apt to listen to his doubts that in the conclusion I know not how to extricate my self Person Sayst thou so surely in this case there 's no cure no remedy but onely the testimony of God's Spirit but saith not the Apostle Rom. 8.16 That the spirit of it self bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God if a Man or Angel or Archangel should promise Heaven peradventure thou mightest doubt but if the Supream Essence of the Spirit of God bear witness within what room for doubting why this voice of the spirit is the very voice of God hark then enquire O my soul if thou hast but this testimony of the spirit thou art sure enough Soul Oh that it were thus with me oh that the spirit would even now give me to drink of the wells of salvation oh that the spirit would testifie it home oh that he would shine upon and enlighten all those graces which he hath planted in me fain would I come to the highest pitch of hope oh that I could look upon the things hoped for as certainly future Person Thou sayst well O my soul and if these wishes be real then pour out thy self unto God in prayer this was the Apostles method Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost let this be thy practise pray as he prayed pray thou for thy self as he prayed for others if an earthly Father will hearken to his child Luk. 11.13 how much more will God the Father give the spirit to them that ask the spirit of him Soul Why if this be it to thee Lord do I come O give me the Spirit the witness of the Spirit the first-fruits of the spirit the sealing of the spirit the earnest of the spirit O give me the spirit and let the spirit give me this hope O the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in my soul and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Come O come and dwell in my soul Come and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out come and fill me with a livelv hope yea Lord excite and quicken and stir up my soul to act this hope yea so illighten or shine upon my hope that I may know that I hope and know that I joyfully expect and wait for the coming of Christ O Let me hear thy voice Say unto my soul I am and will be thy salvation Person Well now thou hast prayed Psal 35.3 O my soul Come tell me dost thou feel nothing stir is there nothing at all in thee that assures thee of this assurance of hope is there no life in thy affections no spark that takes hold on thy heart to set it on flame no comfort of the spirit no joy in the holy Ghost Soul Yes methinks I feel it now begin to work the Spirit that hath breathed this prayer into me comes in as Comforter O now that I realize Christ's coming and my resurrection Psal 16.9 I cannot but conclude with David Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth and my flesh also shall rest in hope Oh what an earnest is this what a piece hath the spirit put into my hand of the great sum promised not onely that he in great mercy promised me Heaven but because he doth not put me into a present possession he now gives me an earnest of my future inheritance Why surely all is sure unless the earnest deceive me and what shall I dispute the truth of the earnest oh God forbid the stamp is too well known to be mistrusted this seal cannot be counterfeit because it is agreeable with the Word I find in my self an hope a true sincere hope though very weak I find upon trial that I am regenerate that I look and long for the second coming of Jesus that I love his appearance even before hand that my works though imperfect are sincere and true that I believe on the Name of the Son of God and flesh and blood could never work these duties or these graces in me it is only that good spirit of my God which hath thus sealed me up to the day of redemption Away away despair trouble me no longer with a musing thoughts I will henceforth if the Lord enable walk confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of my happy contract from the hands of Christ The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 25 26. the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him it is good that I both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord It is good that I hope to the end 1 Pet. 1.13 for the grace that is to be brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LET us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming Now this believing in Christ is more than hoping in Christ Faith eyes things as present but hope eyes things as future and hence the Apostle describes faith to the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 it is the substance foundation or prop which upholds the building or it is the substance essence existence of things hoped for and consequently absent and a far off to be by a firm apprehension of the believer as already present and real And this is as necessary as the former oh if we could but see things now as they shall appear at that last general day of Judgment how mightily would they work upon our souls I verily think the want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world and the acting of Faith on this subject would produce fruits even to admiration If we could but see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall then be communicated if we could but see those dreadful evils that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled would not this draw the hardest heart under Heaven come let us act faith this day as if this day were the last day a thousand years are but as one day to faith it takes hold upon eternal life whensoever it acts it takes present possession of the glorious things of the Kingdom of God even now O then let us believe in Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment But how should we believe what directions to act our saith on Jesus in this respect I answer 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the
directive part of the Law by his life and under the penal part of the Law by his death 5. Faith must go to Christ as put to death in the Flesh and as quickned by the spirit 6. Faith must go to Christ as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending down the holy Ghost 7. Faith must go to Christ as interceding for his Saints in which work he continues till his coming again Of all these before 8. Faith must go to Christ as coming again into this neather world to judge the quick and the dead This is the last act of Faith in reference to Christ From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The coming of Christ the resurrection of the dead the change of the living the last judgment and the glory of Christ with his Saints to all eternity is that transaction which must be dispatched at the end of the world now this is the object of faith as well as the former Christ's work is not fully perfected till all these be finished nor is our work of Faith fully compleated till it reach to the very last act of Christ in saving souls Oh what an excellent worker is Jesus Christ he doth all his works throughly and perfectly the greatest work that ever Christ under took was the work of redemption that work would have broken Men and Angels and yet Jesus Christ will carry it on to the end and then will he say not onely prophetically but expresly I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17.46 Now Faith should eye Christ as far as he goes if Christ will not have done till he comes again and receive us to himself and settle us in glory no more should Faith it should still follow after him and take a veiw of all his transactions from first to last what will Christ come again will he summon all the elect to come under judgment will he sentence or judge them to eternal life will he conduct them into glory present them to his Father and be their all in all to all eternity why then let our faith act it self upon all these promises or if I may instance in one for all Christ's coming is the most comprehensive of all and is not the coming of Christ very frequently mentioned in the pâ—omises as the great support and stay of his peoples spirits till then do not the Apostles usually quicken us to duty and encourage us to waiting by the mentioning of this glorious coming of Jesus Christ why then let us act our faith on this glorious Object Christians what do we believe and hope and wait for but to see this coming this was Pauls encouragement to rejoycing and moderation Phil. 4.4 5. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and let your moderation be known to all the Lord is at hand To think and speak of that day with horror doth well beseem the impenitent sinner but doth ill beseem the beliâ—ving Saint such may be the voice of an unbeliever and it may be of a believer in desertion or temptation but it 's not the voice of faith O believe on Christ as carrying on our salvation at his coming again For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and he will not tarry Heb. 10.37 9. Faith must principally and mainly look to the purpose design intent and end of Christ in his second coming to Judgment Now the ends are 1. In respect of the wicked that they may be destroyed for he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet He shall come with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 and then he will take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power O miserable men now it is God's design to be revenged on you This is the day when the wicked shall suddenly start out of sleep and meet with gastly amazedness at the mouth of their sepulchers above them stands the Judge condemning beneath Hell gaping on the right had justice threatning on all sides the world burning to go forward is intollerable to go backward is impossible to turn aside is unavailable which way then Heaven gates are shut Hell mouth is open where they must end their endless misery the last torment lasteth ever O the shrikes of the wicked at every passage of this day when the Prophet Joel was describing the formidable accidents of his day he was not able to express it but stammered like a Child or an amazed imperfect person A. A. A. for the day of the Lord is at hand We translate it Alas Joel 1.17 for the day of the Lord is at hand But Lyra Ribera the Vulgar Latine and others translate it A.A.A. in Hebrew it is indeed but one word and sounds as Aha which howsoever so written yet is it pronounced without any aspiration as Aharon is pronounced Aaron The best Criticâ—s would but have it one word and so they write it A-a-a for the day of the Lord is at hand thus they that stammer and cannot suddenly speak say A-a-a it is not sense at first the Prophet was so amazed that he knew not what to say the stammering tongue that is full of fear can best speak that terror which will make all the wicked of the world to cry and shrike and speak fearfull accents oh the shrikes oh the fearful sounds that will then be heard sure that noise must needs be terrible when millions of men and women at the same instant shall fearfully cry out and when their cryes shall mingle with the thunders of the dying and groaning Heavens and with the crack of the dissolving World when the whole fabrick of nature shall shake into dissolution Psal 51.21 and eternal ashes Now consider this ye that forget God lest he tare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Shall not the consideration of these things awake your spirits and raise you from the death of sin what do you believe these things or do you not if you do not believe these things where is your saith if you do believe them and sin on where is your prudence and where is your hope but enough of this it belongs to the wicked 2. In respect of the Godly that they may be saved Now this contains several steps As 1. They must be regenerated It is true they partake of this grace before but now is the full perfection and manifestation of it Mat. 19.28 and therefore the last day is called the day of regeneration Col. 1.13 14. 2. They must be redeemed So they are in this life Paul could tell his Colossians that Christ had delivered them from the power of darkness and that in him they had redemption through his blood Yet the Scripture calls the day of judgment
stands in competition with Jesus we have discussed before Many other Motives might be given but let this suffice I have done with the exhortation In the next place I shall lay open to you the particular way of this Duty which all this while I have been perswading to SECT VIII Vse of Direction Vse 3 IS inward experimental looking unto Jesus a choice or an high Gospel Ordinance why then some directions how we are to perform this Duty Practice is the end of all sound doctrin and duty is the end of all right faith now that you may do what you have heard in some good measure I shall prescribe the directions in the next part prescribed But first in the work observe those two parts of the Text the act and object the act is looking unto and the Object is Jesus 1. By looking unto we mean as you have heard an inward experimental knowing desiring hoping believing loving calling on Jesus and conforming to Jesus it is not a bare swiming knowledge of Christ it is not a bare thinking of Christ as Christ hath various excellencies in himself so hath he formed the soul with a power of diverse wayes apprehending that so we might be capable of enjoying those divers excellencies that are in Christ even as the creatures having their several uses God hath accordingly given us several senses that so we might enjoy the delights of them all what the better had we been for pleasant odoriferous Flowers or sweet perfumes if we had not possest the sense of smelling or what good would language or musick have done us if God had not given us the sense of hearing or what delight should we have found in meats or drinks or sweetest things if we had been deprived of the sense of tasting so what pleasure should we have had even in the goodness and perfection of God and Christ if we had been without the faculty and power of knowing desiring hoping believing loving joying and enjoying as the senses are to the body so are these spiritual senses powers affections to the soul the very way by which we must receive sweetness and strength from the Lord Jesus 2. By Jesus who is the Object of this Act we mean a Saviour carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last hence we shall follow this method to look on this Jesus as our Jesus in these several periods 1. In that Eternity before all time until the Creation 2. In the Creation the beginning of time until his coming 3. In his first coming the fulness of time until his coming again 4. In his coming again the very end of time to all Eternity In every of these Periods Oh what a blessed Object is before us Oh what wonders of love have we to look upon Before I direct you how to look on him in these respects I must in the first place propound the Object still we must lay the colours of this admirable beauty before your eyes and then tell you the art how you are to look upon them You may object the Apostle in this Text refers this look only to the passion and session of Christ Bp. Arde. But a worthy Interpreter tells you out of these words That Christ our blessed Saviour is to be looked on at all times and in all acts though indeed then in those Acts more especially Besides we are to look unto Jesus as the Author and finisher of our Faith and why as the Author and finisher of our Faith but to hint out to us that we are to stand still and to behold as with a stedfast eye what he is from first to last You have called us hither say they in Canticles to see your Shulamite What shall we sâ—e in him What saith the Spouse but as the company of two Armies that is many legions of good sights an Ocean of bottomless depths of manifold high perfections Or if these words be understood of the Spouse and not of Christ yet how many words do we find in Canticles expressing in him many goodly sights Myrrhe Aloes Cinamon all the Trees of Frankincense all the Powders of the Merchants are in him he is altogether lovely he is all every whit of him desirable he is not one single Star but a constellation there is in him a confluence a bundle an army of glorious sights all in one cluster meeting and growing upon one stalk There 's many glorious sights in Jesus I I shall not therefore limit my self to those two especial ones but take all those before me I have now propounded And now if ever stir up your hearts Say to all worldly business and thoughts as Christ to the Disciples Matth 2â— 36 Sit you here while I go pray yonder Or as Abraham when he went to sacrifice Isaac left his Servants and Asse below the Mount saying Stay you here and I and the Lad will go yonder and Worship and come again to you so say to all worldly thoughts Abide you below while I go up to Christ and then I will return to you again Christians your selves may be welcom but such followers may not LOOKING UNTO JESUS The Second Book Revel 1.8 11. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and what thou seest write in a book and send it to the seven Churches CHAP. I. SECT I. Of the eternal Generation of our Jesus WE must Look unto Jesus the beginner and finisher of our faith we must behold Jesus as with a stedfast eye from first to last As he is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last so accordingly we must Look unto him 1. He is Alpha the beginner so it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginner the inceptor the first wheel of our faith Heb. 12.2 and of the end of our faith the salvation of our souls 2 Thes 2.13 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.2 Now Christ may be called a beginner in respect of the Decree or execution I shall begin with the Decree wherein he begun before the beginning of time to design our happiness for the praise of the glory of his Grace Ephes 1.6 Many depths are in this passage To this purpose we told you that Jesus is Gods Son and our Jesus eternally begotten before all worlds In this first period we shall look on him 1. In relation to God 2. In relation to us 1. In his relation to God who shall declare his generation Isa 53.8 He is Gods Son having his subsistence from the Father alone of which Father by communication of his essence he is begotten from all eternity For the opening of this eternal generation of our Jesus we shall consider 1. The thing begotten 2. The time 3. The manner of begetting 4. The mutual kindness and love of him that begets and of him
