God to this purpose he sits at God's right hand to intercede for us and to maintain the peace and union betwixt God and us therefore being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2. His work is to maintain intercourse and correspondency and surely this is Christs work also By him we have an access unto the Father Eph. 2.18.3.12 In him we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him the word access doth not only signifie coming to God in prayer but all that resort and communion which we have with God as united by faith to Jesus Christ according to that 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ had once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God This benefit have all believers in and by Christ they come to God by him they have free commerce and intercourse in heaven 3. His work is to reconcile and take up emergent differences and this is Christ's work also Isa 53.12 he maketh intercession for the Transgressors he takes up the differences that our transgressions make betwixt God and us 4. This work is to procure the welfare of the People or State where he negotiates and this is no less Christ's Work for he seeks the welfare of his people he sits at God's right hand to intercede for them and commending their estate and condition to his Father Phil. 1.19 he makes it his request to his Father that his members may have a continual supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ that they may be strengthened in temptations confirmed in tribulations delivered from every evil work enabled to every good duty and finally preserved unto his Heavenly Kingdom 2. Christ's Intercessions consists in the presenting of his Wounds Death and Blood as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin and as a publick price for the purchase of our glory There is a question amongst the Schools whether Christ hath not taken his wounds or the signs skars and prints of his wounds into heaven with him and whether Christ is representing those wounds skars and prints unto his Father doth not hereby intercede for us some I am sure are for the affirmative Aquinas distinguisheth of Christ's Intercession as being three-fold Aquin. in Job c. 2. the first before his passion by devout prayer and the second at his Passion by effusion of his blood and the third after his Ascension by the representation of his Wounds and Scars Howsoever this hold for I dare not be too confident without Scripture-ground yet this I dare say that Christ doth not only present himself but the Sacrifice of himself and the infinite Merit of his Sacrifice When he went to heaven he carried with him absolutely the Power Merit the vertue of his Wounds and Death and Blood into the presence of God the Father for us and with his blood he sprinkled the Mercy-seat as it were seven times We read in the Law that When the high Priest went within the vail he took the blood of the Bullock and sprinkled it with his finger upon the mercy-seat East-ward Levit. 16.14 and before the mercy-seat he sprinkled the blood with his finger seven times not only was the Priest to kill the Bullock without the holy of holies but he was to enter with the blood into the holy of holies and to sprinkle the mercy-seat therein with it surely these were patterns of things to be done in the Heavens Christ that was slain and Crucified without the gate carryed his own blood into the holy of holies or into the heaven of heavens Heb. 9.12 for by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us and thither come he sprinkles it as it were upon the mercy-seat i.e. he applyes it and obtains mercy by it by the blood of Christ God's mercy and justice are reconciled in themselves and reconciled unto us Christ sprinkles his blood on the mercy-seat seven times seven is a note of perfection where Christs blood is sprinkled on a soul that soul is sure to be washed from all filth and at last to be perfected and saved to the very utmost Christ's blood was shed upon the earth but Christ's blood is sprinkled now he is in heaven what is any soul sprinkled with the blood of Christ Heb. 12.22 24. surely this sprinkling comes from heaven so the Apostle But ye are come to mount Zion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and then it follows to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel It is upon mount Zion where this sprinkling is there is Jesus at God's right hand there he stands as it were upon the mount Levit. 16.14 19. and there he sprinkles his blood round about him heaven is all besprinkled as the mercy-seat in the holy of holies was the earth is all besprinkled as the Altar out of the holy of holies was heaven and earth are all besprinkled with the blood of Jesus so that the Saints and people of God are no where but their doors and their posts and houses I mean their bodies and souls are all besprinkled with the blood of the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Why this is that blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel Mark that Christ's blood hath a tongue it speaks it cries it prayes it intercedes there 's some agreement and some difference betwixt Christs blood and Abels blood Gen. 4.10 1. The agreement is in these things Abels blood was abundantly shed for so it is said the voyce of bloods and Christ's blood was let out with thornes and scourges nails and spear Gen. 4.10 it was abundantly shed Again Abels blood cryed out yea it made a loud cry so that it was heard from earth to heaven the voice of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground and Christ's blood cryeth out it makes a loud cry it fills heaven and earth with the noise yea the Lords ears are so filled with it that it drowns all other souls and rings continually in his ears 2. The difference is in these things Abels blood cryed for vengeance against Cain but Christ's blood speaks for mercy on all believers Abels blood was shed because he sacrificed and he and his sacrifice accepted but Christs blood was shed that he might be sacrificed and that we through his sacrifice might be accepted Abels blood cryed thus see Lord and revenge but Christs blood cryed thus Father forgive them for they know not what they do and at this very instant Christ's blood crys for remission and here 's our comfort if God heard the servant he will much rather hear the Son if he heard the servant for spilling he will much more hear the Son for saving yet that I may speak properly and not in figures
Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 Rev. 3.20 Cant. 1.1 2 Deut. 4.7 and Christ is said to come and sup with us and to kiss us with the kisses of his mouth and to be near to us in all that we call upon him for surely this is the highest happiness of the Saints that God is their God when they can say this they have enough if we could say this House is mine this Town this City this Kingdom this World is mine what is all this O but when a Christian comes at length and sayes this God that made all the world is mine this is enough indeed this is the greatest promise that ever was made or ever can be made to any creature Angels or Men herein if we observe it God gives himself to be wholly ours consider God essentially or personally Consider Jehovah Elohim all is ours God in his essence and glorious attributes communicates himself to us for good and God personally considered as Father Son and Holy Ghost they all enter into Covenant with us 1. The Father enters into Covenant with us he promiseth to be a father to us hence saith the Lord Israel is my Son my first born and again is Ephraim my dear Son Exod. 4.22 Jer. 31.20 Psal 14.11 Psal 103.13 is he a pleasant Child the Lord speaketh as through he were fond of his Children as delighting in them for so it is said the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him or as pitying of them for so it is said likewise like as a father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 2. The Son is in Covenant with us and speaks to us in this language thou art mine how comes that about why I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name Isa 43.1 and therefore thou art mine this is Christ's Covenant with us he brings us back to his Father from whose presence we were banished and sets us before his face for ever he undertakes for us to take up all controversies which may fall out between God and us he promiseth to restore us to the Adoption of Sons and not only to the title but to the inheritance of Sons that we might be where he is Joh. 17.24 Heb. 10.14 15 16. 3. The Holy Ghost makes a Covenant with us By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness and a worker This is the Covenant that I will make with them I will put my Law into their hearts and in their minds will I write them I know the Father is implyed in this yet here is the proper work of the Holy Ghost what the Father hath purposed for us from all Eternity and the Son hath purchased for us in his time that the Holy Ghost effects in us and for us as in our time he applyes the blood of Christ for the remssion of Sins he writes the Law in our hearts he comforts us in our sadness he supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wanderings Now he that effects these things for us and in our behalf he is therefore said to make a Covenant with us Thus Elohim God personally considered Father Son and Holy Ghost are in Covenant with us 4. This is the great promise what can be greater when God said to Abraham I will be thy God Heb. 6.13 what could he give more so when God tells us I am the Lord thy God what could he say more God having no greater to swear by saith the Apostle he swore by himself So God being minded to do great things for his People and having no greater thing to give he gives himself O the goodness of God in Christ I am the Lord thy God 5. Let us see the fruit of this in reference to Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This was God's promise long before to Abraham know of a surety Gen. 15.13 4. