he wil drop in in this or that Ordinance and how liâ—tle do we see of hinâ—â— yet that 's al we seek and that 's al the good we can receive to do us good But them â—hrist in the glorious sufficiency of the fulness of his Grace shal shine in a-main upon the mind in the ful beauty of it Al Comfort and Peace and Grace of al kinds shal like a mighty stream take up the whol man Here by re-tale as persons who are poor buy and bring in their Provisions Then by whol-sale Here the Light of the Sun shining in a crevis and day-hole leaves yet the place dark but then the Lord Christ shal arise as the Sun of Righteousness and fil as that the whol Heaven so this the whol heart So Christ shines in the Counsels Comrorts c. of the Ministry of the Word and makes us see the Day-star arising but stil there be shadows But then he wil arise in our hearts and al these shadows shal fly away I shall know as I am known 3. Most effectually and powerfully 1 John 3.2 It 's the Inference the Apostle makes and the reason he brings to force this Consequence and that infallibly We shal be like him How comes that We shall see him as be is For as the Spirit of Christ by his Special presence in the Soul and work upon it is the only Author of al Grace and Holiness which we do here or shal hereafter possess 2 Cor. 3.18 We are transformed into one degree of glorious Grace from another by the same Spirit So the Spirit of God useth first to enlighten our minds aâ— the first means whereby he comes to make way for himself into the heart and to communicate al that glorious Grace to those upon whom he is pleased to bestow it And hence our Savior when he would difference his Servants from the wicked in the World to whom he never intends any saving good nor do they partake thereof he gives this as a ground John 14.17 The Father will send his Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him No Spirit no Grace But the World hath no Spirit because they cannot receive him and that because they do not see not know But they see therefore receive and therefore have the Spirit and therefore have Grace and therefore the Apostle concludes 1 John 3.6 Whoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him True it is possible the wicked may have a glimmering of the Truth and hear tel of a Christ by the common bruit of the World as they read such things writ But this is a false Light the Star-light of some common apprehensions of Reason Arguments which are presented to us in Speech and Discourse But the Apostle ads Eph. 4.20 If ye have heard and learned Christ and been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus Ye have heard of the Truth and Christ as then are in words which report him as Arguments and Reasons which discourse and dispute about him but the Truth as it is in Jesus as it issues from a Jesus from a Savior and from that saving enlightening over-powring work when it 's set on by the hand of a Jesus not by Man Education or Disputation then it wil make men to put off the old man and be renewed in the spirit of their minds This the eyeing of Jesus in a right manner in this Life wil do But when we come to see Christ as he is in his Glory all those impediments which either stopped or lessened the work of the Spirit from conveying that fulness of Grace which otherwise it would and by which we might have been perfectly like him are then taken away Now the impediments which stop the current and passage of the Spirit are either in regard of the means whereby he is dispensed or in regard of our hearts wherein he is received 1. For the means they are either narrow as Conduits from the Fountain or Creeks from the Sea of smal power and convey little help in spiritual supply as Word and Sacraments Or else the Instruments are weak and cracked and so stop the stream and corrupt and sinful and therefore though not utterly hinder the work of the Spirit yet wrong and defile it much But then the Lord Christ wil do his work by himself when his Spirit shal have ful scope the narrowness of means shal not streighten him the weakness of instruments hinder him to express the ful power of his Grace in ful perfection but God shall now be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 1. Whatever Word and Sacraments and Prayer could or did convey whatever the Power of Ordinance the Ministry of the Word the Counsel of Saints endeavored to work in you he wil be instead of al and do more than al. Ye prayed for a Christ did ye not Ye heard for a Christ received for a Christ conferred humbled to come more neer a Christ to enjoy more of him do more for him Alas that Christ ye desired to hear some Tidings of ye shal see him not in weakness of Ordinances Ministry of his Servants c. ye shal see him as he is in the highest strain of Eminency of al Grace acting to its utmost for your good that which they all could not do They did convey but imperfect power against sin peace and comfort to your Conscience but now ye shal find al power perfectly and constantly gloriously conveyed from this Glory of Christ 2. There shal be no impediment to hinder or streighten the Spirit from conveying no impediment on our part no hindrance in our Souls because they shal readily receive the ful impression of Grace The set frame and face of the Soul being alone for Christ and towards him The whol imployment of the whol man being nothing else but to attend upon Christ and to submit to him to be carried by the presence power and influence of his Spirit alone Look as it is with In-mates under a Roof the one is constrained to confine himself to heap up and tumble his Houshold-stuff together because he hath not room to set it forth but when al are outed and he hath ful scope in his House and Family he may order al in their ful beauty So here paâ—â—ly our Corruptions partly the World and Earthly occasions keep house with Christ thoughts of Christ and the Family â—are for the Promises and for Provision also pains and labor to settle our Spiritual the like contrivements to suit our temporal Condition and al takes up if not take off and carriâ—â— our minds and thoughts our hearts our care so that Christ and the works of his Grace are crowded into corners and narrows But then the House wil be free the heart quit of al these and Christ wil have ful scope Hence the Apostle 1. Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with him We are now pestered with unwelcome guests which we cannot send going
tel what buying is but by selling Our Savior disputes upon this Ground He that hath seen me hath seen the Father because I am in the Father and the Father in me to wit by vertue of that Relation there is in one to the other USE 1. Instruction We here see the Reason why many of the Faithful are at such a loss for the Knowledg of the Love and Favor and Acceptance of the Father They seek not to Christ for this and therefore they are not acquainted and informed They take not the right way to come to the Speech of the Father John 14â—6 I am the way there is none that comes to the Father nor can be acquainted with his mind but by me When our Savior was checking Nicodemus for his ignorance as not reaching the knowledg oâ— Mercy he gives this as the reason we repair not to him who only can relieve and reveal John 3.13 No man ascends up into Heaven but the Son of Man wâ—â— is in Heaven So our Savior did with Philip when he so earnestly desired the knowledg of the Father Shew us the Father and it shall sâ—ffice So many perplexed ones Shew us the Face of a reconciled Father and it 's enough they are to be checked as he John 14.9 Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me He that hath â—een me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 2. Hence we may discern the Cause how it comes to pass That men of mean Place and Parts shallow Compass and Conceivings poor and feeble Abilities not able to see much in ordinary occasions and yet so comforted assured pâ—rswaded of the Love of the Father The reason in from hence They are taught of Christ he knows all and he makes them know As it was said when they wondred at the Answers of the Disciples They knew they had been with Jesus Act. 4.13 He that hath intelligence dayly from such as have the Ear of the King sit at Counsel-Table he in the Bosom of his Majesty if he have an express and Intelligence it 's no wonder because he understands the Mysteries of State the mind of the King So it is here Christ lies in the Bosom of the Faâ—her and Christ discloseth those bosom Expressions and Affections of the Father We have done with the First The Second follows And these have known that thou hast sent me Here is another Circumstance touching the Description of the Parties for whom our Savior praies which may yet further his Petition that it may be of prevailing force with the Father for the grant of his desire to wit That they may be where he is and see his Glory Had they indeed been the wicked of the World who never knew the Father nor himself and therefore were never fit nor able to see his Glory or to take any satisfaction in it or to return any Glory to the Father or himself thereby It had been bootless for him to have begged such a favor and it had been impossible for them to receive any good by it as having no interest therein nor fitness for the enjoyment of such a Priviledg But he praies who knows him as a Son knows his Father yea such a Son such a Father known by an Eternal Generation And he praies for such who know that the Father hath sent him and therefore are wel acquainted with him and the Father and with the Ambassage he comes of and with that great Work which he had undertaken and hath now discharged and for which he shal have a Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee shal bow both in Heaven and Earth And therefore they who know what the Father hath purposed and the Son hath performed and that experimentally to their own good They are the fittest to see it and to celebrate the Name of the Father and Son for ever in Heaven The Saints have a special Knowledg Doct. that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for the Work of their Salvation These all these and none but these have this Knowledg as their priviledg and peculiar Favor appropriated to them in which the World hath no Portion nor yet shal ever be made Partakers of it At the great Day when al Flesh shal appear before God and al his Saints gathered and by Christ brought home to the Father when he hath fully finished the Work and done the Wil of the Father That as he now professeth I came not to do mine own wil but the wil of him that sent me and this is the wil of him that sent me That of those that thou hast given me I should lose none but raise them up at the last day Then I say when the Work is finished and performed in the Eyes of the Ungodly and he shall be admired in his Saints not of them only but admired in them even by the Wicked who shal be forced to admire that Power and Love and Mercy which hath done such great things for such undeserving Creatures and therefore shal see it and be constrained to acknowledg the truth and reality of that great Work what the Father purposed and plotted from Eternity with the Lord Jesus how out of infinite Love and. Faithfulness he was sent and hath now accomplished it This they shal see and be forced to know with grief and vexation of Spirit that it is so And for this also our Savior prayed in the former Verse That the World may know that thou hast sent me But to find and own this in the reality of the Work of it to tract the foot-steps of the unsearchable Wisdom and Riches of Mercy in marking this good upon their Souls in that miraculous and my sterious manner as he hath this is peculiar to the Saints These and these alone know that Christ is sent to this Work these have found the excellency of it here and these are fit to gaze upon it and admire it for ever hereafter Three things we are to open 1. How Christ is said to be sent of the Father 2. For what he is sent and what was his Errand 3. How the Saints know this in a special manner 1. How sent This Sending is the first in-let whereby the Fountain of the ever lasting good Wil and Favor of the Father is laid open and let out unto us And you shal find the Spirit in the Scripture leading al his by the hand hither here he would Land us and here leave us and thereby teaching of us that we should not stay before we repair hither and when we are here not to stir But rest and repose our Soul and resolve our Faith and Confidence as into the first Principle where there is no possibility either of alteration or addition So firm it cannot be altered so fully sufficient and satisfactory that nothing can be added nor desired It is too mysterious a depth and therefore beyond our scantling to fathom it We
God q.d. There is no man of the world who only hath the Spirit of the world that can know such things None of the Princes of the World knew them verse 8. nay no Natural Man can know them verse 14. But the Spirit searcheth the deep things of God There be depths of the warmings of our minds and hearts and none but the Spirit of God can discover them deep things in the mind of God and whoever knew his mind No Creature ever did or could but Christ knew his mind and we have the mind of Christ and so come to know the mind of the Father verse 16. And hence our Savior surveys the differencing Reason why his Disciples might perceive others as Scribes and Pharisees had eyes and could not see To you it is given to know the things of the Kingdom but not to them and upon this ground our Savior adviseth the Church of Laodicea I counsel thee to buy of me Eye-salve to annoint thine Eyes that thou mayest see This Spiritual and special Super-natural Light is that Eye-salve which al the Disciples of our-Savior had and therefore they knew him As the Sun is seen by his own Light It must be the wisdom from above that must enable us to see the things that are above So John 14.17 The World hath not seen nor known the Comforter but ye know him that is by the Light of the Spirit ye come to see the Spirit 2. In the thing known there is a Specialty of Knowledg They look at it as an Ambassage of Love and Life which the Lord Christ now brings from the Father who intends their good in both and our Savior comes on purpose to work it 1. A message of love for the Soul of a sinner under the sight and sense of the guilt of his iniquity he doth and cannot but apprehend God as an angry God against him that there be many causes of quarrel and controversie that God hath lying by him and indeed the controversie lies between the Father and the sinner because his work was directly wronged and prejudiced And Hence its evident that the message must come from the Father touching the terms and purpose of peace if ever it be attained because it is the Wrath and Justice of the Lord that proclaims War against the sinner having justly deserved that his displeasure should break out against him The Lord Christ is the Prince of Peace who is our Peace and takes up the Quarrel between the Father and the Elect brings the glad tidings of Grace from God who not only tenders but desires reconciliation with the Soul through Jesus And therefore he must come as an Ambassador sent from the Father and that the Soul must know or else he could not attain his end take up the Controversie betwixt the Father and him So among al Nations it is a received course in Reason the Ambassador must come from the Prince offended that hath intended War and he must make known the Commission of his Ambassage as from him Authorized else Peace and Agreement wil never be accomplished nor received So 1 John 4.9 See also John 3.16 17. God so loved the World that he gave his Son c. How is that to be proved He answers For God sent his Son not that he might condemn the World for they condemn themselves but that the World might live through him These are Riddles to the wicked they may be talked of in the World the noise of such things may go up and down But to know and own the Ambassage as sent on purpose to him this is a Secret peculiar to the Saints As it was said My Message is to thee O Captain 2 Kings 9. The rest heard it but he came to the special understanding of it So it is here Therefore John 15.21 This they will do unto you because they know not him that sent me 2. A Message of Life For the sinner once seriously apprehensive of his many and constant departures from God his provocations are so haâ—â—ous that he cannot but see death in al his waies he can do nothing but he sins in al he doth and therefore the wages of sin being death he must die for what he hath done if God should proceed in severity against him and recompence his own waies upon his own Head Therefore having forfeited his Life into the hands of Divine Justice viz. of the Father whom he hath provoked Christ must come as an Ambassador from the Father and he must know he hath a Commission and a grant of Life under the Fathers hand else his Ambassage wil be in vain wil not accomplish the end intended by him and expected by the Faithful Party He hath sent his Son that we might live through him 1 John 4.9 This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son Chap. 5.11 It 's the Fathers Gift it belongs to the same Power and place of Majesty to give pardon and so Life to a Malefactor or to take Life from him John 6.57 As the living hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that beleeveth in me even he shall live by me See the Order The Father is the Fountain of Life He as a living God sends Christ upon an Ambassage of Life Christ hath received power of Life from the Father and he as so sent gives to those that beleeve in him The Faithful know this Commission of Life and that it is come out on purpose and intended to them as he to Gideon Judg. 6.23 Peace be unto thee fear not thou shalt not die And they know and own Christ as so sent All which are Mysteries to the wicked they see no need of this or if so they neither own it in Christ nor would receive it from him They may hear the fame thereof and yet know nothing either of the Excellency of it or of Gods Intendment of any good to them in it 3. The Specialty of this Knowledg appears in the Manner of communicating this good to the Souls of the Faithful namely The astonishing Excellency of Power that brings the reality of these Ambassages of Love and Life to the Soul and the dazelling beauty of that Light that displaies them and laies them open to the Eye of the beleeving Saint Which things are concealed from the World and therefore they count them foolishness because they could never conceive or be perswaded of any such thing They think they cannot be because they cannot perceive how they should be As Nicodemus How can these things be We wil give a little Light to both 1. They find such a Power as puts them to astonishment For the Message of Love and Life are of such unconceivable worth in themselves and so far beyond the thoughts of a sinner that they should be sent from God who is offended with them and was and is happy without them and hath no need of them and that by no other hand but by
i.e. To grow up together in the similitude of his death Rom. 6.5 As his spirit by his death killed sin that was charged upon him So we by that Spirit grow up in the vertue of that death and die to sin USE 1. This gives in heavy evidence against a world of wicked wretches and casts out a crowd of ungodly persons our of the pale and fold of Christ as such as never yet had the work of faith here nor have any hope of glory hereafter If all beleevers share in the Grace of Christ what shal we think of such ignorant poor creatures that never knew this of those profane ones who profess themselves to be Scorners and Opposers of grace and the gospel of grace and the spirit of grace and Christ himself what shal we think of them think of them as they are They are unbeleeving creatures yet in the gal of bitterness and bond of iniquity and must and wil have their portion with unbeleevers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone They loath the glorious grace of God now they shal be shut out and banished from his glorious presence for ever But I wil not trouble you nor my self with these whose conditions are so loathsome even unto their own consciences Only I shal settle it as a matter of sad reproof upon two sorts whose hopes and professions seem to promise better but in the issue couzen themselves and fal short of their own comforts 1. It crusheth the confidence and splits the vain pretences of al the most refined Hypocrites upon Earth It s not the gilt enameling of any ordinary duty nor the paint of any profession that wil evidence either their Title to Christ or the Grace of Christ which he gives indeed to his No it is the spiritualness of the work in their Souls If the outside be never so clean If there be rottenness within he loaths it Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within c. The garments of the spouse are not gilt but wrought Gold It s not the shew and appearance in your lives if ye deny the power of Godliness in your hearts 2 Tim. 3.5 That is not Circumcision that is outward in the flesh that is not the glorious Grace of Christ that reformes a mans course before men But that is Circumcision which is of the spirit that is the Grace of Christ that makes a man close with God in Christ Thou mayst have strong inlightenings in thy mind strange raptures in thy spirit and rellâ—shes of joy tast of the good word and the heavenly gift and the power of the world to come have a Peep-hole into Heaven and see a glimpse of glory passing by and all this be nothing but the Grace of Apostates and Hypocrites not the Grace of Christ No saies the Apostle We hope better things of you Deeper impressions of the power of the Lord Christ and the work of the spirit must soak through thy soul and that not only tasted but digested and thy heart delivered up into the authority thereof 2. Those who please themselves with the apprehension that they have some Grace but are content to want some other and so indeed want al. When either education hath reformed them or their conscience awed them or their occasions or conditions free them from such assaults and because they want the temptation to sin they suppose they have the grace of Christ One man blesseth himself he is not worldly and sensual yet contents himself to be proud another is not passionate and loose yet worldly whereas if Christ be formed in a man nothing of the saving work of Christ wil be wanting if a new creature al things are new otherwise he is a Monster in Christianity not in truth a Christian of Christs make Either al or none at al. If ye have heard and learnt as the truth is in Jesus put off the old man not an old Hand or Eye but the frame of heart and life put on the â—â—w man USE 2. Of Instruction Sanctification is a never-failing argument of a beleeving and happy condition If God give glorious Grace here he will give possession of glory hereafter It s Christs work he will approve of it It s the image of himself he will own it It s the tenure of the promise Jer. 31.33 It s the sentence which is now passed upon such Judged they may be condemned they shall never be Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Eph. 4.20 21 22. USE 3 Its Matter of Thankfulness If Christ think nothing too good for us we should be ashamed to stand for a little cost and labour for him He parts with the choicest of his favour his Glory to us we should part with the best of our Duties to him the best of our hearts to love him of our love to honor him of our indeavours to serve him They are not common courtesies which he vouchlafes to us not creatures to comfort us profits to enrich but the most precious favor that the Father bestowed He hath no greater nor better and that glory he gives to them Let us be ashamed to give the Lean the Lame the leavings to the Lord. Give him the glory of al that glory we do receive As the Elders Rev. 4.10 Cast down our Crowns before him And let him be advanced in al that he advanceth us USE 4. Of Exhortation Whither we must go if we Hope to speed and to receive this gift to what dore to go to receive this dole come to Christ the giver if we Hope to receive this gift The Spirit takes of Christ before he gives it to us therefore much more we must go to him before we can receive it The way lies in these four things 1. See all in him And Joyn none with him as the Author and worker of this There be instruments to convey Grace but there is no Author of this or giver of this but Christ Of his fulness we receive All other things are empty without him and can work nothing further than he will work by them Christ is al in al. Col. 3.11 Not ordinances not Duties not Sacraments Paul is nothing Apollo is nothing but Christ is all Christ by all Christ through all these works 2. Look at that in Christ which we need and would have and keep the heart under the stroke of the Spirit in Christ that working Grace in the Nature of our Savior from thence he may work Grace in us If we would have patience Eye the patience of Christ and the Spirit working patience in him and from his patience patience in me As it is in a Glass that hath many colors Red Green Blew Yellow If the Sun shine upon it it wil convey the like colors upon that which is opposite to it The Human Nature of our Savior is as the Glafs all the Graces in their variety are like so many colors The Spirit shining upon the Nature of
and carried beyond al the abilities they have yea beyond al the power of al the grace they have That look as when we see a swadling Child left in his Cradle in a lower room come againe we find it laid in the highest loft or Chamber in the house each man easily concludes There was another power than that it had of it self that conveyed it thither So here when the poor and ignorant amongst men come to know and do the things that are spiritual Eph. 2.10 His workmanship They are inlightned and inabled beyond al they had or ever once apprehended or could come into their own thoughts there was a higher power even the presence and assistance of a God the Lord Jesus himself to help Math. 11.25 I thank thee O Father that thou hast revealed these things to babes and adds no man knowes the Father but the Son Therefore the Prophet begs that he might not be left to his spirit Psal 143.10 Teach me the way to thee thy Spirit is Good q. d. My spirit is naught 2. Where the presence of Christ is The soul at the lowest ebb and the greatest under that ever it comes unto it is yet ever panting after a Savior cannot â—est before it come to him Isa 26.8 The desires of our Souls are towards thy name and to the remembrance of thee In the greatest desertion that can befal them the greatest temptation that can assault by the one they are disinabled to do what they would by the other opposed and hindred from attaining that which they do indeavor Yet they set themselves that way Though they see they are like Captives and under the Tiranny of their distempers they find they do not yea may be at such an under and in a forlorne condition that they conclude they are past Hope and expectation never shal be recovered yet their hearts bless them that injoy that happy estate and Oh that they might That as it s said of the ungodly They set themselves in a way that is not good These contrariwise set themselves in the aime and bent of their heart Rom. 7. As the Pilot that hath the Helm in his hand though it may be the wind is too stiff and the stream too strong and al against him that he cannot make way forward nay it may be is turned back again by contrary stormes yet he tacks about and keeps her to that point stil So here when the Lord Christ takes the Helm of the heart of a beleever in his own hand though the wind and tyde of the most violent temptation for the while stop his course yet the bent of the heart is that way My Soul followeth hard after thee Psal 63.8 USE 4. This shews the excellency of the Saints even in the meanest and worst condition above the wicked and ungodly when they are in the greatest ruffe and Soveraignty that they can attain unto in this world The Saints are the Temple of the liveing God 2. Cor. 6.16 Their Souls are the throne where the Lord sits and shews the riches of the glory of his Grace and mercy the habitation where he dwels and takes up his abode the Kingdom where he rules by the power of his Grace the Guidance and Government of his blessed Spirit and the scepter of his word True he exerciseth the Soveraignty of his power and justice upon the wicked on Earth and the damned in Hel as amongst his Enemies and Out-laws whose rebellion he wil revenge and whose ruine he wil work according to the desert of their works But his Children and servants are his loyal and loving subjects amongst whom he sets up the Kingdom and exerciseth the government of his Grace and mercy and they in love and loyalty submit thereunto and advance the same The hearts of his are as I may say the Paradise of Gods pleasure in which he walks and takes his content So the Lord promiseth I will walk among them So the wise man professeth Wisedom delights in the habitable part of the world Prov. 8.31 This is my habitation for ever here I delight to dwel But it is not so with the wicked it s not so with them Those miserable Souls of theirs are the throne where Satan sits that Synagogue where he is worshipped and even where his throne is seated Rev. 2. The habitation and Hel where he abides Math. 12.45 Came and found the House swept and garnished The Kingdom of darkness in which he rules Eph. 2.2 He rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience There he sports himself and there he finds and takes greatest contentment Because he hath such as will heare and entertain his suggestions and do his wil and lusts and therefore they are said to be Satans and of the Devil yea to be Devils Look therefore what difference there is between Heaven and Hell the Kingdome of light and the Kingdom of darkness the habitation of Devils and the temple of the Lord Such is the excellency of the Saints such is the miserable condition of the ungodly USE 5. Here is matter of marvelous and unspeakable COMFORT to al the Saints to cure us or al Fears and deliver us from al discouragements that ever we shal meet withal in this World The Lord Jesus is a Helper a strong Helper ready to save so the Apostle Phil. 4 infers The Lord is at hand Are Devils at hand to tempt thee are Enemies subtil and mighty at hand to persecute and oppose thee are thy fears and discouragements at hand to over-bear thee The Lord Jesus is at hand neer tâ—ee nay in thee to succor and supply add satisfie 1. Comfort in al thy Spiritual tryals when Satan grows most fel thy corruptions most strong and thy heart begins to fail thee in the apprehension of thine Infirmities as that thou shalt never be able to subdue to overcome nay not to resist Behold 1 John 4.4 be they never so great Greater is he that is in thee than be that is in the world Though thou beest never so weak and thine Enemies nevers so great Christ is greater than al Devils than al distempers than al the power of darkness and malice of the wicked Thou seest and findest a Law in they Members rebelling against the Law of thy Mind and carrying thee captive Behold the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ shal free thee from the Law of Sin Rom 8.3 Here is Law against Law Spirit against Spirit Christ against thy Corruption That Spirit is in Christ and Christ is in thee Therefore our Saviour concludes None shall take them our of my hand neither head of Satan nor hand and power of Sin and Grave John 10.28 2. Comfort against WANTS and Necessities that may surprize and over-bear thee Thy Pressures and Calamities are present they pinch and sit sad The Lord Jesus is present to sweeten thy sorrows with the sense of his Love and to supply al with the fulness of his sufficient Grace It would refreshany in
