or the Manna in the Ark did not perish so neither doth the word of the Gospell in the hearts of the faithfull The Apostle saith that wee are kept by the power of God unto salvation and S. Iude that Gods power keepeth the Saints from falling and presenteth them faultlesse before the presence of his glory and what is this power of God whereby hee doth it but the Gospell of Christ which S. Peter calleth semen incorruptibile uncorruptible seed and the Spirit of Christ which S. Iohn calleth semen manens an abiding seed If I should see a tree with perpetuall fruit without any variation from the difference of seasons a tree like that in S. Iohns Paradise which every moneth did bring forth fruite of twelve severall kindes I should conclude that it had an extraordinary vitall power in it so
when I finde Christ in his word promising and by the planting and watering of his Laborers in the vineyard making good that promise unto his Church That every branch bringing forth fruit in him shall not onely bee as Aarons Rod have his fruit preserved upon him but shall bring forth more fruit and shall have life more abundantly how can I but conclude that that word which is the Instrument of so unperishable a condition is indeed Virga virtutis a Rod of strength a Rod cut out of the tree of life it selfe Fifthly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in comforting and supporting of the faithfull as it is Virga pulchritudinis colligationis a Rod of Beauty and of Binding as it is a word which doth binde that which was broken and give unto them which mourne in Sion beauty for ashes and the garment of praise for the Spirit of heavinesse as it quencheth all the firie darts and answereth all the bloudy reasonings of Satan against the soule as it is a staffe which giveth comfort and subsistence in the very vallie of the shadow of death The shadow of death is an usuall expressioÌ„ in the Scripture for all feares terrors affrightments or any dreadfull calamities either of soule or body The whole misery of our naturall condition is thereby signified Luk. 1.79 Many wayes doth the Prophet David set forth the extremities hee had been driven unto my bones are vexed and dried like a potsheard and turned into the drought of summer my couch swimmeth with teares mine eye is consumed and waxen old with griefe I am powred out like water all my bones are out of joint my heart is like melted wax in the mids of my bowels Thine arrowes stick fast in mee thine hand presseth me sore there is no soundnesse in my flesh my wounds stinke and are corrupt I am feeble and fore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart Innumerable evils compasse mee about I am not able to looke up Fearfulnesse and trembling are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed mee My soule is among lions I lie amongst them that are set on fire The waters are come in unto my soule I sinke in deepe mire the flouds overflow mee c. These all and the like are comprehended in that one word The shadow of death And in that it was onely the word and the Spirit of God which did support him This is my comfort in my affliction saith hee for thy word hath quickned mee When my afflictions had brought me to the very brinke and darknesse of the grave thy word revived mee againe and made me flourish Vnlesse thy Law had been my delights I should have perished in mine affliction Now then when I see a man upon whom so many heavie pressures doe meete the weight of sinne the weight of Gods heavie displeasure the weight of a wounded Spirit the weight of a decaied body the weight of skorne and temptations from Satan and the world in the mids of all this not to turne unto lying vanities not to consult with flesh and bloud nor to rely on the wisedome or helpe of man but to leane onely on this word to trust in it at all times and to cast all his expectations upon it to make it his onely Rod and staffe to comfort him in such sore extremities how can I but confesse that this word is indeed Virga virtutis a Rod of strength Lastly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in sanctifying and blessing of our Temporall things As it is Baculus Panis A staffe of bread Man liveth not by bread alone but by the word which proceedeth out of Gods mouth not by the creature but by the blessing which prepareth the creature for our use Now it is the word of God namely his promises in Christ of things concerning this life as well as that which is to come that doth sanctifie the creatures of God to those whâ— with thankfulnesse receive them The fall of man bâ—ought a pollution upon the creatures a curse upon the stone and timber of a mans house a snare upon his table a poison and bitternesse upon his meat distractions and terrors upon his bed emptinesse and vexation upon all his estate which cleaves as fast therunto as blacknesse to the skinne of an Ethiopian or sinne to the soule of man For all the creatures of God are by sinne mischievously converted into the instruments and provisions of lust The Sunne and all the glorious lights of nature but instruments to serve the pride covetousnesse adultery vanity of a lustfull eye All the delicacies which the earth aire or Sea can affoord but materials to feed the luxurie and intemperance of a lustfull body All the honors and promotions of the world but fuell to satisfie the haughtinesse and ambition of a lustfull heart That word then which can fetch out this leprosie from the creatures and put life strength and comfort into them againe must needs bee Virga virtutis a Rod of strength Secondly the Gospell and Spirit of Christ is a rod of strength in regard of his and his Churches enemies Able both to repell and to revenge all their injuries to disappoint the ends and machinations of Satan to triumph and get above the persecutions of men to get a treasure which no malice nor fury of the enemy can take away a noblenesse of minde which no insultation of the adversary can abate a security of condition and calmenesse of spirit where no worldly tempests can any more extinguish than the darknesse of a cloud or the boisterousnesse of a wind can blot out the lustre or perturbe the order of celestiall bodies a heavenly wisdome able to prevaile against the gates of hell and to stop the mouthes of every gain-sayer The Word hath ever a Readinesse to revenge disobedience as the Apostle speaks it hardens the faces of men and armes them that they may breake all those who fall upon them This power of the Word towards wicked men sheweth it selfe in many particulars First in a mighty worke of Conviction The Spirit was therefore sent into the world to convince it by the ministery of the Gospell which one word containeth the ground of the whole strength here spoken of for all which the word bringeth to passe it doth it by the conviction of the Spirit This Conviction is two-fold A Conviction unto conversion whereby the hearts of men are wonderfully over-ruled ruled by that invincible evidence of the Spirit of truth to feele acknowledge their wofull condition by reason of sinne so long as they continue in unbeleefe to take unto themselves the just shame and confusion of face which belongs unto them to give unto God the glory of his righteous and just severity if hee should destroy them and hereupon to be secondly by the terror of the Lord perswaded to count worthy of all acceptation any deliverance out of that
estate which shall be tendred unto them To admire adore and greedily embrace any termes of peace and reconciliation which shall be offered them To submit unto the righteousnesse and with all willing and meeke affection to bend the heart to the Scepter of Christ and to whatsoever forme of judicature and spirituall government he shall please to erect therein And this magnifies the strength of this Rod of Christs Kingdome that it maketh men yeeld upon any termes when we see the little stone grow into a mightie mountaine and eat into all the Kingdomes of the world when wee see Emperours and Princes submit their necks and scepters to a doctrine at first every where spoken against and that upon the words of a few despicable peâ—sons and that such a doctrine too as is diametrally contrary to the naturall constitution of the hearts of men and teacheth nothing but selfe-deniall and this for hope of reward from one whom they never saw and whom if they had seene they should have found by a naturall eye no beauty in him for which hee should bee desired and this reward too what-ever it be deferred for a long time and in the interim no ground of assurance to expect it but onely faith in himselfe that promiseth it and in the meane time a world of afflictions for his names sake How can we think that a world of wise and of great men should give eare most willingly unto such termes as these if there were not a demonstrative and constraining evidence of truth and goodnesse therein able to stop the mouths and to answer the objections of all gain sayers Of this point I have spoken more copiously upon another Scripture Secondly there is a Conviction unto condemnation of those who stand out against this saving power of the Gospell and Spirit of grace driving them from all their strong holds and constraining them perforce to acknowledge the truth which they doe not love Thus wee finde our Saviour disputing with the Jewes till no man was able to answer him a word and as he did so himselfe so hee promised that his messengers should doe so too I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say nor resist And this promise wee finde made good the enemies of Steven were not able to resist the Spirit by which hee spake And Apollos mightily convinced the Jews shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ And this the Apostle numbreth amongst the qualifications of a Bishop that he should be able by sound doctrine to convince the gain-sayers and to stop the mouthes of those unruly deceivers whose businesse it is to subvert men for this is the excellent vertue of Gods Word that it concludeth or shutteth men in and leaveth not any gap or evasion of corrupted reason unanswered or unprevented Thus wee finde how the Prophets in their ministery did still drive the Jewes from their shifts and presse them with Dilemma's the inconveniences whereof they could on no side escape either there must be a fault in you or else in God who rebuketh you but now what iniquity saith the Lord have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me Have I beene a wildernesse unto Israel or a land of darknesse wherefore say my people we are lords we will come no more unto thee O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against mee I raised up of your sonnes for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites Is it not even thus O yee children of Israel Here the Scripture useth that figure which is called by the Rhetoritians Communicatio a debating and deliberation with the adverse party an evidencing of a cause so cleerely as that at last a man can challenge the adversary himselfe to make such a determination as himselfe shall in reason judge the merits of the cause to require How shall I pardon thee for this and how shall I doe for the daughters of my people Set me in a way determine the controversie your selves and I will stand to the issue which your owne consciences shall make O inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah judge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard that is doe you your selves undertake the deciding of your owne cause When a band of armed men came against Christ to attach him and at the pronouncing but of two words I am he fell all downe backward to the earth we must needs confesse that there was some mightie power and evidence of Majesty in him that uttered them what thinke wee can he doe when hee raigneth and judgeth the world who did let out so much power when he was to die and to be judged by the world Now Christ raigneth and judgeth the world by his Word and that more mightily after his ascending up on high and therefore he promiseth his Apostles that they should doe greater workes than himselfe had done When I shall see a man armed with scorne against Christ in his Word standing proudly upon the defence of his owne wayes by his owne wisdome and wrapping up himselfe in the mud of his owne carnall reasonings by a few postulata and deductions from Gods Word to bee enforced to stoppe his owne mouth to be condemned by his owne witnesse to betray his owne succours and to bee shut up in a prison without barres when I shall force such a man by the mighty penetration and invincible evidence of Gods Word to see in his owne conscience a hand subscribing to the truth which condemnes him and belying all those delusions which he had fram'd to deceive himselfe withall who can deny but that the rod of Gods mouth is indeed Virga virtutis a rod of strength an iron rod able to deale with all humane reasonings as a hammer with a potsherd which though to the hand of a man it may feele as hard as a rocke yet is too brittle to endure the blow of an iron rod Strange it is to observe how boldly men venture on sinnes under the names of custome or fashions or some other pretences of corrupted reason contrary to the cleere and literal evidence of holy Scriptures the most immediate and grammaticall sense whereof is ever soundest where there doth not some apparant and unavoidable errour in doctrine or mischiefe in manners follow thereupon Men will justifie the cause of the wicked for reward and by dexterity of wit put a better colour upon a worser businesse as hath beene observed of Protagoras and Carneades and yet the Lord saith expressely Thou shalt not speake in a cause to wrest judgement thou shalt keepe thee far from a false matter for God whom thou oughtest to imitate will not justifie the wicked Men will follow the sinfull fashions of the world in strange apparell in prodigious haire in lustfull and unprofitable expence of that pretious
moment of time upon the abuse or right improvement whereof dependeth the severall issues of their eternall condition though the Lord say expresly Bee not conformed to this world they that walke according to the course of the world walke according to the Prince of the power of the aire The Lord will punish all such as are clothed with strange apparell who take up the fashions of idolaters or other nations or other sexes as that place is differently expounded Nature it selfe teacheth that it is a shame for a man to weare long haire nay Nature it selfe taught that honest Heathen to stand at defiance with the sinnes of his age and not comply with the course of the world upon that slight apologie as if the commonnesse had taken away the illnesse that which committed by one would have been a sin being imitated after a multitude were but a fashion To conclude this particular The Apostle is peremptory Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor effeminate nor covetous nor theeves nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and the consciences of many men who yet will never yeeld to the conclusion cannot choose but subsume as the Apostle goes on such are some of we nay and such we will be too But now if we should bespeake these men in the word of the Prophet Produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob they should finde at the last their reasons to be like themselves vanity and lighter than nothing that the Word of the Lord will at last prevaile and sweepe away all their refuge of lyes Secondly the power of the Word towards wicked men is seene in Affrighting of them there is a spirit of bondage and a savour of death aswell as a spirit of life and libertie which goeth along with the Word Guilt is an inseparable consequent of sinne and feare of the manifestation of guilt If the heart be once convinced of this it will presently faint and tremble even at the shaking of a leafe at the wagging of a mans owne conscience how much more at the voice of the Lord which shaketh mountaines and maketh the strong foundations of the earth to tremble If I should see a prisoner at the barre passe sentence upon his Judge and the Judge thereupon surpriz'd with trembling and forced to subscribe and acknowledge the doome I could not but stand amaz'd at so inverted a proceeding yet in the Scripture wee finde presidents for it Micatah a prisoner pronouncing death unto Ahab a King Ieremie a prisoner pronouncing captivitie unto Zedekiah a King Paul in his chain preaching of judgment unto Felix in his robes and making his owne Judge to tremble It is not for want of strength in the Word or because there is stoutnesse in the hearts of men to stand out against it that all the wicked of the world do not tremble at it but meerly their ignorance of the power evidence thereof The Devils are stronger and more stubborne creatures than any man can be yet because of their full illumination and that invincible conviction of their consciences from the power of the Word they beleeve and tremble at it Though men were as hard as rocks the Word is a hammer which can breake them though as sharp as thornes and briars the Word is a fire which can devour and torment them though as strong as kingdomes and nations the Word is able to root them up and to pull them downe though as fierce as Dragons and Lions the Word is able to trample upon them and to chaine them up Thirdly the power of the Word is seene towards wicked men in that it doth judge them Sonne of man wilt thou judge wilt thou judge the bloudy Citie saith the Lord yea thou shalt shew them their abominations To note that when wicked men are made to see their filthinesse in the Word they have therby the wrath of God as it were seal'd upon them He that rejecteth mee the Word which I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day saith our Saviour And if all prophecie saith the Apostle and there come in one that beleeveth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all hee is judged of all and the secrets of his heart are made manifest Nay the Word doth in some sort execute death and judgement upon wicked men Therefore it is said that the Lord would smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips would slay the wicked And againe I have hewed them by the Prophets I have slaine them by the words of my mouth And therefore the Word of the Lord is called fury by the Prophet to note that when wrath fury is powred out upon a land they are the effects of Gods Word If a pestilence devoure a city and a sword come and gleane after it it is the Word only which flayes they are but the instruments which are as it were actuated and applied by the Word of God to their severall services Therefore it is that the Prophet saith that wise men see the voice of God and heare his rod. A rod is properly to be seene and a voice to bee heard but here is a transposition and as it were a communication of properties betweene the Word of God and his punishments to note that towards wicked men there is a judging and tormenting vertue in the Word For judgement saith our Saviour am I come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blinde If it be here objected that Christ saith of himselfe The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and that he came not to condemne the world but that the world through him might bee saved I answer that there are two events of Christs comming and by consequence of his Gospell The one principall and by him intended the other accidentall and occasionall growing out of the ill disposition of the subject unto whom he was sent The maine and essentiall businesse of the Gospell is to declare salvation and to set open unto men a doore of escape from the wrath to come but when men wilfully stand out and neglect so great salvation then secondarily doth Christ prove unto those men a stone of offence and the Gospell a savour of death unto death as that potion which was intended for a cure by the Physitian may upon occasion of the indisposednesse of the body and stubborne radication of the disease hasten a mans end sooner than the disease it selfe would have done So that to the wicked the Word of God is a two-edged sword indeed an edge in the Law and an edge in the Gospell they are on every side beset with condemnation if they goe to the Law that cannot save them because they have broken it
charge even the great men of the world It is true the ministers of the Gospell are servants to the Church In compassion to pitty the diseases the infirmities the temptations of Gods people in ministerie to assist them with all needfull supplies of comfort or instruction or exhortation in righteousnesse in humility to waite upon men of lowest degree and to condescend unto men of weakest capacitie And thus the very Angels in heaven are servants to the Church of Christ. But yet we are servants onely for the Churches good to serve their soules not to serve their humors And therefore we are such servants as may command too These things command and teach Let no man despise thy youth And againe These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee No ministers are more despicable than those who by ignorance or flattery or any base and ambitious affections betray the power majesticall simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. When we deliver Gods message we must not then be the servants of men If I yet please men I were not then the servant of Christ saith the Apostle To captivate the truth of God unto the humours of men and to make the Spirit of Christ in his Gospell to bend comply and complement with humane lusts is with Ionah to play the runnagates from our office and to prostrate the Scepter of Christ unto the insultation of men There is a wonderfull majesty and authority in the word when it is set on with Christs Spirit He taught men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one who had power and authority or priviledge to speake as one that cared not for the persons of men and therefore where ever his spirit is there will this power and liberty of Christ appeare for he hath given it to his ministers that they may commend themselves in the consciences of those that heare them that they may harden their faces against the pride and scorne of men that they may goe out in armies against the enemies of his kingdome that they may speake boldly as they ought to speake that they may not suffer his word to be bound or his Spirit to be straitened by the humors of men Againe we should all labour to receive the word in the power thereof and to expose our tender parts unto it A Cocke is in comparison but a weake Creature and yet the crowing of a Cocke will cause the trembling of a Lion What is a Bee to a Beare or a Mouse to an Elephant and yet if a Bee fasten his sting in the nose of a Beare or a Mouse creepe up and gnaw the trunke of an Elephant how easily doe so little Creatures upon such an advantage torment the greatest Certainely the proudest of men have some tender part into which a sting may enter The conscience is as sensible of Gods displeasure as obnoxious to his wrath as subject to his word in a prince as in a beggar If the word like Davids stone finde that open and get into it it is able to sinke the greatest Goliah Therefore wee should open our consciences unto that word and expect his spirit to come along with it and receive it as Iosiah did with humility and trembling Wee should learne to feare the Lord in his word and when his voyce cryeth in the city to see his name and his power therein Will ye not feare me faith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence who make the sand abound to the sea No Creature so swelling and of it selfe so strong and incroaching as the sea nothing so small weake smoothe and passable as the sand and yet the sand a creature so easily removed and swept away decreed to hold in so raging an Element What in appearance weaker than words spoken by a despised man and what in the experience of all the world stronger than the raging of an army of lusts and yet that hath the Lord appointed to tame and subdue these that men might learne to feare his power Againe it should teach us to Rest upon God in all things as being unto us all-sufficient a sunne a shield an exceeding great reward in the truth and promises of his Gospell The word of God is a sure thing that which a man may cast his whole weight upon and leane confidently on in any extremity All the Creatures in the world are full of vanity uncertaineties and disappointments and then usually doe deceive a man most when he most of all relies upon them and therefore the Apostle chargeth us not to trust in them But the word of the Lord is an abiding word as being founded upon the Immutability of Gods owne truth he that maketh it his refuge relieth on Gods omnipotency and hath all the strength of the Almighty engaged to helpe him Asa was safe while hee depended on the Lord in his promises against the hugest host of men that was ever read of but when he turned aside to collaterall aides hee purchased to himselfe nothing but perpetuall warres And this was that which established the throne of Iehoshaphat and caused the feare of the Lord to fall upon the kingdomes of the lands which were round about him because he honoured the Word of God and caused it to be taught unto his people Whensoever Israel and Judah did forget to leane upon Gods word and betooke themselves to humane confederacies to correspondence with Idolatrous people to facility in superstitious compliances and the like fleshly counsels they found them alwaies to be but very lies like waxen and wooden feasts made specious of purpose to delude ignorant commers things of so thinne and unsoâ—id a consistence as were ever broken with the weight of those who did leane upon them Let us not therefore rest upon our owne wisedome nor build our hopes or securities upon humane foundations but let us in all conditions take hold of Gods Covenant of this staffe of his strength which is able to stay us up in any extremities Againe since the Gospell is a word of such soveraigne power as to strengthen us against all enemies and temptations to uphold us in all our wayes and callings to make us strong in the Grace of Christ for ever a Christian mans knowledge of the Word is the measure of his strength and comfort wee should therefore labour to acquit our selves with God in his Word to hide it in our hearts and grow rich in the knowledge of it In heaven our blessednesse shall consist in the knowledge and communion with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ. So that the Gospell and the Spirit are to us upon earth the preludes and supplies of heaven for by them onely is this knowledge and communion begun And that man doth but delude himselfe and lye to the world who professeth his desire to goe to heaven and doth not here desire to know so much of God as he is pleased to afford to