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years and also that Nation whom they shall serve will I judg and afterwards they shall come out with great substance See here Israel must be strangers in Egypt and serve the Egyptians four hundred years but then he will bring them out of the land of Egypt and out of their servile bondage why this argues that God is Jehovah now he has performed what he had foretold and this argues that God in Christ is our Redeemer for what was this redemption from Egypt but a type of our freedom from sin death and hell here is the work of redemption joyned with that great name Jehovah Elohim to signifie that such a redemption is a clear testimony of a true and mighty God Whether this were laid down only as a peculiar argument to the Jews to keep the Commandments or it belongs also to us being grafted in and become of the same stock with them I shall not dispute this is without any controversie that their bondage was typical and ours spiritual you see the good things promised in this Covenant 6. What is the condition of this covenant on our part as we may gather it hence The condition of this covenant is faith in Jesus which is implyed in the promise I will be thy God or I am the Lord thy God and commanded in the precept built upon it thou shalt have me to be thy God or thou shalt have no other Gods before me But where is faith in Jesus Christ mentioned either in promise or precept I answer if it be not expressed it is very plainly intended or meant God is not the God of Israel but in and through the Mediator neither can Israel take God to be their God but by faith in the Messiah In the prophets we read frequently these exhortations trust in the Lord commit thy self unto the Lord lean upon the Lord and roul thy burden upon the Lord but what the Prophets exhort unto that is commanded in this expressure of the Covenant and who can trust in the Lord or commit himself to the Lord or lean upon the Lord or roul his burthen on the Lord if he be a sinner unless it be in and through a Mediator Israel must walk before God in all well-pleasing and the Apostle tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God But to go further what is the meaning of this first commandment in the affirmative part but to have one God in Christ to be our God by faith it is true Heb. 11.6 there is no mention made of Christ or faith but that is nothing is there is no mention of Love and yet our Saviour discovers and commands it there when the Lawyer tempted Christ Master which is the great Commandment in the Law you know Christs answer Mat. 22.36 37 38. thou shalt love the Lord
second person the Mediator did bear unto his Father for this very end saith the Apostle God sent his own Son made of a woman Gal. 4.4.5 6. that we might receive the Adoption of Sons wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ intimating thereby that what relation Christ hath unto God by nature we being found in him have the very same by Grace Rom. 8.29 Exod. 4.22 23 he was Gods Son by nature and we are his Sons by Grace he was in a peculiar manner the first born among many Brethren and in him and for him the rest of the Brethren by grace of Adoption are accounted as first-born Heb. 12.23 Heb. 2.16 2. The nature assumed was the seed of Abraham for verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Rom. 1.3 Gen. 3.15 Gal. 4.4 elsewhere the Apostle calls it the seed of David He is made the seed of David according to the Flesh and elsewhere he is called the seed of the Woman I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed and when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman no question she was the passive and material principle of which that precious flesh was made and the Holy Ghost the agent and efficient that blessed womb of her was the Bride-Chamber wherein the holy Ghost did knit that indissoluble knot betwixt our humane Nature and his Deity the Son of God assuming into the unity of his person that which before he was not even our humane Nature O with what astonishment may we behold our dust and ashes assumed into the unity of Gods own Person 3. For the reason of this way why did the person assume a Nature or rather why did not the person of the Son of God joyn it self to a perfect person of the Son of man I answer 1. Because then there could not have been a personal union of both natures and so Christ had not been a perfect Mediator 2. Because then the work of each of the Natures of Christ could not have been counted the works of the whole person whereas now by this union of both natures in one person the obedience of Christ performed in the Manhood is become of infinite merit as being the Obedience of God and thereupon God is said to have purchased the Church with his own Blood Acts. 20.28 3. Because if the Person of the Son of God had been joyned to the Person of man there should have been four Persons in the Trinity It is very observable how for the better preservation of the integrity of the blessed Trinity in the Godhead the humane Nature was assumed into the unity of the second person for if the fulness of the Godhead should have dwelt in any humane Person there should then have been a fourth Person necessarily added unto the Godhead and if any of the three Persons besides the second had been born of a Woman there should then have been two Sons in the Trinity whereas now the Son of God and the Son of Man being but one Person he is consequently but one Son and so no alteration at all made in the relations of the Persons of the Trinity but they are still one Father one Son and one Holy Ghost These are the deep things of God and indeed so exceedingly mystical that they can never be perfectly declared by any man Bernard compares this ineffable mystery of the union of two natures with that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity in unity In the Trinity is three Persons and one Nature in Christ is two Natures and one Person that of the Trinity is indeed the greatest and this of the Incarnation is like unto it they both far exceed mans capacity for his way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters Psal 77.19 and his footsteps are not known 2. For the effects and Benefits of this Hypostatical Union they are either in respect of Christ or in respect of Christians 1. Those in respect of Christ are 1. An exemption of all sin 2. A Collation of all Graces 3. A Communication of all the properties 1. We find that although Christ appeared as a sinner and that he was numbred among the wicked or with the Transgressors Isa 53.12 Isa 53.12 Yet in very Deed and Truth he did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 1 Pet. 2.22 Heb. 7.36 The Apostle tells us he was holy harmless undefiled and separate from Sinners he assumed the nature of man yet by reason of his pure Conception and of this Hypostatical Union he was conceived and born and lived without sin he took upon him the seed of man but not the Sin of man save only by imputation but on this point I shall not stay 2. The Graces collated unto the humanity of Christ by reason of his union are very many I shall instance in some As 1. That the Manhood hath its subsistence in the second Person of the Trinity whereof it self as of it self is destitute 2. That the Manhood is a peculiar Temple for the Deity of Christ to dwell in it is the place wherein the Godhead shews it self more manifestly and more Gloriously than in any other Creature whatsoever it is true that by his providence he shews himself in all his Creatures and by his Grace in his Saints but he is only most Gloriously eternally according to the fulness of his Deity and by an Hypostatical Union in the humanity of Jesus Christ in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Some are of opinion that as now in this Life Col. 2.9 No man cometh unto God but by Christ so hereafter in the next life no man shall see God but in the face of Jesus Christ 3. That in the Manhood is a nearer familiarity with the Godhead than any other Creature whether Men or Angels as sometimes he said My Father and I are one i.e. one essence so he may as truly say the Manhood and I are one i.e. one person for ever 4. That the Manhood of Christ according to its measure is a partner with the Godhead in the work of Redemption and Mediation as he is Immanuel in respect of his person so he is Immanuel in respect of his office He must needs be man as well as God that he might be able to send this comfortable message to the Sons of men go to my Brethren John 20 17. and say to them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God I as man am in the work of redemption and in the work of mediation as well as God my Flesh is indeed the Bread of Life 5. That the Manhood of Christ together with the Godhead is adored and worshipped with Divine honour as in like case
everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7.27 Yet his end shall be and he shall have nothing Dan. 9.26 Thus all along from his Cratch to his Cross sweet Savours but sowr Grapes at last indeed the Grapes grew to a ripeness and then he was pressed and his dearest heart-blood run out in abundant streams this was the sweet juice of our Garden-Vine God planted it the Heavens Water it the Jews prune it what remains now but that we abide in it but of that when we come to the Directions how we are to look SECT VII Of some Consequents after Christ's Birth SOme Consequents after the Birth of Christ may be touched whilest yet he was but a Child of twelve years old As 1. When he was but eight dayes old he was Circumcised and named Jesus As there was shame in his Birth so there was pain in his Circumcision a sharp Razor paseth through his skin presently after he is born not that he needed this Ceremony but that for us he was content to be legally impure In this early humiliation he plainly discovers the Riches of his Grace now he sheds his Blood in drops and thereby gives an earnest of those Rivers which he afterwards poured out for the cleansing of our Nature and extinguishing the wrath of God and for a further discovery of his Grace at this time his Name is given him which was Jesus This is the name which we should engrave in our hearts rest our Faith on and place our help in and love with the overflowings of Charity and Joy and Adoration above all things we had need of a Jesus a Saviour for our Souls and from our sins and from the everlasting destruction which sin will otherwise bring upon our Souls hence this Name Jesus and this Sign Circumcision are joined together for by the effusion of his blood he was to be our Jesus our Saviour Without shedding of Blood is no remission of Sins no Salvation of Souls Heb. 9.22 Rom. 4.11 Circumcision was the Seal and now was it that our Jesus was under God's Great Seal to take his Office We have heard how he carried on the great Work of our Salvation from Eternity this very Name and Office of Jesus a Saviour was resolved on in Gods fore-councel and given forth from the beginning and we have heard of late how it was promised and foretold by an Angel John 6.27 but now it is Signed and Sealed with an absolute Commission and fulness of Power Him hath God the Father fealed John 6.27 It is his Office and his very profession to save that all may repair unto him to that end Mat. 11.28 John 6.37 John 4.42 Come unto me all ye that are weary and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out in which respect he is called the Saviour of the world i.e. of Samaritans Jewes Gentiles Kings Shepherds and of all sorts of men 2. When he was forty daies old he was brought to Jerusalem and presented to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord every Male that openeth the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord. O wonder there was no impurity in the Son of God and yet he is first circumcised and then he is brought and