him as we have heard But the same Spirit by the same power that raised Christ from the dead works it Eph. 1.20 No man comes unless the Father draw John 6.44 He that hath heard and learned of the Father comes verse 45. He it is that begets us again by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 2. Adams closing with God in the performance of this Covenant was in this That he did imitate the Lord in the manner of his Work for that was the excellency of his Image to work as God had wrought To do not what God requited only but to wil Gods Wil that is to meet with him and to concur with him in the Act of his Will As the Clock doth with the Sun at the point of such an hour when the Sun goes twelve it strikes twelve or as ye have heard somtimes two Clocks meet and melt into the same stroak at an instant To wil as he love as he delight as he Make my heart one with thee Psal 86.11 Acts 13.22 Col. 4.12 But every Saâ—â— of God that by his Spirit is carried to him he is made one with Christ in an unspeakable manner 1. The Soul is pitched immediately upon the Deity and so the Father Son and Holy Ghost and in the most intimate Union that can be imagined Not as the Branches to the Vine John 15.1 nor as the Members to the Head Eph. 1.22 but yet neerer they are bone of his bone and flâ—sh of his flesh and that is neerer than to be Members to a Head Eph. 5. and 30.32 yea are one Spirit â—ith him 1 Cor. 6.17 and this is beyond the compass of al that sufficiency and excellency God implaâ—ted in Adam The Spirit of the Lord Jesus that caâ—ried the Soul to the Father and Christ closeth the â—oul with the Spirit of the Father and Christ By the Spirit from the Father and Christ we close with the Spirit in Christ and the Father If the Spirit which raised Christ from the dead be in you Rom. 8.11 As by the same Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 Adam had Supernatural Grace but this â—s more than Supernatural for that was not able to incorporate the Soul into Christ The Lord by his Eternal Spirit plucks him from his sin carries him to himself and puâ—s him under the power of the Spirit of the Second Adam As the first Adam by natural Generation turns the Soul from God to Sin puts it under the right and rule of the perverted mutability or disobedience and curse of the first Adam Adam traded out of his own Stock and from those Principles of Grace he had received and the Lord had implanted in his Nature coming into the World gifted and qualified from the bounty goodness and faithfulness of the Lord And therefore it 's said He had wherein to rejoyce had he obeyed and performed the Covenant and wrought for his Life But beleevers are not in their own hands nor at their own finding but kept in the hand of Christ and live meerly and immediately upon dependance have all their Store and Stock in the hand of the Lord Jesus are brought and taken into fellowship with the Father and his Son and thence fetch al that dayly quickening and efficacious influence of the Favor and presence of the Lord to carry them out to al the Duties they do Thus the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I live not but Christ lives in me and that I do now live The Fountain of Life is not firstly in himself Adam might have said I live by the Power and Principle of Grace received and in which I was created and thereby I have pleased God and according to the Covenant of Works may challenge life and happiness But Paul in the Person of al beleeving sinners professeth that I live not Christ hath brought me to himself made me one with himself that he might be al in al to me and work al by me We are dead and our Life is hid with Christ in God Christ is the Keeper of our Life the Father the Author of it So that it is not any Power in Man or Principle of Grace whereby we come firstly to close with God but the Spiritual Union of the Faithful is of a higher or neerer Nature than that it can at the first readily be apprehended namely not by the Power of Man or Principle of Grace for al this is but a Creature never brought the Soul to God or kept it with him But the power of the Deity in Christ by his Spirit hath fitted me for himself and hath carried me to himself made me one Spirit with himself doth al for himself in me that he may receive al to himself from me and I might wholly have such a desire that al that we have may hold out his Excellency in al these his Dispensations and so have nothing of my self do nothing from my self which excludes Works wholly Here the Soul is compassed about with al the Power of Heaven nothing but with the power of God in Christ Whereas Adam who did somting of himself from a Principle he had so he might have taken somthing to himself he had whereof to rejoyce But God in this way and work he doth al from himself by man no man doth it He receives al to himself from Man Man must take nothing 2. Love of complacency that the Father takes content and solaceth himself in the enjoyment of his Faithful whom he hath thus chosen out of the World therfore termed his own Joh. 13.1 A little of our own say we gives to little content and rest to their owner A mans own house he delights to lodg in delights to converse with his own servants or little ones Thus the Lord is said to know the righteous not to know the way of the Vngodly Depart I know you not As a man is said to own such a person so educated As the sensible Creatures can own their Mates and their yong by the sence they scent the Nature of such and own somthing of themselves in them as generated of them So he that hath not the Spirit is none of Christs the Spirit which God the Father sent in Christs Name by that his are owned As somtime a Parent when the Child sent into a far Country and conceived to be lost and dead shall yet return there is some manner of his Speech some Natural guise in his Carriage some cast of his Look whereby the Parent wil own him and know him for his As there was a secret owning and yerning of Bowels in the true Mother to the Child when it could not be determined whose it was So God the Father who hath sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his he cannot but know and acknowledg it and take complacency and contentment in it Rom. 8.27 he is said to know the meaning of his Spirit Hence they are called Gods precious ones Isai 43.4 his Jewels Mal. 3.17 yea Christ professeth he is ravished
beauty of it This shal be doâ—e to the man whom God hath now and wil then honor They shal sit wich the Lord Jesus in his throne and shal judg the twelve Tribes of Israel The wicked when they shal see the Saints next unto Christ and judging with Christ they cannot but acknowledg and that to the grief of Their hearts that they be highly honored and dearly beloved like unto the Lord Jesus That is the truth of the point before we can come to the Reason there must be two Questions answered which wil give in the light of explication to the several branches of the Doctrine Quest 1. How wicked men the world can be truly said to know the love of God to beleevers which is so special a secret that it is not many times made known to Gods own for many years together nay the Apostle professeth it exceedeth knowledg Eph. 3.19 At least this new name writ upon the White-stone no man knows but he that hath it And therefore this love seems to be beyond the reach of the world too far off for their blind Eyes to see yea the Apostle professeth they have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit of God that they might know the things that are graciously given them of God and is one if not the cheifest of al those good things given the surpassing indearedness of the Fathers affection to his How then can the world who have no other but the Spirit of the world be able to know this Answ I answer three things wherein the meaning of the places wil be opened and the weight of the Objection removed and taken away 1. To discern and judg of the spiritualness of the work of any saving Grace is wholly beyond the ability and reach of any natural man much more unable is he to know Gods love therein or to view the beauty and surpassing sweetness thereof These waies of Wisedom are too high for a Fool. He must have Gods Eye-salve that must be able to see the things of Gods Grace in himself much more in another All sanctifying works are peculiar to the Saints There is sanctifying work in the understanding to act it and inable it to close with its object as well as any sanctifying work upon any of the other faculties and this is proper to the Saints And the Scripture is plain and peremptory the world knows not the Father nor Christ Nor yet any that are begotten of Christ and so neither the love of the Father conveyed by Christ unto any 1 Joh. 3.2 Therefore the world knows us not because it knows not him And upon this ground it is they are called Gods hidden ones Though the world and wicked men cannot discern nor rightly understand what this love is nor the spiritual Nature of it which is done by a spiritual light yet they may know and then they shal-know that God the Father hath and doth affect them with a most peculiar love both glorious for the manner and incomparable for the measure of it even next unto the Lord Jesus and this shal be discovered by the fruits of this love and the amazing expressions of the riches of his mercy which then shal appeare upon the faithful in their deliverance from so great evils which is wrought for them the crowning of them with that Excessive Exceeding weight of glory with which they shal stand possessed and that unto the astonishment of the ungodly and the torment of their Souls with envy and indignation thereat No man knows the affection of a Father or Husband but those that are in that estate and condition because its a secret of Nature which is only to be seen in the impression of the work yet that a Father loves his Son above al other his dearest friends and neerest acquaintance That the Husband tenders his Spouse with an indeared affection above al mortal creatures This appeares by the expressions of his respect that all he hath is at her command al he can do is wholly improved for her content and comfort she lies in his Bosom and his heart trusts in her which forceth al to confess that the stream of his affection like a mighty current runs with ful Tide and strength Though what that affection is he doth not know yet this he knows The choicest affection is there So it was with Haman when the Question was by the King made What shal be done to the Man whom the King will Honor He expressed his opinion and was forced to put it also in practise He then knew who was most deep and dear in the Kings Royal affection Mal. 3.20 When God makes up his Jewels then men shal discern betwixt him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not how ever happily before they were al shuffled up together and then there was no differencing betwixt the most precious Jewel and the most reffuse Pebble 3. This knowledg in the ful extent of it as it is here to be attended and that which is appropriated to that time in peculiar it may be expressed in two particulars if we would lay out the limits and bounds thereof 1. They shal then stand perswaded of the love of God to beleevers by a setled and wel grounded conviction that cannot be removed I say setled conviction because for a time or turn for a present push and undeâ— pressure they may freely yield and confess and profess as much So many profane wretches in the horroâ— of their hearts they have then honored then advanceâ— the faithful as the most happy Oh Blessed such that ever they were Born Balaam-like Let my Soul die thâ— Death of the righteous and my latter end be like his But this is but a pang Now only setled conviction Seizeth upon the Souls of the worldly men 2. It is a grounded Acknowledgment from a sensible Experience of the contrary Condition which they have observed in their own Souls and therefore now it 's past gainsaying when their own sense gives in constant Evidence without alteration of which more afterward If Conviction be setled so as it cannot be removed their Experience undeniable which brings in Evidence that cannot be gain-sayed then it 's true The World may be said to know that there is such a Love of God to the Saints Quest 2. Why doth not the World come to know this in this Life Answ Upon a double Ground or for a two-fold Reason 1. Because the Life Spiritual of the Saints is hid and concealed while they wilder up and down in this Vale of Tears clouded partly with sorrows and miseries which attend them as a constant Companion in a Christian Course partly collied and bemited with corruptions of their hearts and lives so that neither the beauty of Gods Grace nor the tender expressions of Gods Love doth in any peculiar manner appear in them and go no further than the Judgment of Sense they are the most forlorn despicable Persons upon the face of the
everlasting Mercy and Fatherly Faithfulness in Christ These are deep things and as no man knows what is in man but the Spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God And it 's the Answer to that Question 1 Cor. 2. and last Who hath known the mind of the Lord q. d. None can pry into the Ark of his Privy Counsel which hath been from everlasting and therefore he ads We have the mind of Christ He that hath Christs mind may know Gods mind for he is Privy to it Luke 10.21 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight no man knows who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him It must be from the Revelation of Christ that any come to the right knowledg of the Father John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son who came out of the Bosom of the Father he hath revealed him that is those Bosom Affections of his Fatherly Love 2. Our Apprehensions and Conceivings of God hold proportion with his Dispensations of himself to us There must be ever some print of some operation and impression of his Excellencies or Relation left upon us before any thing can be discerned For he dwells in the Light that no Creature can attain unto and to pry into his Secrets which he hath reserved in his own Bosom as indeed we should not Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us so in truth we cannot reach them they are far beyond the scantling of our shallow Conceits Now the expressions which God leaves of his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness are sound no where but in the hearts of his whom he cals unto himself Them he takes into the Bosom of his Love To them he communicates these Bosom Secrets the Foot-steps whereof are to be found no where upon Earth but in the Souls of the Faithful Therefore they only can see the Print of them they only come to know them The great Characters of Gods Power Wisdom and Bounty are left instamped and engraven upon each Creature and therefore they may be seen of al and read of al and so known But that he should set his heart upon any lost Son of Adam an his Christ and draw him into special intimate and spiritual Communion with himself through his Son this is only to be found recorded in the Consciences whom he hath called out of the World These are the unknown yernings of the Bowels of a Father which can be owned by none but such who are his own Rev. 2. He gives a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it unknown Benevolence and unknown Complacency of a Fathers Bowels USE 1. Of Instruction 1. Therefore it is not safe to lean to the Counsel or be led by the Opinion of Carnal men touching the doubts we have or difficulties we find concerning the Love of God unto our souls and his Faithfulness in the performance of his gracious Promises Alas they know nothing of those things how shal they be able to make us know them They understood nothing themselves and how shal they reach others Is any so weak and silly that he would go to a blind man to make him judg of Colors or a deaf man of Sounds or he that never knew the way to be a Guide to lead him the way unless he were resolved to miss his way and end also True indeed they may somtimes speak things by hear-say but to speak things from grounded Knowledg and Experience they cannot because they have none 2. Hence it 's plain That the meanest Saint and most ignorant doth yet know more of Gods Fatherly Love and is better acquainted with the Faithful Performance of his Promises than the most learned and profound Doctors of the World Because they know the Father and are privy to his Secrets and have his Bosom Counsels communicated to them by the Lord Christ which are Riddles and Wonders and Mysteries to the whol World and to the Princes thereof USE 2. Of Terror It discovers the dreadful Estate and miserable Condition of al wicked men the Children and Darlings of the World who take content in it and give content to it The World it is likely may lay you in her Bosom for the World wil love her own but ye be far enough from the Love of the Father as ye be far from the knowledg of him Hence a Sea of Misery breaks in upon thee able to over-whelm thy Soul irrecoverably If it can be once said Thou knowest not the Father there is enough said to sink thy heart in everlasting discouragement In this Estate thou canst expect no good for thon canst receive no good from the hand of the Lord though he be the Father of Mercies and God of al Consolation There is none for thee not one Blessing nor Comfort For if God communicate any thing of himself unto the Sons of Men it is by his Spirit whose Office it is To lead them into all Truth John 16.13 and to seal them up in the Truth unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. Al that is the Fathers is Christs and the Spirit takes of Christs and so of the Fathers and gives it unto such for whom it is appointed John 16.15 But it 's the depth of thy Misery thou canst not receive the Spirit 1. Thou canst receive nothing of the Father though it were given thee John 14.17 I will send the Comforter whom the World cannot receive because it doth not see nor know him This is thy Condition right Thou canst not see nor know the Spirit and consequently nor the Father therefore not receive him and therefore receive no good The Spirit wil not take the Mercy of a Father to pardon thee the Love of the Father to support the Peace of the Father to quicken Grace of a Father to purge and sanctifie thy corrupt heart The holy Spirit would take of Christs and so of the Fathers and give to thee But thou art a worldly wicked wretch and thou canst not receive the Spirit nor Christ nor Mercy nor Love if thou had'st them laid before thee 2. And as thou canst receive no good from the Father so thou canst perform no good Duty to him that may find acceptance with him or a blessing from him Thou knowest not the Father therefore thou canst not love him nor fear nor honor nor obey him That which the Eye sees not the Mind knows not the Heart affects not fears not prizeth not at al nor performs the least Duty to him because thou fallest short in thy Apprehensions wholly of him Nay mark what I say Thou did'st never pray to this Father of Christ and of al compassion in him If I wil pray with my Tongue I wil pray with my
130 1 The ground whence this In-being proceeds ibid. 2 The ready way to apprehend the Nature of it rightly ib. 3 How it may be attended in our Savior as God and Man ibid. The first expressed in two Conclusions ibid. The second made good in four Particulars Page 131 Three things for Explication of the third Page 134 This manner of existing appears in the Humane Nature in a three-fold regard Viz. Of Vnion Mission Operation ib. The In-being of the Father in the Son is the first rise whence the Vnity of the faithful with the Father and the Son is perfected Page 137 The Doctrine opened ibid. 1 Recal what this oneness is Page 139 2 How it 's perfected ibid. This Imperfection lies in three things Page 140 1 In the unsoundness of our spirit ibid. 2 Crossness to the power of the Spirit Page 141 3 When the soul will joyn anything with Christ Page 142 Use 1. For Comfort Page 143 Use 2. For Exhortation Page 144 Ver. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and loved them as thou lovest me Page 145 The words contain a double end of this Dispensation ib. 1 That the world may know thou lovest me ibid. 2 That thou lovest them as thou lovest me ibid. Three Particulars to open Page 146 The first opened as chiefly intended Page 147 That passage of John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son is 1 Opened 2 The Reasons given 3 The Vses propounded ibid. Christs Love shews it self in three Particulars ibid. Reasons upon which Love grows are three Page 151 1 Neerness 2 Likenest 3 Suitableness of worth ibid. Use 1. Of Reprehension Page 152 Use 2. Of Tryal Page 154 Use 3. Of Exhortation Page 155 DOCT. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ Page 156 Two things opened Page 158 1 Wherein the love of the Father to the Saints shews it self ibid. 2 That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son ibid. The first appears by three things ibid. 1 Love of Vnion 2 Complacence 3 Benevolence ibid. Quest oâ— 2 Thes 1.12 Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ Page 163 Answered by expounding the place ibid. Use 1. Comfort to the Saints because God loves them Page 164 Use 2. Terror to those that hate them ibid. Use 3. They are worthy our Love Page 165 The Father loves the Saints as he loves his Son proved in each particular ibid. I. Instruction The sins of the faithful are more grievous to God than the sins of other persons Page 170 Instance in two Evils unto which the Saints are usually subject Page 172 1 To question Gods love ibid. 2 To undervalue it ibid. Object Though God loves me yet my grounds are weak Page 174 Answ Gods love is above all Graces thou canst desire ib. 2. Instruction Gods love to the Sainrs is unchangeable Page 176 Use Study to answer Gods love in manner and measure Page 178 That the world may know thou hast loved them as thou lovst me Page 180 A double end mentioned by our Savior ibid. The first End ibid. Two things noted from hence Page 181 1 It is lawful to pray often for the same thing ibid. 2 We ought to pray earnestly that the power of our Savior might be expressed Page 182 The Second End Page 183 Two Points in the words ib. Quest 1. How wicked men can be truly said to know the love of God to Beleevers which is a thing so secret that is not oftentimes made known to the Saints themselves Page 185 Answ three-fold ibid. Quest 2. Why do not the world know this in this life Page 188 Answ For a two-fold Reason ibid. Use 1. Of Patience Page 191 Use 2. Of Exhortation Page 192 Verse 24. Father I wil that those whom thou hast given me be with me c. Page 194 Two things especially attended in this Prayer ibid. We may attend four things in this Prayer Page 195 The General Observation It 's the care of our Savior to seek for the welfare of his servants Page 197 Use 1. For Consolation Page 201 Use 2. For Instruction Page 203 Use 3. For Direction Page 204 The particular Scope Page 205 DOCT. All Beleevers are given to Christ by God the Father Page 205 Two Questions for Explication of this Doctrine answered Page 206 Reason 1. ibid. Reason 2. Page 211 Use 1. For Information Page 213 The second Particular Page 214 Three Points observed especially in it ibid. Use 1. Of Instruction Page 221 Use 2. Of Assurance Page 222 Use 3. To make us willing to die Page 323 Use 4. To see the hainousness of rebellion against Christ in Glory Page 324 The words opened in four particulars Page 325 Use 1. Of Terror Page 332 Use 2. For Direction Page 333 Use 3. For Comfort Page 334 The particulars of it 1 It cures all fears Page 335 2 Supplies al wants 3 Rescues from Enemies 4 Removes guilt of sin 5 Strengthens all Graces 6 Quickens all Duties 7 Gives Eternal Life All proved severally Use 4. For Instruction Page 342 The eternal Glory of Christ is a gift of the eternal love of the Father Page 344 Two things opened 1 What is meant by this love Page 345 2 How this love is the cause of Glory ibid. Reason 1 Page 348 Use 1. For Tryal Page 350 Use 2. For Comfort Page 353 Use 3. Of Direction ibid. Doctrine from the Second Particular Our Savior doth desire to have the faithful in Heaven with himself Page 354 Three Reasons Page 356 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 358 Use 2. Of Reprehension Page 359 Use 3. Of spiritual Comfort Page 360 Use 4. Of Exhortation Page 362 1 What hinders Page 363 2 What helps this Vnion Hindrances are three ib. Helps are three Page 364 The third Particular is That they might see his Glory Page 365 DOCT. The happiness of our being in Heaven to see Christs Glory Page 366 Three things to be enquired 1 What this Glory is Page 368 2 What it is to see it ibid. 3 How the sight of this glory brings happiness ibid. For the second Enquiry consider 1 What his beholding implies Page 370 2 The manner how it is done ibid. This manner appears in three things Page 371 To the third Particular a double Reason propounded Page 376 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 379 Use 2. To Examine Page 380 Use 3. Of Direction Page 381 Means are three ibid. Verse 25 26. The Verse contains the close of our Saviors Prayer Page 383. 1 A description of the Person to whom be praies Page 384 2 The Prayer it self wherein are four Particulars ibid. Two Points considerable 1 We must look unto Gods excellency whence we may receive what we pray for Page 388 2 God in faithfulness dispenseth his fatherly Love to us Page 390 Two things opened 1 Wherein Gods faithfulness consists ibid. 2 The reason why be thus dispenseth his love ibid. Use 1. For Instruction Page 392 Use 2. Consolation Page 393 Use