that is begotten which brings forth a third person or subsistence which we call the Holy Ghost 1. For the thing it self it is Jesus Christ who must be considered two ways as he is a Son and as he is a God Now as he is a Son he is the thing begotten but not as he is a God As he is God he is of himself neither begotten nor proceeding the God-head of the Father and the God-head of the Son is but one and the same thing and therefore * Esientia filiis est a seipsa hac ratione dici potest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia tamen siliis non est a seipso ideo sic non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son as he is God he is God of himself without beginning even as the Father but as he is a Son he is not of himself but the Son of the Father begotten of him and hereupon it follows that the Son is begotten of the Father as he is a Son but not as he is a God 2. For the time of this generation it hath neither beginning middle nor end and therefore it is eternal before all worlds this is one of the wonders of our Jesus that the Father begetting and the Son begotten are coeternal Wisdom in the book of Proverbs which with one consent of all Divines is said to be Christ affirmeth thus Prov 8.24.25 2â— 2â— When there was no depths I was brought forth When there were no fountains abounding with water before the Mountains were setled before the hills was I was brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the world when he prepared the heavens I was there when he set a compass upon the face of the depth I was there And a little before â—rov 8.22 23 the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the world was that is to say from eternity for before the world was made there was nothing but eternity It may be alleaged to the contrary that the saying of God the Father thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psa 2.7 Acts 13.32 33 is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection And we declare unto you glad tydings saith Paul how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm thou art my Son this â—ay have I begotten thee But we distinguish betwixt generation it self and the manifestation or declaration of it Jesus the Son of God from all eternity was begotten but when he was incarnate and especially when he was raised again from the dead then was he mightily declared to be Gods Son by nature And of this declaration or manifestation of his eternal generation is that of the Apostle understood 3. For the manner of this generation of Jesus the Son of God understand there be two manners of begetting the one is carnal and outward and this is subject to corruption alteration and time the other is spiritual and inward and such was the beginning of the Son of God of whose generation there is neither corruption alteration nor time Isa 53.8 Rom. 11.33 But alas how should we declare his generation O my soul here thou mayest admire and adore with Paul and David and cry out O the depths of the riches both â—f the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways pâ—â—â— finding out There is no searching for us into the secret counsels of God which he never revealed in his Word but so far as he hath revealed himself we shall in sobriety according to the light of the Scriptures endeavour a discovery of the manner of this spiritual generation of the Son of God as thus We must consider in God two things 1. That in God there is an understanding 2. That in God this understanding everlastingly acts or works For the first that God hath a most excellent understanding or that he is understanding it self in the highest degree is very clear for he that gives understanding to all his intelligible creatures must needs have it and be it most eminently in himself if fire be the cause of heat in other things it must needs be that fire is the hottest of any thing * Propter quod unum quodque tale illud est magis talâ— Job 12 13 Prov. 8.14 the axiome is common but the Scripture verifies it with God is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding Nay that this understanding is his very being is very plain Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding and I am strength For the second that this understanding in God everlastingly acts or works is very clear for that understanding which is the nature essence and being of God is a meer act or the first act it is all one with the life of God now as all life is active in it self so the chief life such as in the highest degree is to be attributed to God must needs be active what is the life of God but an essential property whereby the Divine nature is in perpetual action living and moving in it self and hereof is that speech in Scripture so often used Jer. 4.2 Jer. 38.16 Numb 14.21 Rom. 14.21 the Lord liveth hereof likewise is that asseveration or oath so often used by God as the Lord liveth and As I Live saith the Lord well then the understanding of God being active or working from all eternity it must needs have some eternal object on which it acts or works every action requires a sutable object about which it must act or be exercised so then if Gods understanding act eternally it must have some eternal object and if Gods understanding act most perfectly it must have some most perfect object to act upon and what is that but onely God himself that Gods understanding should act out of himself would argue his understanding to act upon that which is finite and imperfect Certainly nothing is infinite eternal and perfect but onely himself and therefore if his understanding will act upon any sutable object he must act upon nothing but himself And now we come to the manner of this high mystical spiritual generation of Jesus the Son of God As the understanding of God doth act and reflect upon it self from all eternity so it works this effect that it understands and conceives it self it apprehends in the understanding an image of that Object which it looks upon and this very image is the Son of God This we shall lay out by some similitudes A mans soul we know doth sometimes muse and meditate on other things as it thinks of Heaven or it thinks of earth this we call a right or direct or emanant
that you may better understand the manner of this generation of the Son of God together with the mutual kindness lovingness joy and delight betwixt the Father and the Son even from Everlasting SECT II. Of our Election in Christ before all Worlds NOw let us look on Christ in his Relation to us before all Worlds God being thus alone himself from everlasting and besides himself there being nothing at all the first thing he did besides what ye have heard or the first thing he possibly and conceivably could do it was this a determination with himself to manifest his Glory Or a purpose in himself to communicate his glory out of his aloneness everlasting unto somewhat else I say unto somewhat else for what is communication but an efflux an emanation an issuing from or a motion betwixt two Terms I have now brought you to the acts or actions of God in reference to his Creatures follow me a little and I shall anon bring you to Christ in relation to your selves These acts or actions of God were and are 1. The Decree 2. The Execution of the Decree of God I must open these Terms 1. The Decree is an action of God out of the Councel and purpose of his own Will determining all things and all the Circumstances and order of all things from all Eternity in himself certainly and unchangably and yet freely Who worketh all things saith the Apostle after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 and this work or action of God is internal and for ever abiding within his own Essence it self 2. The execution of the Decree is an act of God whereby God doth effectually work in time all things as they were fore-known and Decreed And this action of God is external and by a temporal act passing from God to the Creatures Now for the Decree that is of diverse kinds As first There is a Decree common and general which looks to all the creatures and it is either the Decree of creation or the Decree of Providence and preservation 2. There is a Decree special which belongs to reasonable creatures Angels and Men it is called the Decree of Predestination and it consistss of the Decree of Election and Reprobation Concerning the common and general Decrees we have but little laid down in Scriptures and it is little or nothing at all to our purpose And concerning the special Decree of Angels there is not much in Scriptures and that is as little also to our purpose we have only to deal with Men and with Gods Decree in relation to Mans Salvation before all Worlds And this we call Predestination or the Decree of Election which is either of Christ or of the Members of Christ Christ Himself was first Predestinated This appears by that Saying of God Behold My Servant whom I uphold Isa 41.2 Mine Elect in whom My Soul delighteth I have put My Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles These very words the Evangelist interprets of Christ Himself Matth. 12.18 Mat. 12.18 And Christ being Predestinate the Members of Christ were Predestinated in Him So the Apostle According as He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World Ephes 1.4 We are chosen in Christ as in a common Person He was the first Person Elected in order and we in Him Suppose a New Kingdom to be set up a New King is chosen all his Successors are chosen in him Why God hath Erected a Kingdom of Glory He hath chosen Jesus Christ for the King of this Kingdom and in Him He hath chosen us whom He hath made Kings and Priests unto the most High God But observe we this of the Apostle He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World 1. He hath chosen i.e. God the Father hath chosen not that the Son and Spirit chose not also for if Three of us had but one Will common to us all One could not will any thing which the Will of the other Two should not also will But because the Son sustains the Person of one Elected and the Spirit is the Witness sealing this Grace unto our Hearts therefore the Father only is expressed as the Father alone is often named in Prayer not that the other Persons are not to be prayed unto but because the Son is considered as the Mediatour and the Spirit as the Instructor teaching us to Pray as we ought therefore the Father only is expressed 2. He hath chosen us in Him This Him denotes Christ God-man and this in Him notes the same Christ God-man as the Head and first Elect in whom and after whom in order of Nature all His Body are Elected Mark here the Order but not the Cause of our Election Though Christ be the Cause of our Salvation yet Christ is not the Cause of our Election It is only the Fore-knowledge of God and His free Love that is the Cause thereof 3. He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World i.e. From all Eternity but because within Eternity God doth fore-see the Things which are done in time therefore this Phrase say some may be extended not only to respect the Actual Creation but the Decree it self of the World 's Being q. d. He hath chosen us in order of Nature before His Decree did lay the Foundation of the World My meaning is not to enter into Controversies this all grant that the antient Love which the Lord hath born to us in Christ is not of Yesterday but before all Worlds Paul mentions Grace given us before all Worlds 1 Tim. 1.9 But that which is the most observable in the Text as to our purpose is that we are chosen in Him We read of Three Phrases in Scripture speaking of Christ Sometimes we are said to have Blessings in Him and sometimes for Him sometimes through Him Sometimes in Him as here He hath chosen us in Him sometimes for Him as elsewhere To you it is given for Christ His sake not only to Believe but to Suffer sometimes through Him as in that of Paul Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.29 1 Cor. 15.57 Now Blessings come through Christ in respect that Christ is a Mediatour not only of Impetration but Execution not only obtaining and receiving from Grace all Good for us but in executing and applying Efficaciously the same unto us And Blessings come for Christ in respect that Christ doth by His Obedience obtain every good Thing which in time is communicated to us And we have Blessings in Christ because that in Christ as a Common Store-house every thing is first placed which is to be imparted afterwards to any of us And thus we are chosen in Christ as in a common Person This Grace of Election began first at Christ our Head and so descends downwards on us His Members Christ is the First Begotten amongst all His Brethren having
everlastingly for it O my soul canst thou ponder on this and not love him dearly who has thus loved thee Come stir up the gift that is in thee if thou art a Christian thou hast some sparks though now it may be under the ashes come rub chase and warm thy affections at this fire love like a watch must be wound up or else it will fall downwards what dost thou why stand'st thou idle in the heat of the Day Christ hath fire in his hand 't is but looking up and reaching out thy hand to take it from him O take it with both thy hands and be thankful for it Prayer ejaculation contemplation judicious observation of the Spirits season are thy best instruments to kindle this fire of love in thee And methinks thy heart should begin now to melt methinks it should receive more easie impressions from the object before it methinks these eternal works and acts of God and Christ towards thy poor soul should begin to overcome thee Cant. 6.5 Cant 8.6 and to burne thy heart as with coales of Juniper Why Lord is it thus was I Elected from all Eternity in Christ was I ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a World was this business to make me happy one of the cheef deep counsels of God was this one of the works of his wisdome that he was exercised about before the World began was this the great designe of God in making the World and in making Heaven the place of glory to glorifie himselfe and to glorifie such a poor wretch as I am O then how should this but mightily inflame my heart with the love God and love of Christ how should I choose but say as the Martyr did Oh that I had as many lives as I have haires on my head to lay them down for Christ Ah what flames of Divine affection what raptures of zeal what ravishments of delight what extasies of obedience can be enough for my blessed God and dearest Redeemer SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy O my soul dost thou believe and art thou now cast into a pang of love how then should thy joy but come on As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoyce not Luk. 10.20 that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven so rejoyce not thou in this that the world is thine that riches are thine that thou hast subdued men and devils but herein rejoyce that thy name is written in the Book of life O what a comfortable point is this that the Father and Christ should transact a bargaine from Eternity concerning thee by name that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven as if their language had been thus Father what shall be given to thy justice to ransome such a one Abraham Isaac Jacob Matthew Mark Luke John Mary Martha Hannah c. why no more but this thou shalt dye my Son and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever Why then saith Christ I will engage for such and such a one I will enter into Bond for such and such a person Abraham shall believe in time See I have writ down his name in the Book of life And who art thou that readest art thou a believer dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ said the same of thee and entered into a bond for thee and entered they name in the Book of life See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3 Phil. 4 3. Thou Thomas Andrew Peter Christ knows thee by name and thy name is written in the Book of life O go thy way and rejoyce and take strong consolation is there not cause why I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven and if this may adde to thy joy know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again No no poor soul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God hath decreed thy salvation and Gods decree shall stand let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations it is as possible for God to deny himself as it is possible for thee a believer to perish 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept saith the Apostle by the power of God through faith to salvation and therefore rejoyce and againe rejoyce yea raise up thy joy to that pitch of triumph which is joy elevated and elevated so high that it comes to victoriousness and magnanimous conquest of heart over all things say with the Apostle what my name written in the Book of life Rom. 8 3â— 35 38 39. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who then shall separate me from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword nay I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. VVE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus This also is included in looking as David while Praying unto thee do I lift up mine Eyes Psa 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Now this calling on God or looking to God contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions betwixt God and Christ may be assuredly ours and that God would clear up our Titles more and more yea and seeing all good things tending to Salvation were from all Eternity prepared for us we are therefore to pray that by prayer we may draw them down from Heaven for what though our Evidences be clear Yet this must not cast out means God doth not use to bestow his saving Graces on lazy sluggards those therefore who from the certainty of Predestination do pretend that the duty of Prayer is superfluous do plainly shew that they have no certainty at all Aquinas Aquinas part c q. art 8. was Orthodox in this the Predestinate must Pray because by these effects of Predestination the Salvation of Souls is best ascertained The same Spirit which Witnesseth to our Spirit that we are his Chosen is also the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and therefore he that believes that he is one of Gods Elect he cannot but pray for those things which he believeth that God hath prepared for him before the foundation of the World 2. We must praise God what that God should look on us and Predestinate us to Life
only Psal 68.18 John 1.16 but for us He received Gifts for Men said the Psalmist not for Himself meerly but for Men Of His Fulness we receive Grace for Grace saith John His Wisdom to make us wise His Meekness to make us meek and His Patience to make us patient 3. By Faith we look at Christ as Faithful to distribute such Grace unto us as He received for us Heb. 4.2 He is Faithful in all the House of God He is Faithful in dispensing all the Treasures of Grace committed unto Him for His Churches Good He keeps nothing back His Faithfulness will not suffer Him to keep that to Himself which He hath received for us Psal 68.18 Hence as the Psalmist saith He received Gifts for Men so the Apostle renders it He gave Gifts unto Men As he receives so he gives Ephes 4.8 being faithful in all that is committed to Him 4. By Faith we seek God and beg Performance of his Promises according to our need Do we want Wisdom Meekness Patience or any other Grace Faith carries us by Prayer unto the Fountain and in this way waits and expects to receive the Grace we want As the Child by sucking the Breast draws forth Milk for its own Nourishment and thereby it grows in Strength so do we by the Prayer of Faith suck from Christ and from the Promise of Grace and by that means derive Strength to our inner Man to fulfil the Covenant which we have made with God 6. As Faith strengthens us so if at any times by occasion or temptation we fail in our Covenant-keeping Faith recovers us and restores us again to our former Estate I do not say the Covenant can be broken betwixt God and Us we may offend God and fail in the Service of God but till we refuse God and leave God and chuse another Master Lord and Husband besides God there is no Dissolution of the Covenant of Grace Now this a true Believer cannot do He may fall and fall often yet he doth not fall but he rises again he may turn aside but yet he returns again into the way of the Covenant What a sweet Point is this Christians We may and sometimes we do walk weakly in keeping of Covenants our feet slip and we step aside out of God's Path yet Faith brings us back again to God It casts Shame on our Faces that after all the Grace shewed us we should so ill requite God It reminds us of those Promises Return unto Me and I will return unto you Ye have done all this Wickedness Zech. 1.3 1 Sam. 12.20 22. yet turn not aside from following the Lord For the Lord will not forsake his People for his Great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People In the minding of these and such other Promises Faith doth encourage us to return unto God to take words unto our selves and to plead the Covenant of his Grace towards us This VVork of Faith brought Peter back to Christ whereas Judas wanting this Faith lies down in desperate Sorrow never able to rise up or to recover himself O my Soul Art thou acquainted with these Acts of Faith enabling thee in some good measure to keep Covenant with God Then is there a sweet Conformity betwixt Thee and Jesus 3. God in Christ hath highly honoured us as we are his People so we through Christ should honour Him highly as He is our God This is the main End of the Covenant and I shall end with this O my Soul be like to God bear the Image and Resemblance of God thy Father in this Respect He hath humbled Himself to advance thee O then humble thy self to advance Him endeavour every way to exalt his Name We are willing to be in Covenant with God that we may set up our selves that we may sit upon Thrones and possess a Kingdom But we must think especially of setting up the Lord upon his Throne Ascribe Greatness to our God saith Moses Deut. 32.3 make it a Name and a Praise unto Him that he hath vouchsafed to make us his People and to take us into Covenant with Himself Honour Him as he is God but honour Him more abundantly as he is our God Who should Honour Him if his People will not The World knows Him not The Wicked will not seek after God Psal 10.4 God is not in all his Thoughts And Shall God have no Honour Shall He that stretched out the Heavens and laid the Foundations of the Earth and formed Man upon it have no Glory O yes The Lord Himself answers This People have I formed for My Self Isa 43.21 they shall shew forth My Praise Surely God will have Praise from his own People whom he hath taken unto Himself He will be glorifyed in all those that come near Him Lev. 10.3 But How should we honour God I answer 1. We must set Him up as chief and highest in our Esteem Kings acount not themselves honoured if they be not set above other Men And hence God's People have used such Expressions concerning God as do single Him forth beyond the Comparison of all Creatures Thus Moses Who is like unto Thee amongst the Gods Who is like unto Thee Exod. 15.11 2 Sam. 7.22 glorious in Holyness fearful in Praises doing Wonders Thus David Thou art Great O Lord God for there is none like Thee neither is there any God besides Thee according to all that we have heard with our Ears Thus Solomon Lord God of Israel 1 King 8.22 there is no God like unto Thee in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath who keepest Covenant and Mercy with Thy Servants Thus Micah Who is a God like unto Thee Micah 7.18 which passest by the Transgressions of the Remnant of thine Heritage And thus should we rise up in our Thoughts and Apprehensions of God until we come to an Holy Extasie and Admiration of God 2. We must count it our Blessedness and highest Dignity to be a People in Covenant with God Are we Honourable Yet esteem this as our greatest Honour that God is our God Are we low and despised in the World Yet count this Honour enough that God hath lifted us up to be his People Christians if when we are counted as things of nought we can quiet our selves in this that God is our God if when we are persecuted imprisoned distressed we can say with Jacob I have enough because the Lord hath Mercy on me and hath taken me into Covenant with Him surely then we do bear Witness of God before Heaven and Earth that He is better to us than Corn or Wine or Oyl or whatsoever this World affords 3. We must lie under the Authority of every Word of God and we must conform our selves to the Examples of God that is we must labour to become Followers of God and imitate his Virtues It is a part of that Honour which Children owe to their Parents
the inquisition-house of the Son of God surely he that is every where the same Isa 19.1 knows how to make all places alike to his he knows how to preserve Daniel in the Lions den the three Children in a fiery furnace Jonah in a Whales belly and Christ in the midst of Egypt 4. When he was now some five years old say some or but two years and a quarter old say others an Angel appears again in a Dream to Joseph saying Arise and take the young Child and his Mother Mat. 2.19 20. and return again into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young Childs Life Herod that took away the lives of all the Infants in or about Bethlehem is now himself dead and gone to his own place and by this meanes the Coast is clear for the return of that holy Family O the wonderful dispensation of Christ in concealing of himself from men all this while he carries himself as an Infant and though he know all things yet he neither takes nor gives any notice of his removal or disposing but appoints that to be done by his Angel which the Angel could not have done but by him As Christ was pleased to take upon him our Nature so in our Nature he was pleased to be a perfect Child for that is the word take the young Child and his Mother he supprest the manifestation and exercise of that Godhead whereto the Infant-nature was conjoyned as the Birth of Christ so the infancy of Christ was exceeding humble Oh how should we magnifie him or deject our selves for him who himself became thus humble for our sakes 5. When he was twelve years old he with his Parents go up to Jerusalem after the custom of the Feast Luke 2.42 V. 46. This pious act of his younger years intends to lead our first years into timely devotion but I shall not insist on that I would rather observe him sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions whilest the Children of his age were a playing in the streets he is found of his parents sitting in the Temple not to gaze on the outward glory of that house of the Golden Candlesticks or Tables or Cherubims or the Pillars or the Molten Sea or the Altar of Gold or the Vessels of pure Gold no no but to hear and oppose the Doctors He who as God gave them all the Wisdom they had doth now as the Son of man hearken to the Wisdom he had given them and when he had heard then he asks and after that no doubt he answers his very questions were instructions for I cannot think that he meant so much to learn as to teach those Doctors of Israel Surely these Rabbins had never heard the voice of such a Tutor they could not but see the very Wisdom of God in this Child V. 47. and therefore saith the Text they all wonder or they were all astonished at his understanding and answers their eyes saw nothing but a Child but their ears heard the wonderfull things of Gods Law betwixt what they saw and what they heard they could not but be distracted and amazed But why did ye not O ye Jewish teachers remember now the Star and the Sages and the Angels and the Shepherds why did ye not now bethink your selves of Herod and of his enquiry and of your answer that in Bethlehem of Judea Christ should be born You cited the prophets and why did you not mind that Prophesie now Isa 56. that unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Fruitless is the wonder that endeth not in Faith no Light is sufficient where the eyes were held through unbelief and prejudice 6. After this from twelve to the thirtieth year of his Age we read nothing of the Acts of Christ Luke 2.51 but that he went down with his Parents unto Nazareth and was subject to them as he went up to Jerusalem to Worship God and in some sort to shew himself God so now he goes down to Nazareth to attend his particular Calling Luke 2.51 This is the meaning of those words and he was subject to them Christs subjection to his Parents extends to the profession and exercise of his life certainly Christ was not all that time from twelve to thirty years idle as he was educated by his Parents so of his reputed Father he learnt to be a Carpenter this I take it is plain in these words Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6.3 the Son of Mary It appears say our English Annotations that Christ exercised that Trade in his younger years I know Matthew renders it thus Mat. 13.55 Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his Mother called Mary But Mark thus is not this the Carpenter c. Some comment thus that while Joseph was alive Christ wrought with him in the Trade of a Carpenter and when Joseph died which happened before the manifestation of Jesus unto Israel he wrought alone and was no more called the Carpenters Son but the Carpenter himself here 's comfort for men of the meanest Callings as Husbandry was honoured in the Person and Condition of the first Adam before his Fall so now the Handicraft O the Poverty Humility Severity of Jesus it appears at this time especially in his Labouring Working Hewing of Wood or the like here 's a sharp reproof to all those that spend their time in idleness or without a particular Calling that take no pains at all unless in pursuit after Vain Foolish Superfluous Sinful things what are they wiser than Christ Our Jesus would not by any means thus spend his time Indeed for the while he did nothing famous or of publick note Nihil faciendo fecit magnificn but neither was this without a Mystery In doing nothing Publick saith one He atchieved great and sumptuous and praise-worthy acts There is a season and time to every purpose under heaven as there is a time of silence and a time to speak so there is a time for publick and a time for private Negotiations as yet Christ conceals his virtues and conforms himself to the conversation of men that the Mystery of his Incarnation might not be thought a Phantasme then he would have his Virtues and Graces to shine out when men usually come to their vigour and strength both of body and mind And besides as it was said of a Divine that he would never Preach a Sermon but he would first endeavour to practise it himself Mr. Bolton Mat. 11.29 Acts 1.1 so I am sure did Christ he would not teach the World saying Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart but first he would practice first do then teach as Luke tells Theophilus he had writ all that Jesus began both to do and teach But concerning this time of