offered to the Lord Luke 2.22 23 he that came to be sin for us would in our Persons be legally unclean that by satisfying the Law he might take away our uncleanness he that was above the Law would come under the Law that he might free us from the Law we are all born sinners but O the unspeakable Mercy of our Jesus that provides a remedy as early as our sin first he is conceived and then he is born to sanctifie our Conceptions and our Births and after his Birth he is first Circumcised and then he is presented to the Lord that by two holy acts that which was naturally unholy might be hallowed unto God Christ hath not left our very Infancy without redress but by himself thus offered he cleanseth us presently from our filthiness Now is Christ brought in his Mothers Arms to his own House the Temple and as Man he is presented to himself as God O how Glorious did that Temple seem now the Owner was within the walls of it Now was the Hour and Guest come in regard whereof the second Temple should surpass the first this was the House built for him and dedicated to him there had he dwelt long in his Typical presence nothing was done there whereby he was not resembled and now the body of these shadows is come and presents himself where he had ever been represented You will say what is this to me or to my Soul O yes Jerusalem is now every where there is no Church-Assembly no Christian heart which is not a Temple of the Living God and there is no Temple of God wherein Christ is not presented to his Father Thus we have the benefit of Christ's fulfilling the Law of Righteousness God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law that he might redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 3.4 5. It is as if the Father should have said to Christ Come my dear Son here are certain Malefactors under the Law to suffer and to be executed what say you to them Why I will become under the Law saith Christ I will take upon me their Execution and suffer for them and to this purpose he is first circumcised and then he is presented to the Lord. 3. When he was yet under one year old as some or about two as others he fled into Egypt As there was no room for him in Bethlehem so now there is no room for him in all Judea no sooner he came to his own but he must fly from them what a wonder is this Could not Christ have quit himself from Herod a thousand wayes what could an Arm of flesh have done against the God of Spirits had Jesus been of the spirit of some of his Disciples he might have commanded fire from Heaven on those that should have come to have apprehended him but hereby he taught us to bear the yoke even in our youth thus would he suffer that he might sanctifie to us our early afflictions he flies into Egypt the slaughter-house of Gods People the sink of the world the surnace of Israel's ancient afflictions what a change is here Israel the first-born of God â—lie out of Egypt into Judea and Christ the first-born of all Creatures flies out of Judea into Egypt Euseb de demonst l. 6. c. 20. Eusebius reports that the Child Jesus arriving in Egypt and being by design carried into a Temple all the Statutes of the Idol-Gods fell down like Dagon at the presence of the Ark and to this purpose he cites Isaiah's Prophesie Behold the Lord shall come into Egypt and the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence Now is Egypt become the Sanctuary and Judea
6.1 2. Isaiah describe thus I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple about it stood the Seraphims They were God's Train and they filled the Temple And hence David addresses to God were said to be in the presence of Angels Before the Gods will I sing praises to thee I will worship towards thy Holy Temple Psal 128.1 2. The Septuagint translates it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Angels I know in the time of the Gospel we do not so fix God's presence to our Temples or places of publick assembling for the worship of his Name but to our Church-assemblies in such places why may we not Were the Rudiments of the Law worthy of an attendance of Angels and are the Churches of the Gospel destitute of so glorious a Retinue Did the blessed Spirits wait upon the Types and do they decline the Office at the ministration of the substance Is the Nature of Man made worse since the Incarnation of the Son of God Or have the Angels purchased an exemption from their Ministry since Christ became our Brother in the flesh We have little reason to think so the Apostle treating of a comely and decent demeanor to be observed in Church-assemblies and in particular of women's being covered or veiled there he enforces it from this presence of Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 Chrys hom 16. in 1 Cor. hom 15. in Heb. For this cause ought the Woman to have a covering on her head because of the Angels namely which are there present Upon this ground Chrysostome reproves the irreverent behaviour of his Auditory The Church saith he is not a Shop of Manufactures or Merchandize but the place of Angels and of Archangels the Court of God and the Image and Representment of Heaven it self I know thou seest them not but hear and know that Angels are every where and especially in the House of God where they attend upon their King and where all is filled with incorporeal powers By this time I hope we know what is the meaning of Christ's presence in Church-assemblies to wit the presence of his Spirit and the presence of his Angels Vse And if it be so would not a perswasion of this presence of Christ in our Church-Assemblies be a special means or motive to bring all into order Sometimes I wonder at the irreverent carriage of some Hearers Laughing Talking Prating Sleeping in our congregations what is this a demeanour beseeming the presence of Angels and the Spirit of Christ wouldst thou carry thy self thus in the presence of a Prince or of some earthly Majesty Chris ibid. If thou goest but into a Kings Palace as Chrysostome speaks thou composest thy self to a comliness in thy habit look gate and all thy guise and dost thou laugh I may add dost thou any way carry thy self undecently in God's Presence some there are that in the very midst of Ordinances the Devil usually rocks them asleep but Oh! dost thou not fear that thy damnation sleeps not how justly might Christ come against thee in his wrath and whip thee out of the Temple into Hell surely we should do well to behave our selves in such a presence with the thoughts and apprehensions of Heaven about us our business here is an errand of Religion and God himself is the object of our worship how then should our actions bear at least some few degrees of a proportionable address to God and Christ and the Spirit of Christ what is Christ's Presence in his Spirit and his Angels here Oh let us walk with God as Enoch did Gen. 5.22 let us do all we do as in the Presence of Christ and his Holy Angels And now was the first passeover after Christ's Baptism as it is writtten John 2.23 and the Jews Passeover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem This was the first year of Christs Ministry whereof the one half was carried on by his Prodromus or fore-runner John the Baptist and the other half betwixt his Baptism and this first Passeover was carried on by himself And now hath Christ three years to his death according to the method propounded I shall come on to the second year and to his actings therein in reference to our Souls Salvation CHAP. II. SECT I. Of the second Year of Christ's Ministry and of his Acts in general for that Year NOW was it that the Office of the Baptist was expired and Christ beginning his Prophetical Office he appears like the Sun in succession of the Morning-Star he takes at John and preacheth the Sum of the Gospel Faith and Repentance Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 Now what this Gospel was the sum and series of all his following Sermons expressed and declared it is fully contained in the new Covenant of which we have spoken for what is the Gospel but a Covenant of Grace wherein all the imperfections of our works are made up by the perfection and Grace of Jesus Christ the Gospel is not a Covenant of works i.e. it is not an agreement upon the stock of innocence requiring strict and exact obedience without any allowance of Repentance no no be Holy saith the Gospel and where that fails Repent and believe By this time the work in his hand was grown high and pregnant and Jesus saw it Convenient to chuse more Disciples with this Family he goes up and down the whole Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom healing all manner of Diseases curing Demoniacks cleansing Leapers giving strength to Paraliticks and to lame People It is not my purpose to enlarge on all the Sermons Miracles Conferences or Colloquies of Christ with men I am not for large Volumes and I suppose with John that if all the Acts of Christ should be written with Commentaries on them that even the world it self could not contain the Books that should be written John 2.25 In this year therefore I shall contract and limit my self to the Consideration of Christ in these two particulars As first to his Preaching 2. To his Miracles both these relate to the use and exercise of his Prophetical Office SECT II. Of Christ's Sermons this Year 1. HIs Preaching this year was frequent and amongst others his Sermons now it was that he delivered the first Sermon Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand 2. Now was it that he delivered that spiritual and mystical Sermon of Regeneration at which Nichodemus wonders John 3.4 how can a man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born But Jesus takes off the wonder in telling him this was not a work of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of God for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and is as the wind certain and notorious in the effects but secret in the Principle and manner of production Then Christ proceeds in his Sermon telling him yet of higher things as of