3. Reproof Page 394 II. The Prayer it self Page 395 DOCT. The wicked know not the Fatherly love of God Page 396 Obj. Learned men that have studied this point may be ignorant of it Page 397 Answ four waies Page 398 The Sum of all in brief Page 399 Reas 1. Gods secrets must be discerned by Gods Spirit Page 402 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 404 Use 2. Of Terror Page 405 Object I hope I have somwhat more than the world Page 407 Answ By the way to try it ib. DOCT. The disposition of our Savior and the Saints towards God is wholly cross to the world Page 408 Three Reasons Page 409 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 413 Use 2. Examination Page 416 O righteous Father c. Page 418 The words opened ibid. DOCT. The Lord Christ hath the knowledge of the Father in a peculiar manner Page 420 Three things opened 1 How Christ as second Person is said to know the Father Page 422 2 How man comes to share in this knâ—wledg ibid. 3 The Reason of it ibid. DOCT. The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for their salvation Page 431 Three things open'd 1 How Christ is said to be sent of the Father Page 432 2 For what he is sent ibid. 3 How the Saints know this in special manner ibid. Propositions to make way for the first thing Page 433 The second thing Page 439 Use 1. Matter of Admiration Page 440 Use 2. Comfort Page 441 The third thing to be enquired of two waies Page 442 1 Wherein the specialty of this knowledge consists ibid. 2 How it comes to be communicated to the Saints ibid. 1 The specialty of knowledg consists in four things ib. Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Page 450 Answ affirmatively for the matter but not for the manner and measure ibid. Object We see by experience that may of Gods own are ignorant here ibid. Answ They know in part or know by reflection ibid. Two Reasons of the Point ib. Use 1. Of Thankfulness Page 451 Use 2. Of Examination Page 452 Ver 26 I have made known thy Name c. Page 454 Two things to be here attended 1 Our Saviors Work Page 455 2 His Engagement ibid. Doct. To make known the name of the Father to an humbled soul is our Saviors peculiar work ibid. Three things opened 1 What this Name is Page 456 2 What it is make it known 3 why this is properly given to our Savior ibid. Doct. Christ extends the same care at al times to al his servants Page 4â—5 Reason Page 466 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 467 Use 2. Of Comfort Page 468 Use 3. Direction Page 470 Use 4. Exhortation Page 472 Two Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. There is much wanting in the ful knowledg c. Page 476 Two things to be enquired 1 In what this want appears 2 The Reasons why Page 478 Use 1 Instruction Page 482 Use 2 Direction Page 485 Doct. 2. The Lord lends dayly Directions c. Page 486 Attend two things 1 The Measure ibid. 2 The Manner ibid. Many Collections hence Col. 1 The best Saints here live on dayly dependance on these things Page 489 Col. 2 Christ can cloud al our knowledg Page 492 Col. 3 The faithful must encrease in knowledg Page 494 Col. 4 Christ is the way to lead us to the Father Page 496 Col. 5 Matter of abasement of heart ibid. Col 6 Ground of thankfulness Page 497 Col. 7 Ground of Comfort Page 498 Use Exhortation Page 500 The Close of Christs Prayer That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me c. Page 501 For understanding of which words observe four things 1 How the Father loves Christ ibid. 2 How that love is said to be in them ibid. 3 The means how ibid. 4 The time when we shall know this ibid. Three Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. It is Christs desire that the dearest of Gods love c. Page 511 Use 1 Reprehension Page 517 Use 2 Instruction Page 518 Doct. 2. Our union and communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Page 521 Two things opened 1 What this haypiness of Heaven is Page 522 2 How this is the top of it ibid. Use 1 Matter of Admiration Page 530 Use 2 Examination Page 531 M R HOOKER'S Seventeenth Book Made in NEW-ENGLAND JOHN 17.20 I Pray not for these alone but for them also who shall beleeve on me through their word IN this 17. Chapter We have a most heavenly prayer of our Savior expressed immediately before his departure hence which I suppose he presents to the Father not as a man or yet Minister of the Circumcision unto whom he was sent but as Mediator is part of that Intercession which he performeth in the behalf of his Church and people And being now shortly to offer up himself and to lay down his life for his Children and to go out of the World as though his soul had been transported into the Suburbs of Heaven as though he would unbowel his dearest and heart-blood desires into the bosom of his Father he sends this prayer before-hand in the power of his Intercession to lie leidger there in the behalf of his Disciples and faithful ones that so he might fully provide for their everlasting life and spiritual welfare before he left his own life and provide comfort in Heaven to be sent down to them before he left the Earth and went to Heaven A Prayer of unconceiveable and incomparable worth above al that ever was expressed or recorded in the word Like a confection or compound of those soveraigne excellencies beyond the highest strayn of the desires or conceivings of the souls of the Saints That which containes the quintessence or the pith of al the cordialls of the Gospel the very marrow of al that great redemption he had wrought and purchased the highest pitch of al that happiness which Heaven can afford or the very richest Diamond in the crown of Glory for that we may see he here prayes for something beyond glory that for which glory was made and therefore better than glory it self for so the words I have given them my Glory that they may be one as we are one So that that is the end of Glory and therefore better than Glory able to carry the heart beyond al the riches of admiration This is expressed in the parts of it according to the parties for whom it is made and those are two 1 For himself to vers 6. 2 For his servants and those His Apostles ver 6. to ver 20. The rest of Beleevers Hence generally for our imitation and direction learn from our Savior 1. That the first especial scope of Prayer should be for such things that do more especially concern us Whether it be in regard of any thing which respects the Glory of God the furtherance of his truth or the good and benefit of such whose conditions or
sinners This is a faithful word and worthy of al acceptance and therefore the Soul looks out and saies It may be This keeps the Head above Water Reason 2. Here in the Gospel only is certainty to be had of some interest and special Title whereby the Soul may be encouraged and faith also find some foot-hold whereby the heart may bottom and bear up it self in some confidence For righteousness there is to be had from God in Christ but this Issues only in the communication of it from free mercy The Lord may do with his own what he will and therefore he may deny whom he wil and give to whom he please how then shal I know and have any ground or evidence upon any certainty that he wil do good to me God is bound to none True God is bound to none further then he will bind himself and he binds himself in no wise to the creature but by his promise and that he wil never deny who cannot deny himself Now in the Gospel only this promise and ingagement of God is revealed he hath promised to work the condition and then tied himself in his truth to do good to those whom he wil so fit for his mercy And now the Soul upon this notice grows in upon God here is a handle as it were for faith to lay hold on therefore said a word of promise Rom. 9.9 and therefore the whole Gospel is called the promise Gal. 3.29 Beleevers are said to be the Children of the promise that is of the Gospel Reason 3. The Gospel is the only means whereby the Soul is inabled with power from above even with a Spirit of Grace fâ—â— to go for succour and reliefe where it is thus evidenced and whence it hath now received some intimation of Gods ingagement intendment and so of certainty by which it may be incouraged to go upon such grounds as will never fail nor break under a man That he may go stedily and comfortably 2. Cor. 3.6 It s said to be the administration of the Spirit Not of the Letter that is there is not Barely a discovery and manifestation of what Gods mind and counsel is that should be done such the sense and meaning of words and sentences may descry set out and hold forth But there is a Spirit of power that is promised and so dispensed and conveyed in and by this word for to inable the Soul to do that which the Letter shews it should do Gods saying is doing his calling is making he speaks not only to the ear but conveyes a power by speaking Lazaruscome forth The dead shall hear John 5.25 Gal. 3.3 Received ye the Spirit even this Spirit by the preaching of the Law or by the Doctrin of faith This is the word by which God begets us Jam. 1.18 If in the Gospel there be that freeness of Grace that is sufficient to answer all the necessities and desires of the Heart certainty of promise to incourage it if it shal come and power and Spirit to inable it for to come Then The word of the Gospel is the only meanes to work faith Use 1. Of Terror This discovers the woeful and miserable condition of such who want this Gospel But especially the hainousness of the sin and the dreadful condemnation of such who Oppose the Gospel God hath shut up al under unbelief in the Kingdom of darkness under the power of the Prince of darkness they look out as prisoners through the Grates of Hell and Infidelity there is no possibility to help to a Key to open this Dore but the Key of the Gospel they wilfully keep the Dore bolted and refuse the only help which the Lord hath provided Christ hath purchased with his Blood appointed and sanctified by his spirit and doth promise to accompany for their deliverance yea this they oppose This was the doom and sentence which Paul passed upon them Act. 13.46 Ye judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life by putting away the word Thou stoppest thine ear at the glad tidings of it shuttest thine eyes at the righteousness thereof Puttest by and castest away withdrawest thy soul from under the prevailing power of that word Know Thou needest no Devil to accuse no witness to evidence no Judg to condemn thy practise doth judg thy self unworthy unfit to receive Grace who resistest it to share in mercy who despisest it or to injoy eternal life who hast rejected the offer of eternal life So Paul again sent those away with their load when they refused to hear Act. 28.26 Use 2. Instruction and Comfort Therefore this word of the Gospel shal undoubtedly be preserved and published and that until the end of the world as long as the Lord Christ hath any to be gathered any of his to be brought home to himself by a saving Faith They shal beleeve by this therefore they shal have this maugre al the malice the power and policy of Hel the rage and restless opposition of al the instruments of Satan That word cannot be falsefied This Prayer cannot be frustrated and therefore This work cannot be hindâ—ed Seem it never so improbable never so impossible in our Eyes and feeble apprehensions Measure not the power and Faithfulness and wisdom of the Lord by the scantling of our shallow apprehensions but know he hath said it and he wil doe it The fan is in his hand not in any mans hand It s said of the Apostles their sound went through the world They are compared to the course of the Sun in his Sphoere and Orb. So it wil be with his messenger when it is his mind to cal any of his His Doctrine is as the dew no man can hinder it from falling Either the means to the man or the man to the means he wil send Onesimus his theft shal bring him to prison and so to Pauls ministery and so to Heaven Naaman must go to be cured of his Leprosy and so meets with the Prophet to cure him of his sin Philip is sent post to the Eunuches Coach though it was in an extraordinary way Use 3. Examination Know whether our Faith be of the right make or no. Ask whence came it where hadst thou thy Faith by what word If it came the right way It came by preaching the Gospel It wil shew thee 1. Thou hadst once none 2. That thou art not able to beleeve Jam 1.18 By bis own good wil begat be us by the word of truth If thou canst say I heard thus and thus of a Christ and so I beleeved then it is in thy wil to beleeve not in Gods wil that begets thee 3. It wil shew thee that Faith is made of the immortal Seed of the word 1 Pet. 1.23 that is the Spirit in the promise That as a man is made up of the Seed which enters his constitution so made up of promises Hither belongs that of Eph. 5.30 We are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone i. e. As the woman
thy great work in Heaven to keep me in the world and bring me to Heaven What wil you do to honor this Christ who hath thus honored you how should you indeavor to serve him in Earth who indeed serves you in Heaven He provides for your safety and comfort provide you for his Glory He stands betwixt you and your Harms against al sins Devils Temptations stand you between him and his wrongs that may be done to him Before we pass from this verse one thing more may be shortly handled and that taken from the consideration of the Time When these persons shall beleeve for whom our Savior here prayes and that is cleerly discovered to continue until the end of the world those who yet were not in the world and those who should beleeve even at the end of the world for these now our Savior praies Hence Our Savior hath a speciall care for those that shal beleeve on him Doct. even in the worst condition of their Unbeleef So the text gives in undeniable evidence even before many had any being in Nature and when some were and others should be brought into the world and had neither mind to know God nor Heart to seek after Christ or to pray for themselves Yet here ye see our Savior takes in al those now within the compass of his prayer and care to provide for them and to contrive all for their good when they neither did nor could care for him or for themselves therefore its plain Our Savior cares for such who shal beleeve in him when they are in the depth of their unbeleef and his prayer is then working for their good when they intend no good unto themselves Our Savior when they were in the heat of that hellish villany in blaspheming and killing the Lord of life even then he intends life to them procures and purchaseth life for them Luk. 23 34. Father forgive them they know not what they do This prayer it was that wrought more than Peters preaching when his spirit was warmed with the Love of Jesus and the Blood of a dying Savior ran fresh now in al the Veins of his Heart and the power and vertue of it was mighty upon the consciences of Peters Hearers such as had before been Crucifyers of the Lord of life It then took place and prevailed mightily Isa 57.18 I have seen his waies c though he see not himself See this made good in some particulars as 1. In the several degrees of it 2. The Reason and 3. The Use This care and the vertue of this prayer of our Savior will appear thus in five Particulars Hence 1. It is that the Lord contrives means in the waies of his Providence for the bringing of these men into the world so that the Parents and Predecessors of such though happily desperately wicked and forlorn shal yet have their stock and posterity continued in the world because they shal bring these into the world who shal beleeve And therefore it is the patience of God is extended towards many a wicked parent nay to the whole stock and Linage of vile and loose men not for their sakes but the sakes and cause of some that shal come of them whom the Lord Christ doth purpose to bring to himself Math. 24.22 Had not God shortned those daies no flesh had been saved but for his Elects sake the Lord shortned those daies i.e. The generation of the Jews now rejecting and most Hellishly blaspheming the Lord Jesus Christ had so provoked the Eyes of the Lord That should he in Justice have proceeded against them and executed his righteous Judgments either as the Nature of their sins deserved or their Enemies intended and out of their power and rage could easily have accomplished it there had not been one Jew left alive to propagate their posterity or name or Nation But the Lord had an Eye to his Elect that should come of these in the last Age of the world after so many Ages and generations past when their dead Bones shal live and the Redeemer shal come out of Sion and turn Jacob from iniquity then all Israel shal be saved So the Apostle Rom. 11.28 Hated for their sins sake but beloved for their Fathers sake i.e. For Abraham with whom through Christ the covenant of the Gospel was made to him and to his Seed i.e. To al the faithful whether Jew or Gentile but with the Jew first and then with the Graecian For this calling and covenant being everlasting is without repentance and wil assuredly take place in the season thereof when it shal be most sutable to shew forth free grace 2. The Lord even so provides that such means in an ordinary way of Providence may be sent continued and dispensed to such who never had a thought of them enquired after them or had a Heart to entertain them when they are offered Upon this ground the Lord appoints and incourageth the Apostle Act. 18.9 10. Speak and hold not thy Tongue Speak plainly and fully fear no mans frowns regard no mans favors no man shal do thee harm for I have people in this City Thus the Spirit stopped the passage into Bithynia for when they assayed the Spirit suffered them not Act. 16.7 But Christ sends post by an express in a Vision to Paul A man of Macedonia appeares with this Petition in his Hand subscribed by the Hearts of the messengers Come into Macedonia and help us And when they came the Issue shewes their Errand A poor Woman a Purple-seller and a Stubborn and Rebellious spirited Jailour was all the Markets he made But this is the Lords manner if there be but one Grain of Corn in many heapes of Chaff he wil never leave winnowing rather than lose it send he wil Messenger after Messenger until he hath gathered that into his barn Onesimus a Runnagate from his Master without the reach of government of Gospel God coops him up in Prison and casts Paul thither also that so he may come to the speech of him 3. He keeps them by his restraining Grace and some strong hand of Providence sometimes from grosser sins I say some of those that shal beleeve from some loathsome and hainous evil but alwaies from falling into that sin against the Holy Ghost because that is a Disease which admits no Remedy a Dungeon of that depth from whence there is no deliverance beyond the reach of the work of Redemption as that which comes not within the compass of mercy and the Riches of the compassion of the Almighty The Lord hath passed the sentence and that most Peremptory and shews the deadly Malignity of that evil by way of difference from all others Math. 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come i.e. There is no Hope It here cannot be pardoned and at the great
Chapter 4.32 The multitude of them which beleeâ—ed were of one mind and one Heart This unity of amity of love and mutual and spiritual aâ—cord is not the chief aim and intendment of the Text nor yet the purpose of the prayer of our Savior Though indeed it may be collected and inferred from this and to my apprehension the very letter doth look another way and speaks aloud touching another thing For so 1. The words immediately following are marvailous plain and express That they may be one in us True it is they should be and those that have the same spirit of love as the same soul in many members they wil be of one and the same affection each to other but that Christ now prayes for which presupposeth this and is indeed the foundation thereof is Namely that they be one in us and then they wil be at unity one with another Yea the very manner of speech laid down by way of comparison and resemblance seems to be added as a further clearing and interpretation of that which went before That which was propounded there in the general here comes more fully to be explicated As though our Savior had said when I pray that al beleevers may be one my meaning may thus be conceived and my intendment rightly understood by this resemblance As I am in the Father and the Father in me the scope of my prayer is that they should be one in us after their manner Again when our Savior sets down the order how he would have this unity attained and preserved the speaks ful verse 23. I in them and thou in me and so they shal be made perfect into one q. d. If they all be in me as I am in thee then are they in unity and thou being in me and I in them then are they perfected in this unity As they are one in me and so in thee by spiritual dependance to receive al So I am one in them and thou in me by spiritual influence and we communicate al unto them 2. The Second reason is out of verse 22. Where the Glory which Christ hath received and given to his servants is made a means to obtain this unity The glory which thou hast given to me I gave to them that they may be one as we Whence it follows by undeniable evidence This unity is one Stayr and degree beyond the glory it self which the Saints receive For it s a rule-case in reason the end is more excellent and of greater worth and goodness than the means appointed for the end Unity of affection among the Saints is part of that glory or an ingredient which makes up the glory of the Saints but this unity is the end of that glory and so more excellent therefore somthing beyond that or any ingredient in it 2. I answer affirmatively in a word The unity here meant is the unity of that spiritual relation which they have to Christ and in him to God the Father not the unity of affection or charity which they have one to another and one between another That which is more excellent than this unity of affection as being the end unto that is ordained unto that as the end that must be somthing beyond it so this unity is That which is properly bounded by the words of the text and intendment of the place upon Christ and the Father in him That unity is not the unity of affection but of relation But this unity by the express testimony of the truth and Text is bounded upon the Father in Christ That they may be one in us therefore the unity here intended is that of relation not of affection We have now gained the first what kind of unity this is We are now to inquire wherein this consists or how it may be discerned The explication of this wil be the interpretation of the words of the Text which follow which are applied as far as yet I can conceive by the most sad consideration unto this very purpose now in hand For when our Savior had prayed That they might be one That they might aright understand it and so the exceeding love of Christ who did not seek nor so obtain for he is ever heard in what he asks any mean or ordinary blessing or common courtesie for them for their present comfort and refreshing But the choicest mercy a blessing of incomparable worth and surpassing excellency That I say they might understand this and receive sutable comfort for it He addes by way of explication what he meaneth with as much plainness as such a spiritual mystery which touched the very inward Heart-Blood of our happiness could be discovered q. d. If you ask what I mean by this unity and whereby it may de discerned I answer by this familiar comparison As I am in the Father and he in me so I wish they may be one in us So that here we must unfold 1. How the Son is one in the Father he one in him 2. Then conceive after what manner the Saints and beleevers must be one in them for this Christ hath prayed this he hath obtained this shall undoubtedly be received Both which I cannot tel how more nakedly to lay open than to express in several short propositions or conclusions 1. The ground of this resemblance taken from the manner of the Sons being in the Father is not to be attended nor ought to be considered in regard of the God Head or essence of the Deity but in regard of their subsistence as they be distinct persons in this their dispensation Therefore the word is in the plural One in us as shewing the number of the persons besides they are put by way of particular distinction each to other the Father in the Son the Son in the Father not so much as mentioning nor yet taking the God-Head into the comparison is common to them both indifferently as I am in thee not in the God-Head thou in me not as both in the God-Head for that was to be one in a third not in themselves 2. Their being each in other issues out of the mutual respect they have each unto the other The Father wholly and alone gives his being and sonship unto Christ The Son as he receives so he returnes his being to the Father as relates or things in relation look each to other alone receive and give consistence one to another and depend each upon other in that behalf and so to be in the other mutually their very constitution and being rising from this concurrence mutual holding each upon the other and â—o may be truly said to be in each other As buying is in refeâ—â—nce ever to selling Giving ever in reference to taking so that one cannot be without the other give being each to other and so may be said to be in each other So the Father as such looks only to the Son the Son looks only to the Father He is not a Father because God but because he hath
of affection but of divine operation of God upon the soul whereby the soul returns all unto God to do al and to receive all to do all for himself in man and to receive all to himself by man So that God alone doth all in this firstly upon man and then by man If this work was so much in the Eye of our Savior and that intended So chief also in the performance and that accomplished with care no wonder it had the next Room and remembrance in his prayer But so it was this was the main errand of our Savior when he was sent into the world and the very life of the kingdom of Grace and the covenant of Grace as it concerned them So the Lord professeth by the Prophet Esa 49 5 And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant Our Savior appointed in Gods decree sanctified and overshadowed by the Holy Ghost in the womb and called to this end for this work To bring Jacob back again to him It was that which was plotted by the Head and policy of Satan and brought about by the fal and through the folly of our first parents To break off this unity and Oneness betwixt God and Adam For Satan had found it by woful experience in himself that by sin God would be estranged from him and he also from God neither to find his favour towards him nor the presence of his spirit of Grace to work upon him nor yet would Adam thus departed act for God nor return to him that praise he ought So that God and Adam are not one but at odds It s the meaning of that place Gal. 3.19 20. When the Apostle had shewed the weakness of the Law in the work of Justification and the promise only carried it He makes thig Objection wherefore then served the Law i.e. The giving of the Law Answer It was to discover transgression and therefore it was given by the Hand of a Mediator to-wit Moses who was between God and the people Now in that Moses was a Mediator it shews there was diverse parties differing and disagreeing one from another for a Mediator is not of one not of parties that are at unity and agreement but God is one ever like himself and the same Therefore the cause of difference was not on Gods part but by Reason of trangression which shews man to be other than he was by Nature ful of guilt and sin and that 's the reason God is at odds with him as he is departed from God Now the scope of our Saviors coming is to bring the Soul back again unto God by himself and to make it one with the Father and himself It was beyond the power of any created Grace to bring back a fallen Soul but the God-Head of Christ in the Nature of man assumed must bring the Nature of man to God again And where as it was found by proof in our first parents that the power of created Grace did not nay indeed could not hold the Soul unchangeably to him and so to act by and for him Herein lies the life and incomparable excellency of the covenant of Grace and the fulness of the sufficiency of the quickning power of the second Adam the Lord Jesus not only to procure unto acceptance and approbation with the Father but the lively communication of himself and the assistance of his spirit to keep our hearts and the gracious work thereof to him for ever So that though our Graces might and would fall us in Adam yet the spirit of Jesus upholds and holds us for ever towards him a fountain of living water Though the vertue and work thereof would wanse away and through not-attendance not put forth it self upon the rule and for the work as we see in Adam He attended not unto acted not upon a command but listened to the delusion and suggestion of the enemy Yet the spirit of Christ which dwelleth with us and shall be in us is there not only to keep with us and carry us to Christ but to quicken us by vertue from Christ according to the tenure of the Gospel Joh. 14.17 And this is indeed to be under the powerful impression of the covenant of Grace And this is the meaning of that place I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 3.20 Christ by Faith brings me to God By his spirit keeps the bent of the heart towards him carryes it to himself acts it upon himself quickens it by influence of vertue the fountain whereof is in himself Adam might have said I live by a power and principle of Grace in which I was created and in which I have pleased God thereby and according to a covenant of works may challenge life and happiness But Paul in the person of al self-denying sinners professeth that I live not Christ hath called me brought me to himself gives me his spirit and keeps the Eye of my Soul upon himself That he may thereby Be all in all to me work all in me and by me It s the meaning also of that Col. 3.3 4. Our life is bid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appeare God is in Christ is in us keeps us to himself and communicates al saving Graces of life here and will quicken and perfect all in the whol man at his resurrection Thus then we see The end of our Saviors coming and the life of the covenant of Grace both these our Savior would further by his prayer But this unity with the Father and the Son is the end of our Saviors coming and the life of the Covenant 2. Reason This work being savingly and effectually made good upon the soul it maks way for the inlarged expression of all the fruits and works of holiness which might further set forth the honor of God the kingdom of Christ our own comforts here and happiness in another world It s the meaning of that Joh. 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit True it is done by faith but it is somthing other and somthing more than the bare coming to Christ or our Union with him It is the keeping the Eye of the soul and carrying the bent of the Heart upon the engagements of Gods dearest love and the unchangeable work of the spirit of Adoption to be acted by the quickning vertue thereof in Gods time and after Gods manner and answerable to our need and that condition and place we possess in the Body of Christ for so that phrase implieth Joh. 6.56 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood that is done by beleeving He abideth in me and I in him That is another and a further work And it intimates a free and a ful intercourse of spiritual communion between God and the soul and a communication of his presence and spiritual influence upon the beleever As it is in the Body natural when the constitution is healthful and the