enjoyments for never was Christ so enjoyed in this life but thou hast cause to desire yet more of Christ It is worth thy observation that Spiritual desires after Christ do neither load nor cloy the heart but rather open and enlarge it for more and more Who was better acquainted with God than Moses Exod. 33.18 Phil. 1.23 and yet Who was more importunate to know him better I beseech thee shew me thy glory And Who was more acquainted with Christ than Paul and yet who was more importunate to be with him nearer I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Further and further union with Christ and communion with Christ are most desirable things and are not these the fruits of his incarnation the effects of his hypostatical personal union more and more peace and love and reconciliation betwixt God and us are desirable things and are not these the fruits of Christs birth the effects of his budding out of the earth was it not then That Righteousness looked down from Heaven That Mercy and Truth met together and Righteousness and Peace kissed each other an higher degree of holiness sanctification likeness to God and Christ are desirable things and are not these the fruits of his circumcision and presentation to the Lord the effects of all those consequents that follow after his birth Come Soul and stir up thy desires true desires are not wavering and dull but resolute and full of quickness observe how the nature of true desires in Scripture is set forth by the most pathetical and strong similitudes of Hunger and Thirst and those not common neither but by The panting of a tyred Hart after the rivers of waters and by the gaping of dry ground after some seasonable showers O then How is it that the passages of thy desires are so narrow and almost shut up Nay How is it that thy vessels are so full of contrary qualities that there is scarce any room in thy Soul for Christ and all his Train Will not the desires of the Patriarchs witness against thee How cryed they after Christs coming in the Flesh Bow the Heavens O Lord and come down Psal 144.5 Psal 144.5 Oh that Thou wouldest rent the Heavens that Thou wouldest come down Isa 64.1 Isa 64.1 Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness let the Earth open and bring forth Salvation Isa 45.8 Isa 45.8 Is it possible that their desires should be more vehement after Christ than ours They lived on the dark-side of the cloud but we on the bright-side the vail was upon their hearts which vail is done away in Christ they saw Christ afar off and their sight was very dim and dark But we all with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 One would think the less any thing is known the less it should be desired O my soul either thou art more ignorant of Christ than the Patriarchs of old or thy heart is more out of frame than theirs suspect the latter and blame thy heart it may be thy turpid and sluggish nature hath layed thy desires asleep if an hungry man will sleep his hunger will sleep with him But O stir up and awake thy desires Present before them that glorious object the incarnation of Jesus Christ it is an object which the very Angels desire to look into and Art not thou more concern'd in it than the Angels is not the fruit of the incarnation thine more especially thine Come then stir up those motions of thy appetite by which the soul darts it self towards the absent good draw nearer and nearer till thou comest to union and enjoyment cry after Christ Judg. 5.28 Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why tarry the Wheeles of his Chariots SECT IV. Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect 4. LEt us Hope in Jesus carrying on the great Work of our Salvation at his first coming or incarnation Only here remember I speak not of every hope but only of such an hope as is grounded on some certainty and knowledge This is the main question whether Christs incarnation belongs unto me the Prophet tells us that Vnto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given Isa 9.6 But how may I Hope that this Child is born to me and that this Son is given to me what ground for that Out of these words of the Prophet I shall draw a double Evidence which may be instead of all our first Evidence from the former words Vnto us a Child is born our second Evidence from the latter words unto us a Son is given 1. From the former words I lay down this position unto us a Child is born if we are new born the surest way to know our interest in the birth of Christ it is to know Christ born in us or formed in us Gal. 4.19 as the Apostle speaks The new birth is the effect of Christs birth and a sure sign that Christ is born to us Say then O my soul Art thou born anew is there in thee a new nature a new principle is the Image of God and of Christ in thy soul so the Apostle stiles it 1 Cor. 15.59 the bearing of the Image of the heavenly why then was Christ incarnate for thee if thy new birth be not clear enough thou may'st try it further by these following rules 1. Where this new birth is there is new desires new comforts new contentments Sometimes with the prodigal thou wast content with husks but now nothing will satisfie thee but thy Fathers mansion and thy Fathers feasts sometimes thou mindest only earthly things but now the favour of God the light of his countenance society with him and enjoying of him are thy chief desires This is a good sign David's heart and flesh Psal 84.2 and all breathed after God My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Men truly regenerate do not judge it so happy to be wealthy great and honoured in the world as to have the light of Gods favour shine upon them O my soul dost thou see the glory of the world and thou fallest down to worship it dost thou say in the increase of worldly comfort it is good to be here Then fear thy self but if these things compared with Christ are vain and light and of poor and mean esteem then hope well and be assured that thou art born again and that Christ is formed in thee 2. Where this new birth is there is new words new works new affections a new conversation 2 Cor. 5.17 Acts 9.11 1 Cor. 6.11 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new Paul once a persecutor but Behold now he prayeth And Such were some of you but now ye are washed now ye are sanctified now ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by
man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him Ver. 51. and he went his way and in the way one meets him and tells him Thy Son liveth which recovery he understands to be at the same time that Christ had spoken those Salutary and healing words Ver. 53. and himself believed and his whole house Mat. 8.5 6. 2. * If I mistake not in the year I shall not contend because in this year only I shall mention his miracles Ver. 7. Acts 10 34 35. Now was it that a Centurion came unto Christ beseeching him and saying my servant lyeth at home sick of the palsie grievously Tormented Many Suitors come to Christ one for a Son another for a daughter a third for himself but I see none come for his servant but this one Centurion and if we observe Christs answers to his suit we see how well pleased is Christ with his request And Jesus saith unto him I will come and heal him When the Ruler entreated him for his Son Come down ere he dye Christ stirr'd not a foot but now this Centurion complains only of his servants sickness and Christ offers himself I will come and heal him he that came in the shape of a servant would rather go down to the sick servant than to the Rulers Son He is no respecter of persons but he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him It may be this poor sick servant had more grace or very probable it is he had more need and therefore Christ to chuse will go down to visit this poor sick servant Nay sayes the Centurion Ver. 8. I am not worthy Lord that thou shouldst come under my roof q. d. Alas Lord I am a Gentile an Alien a man of blood but thou art holy thou art omnipotent and therefore only say the word and my servant shall be whole Mark this O my soul it is but a word of Christ and my sins shall be remitted my soul healed my body raised and soul and body glorified forever The Centurion knew this by the command he had over his own servants Ver. 9. I say to this man go and he goes and to another come and he comes and to a third do this and he doth it In way of Application Oh that I were such a servant to my heavenly Master Alas every of his commands sayes Do this and I do it not every of his inhibitions sayes Do it not and I do it He sayes Go from the world and I run to it He says Come to me and I run from him Wo is me this is not service but enmity Oh that I could come up to the faith and obedience of this exemplar that I could serve my Christ as these Souldiers did their Master Ver. 10. Jesus marvels at the Centurions faith we never find Christ wondering at Gold or Silver or costly and curious works of humane Skill yea when the Disciples wondered at the Magnificence of the Temple he rebuked them rather but when he sees the grace or acts of Faith he so approves of them that he is ravished with wonder he that rejoyced in the view of his Creation rejoyceth no less in the reformation of his Creature Cant. 4.7 9. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair there is no spot in thee my sister my spouse thou hast wounded my heart thou hast wounded my heart with one of thy eyes Cant. 4.7 9. To conclude he that both wrought this faith and wondered at it doth now reward it Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it unto thee and his servant was healed in the self same hour Luke 7.11 3. Now it was even the day after that Jesus goes into the City of Naim The fruitful clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field Naim must partake of the bounty of Christ as well as Cana or Capernaum Thither come he no sooner enters in at the gate of the City but he meets a funeral a poor widow with her weeping friends is following her only Son to the grave Jesus observing her sad condition he pities her comforts her and at last relieves her here was no Sollicitor but his own compassion in his former Miracles he was sought and sued to his Mother at the Marriage-feast begged a supply of Wine the Ruler came to him for a Son the Centurion came to him for a servant but now Christ offers a cure to give us a lesson that whiles we have to do with the Father of mercies our miseries and afflictions are the most Powerful Suitors Christ sees and observes the Widow's sadness and presently all parts of Christ conspire her good his heart melts into Compassion of her his tongue speaks chearfully and comfortably to her Weep not his feet carry him to the Bier his hand toucheth the Coffin and he said young man I say unto thee arise see how the Lord of Life speakes with Command ver 14. the same voice speaks to him that shall one day speak to us and raise us out of the dust of the earth neither sea nor death nor hell can detain their dead when he charges them to be delivered we see not Christ stretching himself on this dead Corpse as Eliah and Elisha upon the Sons of the Shunamite and the Widow of Sarephta nor see we him kneeling down and praying as Peter did for Dorcas but we hear him so speaking to the dead as if the dead were alive and so speaking to the dead that by the word he speaks he makes him alive Young man I say unto thee arise ver 15. and he that was dead sate up and began to speak So at the sound of the last Trumpet by the Power of the same voice we shall arise out of the dust and stand up Gloriously This mortal shall put on immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruption And least our weak faith should stagger at the assent of so great a difficulty by this he hath done Christ gives us tastes of what he will do the same Power that can raise one man can raise a thousand a million a world Christ here raised a Widows Son and after Jairus's Daughter and then Lazarus and lastly at his resurrection he raised a many at once he raised one from her Bed another from his Bier another from his grave and many at once from their rotteness that it might appear no degree of death can hinder the efficacy of his Almighty Power 4. Now it was that in the Synagogue he finds a man that had a Spirit of an unclean Devil Luke 4.33 ver 34. This I take it is the first man that we read of as possessed with a Devil And he cryed let us alone what have we to do with thee c. In these words the devil dictates the man speaks and whereas the words are plural Let us alone it is probable he speaks of himself and the rest of the men in the
revelling and dishonouring of God hath made them so pensive Why sinners your carriage grieves the very Spirit of God Gen. 6.6 You grieve God at the heart as it is expressed Gen. 6.6 and therefore no wonder if the godly cannot rejoyce in your sinful society you are the cause of their sadness but admit them once into the company and fellowship of the Saints and they know how to be joyful 4. If it be so that usually they are pensive and sad it is not because of Religion but because they are not more Religious because they find so much want of godliness in their own hearts Rom. 7.24 this was the cause of Pauls heaviness O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death And yet know that all these sadnesses are true preparatives to joy and therefore in the very next words the Apostle breakes out into that sweet Doxology I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Never was true sorrow for sin but it ended in rejoycings and praises and thanksgiving to God Why then be convinced Ah deceived souls say not that God is an hard Master reaping where he sowed not and gathering where he strawed not say not that his wayes are tedious and irksome and uncomfortable wayes but rather taste and see and try how good the Lord is experience the truth of these words My Yoak is easie and my Burthen is light What is lighter than that Burthen which instead of burthening Chears up the party on which it is laid Just like those burthens of Cinnamon that refresh those that carry them through the deep sands of Arabia An holy Divine once endeavouring to convince men of the sweetness and pleasantness of Gods wayes by his own experiences I call Hâ—aven and Earth to Record saith he that these things are truths of God they are not notions or conceits but certain realities Another flyes somewhat higher If men would in earnest sayes he abandon the Devils service and give up their names to Christ in truth and try I dare assure them in the Word of Life and Truth they would not exchange the saddest hour of all their life afterward with the prime and flower of all their former sensual pleasures Prov. 3.17 might they have ten thousand worlds to boot her wayes are wayes of pleasure saith Solomon Vse 2. Psal 1.1 2. Psal 119.1 Psal 40.8 2. You that are so convinc'd I beseech you carry on the work of God sweetly comfortably and with delight the Psalmist sayes Blessed is the man that delights in the Law of the Lord. And Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk chearfully in the Law of the Lord. And blessed is the man that delighteth greatly in his Law And it is written upon the heart of Christ I delight to do thy will O my God yea they Law is within my heart as God loves a cheerful giver so a chearful server Come take my Yoak upon you saith Christ for my Yoak is easie it is not an Iron Yoak of Bondage but a Chain of heavenly Pearls to adorn your souls Quest 1 Oh but how should we carry on the Work the Yoak the Duty the Practise of Piety and of Religion pleasantly I answer Answ 1. Be sure to keep the heart right and upright within let all we do be in sincerity and let all we are in respect of the inner man be at peace within sence and reason can tell us that according to the tempter within so there is the relishing of things without he that acts in sincerity and hath peace within can easily go through the duties that are required without with joy and comfort 2. Exercise saith in the work and office of the Holy Ghost I mean that work and office to which the Holy Ghost is designed by the Father and the Son both to help his people and to be the Comforter of his people 1. The holy Ghost is designed to help his people Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the word in the Original †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 14.26 and 15.26 doth properly imply such an help Rom. 8.26 as when another man of strength and ability steppeth in to sustain the burthen that lyeth upon weak shoulders why this makes Christs Burthen light we do not bear all the weight for the holy Ghost puts under his shoulder 2. The Holy Ghost is designed to comfort his People Christ calls him the Spirit the Comforter because he brings in a kind of spiritual joy and spiritual comfort Mark it is not a natural but a spiritual joy Oh what a vast difference is there betwixt the comforts of a carnal heart and the comforts of the godly The one comes from a little meat or drink or creature vanity but the other comes from the exercise of Faith about the office of the Holy Ghost who is designed to this work surely here is the way to carry on duty sweetly and comfortably and with delight i.e. to be in the exercise of faith on the work and office of the Holy Ghost as he is our Helper and Comforter 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.9 3. Understand what is in Christian Religion and in the practise of it to cause delight As. 1. In every duty and gracious acting of it there is more of the Glory of God than in the whole frame of Heaven and Earth besides Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much Fruit John 15.8 Oh if we but thus looked at the profession and practice of Christian Religion we could not but take pleasure in it 2. In every duty and gracious acting of it there is the seed of glory and eternal life sometimes there breaks out in the very exercise of duty a joy in the Holy Ghost a foretast of Glory but howsoever there is the seed of Glory and though the seed of Glory be not seen but lye as it were under ground dead and unseen yet in time it will spring up unto eternal life why thus look at the practice of Religion and it will be sweeter to us than Honey and the Honey-Comb it will be more precious than Gold yea than much fine Gold But how should we know the difference betwixt the natural pleasantness and this Quest 2 spiritual pleasantness in Religion I know Christians may put a lustre upon the wayes of God by their natural pleasantness and chearfulness of spirit but because we speak of a spiritual joy and comfort and not of a natural wherein lies the difference I answer 1. If it be a spiritual pleasantness it will be serious I have said of laughter it is mad Answ Eccles 2.2 and of mirth what doth it There is much lightness and vanity in such breakings out of natural pleasantness but in spiritual pleasantness all is grave and sober and exceeding serious 2. If it be a spiritual pleasantness it can stand with repentance and humiliation and the fear of God rejoyce with trembling saith the Psalmist