that it doth not onely sanctifie men but preserve their holinesse in them If it were not for the treasure of the word in the heart every little thing would easily turne a man out of his way and make him revolt from Christ againe How easily would afflictions make us mistrust Gods affection to us and so change ours unto him for this is certaine His Love to us is the originall of our love to him make us murmure repine struggle fret under his hand if in the Gospell wee did not looke upon them as the gentle corrections of a Father who loves us as the pruning and harrowing of our foules that they may bring forth more fruit Except thy Law had beene my delight I should have perished in mine affliction My affliction would have destroied me and made mee perish from the right way if it had not beene tempered and sanctified by thy Word It wrought so with that wicked king of Israel Behold this evill is of the Lord what should I waite upon the Lord any longer what profit is there to walke humbly before him or to afflict our selves before him who will not see nor take knowledge of it but continue to be our enemie still But the Gospell teacheth a mans heart to rest in God assureth it that there is hope in Israel and balme in Gilead that they which beleeve should not make haste to limit or to misconstrue God but waite for his Salvation which will ever come in that due time wherein it shall be both most acceptable and most beautifull Againe how easily would Temptations over-turne the faith of men if it were not daily supported by the Word what is the reason that the sheepe of Christ will not follow strangers nor know their voice that is will not acknowledge any force nor subscribe in their hearts to the conviction or evidence of any temptation which would draw them from God but onely because they heare and know the voice of Christ in his Gospell and feele a spirit in their owne hearts setting to its seale and bearing witnesse to that truth from whence those solicitations would seduce them The Apostle foretold the Elders of Ephesus at his solemne departure from them that grievous wolves would enter in amongst them that some of themselves would arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them And the maine remedie which the Apostle gives them against this danger was I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up c. Noting that it is the Word of God which keepeth men from being drawne away with perverse disputes And the same intimation he gives them in his Epistle unto them Hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceive The more richly the word of God in the love and evidence thereof doth dwell in any man and enable him to prove all things the more stedfastly will he hold that which is good and stand immoveable against the sleights and solicitations of men Againe how easily would our owne evill hearts gather a rust and unaptnesse for service over themselves if they were not daily whet and brightned upon the Word of God That onely it is which scrapeth away that leprosie and mossinesse which our soules are apt to contract out of themselves A man may lose all that hee hath wrought all the benefit of what hee hath done already and all the strength to doe any more onely by not abiding in the Doctrine of Christ. Hee onely is no doer of the Word who looketh in it as a man on a glasse and presently forgetteth the image and state of his conscience againe it is onely hee that continueth therein who is a doer of the worke and blessed in his deed He that treasureth up the Gospell in his heart and laboureth to grow rich in the knowledge thereof can never be turned quite out of his way or become an Apostate from the grace of Christ. Lastly it is a glorious Gospell in regard of those noble and majesticall endowments with which it qualifieth the soule of a Christian for there is no nobility to that of the Gospell It giveth men the highest priviledge in the world to bee called the Sonnes of God to bee kings and priests before him to be a Royall priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people a nation of priests Nothing doth so honour a land as to bee the seate of the Gospell It was the honour of the Iewes that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Therefore the Arke is called the Glory of Israel and Christ the glory of Israel and the excellency of Iacob neither is there any thing else allowed a man to glory in save onely this that hee understandeth and knoweth the Lord in his word It putteth magnanimity into the breasts of men high thoughts regall affections publike desires and attempts a kinde of heavenly ambition to doe and to gaine the greatest good The maine ends of a Christian are all high and noble The favour of God the fellowship of the Father and the Son the Grace of Christ the peace of the Church his trafficke and negotiation is for heaven his language the Dialect of heaven his order a heavenly order innumerable companies of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect A holy man who hath the spirit of his minde raised and ennobled by the Gospell is an Agent in the same affaires and doth in his thoughts desires prayers emulations pursue the same high and heavenly ends for the advancement of the glory of Christ and demolishing the kingdome of Satan with the blessed Angels of God His desires looke no lower than a kingdome a weight of massie and most superlative exceeding glory That which other men make the utmost point even of their impudent and immodest hopes the secular favours and dignities of the world these put lowest under their feet but their wings the higher and more aspiring affections of their soule are directed onely unto heaven and heavenly things They no sooner are placed in the body of Christ but they have publike services some to preach some to defend all to pray to practise to adorne the profession they have under-taken For indeede every Christian hath his talent given him his service injoyn'd him The Gospell is a Depositum a publike Treasure committed to the keeping of every Christian each man having as it were a severall key of the Church a severall trust for the honour of this kingdome deliver'd unto him As in the solemne Coronation of the Prince every Peere of the Realme hath his station about the Throne and with the touch of his hand upon the roiall Crowne declareth the personall
awe of his person and prophesies So it is said That Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a just and a holy man and observed him to note that Holinesse maketh mens persons and presence dreadfull to the wicked by reason of that grace and majestie which God hath put into them The whole Councell of Scribes and Pharises they who afterwards gnashed on Stephen with their teeth were forc'd to acknowledge the majestie of holinesse shining upon him They stedfastly looked on him and saw his face as it had beene the face of an Angell The mighty power of the Gospell of Christ maketh unbeleevers fall on their faces and confesse of a truth that God is in those who preach it This wee finde verified in the poore astonished keeper of the prison into which Paul and Silas had been cast he sprang in and came trembling and fell downe before them and brought them forth and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirs which is an honourable appellation fit rather for Princes than for prisoners what must I doe to be saved It is true that naturally men hate Christ and his servants but this is not as a man hateth a Toade which hee can easily crush with a simple hatred but as a man hateth a Lion or as a Malefactor hateth his Judge or as a Theefe hateth the light with a compounded hatred mixed with a feare and dread of that majestie within them Which Majestie hath sometimes shined so brightly even under torments and persecutions that it hath forced from Heathen Emperours a desire of the Christians Prayers sometimes not astonished onely but converted the adversaries Lastly the Gospell bringeth liberty and joy into the hearts of men with it The liberty a Glorious liberty Rom. 8.21 and the joy a glorious joy 1 Pet. 1.8 therefore the Gospell is called a Gospell of great joy Luke 2.10 Liberty is so sacred a thing that indeed it belongs in the whole compasse of it onely to the Prince for though other men be free from servitude yet they are not free from subjection Now the Gospell giveth a plenary freedome to the consciences of men they may be commanded by their owne consciences but their consciences cannot be commanded by any but by Christ. The Sonne hath made them free from all others that he onely might be the Lord over them These are those noble effects of the majestie of the Gospell in the hearts of men and all so many severall evidences of that glorie which belongs unto it Now then to draw some inferences from this most usefull and excellent doctrine of the glory of the Gospell we learne from thence first what liberty and what sincerity the Ministers of Christ ought to use in the administration of this his Kingdome in the Word First What Libertie The Officers of a Prince who goe before him to prepare his way make bold to strike and to scatter those unruly throngs of men who presse too neere upon his sacred person We are the Messengers of Christ sent before-hand with his royall proclamation of peace to make roome in the hearts of men for him and to open their everlasting doores that this King of Glorie may enter in We may therefore boldly smite with the Rod of his mouth wee must cry aloud and not spare pull downe mountainous lusts subdue strong holds take unto us iron pillars and brasen wals and faces of flint to roote up to pull downe to batter and destroy not to teach onely but to command with all authority and to commend our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God This use the Apostle maketh of the Glorie of the Gospell seeing we have such Hope that is seeing in this glorious Gospell we have the dispensation of a blessed Hope unto men or the revelation of Christ who is unto us the Hope of Glorie or the assured confidence of doing excellent workes by the vertue of this so glorious a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We use great boldnesse or liberty of speech for why should he who bringeth unto men glad tidings of glorious things which offereth unto them the blessed Hope of Eternall life bee affraid or ashamed of his Office Though Rome were the seate and that emperour the first Dedicator of the persecutions of the Church yet even unto that place the Apostle was not ashamed to preach the Gospell of Christ because it was the Power of God unto Salvation There is no shame in being a Saviour And therefore it is both the honour and duty of the dispencers of the Gospell to speake boldly as they ought to speake and of the people to pray that that excellent Spirit might ever accompanie so glorious a message This was the prayer of the Primitive Saints for the Apostles of Christ Grant unto thy servants that with all Boldnesse they may speake thy Word And this duty lies upon us with an heavie necessitie For first wee are dispensers of all Gods counsell there must not be a Word which God hath commanded that we should refuse to make knowne unto the people for the things revealed are for them and their children Thus we finde when the Angell of the Lord brought forth the Apostles out of prison he gave them this command Goe stand and speake in the temple to the people all the words of this life and certainely some of these words will require boldnesse When wee lay the axe to the roote of the tree when wee how off mens very members when we snatch them like brands out of the fire when wee make them to see their owne faces in the Law of liberty the face of a guilty and therefore cursed conscience there will be neede of much boldnesse A Chirurgian who is to search an inveterate wound and to cut off a putrified member had not need to be faint-hearted or bring a trembling hand to so great a worke Secondly the severest message we are sent withall and which men are most unwilling to heare is for them expedient No newes could be so unwelcome to the Apostles as to heare of Christs departure Because I have said these things sorrow hath filled your hart neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away The first newes which we bring unto men is of Christs absence of their false conceits and presumptions of their being in him of the distance and unacquaintance which is betweene them of our feare of them and their condition and in all this we are not their enemies because we tell them the truth As it is our office to speake so it is the peoples duty and profit to heare all things which shall be told them of God for all Scripture as well that which reproveth and correcteth as that which teacheth and instructeth in righteousnesse is profitable and tends to the perfection of the Saints All his precepts concerning all things are right The contempt of one is virtually and
interpretatively in the constitution and preparation of heart the violation of all because they are all grounded upon the same divine authority and directed unto the same saving ends and therefore wee ought not to picke and choose either in the preaching or practising thereof Thirdly we are to answere for the bloud of the people if wee prevaricate if wee let their sinnes alone they will have a double edge to kill them and us both like the mutuall embracements of two in a river which is the meanes to drowne them both Speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismaied at their faces saith the Lord to his Prophet lest I confound thee before them If thou warne not the wicked from his wicked way that hee may live he shall dye in his wickednesse thy bashfulnesse shall doe him no good but his bloud will I require at thy hands Is it at all congruous that men should have boldnesse enough to declare their sinnes to speake them to proclaime them to weare them to glorie in them and that those officers who are sent for no other businesse but in the name and authority of Almighty God to fight against the corruptions of the world should in the meane time hang downe the head and be tongue-tied that men should have more boldnesse to destroy themselves and to doe Satans works than we to save them or to serve God Fourthly we are to speake in the person of Christ and in the vertue of his Spirit We must speake as the Oracles of God and with his words as if he himselfe did by us speake unto the people We must give manifestation of Christ speaking by us that men may be convinc'd that God is in us of a truth and that we are full of power by his spirit that his spirit setteth to his seale to authorize our commission and to countenance our ministery and therefore we must use judgement and might that is spirituall discretion and inflexible constancy against the sinnes of men for these two are contrary to the two grand props of Satans kingdome which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his craftinesse and his weapons of power for where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty his spirit will not be straightned neither will the Lord keepe silence hee that speaketh by the spirit of Christ must speake though not in equality which is impossible yet in some similitude and proportion as he spake that is as those that have Authority and power committed to them for the edification of the Church Lastly a partiall unsearching and unreproving Minister is one of Gods curses and scourges against a place the forerunner of a finall and fearefull visitation The dayes of visitation and recompence come saith the Lord. The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred If a man walking in the spirit and falshood that is professing the worke of a spirituall man and yet betraying his office or in a false and lying spirit prophesying of wine and strong drinke that is cherishing and encouraging sensuall livers in their pernitious courses he shall even be the prophet of this people And therefore when the Lord will punish with an extreme revenge the rebellion of a people against his Gospell who judge themselves unworthy of so great a salvation hee either removeth their Candlesticke and taketh it away from them or else sealeth up the mouth of his Prophets that they may bee dumbe and reprove them no longer and that they may not bee purged any more from their filthinesse or else infatuates their Prophets and suffereth Satan to seduce them and to be a lying Spirit in their mouthes that he may destroy them as wee see in the ruine of Ahab and in the captivity of Iudah Againe as the Ministers of the Gospell must use liberty so must they likewise use sinceritie in the dispensation thereof because it is a glorious Gospell This likewise is the Apostles inference for having spent a whole chapter in this one argument of the glory of the Gospell he presently concludeth Therefore seeing we have this ministery that is the dispensation of such a Gospell committed unto us wee faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonestie that is as I conceive the arts of dawbing and palliating and covering over uncleane courses with plausible reasonings and fleshly apologies which is the use of false prophets not walking in craftinesse that is not using humane sleights or cogging to carry men about with every wind of false doctrine as sinners are very willing to be deceived and love to have it as false prophets say it is nor handling the Word of God deceitfully that is falsifying and adulterating it with corrupt glosses and so tempering it to the palat of sinners that the working searching vertue thereof whereby of it selfe it is apt to purge out and wrestle with the lusts of men may be deaded and so it may well consist with the power of lusts still as Physitians use so to qualifie and allay poison by other correctives and crosse ingredients that it shall serve as an instrument to strengthen us not extinguish life or as immodest Poets may so tamper with the chast expressions of Virgil or Homer as by them both to notifie and in corrupt minds to kindle uncleane lustings but by manifestation of the truth that is by such spirituall and perspicuous demonstrations as under which there cannot subesse falsum there can no falsitie nor deceit lurke commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God that is working not the fancies or humours or fleshly conceits of men which alwayes take the part of sinne but their very consciences which alwayes is on Gods side to beare witnesse unto the truth which wee speake to receive it not as the wit or learning of a man but as the Word and wisdome of God to acknowledge the conviction the judicature the penetration thereof and so to fal down upon their faces and to glorifie God and report that he is in us of a truth and all this in the sight of God that is so handling the Word as that wee may please and approve our selves to his eye whose servants we are and whose worke wee doe This is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vncorruptnesse gravitie sinceritie soundnesse of doctrine such as the very adversaries themselves shall not be able to picke quarrels withall or to speake against we must not then make account to adorne the Gospell with our owne inventions or with superstructions of humane wit and fancie though these things may to fleshly reason seeme full of beautie yet indeed they are but like the mingling of glasse-beads with a chaine of diamonds or of lime with pure and generous wine they are indeed but
forgiven thee There is no worldly affliction goeth closer to the life of a man than sickenesse and yet as in the midst of laughter the heart of a wicked man is sorrowfull because it is still under the guilt of sinne so in the midst of paine and sorrow the heart of a godly man may be cheerefull because his sinnes are forgiven To conclude this point we may for our better encouragement in so necessary a dutie lay together these considerations First in point of honour we should learne to walke as becommeth the Gospell for the Gospell is a Christians Glorie and therefore ought to bee preserved in his heart as his chiefest priviledge The Spirit of God will not endure to have holy things profaned as if they were common or uncleane Belshazzer converted the consecrated vessels of the Temple into instruments of luxurie and intemperance but the Lord temper'd his wine with dregges and made them prove unto him as cups of trembling and astonishment Herod polluted the sepulchers of the Saints with a sacrilegious search of treasures presum'd to have beene there hidden and God made fire rise out of the earth to devoure the over-busie searchers Antiochus ransack'd the Temple of the Lord Heliodorus emptied the treasures of their consecrated monies Pompey defiled the Sabbath and the Sanctuarie Crassus robb'd the house of God of ten thousand talents But inquire into the event of these insolencies and we shall finde that true then of which latter ages have given many examples and are still likely to give more that stollen bread hath gravell in it to choake those that devoure it that ruine is ever the childe of sacrilege that mischiefe setteth a period to the lives and designes of prophane men Now then if the Lord were thus jealous for the types of his Gospell how thinke wee can he endure to see the Gospell it selfe dishonoured by an unsuteable profession or the bloud of the Covenant trampled under foot as if it were a common or uncleane thing In the contempt of the Gospell there is more dishonour done unto every person of the blessed Trinity than can be by any other sinne An undervaluing of the Fathers wisdome that great mysterie and counsell of redemption which was hidden from former ages and what an indignity is it unto him for a man to shut out the light of the sunne that so hee may enjoy that pittifull benefit of darkenesse to gaze upon the false glistering of rotten wood or of earthly slime the deceit wherof would bee by the true light discovered And undervaluing of his wonderfull love as if he had put himselfe unto a needlesse compassion and might have kept it still in his owne bosome A scorne unto the Sonne of God when wee suffer him to stand at our doores with his locks wet with the dew of heaven to put his finger into the hole of the locke as if he desired to steale an entrance upon the soule to emptie to humble to denie himselfe to suffer the wrongs of men and the wrath of God and after all this to have that pretious bloud which was squeezed out with such woefull agonies counted no other than the bloud of a common malefactor nor that sacred body which was thus broken discerned from the bodies of the theeves which were crucified with him An indignitie beyond all apprehension to the spirit of Grace when wee suffer him to waite daily at our Bethesda our houses of mercy and all in vaine to spend his sacred breath in the ministerie of reconciliation in doubling and redoubling his requests unto our soules that we would be contented to bee saved and we shall harden our hearts and stop our eares and set up the pride and stoutnesse of our owne reasonings till wee doe even wearie him and chide him away from us Now this is a certaine rule God will not lose any honour by mens sinnes if they refuse to give him the glory of his mercy he will shew the glory of his Power and justice in treading downe the proud enemies of Christ under his feet As they that honour him shall be honoured so they who cast any disgrace upon his truth and covenant shall be sure to meet with shame and dishonour at the last Secondly to avoid Scandall The Gospell is the light of a nation And sinnes in the light as they are committed with more impudence so likewise with more offence An offence or scandall tending unto sinne in misguiding the weake in heartening and confirming the obdurate in opening the mouthes of adversaries to revile our holy profession and a scandall tending unto sorrow in wounding the hearts of the godly and vexing their righteous spirits with a filthy conversation Thirdly wee should learne to walke as becommeth the Gospell even in respect to the state for the Gospell is the foundation of true peace and tranquility in a common-weale and those who shew forth the power thereof are as it were Lions about the Throne of their King By righteousnesse the Throne is established but sinne is a reproch unto any people One Ioseph in Egypt is a store-house to all the kingdome one Elisha an armie of chariots and of horsemen unto Israel one Moses a fence to keepe out an â—oundation of wrath which was breaking in upon the people one Paul an haven an anchor a deliverance to all that were in the ship with him And now Si stellae cadunt venti sequentur If the starres fall we must needes looke for tempests to ensue if the salt be infatuated we cannot looke that any thing should be long preserved If Christians live as if they had no Gospell or as if they had another Gospell what can wee expect but that God should either plague us or forsake us either send his judgements or curse his blessings Lastly the Gospell makes sinne more filthy if it doe not purge it as a taper in the hand of a Ghost makes him seeme more gastly than he was before Sweet ointment causeth ranke and strong bodies to smell worse than they did before So the sweet savour of the Gospell maketh the sinnes of men more noisome and odious in the nostrils of the Almightie And therefore wee see what a fearefull doome the Apostle pronounceth against those who having tasted of the good Spirit of God and been illightened and in some sort affected with his grace doe yet afterwardâ— fall away even an impossibilitie of repentance or renovation From which place perversly wrested though the Novatians of old did gather a desperate and uncomfortable conclusion that sinne committed after regeneration was absolutely unpardonable to avoide the danger of which damnable and damning doctrine some have boldly questioned both the Author and authenticalnesse of that Epistle yet all these inferences being denied wee learne from thence this plaine observation That precedent Illumination from the Gospell of Christ doth tend much to the aggravation of those sinnes which are committed against it And therefore in all