Christ sweat it out wonderfully even by a bloody sweat in the first Garden Death first made its entrance into the world and in this Garden Life enters to restore us from Death to Life again in the first Garden Adam's Liberty to sin brought himself and all us into bondage and in this Garden Christ being bound and fettered we are thereby freed and reduced to liberty I might thus descant in respect of every Circumstance but this is the sum in a Garden first begun our sin and in this Garden first began the Passion that great Work and Merit of our Redemption 4. Christ goes especially into this Garden that his enemies might the more easily find him out the Evangelist tells us that this Garden was a place often frequented by Jesus Christ so that Judas which betrayed him knew the place John 18.2 for Jesus oftentimes resorted thither with his Disciples sure then he went not thither to hide himself but rather to expose himself and like a noble Champion to appear first in the field and to expect his enemies Thus it appears to all the world that Christ's death was voluntary He poured forth his soul unto death saith the Prophet he gave himself for our sins saith the Apostle nay Isa 53.12 Gal. 1.4 John 10.17 18 himself tells us therefore doth my Father love me because I laid down my life no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again But I will not stay you at the Door let us follow Christ into the Garden and observe his Prayer and his Sufferings there SECT IV. Of the Prayer that Christ there made JEsus entring the Garden he left his Disciples at the entrance of it calling with him Peter James and John they only saw his transfiguration the earnest of his future Glory and therefore his pleasure was that they only should see of how great glory he would disrobe himself even for our sakes In the garden we may observe first his Prayer and secondly his Passion 1. He betakes himself to his great Antidote which himself the great Physitian of our souls prescribed to all the world he prayes to his heavenly Father he kneels down and not only so but falls flat upon the ground he prayes with an intention great as his sorrow and yet with a submission so ready Mat. 26.39 as if the Cup had been the most indifferent thing in the world The Form of his Prayer ran thus O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt In this Prayer observe we these Particulars 1. The person to whom he prayes O my Father 2. The matter for which he prayes Let this Cup pass from me 3. The Limitation of this Prayer If it be possible and if it be thy will 1. For the Person to whom he prayes it is his Father As Christ prayed not in his Godhead but according to his Manhood so neither prayed he to himself as God but to the Father the first person of the God-head Hence some observe that as the Father sometimes saying This is my beloved Son he spake not to himself but to the Son so the Son usually saying O my Father he prayes not to himself but to the Father 2. For the Matter of his Prayer Let this Cup pass from me Some interpret thus Let this Cup pass by me Oh that I might not taste it But others thus Let this Cup pass from me though I must taste it yet Oh that I may not be †Quod dicit transfer calicem istum a me non hoc est non adveniat mihi nisi enim advenerit transferri non poterit sed sicut quod praeterit nec intactum est noc permanens sic Salvator leviter invadentem tentationem flagitat pelli Sic Dionisius Alexandrin Heb. 5.7 too long or tediously annoyed by it That which leads unto this last interpretation is that of the Apostle Christ in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong cries and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and he was heard in that which he feared Heb. 5.7 How was he heard not in the removal of the Cup for he drank it up all but in respect of the tedious annoyance or poysoning of the Cup for though it made him sweat drops of blood though it grieved him and pained him and made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Though it cast him into a sleep and laid him dead in his Grave and there sealed him for a time yet presently within the space of forty hours or thereabouts he revived and awakened as a Lion out of sleep or as a Giant refreshed with wine and so it passed from him as he prayed in a very short time and by that short and momentary death he purchased to his people everlasting Life 3. For the Limitation of his Prayer If it be possible if it be thy will He knows what is his Fathers will and he prayes accordingly and is willing to submit unto it if the passing of the Cup be according to the last interpretation we shall need none of these many distinctions to reconcile the will of God and Christ If it be possible signifies the earnestness of the Prayer and if it be thy will the submission of Christ unto his Father the Prayer is short but sweet How many things needful to a Prayer do we find concentred in this one instance Here is Humility of Spirit Lowliness of Deportment Importunity of Desire a Fervent Heart a Lawful Matter and a Resignation to the will of God Some think this the most fervent prayer that ever Christ made on earth If it be possible O! if it be possible let this Cup pass from me And I think it was the greatest dereliction and submission to the will of God that ever was found upon the earth for whether the Cup might pass or not pass he leaves it to his Father nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt q. d. Though in this Cup are many Ingredients it is full red and hath in it many dregs and I know I must drink and suck out the very utmost dreg yet whether it shall pass from me in that short time or continue with me a long long time I leave it to thy will I see in respect of my humanity there is in me flesh and blood O! I am frail and weak I cannot but fear the wrath of God and therefore I pray thus earnestly to my God O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt But what was there in the Cup that made Christ pray thus earnestly that it might pass from him I answer 1. The great pain that he must endure the buffettings whippings bleedings crucifying all the torments from first to
hell as Christ standing in our room is of his Fathers wrath fear is still suitable to apprehension and never man could so perfectly apprehend the cause of fear as Jesus Christ nor was he only afraid but very heavy My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death His sorrow was lethal and deadly it melted his soul gradually as wax is melted with heat it continued with him till his last gasp his heart was like wax burning all the time of his passion and at last it melted in the midst of his bowels Psal 22.19 Mark 14.33 Nor was he only afraid and heavy but he began to be sore amazed this signifies an universal cessation of all the faculties of the soul from their several functions we usually call it a consternation it is like a Clock stopped for the while from going by some hand or other laid upon it or if it was not wholly a cessation yet was it at least an expavefaction such a motion of the mind as whereby for the present he was disinabled to mind any thing else but the dreadful sense of the wrath of God O what an agony was this O what a strugling passion of mixed grief was this what afflicting and conflicting affections under the sight and sense of eminent peril was in this agony Luke 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly thrice had he prayed but now in his agony he prayed more earnestly O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Though I feel the soul of pain in the pain of my soul yet there is divinity in me which tells me there is a wage for sin and I will pay it all O my Father sith thou hast bent thy bow lo here an open breast fix herein all thy shafts of fury better I suffer for a while than that all believers should be damned for ever thy will is mine lo I will bear the burthen of sin come and shoot here thy arrows of revenge And thus as he prayed he sweat Luke 22.44 And is sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Oh what man or Angel can conceive the agony the fear the sorrow the amazement of that heart that without all outward violence meerly out of the extremity of his own passion bled through the flesh and skin not some faint dew but solid drops of blood now is he crucified without a cross fear and sorrow are the nails our sâ—ns the thorns his Fathers wrath the spear and all these together cause a bleeding shower to rain throughout all his pores O my soul consider of this and if thou wilt bring this consideration home say thy sins were the cause of this bloody sweat Jesus Christ is that true Adam that is come out of Paradise for thy sins and thus laboured on earth with his bloody sweat to get the bread that thou must feed on 2. Consider his apprehension Judas is now at hand with a troop following him to apprehend his Master see how without all shame he set himself in the van and coming to his Lord and Master gives him a most Traiterous and deceitful kiss What Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss hast thou sold the Lord of life to such cruel merchants as covet greedily his blood and life O alas at what price hast thou set the Lord of all the creatures at thirty pence what a vile and slender price is this for a Lord of such Glory and Majesty God was sold for thirty pieces of silver but man could not be bought without the dearest heart-blood of the Son of God Luke 22.53 At that time said Christ Ye be come as it were against a thief with swords and staves I sate daily among you teaching in the Temple and ye never laid hands on me but this is your hour and the power of darkness Now the Prince of darkness exercised his power now the hellish rout and malicious rabble of ravenous wolves assaulted the most innocent Lamb in the world now they most furiously haled him this way and that way O how ungently did they handle him how uncourteously spake they unto him how many blows and buffets did they give him what cries and shouts and clamours made they over him now they lay hold on his holy hands and bind them hard with rough and knotty cords so that they gall the skin off his arms and make the very blood spring out now they bring him back again over Cedron and they make him once again to drink of the brook in the way now they lead him openly through the high streets of Jerusalem and carry him to the house of Annas in great triumph O my soul consider these several passages consider them leisurely and with good attention consider them till thou feelest some motions or alterations in thy affection is not this he that is the infinite vertue the pattern of innocency the everlasting wisdom the honour of earth the glory of heaven the very fountain of all beauty whether of men or Angels how is it then that this vertue or power is tyed with bands that innocency is apprehended that wisdom is flouted and laughed to scorn that honour is contemned that glory is tormented that he that is fairer than all the children of men is besmeared with weeping and troubled with sorrow of heart surely there is some thing O my soul in thee that caused all this hadst not thou sinned the Sun of Righteousness had never been eclisped 3. Consider the hurryings of Jesus from Annas to Caiphas there a Councel is called Mat. 26.63 Ver. 66. and Caiphas the high Priest adjures our Lord to tell him if he was Christ the Son of God no sooner he affirms it but he is doomed guilty of blasphemy and so guilty of death Now again they assault him like mad dogs and disgorge upon him all their malice fury and revenge each one to the utmost of his power gives him buffets and strokes there they spit upon that Divine face with their devilish mouths there they hudwink his eyes and strike him on the cheek scoffing and jesting and saying Read who is it that smote thee O beauty of Angels was that a face to be spet upon men usually when they are provoked to spit turn away their faces towards the foulest corner of the house and is there not in all that Palace a souler place to spit in than the face of Jesus O my soul why dost thou not humble thy self at this so wonderful example how is it that there should remain in the world any token of pride after this so great and marvellous an example of humility surely I am at my wits end and very much astonished to consider how this so great patience overcomes not my anger how this so great abasing asswageth not my pride how these so violent buffets beat not down my presumption Is it not
that Respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Sufferings and Death Every one looks upon this as an easie duty only the humble Soul the scrupulous Conscience cries out What! Is it possible that Christ should die suffer shed his blood for me His incarnation was wonderful his life on earth was to astonishment but that the Son of God should become man live amongst men and die such a death even the death of the Cross for such a one as I am I cannot believe it it is an abys◠past fadoming the more I consider it the more I am amazed at it suppose I had an enemy in my power man or Devil one that provokes me every day 1 Sam. 24.19 one that hunts my soul to take it away should I not say with Saul if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away It may be an ingenuous spirit such as David would do thus much but would David or any breathing soul not only spare his enemy but spill himself to save his enemy would a man become a Devil to save Devils would a man endure hell pains to free all the Devils in hell from their eternal pains and yet what were this in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us It is not so much for us to suffer for Devils for we are fellow-creatures as it is for Christ God-man man-God to suffer for us Oh what an hard thing is it considering my enmity against Christ to believe that Christ died for me that he gave himself to the death even to the death of the Cross for my soul Trembling soul throw not away thy self in a way of unbelief It may thou wouldst not die for an enemy an irreconcileable enemy but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men O believe And that I may perswade effectually I shall say down first some Directions and secondly some Encouragements of Faith 1. For the Directions of Faith in reference to Christ's death observe these particulars 2. Faith must directly go to Christ not first to the promise and then to Christ but first to Christ and then to the promise the Person ever goes before the Prerogative 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh this was the difference betwixt the New-Testament and old-Testament-Believers their Faith directs only to God but our Faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 3. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law He continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and so our Faith must look upon him But of these before I shall say nothing more to these particulars 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death in both these respects Christ was made under the law The one half of the Law he satisfied by the holiness of his life he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle the other half of the Law he satisfied by his enduring the death even the death of the Cross he paid both the Principal and the Forfeiture and though men do not so yet Christ did so that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by his being under both these parts of the Law pay and penalty Come then and look upon Christ as dying it was the Serpent as lifted up and so looked at that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings Alas we are diseased in a spiritual sense as they were and Christ Jesus was lifted up as a remedy to us as the Serpent was unto them it remains therefore that as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent so we look up to Jesus believe in Jesus as lifted up for life and for salvation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness John 14.15 so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Indeed some difference there is betwixt the Serpent and Christ As 1. The Brazen Serpent had not power in if self to cure as Christ hath 2. The Serpent cured the Israelites but for a time John 11.26 to die again but whomsoever Jesus cures in a Spiritual sense he cures for ever they shall never die 3. The serpent also had its time of curing it did not alwayes retain its virtue but during the time they were in the Wilderness only Iesus Christ our Brazen Serpent doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world and hence it is that in the Ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up that all that will but look on him by faith may live 4. The Serpent sometimes a remedy against poyson was after turned even to poyson the Israelites which made Hezekiah to crush it and brake it and stamp it to powder but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is unchangeable in his goodness as he is in holy and divine nature he can never be defaced nor destroyed but he abideth the saviour of sinners to all eternity why then let us rather look unto Christ and believe in Christ as lifted up i.e. as he was crucified and died on the Cross In this respect he is made a fit object for a sinner's faith to trust upon and rest upon Christ as crucified as made sin and a curse for us it the object of our pardon O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable why therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation and what not Oh! cries a sinner where may I set my foot how should I regain my God my sin hath undone me which way should I cast for pardon why now remember that in seeking pardon Rom. 8.34 Christ was crucified Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 No Question Christs active Obedience during his Life was most exact and perfect and meritorious yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience Christ only in his sufferings took away sin the guilt of sin and punishment for sin We have redemption through the blood of Christ Eph. 1.7 even the forgiveness of sins If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ who is now in heaven let him first in the actings of his Faith consider him as crucified as lifted up as made sin for us as through whom under that consideration he is to receive pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation sanctification salvation 5. Faith in going to Christ as lifted up it is principally and mainly to look unto the 〈◊〉 meaning intent and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up we
that treadeth in the wine-fat q. d. here 's nothing but skars and wounds and blood if thou art so mighty to save How comes thy apparrel to be so red and sprinkled or stained with blood to which Christ answers I have troden the wine-press alone and I will tread them in mine anger I was troad and pressed till the very blood streamed out of my hands and feet and side so pressed that they pressed the very soul out of my body See here Behold my hands and my feet and my side that it is I my self I have tread the wine-press alone But as I was troad so I will tread up he gets and he treads on them that troad on him his enemies of Edom and Bozrah are now like so many clusters under his feet and he tramples upon them as upon Grapes in a fat till he makes the blood spring out of them and all to sprinkle his garments as if he had come out of the wine press indeed See here a double sight his own blood and his enemies blood here 's the blood of the Lamb that was slain and the blood of the Dragon that was troaden upon here 's a show both of his passion and his resurrection of his suffering and triumphing another text of this nature And one shall say unto him What are these wounds in thy hands then he shall answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 I know in the stead of Christ some have imployed these words to the false Prophets as if they had passed through the Churches discipline and so had received their wounds But others refer them to Jesus Christ of whom without controversy the next verse speaks and of whom the first verse of this chapter speaks and to whom after a long Parenthesis the Prophet seems to return And one shall say unto him who was the fountain opened what are these wounds in thy hands or as the Septuagint in the midst of thy hands a wonder it is to see those prints and skars in the hands of Christ and therefore is the question What are these wounds to which Christ answers Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends i.e. in the house of my beloved the children of Israel my brethren according to the flesh the people of the Jews why these are the wounds they gave me and which now I shew as the signs of my victory and as the marks of my resurrection Thus far of the first head the apparition of Christ 2. For the fruits of this apparition they contain Thomas's confession and Christ's commendation of him in some respects 1. Thomas's confession And Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord my God a few words but of great weight 1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord Mat. 28.18 into whose hands are put the very keys of heaven all power is given unto me in heaveâ— in earth 2. He acknowlegeth Christ God whom he saw with his eyes and felt with his hands he looks on not as a meer man but as God and as the second person in the God-head 3. He acknowledgeth Christ to be his Lord and his God this apropriating of Christ is the right character of a faith by which he brings home all the benefits of Christ unto his own soul I shall a while insist on all these 1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord How is he a Lord I answer 1. By essence as God is Lord so Christ is Lord the Father is Lord the Son is Lord and the Holy Ghost is Lord and yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 2. By creation Christ is before all things saith the Apostle and by him all things consist Col. 1.17 This very thing is an argument of his Lordship To us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.9 by whom are all things and we by him 3. By redemption unction office and Mediatorship unto which he was designed by his Father Act. 2.36 and therefore the Apostle saith that God hath made him Lord and Christ he is a Lord by his office and by the accomplishment of his office in dying rising and reviving he became Lord both of quick and dead For to this end Christ both dyed and rose Rom. 14 9. and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living And thus he is a Lord in two respects 1. A Lord in Authority to command whom and what he will he only is Lord over our persons over our faith over our consciences to him only we must