Psal 2.11 Psal 112.1 spiritual rejoycing may consist with trembling And blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments the fear of God may consist with these spiritual delights in the Commandments of God 3. If it be spirâ—â—ual pleasantness it is our strength The joy of the Lord is our strength saith Nehemiah Nehem. 8.10 nothing animates souls more in duties than joy doth it carries on the soul more fully it is as oyl that causeth the wheels of Christian practise to go on more freely we may be naturally pleasant and then coming to spiritual duties our hearts are dead but if out pleasantness be spiritual our hearts will be strengthened in the wayes of God 4. If it be a spiritual pleasantness it will bear up the heart in want of all outward pleasantness Although the Fig-Tree shall not Blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines Heb. 3.17 18. the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the Flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yes I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation When all is dark abroad in the World the soul in this frame will rejoyce in God alone on the contrary the soul that hath only a natural pleasantness of Spirit when affliction comes it is all amort and down I appeal to you that have the most delightful spirits when you have friends and means and all you like you are jocund and merry but when affliction comes how quickly are your spirits down surely your pleasantness is not spiritual for if so it would bear up your hearts joyful in affliction And now again the Passover a Feast of the Jews was nigh John 6.4 our English Annotations on these words can tell us that this seems to be * So Aretius and others the third Passover after Christ's baptisme And therefore here I conclude the third year of Christ's Ministry there is but one year more before Christs death to which now I come and to some passages therein most observable in reference to our Souls salvation CHAP. IV. SECT I. Of the fourth Year of Christ's Ministry and generally of his Actings in that Year THis was the last year of Christ's ministry in which were thousands of passages The Evangelist John relates more of Christ this year than in all the former and if I studied not brevity we might dwell more on his actings for us this year than hitherto we have done from the beginning of his ministry Now it was that he was tranfigured now it was that he instituted that Sacrament called the Lords Supper now it was that after supper he made his farewell Sermon rarely mixt of sadness and joyes and studed with mysteries as with Emeralds now it was that after Sermon he blessed his Disciples and prayed for them and then having sung an Hymn he went out into the Mount of Olives where in a Garden he began his sufferings On these passages I had thought to have enlarged but I see the Book swells under my hands and now that I am drawing near Christ's sufferings I shall only touch one point which hitherto I have pretermitted and is the most comprehensive of any passage I can touch Many Questions are about the Holiness or Righteousnâ—ss or Obedience of Christ As whether it belong to us And whether it be the matter of our justification And whether Christ was bound to observe the law of works as a Mediator or only as a meer man And whether we are not justified by the passive Righteousness of Christ only and seeing now we are discovering Christs actings in reference to our souls salvation we cannot pass this main business whereof much relates to Christ's life as well as to his conception or birth or death or sufferings SECT II. Of the distinctions or several divisions of Christ's Righteousness FOr the better understanding of Christ's Righteousness we usually distinguish that Christ's Righteousness is either that righteousness inherent in him or performed by him the righteousness performed by him is either his fulfilling the Commandments or his satisfying the curse of the Law The same distinction is given by others in these terms Christ's Righteousness is either his original conformity or his active and passive obedience unto the Law his original conformity is that gracious inherent disposition in Christ from the first instant of his conception whereby he was habitually conformable to the Law and this original righteousness answered for our original unrighteousness his active obedience is his doing of legal obedience unto the command and his passive obedience is his suffering of punishment due unto us for our sins I shall yet a little further enlarge this distinction of the righteousness of Christ and give it in thus viz. The righteousness of Christ is either negative if I may so speak or positive by the negative I understand the absence of all sins and vices forbidden in the Law by the positive I mean both a presence of all vertues and duties required to the perfect fulfilling of the Law as also a voluntary suffering of the penalty to satisfie the commination and curse of the Law 1. The negative righteousness is that which we call the innocency of Christ we read often in Scriptures that he was both blameless and spotless 1. Blameless free in himself from all imputation of sin to this purpose Christ challenged the Jews Which of you convinceth me of sin John 8.46 In all his life he was unblameable and unreproveable and therefore now towards the end of his life he asks the people with whom he had conversed Which of you convinceth me of sin 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 Spotless free from all infection of sin Peter calls him a Lamb without blemish and without spot and Paul an high Priest Holy Harmless and Vndefiled 2 Pet. 2.22 one who never did evil nor spake evil he did no sin saith the Apostle neither was guile found in his mouth one who never offended so much as in thought but was absolutely and in all respects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4.15 with out all sin 2. The positive Righteousness of Christ is twofold his perfect fulfilling of all things commanded and his perfect satisfying of the punishment threatned The former is the holiness of Christ this also is twofold the holiness of his nature and the holiness of his life and conversation the former is that we call his habitual Righteousness the latter is that we call his actual obedience And thus much of the distinction of the Righteousness of Christ SECT III. Of the Holiness of Christ's Nature NOw in the first place for the holiness of his Nature the Psalmist tells us Thou art fairer than the Children of men and grace is poured into thy lips Psal 45.2 Which is all one with that description of Christ by the Spouse My beloved is white and
richer for all his treasures Col. 2.3 if I have no claim thereto or interest therein or what can I joy in another's riches when I my self am wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Look to this O my soul peruse again and again thy grounds of hope as afore laid down do not slightly run them over thou canst not be too sure of Christ thou readest in the Gospel this and that passage of thy Jesus canst thou lay thine hand on every Line and say this passage is mine this Sermon was preached and this miracle was wrought for me that I might believe and that in believing I might have life through his Name O then how shouldst thou but rejoyce When Zacheus in the Sycamore Tree heard but Christ's voice Zacheus make haste and come down for to day I must abide in thy house Luke 19.5 6. O what haste made Zacheus to receive Christ he came down hastily and received him joyfully This offer of Christ to Zacheus is thine as well as his if thy hope be right Come down poor Soul saith Christ this day must I abide in thy house O then what joy should there be in thy heart when Christ comes in or when thou feelest Christ come in The friend of the Bridegroom rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice John 3.29 how much more may the Bride her self rejoyce 3. Let us come up to more and more and more fruition of Christ all other things work our delight but as they look towards this now in this fruition of Christ are contained these things first a propriety unto Christ for as a sick man doth not feel the joy of a sound mans health so neither doth a stranger to Christ feel the joy of a Believer in Christ how should he joy in Christ that can make no claim to him in the least degree But to that we have spoken Secondly a possession of Christ this exceedingly enlargeth our joy O how sweet was Christ to the Spouse when she could say Cant. 6.3 I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine he feedeth among the Lillies q. d. we have took possession of each other he is mine through faith and I am his through love we are both so knit by an inseparable union that nothing shall be able to separate us two he feedeth among the Lillies he refresheth himself and his Saints by his union and communion with them many are taken up with the joy and comfort of outward possessions but Christ is better than all in one Christ is comprized every scattered comfort here below Christ mine saith the soul and all mine 3. An accommodation of Christ to the soul and this is it that compleats our joy It is not bare possession of Christ which bringeth real delight but an applying of Christ unto that end and purpose for which he was appointed it is not the having of Christ but the using of Christ which makes him beneficial O the usefulness of Christ to all believing Souls The Scriptures are full of this as appears by all his Titles in Scripture he is our life our light our bread our water our milk our wine his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed he is our father our brother our friend our husband our King our Priest our Prophet he is our justification our sanctification our wisdom our redemption he is our peace our mediation our attonement our reconciliation our all in all Alas I look on my self and I see I am nothing I have nothing without Jesus Christ here 's a temptation I cannot resist it here 's a corruption I cannot overcome it here 's a persecution I cannot down with it well but Christ is mine I have interest in Christ and I have possession of Christ and I find enough in Christ to supply all my wants he was set up on purpose to give me grace and to renew my strength so that if I make my application to Christ I can do all things Phil. 4.13 I can suffer the loss of all things Phil. 3.8 I can conquer all things nay in all things be more than a conquerour through him that loves me Rom. 8.37 Oh the joy now that this accommodation brings to my soul I see it is nothing but Christ and therefore I cannot but rejoyce in this Christ Phil. 3.3 or I must rejoyce in nothing at all Surely we are the Circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh O my soul where is thy faculty of joy come bring it to this blessed object the Lord Jesus Christ If thou know'st not how first contemplate on Christ think on those several passages in his life those that lived with him and stood by to see them it is said of them Luke 13.17 that they all rejoyced for the glorious things that were done by him Or if thy heart be so dull and heavy that this will not raise it up then look to thy grounds of hope and confidence in Christ so long as thou doubtest of him or of thy interest in him how shouldst thou rejoyce or be cheerful in thy spirit The poor man could not speak it without tears Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou my unbelief a believing unbelief a wavering staggering trembling faith cannot be without some wounds in spirit O be confident and this will make thee chearful or if yet thou feelest not this affection to stir aspire to fruition yea to more and more fruition of Christ and union with Christ and to that purpose consider thy propriety to Christ thy possession of Christ and the accommodation or usefulness of Christ to thy condition whatsoever it is What will not these things move thy spiritual delight canst thou not hear Christ say All I am is thine and all I have done is thine for thy use and for thy benefit And doth not thy heart leap within thee at each word O my soul I cannot check thee for thy deadness it is said Luke 19.37 that when Christ was at the descent of the Mount of Olives that the whole multitude of the Disciples began to rejoyce and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen What a multitude of disciples rejoycing in Christ's acts and art not thou one amongst the multitude If thou art a Disciple rejoyce thou surely it concerns thee as much as them and therefore rejoyce lift up thy voice in harmony with the rest rejoyce and again rejoyce SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus Thus we read that looking up to Jesus or lifting up the eyes to Jesus goes also for Prayer in Gods Book Psal 5.3 My prayer will I direct to thee saith David and will look up and mine eyes fail with looking upwards Psal 69.3 Faith in prayer will often come out at the eye in lieu of another door our
Cross But hast thou taken the same course with the body of sin that the Jews did with the body of sin hast thou arraigned it accused it condemned it and fastened it to the Cross hast thou arraigned it at the Bar of God's judgment accused it by way of humble and hearty confession condemned it in passing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon thy self for it and fastned it to the Cross in beginning the execution of it in setting upon the mortification of it with a serious and unfeigned resolution to use all means for its mortifying and killing why then be not disheartned it may be thou feelest it stirring and strugling within thee and so will a crucified man do and yet in the eye of the Law and in the account of all men that see him he is a dead man surely so is the body of sin when it is thus crucified though it still move and stir yet upon a Gospel-account and in God's estimation it is no better than dead and it shall certainly die it shall decay and languish and die more and more is not the promise express He that hath begun the good work Phil. 1.6 he will perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ Of this Paul was confident in behalf of his Philippians and of this let all true Believers rest confident in respect of themselves Thus far we see wherein we must conform to Christ viz. in his Graces in his Sufferings and in his Death For the Query what is the cause of this conformity I answer The death of Christ is the cause of this conformity And that a fourfold cause Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1. It is a meritorious cause Christ's death was of so great a price that it deserved at God's hands our conformity to Christ Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that by his death he might sanctifie it and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 1 Pet. 2.21 2. It is an exemplary cause He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps he died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin we may observe in many particulars besides those I have named a proportion analogy and likeness betwixt Christ's death and ours Christ died as a servant to note that sin should not rule or reign over us Christ died as a curse to note that we should look upon sin as a cursed thing Christ was fast nayled on the Cross to note that we should put sin out of case yea crucifie the whole body of sin Christ died not presently yet there he hung till he died to note that we should never give over subduing sin while it hath any life or working in us 3. It is an efficient cause it works this conformity by a secret virtue issuing from it Thus Christians are said to be engraffed with Christ in the likeneâ—s of his death Rom. 6.5 Phil. 3.10 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a passive signification importing not only a being like but a being made like and that by a power and vertue out of our selves so the Apostle elsewhere interprets That I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Not conforming my self but being made conformable by a power out of my self But how then is the power of mortification attributed to men as Quest Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Mortifie ye your members which are upon the earth And They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh I answer there is a twofold mortification the one habitual the other practical Answ the former consists in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of the heart from all manner of sin now this is the only and immediate work of the Spirit of Grace breathing and working where it will the latter consists in the exercise of putting forth of