composition of parts compleat and in a sweet order there is a free intercourse of blood and spirits between each part and in each passage whence the whole is in perfect strength and each part active and able to its office But when there grow obstructions the passages between part and part are stopped the work is hindered and the whole prejudiced both in health and strength So it is when this Oneness and this neer relation in the power and expressions of it betwixt the Soul and the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ hath his ful and free-passage There is a special intercourse of the presence and spiritual influence of the spirit of Adoption upon the soul whence follows a quickning vertue and inlarged fruitfullness in all the services to God and man As they are one with the Father and Christ so are they wholly acted by them and approve both their hearts and carriages unto them in all well pleasing So the Apostle 1. Joh. 3.6 He that abideth in Christ sinneth not but he that sinneth hath not seen him nor known him Use to Instruct Comfort Exhort Us. 1. Instruction The practise of our Savior is a precedent and pattern of praying to al the faithful unto the end of the world teaching us how we should order our desires when we appear before the Lord and put up our petitions unto the throne of Grace Thou seest here what our Savior seeks for sues for and that in thy behalf and for thy good yea when he would lay in for the relief of his servants and provide for their comfort in this world before he was to go into another world When he would suit them with blessings and good things that might be serviceable for their everlasting wellfare This is the great and grand request and that put up in the first place That they may be one in us Go thy way do thou likewise pray thou likewise Let this petition have the chief place in thy heart and the first place in thy prayer As the Apostle in another case I may in this Let the same mind be in thee that was in Jesus Christ He is most wise and best knows what may procure our good and is more merciful and careful for our wellfare than we our selves If wise and knows best merciful and cares more for our eternal good than we for our selves when we have such a Guid that can not erre who shews us the way we may safely follow it A pattern beyond all exception we may nay we ought if we be wise-hearted to imitate it The prayer of our Savior is the standard by this we should make al prayers judg all True in every thing our prayers and supplications ought to be made known to God What ever we would have or have a sanctified use of seek it and seek a blessing upon it what ever we receive be thankful for it But that which is of greatest worth we have most need of and may receive most good by affect that more than al the rest and seek that before all other Of the six Petitions but one for worldly things Where the Lord in his word bestows more lives and labour to direct thee bestow thou most care to attend and take it Set then this prayer of our Savior a Sampler dayly before thine Eyes when thou comest to petition good things for thy self say It is not the profiting of this world that may inrich not comforts conveniences which might content that I seek for But Oh that I and al mine and al thine the families of thy servants and the assembly may be not one only in affection but one in that neerest relation of dearest love to thee blessed Father and blessed redeemer That we might not live but thou wouldest live in us That we may be al one in thee Use 2. Comfort We have here matter of unconceiveable comfort to support the feeble spirit and fetch up the fainting and drooping hearts of the poor and faithful servants of the Lord. What ever difficulty ye meet withal that may dismay you what ever opposition from without which may resist and hinder or weakness from within that may discourage you either from the seeking or expecting so great a favor so high and happy a priviledg from the hands of the Lord What that I Such a sinful and wretched creature who am sit to be cooped up with the damned and chained up with the Devils who have been one with them in al their wickedness temptations have not been presented occasions offered so soon but Oh! this vile heart hath been one and sided with them and been carried by them and transported with distempers as with a violent stream What I can this carnal cursed heart ever be one with so holy and blessed a God what I that have been a Traytor to the Lord Jesus and shed his Blood and crucified again the Lord of life I who have been a Rebel against the Rich mercy and Grace of the Father so graciously provided so freely offered that ever I should imagine to be one with these who have been an enemy to both its beyond my thoughts much more my Hopes it s not possible therefore not credible Why alas mine own experience wil give in evidence and that undeniable against my Soul I have had all means injoyed all ordinances God hath tried all conclusions compassed me about with mercies hedged me in with afflictions to hold my heart to him and keep me with him All Hopes and helps have been plucked away from whence I expected relief that I might look to him and be quickened and carried by him It s not possible therefore to be attained True It s not possible for al means to work Nor possible by any power or ability of thine own to bring it about And yet it is not possible if the Lord Jesus have prayed for it but God should give it and you undoubtedly receive it from his Majesties hands Our Savior professeth so much Father I know tho hearest me alwaies Joh. 1 4â— therefore it s no more but that which Christ avoweth he knows and therefore thou mayst build upon it know Yea upon this ground he supports the heart of Peter in that heavy Shock when almost al was gone Luk. 22.32 Satan hath destred to winnow you but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not When therefore Satans Assaults are never so fel and fierce his temptations never so fiery which with their vehemency multitude and continuance seem to shake and sink thy heart when helps and heart and Hopes and prayers and al fail so that thou art at thy wits end and utmost period of thy thoughts yet the prayer of our Savior never fails of acceptance and success Therefore set thy heart at rest Christ shal either miss of his prayer or I will not miss of this priviledg Therefore yet this staggering and back-sliding heart wil be seâ—led Therefore this giddy and unstedy heart wil be established If the Father
will deny Christs prayer I am content he should deny my comfort and support But the one is impossible and the other is incredible It s seasonable even for unbeleeving creatures leaving secret things to Gods counsel when they have no heart to pray not Hope to expect any favor and where ever they cast their Eye they find nothing but cause of discouragement and confusion of face look into the world there is nothing but vanity there to deceive and vex look they into their own hearts and lives there is nothing but Hells of sin and guilt which might overwhelm them Look then to the Prayer of our Savior who prayed for His in their worst condition when they did not beleeve and could not pray for themselves and were as bad as I am even for Paul when he was persecuting and blaspheming even for many of the Jews when they were killing of him and why not for me why may I not Hope the best when I cannot conclude the worst what God wil do he knows not what he may do he hath revealed and I will yet expect Use 3. Exhortation He prayed for this disposition labor thou to attain it He desired it of his Father in Heaven indeavor thou to the utmost of that care and skill thou hast in the use of all means to attain it upon earth The Sum is That the whol strength of the Soul should be wholly carried to God in Christ for all not to any thing in our selves we have or for any thing we can do as Adam might have pleaded I have done I have deserved it but wholly to be quickened and acted by the spirit of God through Christ The Soul should be like the Herb Heliotropium the Nature whereof is such as the philosopher observes It turnes the face of it towards the Sun what way soever it turnes In the morning looks to the East the Sun rising In the evening to the West the Sun setting So it should be with the beleeving sinner the face and Eye of the Soul ever towards God in Christ That which our Souls need and which is able to answer our desires and satisfie our necessities is here alone to be had hither alone we must come from hence for ever look to receive it So Peter disputes Act. 4.12 Job 6. When our Savior would settle their staggering disposition least they should be taken aâ—â—de will ye also go away He answers and yields the argument Whither should we go thou only hast the words of eternal life Here only is that wisedom that may guid here only that mercy that may succor here only is that Grace that may refresh and quicken It s good therefore coming being here So they by experience concluded Jer. 3.29 Surely in vam is Salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the multitude of the Mountaines truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel And upon the like ground they resolves Hos 14.3 For in thee the Fatherless findeth mercy It s not Els-where to be found Therefore learn we to chide our hearts out unto God in Christ As Jacob his Sons Why stand ye here gazing one upon another go unto Egypt and buy that we may live and not die Gaze not upon the sins weaknesses temptations miseries means ordinances c. get ye to God in Christ that ye may for ever be assured comforted and quickened As its alone here to be had So here we shal never fail to receive what we seek and expect Ps 10.20 Verse 21. That the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me THese last words lay out the main scope of the Prayer of our Savior at which he aimed and which he looked at principally by the grant of that spiritual unity which he craved in the behalf of his disciples And the end is To lift up the prais and honor of that supream and absolute soveraignty of God the Father in sending his own faithfulness and infinite sufficiency in executing and accomplishing the great work of Redemption about which he was sent so that there was nothing failed of all that the Father purposed and he undertook to perform and that the world and worst of men however formerly they rebelled against his authority counsel and command in sending rejected also the person and proceeding of our Savior Christ in coming who was a stumbling to the Jew and foolishness to the Grecians The Head-corner-stone whom the Jews refused whom the Gentiles trampled under their feet against whom both Jews and Gentiles banded themselves So the Apostle Peter observes the Prophecy and concludes by proof and experience and accomplishment of it Act. 4.24 25 26 27. Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and al that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together c. Let us break their bonds and cast their cords away I know not the Lord saies Pharaoh We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow so contemptuously they spake of Jesus we know not whence he is Joh. 9.29 The Jews had certain questions against Paul saies Festus and of one Jesus Act. 25.19 And the whol rabble cry out Away with him from the earth not him but Barabbas And yet when the prayer of our Savior shal attain his end in the hearts of the Faithful so that they shal be wholly carried to God in Christ by the immutable assistance of his Spirit their hearts kept with him their graces acted upon him themselves quickned by him for ever then al these wil they nil they shal by a constraint be forced to acknowledg their own consciences wil yield it and their mouths confess it at the day of Judgment That Christ was the true Messias sent by the Father and that he hath fully accomplished the great work of salvation for the good of his And God only shal be exalted in that day There be two particulars in the words We shall open all and handle that which is the main 1. Christ is sent by God the Father 2. God will have this beleeved by the ungodly Which will be when the Saints attain this unity here prayd for then Christ will attain this glory To the First That Christ is sent by God the Father for the Redemption of his It needs no further witness to settle it the words are so express We will a little open it that as it is true so it may be plain and evident and so much the rather because our Savior laies so great a weight upon it and bestows the very strength of his prayer in the first place for the attainement of the
be one with the Father and the Son is the END and so of greater excellency than al the glorious Grace the Saints do partake of 1. This unity or oneness is not the unity of affection which the faithful as members of the same body ought to maintain in their hearts and consciences and convers As being of one heart and mind Keeping the unity of the faith in the bond of peace For First The express words of vers 21. hold forth the contrary and the latter looks another way That they may be one in us As though our Savior had purposely added the interpretation of his prayer and words q. d. If you ask me of what unity I speak when I pray that beleevers should be one my intendment may most easily and fully be understood of this resemblance As I am in the Father and the Father in me the scope of my prayer is they should be one in us The unity in themselves wil surely follow but that 's not it I now so fully look at Again the words of the verse wil not admit this sense The glorious grace given to the Saints by Christ is made here distinct from this Oneness as the means is different from the end and less excellent than the end But unity of Affection is part of that glorious Grace which our Savior hath given the faithful So that it is the unity of relation As the Father wholly and alone gives his being and Sonship to Christ The Son as he receives so he returnes his being to the Father as things in relation look each to the other receive and give consistence one to the other and so may be said to be in each other and to be one in this mutual respect Joh. 14.10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me So here As the Father is to Christ looks only as a Father to a Son and gives subsistence to him The Son again looks only to a Father and returnes his being subsistence of a Son to him So Christ to the faithful He gives Spiritual being in Adoption to them as his Sons only They as Sons return al that spiritual being to him again So our Savior As I am one in them and thou in me and by spiritual influence communicate the being of Sons to them So they are one in me and to in thee by receiving and returning al alone unto us So that our Savior doth not only bring the Soul of the faithful into the neeâ—est relation of dearest love as Adopted Sons But also into that spiritual intercourse of the peculiar and divine operation of God upon the Soul whereby the Soul returnes unto God to do al and receive al. To do all for himself in man To receive al to himself by man The Lord Jesus having fitted the Soul for himself and united the Soul to himself and made the Soul acceptable to the Father in his Blood He sends the spirit of Adoption into the hearts of his sets their hearts for God Holds the â—ent of their hearts towards him This is the gracious look of a Father towards them The faithful receiving this spiritual being of Sonship Fasten to Christ as the fountain of life leave their hearts with him and abide in him to be wholly acted by the influence and assistance of his Spirit and to hold up the excellency thereof Thus they return al to God in Christ 2. How this glorious Grace which the Lord imprints upon the Soul is distinguished from this Oneness Answ The words in the Text evidence the distinction i. e. They differ as the means appointed to an end are distinct from the end This unity of relation carries the glorious operations or motions of the presence of the Spirit upon the beleevers Heart I cal them Stirrings of his presence as implying that which is somwhat more general than the gracious dispositions spiritual and supernatural habits of Grace For though those also Issue from the operation of the spirit yet they are somwhat more As the Spirit assisting fastening holding the heart and making it to abide under the stroke of the spirit pacifying quickening Are not so much habits of Grace poured into the Soul but rather Dints and stirrings of the Spirit assisting or inhabiting As he that sets or Joints the part that is out and chafeth it out of its numness leaves a remembrance of the power and motion of his Hand But he that puts in Oyl leaves a quality or Oyly moisture which remaines in the part So here The spirit draws and unites the soul in vocation leaves the poyse of the assistance of the spirit upon it in Adoption whereby it makes the soul abide in Christ and under the stroke of his spirit as he abides in it And hence follows the impression of the image of God the gracious habits of wisedom holiness righteousness in the wil and so a liberty to spiritual good whereby the beleever is inabled not only to put forth acts of obedience and observance which concern the works of the Law but even to set a going and that a fresh those several operations of the Spirit unto which he had been formerly quickened by the vertue of the Gospel and carried unto by this covenant of Grace as to fasten to Christ to abide in him and resign it self to be acted by him and the power of his spirit and Grace And this is indeed a thing of highest excellency and therefore to this end and purpose the Choicest of all Graces ought in an eipecial manner to be improved And this appeares by these Reasons following 1. That therein the glory of God and his divine and unconceiveable excellencies are most magnified and Advanced for that end even the glorious Graces in their highest pitch ought to be improved But in this union of relation towards God al the divine excellencies will most gloriously appear and in truth much more than in al the gracious habits the Soul is capable of Thus the Apostle intimates to my apprehension with some evidence as though he of purpose intended it and would have al to understand it so 2 Thess 1.10 When the Lord shal come at the day of Judgment to render vengeance to those that obey not the Gospel then saies the Apostle The Lord shal be glorified in his Saints but admired in those that beleeve True it is that those who are Saints do beleeve but the Apostle seems apparently to shew the odds and this glorious excellency of the true Graces They who are sanctified and express the power of Gods Grace in their hearts and lives God wil be glorified in them that they do express his vertues and so set forth the glory of his Name But when he comes to consider of the bringing of a man to beleeve here the work of God and the excellency of his dealing is that which dazels the very Eyes of Angels and amazeth the hearts of Devils There his works are beyond all admiration Admiration
apprehended by us looks not at things as they are but as they appeare to us and may most familiarly and easily be conceived by us and so to lead us by the hand as it were to that fountain and first rise of all and so to the highest step and staire in Heaven which will point at eternity The Father is in Christ Christ in the faithful and so they come to be perfect in one We shal follow the method of our Savior and look at the words as they lie in the Text handle the several peeces that the frame of the whole may more throughly be searched into and more fully appear with what plainness may be in the Issue For there be some depths in some passages of the verse which are fitter to be admired than comprehended and exceed the reach and discovery of the most Judicious Jnterpreter that I can look into and indeed seem to be reserved for another world when the fruition of the good here mentioned will prove the best interpretation We will study to be wise unto sobriety I in them Christ is by his Spiritual Presence in a special manner in the Faithful This was signified to the Church of the Jews in the wilderness when the Arke the Type of the presence of our Savior incamped in the midst of all the tribes of Israel to watch over them when they rested Was a Pillar of cloud and fire to go before them for special guidance when they arose and marched in their travel and this Moses prized so highly That unless he went with them he would not go into Canaan the land of promise The presence of Christ is better than the Land of promise Exod. 33.15 If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence Therefore our Savior is said to dwel between the Cherubims and there to give his Oracles his Answer to his people Isa 37.16 Psal 132.14 The Lord professeth This is my resting place here will I dwel for ever Therefore the faithful are said to receive Christ As ye have received Christ so walk in him Christ is said to be in them 2. Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you unless ye be reprobates To dwel in them Eph. 3.17 To live in them Gal. 2.20 Yea they live not but Christ only Open here three things 1. In what respect Christ is said to be in his 2. What kind of presence this is 3. After what manner communicated And here the grounds and the Reasons of the point wil be laid 1. In what respect Christ is said to be in his Answ If we look at our Savior meerly and only as the second Person in the glorious Trinity God blessed for ever not attending or considering his Human Nature as he filleth Heaven and Earth with his presence he then would have filled the hearts of the Sons of men in that manner being present with them as he is every where by his Omnipresence But the gracious spiritual expression of his presence had never been communicated to Adams posterity There was so great a distance such and so strong opposition betwixt the corrupt and polluted nature of man and the purity of the holy nature of the blessed God that there was no possibility that ever there should be any agreement and communion while man continued in that corrupt condition Can two walk together except they be agreed Am. 3.3 Much less dwel together Yea the Lord professeth Psal 5 4. Wickedness shal not dwel with him much less he in it When his pure eyes cannot endure to behold iniquity with any approbatioÌ„ he shal be thought to take up his abode there No. What communâ—oâ— between light and darkness Christ and Belial that is there is none there can be none Therefore we must look at Christ as God-man as he had taken our nature into union with him and so in and by it had made way for the communication of himself to his By the nature of man he communicates his spiritual presence to the Sons of men By this life is provided for the world of Gods elect By this they come to be made partakers of it John 6.51 I am the liveing bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat this bread he shal live for ever But the question might have been what is that bread he answers The bread I wil give is my flesh which I wil give for the life of the world Because his humane nature is that mean whereby life was purchased and the conduit by which it was conveyed to lost man And therefore he adds Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man ye have no life And vers 56. He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him So that there is no communion with Christ no sharing in his spiritual presence and special vertue but by his flesh Christ God and Man is our spiritual good otherwise he is not nay cannot be digested for the spiritual refreshing of the faithful soul 2. What kind of presence this is Answer In the words of the doctrine it is a spiritual presence not carnal or corporal in so much that the Apostle if he had known Christ after the flesh yet he knowes him no more after that manner 2. Cor. 5.16 For the flesh profits nothing sayes our Savior the words I speak are spirit and life John 6.63 Certain it is the bodily presence of our Savior is not here attended according to the conceit of the Capernaites and the Papists at this day as though it were possible for the very flesh of our Savior to be in al places or in many places according to the administrations of the ordinances which signify or represent the same Nor yet can the very flesh of our Savior in it self considered be truly availeable to purchase any spiritual good or communicate any spiritual vertue Yet this is certain and for ever to be observed that the humane nature taken with the deity and in vertue of the deity puts forth a power in the expression of his spritual presence whereof more anon And the Lord Christ is thus spiritually present in his Church as a head may be truly said to be really and rventually in the body For this is the office of our Savior and that in a proper and peculiar manner He is said to be the Head of his Church neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost The Father is the Father of the Church and Holy Spirit the ComforteÌ„r of the Church but Christ hath this impropriate in him that He is the Head Eph. 4.15 Grow up in â—o him in al things which is the head even Christ And Chap. 5.23 He is the head of the Church and the Savior of the body Because this appertaines to him not as God onely for then al the persons had partaked thereof as common but as the second person in the Trinity sent of the Father working next in order from him and as so sent and workking terminating
the same Nature upon himself for the great work of our Redemption and so he is head 1. It s proper to him to have al Grace firstly in himself in way and right of communication for had he not been the son of man and son of God together the way of Grace and life had been shut up from the sons of Adam Hebr. 10.20 And in this sence it is said That with him is the Wel of life Ps 36.9 And he is said to be a fountain of living Waters to have life in himself Joh. 5.26 And to quicken whom he wil. Joh. 5.21 2. The right and propriety of immediate dispensation is committed to his hand of all Grace and good Of his Grace we receive Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 And the Holy Spirit takes of his not of his own when he communicates to the Souls of the Saints Joh. 16.14 15. He shal shew you al things He shal glorifie me for he shal receive of mine Al things that the Father hath are mine Therefore said I He shal take of mine and shew it unto you 3. The manner how this spiritual presence is communicated Answ It appeares in the Nature and maaner of it in three things 1. The second person in the glorious Trinity assuming our Nature into mystical and personal union with himself remaining the same person after the union which he was before the union doth therein become surety for the faithful and enter into covenant with God the Father in their room and purchase both Grace and glory in their behalf For had he not taken the Nature of man it had been unpossible he should have communicated unto man any good So the Apostle reasons when he would shew the way how life came to be derived to the seed of Adam and not unto Angels gives this as the ground Hebr. 2.16 For vâ—rely â—e took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham And therefore these were redeemed life was conveyed unto these the other in their sins and sorrows And being thus fitted for the place of a Surety He did in special manner enter upon termes of agreement in the behalf of those he would do good unto The happiness of those were committed to his care by the Father and undertaken willingly by himself Joh. 6.38 39. This is the will of the Father that those that he hath given me I should lose none but raise them up at the last day And he is as careful to attend their spiritual welfare as may be therefore he concludes of them in their times and answerable to their conditions I have other Sheep and those I must bring Joh. 10.16 And when they are brought I will in no wise cast away nor suffer any to take them away Joh. 6.37 2. Having thus purchased Grace and glory for them he hath now both right and liberty to improve al power in Heaven and Earth to communicate Grace and glory to them Yea the Human Nature of our Savior hath liberty power to let on work any and all the Attributes in the behalf of the poorest beleever in the world yea right to send the good Spirit of the Lord for his spiritual relief Joh. 17.2 Thou hast given him that is Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And therefore in verse 4. he saith I have finished the work thou gavest me to do q. d. Christ hath nothing to do in this vale of â—eareâ— but search ouâ— and seek up some scattered and wildering Servants of the Lord. Yea liberty to send the spirit upon this imployment Joh. 15.26 When the comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father Yea makes this his main Errand to heaven in his ascension Joh. 16.7 It is expedient c. If I depart I will send him unto you 3. He doth improve this power and the operation of the Spirit to close the Soule with himself and to hold the bent of the heart towards him for ever 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit As by his spirit he sanctified our Nature and took it into personal union with himself and gave in subsistence which of it self it had not nor could attain So by the operation of his Spirit he prepares the Soul for himself carries it in the promise to himself and acts it upon himself The Soul moved by the vertue of the Spirit moves to and staies upon the Lord Christ As in the Eccho the Air moved by the voice in such manner returns the same voice by vertue of its own motion Come unto me I come Lord. And not only carries and closeth the Soul with himself but holds it in this holy bent to himself that way Christ-ward Heaven-ward This is like the growing up with Christ being as scions ingrafted into him as the true Vine and so are truly and so called sons as the scions united to the stock may fitly be called the Sons thereof and hence Christ is stiled The eternal Father Isa 9.6 Behold a Son is given and this son is a Father and an eternal Father and begets us as sons unto his Father and will deliver us up unto him at the great day Here am I and the Children which thou hast given me Hebr. 2.13 This is that which Christ calls his abiding in us If I abide in you and you in me Joh. 15.4 The Reason in a word is this He that is the life of the faithful must be in the faithful So is Christ Gal. 2.20 Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life c. USE 1. CAUTION To al especially the wicked and enemies of the Saints That they do not offend and wrong them or do the least evil to them because they do wrong to the Lord Jesus and he so takes it as to himself Act. 9. Saul why persecutest thou me And the sufferings of the Saints for a good cause are called the sufferings of Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Thus the Lord sends to Sennacherib Isa 37.28 I know thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me It was bent against Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem but it was against the Lord in them True it is The wicked see not know not consider not this being blinded with Ignorance and Malice and therefore Paul asks the question when Christ speaks Who art thou Lord q. d. I own not thy speech nor understand thy person Our Savior answers I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Yea this wil be for the condemnation of their persons and confusion of their faces at the day of Judgment when the Saints in this sentence shal be honored and they set down for ever abased before their faces Depart ye cursed c. For I was in prison and ye visited me not c. Why When Lord saw we thee c. They were not acquainted with the presence of our Savior He add In that ye did it not to one of these ye