say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Lord save us or we perish 2. A Lord be is in power he hath power to forgive and power to cleanse he hath power to justifie and power to sanctifie he hath power to quicken and power to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him he hath power to hold fast his sheep and power to cast out the accuser of the brethren he hath power to put down all his enemies and power to subdue all things unto himself in every of these respects Christ is a Lord. True say blasphemers he is Lord by office but he is not Lord by essence as God is Lord No peruse some texts in the Old Testament where the title of Lord is essentially spoken of and we shall find the very same texts and titles applyed to Christ in the New Testament As for instance in Isa 6.5 Woe is me saith Esay for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hoasts now this John refers to Christ these things saith Esaias when he saw his Glory Isa 6.5 and speak of him In Psal 68.17 18. the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men now this the Apostle applyes to Christ when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men In Psal 110.1 Psal 110.1 the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand Joh. 12.41 until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Now this Jesus Christ applies to himself Psal 68.17 saying that David in spirit called him Lord saying the Lord said unto my Lord. In Isa 40.3 the voice of him that cryeth in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord now this the Evangelist applies to Christ Eph. 4.8 This is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esay saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. No wonder if Thomas call Christ Lord why both the Old and New-Testament agree in this that Christ is Lord Lord by creation and Lord by redemption Lord by office and Lord by essence Mat. 2.44 45. Isa 4.5 Mat. 3.3 2. He acknowledgeth Christ to be God as well as Lord my Lord and my God But how is he God I answer not only by participation similitude or in some
beyond the external part of it or from their own insensibleness of the working of corruption when yet it doth act only a gracious heart findeth that if it be not strengthened by a Power beyond its own it cannot act any grace or perform any duty as acceptable to God and hence the Apostle prayes That they might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 4. It is an enabling of the soul to act in Gospel-duties for Gospel-ends when the spirit leads the soul never aims at a self-advancement it never looks at its own name and glory as they did in Mat. 6.1 5. but it eyes in all its actings the mortification of corruption and the attainment of communion with God and Christ and the increase of all Grace Faith Love Patience Meekness self-denial c. or if it seek for outward mercies it seeks them in a subordination to these and in a way of subserviency to the interest and designs of Christ in all things whether outwarâ— or inward it seeks the glory of God as the ultimate end And in these particulars consists the leadings of the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.16 1 John 5.10 7. The spirit of Christ is a witnessing spirit The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and every one that believeth hath the witness within himself But of this two questions 1. What is this witnessing work of the spirit 2. How doth the spirit thus witness for the first I answer 1. In general witnessing is a giving in some evidence upon our knowledge how the matter in question standeth that thereby others may be ascertained of the truth of the thing Deut. 19.15 John 8.17 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established these words Christ cited and said It is written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true not but that it was certain in it self before but that now by the testim ny of two it is rendred certain unto those that question the same this is witnessing 2. In special The witnessing of the spirit is an Office of the spirit whereby it works the soul into a knowledge perswasion or conclusion of its acceptation into favour with God in Christ Now the spirit witnesseth either objectively or efficiently 1. Objectively When it only affords such special operations as have an aptitude to ascertain the soul but do not ascertain thus many a time the Spirit comes and brings in such and such ascertions or affirmations of our adoption as if they were but duly observed might manifest the same but we over-look these evidences we will not hear what the spirit speaks to us John 3.11 We speak that we know saith Christ and testifie that we have seen but ye receive not our witness so may the spirit complain I have testified to you that which I know I have said that ye were children of God but ye have not received my witness doubtless it is a sinful neglect not to yield attention unto the voyce of the spirit and yet the spirit in this way may be resisted 2. Efficiently and if the spirit witness thus it cannot be resisted in this way the spirit causeth the soul to conclude of its adoption by its speakings to it this is not onely the assertions or affirmations of our adoption but the assurances of our souls that we are adopted Rom. 8.38 Job 19.25 1 John 3.24 I am perswaded saith the Apostle and I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us But 2. How doth the Spirit thus witness I answer 1. Immediately 2. Mediately 1. Concerning the immediate testimony of the Spirit there is some controversie Antinomians would have no other testimony but this all other evidences say they are deceiving evidences or if not deceiving yet to make use of them it were but to light a candle to the Sun for what are the graces of the Spirit in comparison of the Spirits own testimony and it may be the running into this extream hath caused others absolutely to deny any such testimony or at least to say for these enthusiasms or inspirations let them boast of them that have them wâ— know no such thing Methinks a middle betwixt both these as it is proved by others is most consonant to truth for neither can I reject the graces of sanctification from being grounds of our assurance neither dare I deny but there is something of the work of the Spirits testimony which is an immediate work Let us hâ—ar what others say of it Certainly there is a work wherein the spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us Ford of the Spirit wherein by a secret influence upon the heart he quiets and calms the troubled soul concerning its condition by his own immediate power without any grounds from Scripture without or graces within There is a threefold work of the spirit first to conveigh and plant grace in the soul 2. To act and help us to exercise the graces which are planted there 3. To shine upon and enlighten those graces Caryl on Job chap. 10. this last work the spirit fulfills two wayes first by arguments and inferences which is a mediate work 2. By presence and influence which is an immediate work this the Apostle calls witness-bearing There are three that bear witness in Earth The spirit and water and blood the spirit brings in the witness of Water and Blood which is his mediate work but besides and above these he gives a distinct witness of his own which is his immediate work is in a way of peculiarity and transcendency called the witness of the Spirit As it is with the motions of the spirit many a time the spirit excites a man to such or such duties by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and thereby inclining it to obey those motions so in this case when a poor soul sits in darkness and sees no light Boltons direct for a comfortable walking with God sometimes upon a sudden it is as it were taken up into the third Heaven and this is in such away that though the spirit of a man really believe it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it came to pass There is a Testimony of the spirit which sometimes the spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified Conscience with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the child of God thou art in the number of those that shall be savid thou shalt inherit everlasting life and that as certainly and comfortably as if that Angel from Heaven should say to thee as he did to Daniel greatly beloved Mighty and remarkable was the work of the spirit this way upon the heart of that noble Martyr Robert Glover upon the first sight and representation of the stake
Prayers and Incense then he went out of the holy of holies and laid aside his Garments again but our great high Priest is ascended into the holy of holies never to put off his princely-priestly garments nor does he only once a year sprinkle the mercy-seat with his sacrifice but every day he lives for ever to intercede Oh what comfort is this to a poor dejected Soul if he once undertakes thy cause and get thee into his prayers he will never leave thee out night nor day he intercedeth eyer till he shall accomplish and finish thy Salvation the smoak of his incense ascends for ever without intermission 6. The high-Priests then interceded not for sins of greater instances if a man sinned ignorantly there was indeed a Sacrifice and Intercession for him but if a man sinned presumptuously Numb 15.30 he was to be cut off from among his people no Sacrifice no Intercession by the high Priest then but we have such an high Priest as makes Intercession for all sins every sin though it boyl up to blasphemy so it be not against the holy Ghost shall by the vertue of Christ's intercession be forgiven In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David Zach. 13.1 and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness i.e. for sins of all sorts Verily I say unto you all sins shall be forgiven unto the Sons of Men Mark 3.28 i.e. Scarlet sins or crimson sins sins of the deepest dye shall by Christs Intercession be done away the voice of his blood speaks better things than the Blood of Abel it intercedes for the abolition of bloody sins 7. The high Priests then interceded not without all these materials viz. A Temple an Altar a Sacrifice of a young Bullock for a sin-offering Levit. 