that inward grace in the acting of that principle in resisting temptations in suppressing inordinate Lusts in watching against sinful and inordinate acts now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating with the Spirit of God as a rational instrument with the principal Agent and therefore the Apostle joins both together If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8.13 ye shall live 4. It is an impelling or a moving cause as all objects are for objects have an attractive power Achan saw the wedge of Gold and then coveted it David saw Bathsheba and then desired her As the brazen Serpent did heal those who were bitten by the fiery Serpent tanquam objectum fidei meerly by being looked upon so Christ crucified doth heal sin beget grace encourage to sufferings by being looked upon with the eyes of Faith Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking uâ—to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith The Apostle was to encourage the Hebrews to hold on the well-begun profession of Faith in Christ and to that purpose he sets before them two fights to keep them from fainting 1. A cloud of witnesses the Saints in heaven on which cloud when he had staid their eyes a while and made them fit for a clearer Object he scatters the cloud and presents the Sun of Righteousness Christ himself and he wills them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn their eyes from it to him looking unto Jesus q. d. this sight is enough to make you run the race and not to faint why Jesus is gone before you and will you not follow him O look unto Jesus and the very sight of him will draw you after him Christ crucified hath an attractive power And I if I be lifted up John 12.32 will draw all men to me Thus of the causes of our conformity we see how it is wrought 3. For the last Query what are the means of this conformity as on our part I answer 1. Go to the Cross of Jesus Christ It is not all our purposes resolutions promises vows covenants endeavours without this that will effect our conformity to Christ in his sufferings and death no no this conformity is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ and therefore whosoever would have this work wrought in him let him first have recourse to Christ's Cross O go we more immediately to the Cross of Jesus 2. Look up to him that hangs upon it contemplate the death of Jesus Christ consider seriously and sadly his bitter shameful painful sufferings Much hath been said only here draw it into some Epitome As 1. Consider who he was 2. What he suffered 3. Why he suffered 4. For whom he
Ascension he triumphed now it was that he led sin death and devil in triumph at his Chariot wheels And this is the meaning of the Psalmist and of the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive He vanquished and triumphed over all our enemies he overcame the world he bound the devil he spoiled hell he weakened sin he destroyed death and now he makes a publick triumphal shew of them in his own Person he led the captives bound to his chariot-wheels as the manner of the Roman triumphs was Col. 2.15 when the conqueror went up to the Capitol It is to the same purpose that the Apostle speaks else-where Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself it is a manifest allusion to the manner of triumphs after victories amongst the Romans first they spoiled the enemy upon the place ere they stirred off the field and this was done by Christ on the Cross and then they made a publick triumphal shew they rid through the streets in the greatest state and had all their spoils carried before them and the Kings and Nobles whom they had taken they tied to their chariots and led them as captives and this did Christ at his Ascension Then he openly triumphed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself i.e. in his own Power and strength other Conquerors do not thus they conquer not in themselves and by themselves but Jesus Christ conquerâ—d 〈◊〉 himself and therefore he triumphed in himself And yet though he triumphed in himself and by himself it was not for himself only but for us which made the Apostle to triumph in his triumph 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ If I may speak out what I think was this victory of Christ I believe it was that honour given to him after his Resurrection by the conversion of enemies by the amazements of the world by the admiration of Angels and especially by his sitting down at the right hand of Majesty on high for therein is contained both his exaltation and his triumph over all his enemies to the utmost 2. That he might lead us the way and open to us the doors of glory It is a question whether ever those doors of Heaven were opened to any before Christs Ascension Christ tells us John 14.2 3. In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you but I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am ye may be also Some infer hence as if there should be many outer courts and many different places or states in glory and yet there is one place whither the Saints should arrive at last which was not then ready for them and was not to be entred into until the entrance of our Lord had made the preparation Again the Apostle tells us that the Fathers received not the promises Heb. 11.40 God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Whence some infer that their conditions after death was a state of imperfection and that they were placed in an outer court on this side Heaven called Paradise or Abraham's bosome and thither also Christ went when he dyed and was attended with the blessed Thief For my part I shall not joyn with such who think all souls of Saints shall go to paradise where they must remain till the day of judgment and then and not till then must enter into that heaven called the third heaven or the Kingdom of Heaven Indeed some of the ancients make heaven and the immediate receptacles of souls to be destinct places both blessed but hugely differing in degrees And a modern writer is very confident Dr. Tayl. great Exemplar Multas dicit non varias aut dispares sed quae pluribus sufficiant acsi diceret non sibi uni sed omnibus etiam discipulis locum illic esse Calvin i. loc Heb. 6.20 That no soul could enter into glory before our Lord entred by whom we hope to have access and to that purpose he cites those texts John 14.2 3. Heb. 11.40 But I see no ground why the souls of Saints should be excluded heaven either before or after Christ As for that text of John 14.2 Christ saith In my Fathers house are many mansions not many outer courts nor many different states and as for the Fathers mentioned Heb. 11.40 Surely they without us shall not be made perfect and we without them shall not be made perfect in some sense until the day of judgment But our Perfection is not in respect of a more glorious place but in respect of that perfection whereof all the faithfull shall be made partakers as well in body as in soul at the resurrection of the just Thus far I grant that no soul ever entred into Heaven but by the vertue and power of Christ's Ascention and that no soul and body joyntly ever ascended except Christs types before Christ himself opened those doors and lead the way and in this respect he is called The forerunner of his People 3. That he might assure us that now he had run through all those Offices which he was to perform here on earth for our redemption He that hath entred into his rest Heb. 4.10 hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his He was first to execute his Office and then to enter into his rest Though he were a Son Heb. 5.8 9. and so the inheritance were his own yet he was to learn Obedience by the things which he suffered before he was made perfect and so to become the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him This was the argument which Christ used when he prayed to be glorified again with his Father I have glorified thee on the earth John 17.4 5. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was This was the order of the dispensation of Christ's Offices his first work was a work of ministry and Service in the Office of obedience and suffering for his Church and this next work was the work of power and majesty in the protection and exaltation of his Church and there was a necessity in this order 1. In respect of God's Decree who had so fore-appointed it Acts 2.23 24. 2. In respect of God's justice which must first be satisfied by obedience before any entrance into glory Luke 24.26 3. In respect of Christ's infinite Person which being equal with God could not possibly be
in his first Sermon after the Spirits mission Act. 2.17 18. In which we read of two pourings of the Spirit one upon their sons and the other upon his servants the former concerned only the Jew they should have Prophesies Visions and Dreams the old way of the Jews but the latter concerns us we are not of their sons but of his servants to whom visions and dreams are left quite out and therefore if any now pretend to those visions and dreams we say with Jeremy Jer. 23.28 The prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream but he that hath my Word let him speak my Word Faithfully what is the Chaffe to the wheat But of all the prophesies concerning the mission of the Holy Ghost our Saviour gives the clearest and the most particular two great Prophesies we find in the Bible the one is of the Old Testament and the other of the New that of the Old Testament was for the coming of Christ and this of the New Testament was for the coming of the Holy Ghost and hence we say that the coming of Christ was the fulfilling of the Law and the coming of the Holy Ghost is the fulfilling of the Gospel In this respect let us search and see those Prophesies of Christ the great Prophet in the New Testament I will pray the Father Joh. 14.16 17. John 15.26 Luke 24.49 John 16.7 and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father he shall testifie of me And behold I send the prâ—mise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be endued with Power from on high It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Why it was of necessity that all these Prophesies and promises must be accomplished and therefore was the Holy Ghost sent amongst us 2. That the holy Apostles might be furnished with gifts and graces suitable to their estates conditions stations places To this purpose no sooner was the Spirit sent Acts 2.3 but they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance They were filled with the Holy Ghost not that they were before empty but now they were more full of the spirit than ever they were before and they speak with other tongues other than ever they had Learned probably they understood no Tongue but the Syriack till this time but now on a sudden they could speak Greek Latine Arabick Persian Parthian and what not the Wisdom and Mercy of God is very observable herein that the same means of diverse Tongues which was the destroying of Babel should be the very same means here conferred on the Apostles to work the building of Syon that the curse should be removed and a blessing come in place that confusion of Tongues should be united to God's Glory that this should be the issue of Tongues that neither Speech nor Language should be upon all the Earth but his praise and glory and the Gospel should be heard amongst them And here is something more observable in that they spake with other Tongues As the spirit gave them utterance the word utterance is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have heard of Apothegmes i.e. wise and weighty sententious speeches now such as these the spirit gave them to utter magnalia Dei v. 11. as in the eleventh verse the wonderful works of God they spake of those singular benefits God offered to the world by the death of his Son they spake of the work of our Redemption of the merits of Christ of the glory and riches of his Grace of the praises due to his Name for all his Mercies others add that they spake of those admirable works of the Trinity as of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification and of whatsoever generally concerned the Salvation of mankind their speeches were not crudities of their own Brain trivial base or vulgar stuff but magnalia great and high Points Apothegmes or Oracles as the spirit gave them utterance But these reasons are remote to us 3. That he might fill the hearts of all the Saints and make them Temples and receptacles for the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own It is said here that after the mighty rushing Wind and cloven fiery Tongues Acts 2.4 they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to spake with other Tongues First they were filled with the Holy Ghost and then they spake with other Tongues the Holy Ghost begins inward and works outward it first alters the mind before it change the speech it first works on the Spirit before on the phraze or utterance this was the first work of the Spirit it filled them And thus for the daily ministration such must be appointed as were full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6.3 Acts 7.55 Acts. 11.24 and Stephen is said to be full of the Holy Ghost and Barnabas is called a good man and full of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is usually said to fill the Saints only whether it be the person of the Holy Ghost or the impressions of the Holy Ghost is a very great question for my part I am apt to incline to their mind who say not only the impressions of the spirit the qualities of holiness the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost or as some think habitual grace in a special manner but that the Holy Ghost himself doth fill and dwell and reign in the hearts of all regenerate men And this seems clear to me 1. By Scriptures 2. By Arguments 1. The Scriptures are such as these He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he of the Spirit John 7.38 39 which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified for those words out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water by living water is meant grace by rivers of living water is meant the manifold graces of the Spirit by the flowing of these rivers is meant the abounding and communicating of those graces from one to another and by the belly out of which those rivers should flow is meant the heart indued or filled with the Holy Ghost Now the spring and rivers the fountain and streams are diverse things and to be distinguished the one is the cause and the other the effect the one is the tree and the other the fruit it is the holy Ghost filling the hearts of beleivers that is the spring and fountain