libertie and made himselfe a servant unto all to the Jew as a Jew to the Greeke as a Greeke to the weake as weake and all things to all that by all meanes he might save some and so further the Gospell One while he used Circumcision that he might thereby gaine the weake Jewes another while hee forbade Circumcision that he might not misguide the converted Gentiles nor give place by subjection unto false brethren Who is weake saith he and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not His care of mens soules made him take upon him every mans affection and accommodate himselfe unto every mans temper that hee might not offend the weake nor exasperate the mightie nor dis-hearten the beginner nor affright those which were without from comming in but be All unto All for their salvation The same love is due unto all but the same method of cure is not requisite for all With some Love travelleth in paine with others it rejoyceth in hope some it laboureth to edifie and others it fearâ—th to offend unto the weake it stoopeth unto the strong it raiseth it selfe to some it is compassionate to others severe to none an enemy to all a mother But all this it doth non mentiendo sed compatiendo not by belying the truth but by pitying the sinner It is not the wisedome of the flesh nor to bee learned of men The Scripture alone is able to make the man of God wise unto the worke of Salvation Thirdly with meeknesse for that is the childe of wisedome Who is a wise man saith Saint Iames let him shew out of a good conversation his workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with meeknesse of wisedome and againe the wisedome which is from above is pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie The Gospell is Christs Gospell and it must be preached with Christs spirit which was very meeke and lowly When the Disciples would have called for fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes for their indignitie done unto Christ hee rebuked them in a milde and compassionate manner Ye know not what spirit ye are of A right Evangelicall Spirit is ever a meeke and a mercifull Spirit If a man saith the Apostle be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meekenesse and againe In meekenesse saith the Apostle instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Lastly with faithfulnesse in as much as the Gospell is none of ours but Christs whose servants and stewards we are Christ was faithfull though hee were a Son over his owne house and therefore might in reason have assum'd the more liberty to doe his owne will much more doth it become us who are but his Officers to be faithfull too not to dissemble any thing which the estate and exigence of those soules committed to our charge shall require us to speake not to adde diminish or deviate from our commission preaching one Gospell in one place and another in another but to deliver onely the Counsell of God and to watch over the soules of men as they that must give an account Againe since the Gospell is Christs owne Power wee must all learne from thence two duties first to receive it as from him with the affections of subjects which have been bought by him that is first in hearing of the word to expect principally his voyce and to seeke him speaking from heaven This is the nature of Christs sheep to turne away their eares from the voyce of strangers and to heare him Two things principally there are which discover the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the word First it is a spirituall and heavenly doctrine full of purity righteousnesse and peace touching the soule with a kind of secret and magneticall vertue whereby the thoughts affections conscience and conversation are turned from their earthly center and drawne up unto him as Eagles to a carcasse Secondly it is a powerfull an edged a piercing doctrine If the word thou hearest speak unto thy conscience if it search thy hart if it discover thy lusts if it make thy spirit burne within thee if it cast thee upon thy face and convince and judge thee for thy transgressions if it bind up thy sores and clense away thy corruptions then it is certainly Christs word and then it must bee received with such affections as becommeth the word of Christ. First with Faith if we conferre with flesh and bloud we shall be apt ever to cavill against the truth For hee that rejecteth Christ doth never receive his word A fleshly heart cannot submit unto a heavenly Doctrine Christ and his Apostles did every where endure the contradiction of sinners But yet hee claimeth this honour over the consciences of men to over-rule their assents against all the mists and sophisticall reasonings of the flesh The Apostles themselves preached nothing but either by immediate commission from him or out of the Law and the Prophets But his usuall forme was Verily I say unto you noting that hee onely was unto the Church the Author and fountaine of all heavenly Doctrine that unto him onely belongeth that authoritative and infallible Spirit which can command the subscription and assent of the conscience that hee onely can say with boldnesse to the soule as hee did to the Samaritan woman Beleeve mee And that therefore no authority either of men or Churches either Episcopall Papall or Synodicall can without open sacrilege usurpe power to over-rule the faith of men or impose any immediate and Doctrinall necessity upon the conscience in any points which are not ultimately and distinctly resolv'd into the evident authority of Christ in his word S. Paul himselfe durst not assume Dominion over the faith of men nor S. Peter neither suffer any Elders amongst whom hee reckoneth himselfe as an Elder also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to over-rule or prescribe unto the heritage of God It is onely Christs word which the hearts of men must stoope and attend unto and which they must mingle with faith that it may bee profitable unto them that is they must let it into their hearts with this assurance that it is not the breath of a man but the message of Christ who is true in all his threatnings and faithfull in all his promises and pure in all his precepts that hee sendeth this ministerie abroad for the perfection of the Saints the edification of his Church and therefore if they bee not hereby cleansed and built up in his body they doe as much as in them lieth make void the holy ordinance of God which yet must never returne in vaine The word of God doth effectually worke onely in those that beleeve It worketh in hypocrites and wicked hearers according to the measure of that imperfect faith which they have but it worketh not
dispensation toward one and other the giving of saving knowledge to one people and with-holding it from others was not grounded upon any preceding differences and dispositions thereunto in the people but onely in the Love of God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to bee a speciall people unto himselfe above all people that are upon the face of the earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because yee were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you c. The Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse for you art a stiffe-necked people Your Fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood mold time and they served other gods There was no difference betweene them and the Gentiles from whom I gathered them Fiftly that the Gospell was hidden from others in God his owne will and counsell was the cause of it Hee forbad men to goe into the cities of the Gentiles neither were they to goe unto them without a speciall gift and commission The same Beneplacitum was the reason of revealing it to some and of hiding it from others Even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight If all these particulars bee true needs must we both admire the inscrutablenesse of Gods judgments towards the Gentiles of old for no humane presumptions are a fit measure of the wayes and severities of God towards sinners And also everlastingly adore his Compassions towards us whom hee hath reserved for these times of light and out of the alone unsearchable riches of his grace hath together with principalities and powers in heavenly places made us to see what is the fellowship of that great mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hidden in himselfe Thirdly in that the Lord doth send forth the Gospell of Christ out of Sion into the world wee may further observe that the Gospell is a Message and an invitation from heaven unto men For for that end was it sent that thereby men might bee invited and perswaded to salvation The Lord sendeth his Sonne up and down carrieth him from place to place he is set forth before mens eyes he comes and stands and calls knocks at their doores and beseecheth them to bee reconciled Hee setteth his word before us at our doores and in our mouths and eares He hath not erected any standing sanctuary or city of refuge for men to fly for their salvations unto but hath appointed Ambassadors to carry this treasure unto mens houses where hee inviteth them and intreateth them and requireth them and commandeth them and compelleth them to come into his feast of mercy And this must needs bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unsearchable riches of grace for mercy pardon preferment life salvation to goe a begging and sue for acceptance and very unsearchable likewise must needs bee the love of sinne and madnesse of folly in wicked men to trample upon such pearles and to neglect so great salvation when it is tendered unto them O what a heavy charge will it bee for men at the last day to have the mercy of God the humility of Christ the entreaties of his Spirit the proclamations of pardon the approches of salvation the dayes the years the ages of peace the ministers of the word the booke of God the great Mysterie of Godlinesse to rise up in judgement and to testifie against their soules Lastly in that the Gospell is sent from God the Dispencers thereof must looke unto their mission and not intrude upon so sacred a businesse before they are thereunto called by God Now this call is twofold Extraordinary by immediate instinct and revelation from God which is ever accompanied with immediate and infused gifts of this wee doe not now speake And Ordinary by imposition of hands and Ecclesiasticall designation Whereunto there are to concurre three things First an Act of Gods providence casting a man upon such a course of studies and fashioning his minde unto such affections towards learning and disposing of him in such Schooles and Colleges of the Prophets as are congruons preparations and were appointed for nurseries and seminaries of Gods Church It is true many things fall under Gods providence which are not within his allowance and therefore it is no sufficient argument to conclude Gods consent or commission in this office because his wisedome hath cast mee upon a collegiate education But when therewithall hee in whose hands the hearts of all men are as clay or wax to bee moulded into such shapes as the counsell of his will shall order hath bended the desires of my heart to serve him in his Church and hath set the strongest delight of my minde upon those kindes of learning which are unto that service most proper and conducent when measuring either the good will of my heart or the appliablenesse of my parts by this and other professions of learning I can cleerly conclude that that measure and proportion which the Lord hath given mee is more suteable unto this than other learned callings I suppose other qualifications herewith concurring a man may safely from thence conclude that God who will have every man live in some profitable calling doth not onely by his providence permit but by his secret direction lead him unto that service whereunto the measure of gifts which he hath conferred upon him are most suteable and proper And therefore secondly there is to bee respected in this Ordinary mission the meet qualification of the person who shall bee ordained unto this ministerie For if no Prince will send a mechanick from his loome or his sheers in an honorable Embassage to some other forraigne Prince shall wee thinke that the Lord will send forth stupid and unprepared instruments about so great a worke as the perfecting of the Saints and Edification of the Church It is registred for the perpetuall dishonor of that wicked King Ieroboam who made no other use of any Religion but as a secondary bye thing to bee the supplement of policie that he made of the Lowest of the People those who were really such as the Apostles were falsly esteemed to be the scumme and offscouring of men to bee Priests unto the Lord. Now the Qualities more directly and essentially belonging unto this office are these two Fidelitie and Abilitie The things saith the Apostle which thou hast heard of amongst many witnesses the same commit thou to Faithfull men who shall bee able to teach others also Wee are stewards of no meaner a gift than the Grace of God and the Wisedome of God that grace which by S. Peter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifold Grace and that wisedome which by S. Paul is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisedome of God Wee are the depositaries and dispencers of the most pretious treasures which were ever opened unto the
first workes lest so excellent a priviledge be removed from us There is no wrath that is wrath to the uttermost but that which depriveth a people of the Gospell and taketh away their Candlesticke from them Thirdly it notes unto us the difference of the two covenants the one out of Sinai and the other out of Sion At first the Law proceeded out of Sinai wherein though the end were merciful yet the manner was terrible and therfore the effect nothing but bondage but after it was sent out of Sion with the Spirit of grace and adoption observed with cheerefulnesse and libertie as by those that know God will spare them as a man spareth his childe that serveth him for in my bond-slave I looke to the perfection of the worke but in my son to the affection and disposition of the heart Lastly it notes unto us that the seat of saving truth the custodie of the promises and Gospell of salvation doth still belong unto Sion to the Church of God Out of the Church there is no Gospell and therefore out of the Church there is no salvation The Apostle saith of children which are borne out of the Church that they are uncleane unto the Church above all congregations of men belongeth this excellent priviledge to be the Treasurer of the riches of Christ and to hold forth the Word of life unto men In which sense the Apostle saith that it is the pillar and the ground of truth not that which giveth being to the Church for the Law must not faile nor perish nor that which giveth authoritie imposeth a sense canonizeth and maketh authenticall is a judge or absolute determiner of the truth for in that sense the Church is held up by the Word and not that by it for the Church is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles namely upon that fundamentall doctrine which they have laid But the Church is the depositary of the truth that orbe out of which this glorious light shines forth unto it appertaines the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Her office and her honour it is to be the Candlesticke which holdeth up the Word of truth to set to her seale unto the evidence and excellencie thereof by her ministery authority consent and countenance to conciliate respect thereunto in the mindes of aliens and to confirme it in the mindes of beleevers to fasten the nailes and points thereof like masters of the assemblies under one principall Shepherd which is Christ in the hearts of men not to dishonour it by their usurped authority above it for by that meanes all controversies of religions are turned not into contentions of doctrine that that may be rested in which doth appeare to have in it most intrinsecall majestie spiritualnesse and evidence but into factions and emulations of men that that sect may bee rested in who can with most impudence and ostentation arrogate an usurped authority to themselves but by their willing submission thereunto to credit it in the affections of men and to establish others in the love and obedience thereunto for the authoritie of the Church is not Autoritas jurisdictionis an authority of jurisdiction above the Scriptures but onely Autoritas muneris an authoritie of dispensation and of trust to proclaime exhibite present the truth of God unto the people to point to the starre which is directed unto by the finger but is seene by the evidence of its owne light To hold forth as a pasquill or pillar that Law and Proclamation of Christ the contents whereof we discover out of it selfe In one word that place sheweth the duty of the Church to preserve knowledge and to shew forth the truth of sacred Scriptures out of themselves but not any infallibilitie in it selfe or authority over others to binde their consciences to assent unto such expositions of Scripture as derive not their evidence from the harmonie and analogie of the Scriptures themselves but only from Ipse dixit because the Church hath spoken it To conclude this point we are to note for the cleere understanding of the office of the Church concerning the holy Scriptures First that some things therein are Hard to be understood as Saint Peter speakes either by reason of their allegoricall and figurative expressions as the visions of Ezekiel Daniel Zechary c. or by reason of the obscure and strange connexion of one part with another or of the dependance thereof upon forren learning or the like but then we must note that the knowledge of such things as these are not of absolute necessitie unto salvation for though the perverting of hard places be damnable as Saint Peter telleth us yet that ignorance of them which groweth out of their owne obscurity and not out of our neglect is not damnable Secondly some things have evidence enough in the termes that expresse them but yet are Hard to be beleeved by reason of the supernaturall quality of them As when we say that Christ was the Sonne of a Virgin or that he died and rose againe there is no difficultie in the sense of these things it is easily understood what he that affirmeth them doth meane by them All the difficultie is to bring the minde to give assent unto them Thirdly some things though easie in their sense to be understood and it may be easie likewise in their nature to be beleeved are yet Hard to be obeyed and practised as repentance and forsaking of sinne c. Now according unto these differences wee may conceive of the office and power which the Church hath in matters of holy Scripture First for hard places in regard of the sense and meaning of the place it is the dutie of the Church to open them to Gods people with modestie and moderation and therein God alloweth the learned a Christian libertie with submission of their opinions alwayes to the spirits of the Prophets so long as they doe therein nothing contrary to the Analogie of faith to the generall peace and unity of the Church to the rules of charitie pietie loyaltie and sobrietie to abound in their owne sense and to declare for the further edifying of the Church what they conceive to be in such difficult places principally intended And further than this no Church nor person can goe for if unto any man or chaire there were annexed an infallible spirit enabling him to give such a cleere and indubitate exposition of all holy Scriptures as should leave no inevidence in the Text nor hesitancie in the mindes of men how comes it to passe that hitherto so many difficulties remaine wherein even our Adversaries amongst themselves doe give severall conjectures and explications and how can that man to whom so excellent a gift of infallibilitie is bestowed cleere himselfe of envie and abuse of the grace of God who maketh not use thereof to expound the Scriptures
peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever VERSE 3. Thy people shall be willing in the Day of thy Power in the Beauties of Holinesse from the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth THe Prophet before shewed the Raigne of Christ over his enemies hee now speaketh of his Raigne over his people and describeth what manner of subjects or souldiers Christ should have I will not trouble you with varietie of expositions occasioned by the many Metaphors and different translations but give in a few words those which I conceive to be most literall and pertinent to the place Thy people that is those whom thou dost receive from thy Father and by setting up the standard and Ensigne of thy Gospell gather to thy selfe Shall be willing the word is willingnesses that is a people of great Willingnesse and Devotion or as the originall word is elsewhere used Psal. 119.108 shall bee free will offerings unto thee The Abstract being put for the Concrete and the plurall for the singular notes how exceeding forward and free they should be as the Lord to signifie that his people were most rebellious saith that they were Rebellion it selfe Ezek. 2.8 So then the meaning is Thy people shall with most readie and forward cheerefulnesse devote consecrate and render up themselves to thy governement as a reasonable sacrifice shall bee of a most liberall free noble and unconstrained spirit in thy service they shall bee Voluntaries in the warres of thy Kingdome In the Day of Thy Power or Of thine Armies by these words wee may understand two things both of them aiming at the same generall sense First so as that Armies shall bee the same with Thy people before In the Day when thou shalt assemble thy Souldiers together when thou shalt set up thine Ensignes for them to seeke unto that is when thou shalt cause the preaching of thy Gospell to sound like a Trumpet that men may prepare themselves in armies to fight thy battels then shall all thy people with great devotion and willingnesse gather themselves together under thy Colours and freely devote themselves to thy militarie service Secondly so as that by Power or Armies may bee meant the Meanes whereby this free and willing Devotion in Christs people is wrought that is when thou shalt send foorth the Rod of thy strength when thou shalt command thy Apostles and Ministers to goe forth and fight against the kingdomes of Sinne and Satan when thou shalt in the dispensation of thine Ordinances reveale thy Power and spirituall strength unto their Consciences then shall they most willingly relinquish their former service and wholly devote themselves unto thee to fight under thy banners and to take thy part against all thine enemies In the Beauties of Holinesse This likewise wee may severally understand Either in thy Holy Church Which may well so bee called with allusion to the Temple at Ierusalem which is called The Beauty of Holinesse Psal. 29.2 and a Holy and Beautifull house Esai 64.11 and a glorious high throne Ier. 17.12 And hither did the tribes resort in troopes as it were in armies to present their free will offerings and celebrate the other services of the Lord. Or else wee may understand it Causally thus In the Day of thy Power that is when thou shalt reveale thy strength and Spirit and in the Beauties of Holinesse that is when thou shalt reveale how exceeding beautifull and full of lovelinesse thy Holy wayes and services are then shall thy people bee perswaded with all free and willing devotion of heart to undertake them Or lastly thus as the Priests who offered sacrifices to the Lord were cloathed with Holy and Beautifull garments Exod. 28.2.40 or as those who in admiration of some noble Prince voluntarily follow the service of his warres doe set themselves forth in the most complete furniture and richest attire as is fit to give notice of the noblenesse of their mindes for beautifull armor was want to bee esteemed the honor of an armie So they who willingly devote themselves unto Christ to bee Souldiers and Sacrifices unto him are not onely armed with strength but adorned with such inward graces as make them Beautifull as Tirza comely as Ierusalem faire as the Moone cleâ—re as the Sunne and terrible as an armie with banners All which three Explications meete in one generall which is principally intended that Holinesse hath all beauties in it and is that onely which maketh a man lovely in the Eyes of Christ. From the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth There is a middle point after those words The Wombe of the Morning which may seeme to disjoine the clauses make those words referre wholly to the preceding In which relation there might bee a double sense conceived in them Either thus In the Beauties of Holinesse or in Holinesse very beautifull more than the Aurora or wombe of the morning when shee is ready to bring forth the Sunne And then it is a notable metaphor to expresse the glorious beautie of Gods wayes Or thus thy people shall bee a willing people from the very wombe of the morning that is from the very first forming of Christ in them and shining forth upon them they shall rise out of their former nakednesse and security and shall adorne themselves with the beautifull graces of Christs Spirit as with cloathing of wrought gold and rayment of needle-worke and shall with gladnesse and rejoycing with much devotion and willingnesse of heart bee brought unto the King and present themselves before him as Voluntaries in his service But because the learned conceive that the middle point is onely a distinction for convenient reading not a disjunction of the sense I shall therefore rest in a more received exposition Thy Children shall bee borne in great abundance unto thee by the seed of thy word in the wombe of the Church as soone as the morning or sunne of righteousnesse shall shine forth upon it As the dew is borne out of the coole morning aire as out of a wombe distilling down in innumerable drops upon the earth so thine elect shall bee borne unto thee by the preaching of thy word and first approach of thy heavenly light in innumerable armies And this explication is very suteable to the harmonie of Holy Scripture which useth the same metaphors to the same purpose in other places The Remnant of Iacob saith the Prophet shall bee in the middest of many people as a dew from the Lord. And Christ is called the Bright-morning-starre and the Day-spring and the Sunne of Righteousnesse and time of the Gospell is called the time of Day or the approach of Day So that from the wombe of the morning is from the heavenly light of the Gospell which is the wing or beame wherby the Sunne of Righteousnesse revealeth himselfe and breaketh out upon the world as the rising Sunne which rejoyceth like a Giant to runne