16.3 and a Ram for a burnt offering a Censer full of burning coals of fire taken off the Altar a putting the incense upon the fire that the cloud of the incense might cover the mercy-seat a sprinkling the mercy-seat with the blood of the Bullock and of the Goat with their finger seven times such materials they had and such actions they did which were all distinct as from themselves but Jesus Christ in his Intercessions now needs none of these materials but rather he himself and his own merits are instead of all As 1. He is the Temple either in regard of the Deity the gold of the Temple being sanctified by the Temple or in regard of his humane body destroy this Temple saith Christ and I will build it again in three dayes it was destroyed and God found it an acceptable Sacrifice and smelt in it a sweet savor as in a Temple 2. He is the Altar according to his Deity for as the Altar sanctifies the gift so doth the God-head sanctifie the man-hood The Altar must needs be of a greater dignity than the oblation and therefore this Altar betokens the Divinity of Jesus Christ 3. He is the Sacrifice most properly according to the Man-hood for although by communication of properties the blood of the Sacrifice is called the blood of God Acts 20.28 yet properly the human Soul and flesh of Christ was the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering roasted in the fire of his Fathers wrath 4. His merits are the cloud of Incense for so the Angel Christ is said to have a golden Censer and much Incense Rev. 8.3 4. that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoke of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand the merits of Christ are so mingled with the prayers of his Saints that they perfume their Prayers and so they find acceptance with God his Father We see now the difference betwixt Christs Intercessions and the Intercessions of the high Priests of Old SECT VII What the Properties of this Intercession of Christ are 7. WHat are the properties of this Intercession of Jesus Christ I answer 1. It is heavenly and glorious and that appears in these particulars 1. Christ doth not fall upon his knees before his Father as in the days of his humiliation for that is not agreeable to that glory he hath received he only presents his pleasure to his Father that he may thereto put his Seal and Consent 2. Christ doth not pray out of private charity as the Saints pray one for another in this life but out of publick Office of mediation there is one God 1 Tim. 2.5 and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 3. Christ prayes not out of humility which is the proposing of requests for things unmerited but out of authority which is the desiring of a thing so as withall he hath a right of bestowing it as well as desiring it 4. Christ prays not merely as an advocate but as a propitiation too Christ's Spirit is an advocate but only Christ is advocate and propitiation Christs Spirit is our advocate on earth but only Christ in his Person applyeth his merits in heaven and furthers the cause of our salvation with his Father in heaven In every of these respects we may see Christs intercessions is heavenly and glorious 2. It is ever effectual and prevailing as he hath a power to intercede for us so he hath a power to confer that upon us for which he intercedes John 14 16. John 16.7 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter If I go not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you If Christ prayed on earth he was ever heard but if Christ prayed in heaven we may be sure the Father ever heareth and answereth there when Christ as man prayed for himself he was heard in that which he feareth but now Christ as Mediator praying for us he is ever heard in the very particular which he desireth James 4.3 We sinful men many a time ask and receive not because we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our Lusts but Jesus Christ never asks amiss nor to wrong ends and therefore God the Father who called him to this Office of being as it were the great Master of Requests in behalf of his Church John 11.41 42. he promiseth to hear him in all his requests Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I know thou hearest me alwayes saith Christ 3. It is of all other the transactions of Christ till the very end of the World the most perfective and consummate indeed so perfective that without it all the other parts of Christ's Mediatorship would have been to little purpose As the Sacrifices under the Law had not been of such force and efficacy had not the high Priest entred into the holy place to appear there and to present the blood there unto the Lord so all that ever Christ did or
believe on the Son are we sanctified in some measure are we kept from the evil that sin may not have dominion over us hath Christ put up these prayers in our behalf that now we feel as it were and experience the truth of Christ's prevailings with his Father in our hearts and lives O sure signs that Christ's intercession is ours away away all diffidence doubting wavering fluctuating hopes a soul thus grounded may with Paul cast the ganlet and bid defiance to all the world Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God and who also maketh intercession for us SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession wounded spirits are full of scruples and thus they cry My sins will never be forgiven have not I sinned against God and Christ and the Spirit of Christ had I not my hands imbrued in the blood of his Son and have not I trodden under foot the blood of God and will that blood that I have shed and trod on intercede for my pardon Had I but gone so far as the Jews did who indeed killed and crucified Christ I might have had some hopes because they knew not what they did and therefore Christ prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they do But alas I sinned 1 Cor. 2.8 and I knew well enough what and wherein I have sinned had they known saith the Apostle they would not have crucified the Lord of glory but alas I knew it and I was fully convinced that the commission of every sin is a crucifying of Christ and yet against knowledge and judgment and light and checks of my own conscience I have crucified the Lord of glory Heb. 6.4 6. and is not the Apostle express it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift if they fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Oh I fear my name is not in the roll of those for whom Christ intercedes I have crucified him afresh and will he intercede for such a dead dog as I am I cannot believe Silence unbelief be not tyrannical to thy self for Christ will not sin shall do thee no hurt nor Sathan no nor God himself for Jesus-Christ can work him to any thing if he but open his wounds in heaven he will so work his Father that thy wounds on earth shall close up presently O but I have sinned against light and what then I hope thou hast not sinned willfully maliciously despightfully against the light the Apostle tells us that if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10.26 27. there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation These two Texts in Heb. 6.4 and 10.26 are parallel and give light to each other and therefore unless thy sin be the unpardonable sin unless willfully maliciously and despightfully thou hast crucified Christ as some of the Jews did never pass a doom of final condemnation on thy soul what is there no difference betwixt a sin done willfully or purposely of malice with delight and aginst the feeling of thy own conscience and a sin done of meer ignorance inconsideracy infirmity or through a strong temptation though against light it self I know there is a light given in by God's Word and some beam of the Holy Ghost which yet never penetrated so far as to transform and regenerate the soul wholly to God's Image and in such a case a man may fall away even into an universal fall a general Apostasie but dost thou not hope better things of thy self than so I suppose thou dost O then believe O believe thy part in Christ's intercession and for the directions of thy faith that thou mayst know how or in what manner to believe observe these particulars in their order As 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 quickened by the Spirit and as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending the Holy Ghost of all these before 7. Faith must go to Christ as interceding for his Saints this act of Christ is for the application of all the former acts on Christ's part and our faith closing with it is for the application of this and all other the actings of Christ on our part Now is our faith led up very high if we can but reach this we may say our faith stands very lofty when it may at once see earth and heaven when it may see all that Christ hath acted for it here and all that Christ doth act and will act in heaven for it hereafter It is not an ordinary single particular act of faith that will come up to this glorious mystery no no it is a comprehensive perfective act it is such an act as puts the soul into a condition of glorious triumph Who shall condemne Goodwin Christ set forth it is Christ that will save me to the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for me That same word to the uttermost is a good word and well put in it is a reaching word and extends it self so far that thou canst not look beyond it let thy soul be set on the highest mountain that ever any creature was yet set on and there let thy soul take in and view the most spacious prospect both of sin and misery and difficulties of being saved that ever yet any poor humbled soul did east within it self yea joyn to these all the objections and hinderances of thy salvation that the heart of man can suppose or invent against it self lift up thy eyes and look to the utmost thou canst see and Christ by his intercession is able to save thee beyond the horizon and furthest compass of thy thoughts even to the utmost and worst case the heart of man can possibly suppose it is not thy having lain long in sin or long under terrors and despairs it is not thy having sinned often under many enlightnings that can hinder thee from being saved by Christ Do but remember this same word to the uttermost and then put in what exception thou wilt or canst O the holy triumphs of that soul that can but act its saith on