did it not to me Therefore if the Argument was strong whereby our Savior would perswade all to be feareful of offending even one of these little ones though they were alone and though little because â—hat in Heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the fâ—ce oâ— their heavenly Father ready to attend his pleasure to execute his wil for their preservation and for the ruine of their enemies Math. 18.10 Then much more this Argument He that is Lord of glory and hath all power in Heaven and Earth is in them and suffers with them and therefore cannot but protect them and relieve both his and their wrongs Is in Heaven at Gods right hand and is also in their hearts USE 2. To desire the fellowship and to delight in the society of the faithful For we shal keep no worse company than that of our Savior Though happily they dwel in a smoâ—ky cottage have course faâ—e be in a mean condition yet if Christ dwel in them we need not be ashamed to converse with them and own them Go in to their companies as resolving to go to Court For where the King is the Court is his presence makes it We should look at the faithful as the great Heires of glory and Courtiers of Heaven we cannot injoy their society but we may also come to the sight of our Savior and speech with him So 1. Joh. 1.3 This we write that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Sâ—n. So they Zach. 8.13 And therefore as the Apostle Hebr. 13.2 Be careful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares so be ready to entertain the Saints the poor members of Christ hereby we shal entertain Christ Receive such servants into your families c. USE 3. Hence by way of TRYAL we way gain undoubted evidence unto our Hearts that we are indeed Beleevers and truly beloved of God and his Son If once we find this blessed Son the Lord Jesus by his spiritual and special presence in our souls It s a never failing argument which will give in assurance of our good condition beyond all that the Divels can object or our fears and discouraged hearts can question The Apostle puts it beyond the possibility of any cavil If Christ be given to thee how shal not God but give al things Els that is hold this ground and make that good Thy carnal reason by al the deluded Devise whereby it would daunt thy heart it cannot put a colorable appearance of any possibility but that al things that are good should be given thee He that hath the Son hath life Make that sure and then al the rest is safe past al peradventure nay beyond dispute For al the jealousies and suspicious that arise in our own hearts al the darkness and difficulties that appear in al discoveries that are made all the questions that come upon the most searching inquiries and examinations touching any soundness of any Grace or any work of Grace and so of the sincerity of the heart and the truth and goodness of a mans estate If any doubt arise whether sure or no certain or no in conclusion it is lastly resolved settles and centers as they say Here If Issues from our not-union with Christ This may be done by some other power proceed from some other principle than the spirit of the Lord Jesus This is not a certain fruit of our union to Christ or the inhabitation of the spirit of Jesus in us And in Issue unless it lead necessarily to a Christ or be derived infallibly from him and the interest we have in covenant with him It s no more than that a man may have who hath no Grace It s no more but that which a man may do that hath no part in a Savior And hence al such evidences fal to the ground and utterly fail And in truth the weakness of expressions in this kind men taking shews for substance seemings and some appearances of things for the truth of things themselves hath been the cause that many have been cousened with their own conceipts and apprehensions many have denied all evidences because those which they had and too much trusted unto were fall and failed them utterly at times of need Therefore the Holy Ghost presseth this so instantly and checks the failing in it so sharply 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove and examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith or no Acted by and carried by the power of Faith Why how shal we discern that Know ye not that Christ is in you If once that be brought about the business is offa hand and its a sin and a shame ye should not Vnless ye be reprobates that is drossy men Christians that have not the right mettal are not of the right make you should not but know this This presence special and spiritual discovers it self in two things Not to trouble you with more 1. He that hath this presence hath somthing and finds somthing above the bounds of al created abilities that even the greatest sufficiency of the creature the best indeavours and improvements of the best meanes in providence could reach unto A wisedom beyond all a mans Wit and readiest subtilties and largest apprehensions a power beyond all the power of Nature beyond what a mans abilities and dexterity can compass education give skil of art and sciences attain practise and experience find out beyond al the moral impressions that the power of all meanes and help under Heaven can leave upon the Soul It was said of Saul that the Lord gave him another heart than formerly he had he had the spirit of Government a special ability to the discharge of the place that the Lord had called him unto So it is with every Christian he hath another heart than ever before and performes his duties from another power than ever he did before Gal. 2.20 even by the power of Christ So the Apostle professeth He did not live nor pray nor preach It was not abilities of nature which he had not knowledg of Art and learning in which he excelled by which he prayed but it was the power and gracious presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ that acted and carried out al those abilities yea that spiritual power of grace he had to this work either of praying or preaching So 2. Cor. 13.3 If any man require a testimony of Christ speaking in me And therefore it s the reason which he gives why the things of God are known by beleevers and not known to the greatest of the world 1. Cor. 2.11 No man knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God and we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God Nay he comes yet lower to the very expression of the words Which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth And the Saints often find and profess it they are helped
To do al form himself in man not man to do it To receive all to himself by man not man to take it which was otherwise in the covenant of works The Lord Jesus having fitted the Soul for himself and united the Soul to himself and made the Soul acceptable to the Father in his Blood He sends the spirit of Adoption into the hearts of his sets their hearts for God and holds the bent of their heâ—rts towards him This is the gracious look of the Father The faithful the spiritual being of Sonship 1. Fasten to God in Christ as the fountain of life 2. Leave their hearts there and abide to be wholly acted by the influence and assistance of his Spirit 3. And to hold up the excellency thereof not I but Christ by the power of his might Mark that to be acted by the influence of the spirit not by a principle of Grace in our selves This is the Oneness to be carried beyond the covenant of works and the work of Grace or any principle thereof in our selves but to cling about God in Christ that he may act al in us and by us and we hold out him in al our works 2. How is this said to be perfected We shall better understand this if we a little consider the imperfection of this Oneness and wherein it appears the ful removal of those weaknesses wil be the perfecting of this priviledg in our Souls This imperfection lies in three things 1. In the feebleness and unsoundness of our spirit when we do not abide in the Lord we do out leave our selves under the power and stream of the Spirit of promise in and through which al spiritual vertue is dispensed and the influence of the Spirit is conveyed unto us But either we are crowded and thrust off by the strength and violence of temptation which as violent and boisterous winds and raging waves force the Vessel out of the Channel carries at upon the shore and shelves where it is set on ground if not split So Peter in the shock the assault came so fierce that it rowted his heart wholly and David in hast faid I shal one day perish c. Psal 16.11 Or Els We go aside willingly through the folly and deceiveable lusts of our carnal mind which catch at every Twigg hang upon every Hedg rawm and reach after re set by our own devices Will ye also go away Joh. 6.67 Jonah hath a fetch of his own and forlook his own mercies Jon. 2.8 Somtimes out of sinful discouragements the Soul like the Body in a fainting sit cannot see his way nor his Comfort nor can it help it self by holding that which is next at hand Like a man wildering in a dark night and out of the way he goes he knows not which way Isa 49.14 My God hath forsaken me This comes thus to be helped when God settles and stakes down the soul that it wil not go away nor be carried away O! intreat me nat to leave thee Ruth 1. Ashur shall not save us but with thee the fatherless finds mercy Hos 14.3 When we grow up in Christ as they I will wait upon him that hides his face from the house of Jacob and will look upward Isa 8.17 not inward outward downward backward when nothing from without moves us nothing from within stirs us or makes us turn back 1 Chron. 29. 18 as they Dan. 3.16.17 We care not to answer our God can and if he please he will however thither they look and thence they wil not go 2. As there is feebleness we abide not so there is crossness to the power of the Spirit which gives not way thereunto Though God through Christ let in some intimation to the soul and our Savior put his hand into the hole of the door and his fingers drop Mirrh leaves sweet insinuations of his favor present remembrances of himself Cant. 4.4 yet the soul is composing it self to a secure sluggish frame Psal 77.3 My soul refused comfort Ahaz will not ask a sign Isa 7.12 So Exod. 6.9 As Job in another case If God will speak kindly I could not beleeve it As Asa in a desperate pang refused to hear and receive Direction and Reproof from the Seen who would have brought him again to the Lord 2 Chron. 16. told him the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the world to shew himself stronger He lost his strength and peace all his daies This hindrance is removed when this crossness of whatever kind it is that may â—op the passage and Influence of the Spirit is taken off and when it 's wholly removed then is it fully perfected I can do nothing against the Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 I came without gainsaying Acts 10.29 Pray without Dialogueing 1 Tim 2.8 Abraham considered noâ— Sarahs barren Womb Rom. 4.19 Live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 As the Soul when a obstructions are removed hath his ful intercourse in the Body so when this opposition is removed 3. When by feebleness we abide not by crossness we close not or come to be fully ingrafted into the Promise So lastly When the Soul will joyn any thing with Christ or expect any Principle or Power to quicken or carry our hearts or abilities to any Service beside Christ as sharing with him in any quickening vertue further than he appoints them goes with them works by them This is a desperate prejudice to the perfection of this Unity and returning al to God in Christ To lean upon Christ and our own Wisdom expect from Christ and our own Abilities Ordinances Offices c. I am Pauls and I am Christs 1. Cor. 1.12 this is to joyn a stone and staff together and so we hold neither in our hand This is perfected When we come to eye nothing but Christ to joyn nothing with him expect nothing but from him no strength but from a Savior but from Christ who hath appointed it sanctified and blessed it Paul is nothing Apollo is nothing Word Ordinances nothing but Christ in them they work nor further than Christ is in them prosper not further than Christ blesseth them A Sacrament may poyson thee as wel as nourish if thou discernest not there who is the Food of thy Soul The Word may be a savor of Death as wel as of Life if Christ breath not bless not Therefore al the Faculties should fasten upon God in Christ as Eagles upon their Prey or as so many lines about the Centre al meet him Hopes expect Grace from God in Christ and from nothing else Desires long for mercy from God in Christ and nothing else As they We will remember thy Name only Jehosaphat had al the Forces in Israel yet staies there There is no strength in us our eyes are towards thee When once it comes to that we shall see him as be is then we shall be like unto him 1 John 3.2 When we are setled so that we stir not yield so to al of Christ
thy waies and do likewife it s a mercy that he wil accept of our love and suffer us to love him 1. None more worthy than our Savior One of then thousand altogether pleasantnesses Wouldest thou love thy peace love Christ that procures it lovest thou thy Soul and salvation love Christ that purchased it 2. None deserves our love more whom wil ye love if ye love not Jusus ye wil love the world and it wil deceive you Ye wil love you friends and they wil forsake you Ye wil love your own conceits and those wil delude and ruin you No Christ hath bought our love dearly and us also He loved us more than Heaven He emptied himself of his glory He loved us more than his own life loved us more than the sense and feeling of his Fathers love which is better than life it self Therefore he that hath bought our love and us so dearly we should dearly love him Let our minds love him who hath inlightened them our hearts who hath comforted them our consciences because they have been pacified and refreshed by him 3. We cannot lay out our love better to better advantage and improvement for our own spiritual wellfare Joh. 14.21 If any man wil love me he shal be loved of my Father and my Father and I will come to him and Sup with him and manifest our selves to him Is there no drooping and distressed Spirit when thou breathest after the assurance of Gods love Oh but one smile of his countenance when thou sittest in darkness and in a disconsolate condition what wouldest thou now give to gain evidence of Gods favor that he should make known himself unto thy Soul and say unto thee I am thy Salvation Oh thou sayest part with any thing do any thing Why Love jesus Christ lay out thy affection upon him and its certain thou shal attain what thou desirest Prov. 4. Love Wisdom and she will keep thee exalt her and she will preserve thee she will bring thee to honor if thou wil embrace her Thus we have finished the first point of the three observed from the last end of our Savior's prayer Viz. The Father loved the Lord Jesus We are now to inquire of the second proposition that is plainly expressed and taken for granted as the main thing that is intended here by our Savior The point then is in the express words of the Text Viz. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ He loves the Saints as he doth our Savior he loveth his adopted Sons as he doth his natural Son the members as the Head I confess judicious Calvin â—asts another Construction upon the word and therefore interprets the Particle which carries a similitude with it causally thus That thou lovest them because thou lovest me But since this Translation which we read carries the proper signification of the Word with it and since that which he intends is not denied but included in it I therefore chuse rather to follow the Native and Natural signification of the word when there is no constraining Argument to the contrary nor any inconvenience doth accrew thereby to the Context and Scope of the place Only attend this that ye may not mistake the mind of our Savior nor the meaning It is but AS for the quality and likeness of this Love not so much as that it should be equal for the quantity and greatness of that Love which was extended to our Savior and to his Saints and Children For that were to derogate from the Wisdom and Goodness of the Father from the Honor and Excellency of our Savior and to lift up both the Persons and Priviledges of the Faithful more than were meet and due It sufficeth nay it 's unmatchable and incomparable Mercy and unconceivable goodness of the Lord that poor sinful Dust and Ashes may so far be advanced that they may be like to Christ which they deserve not though to be equal to him is unreasonable to expect as impossible to attain it The like Phrase we have again repeated in the last verse of this Chapter with which our Savior ends his Prayer leaving that as the last farewel in which such spiritual god things and those glorious Priviledges that ever were promised or could be expected or received were summed up even the marrow of al those loving kindnesses the Lord lets out unto his People the tast and rellish whereof if it were kept upon the Soul it would keep a satisfing and ravishing content upon the heart of a Christian in al Conditions yea carries him beyond al the fulness of Comforts that al created Nature can afford whether in Earth or Heaven being somthing above Heaven it self and al the beauties of all created Excellencies which the place can afford We shal open Two things 1. Wherein the Love of the Father to the Saints shews it self 2. That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son 1. To discern wherein this Love appears we shal follow it in these Particulars by which Love is in a special manner made known as before Love of Vnion Complacence Benevolence Love Desires Union to the thing Rests contented with it Desires the good of the thing beloved 1. God loves his Saints with a Love of Vnion that 's thus conceived God the Father brings the Faithful into a neerer Vnion with himself and Christ than any Creature by any ability or excellency received by Creation could ever be capable of or could ever attain unto And this wil appear if we compare the surpassing excellency of this Union and the intimate neerness which every Beleever hath with God in the Covenant of Grace with that which Adam could attain unto by the Covenant of Works Had Adam stood and attained the utmost perfection it was possible for him to be made partaker of by the improvement of the Spiritual Stock of Grace bestowed upon him The utmost of al his happiness had been confined within this compass 1. A man by the Principle of Grate was fâ—â— to close with God and perform the Covenant made betwixt God and him But since the Fall of our first Parents and departure from God it was impossible for any Creature or any created Grace to bring back the soul to God therefore the God-head of Christ dwelling in the Nature of Man assumed bodily must bring the Nature of Man again unto God Man out of the mutability of his Grace departed from God but neither man nor Grace but the infinite Power of the God-head must bring man to God again and keep him with him So that the Second Person in the Glorious Trinity taking our Nature upon him did not only purchase by the power of the Deity all for us but by the same power enables us to receive the Work of his Spirit by which he carries us unto himself and the Father So that it is not any created Principle of Grace or gracious habit which either fits us for Christ or carries us to
not known nor whom we know deal harshly and discourteously with us in our common occasions of commerce or If those of alliance and acquaintance who are prophane and ungodly if they be fals in their promises or injust or injurious in their carriages towards us They deal like themselves they do but their kind as we say If fals hearted persons deal falsly If loose men shew themselves base to us it s that they do to al yea to their own Souls we expect no other and therefore if we find no better measure it doth not trouble If it had been an Enemy I could have born it saies David but when it comes to that It was thou my familiar Friend we took sweet counsel and went up to the house of the Lord together It was he that lift up himself against me this is more bitter than death It is so with the Lord. If the Ignorant world who knows him not who are strangers from him and the convenant of his Grace If the wicked and prophane who are professed adversaries to his Grace and Kingdom if they dishonor his name transgress his Laws grieve his spirit and cast his Ordinances behind their back It I say the world deal so with the Lord he looks for no other he hates the world he never gave his Son for the world Christ never prayed for the world But that his faithful whom he hath owned imbraced in the Bowels of his tenderest mercies should deal frowardly in his covenant this is killing unkindness Will ye also go away Joh. 6.67 When the Crown of those counterfeit wretches who followed Christ for the Loaves when they missed of their Dinner and sweet morsels they departed presently and came no more at him Our Savior is content to see so free a riddance of them and the place quit of their company But turnes himself to his disciples with that melting expression wil ye also go away q. d. That they are gone I care not it matters not I never knew them nor was known of them but wil ye also go away that would be unsufferable Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Judah offend And hence it is The Lord is compelled with such unreasonable carriages to make his complaint unto the senseless creatures as those who would give in witness against such miscarriages as professedly cross to the course of things Hearken O Heaven and hear O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 And upon this ground it is the Lord makes that so sad an expression when the Sons of God married with the Daughters of men and were carried with the common stream Gen. 6.6 The Text saith It grieved God to the Heart It went to the heart of the Almighty Bears any thing but the Contempt of his love and goodness For it is a sin out of measure sinful Not only that which Nature gainsaies and reason rejects and conscience condemnes and Grace abhorres to the bottomless pit But it is a practise more vile than the worst of sinners wil adventure upon Math. 5.46 If ye love them that love you what reward have ye Do not the Publicans the same Not to return love for love c. It s that which the Publicans the worst and most reffuse wretches in the world do loath For the faithful who have been redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus comforted by the spirit of Jesus beloved of the Father as the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son for them to be tainted with that sin which the Publicans the worst of men wil give witness against Oh how hamous are such miscarâ—iages and how grievous must they needs be to the God of love I shal Instance in two Evils unto which the Saints are usually too much subject and taken aside withal which are so professedly opposite to this enlarged compassion of the Lord. 1. When the Faithful either question this Love when it is so sure Or 2. Undervalue it and little esteem of it when it is so great as that it exceeds the thoughts and apprehensions of men Both are marvelously distastful and that justly to the Father of Mercies and in truth unsufferable were it not that he makes us acceptable and lovely through his wel-beloved It could not be that he could bear with the abuse of his constant kindness in so gross and unkind manner and yet this is the baseness and wretchedness of our unreasonable hearts He hath loved us with an everlasting Love he never ceaseth loving and we never cease questioning and quarrelling with his kindness we are ever of the jealous and suspicious hand that this favor of the Lord it is but for a fit it wil one day fail and we shal be forsaken utterly If Christ wil cease to be a Son and to be this wel-beloved of his Father with whom he is wel pleased then wil he cease to love thee to accept of thee and to be wel pleased with thee in him The one is impossible the other is incredible and therefore stifle those distempered pangs they are so deeply injurious to the Lord and distastful to his Majesty that he cannot bear them but wil undoubtedly correct Such a way-ward jealous pang ye shal perceive in the Church of the Jews in the day of Discouragement when God cals Heaven and Earth to rejoyce in the Consolation of his People Sing O Heavens and be joyful of Earth break forth into singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and will have mercy on his afflicted Isa 49.13 but they were silent in this Quaere and sate down in sullen discouragement verse 14. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her Womb yea they may but yet will not I forget thee verse 15. and therefore the Lord professeth he takes it unkindly Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel amp c. This is the dayly talk of al dismayed and gloomy discouraged Spirits it 's al they speak and have in their Meetings Jacob saies and Israel speaks this is common My way in hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over of my God Thus ye say but what saies God Why speakest thou c. q. d. I cannot abide those words God cannot brook such groundless suspicions of his Favor which is more sure than the Foundations of the Earth As it is whith men who are real and cordial in their kindness and sincere hearted in the expression of their Love so that they never gave the least appearance of any instability and feebleness in their Promises and Performances as either their engagements or others desires or necessities should require if yet their Friends and intimate Familiars should out of their jealousie either cast out such words in their presence or give it in their expressions to others to understand That however they have ever been