according to the rules and courses and sinfull maximes of worldly men in such indifferency compliancie and connivence as may flatter others and delude himselfe he that is freely and customarily over-rul'd by the temptations of Satan that yeeldeth to loosnesse of heart to vanity of thoughts lusts of eye pride of life luxury intemperance impurity of minde or body or any other earthly and inordinate affection is little better in the sight of God than a perjured a runnagate person flinging off from that service unto which hee had bound himselfe by a solemne vow and robbing Christ of that interest in him which by a mutuall stipulation was agreed upon Lastly by the vertue of our communion with him and participation of his grace and fulnesse All that wee are in regard of Spirit and life is from him Wee are nothing of our selves And wee can doe nothing of our selves All that wee are is from the grace of Christ. By the grace of God I am what I am And all that wee doe is from the grace of Christ I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee As when we doe evill it is not wee our selves but sinne that dwelleth in us So when wee doe good it is not wee but Christ that liveth in us So that in all respects wee are not our owne but his that died for us Now this being a point of so great consequence needfull it is that wee labor therein to try secure our selves that wee belong unto Christ. For which purpose wee must note that a man may belong unto Christ two manner of wayes First by a meere Externall profession So all in the visible Church that call themselves Christians are his and his word and oracles theirs In which respect they have many priviledges as the Apostle sheweth of the Iewes Yet notwithstanding such men continuing unreformed in their inner man are neerer unto cursing than others and subject unto a sorer condemnation for despising Christ in his word and Spirit with whom in their Baptisme they made so solemne a covenant For God will not suffer his Gospell to be cast away but will cause it to prosper unto some end or other either to save those that beleeve or to cumulate the damnation of those that disobey it Hee will be more carefull to cleanse his garner and to purge his floore than of other empty and barren places A weed in the garden is in more danger of rooting out than in the open field Such belong unto Christ no otherwise than Ivy to the tree unto which it externally adheres Secondly a man may belong unto Christ by Implantation into his Body Which is done by faith But here wee are to note that as some branches in a tree have a more faint and unprofitable fellowship with the roote than others as having no further strength than to furnish themselves with leaves but not with fruit so according unto the severall vertues or kindes of faith may the degrees of mens in grafture into Christ bee judged of There is a dead unoperative faith which like Adam after his fall hath the nakednesse thereof covered onely with leaves with meere formall hypocriticall conformities And there is an unfained lively and effectuall faith which is availeable to those purposes for which faith was appointed namely to justifie the person to purifie the heart to quench temptations to carry a man with wisedome and an unblameable conversation through this present world to worke by love to grow and make a man abound in the service of the Lord. And this distinction our Savior giveth us That there are some branches in him which beare not fruit and those he taketh away And others which beare fruit and those hee purgeth that they may bring forth more Those onely are the branches which hee desires to owne And thus to belong unto Christ is that onely which maketh us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purchased a peculiar people unto him And there are severall wayes of evidencing it I will onely name two or three and most in the Text. First wee must know that Christ is a Morning-starre a Sunne of Righteousnesse and so ever comes to the soule with selfe-evidencing properties Vnto him belongeth that royall prerogative to write Teste Meipso in the hearts of men to bee himselfe the witnesse to his owne Acts purchases and covenants Therefore his Spirit came in tongues of fire and in a mighty winde all which have severall wayes of manifesting themselves and stand not in need of any borrowed or forraigne confirmations If Christ then bee in the heart hee will discover himselfe His Spirit is the Originall of Grace and strength as concupiscence is of sinne It is a seed in the heart which will spring up and shew it selfe And therefore as lust doth take the first advantage of the faint and imperfect stirrings of the reasonable soule in little infants to evidence it selfe in pride folly stubbornesse and other childish sinnes So the Spirit of grace in the heart cannot lie dead but will worke and move and as a Spirit of burning by the light heate purging comforting inflaming combating vertue which is in it make the soule which was barren and settled on the lees and unacquainted with any such motions before stand amazed at its owne alteration and say with Rebekah If it bee so why am I thus Externals may bee imitated by art but no man can paint the soule or the life or the sense and motion of creature Now Christ and his Spirit are the internall formes and active principles in a Christian man Christ liveth in us when Christ who is our Life shall appeare c. Therefore impossible it is that any hypocrite should counterfeite and by consequence obscure those intimate and vitall workings of his grace in the soule whereby hee evidenceth himselfe thereunto It is true a man that feareth the Lord may walke in darknesse and be in such discomforts as he shall see no light and yet even in that condition Christ doth not want properties to evidence himselfe in tendernesse of conscience feare of sinne striving of Spirit with God closenesse of heart and constant recourse to him in his word and the like onely the soule is shut up and overclowded that it cannot discerne him The Spirit of Christ is a Seale a witnesse an earnest an hansell a first fruit of that fulnesse which is promised hereafter It is Christs owne Spirit and therefore fashioneth the hearts of those in whom it is unto his heavenly image to long for more comprehension of him for more conformity unto him for more intimacie and communion with him for more grace wisedome and strength from him it turneth the bent and course of the soule from that earthly and sensuall end unto which it wrought before as a good branch having been ingrafted into a wild stock converteth the sappe of a Crab
into pleasant fruit Againe if a man be one of Christs people then there hath a day of power passed over him the sword of the Spirit hath entred into him hee hath beene conquered by the rod of Christs strength he hath felt Iohns axe laid to the root of his conscience and hath beene perswaded by the terrour of the Lord for the comming of Christ is with shaking the conscience hath felt a mightie operation in the Word though to other men it hath passed over like emptie breath for the Word worketh effectually in those that beleeve and bringeth about the purposes for which it was sent To those that are called it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.22 Againe where Christ comes he comes with beautie and holinesse those who lay in their bloud and pollutions before bare naked are made exceeding beautifull and renowned for their beauty perfect through the comelines which he puts upon them He comes unto the soule with beauty and pretious oile and garments of praise that is with comfort joy peace healing to present the Church a Holy Church without spot or wrinckle to his Father Lastly where Christ commeth he commeth with a wombe of the morning with much light to acquaint the soule with his truth and promises and with much fruitfulnesse making the heart which was barren before to flow with rivers of living water to bring forth fruit more and more and to abound in the workes of the Lord. These are the particular evidences of our belonging to Christ in the Text and by these we must examine our selves Doe I finde in my soule the new name of the Lord Iesus written that I am not onely in title but in truth a Christian Doe I finde the secret nature and figure of Christ fashioned in mee swaying mine heart to the love and obedience of his holy wayes Doe I heare the voice and feele the hand and judicature of his blessed Spirit within me leading me in a new course ordering mine inner man sentencing and crucifying mine earthly members Am I a serious and earnest enemie to my originall lusts and closest corruptions Doe I feele the workings and kindlings of them in mine heart with much paine and mourning with much humiliation for them and deprecation against them Is Christ my center Doe I finde in mine heart a willingnesse to be with him as well here in his word wayes promises directions comforts yea in his reproches and persecutions as hereafter in his glory Is it the greatest businesse of my life to make my selfe more like him to walke as he also walked to be as he was in this world to purifie my selfe even as he is pure Hath the terrour of his wrath perswaded me and shaken my conscience out of its carnall securitie and made me looke about for a refuge from the wrath to come and esteeme more beautifull than the morning brightnesse the feet of those who bring glad tidings of deliverance and peace Hath his Gospell an effectual seminall vertue within me to new forme my nature and life daily unto his heavenly Image Is it an ingrafted word which mingleth with my conscience and hideth it selfe in my heart actuating determining moderating and over-ruling it to its owne way Am I cleansed from my filthinesse carefull to keepe my selfe chaste comely beautifull a fit spouse for the fairest of ten thousand Doe I rejoyce in his light walking as a childe of light living as an heire of light going on like the Sunne unto the perfect day labouring to abound alwayes in the work of the Lord Then I may have good assurance that I belong unto Christ. And if so that will be a seminary of much comfort to my soule For first if we are Christs then he careth for us for propriety is the ground of care Hee that is an hireling saith our Saviour and not the shepherd whose owne the sheepe are not seeth the wolfe comming and leaveth the sheepe c. Because hee is an hireling he careth not for the sheepe But I am the good Shepherd and know my sheepe and am knowne of mine because they are mine therefore I am carefull of them He watcheth over us he searcheth and seeketh us out in our stragglings and feedeth us This is the principall argument we have to beleeve that God will looke upon us for good notwithstanding our manifold provocations because he is pleased to owne us and to take us as his owne peculiar people Though the Church be full of ruines yet because it is his own house he will repaire it though it be blacke aswell as comely yet because it is his owne Spouse he will pitie and cherish it though it bring forth wilde grapes and bee indeed meet for no worke yet because it is his owne vine planted by his owne right hand and made strong for himselfe he will therefore be carefull to fence and prune it This is the onely argument we have to prevaile with God in prayer that in Christ we call him Father wee present our selves before him as his owne we make mention of no other Lord or name over us and therefore he cannot deny us the things which are good for us Secondly if wee are Christs then hee will certainely purge us and make the members suteable to the head I sware unto thee and entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine and immediately it followes then washed I thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy bloud from thee Every branch in â—e that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit He purifieth to himselfe a peculiar people If wee be his peculiar people and set apart for himselfe as the Prophet David speakes he will undoubtedly purifie us that we may be honourable vessels sanctified and meet for the Mâ—sters use and prepared unto every good worke He will furnish us with all such supplies of the spirit of grace as the condition of that place in his body requires in the which he hath set us Grace and glory will he give and no good thing will he withhold from those who walke uprightly our proprietie to Christ giveth us right unto all good things All is yours and you are Christs Thirdly if we are Christs then he will spare us This was the argument which the Priest was to use betweene the Porch and the Altar Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproch Then will the Lord be jealous for his Land and pitie his people They shall be mine saith the Lord in the day that I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him Of my servant to whom I give wages for the merit of his worke not out of love or grace I expect a service proportionable to the pay hee receives But in my childe I reward not the dignity
by Satanicall injections and immutations to be the forge of loose vaine unprofitable and uncleane thoughts The understanding to earthly wisdome vanity infidelity prejudices misperswasions fleshly reasonings vaine speculations and curiosities c. The will to stiffenesse resistance dislike of holy things and pursuite of the world The conscience to deadnesse immobilitie and a stupid benummednesse to slavish terrours and evidences of hell to superstitious bondage to carnall securitie to desperate conclusions The affections to independence distraction excesse precipitancie c. In temporall conditions there is no estate of health wealth peace honor estimation or the contraries unto these no relation of husband father magistrate subject c. unto which Satan hath not such suteable suggestions as by the advantage of fleshly corruptions may take from them occasion to draw a man from God Lastly in regard of our actions and imployments whether they be Divine such as respect God as acts of pietie in reading hearing meditating and studying his Word in calling upon his name and the like or such as respect our selves as acts of temperance and sobriety personall examinations and more particular acquaintance with our owne hearts or such as respect others as acts of righteousnesse charity and edification Or whether they be actions naturall such as are requisite to the preservation of our being as sleepe and diet or actions civill in our callings or recreations in all these Satan laboureth either to pervert us in the performance of them or to divert us from it There is then no condition facultie relation or action of a Christian man the which is not alwayes under the eye and envy of a most raging wise and industrious enemie And therefore great reason there is that Christians should be Military men well instructed in the whole armour of God that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill and to quench all his firy darts It is our calling to wrestle against principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses in high places to resist the devill to strive against sinne to mortifie earthly members to destroy the body of sinne to denie our selves to contradict the reasonings of the flesh to checke and controule the stirrings of concupiscence to resist and subdue the desires of our evill hearts to withstand and answere the assaults of Satan to out-face the scornes and despise the flatteries of the present world in all things to endure hardnesse as the souldiers of Iesus Christ. Our cause is righteous our captaine is wise and puissant our service honourable our victory certaine our reward massie and eternall so that in all respects great encouragements we have to be voluntaries in such warre the issue whereof is our enemies perdition our Masters honour and our owne Salvation The third thing observed was the through and universall Resignation and devotednesse of Christs people unto him Thy people shall be willing or a people of great devotion in the day of thy Power From whence I shall gather two observations First They that belong unto Christ as his people are most throughly and willingly subject unto his government doe consecrate resigne and yeeld up their whole soules and bodies to serve in his warres against all his enemies For the distinct understanding of which point we are to observe first that by nature wee are utterly unwilling to be subject unto Christ. The carnall minde is enmitie against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can bee For if Christ be over us the body of sinne must dye it once crucified him and he will be reveng'd upon it By nature wee are willingly subject unto no Law but the Law of our members nor to no will but the will of the flesh full of contumacie rebellion and stoutnesse of spirit against the truth and beauty of the word or wayes of God The Love of corrupted nature is wholly set upon our owne wayes as an untamed heifer or a wilde asse men wander and goe about and wearie themselves in their full compasse and swinge of lust and will not be turned And therefore it is that they bid God depart from them and desire not the knowledge of his wayes that they leave the paths of uprightnesse that having crooked hearts of their owne they labour likewise to pervert and make crooked the Gospell of Christ that they may from thence steale countenance to their sinnes contrary to that holy affection of David Make my way strait before me that they snuffe and rage and pull away the shoulder and fall backward and thrust away God from them And hence it is that men are so apt to cavill and foolishly to charge the wayes of God first as grievous wayes too full of austerity narrownesse and restraint I knew that thou wert an austere man and this is an hard saying who can beare it The land is not able to beare all his words There is a Lion in the way a certaine damage and unavoidable mischiefe will follow me if I keepe in it Thus as Israel when they heard of Giants and sonnes of Anak had no heart to Canaan but cried and whined and rebelled and mutined and in their heart turned back into Egypt that is had more will to their owne bondage than to Gods Promise so when a naturall man heares of walking in a narrow way with much exactnesse and circumspection that come what baite of preferment pleasure profit or advantage will yet hee must not turne to the right hand or to the left nor commit the least evill for the greatest good that as the people in the wildernesse were to goe onely where the cloud and pillar of Gods presence led them though hee carried them through giants terrours and temptations so a Christian must resolve to follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth He then turneth backe to his iniquities and refuseth to heare the words of the Lord. Secondly as unprofitable wayes for who will shew us any good is the onely language of carnall men What can the Almighty doe for us say the wicked in Iob It is in vaine to serve God what profit have we that we have kept his ordinances c If we must take our conscience along in all the businesses of our life there will be no living in the world notwithstanding the Lord saith that his words doe good to those that walke uprightly that godlinesse hath the Promises even of this life that God will honour those that honor him Thirdly as unequall and unreasonable wayes as a strange a mad and a foolish strictnesse rather the meteor of a speculative braine than a thing of any reall existence rather votum than veritas a wish or figment than a solid truth And from such prejudices as these men grow to wrestle with the Spirit of Christ to withstand his motions to quench his suggestions
and shame of sinne and the first fruits of that eternall vengeance which is thereunto due not onely set forth Christ before them as a rock of redemption reaching out a hand to save and offering great and pretious promises of an exceeding eternall abundant weight of glory but besides all this doth inwardly touch the heart by the finger of his Spirit framing it to a spirituall and divine conformity unto Christ. How can the soule of such a man in these present extremities of horror which yet are but the pledges of infinite more which must ensue and in the evidence of so wonderfull and sweete promises the seales of the eternall favor and fellowship of God choose but with much importunity of affection to lay hold on so great a hope which is set before it and with all readinesse and ambition of so high a service yeild up it selfe into the hands of so gracious a Lord to bee by him ordered and over-ruled unto any obedience Secondly this willingnesse of Christs People is wrought by a spirituall illumination of minde And therefore the Conversion of sinners is called a Conviction because it is ever wrought in us Secundum modum judicii as wee are reasonable and intelligent creatures I take it under favor and submission to better judgements for a firme truth that if the minde of a man were once throughly and in a spirituall manner as it becommeth such objects as are altogether spirituall possessed of the adequate goodnesse and truth which is in grace and glory the heart could not utterly reject them for humane liberty is not a brutish but a reasonable thing it consisteth not in contumacie or headstrongnesse but in such a manner of working as is apt to bee regulated varied or suspended by the dictates of right reason The onely cause why men are not willing to submit unto Christ is because they are not throughly and in a manner suteable to the spirituall excellency of the things illightned in their minde The Apostle often maketh mention of fulfilling and making full proofe of our ministery and of preaching the Gospell fully namely with the evidence of the Spirit and of power and with such a manifestation of the truth as doth commend it selfe unto the conscience of a man The Word of God saith the Apostle is not yea and nay that is a thing which may bee admitted or denied at pleasure but such a word as hath no inevidence in it selfe nor leaveth any uncertainty or hesitancie in a minde sitted to receive it And as wee may thus distinguish of preaching that there is an imperfect and a full preaching so may wee distinguish of understanding the things preached in some it is full and in others but superficiall for there is a Twofold illumination of the minde the one Theoreticall and meerly Notionall consisting in knowledge the other Practicall Experimentall and spirituall consisting in the irradiation of the soule by the light of Gods countenance in such an apprehension of the truth as maketh the heart to burne therby when we know things as wee ought to know them that is when the manner and life of our knowledge is answerable to the nature and excellencie of the things knowne when the eye is spiritually opened to beleeve and seriously conclude that the things spoken are of most pretious and everlasting consequence to the soule as things that concerne our peace with God This is the Learning of Christ the teaching of the Father the knowing of things which passe knowledge the setting to the seale of our owne hearts that God is true the evidence of spirituall things not to the braine but to the conscience In one word this is that which the Apostle calleth a spirituall Demonstration And surely in this case the heart is never over-ruled contrary to the full spirituall and infallible evidence of divine truths unto a practicall judgement Therefore the Apostle saith that Eve being Deceived was in the transgression and there is frequent mention made of the deceitfulnesse of sinne to note that sinne got into the world by error â—nd seduction For certainly the will is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rationall Appetite and therefore as I conceive doth not stirre from such a good as is fully and spiritually represented thereunto as the most universall adequate and unquestionable object of the desires and capacities of a humane soule for the freedome and willing consent of the heart is not lawlesse or without rules to moderate it but it is therefore said to bee free because whether out of a true judgement it move one way or out of a false another yet in both it moveth naturally secundum modum sibi competentem in a manner suteable to its owne condition If it bee objected that the heart being unregenerate is utterly averse unto any good and therefore is not likely to bee made willing by the illumination of the minde To this I answere that it is true the will must not onely bee movâ—d but also renewed and changed before it can yeeld to Christ. But withall that God doth never so fully and spiritually convince the judgement in that manner of which I have spoken without a speciall worke of grace thereupon opening the eye and removing all naturall ignorance prejudice hesitancie inadvertency misperswasion or any other distemper of the minde which might hinder the evidence of spirituall truth By which meanes hee also frameth and fashioneth the will to accept embrace and love those good things of which the minde is thus prepossessed Thirdly this willingnesse of Christs people is wrought by the Communion and adspiration of the spirit of Grace which is a free spirit a spirit of love and a spirit of liberty a spirit which is in every faculty of man as the soule and principle of its Christianity or heavenly being and working And therefore it makes every faculty secundum modum sibi proprium to worke unto spirituall ends and objects As the soule in the eye causeth that to see and in the eare to heare and in the tongue to speake so the spirit of Grace in the minde causeth it rightly to understand and in the will causeth it freely to desire heavenly things and in every facultie causeth it to move towards Christ in such a way and maner of working as is suteable to its nature Fourthly this willingnesse of Christs people ariseth from the apprehension of Gods deare love bowels of mercy and riches of most unsearchable grace revealed in the face of Iesus Christ to every broken and penitent spirit Love is naturally when it is once apprehended an Attractive of love And therefore it is that the Apostle saith Faith worketh by love that is By faith first the heart is perswaded and affected with Gods Love unto us in Christ. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2.20 Eph. 3.17 18. Being thus perswaded of his love to us the heart is framed