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us anew to an inheritance immortal This seal of sanctification leaves upon the soul the likeness of Jesus Christ even grace for grace 3. There is a work of assisting exciting quickening grace or of Gods gracious concourse with that habitual grace which he hath wrought in his people now this is various according to the good pleasure of his will the Spirit is more migâ—â—ly present to some than to others yea more to the same man at some times and in some conditions sometimes the same Christian is as a burning and shining light sometimes as a smoaking flax John 3.8 The spirit blows how it listeth sometimes he fills the soul with fuller gales sometimes again she is becalmed a man hath more of the Spirit at one time than another now when the Spirit comes in thus by exciting quickning stirring and inabling us to act so that we can say Jer. 20.9 as sometime the Prophet said It was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and could not stay why then the spirit seals and gives assurance to our souls that we are his 4. There is a work of shining upon or inlightning those graces which the Spirit plants in us and helps us to exercise this seals to the purpose and of this it is that the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The things given to us may be freely received by us and yet the receit of them not known to us therefore the spirit for our further consolation doth as it were put his hand and seal to our receits he shines upon our graces or he enlightens our graces whereby we may know we believe and know that we live Indeed this is rare with Gods own People sometimes notwithstanding this seal we may be in such a state as Paul and his company were in the ship Acts 27.20 When they saw neither Sun nor Star for many days together so it may be that for a time we may see neither Sun nor Star neither light in God's countenance nor light in our souls no grace issuing from God no grace carrying the soul to God yet in this dark condition if we do as Paul and his company did i.e. if we cast anchor even in the dark night of temptation and pray still for day God will appear and all shall clear up we shall at last see light without and see light within surely the day-star will arise in our hearts 5. There is a work of joy and comfort and this is a super-added seal of the Spirit the works of the spirit you may see are of a double kind either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace or upon us by shining on our souls and by sweet feeling of joy habitual grace or sanctifying grace is more constant and alwayes like it self but this work of comfort and joy is of the nature of such priviledges as God vouchsafeth at one time and not at another and hence it is that a Christian may have grace and a Christian may know himself to be in the state of grace and yet in regard of comfort God may be gone Thus it was with Job he knew his redeemer lived and he resolved to trust in him though he killed him he knew he was no hypocrite he knew his graces were true notwithstanding all the objections and imputations of his friends they could not dispute him out of his sincerity My righteousness I hold fast Job 27.6 and will not let it go yet for the present he saw no light from heaven but he was in a sore and afflicted condition till it pleased the Lord to reveal himself in special favour unto him Now this work of joy usually comes not till after faith and many experiences of Gods love and much waiting upon God These are the several works of the spirits sealing But why is it that we can neither actually believe nor can know that we believe nor can enjoy peace and joy in believing without a fresh and new act of the Spirit I answer because the whole carriage of a soul to heaven is above nature where the Spirit makes a stand we stand and can go no farther without the help of the Spirit we can neither make promises nor conclude for our selves it is the spirit that sanctifies and witnesses and seals our souls unto the day of redemption Many other Reasons may be rendred but I shall speak of them in the end of the spirits mission Thus far we have propounded the object viz. the Ascension of Christ the session of Christ at God's right hand and Christs mission of the holy Ghost our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in these respects CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his Ascention Session and Mission of the Spirit 1. LET us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his Ascension into Heaven in his Session at God's right hand and in his mission of the Holy Ghost these are points of great use if these transactions had not been where had we been these are points of highest speculation if these transactions had not been where had Christ been after his humiliation herein lay the exaltation of his glorious Person he was exalted above the Earth above the Clouds above the Stars above the Heavens above the Heavens of Heavens O the glorious Majesty of our King Jesus as sitting down at God's right hand our salvation is the greatest mystery that ever was it being made up of the various workings of the glory of God for us men and for our salvation Christ was incarnate and came down from Heaven and for us men and for our salvation Christ was exalted and went up into Heaven Here is an object of admiration indeed the very Angels at the sight of it stood admiring and adoring it took up their heart astonished their understanding surely it was the blessedst sight that ever the Angels did or could behold come then and O my soul do thou take a view of that which they admire the design is not so principally concerning Angels as thy self they are in it only as afar off and in general but it concerns thee in special and particular and therefore study close this Argument and know it for thy self Study first the Ascension of Christ how and whether and why he ascended 2. Study the Session of Christ at God's right hand O the mines the riches of that spiritual heavenly knowledg 3. Study the mission of the Holy Ghost not a circumstance in it but deserves thy Study worlds of wealth ten thousand times better than Gold or Silver or Precious Stones may be found in the diggings of these mines have not many
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
World to come and yet fell away and it is said of such others that they trampled upon the Blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified Thus we find in Scripture-phrase that in an Hypocrite or wicked Man there may be a kind of Faith and repentance a taste of Heaven and of Sanctificatian but where do we find in all the Bible that Christ or the Spirit of Christ is said to dwell in an Hypocrite or wicked Man this only is the great priviledge of a true believer Christ in him the Hope of Glory O the comfort of this in-dwelling of Christ Luke 19.6 If Zacheus hearing that Christ would abide in his House received him joyfully how much greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts John 15.11 These things have I spoken to you said Christ that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full And now O my soul spread thy self on this great good Christ's Ascension Christ's Session and Christs Mission of his Holy Spirit What is joy but an effusion of the appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it more perfectly the object is sweet and large and therefore the soul had need to spread it self that it may be more united to the Object and touch the good in more of its parts yea if it were possible in every part There is not any particular here before thee but 't is fewel for joy O what joy was in Heaven when Christ Ascended and when Christ sate down at God's right hand and when Christ sent down the Holy Spirit how stood the Angels wondring and admiring at these several passages how did they stoop and look with the bowing of the Head and bending of the Neck as the Word implies 1 Pet. 1.12 and is not thy interest in these transactions more than Angels O rejoyce and again rejoyce suppose thy self in Heaven and that thou hadst a vision of Christ ascended say is he not a pleasant Object In his face there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 Suppose thy self to have been in Heaven when he first entred into it and when he first sate down at God's right hand and sent down the Comforter to his Saints was not Heaven full of joy methinks the very thought of Christ's bright Face and Christ's white Throne and Christ's Harpers and Heavenly Troops surrounding the Throne and Christ's welcome to his Father both for himself and all his Saints and Christ's carrying thy name upon his Breast before his Father should fill thy soul as full of joy as possibly it can hold O the first-fruits of Emanuel's land that lyes beyond time and death O the joyes that were in Heaven at Christ's first entrance into Heaven O my soul why dost thou not check thy self and lay aside thy sad complaints and forget this Earth and Earthly troubles why dost thou not look up to Jesus Christ and rejoyce in him who hath done all this for thy Salvation either the Spirit of God is not thy Comforter or thou canst not but receive comfort in these passages SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus I mean 1. Let us pray that we may have our part in these transactions or let us pray for more and more assurance thereof unto our souls for though we do believe yet we may not be without our doubts and in case of doubts what better means than Prayer I believe Lord help my unbelief Lord strengthen my Faith till I come to that plerophory or full assurance of faith that I may know my interest in the Ascension of Christ and Session of Christ and in the Mission of Christ's holy Spirit and if once we are but assured then 2. Praise God for these great transactions of his Son are they not mercies like mountains lying one upon another and reaching up to the very Heavens did not love break out at first in a direct line and as it went along hath it not wound up it self in such a variety of unthought of discoveries as that it amazeth Men and Angels what that Jesus Christ should not only act for us here on earth but also ascend for us into Heaven and sit down there at God's right hand above the Heavens what that all this should be for us and our salvation and to that purpose that he should send down his Spirit into our hearts to fit us and prepare us for his glory Now bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 103.1 2. I will extol thee my God O King and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever One generation shall praise thy works to another Psal 145.1 2 4 7 10 11 12. and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I will utter the memory of thy great goodness and will sing of thy righteousness Thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power and make known unto the sons of men thy mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Thy glory is above the earth and heaven Psal 148.13 14. thou also exaltest the horn of thy people the praise of all thy Saints and people near unto thy self O that my soul were but in David's temper thus to breath out the praises of Jesus and to bless his Name SECT IX Of conforming unto Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in the aforesaid respects A serious beholding of Jesus in his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit is enough to change us into the same Image from glory to glory It was the sweet saying of an experienced Saint View a glorified Christ see him as in that relation and condition and you will soon have the sparkles of the same glory on your hearts Christ is now exalted he is now in glory at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 2. O let all our actings be glorious let all our walkings joys breathings be as in glory If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth I shall not in this transaction lay out many particular conformities to Christ's actings but gather all into one contained in this Text which is heavenly conversation seek things above set your affections above Christ is gone up and Christ is set down at God's right hand and herein if you will conform let your hearts be in Heaven let your affections be in Heaven let your conversations be in Heaven it is the Apostles own practise wherein stood his conformity to Jesus Christ for our
in reading pardons for his redeemed ones or in presenting petitions from them and pleading for them Surely he is still interceding every day it is his present work for our souls O desirable work 2. In this present transaction lies the application of all Christ's former actings whether of his habitual righteousness or of his active and passive obedience All those passages of Christ's incarnation conception circumcision birth life and death which more especially we look upon as the meritorious causes of our salvation had been nothing to us if they had not been applyed by Christ they were the means of impetration but Christ's intercession is the means of application Christ purchased salvation by those precedaneous acts but he possesseth us of our salvation by this perfective and consummate act of his intercession The order of this is laid down by the Apostle Heb. 5.8 9 10. in that first He learned obedience by the things which he suffered and then being made perfect he became the Author or applying cause of eternal salvation to all them that obey him being to this purpose called of God an High-Priest after the order of Melchizedeck Now is not this the desirable act above all other acts Alas what am I better for a Mine of Gold in such or such or such a field in which I have no propriety at all I am throughly convinc'd that Christ's merits are most precious merits but oh that they were mine Oh that Christ's intercessions would bring the salve and lay it to my sore Oh that I could hear that voice from Heaven My son I was incarnate for thee and conceived for thee and born for thee and circumcised for thee and I did the Law and suffered the penalty for thee and now I am interceding that thy very soul may have the benefit of all my doings and of all my sufferings Why if Christ's intercessions be the applying cause if it bring home to my soul all the former transactions of Christ saying All these are thine even thine oh how desirable must this intercession be 3. In this application lies that communion and fellowship which we have with the Father and the Son John 17.21 I pray for these that as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Understand this soberly we cannot think that there should be that oneness in equalitie betwixt God and us as betwixt God and Christ no no but there is oneness in similitude and reallity even in this life by vertue of Christ's intercession we have oneness with God and Christ not onely in comforts but also in graces I pray you mark this when I speak of communion with God in this life I mean especially the communication of grace between God and the soul on God's part there 's a special influence of grace and favour to man and on man's part there is a special return of grace and honour to God Some trembling souls are apt to think that all communion with God and Christ consists only in the comforts of the holy spirit whereas Christians may as really and advantagiously have communion with God in secret conveyances of grace inward supports in a concealed acceptation of service in the hidden drawings of the soul God-ward as in the more open and comfortable manifestations of God unto the soul communion with God is a familiar friendship I speak it in an holy humble sence now do we not as usually go to a friend for councel and advice as for comfort and cheering in a friends bosom we intrust our sorrows as well as our joys Suppose a soul even spiritually overwhelmed and ready to break be taking it self unto God and venting it self before the Lord now if afterwards the soul hath no more case than by the bare lanching of the sore if God pours in no balm at all but only gives support shall we say that this soul in this case hath no communion with God O yes in God's secret visits of the soul and in the souls restless groping after God though nothing but darkness be apprehended yet that soul lives in the light of God's countenance the Sun shines though a cloud interposeth God smiles though the soul do not perceive it or certainly thou hast his strengthening-supporting presence if not his shining John 17.23 now this is the fruit of Christ's blessed intercession and this is the subject-matter of Christ's intercessions O my Father that these may be one in us I in them and thou in me I in them by the influence and power of my Spirit and thou in me by the fulness and power of the Godhead And is not this a most desirable thing 4. In this communion lyes the vision and fruition of Jesus Christ in glory grace brings to glory If communion here we shall have communion hereafter and this also is a part of Christ's prayer and intercession Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am John 17.24 that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Jesus cannot be in Heaven long without his Saints indeed it is impossible that Christ should be in Heaven and that pieces and bits of Christ-mystical should be in Hell or yet long on Earth Christ will draw in his Legs and Members on earth up nearer to the Head certainly Christ and you that are believers must be under one roof ere long Is not he gone before to prepare a place yea many mansions for you John 14.2 we think them happy on earth that have their many stately Halls and Palaces their summer and their winter-houses O Christians how happy will you be when you come to be Lords and Heirs of many stately Mansions in the streets of Heaven but what speak I of Mansions now I am naming Christ Mansions are nothing many Mansions are but little yea many Mansions in Christ's Fathers house are but created chips of happiness in comparison of that communion which by vertue of Christ's intercession we shall have with Christ It is the saying of an eminently learned holy Divine Sam. Rutherford I should refuse heaven saith he if Christ were not there take Christ away from Heaven and it 's but a poor dark heartless dwelling Heaven without Christ would look as the direful land of death And therefore after Christ had spoke of many Mansions and of a place that he would prepare for his Saints he adds further to increase their joy John 14.3 I will come again saith he and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Mansions are but as places of bryers and thornes without Jesus Christ and therefore I would have Heaven for Christ and not have Christ for Heaven O this communion with Christ is above all desirable and this is the subject-matter of Christ's prayer Father I would have the Saints to be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Why this is the