free in the manifestation of their Favor and they have ever found them faithful that they cannot challenge them in the least yet they fear in the issue when it comes to a dead lift they wil leave in the lurch Should such expressions be dayly presented before a man and such unkind expressions be laid in his dish he could not but with indignation cast off such a one Why have I ever failed of my Word ever been wanting in my labor to answer al your desires bestead you in al your needs and have I this for my love and labor that ye look at me as one feeble and faithless Take ye other and chuse ye better Friends I wil have no more to do with you And it is not possible but our groundless needless surmises hard conceits that we harbor and unloving thoughts of the Lords dealing and goodness but it should imbitter Gods heart against a wretched Creature and suffer him to sink in his sorrows and however he cannot out of his Love forsake his yet he cannot in respect to the Honor of his Love and Faithfulness but draw and with-hold the sense of it that the way-ward heart may the better perceive its own wretchedness and unreasonable dealing and learn not to doubt of Gods Love when there is no cause Our groundless surmises of Gods Favor causeth yea compels God to darken our apprehensions and his expressions The Second Evil. The little and mean account we make of the intimation on Gods Love unless it answer our conceits and humors in each particular Unless we may have what we wil and when we wil and as much as we wil unless the Lord take measure of our mind and please us in every Point we cast al his kindness behind our back and the Love of the Almighty is in but little esteem with us when their complaints are many and sad that their temptations grow fierce and their corruptions get head and over-bear their abilities smal and their comforts less But yet the Lord loves you notwithstanding whatever these hindrances be which stand in the way and that is enough to settle and satisfie the heart Obj. True I cannot say but he loves me but if yet my Graces be so weak and my distempers so strong what is that Ans What is that It 's of more worth than al thy Graces thou canst either attain or desire if thou did'st know how to value things according to the worth O! if I had such a measure of Grace the enlargedness of heart and abilities to perform Service in a Spiritual manner as such and such then I might be comforted and might be perswaded the Lord loved me to purpose As though the Child that is now yong and smal should conceive his Father did not carry the strength of Fatherly affection towards him because his Coat was not so long or his Doublet Jerken or Apparrel was not so large as his Elder Brothers when indeed it is not because he wants Love to provide them but he is not able to wear them So it is here Thou art happily but a Babe in Christ not of time and standing in Christianity canst not tel how to wield and exercise such eminency of Abilities for the present Let if suffice he is thy Father and loves thee as he doth the most able and excellent Christian upon Earth Doth not that please your Pallates What would ye have which would please if ye can be pleased I wil say more He loves thee aâ— he doth the Lord Jesus the Son of his Love I hope now ye are contented What! love me so ye wil say poor silly weak ignorant worthless Creature it 's a likely matter indeed Yea thee Hast thou but a grain of Faith but as a grain of Mustard-seed even the least of al others the poorest weakest filliest unworthy Worm be thy place thy parts never so mean he loves thee as his Son Go thy way never quarrel question any more never murmur repine any longer this is enough on Conscience nay it 's too much I could not have thought it I durst not have desired it I could not have beleeved â—t but that thou hast said it that thou should'st love me who loath my self and know my self worthy to be abhorred Therefore rest thy weary heart here in thy weaknesses do not think to bring such measures of Grace to deserve this Love Nay lay hold upon this Love it wil encrease the eminency of al Graces and that in the most glorious manner in thy Soul Eph. 3.18 Paul praies That they might comprehend with all Saints the length breadth depth and height c. and know the Love of God which passeth knowledg that so they may be full of all his fulness View this Love wistly and warm thy heart with it and thou shalt not need to complain of barrenness or emptiness thou shalt be ful of Grace not have a scant measure thou shalt be ful of Wisdom and Meekness Patience Holiness c. Nay ful of the fulness nay of al the fulness of God-like Grace no kind of Grace no Excellency in any kind that suits the Station and Condition thou dost obtain in the Body of Christ but thou shalt be possessed of it How the knowledg of this Love brings in this fulness it 's not now a place to enquire only the Doctrine now delivered wil lead us by the hand to some further Light in this Work While we know that is while we constantly attend to the Dispensation of Gods Love in Christ begetting of us as his adopted ones by his Spirit to himself while we experimentally find this and so know it and leave our hearts under the influence thereof as of him to receive al as from him to do al we shal then be ful Whatever may be lacking to thy Hope Meekness c. repair to this Love and know there is no lack I have the choicest Love of God that either Heaven or Earth affords and that is beyond the excellency of al Grace and the chiefest of al Abilities that either I do want or can desire He loves me therefore let him do what he wil with me take what he wil Love wil supply al give that he wil Love is better than al. Cant. 1.1 His Love is better than Wine As Elkanah comforted Hannah in the want of Children Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 2. Instruction We hence infer beyond denyal and conclude beyond al doubt That the Love of God to his is unchangeable As he loves his Son he loves his Saints and adopted ones That did never change this will never fail We are accepted as Christ nothing can prejudice us in Gods Favor or shal be able to condemn us We are advanced as Christ he wisheth al good and works al good for us as for him sets us far above al Principalities and Powers and what is named in this World or the World to come Though we know it not understand it
Earth And truly were their hopes only in this life they were of all men most miserable and further than this Life men do not look nor can in truth see wanting Faiths Prospective which is the Evidence of things not seen that they so judg nay conclude it as beyond controversie And this somtime stumbled holy Asaph Psal 73. See also 1 John 3.1 2. Our Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Because their Understandings are wholly perverted and their hearts also so corrupt that they are not able to judg of the Love of the Lord or the evidencing expressions thereof The god of this World hath so blinded their eyes that the beauty of Gods Grace and so the beams and heat of Gods Love cannot come home to their Consciences to convince them thereof And such is the corrupt distempered frame of their hearts that they savor only the things of the Flesh and not to have things suit their sensual Appetite or to contrive Contentments to their own carnal Affections they count it the greatest curse and expression of Gods distast and displeasure that may be The carnal heart savors the things of the Flesh nothing seems sweet unless it suits his corruption So that If the Life of a Beleever and so the Evidences of Gods Love be hid and cannot be discerned The hearts and minds of the World be so perverted and surfeted with the sweetness of their own lusts that they cannot judg of the fruits of Gods Love though presented before them Then it is no marvel that they do not know it nor acknowledg it as dispensed to the Saints The Point now explicated the Reasons which give in the Proof thereof will appear more easie and more undeniably plain 1. At the Day of Judgment the World of the wicked they come to have convicting Evidence which can neither be gain-sayed nor wil ever be removed what is a never failing proof of Gods Love by the sense woful Experience they have of Gods direful hatred and displeasure upon their own Souls Their hearts now find it and feel it their Consciences confess it their Judgments acknowledg it that the Plague of al Plagues the Curse of al Curses that wherein the venom of Gods Vengeance and infinite Indignation and hatred of the Lord from his Blessing and comforting presence to be destroyed from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power the glorious and powerful expression of his saving Mercy However formerly the soul while it was surfeting in its sinful distempers found no greater content nor conceived any greater favor than to have it ful of its own lusts and not to be crossed with the Counsel of the Lord and concluded no other Heaven nor happiness like the enjoying of their hearts delight without check of God or Conscience Yet now he sees the sweet and surfets of those sins become the greatest torment unto him the very quintessence of the Curse and the substance of the Sentence of Condemnation Depart from me ye cursed was the Commission thereof I thought nothing so delightful that I might without gainsaying depart from God by sinning therein the execution of Gods Indignation doth wholly appear to cast me out of his presence and to stake me down in his departure never to see his face enjoy his presence come within the smile of his Favor any more Therefore those who are brought so neer to God so accepted of him Christ at the right hand of the Father they at the right hand of Christ being ever with him what that Love is we cannot tel that is beyond our reach yet it is a fruit of the greatest Love we cannot but see and confess our departure being the fearful fruit of Gods fierce displeasure Thus Ecclesiasticus brings them in at the day of Judgment taking the shame to themselves which formerly they cast upon the Saints We Fools thought this mans life madness but now he is advanced and we cast out of Gods fight and presence for ever 2. They are fully convinced and experimentally perswaded that al this comes from Christ and not from them and from Christ as the Head of the Second Covenant for from Adam it could not come in whom they had a like share as al the Sons of Men hewed out of the same Rock and digged out of the same Pit had the same Nature as they had as good Abilities and as great means as they and yet notwithstanding they found infinitely beyond their power nay their own Apprehensions either to attain this nay it could not enter once into their thoughts that they who knew not Christ should receive him they who opposed him should become one Spiritually and one Spirit with him even as neer as the Members to the Head for so they now hear the Saints acknowledg it it was the Son that died for them that was sent from the living Father that they might live through him They now see the Son of God the Lord Jesus stands betwixt them and al their harms that no Devils can accuse them that no malice can charge them but Christ saies I have undertaken answered satisfied and they now come to be accepted as he advanced as he set up on the Throne to judg as he and to regin as he through al Eternity They who receive al this good from the Father through Christ as the Head of the Covenant for them and in their behalf and enjoy al next unto Christ they are loved as the Lord Jesus Christ O! we wretches hated them when God loved them contemned them when God honored them we did not know them and therefore wo unto us we despised them we looked at them as the basest of al men when they were more than men yea more excellent than the Angels the Spouse of Christ the Members of Christ the Beloved of the Father in Christ yea beloved as Christ USE 1. Hence we have matter of Patience for the Saints of God they are the contempt of the wicked the scorn of the World the Object of the ignominy and reproach of ungodly men But their Life is hid with Christ in God beyond their ken their reach and reason and no wonder they know nor them nor Christ The God of this World hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts no marvel that what they cannot see they cannot judg aright of they know not the things of the God of Heaven nor the work of his Grace nor the worth of his Servants The Saints are Princes but they are not in their Country they are in strange places and amongst strange People who do not know them and therefore cannot honor them and therefore they are content to bear it for the while to stay til they come into their own Countrey and to the day of Coronation Saies Paul I pass not for mans day This is mans day but at that day the day of Jesus c. The
Sail by his compass Be good Husbands and wisely careful to lay in provision for every condition The wise man sends the Sluggard to the Pismire Go to the Pismire thou Sluggard learn her waies and be wise she prepares in summer before the Winter when there wil neither be means nor meat to be got nor season to get it Be we so careful In peace provide for war in prosperity for want in health for Sickness This was Jobs care When his Paths were Buttered and his Breasts ran ful of Milk he then Feared and expected Lay in reversion of Prayers for Children as in that Fundamental Prayer of Solomon he provides for every occasion If thy people shal be carried Captive and in the Enemies Land if Pestilence c. Then what Prayer is made by thy people c. So lay thou in reversion of prayers for such times and streits Thus we have done with the general scope of the verse we come now to the particulars observed therein And 1. To the Parties described 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those whom thou hast given me Observe from hence this point Viz All beleevers are given unto Christ by God the Father Doct. Our Savior presents the persons of the Saints both here and often yea constantly and almost continually in the foregoing part of this Chapter to God the Father under this notion and consideration rather than any other As GIVEN by the Father As that which hath the most perswading and prevailing power with the Father readily to hear and willingly to grant any Prayer or petition that should be made in their behalfs and freely and aboundantly to give and bless al means that shal be desired for their good and welfare For which end and purpose God gave them to Christ he also prayes for them and both Father and Son stand ingaged to provide for their everlasting happiness As though our Savior should have said It is not the condition of thine enemies I now present before thee nor the cause of Strangers righteous Father that I desire to recommend to thy Majesty but it is for Thine own whom thou hast Given and over whose Good thou hast Given me Charge For them and for their good it is that I pray and therefore I cannot but speed for both For the Explication of the Doctrine two Questions are to be considered and the meaning of that Phrase opened and then the Truth wil be evident 1. What this giving is 2. How God the Father is said to give To the First I answer three Things All which being distinctly attended wil open the Nature of this Work and make it easie to the Understanding of the meanest 1. Giving the Soul to Christ is not properly the Act of Election though several Interpreters of savory Judgment do so think and speak but I suppose their meaning must be further extended or else their words wil not be able to abide an exact examination by the Rule of Truth But it is a Consequent which follows it an effect which certainly and infallibly flows therefrom and of this the expressions of Scripture wil give in evident proof REASON It 's usually joyned with Election and made distinct therefrom John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Verse 9. I pray not for the World but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine Where the former of these Phrases and Expressions imply Election the other a disâ—inct and differing thing therefrom They are God the Fathers by Election made Christs by Gift and Donation Yea the one is used by out Savior as a Reason and Ground of the other I have prayed for those that thou hast given me for they are thine properly so termed Beside the very Nature of the Phrase and the manner of the Speech wil not easily bear such a converting being harsh to the ear and hardly suitable to sense to be elected to Christ as we say to be given to Christ which if giving were electing properly might truly be so expressed which neither the Nature of the thing nor the Construction of the words wil easily admit 2. This Giving is not the Act of Beleeving by which the Soul is carried by the Power of God â—nto Christ but the Scripâ—ure is pregnant and the Dispute undeniable John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me come unto me and those that come unto me I will in no wise cast away Coming we know is Beleeving John 6.35 I am the Bread of Eternal Life he that cometh to me shall never hunger If it be demanded what is that Coming He answers in the words immediately following He that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Coming then being Beleeving our Savior making this Giving of God the Father to go before it without which the Soul wil never come or beleeve it cannot be it 3. This Giving is the Work of the Father upon the Soul in Vocation which goes before the Infusion of Faith makes way for the working of Faith by Christ and receiving it from him and which being there the soul never fails to beleeve and come for that is the force of our Saviors Dispute John 6.36 where he gives the reason why many did not beleeve Ye also have seen me and belâ—eve not What might be the cause thereof since their Abilities were as great and their Excellencies as many which they might have improved to that purpose before many other Our Savior sets down the immediate root and rise of this distinction and separation Those that the Father hath given me those will come shall beleeveâ— where that is not coming wil not be The manner of this Dispensation we shal speak to in the next Question and that is How in God the Father said to give us to Christ Quest 2. as intimating somthing peculiar herein and appropriated to himself The Lord Christ is to be considered as God-Man assuming our Nature Answ when by voluntary Dispensation he put himself into the place oâ— Mediator becomes our Surety undertakes the great Work of our Redemption and so as himself peaks is less than the Father John 14.28 The Father is greater than I. And therfore in the transacting of this great Work by mutual agreement may truly be said to have us given to him not to give us to himself And this the Father doth on this manner 1. The Father being the Party properly and directly offended le ts in his heavy displeasure into the heart of the sinner and forceth him to feel the bitterness of his sin in that unsufferable and unâ—voidable manner that takes off and eats out al the former seeming sweetness the soul hath found therein and by the almighty and unresistable power of his blessed Spirit divorceth him from the embracings of those base Lusts and plucks him by his almighty hand from under the power of those prevailing distempers that have taken place that so the soul may be for another which while it was wedded to its former Corruptions and
spiritual and eternal welfare of al the faithful requires this of necessity to appertain to him that must procure our good So our Savior reasons to quiet the hearts of his disciples because of his departure Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient I should go away for if I go not away the comforter wil not come but if I depart I will send him unto you They could hardly beleeve it as that which carried the face and appearance of any propability with it that our Savior puts out of question know it of a truth which upon trial ye wil find to be certain Ye would conceive at the sudden push that there could be nothing more inconvenient and cross to the furtherance of their comfort But its expedient Hence those phrases The Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Al the gift of the Spirit was in vertue of that work and the further perfection of that in Christ the further communication of al from Christ Now our Savior is far above al principalities and powers beyond the power nay the opposing presence nay the least appearance of any hinderance that may be cast in the way by Satan to prejudice or stop the work of our Redemption by Christ for us or the work of Redemption from Christ in us Resurrection is the only proper cause and immediate spring of the Application of spiritual good and therefore had he not risen our Faith had been in vain for as his death purchased right unto al so did his resurrection make Application of it for by that he rescued himself and so us his members then in him from the power of darkness that though they pursued yea crucified Christ could not overcome him but he rose again But when he ascends he was then beyond the ascent of his enemies yea beyond the fight the shew the appearance of temptation Far above And so when we shal be made to ascend we shal be like to our Savior and he freed from the annoyance the shew or appearance of evil Hence observe the Apostle his Connexion He hath ascended on high he led Captivity captive Hell Sin and Death were like a miserable captived company that now were under the Spear durst not hush nor stir He then gives Gifts to men When Christ was crowned Emperor over al the Enemies then he sends his royal Gifts Coronation Mercies abroad 4. This is for the great Contentment and Advancement of our Savior John 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go to my Father for my Father is greater than I. Any Preferment puts us into Places which are above our own ordinary Now there is none greater than Christ but the Father therefore to go with him and be with him is the highest Advancement USE 1. Of Instruction Therefore they who have made choyce of a Christ have no cause to be ashamed If he were a base Christ ye might have some color to seek another to make a change but it 's not so But though he went from the Cross to the Grave yet he went from thence to Heaven and there is now in the highest Honor. His suffering was but his entring into Glory nay the addition to his Glory therefore that should not so much discourage as content and cause us to bless God for our Portion A dead Savior was better to Joseph of Arimathea than his life his reproaches better than the riches of the World to Moses But now when he is exalted in Heaven attended by Angels received into Glory advanced to the right hand of his Father what madness is it now to think we could once have done better The Crown of Thorns which our Savior wore was to be chosen before the Credit of the World what should we judg of the Crown of Glory The Poverty of Christ is better than the Wealth of the World the Shame of Christ better than the Honor of the World the Contempt and Humiliation of a Christ better than the greatest Pomp and Advancement that the Earth can attain How much more should our hearts be comforted and satisfied now with the Honor Life Happiness and Heaven where our Savior now is upon whom ye have trusted and depended How good is your Choyce How great should be your Content USE 2. Here is invincible Assurance of the final safety and glory of the Saints out of all those pressures with which they seem not only to be assaulted but overwhelmed almost beyond strength If the Head be above Water the Body cannot be drowned though it be under Water Christ is in Heaven and he wil never leave his Members in Hell nor Grave So that a man may boldly and comfortably conclude He wil make this sick and weak Body like to his glorious Body this sinful Soul like unto his in al Holiness and happiness As Christ of himself thou mayest in Christ bear up thy self against the Gates of Hel. Behold I was dead and live for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 Behold I was dead in my sins sunk in my distresses overborn with distempers and temptations but I shal be for ever comforted quickened delivered for evermore Nay ye have the Promise and Engagement of our Savior Because I live ye shall live John 14.19 He is far above all Principalities and Powers and we shal be as he is He hath not only promised what he wil do but he is gone on purpose to make way for us to prepare a place for us and to bring us thereunto So he chears the hearts of his Disciples John 14.2 3. He deals truly and faithfully and tenderly with us If it were not so he would have told us He is gone on purpose to make room and to see that al things be ready And if we know not the way nor can help our selves in it he professeth he will come again When we are and stands he wil again support us when we are foiled and overborn with Temptations he wil again deliver us and receive us to himself though cast out of Earth and Societies of men he wil receive us to himself shelter us under his wings put us into his own bosom cast up the reckoning that the Apostle doth Rom. 6.9 10 11. He dieth no more death hath no more Dominion over him c. Reckon ye also shal I yield to my Corruptions No distempers shal have no more Dominion over me Yea grow in upon greater and more glorious confidence Rom. 5. If justified by his death how much more shal we be saved by his life He hath abidden the shock of Satans assaults the source and power of darkness and when the Justice of God delivered him into their hand and they brought him to the death of the Cross yet he thence delivered himself and he lives for evermore to save to the uttermost them that come to him USE 3. Therefore be willing to die and to go to Christ The Members long to
reason to find this or Fathom this being improved to the highest pitch Yet after it is revealed and dispensed with plainness out of the word The reason of a carnal man may yield assent thereto and by force of Argument be constrained to submit to the convincing Evidence thereof for it s above reason but not against reason It s beyond the reach of reason to Fathom but it s not Cross to the rule of right reason but it may and wil confess it For its a staple truth for ever to be held There is nothing in the Nature of God or the actions of God that can be contrary to the Wisdom of God for then God should be contrary to himself which is assuredly blasphemous to think and certain it is the rule of right reason is a beam of Gods blessed Wisdom which he can no more Cross than in truth he can be Cross or contrary to himself Therefore Paul cals it Wisdom in the greatest Eminency 1 Cor. 2.6 4. When this Fatherly love and Faithfulness of God is revealed out of the Scripture though the judgment of a carnal man may confess the truth yet he cannot conceive it He may be constrained to yield to the evidence of Argument which he cannot gainsay yet the reality and spiritualness of that divine good that is therein couched he cannot comprehend The Sum in short is this When the love and Faithfulness of God is in the Scriptures revealed or out of the experience of the faithful recorded in Books or wrightings or by relation There be these three things carefully to be considered and as warily to be distinguished 1. There is the sound of the word syllable and sentences whereby they are expressed 2. There is Reason and Argument which is conveyed by those words Arguments cloathed with Language and Speech a mans Apprehensions walk abroad in a mans Expressions 3. There is the reality of that Spiritual and Divine Good and Truth that lies couched and contained within that Reason as a precious Diamond in a curious Cabinet A carnal man may hear the sound of the words understand the Grammer Congruity and signification His Judgment may see the Evidence of the Argument and force of Reason which concludes beyond gain-saying what is there disputed And yet the reality and Spiritualness of that Divine Good never apprehended Psal 25.14 The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will teach c. There be Secrets in Praying Secrets in Preaching and there be Secrets in al the Truths Divine and Mysterious that are spoken and preached and a man may speak of the Truths and preach of them and yet never know those Secrets he preacheth As a man may preach the Word and alledg the Scriptures and there be Spiritual Mysteries which are therein contained that happily he never knew though he published the Word and Reasons that did convey them to the hearing of others when God is pleased to work thereby There be in the Several Mettals and Herbs three things which are secretly inclosed in the bowels of the Mettals a Salt an Oyl and a special Soveraign Water which Alchymists that can dissolve and unbowel the Mettals can bring out Another man happily hath more Gold Silver A timony take whatever other Mettal you wil and yet he shal never see those Secrets never know them nor ever have the use of them though he see the view Mettals dayly But he that is a skilful Alchymist he can tel how by his Distillation to find them by his Art to use them So here There be in the Profession of God and his Truth special Secrets of this Fatherly Love and Faithfulness which the Saints by beleeving as by Spiritual Chymistry can see discern have the use find the comfort of Whereas others who profess as much and can speak aâ— freely and it may be more freely never come to find really or truly to discern what they speak As Job I have heard of thee by the Ear but now mine Eye hath seen To speak of God by hear-say but to find God making himself real and to see him as he is though not in Perfection yet in truth and in some kind of proportion and therefore in effectual Calling and Conversion it 's said That the Saints are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Sin seems another thing than ever Gods Love and Faithfulness carry an amazing kind of astonishment that the sinner wonders where he hath been Now he can see a God in the World and the wonders of his God like Love and Mercy al which were in the dark and he in the dark before al came by report and relation now he sees them real and knows what it is to have Fatherly pardoning Mercy and indeed knows and confesses he never knew what God meant or Sin meant There is one only Objection that I know that is a little to be removed which carries some kind of difficulty at the first appearance John 7.27 We know say the Pharisees when they would not entertain Christ as the Messias this man whence he is but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is They had respect to that of Micah 5.2 3. Whose goings have been from ever-lasting To which Speech Jesus replied Ye both know me and from whence I am and I am not come of my self but he that sent me is true that is Faithful whom ye know not Whereas our Savior professeth that they â—ever knew him nor his Father John 16.3 And again if they had seen him they had seen his Father and yet now both these seem to be contradicted Answ Our Savior is to be attended in a double Respect 1. As Man and so they spake of him We know whence he is Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know John 6.42 2. As the Son of God by eternal Generation and as God and Man by Hypostatical Vnion who was appointed by God and in his time sent out from the Father upon the great work of Redemption He granâ—s they knew him as a Man But as sent from the Father as God-man upon the great work of Mediation They neither knew the Father as sending nor him as sent REASON 1. Gods own Secrets must and can be discerned by Gods own Spirit and the Spiritual Light from thence received There be some of Gods ordinary Courtesies which he extends in common to al Creatures his Rain fals his Sun shines upon good and bad He gives Life and Breath and Being to al things Acts 17. Al things are at his finding and the eyes of al things look to him and he fils every living thing with his Goodness There be also peculiar and choyce Favors which he hath reserved for his Secret Ones in the secret Conveyances of his Providences which none know but his Favorites The deep things of God as Paul 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit only searcheth these deep things His