to love him againe for who can be perswaded of so great a benefit as the remission of sinnes and not be most deeply inflamed with the love of him by whom they are remitted 1 Ioh. 4.19 Luk. 7.47 and lastly by this reciprocall love of the heart to Christ faith becommeth effectuall to worke obedience and conformitie to his will Love is the fulfilling of the Law he that loves God would with all joyfulnesse fulfill every jot of Gods Law if it were possible This is the love of God saith the Apostle that we keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous True love overcomes all difficulties is not apt to pretend occasions for neglecting any service of God nor to conceive any prejudices against it but puts an edge and alacritie upon the spirit of a man he can no more be said to love Christ who doth not willingly undergoe his yoke than that woman to love her husband who is ever griev'd at his presence and delighteth more in the societie of strangers Fifthly this willingnesse of Christs people ariseth from the beauty and pretiousnesse of those ample Promises which by the love of Christ are made unto us It is said of Moses that he did chuse and that is the greatest act of willingnesse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and the ground of this willingnesse was he had a respect unto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.25 26. so Christ endured the Crosse and despised the shame that is the shame which would much have stagger'd and disheartened an unresolved man was no prejudice or discouragement unto him to abate any of his most willing obedience and the motive was for the joy that was set before him Heb. 12.2 And Saint Paul professeth of himselfe that he pressed forward hee was not onely willing but importunate and contentious to put forth all his spirits and like riders in a race to rouse up himselfe in a holy fervour and emulation and all this was for the Price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus which was as it were before his face in the Promises thereof Phil. 3.14 so the Apostle assureth us That a Christians Hope to be like unto Christ hereafter will cause him to purifie himselfe even as hee is pure 1 Ioh. 3.3 when a man shall sit downe and recount with David what God hath done for him already Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto And what God hath further promised to doe for him more Thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come Of a childe of wrath thou hast called mee to an inheritance of the Saints in light and into the fellowship of more glory than can be shadowed forth by all the lights of heaven though every Star were turned into a Sunne I say when the soule shall thus recount the goodnesse of God how can it but bee wonderfully enlarged with thoughts of thankfulnesse and grieved at the slow and narrow abilities of the other parts to answer the urgent and wide desires of a willing soule Sixthly this willingnesse of Christs people ariseth from the experience of that peace comfort life liberty triumph and securitie which accompanieth the Spirit and the service of Christ. Nothing makes a man more fearefull of warres than the dangers and hazards which are incident thereunto But if a man can serve under such a Prince whose imployments are not onely honourable but safe if he who is able and faithfull to make good his words promise us that none either of the stratagems or forces of the enemie shall doe us hurt but that they shall flie before us while wee resist them who would not be a Voluntary in such services as are not liable to the casualties and vicissitudes which usually attend other warres wherein he might fight with safetie and come off with honour David had experience of Gods power in delivering him from the Lion and the Beare and was well assured that that God who was carefull of sheepe would be more pitiful to his people Israel and that made him with much willingnesse ready to encounter Goliah whose assurance was onely in himselfe and not in God When a man shall consider what God might have done with him he might have sent him from the wombe to hell depriv'd him of the meanes of grace left him to the rebellion and hardnesse of his evill heart and to the rage of Satan burnt his bones and dried up his bowels with the view of that wrath which is due to sinne and what he hath done with him he hath called him to the knowledge of his will refreshed him with the light of his countenance heard his prayers given an issue to his temptations and a reviving out of bondage fastned him as a naile in his holy place given him his favour which is better than light and spoken of his servant for a long time to come O how readily will the spirit of such a man conclude Lord according to thine owne heart hast thou done all this unto me and I have found so much sweetnesse in thy service above all mine owne thoughts or expectations that now O Lord my heart is prepared my heart is prepared I will sing and rejoyce in thy service Lastly this willingnesse of Christs people ariseth from that excellent beauty and attractive vertue which is in holinesse Thy Law is pure therefore thy servant loveth it And therefore we finde Christ and his Church doe kindle the coales of love and stirre up those flames of mutuall dearenesse towards one another doe cherish those longing languishing and ravished affections and susspirings of hearts by the frequenting contemplations of each others beautie Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire thou hast doves eyes Behold thou art faire my beloved yea pleasant c. Cant. 1.15 16. These are the principles of that great devotion and willingnesse which is in the people of Christ unto his service And hereby we may make triall of the truth of that profession subjection and obedience which we all pretend unto the Gospell of Christ. It is then onely sound when it proceeds from a willing and devoted heart from purpose fervour and earnestnesse of Spirit for as God in mercy accounts the will for the deed because where there is a willing minde there will certainly be all answerable endevours to execute that will and reduce it into act so he esteemes the deed nothing without the will Cain and Abel did both sacrifice it was the heart which made the difference betweene them let the outward conversation be what it will yet if a man regard iniquitie in his heart God will not heare him Gravius est diligere peccatum quam facere It is a worse token saith Gregory of an evill man to love sinne than to commit it for it may be committed out of
Christ may withdraw himselfe and bee gone in regard of any comfortable and sensible fruition of his fellowship and in that case the soule may faile and seeke him but not finde him and call upon him but receive no answere Cant. 5.6 A man may feare the Lord and yet be in darkenesse and have no light Esai 50.10 Secondly there may bee a great feare even of performing spirituall duties A broken and dejected man may tremble in Gods service and upon a deepe apprehension of his owne unworthinesse and erroneous applying of that sad expostulation of God with wicked men What hast thou to doe to tâ—ke my Covenant in thy mouth Psalm 50.16 And what hath my beloved to doe in mine house seeing she hath wrought lewdnesse with many Ier. 11.15 he may be startled and not dare adventure upon such holy and sacred things without much reluctancie and shame of spirit O my God saith Ezra I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our heads Ezra 9.6 Thus it is said of the poore woman who upon the touch of Christs garment had beene healed of her bloudy issue That shee came fearing and trembling and fell downe before Christ and told him the truth Mark 5.33 But yet great difference there is betweene this feare of the Saints and of the wicked The feare of the wicked ariseth out of the evidences of the guilt of sinne but the feare of the Saints from a tender apprehension of the majestie of God and his most pure eyes which cannot endure to behold uncleannesse which made Moses himselfe to tremble Act. 7.32 and out of a deepe sense of their owne unworthinesse to meddle with holy things And such a feare as this may bring much uncomfortablenesse and distraction of spirit but never at all any dislike or hatred of God or any stomacke-full disobedience against him for as the feare of the soule deterres so the necessity of the precept drives him to an endeavour of obedience and well-pleasing slavish feare forceth a man to doe the dutie some way or other without any eye or respect unto the manner of doing it But this other which is indeed a filiall but yet withall an uncomfortable feare rather disswades from the dutie it selfe the heart being so vile and unfit to performe so pretious a duty in so holy a manner as becomes it Thirdly as the Saints may have feare and uncomfortablenesse which are contrary to a free spirit so they may have a wearinesse and some kinde of unwillingnesse in Gods service Their spirits like the hands of Moses in the mount may faint and hang downe may bee damp'd with carnall affections or tired with the difficulty of the worke or pluck'd back by the importunitie of temptations so that though they beginne in the spirit yet they may be bewitched and transported from a through-obedience to the truth Gal. 3.1 3. A deadnesse heavinesse insensibilitie unactivenesse confusednesse of heart unpreparednesse of affections insinuation of worldly lusts and earthly cares may distract the hearts and abate the cheerefulnesse of the best of us And hence come those frequent exhortations to stirre up our selves to prepare our hearts to seeke the Lord to whet the Law upon our children to exhort one another lest the deceitfulnesse of sinne harden us to bee strong in the Grace of Christ not to faint or be weary of well-doing and the like All which and sundry like intimate a sluggishnesse of disposition and naturall bearing backe of the will from Gods service Fourthly the Proportion of this discomfort and wearinesse ariseth from these grounds First from the strength of these corruptions which remaine within us for ever so much fleshlinesse as the heart retaines so much bias a man hath to turne him from God and his wayes so much clog and encumbrance in holy duties And this remainder of flesh is in the will as wel as in any other facultie to indispose it unto spirituall actions as it is in our members that we cannot doe the things which wee would Gal. 5.17 so in proportion it is in our wills that wee cannot with all our strength desire the things which wee should and therefore David praiseth God for this especiall Grace Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne have we given thee 1 Chro. 29.14 Secondly from the dulnesse or sleepinesse of Grace in the heart which without daily reviving husbanding and handling will bee apt to contract a rust and to bee over-growne with that bitter roote of corruption within As a bowle will not move without many rubs and stops in a place overgrowne with grasse so the will cannot move with readinesse towards God when the Graces which should actuate it are growne dull and heavie A rustie key will not easily open the locke unto which it was first fitted nor a neglected Grace easily open or enlarge the heart Thirdly from the violent importunity and immodesty of some strong temptation and unexpellible suggestions which frequently presenting themselves to the spirit doe there beget jealousies to disquiet the peace of the heart for Satans first end is to rob us of grace for which purpose he hearteneth our lusts against us but his second is to rob us of Comfort and to tosse us up and downe betweene our owne feares and suspicions for unwearied and violent contradictions are apt to beget wearinesse in the best Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe saith the Apostle lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Heb. 12.3 Fourthly from the present weight of some heavie fresh sinne which will utterly indispose the heart unto any good As we see how long securitie did surprize David after his murther and adulterie Thus as Ionah after his flight from God fell asleepe in the ship so stupiditie and unaptnesse to worke is ever the child of any notable and revolting sinne When the conscience lieth bleeding under any fresh sinne it hath first a hard taske to goe through in a more bitter renewing the teares of repentance And hard works have for the most part some feares and reluctancies in the performing of them Secondly it hath not such boldnesse and assurance to bee welcome to God It comes with shame horror blushing and want of peace and so cannot but finde the greater conflict in it selfe Thirdly sinne diswonts a man from God carries him to thickets and bushes The soule loves not to be deprehended by God in the company of Satan or any sinfull lust That childe cannot but feele some strugglings of shame and unwillingnesse to come unto his father who is sure when he comes to be upbraided with the companions which he more delights in Fifthly from the proportions of the desertions of the spirit for the Spirit of God bloweth where and how he listeth and it is hee that worketh our wils
be a Free agent or mover to have ex se and within it selfe an indifferencie and undeterminatnesse unto severall things so that when it moves or not moves when it moves one way or other in none of these it suffers violence but workes according to the condition of its owne nature Secondly we may note that this indifferencie is twofold either habituall belonging to the constitution of the will which is nothing else but an originall aptitude or intrinsecall non-repugnancie in the will to move unto contrary extremes to worke or to suspend its owne working or else actuall which is in the exercise of the former as objects present themselves and this is twofold either a freedome to good or evill or a freedome to will or not to will Thirdly notwithstanding the will be in this manner free yet it may have its freedome in both regards so determin'd as that in such or such a condition it cannot doe what it should or forbeare what it should or cannot doe what it should not nor forbeare what it should not Man fallen without the grace of God is free only unto evill and Christ in the time of his obedience was free wholly unto good Man free to evill but yet so as that he onely doth it voluntarily he cannot voluntarily leave it undone Christ free onely to good yet so as that he doth it most freely but could not freely omit the doing of it Fourthly the will worketh not in this condition of things unto morall objects without some other concurrent principles which sway and determine it severall wayes so that the will is principium quod the facultie which moves and the other principium quo the qualitie or vertue by which it moves And these qualities are in naturall men the flesh or the originall concupiscence of our nature which maketh the motions of the will to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will of the flesh and in the regenerate the Grace and Spirit of Christ so farre forth as they are regenerate Fifthly as the will is ever carried either by the flesh or the spirit to its objects so neither to the one or the other without the preceding conduct and direction of the practicall judgement whether by grace illightned to judge aright or by corrupt affections bribed and blinded to misguide the will for the will being a rationall appetite never moveth bu◠per modum judicii upon apprehension of some goodnesse and convenience in the thing whereunto it moves Sixthly the judgement is never throughly illightned to understand spiritual things in that immediate and ample beautie and goodnesse which is in them but only by the Spirit of Christ which maketh a man to have the selfe-same minde judgement opinion and apprehension of heavenly things which he had so that Christ and a Christian doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinke the same thing as the Apostle speakes Phil. 2.5 By the which Spirit of grace working first upon the judgement to rectifie that and to convince it of the evidence and necessitie of that most universall and adequate good which it presenteth the whole nature is proportionably renewed and Christ formed aswell in the will and affections as in the understanding as the body in the wombe is not shaped by peece-meale one part after another but all together by proportionable degrees and progresses of perfection So that at the same time when the Spirit of grace by an act of heavenly illumination is present with the judgement of reason to evidence not the truth onely but the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ thereunto it is likewise present by an act of heavenly perswasion and most intimate allurement unto the will and affections sweetly accommodating its working unto the exigence and condition of the faculties that they likewise may with such libertie and complacencie as becomes both their owne nature and the qualitie of the obedience required apply themselves to the desire and prosecution of those excellent things which are with so spirituall an evidence set forth unto them in the ministery of the Word As by the same soule the eye seeth and the eare heareth and the hand worketh so when Christ by his Spirit is formed in us for the Spirit of Christ is the Actus primus or soule of a Christian man that which animateth him unto an heavenly being and working Rom. 8.9 10 11. 1 Cor. 6.17 every power of the soule and body is in some proportionable measure enabled to worke suo modo in such manner as is convenient and proper to the quality of its nature to the right apprehension and voluntary prosecution of spirituall things The same Spirit which by the word of grace doth fully convince the judgement and let the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shine upon the minde doth by the same word of grace proportionably excite and assist the will to affect it that as the understanding is elevated to the spirituall perception so the will likewise is enabled to the spirituall love of heavenly things By all which wee may observe that this working of the Spirit of grace whereby we become voluntaries in Christs service and whereby he worketh in us both to will and to doe those things which of ourselves we were not obedient unto neither indeed could be is both a sweet and powerfull worke as in the raising of a man from the dead to which in the Scriptures the renewing of a sinner is frequently compared there is a worke of great power which yet being admirably sutable to the integrity of the creature must needs bring an exact complacencie and delight with it we may frequently in holy Scriptures observe that of the same effect severall things may be affirmed by reason of its connexion unto severall causes and of the severall causalities or manners of concurrence with which those severall causes have contributed any influence unto it As the obedience of Christ was of all other the most free and voluntary service of his Father if we consider it with respect unto his most holy and therefore most undistracted and unhindered will for if it were not voluntary it were no obedience and yet notwithstanding it was most certaine and infallible if we consider it with respect to the sanctitie of his nature to the unmeasurablenesse of his unction to the plenitude of his unseducible and unerring Spirit to the mystery of his hypostaticall union and the communication of properties between his natures wherby what-ever action was done by him might justly be called the action of God in which regard it was impossible for him to sinne In like manner the passive obedience of Christ was most free and voluntary as it respected his owne will for he troubled himselfe hee humbled and emptied himselfe he laid downe his owne life he became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse and yet thus it was written and thus it behoved or was necessary for Christ to suffer if we respect the predeterminate counsell and
purpose of God who had so ordained Act. 4.28 God would not suffer a bone of Christs to be broken and yet he did not disable the souldiers from doing it for they had still as much strength and libertie to have broken his as the others who were crucified with him but that which in regard of the truth and prediction of holy Scriptures was most certainly to be fulfilled in regard of the second causes by whom it was fulfilled was most free and voluntary Wee finde what a chaine of meere casualties and contingencies if we looke onely upon second causes did concurre in the offence of Vâ—sâ—ti in the promotion of Esther in the treason of the two Chamberlaines in the wakefulnesse of the King in the opening of the Chronicles in the acceptance of Esthers request and in the favour of the King unto her and all this ordered by the immutable and efficacious providence of God which moderates and guides causes and effects of all sorts to his owne fore-appointed ends for the deliverance of his people from that intended slaughter determined against them the execution whereof would evidently have voided that great promise of their returning out of captivitie after seventie yeares with relation unto which promise their deliverance at this time was in regard of Gods truth and purpose necessary though in regard of second causes brought about by a cumulation of contingencies In like maner when the hearts of men do voluntarily dedicate and submit themselves to the kingdome of Christ if we look upon it with relation unto the Spirit of grace which is the principium quo the formall vertue whereby it is wrought so it is an effect of power and as it were an act of conquest and yet looke upon it with relation unto the heart it selfe which is Principium quod the materiall efficient cause thereof and so it is a most free sweet connaturall action exactly temper'd to the exigencie of the second cause and proceeding there-from with most exact delight answerably to the measure of the grace of illumination or spirituall evidence in the minde whereby our naturall blindnesse prejudices and misperswasions may be remov'd and to the measure of the grace of excitation assistance and co-operation in the heart whereby the naturall frowardnesse and reluctancy thereof may be subdued In one word there are but three things requisite to make up a free and voluntary action First it must be cum judicio rationis with a preceding judgment Secondly it must be cum indifferentia there must be an internall indeterminatenesse and equall disposition of it selfe unto severall extremes Thirdly it must be cum dominio actus the will must have the power of her owne worke And all these three doe sweetly consist with the point of the Text That the heart is made willing to obey Christ by an act of power For first this power we speake of is onely the power of the Word and Spirit both which doe alwayes worke in the ordinary course of Gods proceeding by them with men secundum judicium by a way of judgement and conviction by a way of teaching and demonstration which is suteable to a rationall facultie Secondly which way soever the will is by the Spirit of grace directed and perswaded to move it still retaines an habituall or internall habitude unto the extremes so that if it should have moved towards them that motion would have beene as naturall and suteable to its condition as this which it followeth for the determination of the act is no extinguishment of the libertie thereunto Thirdly when the Spirit by the power of the word of grace doth work the will in us yet still the will hath the dominion of its owne act that is it is not servilely or compulsorily thereunto overswayed but worketâ— ex motu proprio by a selfe-motion unto which it is quickned and actuated by the sweetnesse of divine grace as the seed of that action according to that excellent knowne speech of Saint Augustine Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed Deus facit ut velimus Thus we see how the subjection of Christs people unto his kingdome is a voluntary act in regard of mans will and an act of power in regard of Gods Spirit inwardly â—llightning the minde with the spirituall evidence not only of the truth but the excellencie and superlative goodnesse of the Gospell of Christ and inwardly touching the heart and framing it to a lovely conformitie and obedience therunto The ground of this point why there is an act of power required to conquer the wils of sinners unto Christ is that notable enmitie stoutnesse reluctancie rebellion wearinesse aversenesse in one word fleshlinesse which possesseth the wils of men by nature such forwardnesse unto evill so much frowardnesse against good such a spring and byas from private ends and worldly objects such feares without such fightings within such allurements on the right hand such frownes and affrightments on the left such depths of Satan such hellish and unsearchable plots of principalities and powers to keepe fast and faithfull to themselves this chiefe mistris of the soule of man such slie and soaking such furious and firy temptations to flatter or to fright it away from Christ such strong prejudices such deepe reasonings such high imâ—ginations such scornefull and meane conceits of the purity and power of the wayes of Christ such deceitfulnesse of heart such misperswasions and presumptious of our present peace or at least of the easinesse of our future reformation such strong surmises of carnall hopes which will be prevented or worldly dangers incurred or private ends disappointed such lusts to be denied such members to be hewed off such friends to be forsaken such passions to be subdued such certaine persecutions from the world such endlesse solicitations of Satan such irreconcilable contentions with the flesh in the midst of all these pull-backes how can we thinke the will should escape and breake thorow if God did not send his Spirit as once the Angell unto Lot Gen. 19.16 to lay hands upon it while it lingers and hankers after its wonted course to use a mercifull conquest over it and as the Scriptures expresse it to lead it to draw it to take it by the arme to carry it in his bosome to beare it as an Eagle her young ones on her wings nay by the terrours of the Lord and the power of his Word and wrath to pull and snatch it as a brand out of the fire Certainly there is so much extreme perversenesse so much hellishnesse and devillish antipathy to God and his service in the heart by nature that if it were left to its owne stubbornenesse to kicke and rebell and fall backe and harden it selfe and were not set upon by the grace of Christ no man living would turne unto him or make use of his bloud by the same reason that any one man perisheth every man would too because in all there is as fundamentall and originall enmity
mans whole selfe to be consecrated as a kinde of first fruit unto God being sanctified by the Holy Ghost There is no man actually belonging unto the Kingdome of Christ who hath not all these holy affections wrought in him and maketh conscience of them as of his calling and the duties of his life Wee see then that Holinesse is the badge of Christs subjects they are called The people of his Holinesse Israel was holinesse unto the Lord and the first fruits of his increase consecrated unto him and his service as a kinde of first fruits The livery of Christs servants is a parcell of the same holy Spirit with which his owne humane nature was clothed All the vessels and ministeriall instruments of the Tabernacle were anointed with the holy oyle and the house of the Lord was an house of holinesse to signifie that every Christian should bee by the Spirit of God sanctified because he is a Temple and every member because it is a vessell and instrument for the Masters use The Spirit of holinesse is that which distinguisheth and as it were marketh the sheepe of Christ from the wicked of the world yee are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise yee have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God Holinesse setteth us apart for Gods service for his presence and fruition protecteth and priviledgeth us from the wrath to come in the day when he shall separate betweene the pretious and the vile and make up his jewels without this no man can either serve or see or escape God either doe his will enjoy his favour or decline his fury All our services without this are but Dung and who would thanke that man for his service who with wonderfull officiousnesse should bring nothing but heapes of dung into his house If a man could powre out of his veines rivers of bloud and offer up every day as many prayers as thoughts unto God if his eyes were melted into teares and his knees hardned into horne with devotion yet all this if it be not the fruit of holinesse but of will-worship or superstition or opinion of merit and righteousnesse it is but as dung in Gods sight Wherefore lyest thou upon thy face there is an accursed thing in the campe What-ever sinne thy conscience tels thee lyeth next thy heart and warmes it so that thou art unwilling to part from it take heed of bringing it into Gods presence or provoking him with thy services for he will throw them backe like dung into thy face What hath my beloved to doe in mine house seeing shee hath wrought lewdnesse with many What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction Who hath required this at your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto mee c. Till a man put away the evill of his doings and cleanse himselfe all his worship of God is but mocking of him and prophaning his ordinances In vaine did the Marriners pray while Ionah was in the ship in vaine did Ioshua intercede while the accursed thing was in the campe A man shall lose all which he hath wrought in Gods worship and have neither thankes nor reward for it so long as he harboureth any uncleane affection in his heart and will not yeeld to part from it Any sinne which wasteth the conscience as every great and presumptuous sinne doth in whomsoever it is unqualifieth that person for the kingdome of heaven Grace maketh a beleever sure of salvation but it doth not make him wretchlesse or secure in living though there be not an extinguishment yet there is a suspension of his right upon any black and notorious fall that man must not dare to lay claime to heaven that hath dared in a presumptuous manner to provoke the Lord. Our holinesse is not the cause of our salvation but yet it is the way thereunto he which by any wasting and presumptuous sin putteth himselfe out of that way must by repentance turne into it againe before hee can hope to finde out heaven for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. He that is an hundred miles from his owne house notwithstanding his proprietie thereunto shall yet never actually enter therein till he have travelled over the right way which leads unto it There is an Order à primo ad ultimum in the salvation of men many intermediate passages betweene their vocation and their glory Justification repentance sanctification as a scale or ladder betwixt earth and heaven he that fals from his holinesse and purity of conscience though hee be not quite downe the ladder and hath the whole worke to begin againe as much as ever yet doubtlesse he shall never get to the top till he recover the step from which he fell And if in this case it be true that the righteous shall scarcely be saved O then where shall that man appeare whom God at the last shall finde without this garment and seale upon him When there was a tempest he who slept and least thought of it was throwne into the sea and when the day of wrath shall come those that have neglected their estate most shall doubtlesse be in the greatest danger And therefore we should labour to goe to Gods throne with our garments and our marke upon us for all other endowments our learning our honours our parts our preferments our earthly hopes and dependencies will none follow us but wee shall live to see either them or the comforts of them depart Achitophel had wisdome like an oracle of God but he liv'd to see it bid him quite farewell for hee died like a very foole or childe who when he may not have his owne will will be reveng'd upon himselfe Haman had more honour than the ambition of a subject usually aspires unto and yet he liv'd to see it bid him farewell and died the basest death which himselfe could devise for his most hated and despised enemie Iehoiakim a King liv'd to see his Crowne take its leave and was buried with the buriall of an Asse and drag'd like carrion out of the gates of the Citie There will be nothing at last left for any man to cast his trust upon but God or Angels or our fellowes and if then God be against us though all which remains were on our side alas what is an handfull of stubble to a world full of fire but yet there will not be that advantage but the combate must be single betweene God and a sinner The good Angels rejoyce to doe Gods will and the wicked will rejoyce to doe man any mischiefe these will be only readie to accuse and those to gather the wicked together unto the wrath of him that sitteth on the Throne O what would a man give then for that holinesse which hee now despiseth what covenants would such a man be content to