alledge that this priviledge was granted to Peter as an Apostle but we say that if it was granted to Peter as an Apostle then it was common to Peter and Judas in that both were Apostles They alledge further that Christ prayes not for the absolute perseverance of Believers but after a sort and upon condition But we say the Prayer of Christ is certain and not suspended in this Prayer his desire is not for Peter that would presevere but his desire is for Peter that he should persevere the object of the thing for which Christ prayes is distinct from the thing it self prayed for 9. That we might have the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they might behold my glory Why this is the main end in respect of us our glory and indeed herein is the main piece of our glory to behold this glory Oh to see the Lord Jesus Christ glorified as he shall be glorified must be a glorious thing What is it to see his glory but to behold the lustre of his Divinity through his humanity In this respect our very eyes shall come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him we may be sure God shall appear through the humanity of Christ as much as is possible for the Divinity to appear in a creature and therefore Men and Angels will be continually viewing of Christ I know there is another glory of Christ which the Father will put upon him Because he humbled himself therefore God will exalt him Rev. 14.4 and give him a name above every name and we shall see him in this glory O the ravishing sight of Saints Christ is so lovely that the Saints cannot leave but they must and will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes there shall be no moment to all eternity wherein Christ shall be out of sight to so many thousand thousands of Saints now this is the glory of the Saints above as a Queen that sees the Prince in his glory she delights in it because it is her glory so the Church when she shall see Christ her Husband in his glory she shall rejoyce in it because she looks upon it as her own Is not this a blessed end of Christ's intercession why hither tend all the rest all the other ends end in this and for this above all Christ intercedes to his Father Father Cant. 3.11 I would have my Saints with me O that all the daughters of Zion may behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith thou hast crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Only one Question and I have done how should I set my faith on work to act on Christ's intercession for these ends I answer 1. Faith must perswade it self that here is a vertue in Christ's intercession Certainly every passage and acting of Christ hath its efficacy and therefore there is vertue in this it is full of juyce it hath a strong influence in it 2. Faith must consider that it is the design of God and the intendment of Christ that this intercession should be for the good of those that are given to Christ O there 's enough in Christ enough in Christ's intercession to convey communion the Spirit protection free access to the Throne of Grace a Spirit of prayer pardon of sins continuance in grace salvation of souls to the Saints and people of God through all the world and this is the design of God that Christ's intercession should be as the fountain whence all these streams must run and be conveyed unto us 3. Faith must act dependantly upon the intercession of Christ for these very ends this is the very nature of Faith it relyes upon God in Christ and upon all the actings of Christ and upon all the promises of Christ so then Is there a desirable end in Christ's intercession which we aim at O let us act our Faith dependantly let us rely stay or lean upon Christ to that same end let us roul our selves or cast our selves upon the very intercession of Jesus Christ Saying O my Christ there is enough in thee and in this glorious intercession of thine and therefore there will I stick and abide for ever 4. Faith must ever and anon be trying improving wrestling with God that vertue may go out of Christ's intercession into our hearts I have heard Lord that there is an Office erected in heaven that Christ as Priest should be ever praying and interceding for his people O that I may feel the efficacy of Christ's intercession am I now in prayer O that I could feel in this prayer the warmth and heat and spiritual fire which usually falls down from Christ's intercession into the hearts of his Lord warm my spirit in this duty give me the kisses of thy mouth O that I may now have communion with thee thy Spirit upon me thy protection over me O that my pardon may be sealed my grace confirmed my soul saved in the day of Jesus In this method O my soul follow on and who knows but God may appear e're thou art aware howsoever be thou in the use of the means and leave the issue with God SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession Now two things more especially will excite our love 1. Christ's love to us 2. Our propriety in Christ For the first many acts of Christ's love have appeared before and every one is sufficient to draw our loves to him again As 1. He had an eternal love to man he feasted himself on the thoughts of love delight and free-grace to man from all eternity since God was God O boundless duration the Lord Jesus in a manner was loving and longing for the dawning of the day of the Creation he was as it were with child of infinite love to man before he made the world Some observe that the first words which ever Christ wrote were Love to Believers and these were written with glory for it was before gold was and they were written upon his bosom for then other books were not 2. In the beginning of time he loved man above all creatures for after he had made them all he then speaks as he never did before Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and though man at that very instant unmade himself by sins Christ's love yet was not broken off but held forth in a promise till the day of performance The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3. In the fulness of time his
respect 4. LET us hope in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his second coming Hope is of good things to come hope is an act of the will extending it self towards that which it loves as future onely the future good as it is the object of hope is difficult to obtain and therein it differs from desire for desire looks at future good without any apprehension of difficulty but hope respects the future good as it is gotten with difficulty Lazy hopes that will not be in use of means though difficult are not true hopes we see many desirable things set before us of which we may say Oh that we had our part and portion of them but shall we go on and search and find out the truth whether we have any part or portion in them or whether we have any hopes of any such thing oh this is worthy our pains come then let us yet make a further progress let us not only desire that it may be thus and so but let us say on some sure and certain grounds we hope it is thus and so we hope Christ will come again John 14.3 and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also Heb. 9.12 Indeed there is the Christians stay and comfort such an hope is a sure Anchor that will hold the ship in a storm onely because our souls lie upon it we had need to look to it that our hopes be true the worst can say They hope to be saved as well as the best but I fear the hopes of many will be lamentably frustrated Our Saviour brings in many pleading with confidence at the last day for life who shall be rejected with miserable disappointment Many shall say to me at that day Lord Lord c. and I will confess unto them I never knew them depart from me Now to clear this point that our hopes are of the right stamp and not counterfeit hopes I shall lay down some signs whereby we may know that Christ's coming is for us and for our good and for the grace that is to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 4. 1. If we are born again then will his glorious coming be to glorifie us Blessed be the God and Father of Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope to an inheritance incorruptible Whoever hath the true hope of Heaven John 3.3 he is one that is begotten again so our Saviour Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Many things may be done as Herod heard John the Baptist and did many things but except a man be born again those many things are in God's account as nothing When Peter had told Christ that he and his fellow-disciples had forsaken all Math. 19.28 and followed him Then Jesus said verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel q. d. Peter you have forsaken all and followed me but know that bare forsaking is not enough but you who have felt the Work of God regenerating your souls upon which ye have followed me ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones In those who are alive at the last day there will be a change and this change will be to them instead of death 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Certainly in those who at the last day shall sit on Thrones with Christ there must be a change likewise in this life i.e. a new spirit and a new life must be put into them Oh what a change is this suppose a rational soul were put into a beast what a change would be in that Creature suppose an angelical nature were put upon us what a change would there be in us oh but what a change is this when a man is born again of water and of the spirit I must tell you that the highest degree of glory in Heaven is not so different from the lowest degree of grace here as the lowest degree of grace here is different from the highest excellency of nature here because the difference betwixt the highest degree of the glory of Heaven and the lowest degree of grace is only gradual but the difference that is betwixt the lowest degree of grace and the highest excellency of nature is a specifical difference Oh there 's a mighty work of God in preparing souls for glory by grace and this change must they have that must sit on Thrones Come then you that hope for glory try your selves by this is there a change in your hearts words and lives is there a mighty work of grace upon your spirits are you experienc'd in the great mystery of regeneration why here 's your evidence that your hopes are sound and that you shall sit upon Thrones to judge the world Heb. 9.28 2. If we long for his coming then will he come to satisfie our longings Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be satisfied how satisfied but in being saved Christ was offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation unto them that look for him or long for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation it is very observable how this looking for Christ is in Scripture a frequent description of a true believer in Christ Who are true sincere and sound Christians but such as live in a perpetual desire and hope of Christs blessed coming 2 Pet. 3.12 they are ever looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God Here are two signs in one verse looking for and hasting unto true believers are not only in a posture looking for the coming of Jesus Christ but also as it were going forth to meet Jesus Christ with burning Lamps Luther could say Mat. 6.10 That he was no true Christian neither could he truly recite the Lord's prayer that with all his heart desired not this day of the coming of Christ. It is true that whether we will or no that day will come but in the Lord's prayer Christ hath taught us to pray that God would accelerate and hasten the day of his glorious coming thy Kingdom come i.e. the Kingdom of glory at the Judgment as well as the Kingdom of grace in the Church It is true that the day of the Lord is a terrible day the Heavens and Earth and Sea and Air shall be all on a bone-fire and burn to nothing nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth we that have laid hold upon God and laid hold on him by the right handle according to his promises we look for
this day of the Lord we look for it and hasten unto it we are glad it is so near and we do what we can to have it nearer with an holy kind of impatience we beg of the Lord Rom 8.22 23 Come Lord Jesu come quickly This was Paul's character We know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies God's children such as have the first-fruits of the spirit the beginnings of true saving grace in them they constantly look and long for the day of full deliverance or of the coming of Christ This the Apostle instanceth in his Corinthians ye come behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and in like manner he writes to his Philippians Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 And to Titus himself he writes the same things We look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now Christians lay this character to heart do you long pant and look for this glorious and second coming of Christ have you any such wishes and sayings of heart and mind as these are Oh that Christ would appear Oh that Christ would now break the Heavens and come to Judgment oh that I could see him in the Cloud and on his Throne oh that his enemies were ruined my sins subdued my soul saved that I might serve him without weariness for ever and ever Surely if these elongations of soul be in you it is a comfortable evidence that your hopes are sound and that Christ will come to receive you to himsâ—lf and to bring you to glory 3. If we love Christ's appearing then will he appear on our side 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing A true Christian loves Christ's appearing in ordinances and in all the means of grace how much more in his own person but how should we love that we see not O yes there 's a kind of an Idea of Christ and of his glorious appearing in every sanctified soul and in that respect we love him though we cannot see him Who having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 Verse 7. saith the Apostle and so your love and faith at the appearing of Jesus Christ shall be found unto praise and honour and glory Those that have not seen Christ and yet love the Idea of his sight even they shall appear at the appearing of Christ in praise and honour and glory Is not the Crown laid up for them that love the appearing of Christ is it not a sign of a good cause to love a day of hearing surely the love of Christ's coming cannot consist without some assurance that a soul shall stand upright in the Judgdment He that hath not a confidence in his cause loves not the coming of the Judge no guilty prisoner loves the Sessions or loves the judges presence it is the cry of Reprobates Rev. 6.16 O ye mountains and O ye Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne But as for Christ and his Saints O the mutual loves and mutual longings in their breasts The last words that Christ speaks in the Bible and amongst us last words make deepest impressions are Surely I come quickly and the last answer that is made in our behalf is Amen even so come Lord Jesus I know this Character is near the former and therefore I shall pass it over 4. If our works be good then will he reward us according to our works At that great day this will be the trial works are no works Mat. 25.33 34 35 36. Then will he say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here were works Verse 46. upon which followed the rewards of Heaven for these went into eternal life I know Works are not meritorious and yet they are evidences I know works without Faith are but glisterrings sins and yet works done in faith are signs and fore-runners of eternal glory I know that if all the excellencies of all the moralities of all the men in the world were put together these could never reach glory and yet a cup of cold water given to one of Christ's little ones in the name of a Disciple of Christ shall not lose its reward Mat. 10.24 If a Christian doubt how should I know that my works are of a right stamp I answer 1. Look at the principle is there not something above nature do I not find some new light let out by God that shews a glory and excellency and beauty in good works is there not something in me that makes the same to be sweet or pleasant or agreeable to me 2. Look at the end natural works have no better end than self and creature-respects but in my works is there no aim at something higher than self whatever I do is not this in mine eye that all I do may tend to the honour and glory of God I had need take heed of vain-glory and self applause the Godly at the day of Judgment do not know the good works they did if my aim be at God I shall forget my self as if all I did were swallowed up in God 3. Look at the manner of my doing works Vzzah had a good intention but his work was not good because the manner was not good are my works according to the rule do they carry a conformity to the Law of God Let every man try his own work in this O my soul bring thy works to the touch-stone the Scripture the Rule of goodness is not all thy gold then discovered to be dross the Scripture doth not onely tell of works but tells us the manner of performing them as for instance if rightly done they must be done in zeal in fervency in activity thus Gods people are called a peculiar people zealous of good works a formal customary superficial performance of holy works fails in the manner of performing them what are my works performed in zeal is there not too much of coldness emptiness formality in all I do why thus may I know whether my works are of a right stamp certainly all works duties actings which are not done by a gracious heart through