us close to Christ and to the Banner of Christ who would not march under this Banner and adhere to him that but reads over these summons of souls at the last dreadful day SECT IV. Of Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day 4. FOR Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day no sooner are the Saints lifted up and set before the Judge but these things follow 1. They look and gaze and dart their beams and reflect their glories on each other Oh the communications Oh the darting of beams betwixt Christ and his Saints look as when two admirable persons two lovers meet together their eyes sparkle they look on as if they would look through one another So Christ and his Saints at first meeting they look on as if they would look through one another And such is the effect of these looks that they give a lustre to each other by their Looks Did not Moses face shine when he had been with God and shall not the faces of the elect glitter and shine when Christ also looks on them nor stays it there but as they shine by Christ so shall their shine reflect on Christ and give a glory to Christ and this I take it to be the meaning of the Apostle That when Christ shall come 2 Thes 1.10 he shall be glorified in his Saints not onely in himself but in his Saints also whose glory as it comes from him so it redounds also to him For of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and to him are all things 2. They admire at the infinite glory and beauty and dignity and excellency that is in Christ The glory they reflect on him is nothing to the glory that is in him Oh when these Stars the Saints shall but look upon Christ the Son of righteousness they exceedingly admire So the Apostle When he shall come 2 Thes 1.10 he shall be glorified in his Saints and he shall be admired in all them that believe All that believe shall break out into admiration of Jesus Christ they shall at the first sight observe such an excellency in Jesus Christ as that they shall be infinitely taken with it here we speak of Christ and in speaking we admire but how will they admire when they shall not onely speak or hear but see and behold him who is the Express image of God Heb. 1.3 and the brightness of his Fathers glory O the lustres that he casts forth each way is not his very body more sparkling than the Diamond before the Sun yea more than the Sun it self now shining at noon-day how should the Saints but wonder at this sight Oh there is more beauty and glory in Jesus Christ than ever their thoughts or imaginations could possibly reach there is more weight of sweetness joy and delight in Jesus Christ than either the seeing Eye or hearing Ear 1 Cor. 2.9 or the vast understanding Heart which can multiply and add still to any former thoughts can possibly conceive every soul will cry out then I believed to see much glory in Jesus Christ when ever I saw him I had some twilight or Moon-light glances of Christ on Earth but O blind I O narrow I that could never have faith opinion thought or imagination to fathom the thousand-thousand part of the worth and incomparable excellency that I now see in him Why this causeth admiration when we see more than ever we could expect the Saints shall then cry out and say I see more ten thousand times more than ever I expected I see all the beauty of God put forth in Christ I see the substantial reflection of the Fathers light and glory in Jesus Christ I see thousands of excellencies in Jesus Christ that never were revealed to me before This is the very nature of admiration it is eveâ— wondering or admiring at some new and strange thing the glory of Christ will then exceed all former apprehension O they admire to see the King in such a beauty they admire to see the Judge in such a glittering and glorious Robe of Majesty they admire and they cannot but admire 3. They adore and magnifie the grace and glory of Jesus Christ as it is said of the twenty four Elders that they fell down before him that sate on the Throne and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory Rev. 5.10 and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created So all the Saints now advanced to come up to Christ and to stand before the Throne they fall down before Christ and they worship him that lives for ever shouting and singing about Jesus Christ and setting out his glory Rev. 7.9 10 11 12. grace and goodness After this I beheld saith John and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindred and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb and cryed with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb and all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the four Beasts and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Saints and Angels will both give glory to Jesus Christ that day every elect man will then acknowledge here is Christ that shed his blood for me here is the Saviour that laid down his life for me here is the Sacrifice that gave himself a propitiation for me here is the Person that mediated and interceded and made peace for me here is the Redeemer that delivered and redeemed me from the wrath to come Rev. 19 7. and then they begin those Hallelujahs that never shall have end Hallelujah and again Hallelujah and Amen Hallelujah for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready 4. Christ welcomes them into his glorious presence if the Father could receive his Prodigal but repenting with hugs and kisses how will Christ now receive his Saints whâ—n they come as a Bride to the solemnization of the marriage his very heart springs as I may say at the sight of his Bride no sooner he sees her and salutes her but he welcomes her with such words as these O my love my dove my fair one come now and enjoy thy Husband Hos 2.19 20. many a thought I have had of thee before I made the world I spent my infinite eternal thoughts on thy salvation when the world began I gave thee a promise that I would betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment in loving-kindness in mercy and in faithfulness It was I that for thy sake was incarnate and lived and died and rose again and ascended and since my
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
most peremptory Except he see in his hands the print of the nayles and put his fingers into the print of the nayles and thrust his hand into his side he will not believe Why should any sinner despair of Mercy thou sayst I am wicked and God saith to thee As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live thou sayst I am an unbeliever Ezek. 33.11 I am shut up in the prison of unbelief under bolts and fetters that I cannot stir one inch towards Heaven Why so was Didymus and yet he obtained mercy and the Apostle tells us that God hath concluded all or shut up altogether in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 He despiseth none rejects none abhors none unless they continue to despise reject and abhor the Lord Oh what a sweet point is here to gain sinners to move to melt to thaw hard hearts the incredulity of this Disciple turns to our profit and tends more to the confirmation of our faith if we are but weak than the very faith of all the other Disciples of Jesus Christ had not Thomas disbelieved we had not received so great encouragements to have believed in Christ as now we have Excuse me that I speak thus much to encourage sinners to come in to Christ I would be sometimes a Boanerges and sometimes a Barnabas a son of thunder to rouse hard hearts and a son of consolation to chear up drooping spirits All Ministers may learn of the great Shepheard and Bishop of our souls to have a respect in their ministâ—y to one sinner to one incredulous Thomas we cannot be ignorant of these Scriptures Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you And to the weak I became as weak 1 Cor. 9.22 that I might gain the weak And we exhort you bâ—ethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men 2 Tâ—es 5.14 And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fâ—ar pulling them out of the fire And brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual Jude 22.23 restore such a one in the spirit of meekness And the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves Gal. 6.1 if God peradventure will give them repentance Dear souls 2 Tim. 2 24 25. How do we long for your conversion and salvation how are you in our hearts in our Prayers in our Sermons My little children How do we travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you how gladly would we spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly we love you the less we are loved of you If I knew but one Thomas in the great assembly of God's people I should think it as a crown and the glory of my ministry to perswade this man into faith Gal. 4.19 2 Cor. 12.15 Christ in this apparition eyes one especially above all the rest When his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus 4. The manner how he appeared 1. He came the doors being shut 2. He stood in the midst 3. He said peace be unto you All these we have dispatched in the former apparition I shall therefore proceed to that which is peculiar to this Then said he to Thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing In this apparition he argues his Resurrection Joh. 20.27 1. From words 2. From deeds 1. From words Thomas had said Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles and put my finger into the print of the nayls and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe 1. Now Christ repeats the very self-same words and therein gives in one argument of his resurrection for if Christ could know what Thomas had said how is he but alive and risen from the dead the dead have not sense much less the use of reason but least of all the knowledge of anothers mind but Christ hath sense and reason science and omniscience observe Though Christ be absent as in his bodily presence yet he understandeth all our thoughts and if need were he could repeat all our sayings word by word How then may this convince all unbelievers in the world that Christ is risen that he that was dead now liveth and that he is alive for ever more 2. He appears arguing his Resurrection from deeds wherein is an act and object 1. The act is Thomas seeing and feeling and q. d. Thomas thou wilt not believe except thou seest and feelest now this is against the nature of saith it consisteth not in seeing or feeling but on the contrary Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Indeed in things natural a man must have experience and then believe but in divine things a man must first believe and then have experience and yet to help thy unbelief saith Christ I am willing thus far to condescend Heb. 11.1 and yield unto thy weakness come feel the print of the nayls and of the spear Come reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Christ compassionates his children though full of weakness and wants He pities them that fear him for he knoweth our frame Ps 103.12 13. he remembreth that we are but dust 2. The object is Christ seen or felt his prints and skars are the very witnesses of our redemption and of his resurrection they declare that Satan is overthrown that death and hell are swallowed up in victory that He hath spoiled principallities and powers and to this purpose are these texts Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah By Edom is meant death by Bozrah the chief City of Edom is meant the state of the dead or hell from both which Christ returned at his glorious resurrection For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell Col. 2.12 13. Isa 63.1 2 3. neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Now saith the Prophet or some Angel Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah who is this that cometh so triumphantly with the keyes of Edom and Bozrah of death and hell at his girdle to which the answer is given I that speak in righteousness mighty to save as much as to say it is I Jesus Christ I that am righteous in speaking and mighty in saying whose Word is truth and whose Work is salvation it is I even I this answer given another question is propounded Wherefore art thou red in thine apparrel and thy garments like him