for when he ascended up on high he then led captivitie captive that ignorance and thraldome under which the world was held he triumphed over and gave gifts of his Spirit unto men of all sorts in abundance Visions to the young Dreames to the aged and his gracious Spirit unto all Wee never reade of so many converted by Christs personall preaching which was indeed but the beginning of his preaching for it is the Lord which speaketh from heaven still as by the ministery of his Apostles he thereby providing to magnifie the excellencie of his spirituall presence against all the carnall superstitions of those men who seeke for an invisible corporall presence of Christ on the earth charmed downe out of heaven under the lying shapes of separated accidents And who cannot be content with that All-sufficient Remembrancer which himselfe hath promised to his Church Ioh. 14.26 except they may have others and those such as the holy Scriptures every where disgraceth as teachers of lyes and vanity the Crucifixes and images of their owne erecting therein infinitly derogating from that all-sufficient provision which the Lord in his word and Sacraments the onely living and full images of Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 hath proposed unto men as alone able to make them wise unto salvation being opened and represented unto the consciences of men not by humane inventions but by those holy ordinances and offices which himselfe hath appointed in his Church the preaching of his word and administration of his Sacraments And surely they who by Moses and the Prophets by that Ministerie which Christ after his ascension did establish in his Church doth not repent would bee no whit the neerer no more than Iudas or the Pharises were if they should see or heare Christ in the flesh Therefore it is observed after Christs ascension that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed and that there were men dayly added unto the Church That the Savor of the Gospell was made manifest in every place That the Children of the desolate were more than of the married wife Therefore the beleevers after Christs ascension are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The multitude of them that beleeved and multitudes of men and women were added to the Lord. Ten to one of that there was before Ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations of the skirt of him that is a Iew saying We will goe with you that is shall take the Kingdome of heaven by violence as Saul laid hold on the skirt of Samuels Maâ—tle that hee might not goe from him The Reason hereof is to magnifie the exaltation spirituall presence and power of Christ in the Church while he was upon the earth he confin'd his ordinary residence and personall preaching unto one people because his bodily presence was narrow and could not bee communicated to the whole world For he tooke our nature with those conditions and limitations which belong thereunto But his Spirit and power is over the whole Church by them hee walketh in the middest of the Candlesticks Christs bodily presence and preaching the Iewes withstood and crucified the Lord of glory But now to shew the greatnesse of his power by the Gospell hee goes himselfe away and leaves but a few poore and persecuted men behinde him assisted with the vertue of his Spirit and by them wrought workes which all the world could not withstand Hee could have published the Gospell as hee did the Law by the ministery of Angels hee could have anointed his Apostles with regall oyle and made them not Preachers only but Princes and Defenders of his faith in the world But hee rather chose to have them to the end of the world poore and despised men whom the world without any shew of just reason which can bee by them alleaged should overlooke and account of as low and meane conditioned men that his Spirit might in their ministerie bee the more glorified God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and weake things of the world to confound things that are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen ye and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence But that his own Spirit might have all the honor therefore I was with you in weaknesse saith the Apostle and in feare in much trembling c. That your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God And againe Wee have this treasure in earthen vessells that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of us not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord. Thus we finde that when the Church was most persecuted it did then most grow and in the worst times it brought forth the greatest fruit to note the power of Christs Kingdome above all the attempts of men A great doore and effectuall is opened unto mee saith the Apostle and there are many adversaries intimating that the Gospell of Christ had great successe when it was most resisted All persecutors as S. Cyprian observes are like Herod they take their times and seeke to slay Christ and overthrow his Kingdome in its infancie and therefore at that time doth hee most of all magnifie the power and protection of his Spirit over the same Never were there so many men converted as in those infant-times of the Church when the dragon stood before the woman ready to devoure her Childe as soone as it should bee borne The great Potentates of the world which did persecute the name of Christ were themselves at last thereunto subjected Non a repugnantibus sed a morientibus Christianis not by fighting but by dying Christians As a tree shaken sheds the more fruit and a perfume burnt diffuseth the sweetest Savor so persecuted Christianity doth the more flourish by the power of that Holy Spirit whose foolishnesse is wiser and whose weaknesse is stronger than all the oppositions and contradictions of men But if there bee such multitudes belonging unto Christs Kingdome is not universality and a visible pompe a true note to discerne the Church of Christ by To this I answer that a true characteristicall note or difference ought to bee convertible with that of which it is made a note and onely suteable thereunto for that which is common unto many can bee no evident note of this or that particular Now universality is common to Antichristian idolatrous malignant Churches The Arrian heresie invaded the world and by the Imperiall countenance spread it selfe into all Churches The whore was to sit upon many waters which were peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues the Kings of the earth were to bee made drunk with the wine of her fornications and all nations to drinke thereof Therefore touching these multitudes in the Church we are thus to state the point
and to love any of thy words Thy Law is my Counsellor I will bee ruled by it it is my Physitian I will bee patient under it it is my Schoolemaster I will bee obedient unto it But who am I that I should promise any service unto thee and who is thy Minister that hee should doe any good unto me without thy grace and heavenly call bee thou therefore pleased to reveale thine owne Spirit unto mee and to worke in mee that which thou requirest of mee I say if a man could come with such sweete preparations of heart unto the word and could thus open his soule when this spirituall Manna fals down from heaven he should finde the truth of that which the Apostle speaketh Ye are not straitned in us or in our ministerie wee come unto you with abundance of grace but yee are straitned onely in your owne bowels in the hardnesse unbeliefe incapacity and negligence of your owne hearts which receiveth that in drops which falleth downe in showres Note 3. As it is a divine so it is a secret and undiscerned Birth As the winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but caust not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So saith our Savior is every one that is borne of God Ioh. 3 8. The voluntary breathings and accesses of the Spirit of God unto the soule whereby hee cometh mightily and as it were cloatheth a man with power and courage are of a very secret nature and notwithstanding the power thereof bee so great yet there is nothing in apparance but a voyce of all other one of the most empty and vanishing things As Dew fals in small and insensible drops and as a Childe is borne by slow and undiscerned progresses as the Prophet David saith Fearefully and wonderfully am I made Such is the birth of a Christian unto Christ by a secret hidden and inward call Vocatione Altâ as S. Austen calleth it by a deepe and intimate energie of the Spirit of grace is Christ formed and the soule organized unto a spirituall being A man heares a voyce but it is behinde him hee seeth no man hee feels a blow in that voyce which others take no notice of though externally they heare it too Therefore it is observable that the men which were with Paul at his miraculous conversion are in one place said to heare a voyce Act. 9.7 and in another place not to have heard the voyce of him that spake unto Paul Act. 22.9 They heard onely a voyce and so were but astonished but Paul heard it distinctly as the voyce of Christ and so was converted Note 4. As it is a Divine and secret so is it likewise a sudden birth In naturall generations the more vast the creature the more slow the production an Elephant ten years in the wombe In humane actions magnarum rerum tarda molimina great workes move like great engines slowly by leasure to their maturity but in spirituall generations Children are borne unto Christ like Dew which is exhaled conceived formed produced and all in one night Paul to day a Woolfe to morrow a Sheepe to day a Persecutor to morrow a Disciple and not long after an Apostle of Christ. The Nobleman of Samaria could see no possibility of turning a famine into a plentie within one night neither can the heart of a man who rightly understands the closenesse and intimate radication of sinne and guilt in the soule conceive it possible to remove either in a sudden change yet such is the birth of men unto Christ Before shee travelled shee brought forth before her paine came she was delivered of a man-Childe The earth bringeth forth in one day and a nation is borne at once It is spoken of Ierusalem the mother of us all Esai 66.7 8. VERSE 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not Repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck FRom the Regall Office of Christ and the Administration thereof by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit to the conquering of a willing people unto himselfe the Prophet now passeth to his sacerdotall office the vigor and merit whereof is by the two former applied unto the Church Therefore wee may observe that though the tribes were interdicted confusion with one another in their marriages Num. 36.7 Yet the Regall and Leviticall Tribes might interchange and mingle blouds to intimate as I conceive that the Messiah with relation unto whose lineage that confusion was avoided was to bee both a King and a Priest Thus wee finde Iehoiada the Priest married Iehoshabeath the Daughter of King Iehoram 2 Chron. 22.11 And Aaron of the Tribe of Levi tooke Elishâ—ba the Daughter of Amminadab who was of the tribe of Iuda Exod. 6.23 Numb 1.7 In which respect I suppose Mary and Elizabeth the Wife of Zatharie the Priest are called Cousins Luk. 1.36 In the Law indeed these two Offices were distinct Our Lord saith the Apostle sprang out of the Tribe of Iuda of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Heb. 7.14 And therefore when King Vzziah incroached on the Priests Office hee was smitten with a Leprosie 2 Chron. 26.18 21. But amongst the Gentiles amongst whom Melchizedek is thought to have beene a Priest it was usuall for the same person to have been both King and Priest The words containe the Doctrine of Christs Priesthood The Quality of it Eternall The Order not of Aaron but of Melchizedek The foundation of both Gods immutable decree and counsell hee cannot repent of it because hee hath confirmed it by an Oath I shall handle the words in the Order as they lie The Lord hath sworne Here two things are to bee enquired First how God is said to sweare Secondly why hee swears in this particular case of Christs Priesthood The former of these the Apostle resolves in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.17 Hee interposed in or by an oath namely himselfe for that is to bee supplied out of the thirteenth verse where it is said that bee sware by himselfe So elsewhere it is said that he sware by the excellency of Iacob that is by himselfe Amos 8.7.6.8 By my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord that in blessing I will blesse thee Gen. 22.16 The meaning is that God should denie himselfe which hee cannot doe 2 Tim. 2.13 and should cease to bee God if the word which hee hath sworne should not come to passe So that usuall forme as I live is to be understood let me not be esteemed a living God if my word come not to passe so elsewhere the Lord interposeth his holinesse I have sworne by my Holinesse that I will not lie unto David Psal. 89.35 As impossible for him to breake his word as to bee unholy For the second question why God swears in this particular I answer First and principally to shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The immutable and irreversible certainty
of what hee speakes Heb. 6.17 I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth and it shall not returne c. Esai 45.23 Thus wee finde God confirming the unmoveablenesse of his covenant by an Oath Esai 54.9 10. Psal. 89.34 35. When the Lord doth onely say a thing though his word bee as certaine in it selfe as his oath for it is as impossible for him to lie as to forsweare himselfe yet there is an implicite kinde of reservation for the altering revoking or reversing that word by some subsequent declaration As in the covenant and Priesthood of Aaron though God made it for a perpetuall ordinance yet there was after a change of it for the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof So when the Lord sent Ionah to preach destruction unto Ninive within fortie dayes though the Denuntiation came not to passe yet was it not any false message because it was made reversible upon an implicite condition which condition the Lord is pleased sometimes in mercy to conceale that men may bee the sooner frighted out of their security upon the apprehension of so approching a danger At what time saith the Lord I shall speake concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull downe and to destroy If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them Ier. 18.7 8. But when the Lord sweares any absolute Act or promise of his owne for the Revocation whereof there can no other ground de novo arise than was extant at the time of making it and yet was no barre nor hinderance unto it namely the sinne of man he then by that oath seales and assures the immutability thereof to those that rely upon it Secondly it is to commend the excellencie and preeminencie of that above other things which hath this great seale of Heaven the Oath of God to confirme and establish it Inasmuch saith the Apostle as not without an oath hee was made Priest by so much was hee made a surety of a better Testament Heb. 6.20 22. and this is a consequent of the former for by how much the more abiding by so much the more glorious is the Ministery of the Gospell If that which is done away were glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious 2 Cor. 3.11 The more solemne and sacred the institution was the more excellent is the Priesthood Now this Oath was that Seale of God by which hee designed and set apart his Sonne for that great Office in a more solemne manner of ordination than was to others usuall Him hath God the Father sealed Iohn 6.27 It was but Hee hath said unto others ye are Gods but it is He hath sanctified to his Sonne Iohn 10.34 36. Thirdly It is to commend Gods great compassion and good will for the establishing of the hearts of men in comfort and assurance He therefore confirmed his promise by an oath That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope which is set before us Heb. 6.17 18. an oath even amongst men is the end of all controversie the determination and composing of all differences how much more when hee sets his Seale upon his mercy and covenant should the hearts of men bee secure and lay fast hold thereon without doubt or scruple Therefore wee finde the Saints in the Scripture make mention of the Oath of God for establishing their hearts against feares or dangers Thou wilt performe the truth to Iaakob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworne to our fathers from the dayes of old Micah 7.20 Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oathes of the tribes even thy Word Hab. 3.9 that is Thou didst make it appeare to thine enemies that thou didst fight for thy People and remember thy Word or Covenant of mercy which thou didst sweare unto Abraham the Father of the faithfull and so oftentimes new ratifie unto his seed the Tribes which proceeded from him And this is the ground of all the Churches comfort and stabilitie for alas wee every day deserve to have God abrogate his Covenant of mercy with us but hee is mindefull of the Oath which hee hath sworne Deut. 7.7 8.9.5 There was wickednesse enough in the world to have drawne downe another flood after that of Noah the same reason that caused it did remaine after it was removed Genes 6.12 13.8.21 But Gods Oath bound him to his mercy Esay 54.9 The meaning then of this first Clause is this The Lord to shew the immutability of his Counsell the unchangeablenesse of Christs Priesthood the excellencie of it above the Priesthood of Aaron the strong consolation which the Saints may there hence receive hath sealed it by an Oath so that he is a Priest by a decree which cannot be revoked It notes unto us the Solemne call of Christ unto the office of Priesthood as before of King verse 1. He did not usurpe this honour to himselfe as Nadab and Abihu did when of their owne heads they offered strange fire unto the Lord nor incroach upon us as Vzziah but hee was ordained and begotten and called of God thereunto after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 5.5.10 Hee was sanctified and sent and had a commandement and a worke set him to doe Iohn 10.18.36.37 In which respect hee was called a Servant or a chosen officer formed for a speciall imployment Esay 42.1.49.5.53.11 Phil. 2.7 here then is the consent of the whole Trinitie unto Christs Priesthood First the Fathers consent in his Act of ordination for him hath God the Father sealed Iohn 6.27 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Heb. 5.5 6. Secondly The Sonnes by voluntary susception and vadimonie for mankinde for he was the Suretie of the Covenant Heb. 8.22 The Apostle joyneth these two together Heb. 10.9 10. Loe I come to doe thy Will O God there was Gods Will and Christs submission thereunto in which regard he is said to sanctifie himselfe Iohn 17.19 There was a Covenant betweene God and Christ Christ was to undertake an office of service and obedience for men to offer himselfe a sacrifice for sinne to be made of a woman under the Law c. And for this God was to prolong his dayes to give him a seed and a Generation which could not bee numbred a Kingdome which cannot bee bounded a portion with the great and a spoyle with the strong a Name above every name to set a joy and a glory before him after hee should have finishâ—d his worke c. Thirdly here is the consent of the Holy Ghost which did hereunto anoint him which came along with him which formed him in the wombe of the Virgin and descended upon him in his solemne susception of this office in Iohns Baptisme by which Spirit he was consecrated warranted and
enabled unto this great function Esay 61.1.42.1 Matth. 3.16 17. Heb. 1.9 If then God call Christ unto his Priesthood by a solemne Oath and make him surety of a better covenant we ought to take the more especiall notice thereof for when God sweares he must be heard The more excellent any thing is the more earnest hee should bee given unto it for how shall we escape saith the Apostle if wee neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so great Salvation so sure a covenant Heb. 2.1 3. This is the onely rocke on which we may cast anchor in any trouble doubt or feare of Spirit It is not our owne will or strength that holds us up from ruine but onely Gods Oath by which Christ is made a Priest Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Saint Paul and his company were in a great tempest all hope that they should be saved was taken away Act. 27.20 yet he exhorts them to bee of good cheere because there should not bee the losse of any mans life amongst them and the ground hereof was Gods promise which he beleeved verse 24 25. The case is the same with us we are compassed about with infirmities with enemies too hard and with sinnes too heavie for us with feares and doubting that we shall lose all againe how can wee in such tempests of Spirit be cheered but onely by casting anchor upon Gods covenant which is established by an oath by learning to hope above hope Rom. 4. 18. to be strong in him when we are weake in our selves to bee faithfull in him when wee are fearefull in our selves to be stedfast in him when we stagger in our selves in the midst of Satans buffets and our owne corruptions to finde a sufficiencie in his Grace able to answer and to ward off all 2 Cor. 12.10 To catch hold of his covenant and to flie to the hope that is set before us as to the only refuge and sanctuary of a pursued soule when wee are not able to stand by our selves Esay 56.6 Heb. 6.18 It is hard very thing when a man hath a distinct view of his filthinesse and guilt by reason of time not to give over himselfe and his salvation as desparate things It is nothing but ignorance and insensibilitie which makes men presume of the pardon of sinne In this case then we must consider Gods Oath and Covenant with his people First not to reject them for their sinnes Israel hath not beene forsaken nor Iudah of his God though their land was filled with sinne against the holy One of Israel Ier. 51.5 My People are bent unto backsliding c. and yet I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim For I am God and not Man c. Hos. 11.7 9. Secondly not alwayes to suffer them to lie under sin but in due time to heale their backeslidings Hos. 14.4 he will not onely remove our transgressions from himselfe but he will remove them from us too and that so farre as that it shall be as possible for the East and West to meet together as for a man and his sin Psal. 103.12 Though we have made him to serve with our sinnes and wearied him with our iniquities yet Hee will not remember against us our sinnes past Esay 43.25 neither will hee see against us the sinnes which remaine Numb 23.11 These he will forgive and these he will subdue and all this because of his Truth unto Iacob and his mercy unto Abraham which he sware unto our fathers from the dayes of old Micah 7.18 19.20 Hee hath given us ground for both our feete to stand upon and hold fast for both our hands to cleave unto A Promise and an Oath that by two immutable things wee might have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 So the Apostle saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and amen yea to note their Truth and amen to note their certainty and stability being confirmed by the Oath of Christ. For so that word may be conceived either as an Oath or at least as a very strong and confident affirmation which is equivalent unto an oath 2 Cor. 1.20 except happily we will understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee the same thing expressed in severall tongues as Abba Pater in other places thereby noting not onely the stabilitie but the universalitie of Gods promises Many things there are in this call of Christ unto his Office to confirme this consolation and upon which the troubled soule may cast Anker First from the Father he hath received a command and call unto thy service and so as a Servant he hath fidelity for God choseth none but faithfull servants Hee was an Apostle and high Priest sent to preach the Will and to pacifie the wrath of God and he was faithfull to him that appointed him as Moses was Heb. 3.11.2 And if he be faithfull we may trust him for he will doe the worke which is given him to doe Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it 1 Thes. 5.24 Secondly from himselfe there is a voluntarie submission whereby he gives himselfe for his Church and layes downe his owne life Eph. 5.25 Tit. 2.14 Ioh. 10.11 for being of himselfe equall with the Father he could not be by him commanded ordained or overruled to any service without a voluntary concurring to the same decree emptying himselfe and taking on him the forme of a servant making himselfe lesse than his Father and in some sort for a while lower than the Angels that so he might be commanded So that besides his fidelitie to rest on as a servant here is his especiall mercy as a concurring agent in the decree whereby he was ordained unto this office He is not onely a Faithfull but a mercifull high Priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of men Heb. 2.17 But a man may both by his Fidelitie as a servant and by his Mercy as having the same tender compassion with him that sent him be willing to helpe another out of misery and yet may not be able to effect his owne desires for want of Power And therefore Thirdly by the Vnction of the holy Spirit who proceedeth from the Father and himselfe hee is said to bee sanctified by the Father Iohn 10.36 and to sanctifie himselfe Iohn 17.19 To have received power and authority from his Father Matth. 28.18 Iohn 5.27 Iohn 17.2 and to have power likewise within himselfe Iohn 10.18 That spirit which for the discharge of this office hee brought with him in fulnesse and unto all purposes of that service into the world is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 whereby he is enabled perfectly to save all commers Heb. 7.25 so that unto his Fidelity and Mercy here is added Abilitie likewise Fourthly as he received an office and a service so hee received a Promise from his father likewise which did much encourage him in