is our Father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams Children ye would do Abrahams works but ye seek to kill me and this did not Abraham But ye do the deeds of their Father They could not conceive what he meant And therefore stil reply We are not born of Fornication we have one Father even God Our Savior again returnes an undeniable evidence If ye were of God ye would love me for I came from God nor came I of my self but God sent me But because al these were Riddles he speaks out and shews them the Root of their wretchedness Verse 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye wil do He was a murderer and abode not in the truth and what he saies of one he saies of al sins in the like case When he speaks a lie he speaks of his own for he is the Father of lies As God is the first cause of truth and goodness and from his fulness al the beams and streams of truth are derived to any who share therein So Satan is the first cause of falshood and wickedness and therefore called The Wicked one And from him al wickedness is derived And hence ungodly men are called The Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 They are said to be of that Wicked one 1 Joh. 3.11 Cain was of that Wicked one Put in way of opposition To be born of God This I take to be the meaning of those Phrases and texts which hence receive their explication as belonging I conceive properly to this place Joh. 8.23 When our Savior would shew the distance and great disagreement between himself and the wretched and ungodly Jews he speaks Ye are from beneath I am from above Ye are of this world I am not of this world Joh. 17.14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of this world even as I am not of this world Here we have the Wel-head of hatred because they are not of the world And we see that this agrees to Christ as to them and to them by means of Christ that as he speaks els where Joh. 8.28 He can do nothing but what he sees his Father do Joh. 14.10 The words that I speak I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me As the first person dwels in the second he is thus from the Father and works from the Father So his Saints and faithful are of and from the Father by him Whereas the wicked They are of the world That is their dispositions which are corrupt they issue firstly from Saâ—an who cast's in his Seed of rebellion into their hearts according to which they are framed And upon this ground he is called the God of the world As he is firstly evil and cannot but be evil and al evil is from him that is in the world For by his wickedness al the world and wicked comes to be tainted and by the leaven of his wickedness defiled Their minds so far as erronious are made up of his delusions Their hearts as they are stuborne and ungodly are made up of his rebellions 2. Consider the next immediate cause by which they are acted this also wil evidence the strength and distance of their opposition and that in the greatest extremity And this you shal find most pregnantly 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of God So that there is a spirit of the world which blinds mens minds and minds which the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ cannot shine upon them nor the power of any savory truth or good come neer them or work upon them but they stop the passage against al do most desperately and resolutely oppose al. And that is perverted mutability set on or set a going by the provoking and cursing power of the Law the malignity of Satan having leave and somtime command from God to wind up the wickedness of mens spirits to the highest strain of the activity of evil When God said who wil go and deceive Ahab Satan answers I wil. The Lord asks how I wil saies he Be a lying Spirit in the mouth of the fals Prophets q. d. It was in his power if God would give leave to act their minds and Tongues as one man to speak and perswade unto deceiptful waies which would undoubtedly bring to ruin And this is the meaning of those two Phrases Eph. 2.2 Men are said to walk according to the course of the world one Spirit and guise in them al. If it be asked what that is he adds According to the Prince of the Air the Spirit that now worketh c. When the Prince of the Air by his impulsions and suggestions draws out the distempers of the ungodly to the utmost activity And this is noted in the next words They fulfilled the wils of the Flesh and of the mind what a corrupt heart and Vain Head would carry a man unto He must needs go whom the Devil drives This is called the wil of the Gentiles that is what men left to the corruption of their Natures would wil. Contrarily The Holy Ghost takes ful possession of our Savior and from Christ dwels in the hearts of his Saints by which they are strengthened Eph. 3.16 Strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man So that there is 1. The inner man which is Grace 2. Strengthened in this 3. By the might of his Spirit So led by the Spirit Rom. 8.15 yea not only strengthen and lead but mightily and actively works in his when they are quickened to work the Works of God Col. 1. last I strove but it is according to the working of Christ and that is mightily therefore Stephen said They could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Acts 6. As the Prince of Darkness by his Impulsions draws out the Activity of Corruption in the strength of it So the Prince of Light and Grace the Lord Christ is greater than he that is in the World and carries the Faithful by an invincible Power 3. Look at them in the main ends at which they aim in al their Operations and Proceedings Our Savior came not to do his own wil or seek his own but to do the wil and seek the Glory of the Father Therefore the Scope of his whol Work it is to break the Head of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 To destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 To deliver from the present evil world Gal. 1.4 And al the Saints are of the same Heart follow his Colors and Command When the Devil and the World the Prince of this World and the Children of this World they set themselves in al their Contrivements plottings practices to destroy the Glory of God the Kingdom of God and Christ and set up the Kingdom of darkness and
that is the Father appointing and sending The other Viz. The Son coming upon that commission of love and life for the good of his which they knew and in which they rejoyce That Christ who was in the commission to work this and they for whom it was wrought and knew it have an interest in it and take content to injoy it That such persons should Beg for such Priviledges From such a Father whose heart is towards them and their minds and hearts towards him and his Fatherly affection This must of necessity be of great power to prevail with so righteous a Father to hear and grant therefore we must hold it to this point and respect Christ knows him as a righteous Father The Lord Christ hath the knowledg of the Father and his love and Faithfulness in an especial manner Take a place or two which wil give undeniable testimony to this truth Math. 11.25 No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son wil reveal him Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen the Father at any time but the only begotten Son who was in the Bosom of the Father He saw al his Bosom secrets and was fully acquainted with Gods heart and counsels he hath revealed them unto us And therefore the Apostle issues al here speaking concerning the deep things of God The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God that is of the Father but how come we to rellish either the things of the Father or Spirit who hath known the mind of God Why we have Christs mind and he knows the Fathers mind And our Savior professeth as much touching this expression Joh. 8â—38 Ye speak the things that ye have seen with your Father and I speak the things that I have seen with my Father Here we shal open three things 1. How Christ as Second Person is said to knâ—w the Father 2. How as Man becomes to share in this knowledg 3. The Reason of it To the First For the right apprehending how the Second Person may in a peculiar manner be said to know the Father we must conceive that the knowledg of Christ as Second person may be attended upon a double consideration or ground 1. As it Issues from the understanding of the God-Head For God according to the expression of the Scripture being a Spirit of al other most excellent and therefore reasonable he must have the most excellent faculties and therefore understanding and wil. For what is most eminent that we have allowance from the rule to beleeve that it doth belong to the God-Head and we may so conceive of it From this understanding it is that the God-Head is said to be Omniscient to know al things that are knowable This being an Attribute of the Deity it doth equally belong to al the persons For al the Persons having one and the same God-Head they have equally al the Attributes of the God-Head indifferently equally belonging to them Therefore al are eternal immortal infinâ—e Omnipotent Omniâ—cient and so know al things and â—o know each other in this generall sense and the Father and spirit know the Son and He them by this kind of knowledg But this is too large not here attended For it is not proper to say That the God-Head knows the Father to be Father of it with that speciâ—l reference or that the God-Head should cal the Father my Father I say it is not proper nay it is not true For the Father is not the Father of the God-Head but of the Son If it could cal the Father as Father of it then it should be the Son of the Father then it should be begotten of the Father But the Father begets the Son not the God-Head That which belongs to the God-Head belongs to al the persons as being common then to the Spirit Then the spirit might know and cal the Father the Father of it but that he is not That which belongs to the God-Head belongs to the Father and so the Father might be a Son to himself 2. This knowledg is to be considered according as it attends the manner of the work of the understanding which carries a specialty of respect with it in the act thereof and so it may in a peculiar manner be affirmed of Father and Son and in the several regards appropriated unto either The reason whereof we shal scan anon as it comes in our way when the understanding of the God-Head by knowing it self conceiveth an image of it self makes an impress or engraven character of it self which it ever eyes and owns this manner of knowing belongs to the Father and thence Issues an especial manner of knowing the Father by and in the Son As Joh. 10.15 As the Father knows me I know the Father And that appears in a Three-fold act of the Son 1. The Son takes the Impression of his Image 2. Returnes it 3. Eyes and ownes the Imprinter of it 1. Takes this Impression The Father gives him Sonship and the nature of al relation requires they give being each to other The Father by understanding conceives an Image the Son is the Image conceived As a man is not a Father because he is a man but because he begets a Son A man is not a Son because he is a man but because he is begotten of a Father So the God-Head is not a Father because God-Head but because it conceives an Image of it self The Son is not a Son because God but because he is conceived of another who did conceive This is the meaning of the Apostle The words are marvailous pat and Pithy and carry wieght with them but answer exactly to the thing in Hand Hebr. 1.3 Christ as the second person is called The Ingraven Form or Character of the Fathers Person The word signifies to ingrave and implies an Image of a thing not feigned only in our mind and Imagination nor vanishing and changing as in a representation in a Glass as the form of the face thâ—re But a form or resemblance Ingraven Cut or instamped on Brass or Wood which hath stability permanency with it As Beza in Locum 2. Returns this Impression As the Son takes all from the Father â—o he Returns al to the Father It is the Nature of those things that are relates or in relation to look one towards another and to give being relative one to another That is the meaning of the Apostles other phrase in the place formerly alledged Hebr. 1.3 Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shine of his glory the word signifies a Light or brightness shining from a Light a shine from a light reflecting or looking back to that reflection of light again And here by the way ye have the rise and reason of these divers manners of understanding in the God-Head and so the diverse subsistences and Personalities Namely because the understanding of the God-Head acting upon it self it becomes to be reflected and turned back upon it self If there be a reflect act
Father would keep them Joh. 17.11 3. To perfect that life of Grace in Glory Joh. 12.49 50. 1 Joh. 4.9 Joh. 6.40 I wil raise them up at the last day He is sent on this Errand that he shal see them safe arrived landed in Heaven USE 1. Matter of Admiration See and be swallowed up with the wonderment of Gods love to such worthless ones as we Had he sent his letters to comfort his Creatures to visite his Angels to administer it had been more than we worthless worms could have expected So the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us in that he sent his Son If any man question his love or desire to see the discovery of love In this it s manifested undeniably infallibly Love unmatchable unconceivable that he should send his own Son from his own bosom to such worthless dust In this is Love herein is Love it 's here to be adored admired for ever Not that we loved him for that had been Love to have owned us and accepted of us But that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins Elizabeth is drawn to a wonderment at the coming of Mary How comes it that the Mother of my Lord cometh unto me Luke 1.43 But how cometh it that the Lord himself come It 's more than is usually observed or indeed can be expected that a man should send a choyce Pearl from his Closet a Diamond out of his Cabinet But that one should send his whol Treasure it 's more than can be imagined Or desired But it 's so here God hath sent his Son in whom al the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg are his and to us so vile so unthankful and unworthy Nay as God when he would convince Satan of Jobs Sincerity he impannels a Jury from Hel tels him that he had moved him to afflict Job without a Cause for yet he held his Innocency and the Devil could not deny it So consider here for thy shame if thy heart stir not with admiration we shal impannel a Jury from Hel which wil give in a Verdict 2 Thes 1.8 9. At the day of Judgment God shal be Glorious in all his Saints but admired in them that believe When al the wicked shal be gathered at the left hand of Christ the Devils and damned Spirits and al the rabble of those fulsom Goats shal see the poor Saints such as were opposite to Christ haters of him to be made one with him They who rejected nay may be persecuted Christ and the means of Grace to be now made partakers of Christ and Grace The Devils wil admire this mercy though they never share in it and shalt not thou admire it who art partaker of it 2. Comfort of never failing assurance of our safety and happiness It 's the wil of the Father and that must stand and Christ is sent to do his wil and he wil not fail of doing that for which he was appointed and therefore thou canst not fail of Heaven Christ professeth John 6.38 39. he came to do the Wil of the Father and this is his Wil That he should lose none but raise them up at the last day and he resolves he wil lose none but he wil raise them up verse 40. We have done with the Two former Things which were to be attended in the Explication 1. What it was to be sent 2. Why or for what End he was sent III. We are now to enquire touching the knowledge of this so far as it comes in an especial manner to be appropriated to the Saints And his is the third Particular to be opened for the discovery of the former Point are we shal only look at it in that peculiar respect as it is a proper Brand for Christs Sheep and a Livery of his Servants and Followers For so the Text intimates and our Savior speaks of it in that regard The World knows thee not they never attained this Learning nor were trained and taught up to it they are amongst the Petties and Punies of the world and may have some worldly wisdom These waies of wisdom they are above and too high for a Fool such as the wicked of the World are These who are promoted to the University of the Gospel and have learned of Christ these know such and such only know have a special knowledge of God the Father in Christ they know him as sent and therefore must needs know the Father who did send him Touching the Specialty of this Knowledg which is the Portion and Inheritance appropriated to the Saints as the wise man saies The Wicked meddle not with the Joy of the Righteous so it 's as true in this they reach not their Knowledg Of this we shal enquire 1. Wherein the Specialty of this Knowledg consists 2. How it comes to be communicated to them First The Specialty of this Knowledg consists in Four Things 1. In the Ability by which they know 2. In the thing known 3. The Manner of the discovery of that so known 4. The setling of the heart by that 1. This Knowledg is peculiar to the Saints in regard of that special Ability which they do receive from God in special manner by which their Judgments are cleered and their Understandings enabled to search and see into such mysterious depths and secret Dispensations of God unto the Souls of his in the Covenant of his Grace and the Conveyance of his Mercy which exceeds and over-flies the most Eagle-sighted Apprehensions of any Natural Man in the World They have the wisdom and enlightening Grace of the Spirit in their Minds and the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit to act and lead them out and thereby to lead them into al Truths and these must not be severed because God hath joined them together Zach. 4.2 3. There must not be Lamps only to burn in the Golden Candle-stick but there must be Olive Trees to feed those Lamps and to further their Light in their dayly burning As that is true in the Church of Christ it 's true also in the heart of every Member of the Church there is not only a Lamp of Knowledg burning in the Mind but there must be also a constant supply of the Oyl of the Spirit which must quicken and act out that Spiritual Wisdom for the right discerning of the things of our Peace And this is the Condition of al the Saints and the ordinary course of Gods Dispensation of himself in the way of the Gospel He hath given us a mind to know him saies the Apostle 1 John 5.20 he hath given his Spirit saies Paul whereby we may know the things that are graciously given us of God This is the end of giving both without which it cannot be So the words run 1 Cor. 2.11 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of
the Lord Jesus the Son of his Love blessed for ever and that to such as they are so unworthy and vile in themselves so loathsom and abominable by reason of the Number and Nature of their Hellish Iniquities That it seems so cross to the compass of al Reason that they cannot but cavil at it as a thing absurd and unreasonable to beleeve and their distrustful and guilty hearts cannot but reject it as a thing impossible Yea the Disciples themselves when the hardness of the work was resembled by a comparison from our Savior they cried out Who then can be saved To make known and make good this Ambassage to the Soul God must make known his Almighty Power to the sinner which he only that feels is forced to confess others cannot conceive So Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1.17 c. praies for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation another Spirit and common Understanding cannot come neer such things That they might know the excessive exceeding great Activity of the might Power of God in bringing a sinner home to himself verse 19. and therefore the Convert 1 Cor. 14.24 when he hath but a glimpse hereof in the search of the Secrets of his own heart he fals down and confesseth God is in you of a Truth It 's the Wisdom Power Soveraignty of a God It 's beyond al created Power ever to discover such things to work so upon the Soul 2. As the Power that settles the Message so the Light that discovers the Beauties and Excellencies that are therein utterly beyond apprehension expectation admiration Peter professeth that the very Angels of Heaven pry into these Secrets delight to lie down and look wishly into them because they lie so low and deep beyond their discerning 1 Pet. 1.11 yea the Apostle Paul concludes the Eye never saw the Ear never heard nay it never entred into the heart of man to conceive thâ—se things 1 Cor. 2.9 Nothing can be seen by proof and observation nothing heard by report from others no such thing can be anvilled and contrived by the conceitings of al the Understanding of men and yet they are such things which God hath revealed by his Spirit in the Gospel Hence the Phrase 1 Pet. 2.9 God hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous Light Every thing is a Mystery a marvel in the work of Grace when once we have an Eye to see We marvel at our own wretchedness and baseness we marvel at Gods Patience to bear with such worthless and sinful ones as we be our Peace is marvelous such as passeâ—h al understanding joy marvelous unspeakable and glorious And the ungodly meddle not in any of these things being indeed unknown to them There is hid Manna Revel 2. Secret and unconceivable refreshings â—ound in Câ—rist a white Stone and a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it and therefore he judgeth all things saith the Apostle he that is Spiritual and is judged of no man And Lastly For the setling of the heart It lets in such an overbearing both Power and Sweetness of the good thus known that it carries the heart along with it and settles and keeps the heart to it And therefore it ever hath Faith accompanying it They that know thy name wil trust in thee Psal 9 10. Hadst thou known who it is that said unto thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living Water Joh. 4.10 Therefore she should have asked in Faith By this we know that we do know We have the science of knowledge that we have the truth and soundness of Faith And somtimes yea frequently in the phrase of Scripture it is put for faith Joh. 17.3 This is Eternal life to know thee that is to beleeve in thee 2. The means how this knowledge comes to settle the faithful Answ It is by the means which God in the course of his Providence appointment hath ordained for that end that is his good word in the Scriptures recorded by his Ministery delivered to them It is true there is a spirit of Wisdom and revelation that is put forth in this dispensation but it s as true that this Spirit goes along with this word and works in this word as seems good to the good pleasure and wil of Christ The place is more precious than Pearls and worthy to be retained in the table of our hearts for ever Joh. 17.7 8. Now they to wit the Apostles Have known that all things whatever thou hast given me are of thee Whence comes that Answer verse 8. I have given to them the words which thou givest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me Loe The words that God the Father gave Christ the words of he Gospel Evâ—ngelium that good tidings he gave the Apostles And they received them and by them they knew that Christ came from God and beleeved he was sent of that message Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Answ For the reality and substance of what hath been said it appertains to al though there be much difference in the manner and measure how these discoveries come to be dispensed Object But we see by experience many of Gods own are Ignorant here Answ There is a discovery of these in a manner and measure to al for al have that spiritual light all have notice of that Ambassage of peace of love and of life brought them in and by Christ and by that overbearing power and light those good things of Christ in the Gospel are discovered so convictingly and set on so efficaciously that the heart is kept to them By such a knowledg they come to be apprehended and receive But there is a reflect act when our understanding views and looks over the work of the mind and heart so that we know that we do know and know that we do receive This the Saints may and do want many times for some while We have this dispatcht the four Particulars and so cleared our way to the understanding of the Doctrine proposed which was The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for the work of their Salvation We shal now proceed to the Reasons and Uses in few words The Reason of the point is double 1. From the Office of our Savior Reas 1. and the Aim and scope he hath in the execution of the work thereof He comes not to do his own wil nor to seek his own glory but to do the wil and seek the glory of him that sent him Therefore he must dispense al as from him draw al Eyes and hearts towards him For the Nature of an Ambassage doth of necessity imply and require this It makes al to look to the person who sends the Ambassage whose power and pleasure is there firstly attended and leads al by the hand