this service And this promise is twofold First the promise of a great seed which by the execution of his office hee should gather unto himselfe and of a great conquest over all his enemies God conferred this hoâ—our upon him to be the King of a mighty People whom he should save and sanctifie to himselfe They were given unto him Psal. 2.8 Iohn 17.6 so that unto his Fidelitie Mercie and Power here is further added a Propriety to the thing which hee saves and who would not use all fidelitie in his owne businesse all mercy towards his owne seed all the power he hath to deliver his owne House from the fire and Christ was faithfull as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are wee Heb. 3.6 Secondly there was the promise of a great Glory and Crowne which the nature he had assumed should in his Person receive after the fulfilling of his Service After he had beene a little while lower than the Angels hee was to bee crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2.7 and therefore we may bee sure that hee hath fulfilled all righteousnesse and done for his Church all which hee was to doe upon the Earth because hee is gone and wee see him no more for his sufferings were to goe before and his glory to follow 1 Pet. 1.11 This is the Apostles argument why we are not in our sinnes but delivered from them because Christ is risen 1 Cor. 15.17 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 And it is his argument againe why wee ought to hold fast our profession and to come boldly to the Throne of Grace for help in time of neede because wee have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Heb. 4.14 15 16. Fifthly as hee had a Promise from the Father to encourage him so he had a Nature from us to incline him unto the execution of his Office He was made of a woman made like unto us in all things sinne onely excepted tempted and afflicted as we are and so there are two things which the heart of a beleever may rest upon in him in any discomforts First his Sympathie for besides his Essentiall mercy as he is God there was in him a mercie which he learned by being like unto us In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that hee might be a mercifull and a faithfull high Priest Heb. 2.17 Such was his compassion towards the hunger of the multitude Matth. 15.32 because hee himselfe knew what hunger was Matth. 4.2 and such was his compassion towards the sorrowes of Mary and Martha Iohn 11.33 35. because he himselfe was acquainted with griefe Esay 53.3 and such was his compassion towards Peter in that state of desertion wherein he lay Luke 22.61 because he himselfe knew what it was to be forsaken Matth. 27.46 And this is the Apostles assurance that we shall obtaine mercy and grace to helpe in time of neede because hee had a feeling of our infirmities and was tempted as wee are Heb. 4.15 16. Secondly His consanguinitie He is not ashamed to call us brethren He is our Goel our Kinsman and therefore our Redeemer Heb. 11. Ruth 3.9.4.4 And will not repent Many things God hath said which hee hath revoked as the destruction of Ninive the death of Ezekiah and the like which implying a tacite condition fit in the particular cases to be conceal'd upon the varieties of that God might bee said either to persevere or to repent Ier. 18.7 8.26.13 19. God is ever most unchangeable in all his wayes counsels and purposes they stand for ever Nothing can fall out to make God more wise more mercifull more provident more powerfull than hee was before and therefore nothing can make him truely to change his will or to repent of his former actions or resolutions There is with him no variablenesse nor shadow of changing He is not a man that hee should repent I the Lord change not Iam. 1.17 1 Sam. 15.29 Mal. 3.6 Only in mercy unto our weaknesse God condescends unto the manner of humane expressions retaining still the stedfastnesse of his owne working which receiveth no variation nor difference from the contingencies of second causes He speaketh according to our capacitie but he worketh according to his owne counsell so that God is then said to repent when that which he once willed to be hee after by the counsell of the same will causeth not to be therein not changing his owne counsell but onely willing the change of the things that the same thing for this period of time shall be and then shall cease As when a rope is fixed to either side of a River by the same without any manner change or alteration in it I draw the boate wherein I am backward or forward so the same will and counsell of God stands constant and unmoved in the severall mutations of those things which are wrought or removed by it Now then when not onely the counsell of God is immutable in it selfe but also hee hath ordained some Law Covenant or Office which hee will have for ever to endure without either naturall expiration or externall abolishment then is God said not to repent To apply this to the present businesse the Apostle speaking of a new covenant which is established upon this new Priesthood of Christ for the Priesthoods and the Lawes goe both together the one being changed there is made of necessitie a change of the other Heb. 7.12 maketh the introducing of this new Covenant which is founded upon the Oath of God to make the preceding covenant old and transitory In that hee saith A new Covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 And hee saith peremptorily that it was therefore disannul'd because of the weakenesse and unprofitablenesse thereof Heb. 7.18 and this he affirmeth even of the morall Law that law the righteousnesse whereof was to be fulfilled in us by the Spirit of Christ namely in sincerity and in love which is the bond of perfection and the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 8.3 4. For the full understanding then and applying the words to the priesthood of Christ and the Law of Grace or the second covenant thereupon grounded it will be needfull to resolve these two questions First whether God hath repented him of the Law which was the rule and measure of the Covenant of workes Secondly upon what reasons or grounds the immutabilitie of the second Covenant or Law of grace standeth For the first of these the Psalmist telleth us that the Commandements of God are sure and that they stand fast for ever and ever Psal. 111.7 8. and wee may note that the same forme of speech which the Lord useth to shew the stability of the new covenant The Mountaines shall depart and
it It cannot be that a creature should of it selfe and out of the corruption of its owne reason and judgement choose to relinquish the service of him to whom it is naturally and unavoidably subject and by that meanes become altogether unprofitable abominable and unfit for the Masters use and for those holy ends to which it was originally ordered but it must withall incurre the displeasure and thereupon provoke the revenge of that righteous Creator who out of great reasons had put it under such a service Fifthly By all this which hath hitherto beene spoken it appeares that God is not unjust but most holy and righteous First in making a Law for man to observe when hee forbade the eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill to shew that man had nothing by personall immediate and underived right but all by donation and indulgence Any Law God might justly make the obedience whereof hee gave the creature an originall power to performe by reason of the naturall and necessary subjection of the creature unto him Secondly in annexing a curse and penalty to the violation of that Law which for the declaration of his glorious justice hee might most righteously doe because of the inevitable demerit or liablenesse unto censure from the disobedience of that Law resulting Thirdly in making man in such a mutable condition as in the which he might stand or fall by his owne election because hee would be obeyed by judgement and free choice not by fatall necessitie or absolute determination Sixthly here then comes in the fall of man being a wilfull or chosen transgression of a Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction wherof he was as necessarily righteously subject if hee transgressed for as by being Gods creature he was subject to his will so by being his prisoner he was as justly subject unto his wrath and that so much the more by how much the precept was more just the obedience more easie the transgression more unreasonable and the punishment more certaine Now by this fall of man there came great mischiefe into the world and intolerable injury was done by the Creature to him that made him First his dominion and authoritie in his holy command was violated Secondly his justice truth and power in his most righteous threatnings were despised Thirdly his most pure and perfect Image wherein man was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse was utterly defaced Fourthly his glory which by an active service the creature should have brought unto him was lost and despoiled So that now things will not returne to their primitive order and perfection againe till these two things be first effected First a Satisfaction of Gods justice And secondly a Reparation of mans nature which two must needs be effected by such a middle and common person as hath both zeale towards God that he may be satisfied and compassion toward man that he may be repaired such a person as having mans guilt and punishment on him translated may satisfie the justice of God and as having a fulnesse of Gods Spirit and holinesse in him may sanctifie and repaire the nature of man And this person is the Priest here spoken of by David Here the learned frame a kinde of conflict in Gods holy Attributes and by a libertie which the Holy Ghost from the language of holy Scripture alloweth them they speake of God after the manner of men as if he were reduced unto some straits and difficulties by the crosse demands of his severall attributes Justice called upon him for the condemnation of a sinfull and therefore worthily accursed creature which demand was seconded by his truth to make good that threatning In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Mercy on the other side pleaded for favour and compassion towards man wofully seduced and overthrowne by Satan and peace for reconcilement and pacification betweene an offended Judge and an undone creature Hereupon the infinite wisdome and counsell of the blessed Trinitie found out a way which the Angels of heaven gaze on with admiration and astonishment how to reconcile these different pleas of his attributes together A Priest then is resolv'd upon one of the same blessed Trinitie who by his Fathers ordination his owne voluntary susception and the holy Spirits sanctification should be fitted for the businesse He was to be both a Surety and a Head over sinfull men to suffer their punishments and to sanctifie their natures in the relation of a surety to pay mans debt unto God and in the relation of an Head to restore Gods Image unto man and thus in him mercie and truth have met together righteousnesse and peace have kissed each other Psal. 85.10 So then the necessitie which man fallen hath of this Priest here spoken of is grounded upon the sweet harmony and mutuall kisses of Gods Mercy Truth Righteousnesse and Peace which will more distinctly appeare by considering three things First God did purpose not utterly to destroy his creature and that principally for these two reasons as we may observe out of the Scriptures First his owne free and everlasting love and that infinite delight which he hath in mercy which disposeth him abundantly to pardon and to exercise loving kindnesse in the earth Mic. 7.18 Exod. 34.6 7. Psalm 103.8 Esay 55.7 Ier. 9.24 Secondly his delight to be actively glorified by his creatures voluntary service and subjection Herein is my Father glorified that you beare much fruit Iohn 15.8 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that hee turne from his way and live Ezek. 33.11 He delighteth most in unbloudy conquests when by his patience goodnesse and forbearance he subdueth the hearts affections and consciences of men unto himselfe so leading them unto repentance and bringing downe their thoughts unto the obedience of Christ he loveth to see things in their primitive rectitude and beautie and therefore esteemeth himselfe more glorified in the services than in the sufferings of men Hee loveth to have a Church and generation of men which shall serve him in the middest of all his enemies The Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob Psalm 87.2 namely because hee was there more solemnely worshipped and served And therefore he resolved not to destroy all men lest there should be no Religion upon the earth When the Angels fell they fell not all many were still left to glorifie him actively in their service of him but when Adam fell all mankinde fell in him so that there was no tree of this Paradise left to bring forth any fruit unto God and this is most certaine God had rather have his trees for fruit than for fuell and for this reason he was pleased to restore mankinde againe These are the causes why the Lord would not utterly destroy man but these alone shew not the necessitie of a Priest to come betweene God and man
goodnesse who when wee were desperately and incurably gone had found out a way of escape and deliverance for us God stood not in need of us or any service of ours he could have glorified himselfe in our just destruction Who then can enough expresse either the mercy of God or the dutie of man when hee considers that God should call together all the depths of his owne wisdome and counsell to save a company of desperate fugitives who had joyned in combinations with his greatest enemies to resist and dishonour him It would have posed all the wisdome of the world though misery be commonly very witty to shape and fashion to it selfe images of deliverance to have found out a way to heaven betweene the wrath of God and the sinne of man It would have posed all the heavenly intelligences and the united consultations of the blessed Angels to have reconciled Gods mercy in the salvation of man and his justice in the condemnation of sinne to have powred out hell upon the sinne and yet to have bestowed heaven upon the sinner If God should have instructed us thus farre you are miserable creatures but I am a mercifull God the demands of my justice I must not deny neither will I deny the entreaties of my mercy finde me out a sacrifice answerable to my justice and it shall be accepted for you all O where could man have found out a creature of capacitie enough to hold or of strength enough to beare the sinnes of the world or the wrath of God Where could he have found out in heaven or earth amongst men or Angels a Priest that durst accompany such a sacrifice into the presence of so consuming a fire Or where could he have found out an Altar whereon to offer and whereby to sanctifie so great a sacrifice No no the misery of man was too deepe and inextricable for all the created counsell in the world to invent a deliverance Now then if God himselfe did studie to save me how great reason is there that I should studie to serve him How ought all my wisdome and counsell and thoughts and desires be directed to this one resolution to live acceptably and thankfully unto him who when hee might have produced glory to himselfe out of my confusion chose rather to humble and as it were for a while to unglorifie himselfe for my salvation Certainly that man did never rightly understand the horrour of sinne the infinite hatred of God against it the heavinesse of his wrath the malediction of the Law the mystery and vast dimensions of Gods love in Christ the preciousnesse of his sacrifice the end purpose or merit of his death any of those unsearchable riches of God manifested in the flesh who will not crucifie a vanitie a lust a pleasure an earthly member unto him againe who findes more content and satisfaction in his owne wayes of sinne and death more wisdome in the temptations and deceits of Satan and his owne fleshly minde than in those deepe mysteries of grace and contrivances of mercie which the Angels desire to prie into Therefore in the last place wee should labour to feele this necessitie we have of such a Priest This is the only reason why so few make use of so pretious a fountaine because they trust in their owne muddie and broken cisternes at home and are never sensibly and throughly touched with the sense of their owne wants for it is not the saying and confessing ore tenus that I have nothing nor the knowing in speculation only that I have nothing but the feeling and smâ—rting by reason of my want which will drive me to seeke for reliefe abroad If a man did seriously consider and lay together such thoughts as these I am very busie for the affaires and passages of this present life which will quickely vanish and passe away like a Weavers shuttle or a tale that is told I have another and an abiding life to live after this is over All that I toile for here is but for the backe the belly the bagge and the posterity And am I not neerer to my selfe than I am to my money Am I not neerer to my soule than I am to my carkasse or to my seed Must I not have a being in that when neither I nor my posterity have either backe to be clothed or belly to bee fed or name to be supported O why am I not as sadly imployed why spend I not some at least as serious and inquisitive thoughts about this as about the other Doe I not know that I must one day stand before him who is a consuming fire that I must one day be weighed in the ballance and woe be unto me if I am found too light Appeare before him I dare not of my selfe alone without a Priest to mediate for me to cover and protect me from his fury and to reconcile me unto him againe My person wants a Priest it is clogg'd with infinite Guilt which without him cannot bee covered My nature wants a Priest it is overspred with a deepe and universall corruption which without him cannot be cured My sinnes want a Priest they are in number and in quality above measure sinfull which without him cannot bee pardoned My services want a Priest they are blemished and poisoned with many failings and corruptions without him they cannot be accepted I say if men did seriously lay together such thoughts as these it could not be that rationall and sad men men of deepe thoughts in other matters who love to boult out things to the bran and to be very solicitous for evidence and certainty in them should suffer such a businesse as this their interest in that Priest who must alone clothe their persons with his righteousnesse and cleanse their nature with his Spirit and wash away their sinnes with his bloud and sanctifie their prayers and almes and all religious devotions with his incense and intercession or else all of them must passe thorow the triall of such a fire as will consume them all to be slubber'd over with loose and slender thoughts and to bee rested in and resolv'd upon rather by the lying presumptions of a deceitfull heart than by the evidences and testimony of Gods holy Spirit Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things The second thing proposed to bee considered in the Priesthood of Christ was the qualification of that person who was to be a fit High-Priest for us Legall sacrifices would not serve the turne to purge away sin because of their basenesse They were not expiations of sin Heb. 9.9.12 but were onely remembrances and commemorations of sinne Heb. 10.3 necessary it was that heavenly things themselves should be purified with better sacrifices Heb. 9.23 for they of themselves without that typicall relation which they had unto Christ Gal. 3.23 and that Instrumentall vertue which in that relation they had from him Heb. 9.13 were utterly weake and unprofitable Heb. 7.18 as the
ex vi pretii out of any price or purchase but the presenting of the will and good pleasure of Christ to his Father that hee may thereunto put his seale and consent the desiring of a thing so as that hee hath withall a right joyntly of bestowing it who doth desire it That the Saints in heaven and the blessed Angels doe pray for the State of the Church militant as well as rejoyce at their conversion in as much as charity remaineth after this life seemeth to bee granted by Cyprian and Hierom neither know I any danger in so affirming if rightly understood But if so they doe it onely ex charitate ut fratres not ex officio ut mediatores Out of a habit of charity to the generall condition of the Church for it reacheth not to particular men not out of an office of mediation as if they were set up for publike persons appointed not onely to pray for the Church in generall but to present the prayers of particular men to God in their behalfe To bee such a mediator belongs onely to Christ because True intercession as it is a publike and authoritative act is founded upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding Hee cannot bee a right Advocate who is not a propitiation too And therefore the Papists are faine to venture so farre as to affirme that the intercession of the Saints with God for us is grounded upon the vertue of their owne merits Wee pray the Saints to intercede for us that is that wee may enjoy the suffrage of their merits But this is a very wicked Doctrine First because it shareth the Glory of Christ and communicateth it to others Secondly because it communicateth Gods worship to others Thirdly because under pretence of modesty and humility it bringeth in a cursed boldnesse to denie the faith and driveth children from their Father unto servants expressely therein gainsaying the Apostle who biddeth us make our requests knowne to God Phil. 4.6 And assureth us that by Christ wee have boldnesse so to doe Heb. 10.19 and free accesse allowed us by the Spirit Eph. 2.18 whereas one chiefe reason of turning to the Saints and Angels is because sinfull men must not dare to present themselves or their services unto God in their owne persons but by the helpe of those Saints that are in more favour with God and with whom they may bee bolder Now from this Doctrine of Christs intercession many and great are the benefits which come unto the Church of God As first our fellowship with the Father and his Sonne I pray for these that as thou Father art in mee and I in thee they also may bee one in us Ioh. 17.21 Secondly the gift of the Holy Ghost I will pray the Father and hee shall give you another comforter that hee may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 14.16 17. all the comforts and workings of the Spirit in our hearts which wee enjoy are fruits of the intercession of Christ. Thirdly protection against all our spirituall enemies Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 I pray that thou wouldst keepe them from the evill Ioh. 17.15 But are not the faithfull subject to evils corruptions and temptations still how then is that part of the intercession of Christ made good unto us for understanding hereof wee must know that the intercession of Christ is available to a faithfull man presently but yet in a manner suteable and convenient to the present estate and condition of the Church so that there may bee left roome for another life and therefore wee must not conceive all presently done As the Sunne shineth on the Moone by leasurely degrees till shee come to her full light or as if the King grant a pardon to bee drawen though the grant bee of the whole thing at once yet it cannot bee written and sealed but word after word and line after line and action after action so the grant of our holinesse is made unto Christ at first but in the execution thereof there is line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little such an order by Christ observed in the distribution of his Spirit and grace as is most suteable to a life of faith and to the hope wee have of a better Kingdome I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not saith Christ unto Peter yet wee see it did shake and totter non rogavit ut ne deficeret sed ut ne prorsus deficeret the Prayer was not that there might be no failing at all but that it might not utterly and totally faile Fourthly the assurance of our sitting in heavenly places His sitting in heavenly places hath raised us up together and made sit with him Eph. 2.6 First because he sitteth there in our flesh Secondly because hee sitteth there in our behalfe Thirdly because hee sitteth there as our Center Col. 3.1 2. And so is neere unto us natura officio spiritu by the unity of the same nature with us by the quality of his office or Sponsorship for us and by the Communion and fellowship of his Spirit Fifthly Strength against our sins for from his Priesthood in heaven which is his Intercession the Apostle inferres the writing of the Law in our hearts Hebr. 8.4.6.9 10. Sixthly the sanctification of our services of which the Leviticall Priests were a type who were to beare the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel that they might be accepted Exod. 28.38 He is the Angell of the Covenant who hath a golden Censer to offer up the prayers of the Saints Revel 8.3 There is a three-fold evill in man First an Evill of state or condition under the guilt of sinne Secondly an Evill of nature under the corruption of sinne and under the indisposition and ineptitude of all our faculties unto good Thirdly an Evill in all our services by the adherencie of sin for that which toucheth an uncleane thing is made uncleane and the best wine mixed with water will lose much of its strength and native spirits Now Christ by his righteousnesse and merits justifieth our persons from the guilt of sinne and by his grace and Spirit doth in measure purifie our faculties and cure them of that corruption of sin which cleaves unto them And lastly by his incense and intercession doth cleanse our services from the noysomenesse and adherencie of sinne so that in them the Lord smelleth a sweet savour and so the Apostle calleth the contributions of the Saints towards his necessities an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing unto God Phil. 4.18 Gen. 8.21 And this is a benefit which runneth through the whole life of a Christian all the ordinary workes of our calling being parts of our service unto God for in them we
follow thee whithersoever thou leadest mee But these are but emptie velleities the wishings and wouldings of an evill heart Lord to me belongeth the shame of my failings but to thee belongeth the glory of thy mercy and forgivenesse Too true it is that I doe not all I should but doe I allow my selfe in any thing that I should not doe I make use of mine infirmities to justifie my selfe by them or shelter my selfe under them or dispence with my selfe in them though I doe not the things I should yet I love them and delight in them my heart and Spirit and all the desires of my soule are towards them I hate abhorre and fight with my selfe for not doing them I am ashamed of mine infirmities as the blemishes of my profession I am weary of them and groane under them as the burdens of my soule I have no lust but I am willing to know it and when I know to crucifie it I heare of no further measure of grace but I admire it and hunger after it and presse on to it I can take Christ and affliction Christ and persecution together I can take Christ without the world I can take Christ without my selfe I have no unjust gaine but I am ready to restore it No time have I lost by earthly businesse from Gods service but I am ready to redeeme it I have followed no sinfull pleasure but I am ready to abandon it no evill company but I mightily abhorre it I never sware an oath but I can remember it with a bleeding conscience I never neglected a duty but I can recount it with revenge and indignation I doe not in any man see the Image of Christ but I love him the more dearly for it and abhorre my selfe for being so much unlike it I know Satan I shall speed never the worse with God because I have thee for mine enemie I know I shall speed much the better because I have my selfe for mine enemie Certainly hee that can take Christ offer'd that can in all points admit him as well to purifie as to justifie as well to rule as save as well his grace as his mercie neede not feare all the powers of darknesse nor all the armies of the foulest sinnes which Satan can charge his conscience withall The second great vertue and fruit of the Priesthood of Christ was ex redundantia meriti from the redundancy and overflowing of his merit First hee doth merit to have a Church for the very being of the Church is the effect of that great price which he payed therefore the Church is called a purchased people 1 Pet. 2.9 Ask of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Psal. 2.8 when hee made his soule an offering for sinne hee did by that meanes see his seed and divide a portion with the great Esai 53.10 11 12. The delivering and selecting of the Saints out of this present evill world was the end of Christs Sacrifice Gal. 1.4 Secondly hee did merit all such good things for the Church as the great love of himselfe and his Father towards the Church did resolve to conferre upon it They may I conceive be reduced to two heads First Immunitie from evill whatsoever is left to bee removed after the payment of our debt or taking off from us the guilt and obligation unto punishment Such are the Dominion of Sinne. Sinne shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the Law of Sinne and of Death Rom. 8.2 He that committeth sinne is the servant of sinne but if the Sonne shall make you free you shall bee free indeed Ioh. 8 34-36 Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne 1 Ioh. 3.9 That is he is not an artificer of sinne one that maketh it his trade and profession and therefore bringeth it to any perfection Hee hath received a Spirit of Iudgement that chaineth up his lusts and a Spirit of burning which worketh out his drosse Esai 4.4 Mal. 3.2 3. Matth. 3.2 Such is The Vanity of our Minde whereby wee are naturally unable to thinke or to cherish a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Eph. 4.17 The Ignorance and hardnesse of our hearts unable to perceive or delight in any spirituall thing Eph. 4.18 Ioh. 1.5 Luk. 24 25.45 The Spirit of disobedience and habituall strangenesse and aversenesse from God Eph. 4.18 Iob 20.14 Such are also all those slavish affrightfull and contumacious effects of the Law in terrifying the conscience irritating the concupiscence and compelling the froward heart to an unwilling and unwelcome conformitie The Law is now made our counseller a delight to the inner man that which was a lion before hath now food and sweetnesse in it Secondly Many Priviledges and dignities in the vertue of that principall and generall one which is our unitie unto Christ from whence by the fellowship of his holy and quickning Spirit wee have an unction which teacheth us his wayes and his voyce which sanctifieth our nature by the participation of the divine nature that is by the renewing of Gods most holy and righteous Image in us Which sanctifieth our Persons that they may bee spirituall Kings and Priests Kings to order our owne thoughts affections desires studies towards him to fight with principalities powers corruptions and spirituall enemies Priests to offer up our bodies soules prayers thanksgivings almes spirituall services upon that Altar which is before his mercy-seate and to slay and mortifie our lusts and earthly members which sanctifieth all our actions that they may bee services to him and his Church acceptable to him and profitable to others Secondly from this unity with him growes our adoption which is another fruit of his Sacrifice Hee was made of a woman made under the Law that wee might receive The Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4.5 By which wee have free accesse to call upon God in the vertue of his Sacrifice sure supplies in all our wants because our heavenly Father knoweth all our needs a most certaine inheritance and salvation in hope for we are already saved by hope Rom. 8.24 and Christ is to us the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Lastly there is from hence our exaltation in our finall victory and resurrection by the fellowship and vertue of his victory over death as the first fruits of ours 1 Cor. 15.20.49 Phil. 3.21 And in our complete salvation being carried in our soules and bodies to be presented to himselfe without spot and blamelesse Eph. 5.26 27. and to bee brought unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now to take all in one view what a summe of mercy is here together Remission of all sinnes discharge of all debts deliverance from all curses joy peace triumph security exaltation above all evils enemies or feares a peculiar purchased roiall seed the gift of God the Father to his Sonne deliverance from the dominion and service of all sinne vanity ignorance hardnesse disobedience bondage coaction terror sanctification
are likely to assault them to teach them in every condition as well possible as present how to walke acceptably before God Phil. 4.11 13. Another great enemie of the Kingdome of Christ is the lust of our owne evill nature The carnall minde is enmitie against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Phil. 3.8 Enmity in grieving vexing and quenching the holy Spirit in us and lusting enviously against his grace Iam. 4.4 5. And here also Christ overcommeth by the prevailing power of his Spirit giving us more Grace demolishing the kingdome of sinne and judging the prince of this world which before did rule in the children of disobedience And this he doth by the judgement Seat and Scepter of his Spirit in the heart for the judgement of the Spirit is too hard for the principality of Satan Ioh. 16.11 The Spirit of Christ is a victorious Spirit He bringeth forth his judgement unto victory Matth. 12.20 Esai 4.4 Hee worketh out by degrees the drosse and impurity of our nature and services First by faith fixing upon better promises and hopes than lust can make 1 Ioh. 5.4 Heb. 11.24 26. Secondly by watchfulnesse eying corruptions and so stirring up those arguments and principles which are strongest against them Iob 31.1 Psal. 39.1 Thirdly by leading us to more acquaintance with God in knowledge love and communion Iob 22.21 1 Ioh. 1.3 and so fetching more wisedome and strength from him for this is the way that wee get all our strength even by learning of him Phil. 4.12 Fourthly by inclining the heart to hate and to complaine of corruptions to bemone it selfe as Paul and Ephraim did Rom. 7.23 Mark 9.24 Ier. 31.18 19. Fifthly by bringing the heart into the light there to approve and judge its actions Ioh. 3.20 by setting it alwayes in Gods eye that it may not sinne against him Psal. 16.8 Sixthly by convincing the heart of the beauty and excellencie of Grace of the unlikenesse of sinne to God and so making the soule more full of desires for the one and against the other Esai 26.8 Ezek. 36.31 and thus kindling lust against lust Gal. 5.17 Seventhly by being alwayes a present Monitour and Watchman in the soule to supply it with spirituall weapons and reasonings against the temptations of lust Esai 30.31 Ioh. 14.26 Lastly in one word by daily supplies from the residue of Spirit which is in our head whereby according to the proportion and exigence of the members he floweth into them Mal. 2.15 Phil. 1.19 This is that seed that leaven that vitall instinct which is ever in the heart setting it selfe against the workings and life of lust and by little and little wasting it away as fire doth water The grand instrument of Satan and lust who are the two leaders in this warre against Christ is the wicked world The power malice wisedome learning or any other either naturall or acquir'd abilities of evill men for even in an earthly respect by the word kings we are not onely to understand those Monarchs and princes of the earth who set themselves against Christ but all such as excell in any such worldly abilities as may further that opposition It notes the strength policie pride and greatnesse of minde or scorne of subjection which is in the heart against Christ. So that king heere stands in opposition to subject they who reject Christs yoke and breake his bonds asunder and will not have him to raigne over them those are the kings in the Text. And these also will hee smite through and confound by the Power of his Word and the strength of his arme The Lord gave the Word great was the company of those that published it Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoile Psal. 68.11 12. Tophet is ordained of old for the king it is prepared Esai 30.33 Come and gather your selves together unto the Supper of the great God That ye may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of captaines and the flesh of mightie men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great c. Revel 19.17 18. As for those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 Be wise now ye kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling kisse the Sonne lest he bee angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Thus the Lord overthroweth his Churches enemies and protecteth it against al their greatest preparations most formidable power And this he doth severall wayes sometimes by diverting their forces from his Church into some other necessary channell or ambitious designe of their owne Thus Rabshakah and his hoast were called from Iudah 2 King 19.7 8. so the Lord promised his people that when they went up to appeare before him thrice a yeere he would divert the desires of their enemies from their land Exod. 34.24 Thus Iulian the Apostate having but two maine plots to honour as he supposed his government and his idols withall the subduing of the Persian and the rooting out of the Galileans as he called them was prevented from this by being first overthrowne in the other for the prosperous successe of which expedition he vowed unto his idoll-gods a sacrifice of all the Christians in the Empire as Gregorie Nazianzen relateth Sometimes by infatuating and implanting a spirit of giddinesse and distraction in the enemies of his Church making them destitute both of counsell and courage When God would punish Babylon which was a type of the enemies of Christs Kingdome hee made their hearts melt that they should bee amazed at one another and their faces should be like flames Esay 13.7 8. that is not onely pale like a flame but rather as I conceive full of varietie of fearefull impressions and distracted passions nothing so tremulous so various so easily bended every way with the smallest blast as a flame so their feare should make their bloud and spirits in their faces to tremble quiver and varie to come and goe like a thinne flame in them so God threatneth to mingle a perverse spirit to make the spirit of Egypt faile in them and their wisedome to perish Esal 19.1 2 3 14 17. and thus likewise the Lord dealt with Iulian in that Persian expedition he put a spirit of folly in him to burne his ships and so to put a necessity of courage in his people as the old Gauls did against Caesar and then to leave them all destitute of necessary releefe Sometimes by ordering casualties and particular emergencies for the deliverance of his Church a thing wonderfully seene in the histories of Ioseph and Ester Thus as a man by a chaine made up of sâ—verall links some of gold others of silver other
they called thee an out-cast saying This is Sion whom no man seeketh after Ier. 30.17 see Ier. 50.11 Ezek. 25.3.28.6 9. Obad. v. 3 4. when the high wayes were waste and the way-faring man ceased and the enemie regarded no man Now saith the Lord will I arise now will I be exalted c. Esay 33.8 11. when the enemies help forward the affliction of Gods people and by their pride and insultation doe double the misery which is upon them then will the Lord returne to them in mercies and be sore displeased with his enemies Zech. 1.15 16. Esay 40.2.47.5 6. Secondly when Gods people are throughly humbled and purged for God useth wicked men but as his staffe or weapon as his fire or fan to correct and purge them Esay 10.12 He intendeth not in his punishments such severity against them as against their enemies if the rod be for the childe the fire is for the rod Esay 27.7 8.9 When men are so smitten that they can returne to him that smiteth them and not revolt more and more for God will not throw any more darts at those who are sunke and dead already when they are stirred in their hearts joyntly to seeke the Lord and to meet him in the way of his judgements and to compassionate and favour the dust of Sion then is the day of his wrath for when Gods time to deliver a people is come he will more abundantly stirre up the hearts of his people to pray for it Psal. 102.16.17 Dan. 9.2.3 whereas when he will destroy a people hee will not suffer his Saints to pray Ier. 14.11 Thirdly when all humane hopes and expectations are gone when a people is so pilled and broken that they have no courage meanes succours or probabilities left then is Gods time to deliver his Church and to punish his enemies The Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his Servants when hee seeth that their power is gone Deut. 32.36 Psal. 68.20 109·31 In one word when the preparations and premises as it were unto Gods glory are best ordered and put together then is the day of his wrath come The Church then need not to bee cast downe with the insultation of her enemies since Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever such as hee was ever to his Church such hee is still If hee have delivered his Church from the pride of her enemies heretofore his power truth watchfulnesse compassion is the same still and by faith in them wee may rebuke Satan wee may chide away the weaknesse and feare of our owne hearts wee may rejoice against those that insult over us when they rage most wee may hope their time is short and that it is but the biting of a wounded beast Therefore wee finde the Saints in Scripture arme themselves against present dangers with the consideration of what God hath done for his Church in times past Psal. 68.7 8 74.13-18 Esai 51.9 10 11. Habak 3. And in the confidence of the same truth and power breake forth into a holy scorne of their enemies Mich. 7.8 9 10. Esai 50.8 9. In the sorest extremities wee may fix our faith on God and hee delighteth to bee depended upon alone when all outward helpes and probabilities faile see Esai 41.17 18. Hab. 3.17 18. A million of men came against Asa one of the hugest hoasts of men that were ever read of yet by relying on God they were all delivered into his hand and the reason is added because God hath eyes and strength or as hee is described Revel 5 6. Seven hornes and seven eyes much wisedome and much power to shew himselfe valiant in the behalfe of those that walke uprightly 2 Chron. 16.8 9. Wee should learne likewise to rejoyce and triumph with all thankfulnesse of heart when Christ subdueth the enemies of his Kingdome and giveth deliverance and refreshment to his people When hee maketh his hand knowen to his servants and his fury to his enemies then should all they that love Hierusalem rejoyce Esai 66.10 Thus the Church after they were delivered from the malice of Haman instituted days of joy and feasting Ester 9.22 It is a signe of an evill heart against the peace and prosperity of the Church of Christ to envie or slight or thinke basely of the instruments and wayes whereby Christ delivereth it as wee see in Tobiah and Sanballat Nehem. 4.2 3. Lastly wee should learne wisedome to lay hold on the times and seasons of Gods peace because hee hath a day of wrath too to apprehend the offers and opportunities of grace Christ had been at the Churches dore and had knocked for admittance but neglecting that season hee was gone and much shee suffer'd before shee could finde him againe Cant. 5 2-7 When the Lord speaketh unto us in his ordinances and by the secret motions and perswasions of his holy Spirit wee should not deferre nor put him off as Felix did Paul to some other time but pursue the occasion and set our selves to doe every duty in Gods time There is a time for every worke and it is beautifull onely in its time and therefore fit it is that wee should observe wisely the signes and nature of the times Matth. 16.2 And accordingly proportion our devotions for the Church and our selves It is the worst losse of time to let slip the seasons of grace and spirituall wisedome till it may bee Gods time of mercy is passed over If thou hadst knowen in this thy day the thing that concerne thy Peace But now thy day is over and my day of wrath is come they are now hidden from thine eyes Hee shall judge amongst the Heathen By heathen we are to understand the same with Enemies vers 1. and People Esai 63.6 Meaning all the armies and swarmes of Christs enemies either spirituall or secular The word Gentiles was a word of great contempt and detestation amongst God people as the word Iew is now amongst us a proverbiall word to cast reproach and shame upon men Therefore the Apostle saith of the Ephesians that in times passed they had been Gentiles in the flesh Eph. 2.11 As if by being Christians they had ceased to bee Gentiles or rather that word had ceased to bee a terme of reproach So that Gentile was a word of scorne as Samaritan Ioh. 8.48 or Canaanite Ezek. 16.3 or Publican Matth. 18.17 Luk. 18.11 And therefore wee finde those two still joyned together Publicans and sinners and so the Apostle joyneth these two words Gentiles and sinners Gal. 2.15 So then the word Heathen is added by David to the enemies of Christ to render them the more odious and to expresse their more abject and hatefull condition and therefore when God would cast notable reproach upon his people hee calleth them Sodomites and Gentiles Esai 1.10 Ezek. 2.3 So then the meaning is his most abject and hatefull enemies that are unto him as Iewes and Samaritans hee shall judge that is hee shall
inchoate as all those penall defects of our nature which neither were sinnes nor grounded upon the inherence of sinnes for hee tooke not our personall but onely our naturall defects And these were either corporeall as hunger thirst wearinesse and the like or spirituall as feare griefe sorrow temptations c. consummate were those which he suffered at last And these likewise were either corporeall as shame mockings buffets trials scourgings condemnation an ignominious and a cursed death Or spirituall and those were principally two First a punishment of Dereliction My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Matth. 27.46 There was some kinde of separation betweene God and Christ during the time of his sufferings for sinne in that cursed manner For understanding wherof we must note that he had a fourfold Vnion unto God First In his humane Nature which was so fast united in his person to the divine that death it selfe did not separate it either from the person or from the deitie It was the Lord that lay in the grave Secondly In Love and so there was never any separation neither but when hee hanged on the Crosse hee was still the beloved Sonne of his Father in whom hee was well pleased Thirdly In the Communion of his Spirit and Holinesse and in that regard likewise there was no disunion for hee was offered up as a lambe without spot or blemish Lastly In the fruition of the light of his countenance and of his glory and favor and in this respect there was for the time of his sufferings a dereliction subtractione visionis non dissolutione unionis by the withdrawing of his countenance not by the dissolving of his union Hee looked upon Christ as a God armed against the sinnes of the world which were then upon him Secondly There was a punishment of malediction Hee did undergoe the curse of the Law hee did graple with the wrath of God and with the powers of darknesse hee felt the scourges due unto our sinnes in his humane nature which squeezed and wrung from him those strong cries those deepe and woefull complaints that bloudy and bitter sweate which drew compassion from the very rocks And surely it is no derogation to the dignity of Christs person but on the other side a great magnifying of the Iustice of God against sinne of the power of Christ against the Law and of the mercy of them both towards sinners to affirme that the sufferings of Christ what-ever they were in specie in the kinde of them were yet in pondere in their weight and pressure equally grievous with those which we should have suffered for being in all things save sinne like unto us and most of all in his liablenesse to the curse of the Law so farre as it did not necessarily denotate either sinne inherent or weaknesse to breake through in the person suffering why hee should not bee obnoxious to as great extremities of paine I see no reason for no degree of meere anguish and dolor can bee unbefitting the person of him who was to bee knowne by that Title A man of sorrowes And surely farre more indignity it was to him to suffer a violent death of body from the hands of base men than to suffer with patience obedience and victorie farre sorer stripes from the hand of God his Father who was pleased upon him to lay the iniquity of us all For the second thing proposed Why Christ suffered these things The Scripture giveth principally these five reasons First to execute the decrees of his Father Act. 4.27 28. Secondly to fulfill the prophesies prefigurations and predictions of Holy Scriptures Luk. 24.46 Thirdly to magnifie his mercy and free love to sinners and most impotent enemies Rom. 5.8 Fourthly to declare the Righteousnesse and truth of God against sinne who would not bee reconciled with sinners but upon a legall expiation Rom. 3.25 For although wee may not limit the unsearchable wisedome and wayes of God as if hee could no other way have saved man yet wee are bound to adore this meanes as being by him selected out of that infinite treasure of his owne counsell as most convenient to set forth his wonderfull hate of sinne his inexorable Iustice and severity against it his unsearchable riches of love and mercy towards sinners and in all things to make way to the manifestation of his glory Lastly To shew forth his owne power which had strength to stand under all this punishment of sinne and at last to shake it off and to declare himselfe to bee the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 For though Christ did exceedingly feare and for that seeme to decline and pray against these his passions yet none of that was out of jealousie or suspicion that hee should not breake through them But hee feared them as being paines unavoidable which hee was most certainly to suffer and as paines very heavie and grievous which hee should not overcome without much bitternesse and very woefull conflict Now for a word of the last Clause Therefore shall hee lift up the Head Wee may hence observe that Christ hath conquered all his sufferings by his owne power As in his passion when hee suffered hee Bowed downe his head before-hand and gave up the ghost with a loud voice to note that his sufferings were voluntary Ioh. 19.30 So in his resurrection hee is said to lift up his head himselfe to note that hee had life in himselfe that hee was the Prince of Life that it was impossible for him to be held under by death as we were by the Law Rom. 7.6 And that his exaltation was voluntary likewise and from his owne power for he was not to have any assistant in the worke of our redemption but to doe all alone Ioh. 2.19.5.26.10.17 Act. 3.15 If it bee objected that Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of his Father and that hee raised him up Rom. 6.4 Act. 13.33 To this I answer that this was not by way of supplement and succor to make up any defect of power in Christ but onely by way of consent to Christs owne power and action that so men might joyntly honour the Sonne and the Father Ioh. 5 19-26 Or by the Glorie of the Father wee may understand that glorious power which the Father gave unto his Sonne in the flesh to have life in himselfe Ioh. 5.26 annexing thereunto a command to exercise the same Power Ioh. 10.18 Or hee is said to bee raised by himselfe and his Father both because that Holy Spirit which immediatly quickned him Rom. 1.4 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 3.18 was both his and his Fathers It was not any personall thing wherein the Sonne differ'd from the Father which raised Iesus from the dead but that Spirit which was common to them both To conclude then with the consideration of those great benefits and that excellent use which this resurrection of Christ doth serve for unto us First it assureth us of the accomplishment