trusting too much to Earthly Contentments Psal 30.6.7 I said in my prosperity I shal never be moved Lord by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong Thou did'st hide thy Face and I was troubled When we turne our Eyes and hearts to the world God turns away his gracious respect he expressed towards us He wil make his presence welcome or he wil withdraw Math. 23.38 Ye shal see me no more til ye shal say blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. And therefore our Savior settles himself in this Math. 11.25 I thank thee O Father because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.16 2. Beware of Resistance of the Truth when it is made known If ye wil not have his word to direct you ye shal not have the knowledg of his Mercy that may support and refresh you When the spirit of truth comes to lead us into al truth then it shal take of Christs and shew to us Joh. 16. and Joh. 17.8 I have given them thy word and they have Received it and they have known that thou hast sent me This receiving wil let in this knowing Revel 3.20 If any wil open I will come and Sup with him 1 Joh. 2.24 If the word that ye have heard abide in you ye also shal continue in the Son and in the Father so Verse 27. 3. Take heed of Sleighting and making little account of any of the Commandements of the Lord Presume not to neglect the least or tamper with any sinful distemper or give way to infirmities or passions So Jonah 2.8 He that trusteth in Lying vanities for saketh his own Mercy That is the mind of the context Joh. 14.23 If any man love me be wil keep my words and my Father wil love him and we wil come unto him and make our abode with him And Verse 21. I will manifest my self to him that is keep him in his purity keep him in his power as we keep liquors that they loose none of their life they drink lively and quick as when new put up 3. Collection The Faithful should increase in the knowledg and right apprehension of this Name of Gods Fatherly mercy and it is their own fault if they do it not for els they might For where can there be any cause of none Proficiency found but in our selves Christ hath undertaken the work and who more able than he who is the Wisdom of the Father and came out of his Bosom and therefore is able to make known those Bosom secrets of Gods Fatherly Love which never did see Sun and reveal them Yea he is as willing as able and ready to communicate these unknown depths of Gods indeared affections Yea you that are faithful you have experience of his sufficiency this way you have a pawn in your hand a real proof of what he hath done when you were at the worst not only unskilful but uncapable of his knowledg Yea he hath made you know the things belonging to your Peace when ye never sought after nor inquired for him And he is the same that ever he was and professeth he wil make it known there is no fault nor want in Christ But you are wanting to him and your selves and play the Trevants in this are laze and heedless to learn that which is so carefully so constantly taught you If a Scholler had the choicest and ablest man for his parts most diligent in his place to be his â—â—acher yet if he came not on in his learning but stood at a stay every man would conclude there is no want of sufficiency or Faithfulness in the Master he might have grown and many have come on under him but the cause and fault is in his own heedlessness Object But alas my person is mean my infirmities so many my parts so Poor I am a very Dullard heavy headed long before I can attain a little but am never likely to come to any great matter Answ There is no one excepted not one excluded that is faithful He hath given thee knowledg he can as wel add to what he hath given and he wil do it Thy weakness cannnot hinder his Faithfulness who hath promised Yea he is ready and professeth his willingness that he wil make thee know Nay he is unweariable to teach notwithstanding al thy unteachableness to learn He hath given thee a mind to know and he wil increase that knowledg and make him dayly more known that thou mayest dayly increase Isa 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go And Chap. 42.16 I wil lead the Blind by a way that they knew not c. This I wil do unto them and not forsake them 4. Collection We here see the Reason why after many Prayers made many pains improved by diligence and endeavor of the dear Servants of the Lord that men might see and savingly and experimentally know the precious Name of Fatherly Mercy yet after al many are at so great a loss and know so little find almost nothing of the sweetnesâ— which is to be had out of this Name that Christ wil make known and would make known to them Truly we do not go to the right door and we receive not the dole Christ is the way to lead us to the Father and we miss the way and so attain not to our end Christ is said to be the Light Isa 49.6 He is given as a Light unto the Gentiles In him was the Promise of Life and that is the Light of men to lead them by the hand to the Love of God the Father and the Faithful Performance of the Covenant And we follow not that Light but we compass our selves about with our own Sparks and follow the light of our own Fire the carnal conceivings and contrivements of our own Carnal Reason and stay not upon the Name of God and therfore it is we lie down in Sorrow Isa 50.11 Christ bids us learn of him Matth. 11.29 Buy of him Rev. 3.18 And we learn of our own Delusions and Discouragements we learn of the wrong Master go to the wrong Shop buy of our own Abilities make Tradings of our own We should not look to our own Grace but to Christ first to quicken our Grace 5. Collection Here is matter of Abasment of heart and holy fear in both which we ought to walk before the Lord. 1. Ground of Abasement Not to boast of any measure of enlightening or Assurance which at any time we do partake of as though by any sufficiency of ours or improvement of any Ability of our own we had attained thereunto There is never a spark of this Fire but it is from Heaven not one Beam of holy Light but it comes from this Sun The entrance continuance perfection al is from him he is the Author and
who had his Being from him and so his working In the daies of his Humiliation he laid aside the Dispensation of Power and suffered the Power of darkness to prevail but now he desires al might be restored to him verse 5. Al these belong to Christ God-man in regard of the Union of our Nature with his Person And this is the Love that is here intended Reas 1. Love of the highest strain and pitch of greatest and choycest Excellency is here intended and understood This is the Standard to al the rest But the Love of God to Christ is the cause of other the Blessings and Benefits that are bestowed John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Therefore this Love is a peerless and unmatchable Love al other things which are given to our Savior Grace Glory al Power in Heaven and Earth are but the effects of it Again Joh. 17.24 The glory that our Savior hath given him of the Father it is said to Issue from a higher fountain and to be but a stream of it Namely The Father loved him from the foundation of the World Love is from Eternity the fruits are in time Lastly The whol Tenor of the Prayer and expressions of our Savior in this Chapter gives further evidence and argument to confirm it 2. How is this Love said to be in them When this love of God in Christ sets God on work to wil a like or proportionable good to the Creature I would say thus When God wils to have a Creature neer to him in his Son as his Son to communicate intimately with the Creature through his Christ as his Christ Then this love leaves a being like it self upon the Creature It s then in its vertue and efficacy in the fatithful It was with God put forth upon Christ before the World was and therefore much more before they were But our Saviors Prayer is that this love which was expressed upon him might also be extended unto his made effectual and operative in his It s true the expressions of common love and the communication of ordinary good is of larger extent and issues from God as the Creator of al and he that is the first being and so gives being to al Creatures But special union to be so high unto God and to communicate so intimately with him it s firstly here to be seen and from hence therefore must be derived to all such who shal be so Priviledged as to be made partakers thereof 3. The Means and Order how this is done Answ The means by which God doth convey the efficacy of this love wherewith he loved his Son unto his Saints may be thus conceived As the eternal generation of the Son from the Father was the foundation of his love of the Father to the Son as we have shewed he begat him knew and owned and loved him So the vertue of this eternal generation is the Cause whence this love comes to have a being in the Saints For out of this eternal generation it is that God sends his Son The Son being sent acts under that Authoritative Order and doth answer the purpose of the Father And as Second Adam and as Son and as begotten of the Father he assumes ouâ— Nature into personal union with himself becomes Head of the Covenant and as he was begotten of the Father so he begets Children unto God the Father Therefore he is called the eternal Father and the Father is said to beget Children because Christ doth as sent by God the Father 1 Pet. 1.3 The Father begets us through his resurrection Joh. 13. Born of God And thence they have the Spirit of Sons So in the text The love wherewith thou hast loved them may be in them But how is that And I in them That our Savior adds to intimate how this comes about 4. When is this done Answ When the love of God in Christ set Gods love or set God on work to send Christ begotten of him to beget Children to him And then this love through Christ leaves like impression and operations upon the Soul 1. Brings the Soul into neerest union with God through Christ 2. Most intimately communicates of the special operations of the Spirit of the Father through Christ 1. Brings the finner into neerest union to wit Christ is in the Soul Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the Body is dead c. Yea dwelt in the heart Eph. 3.17 And God by and through Christ Rom. 8.9 So Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me So 1 Joh. 2.24 Ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father 1 Thess 1.1 The Church which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Leaves like operations the most intimate and special communion of the Spirit of Christ and the Soul So that God doth al through Christ by man he doth nothing of nor from himself Thus Christ is al in al Col. 3.11 And the sinner is wholly now beyond the covenant of works made with Adam and with him in Adam So that as Paul observes I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2.20 I work not I but the Grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 And Christ in me Coloss 1. and last Verse When the love of God in Christ sets God on work to send his Son begotten of him to beget Sons unto him so that he brings them to the neerest union God in Christ and Christ he one in them They in Christ and through Christ in God the Father So that the Father in Christ doth al by them they nothing of themselves receives also al from them they take nothing to themselves Then this love of Christ is in them and leaves a like efficacious impression upon them Hence a double Collection 1. We may hence learn how to come to a right apprehension of Gods special love and so to a right explication and understanding of several Scriptures thereby Gods special love is when he purposeth to make the Creature neer to him in his Son as his Son is neer The Father is in his Son Christ in the Faithful and the Father by Christ in them Christ is in the Father the Faithful in Christ and by him in the Father He doth intimately communicate with them through his Christ as with his Christ God by Christ doth al by them they not of themselves He through Christ receives al from them they take nothing to themselves This Love is like the main Hinge upon which the whol Frame of Gods Dispensations turn and many Scriptures seem to be made familiar and somwhat open hereby As this Because I wil make a Creature to me in my Son as my Son therefore I wil Elect him to set out this Love And therefore create and give Grace and because his own Grace cannot bring him so neer as my Son he shal through his default fal and then I wil send my Son and he shal take Humane Nature into Personal
we grow skilful in the bearing of al trials we then out-bid al evils we meet with in others and in our own hearts meet with God in the exercise of al his rules injoy him in al and so our end and good in the bearing of it and therefore can want no good because we are not wanting to any rule nor exercise of any Grace or Duty 2. As the whole Soul doth put forth the exercise of al vertues to answer Gods wil and please him The Lord also he freely and fully lets in himself and communicates of al his glorious excellencies to the Soul and fils it ful of himself and the glorious expressions and operations of his Spirit pleaseth us and applies himself to us whereby the Soul is furnished and fitted to do more and have more of God Isa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness He that doth more for God God communicates more to him A good work is the reward of it self Do and live That is do and be inabled to do For to live is to put forth acts of Obedience And when Adam had pleased God and attained this his Chief good and end he could go no further nor have any better and therefore the reward was That God would immutably assist him that he should be inabled to love him and please him So that however the Lord God is the Objective happiness of the Soul and so the happiness of al is equal and the same as God is the same Yet the more the heart is inlarged for God and laies out it self in holy services for his honor The more the Lord wil be in the communications of himself and the more ful and effectual in lettings of his gracious presence and operations of his Spirit into the Soul And so the reward is proportioned to the work Shall I withhold any thing from Abraham for I know that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment c. Gen. 18.17.19 He that loves and keeps The Father and Christ wil come and manifest or shew themselves to him Joh. 14.21.23 And 2 Chron. 16.9 He wil shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him 3. The Soul acting upon God and meeting with him in al the acts and exercise of the whole man doth not only close with the operations and expressions of God let in But laies hold upon that infinite excellency and sufficiency in himself and sucks out a satisfactory sweetness therein through al eternity For though it be the end of the Soul being made for God to work for him and put forth al such operations yet I suspect the bare working is not al nor the ful end of the Soul But in this working to close with God and suck out a sufficiency of supply from him For no Creature that is finite can be the end of the Soul nor give satisfaction to it But all the expressions of God let in are such Therefore there is somthing more required Lament 3. The Lord is my portion Whom have I in Heaven Psal 73. Herein lies the pith of our happiness our pleasing of God our taking possession and so by fruition injoying of God But ever with this good wherein our blessedness doth consist There is ever a sweetness and pleasantness that doth accompany the fruition of this with a freedom and absence of any evil or grievance in the least kind or measure that may hurtfully annoy For where there is the fulness of an infinite good letting in it self suitable to our desires or wants there can be no grievance in reason possible The Aromatical sent of the Cordial is one thing the Cordial another The Posie is one the Smel another If a man were free from al Grievance in Heaven if the Soul should not close with God nor God let in the expressions of his Grace Heaven were a Hell Therefore this is not our happiness but an attendant upon it Psal 17.15 and 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life 2. Member is This is done in so perfect a manner as our Human Natures are capable of That lies in two things 1. We shal see and injoy God immediately not by means And 1 Cor. 13.12 We shal see him as he is And therefore not darkly but clearly not as vailed and covered in the works of Creation but see him Face to Face Therefore not see him sparingly and little of him not as he drops himself in the means and therefore we can see nor receive him in no other measure than they wil communicate but we shal lâ—ve at the Wel and Fountain Head he shal let out himself fully We shal know as we are known 1 Cor. 15.28 God shal be all in all 2. As there is nothing to lessen the fulness of the communication of himself and goodness so there is nothing to abate and take off the sweetness of the good we do injoy And this is the priviledg of Heaven the unconceivable beauty and brightness of the place may dâ—zel us but that it is free from the presence of any evil Rev. 21.27 No evil thing was ever there to defile it nor can come there to annoy it Eph. 1.21 Far above al principalities and powers Whereas had we been in the world we should have been amongst Devils and his Angels wicked and ungodly men the presence whereof would have been grievous to us though they should never have prevailed against us through their Malice 2. How this Vnion and Communion comes to be the top of this happiness 1. If we receive more from God and do more for him by this then we are more happy For the more we have of our end the more happy we be But by this we receive more from God and do more for him 1. More for him Because it was a principle of Grace which Adam received when he was created and it was that which should have been increased in a greater degree if he had been glorified But when man was lost it was not the Creature nor any mutable principle in the Creature that could bring the Soul to God or keep it with him But God sent his Son and the God-Head of Christ in the Nature of man could only and did only bring back the Soul to himself Nay God did his best as I may say and put forth the highest strain of his excellency Here was wisdom above al the Wisdom of Creation to contrive this Almighty power above al the power of the Creature to work this Grace above al the Grace of Creation that must establish this for that Grace which Adam had he lost It was not now saying Let man be Redeemed But Christ must shed his Blood or Els it could not be 2. Thess 1.10 Admired in them that Beleeve Admiration presumes somthing not expected or we cannot tel what to make of it when the Devils and wicked men who knew
a Son The Son is not therefore Son because he is God but because he hath a Father for they are both equally one God and have the Deity indifferently agreeing to them both As a man is not therefore a Husband because he is a man for then every man should be a husband but in reference to the Woman he hath married And hence the Father is said to be in the Son and the Son in the Father namely to be one in this mutual respect The Father had an Eye only to the Son in giving his subsistence of a Son The Son again hath an Eye to the Father alone returning the being of his sonship to him And they are prefect in this They wholly give wholly take Thus they are said to be in each other Joh. 14.10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me so said again to be one with another and delighting one in another Prov. 8.30 And mutually to glorifie one another Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee Joh. 17.1 3. The second person in the glorious Trinity so takes our Human Nature into personal Union with him that he is the same person he was no other and it becomes one person with him leanes upon him hath his dependance from him looks alone to him for his subsistence As a Son he assumes our Nature and as a Son with our Nature looks to the Father Therefore said he doth nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do Joh. 5.19 As the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to he Son to have life in himself because the Son of man verse 26.27 4. As the Father is said to beget his Son and give being to him so the Son as thus begotten assumes our Nature be comes the Head of the covenant and gives being of Sonship to his Children and they returne al that being to the Lord Christ and the Father in him Therefore called the eternal Father Isa 9.6 Hebr. 2.1 3. Here am I and the Children thou hast given me called also his seed The manner of which words may thus be conceived The Lord hath purchased the Spirit he is said then to beget when he sends the spirit of Sons inâ—o their Hearts which by the immutable assistance thereof sets their hearts for God holds the bent thereof towards him alone as their Father and principle of life As they receive this being of Sons they returne it wholly to the Father in Christ The whole man in the whol and that with his whol strength fastens upon God in Christ acted wholly by the influence of his spirit and holds the not excellency thereof The Sum of all out of all that hat been said 1. Vnity is the chiefest priviledg for which Christ prayes and beleevers can partake of as their peculiar good in themselves I add that In themselves because there be higher ends than this in the Text To-wit the setting up of God in Christ in the Consciences of the ungodly that they may be forced to confess that God sent his Son to this end That he loved them as he loved Christ There is yet another and higher end That they may behold and wonder and be swallowed up in the admiration of the glory of Christ which the Father hath given him Enquire here how far Christ being in the Saints and his love in them may yet be a higher end than this 2. This Vnity is not the unity of affection between each other so much but the unity of relation to God in Christ That as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father by eternal generation Beleevers so ought to be in both by spiritual Adoption 3. In this Spiritual Adoption as there is an influence from God in Christ to bend and settle the frame of the Heart towards him So there is a re-fluence and return by the power and impression left of the same spirit to come again to him Conveyance of help on Gods hand should quicken our dependance to look to him and stay our selves with him there 4. Had Adam stood his posterity out of principles in themselves might have challenged happiness though a covenant performed by a man conveyed by a man unto them by way of natural generation But in the covenant of the Gospel the second Adam the second person taking our Nature by the power of the Deity wrought al for us communicates al to us by the same almighty power inables us to receive what we have from him To be acted in al by him To return all to him The mutable principle in the creature never brought a man to God nor kept him with him But the mutable presence and Spirit of Christ So that there is a priviledg here above that principle of Grace that was in Adam for that was but a creature But here the spirit and so the power of God through Christ that takes our Nature into the neerest union with him even personal which in Adam it attained not in that purchaseth all for us Not a principle in us firstly but the spirit of God in Christ it is by which the bent of our Hearts are held and carried towards him acted by him and so inabled to hold out the vertue power praise and excellency of the spirit in Christ from the Father So that a poor creature is compassed about with nothing but whith the power of God in Christ and becomes one with Father and Son in their mutual relation to them and totall dependance upon them And this is above the innocency and excellency of Adam in Paradise and all that he could attain unto and above all created Grace in Heaven being wholly taken up with God in Christ and loose our selves in God and Christ Eph. 4.13 The acknowledgment of the Son of God It was not the Son of man that did it The Son of God that recovered us held the bent of our hearts to him acted us kept us perfected us crownes us God shal be all in all The Father gives being to the Son returnes all to the Father and that eternal generation and so one The Lord Christ as a son and begotten of the Father gives us the being of Children by Adoption sets us and holds us We take al acted by him return to him As the Father in Christ gives all we receive and to the Father through Christ we return al and so we are one in the Father and the Son I. Reason 1. Because this is the scope of our Saviors coming into the world and the next end I say the next end he intended in the great work of Redemption which he wrought for lost man To bring him into this neer relation of dearest Love of the Father by himself and the work of his spirit and it s that wherein the life and power and pith of the covenant of Grace doth especially consist and appeare and the excellency thereof That peculiar and spiritual intercourse not alone
our Savior by it leaves the like impression of Graces upon our Souls while by faith we keep our Hearts under the stroke thereof 3. Faith acts each faculty to disgest and improve that power from Christ received for his particular use according to its particular end As the Veines deliver up the Blood to each part as that special portion and provision which is allowed in the course of Nature for its relief and so each part taking the Blood it doth appropriate it to its own Nature Bone makes Bone of it Sinews make Sinews c. So Faith like those Veins conveys the efficacy of the Blood and merits of Christ to all the faculties to answer al their necessities 4. We must wait Gods leasure and stay his time for the bestowing of his favors Beggers must not be Chusers And nothing more free than gift And therefore he that will challenge it at his time and according to his wil makes it a Debt and not a Gift That they may be one as we are one Here is the third thing that was especially intended in the verse 1. We heard that Christ had all glorious Grace given him 2. That he gives all that glorious Grace unto his Saints Here lastly we have the END AND AIME of our Savior in this his bounty in giving and the benefit of the faithful in receiving Viz. That they may be one in the Father and the Son Hence The end why the Saints receive all glorious Grace from our Savior Christ is this Doct. that they may be one as the Father and Son are one with themselves This is a truth not included or that which may by way of consequence be collected or probably inferred out of the text But that which is clearely intended as the chief scope of our Savior yea fully and plainly expressed in the words beyond all exception or disputation and that which carries such evidence out of the phrase of speech that unless a man wil cast away the rule and dictate of right reason he can in no wise reject or refuse Ask but the Question why did our Savior Christ receive all glorious Grace into his Human Nature from God the Father The Answer is He received it by way of gift that he might give it to others out of his faithfulness He was their Treasurer But ascend one stair higher if yet further we may stirr What was the end of our Saviors giving of this Grace The Answer is ful and fair from the letter of the text for this is another reason that can be fastened upon the manner of the speech It was for this end it s that which our Savior aimed at in a peculiar manner That they may be one as the Father and Son are This is the Crown of that glory which the Saints shal attain in the ful perfection thereof in Heaven yea the diamond of that Crown the Pinnacle and highest point of perfection there to be expected in regard of their own particulars as that which each man hath in his Eye The Heaven of Heaven and one step higher than the highest Star of glorious Grace For we know the end is better than the meanes and adds beauty to the meanes Els there would be a flaw and blemish in glory and some defect Eph. 4.13 When all the Churches are perfected and the Saints gathered and come to the fulness of the Stature of Christ and have attained the unity of the faith The highest strain of their happiness is to acknowledg the Son of God q. d. There is nothing to do in Heaven but only that That 's the top of glory and one step higher than al the happiness of al that glorious Grace they shal injoy there to perfection To give in witness through al Eternity that al the good they have received it was in Christ as the fountain all that was done by al means it was done by him So the Apostle gives in the Reason of Gods dispensation It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwel That in all things he might have the Preheminence Tha Sacraments were ful of comfort and the word and Sermons ful of wisedom consciences ful of peace that passeth understanding but it was because the fulness of Christ overflowed in these filled these otherwise had he withdrawn himself the word had been a clasped Book and a killing letter and 〈◊〉 heart an empty Vessel So the Soul in glory acknowledg no means nor orders nor offices further than he appoints them nor was there any power in them or vertue communicated thereby further than the Lord was pleased to work by them The power was Christ that strengthened The life and vertue Christ that quickened The success was Christs only who was pleated to breath upon and bless I take it to be the meaning of that place very difficult and the expression very spiritual and of a high strain 2 Thess 1.12 That the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the Grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ Why you would say Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ or glory due to any beyond or after Christ why is it added that Christ should be glorified and you in him For Answer open the words a little as we pass for the present we shall speak more fully and largely when we shall come to them again that which may suffice for the while is this The Apostle having prayed in the foregoing verse That God would count them worthy of their calling i. e. Worthy of the glory Vnto which they were called and so fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness i.e. fully bestow al that spiritual good which in the ful purpose of his good pleasure he intended to them and that he would bring the work of Faith to perfection by his mighty power Now the end of al that glory and fulness of al that spiritual good he prayes for for them and they should partake of according to his prayer The end of all is that the Name of Christ Christ as he is made known in his word and Offices and the execution of the great work of Redemption may be made glorious in you He from the Father giving al to you You also may be glorified not in your selves but in your reference and Oneness towards Christ in receiving and returning al to the Father by him And therefore those words are added according to the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ you so in him as through him in God God through Grace in Christ gives himself and Christ to you you also through Grace give up your selves to Christ and through him to God For the opening do three things 1. Recal what this oneness is 2. How this oneness and glorious Grace differ each from other or may be rightly discerned in their several considerations 3. The Reasons of the point upon what grounds it may rightly be gathered and concluded to