a Fountain springing up and a sowing to everlasting life a progress from glory to glory see Rom. 8. 23. Heb. 6. 4 5. 2 Cor. 1. 22. -5. 5. â—…o 4. 14. Gal. 6. 8. Eph. 1. 13 14. According to which those prophecies of the effusions of the spirit which are fulfilled in part upon our Saviors first coming yet seem not to have their full accomplishment till his second appearing which in those texts is joyned with the first See Act. 2. 17 18. comp 19 20. Joel 2. 28. c. comp Joel 3. 2. c. Mal. 3. 1. c. comp Mal. 4. 1 5. Esai 40. 3 5 10. And the plentiful flowing of those waters of life our Saviors ordinary Metaphor in St Johns Gospel for the Spirit which shall be from the Temple or the Throne of God and the Lamb mentioned Rev. 22. 1. -21. 6. Ezec. 47. 1 3. c. Joel 3. 18. Ezec. 13. 1. -14. 8. Ps. 36. 8 9. for all these prophecies wonderfully accord and speak of the state of the new world yet to come expressing heavenly things by earthly and the truths of the Gospel veil'd under the Ceremonies of the law must needs be understood of the fuller Communications of the holy spirit yet to come Blessed be God for his unspeakable gift The next operation of this spirit is upon our body but upon this as upon our Saviors not till the blessed Resurrection when we shall begin to bear the image of the heavenly Adam as we now bear the image of the earthly 1 Cor. 15. 49. and this vile body shall be changed and made like to his glorious body like it I mean not as it appeared after his rising again to his Disciples with a wound to thrust ones hand in eating and drinking c. where to shew the truth of his resurrection that it was the same body that was crucified he was glad to veil the glory of it But as it appeared to St. Paul in the way to Damascus which glory struck him blind Act. 9. 3. comp Act. 22. 14. or as to St. Stephen the reflection of which made his face to shine as an Angels or as Moses's in the Mount or to his Disciples Matt. 17. 2. at his transfiguration where God to qualifie the sad relation of his sufferings gave them an anticipated sight of that glory which in the apparitions after his Resurrection was necessary to be eclipsed upon which moment of Beatifick vision his transported Disciples quite forgetting all former relations to the world would gladly have set up there their perpetual abode Or as it appeared to St. John Rev. 1. 13 17. at the sight of whose Majesty that beloved Disciple fell at his Masters feet as dead c. And after our body is thus made glorious as his in the resurrection it shall also have an ascension just like his Our bodies caught up in the Clouds c. 1 Thess. 4. 17. as his was Act. 1. 9. And when this perfection is produced in the body as well as the soul then it is that we are properly called the Sons and children of God being the children of the resurrection Luk. 20. 36. as is also noted of our Savior And as the Angels from their spirituality like God are called his Sons Job 1. 6. So is at that time said to be our adoption Rom. 8. 23. The regeneration the restitution to the state before sin the manifestation of the Sons of God see Matt. 19. 28. Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19. comp with 1. 4. Rev. 21. 7. and mean while our life said to be in Christ to be hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 4. 1 Jo. 5. 11. For this state was such a longing of the Apostle to attain once the resurrection such a waiting of the Saints for the coming of the Lord such a groaning and being burdened in this earthly Tabernacle not to be shut of it and have none but to be clothed upon it with another house from Heaven see Phil. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. Rom. 8. 23. The same individual this shall be which our Savior kept his wounds to shew and perhaps will do for the honorable marks of his sufferings see Rev. 1. 7. Rev. 5. 6. he appearing in glory with them but by the operation of the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. strangely changed For we sow not in the grave that body that shall be 1 Cor. 15. 37. no more saith St. Paul then the seed we sow in the field is the flower or plant that comes of it who can guess at the beautiful colors of a Tulip by looking on its seed therefore the Apostle speaks of the body raised as a superstructure upon this 2 Cor. 5. 4. as the seed is clothed upon by the flower or the tree sown then in shame it shall come up glorious weak come up in power natural come up spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 42. For there are bodies spiritual and we know not but the Angels are such so spiritual as that there shall be no more belly at least as for meats nor no more meats for it 1 Cor. 6. 13. As Moses and Elias here for the 40 daies they enjoyed Gods presence needed no food There shall be no flesh nor blood 1 Cor. 15. 50. No heaviness 1 Thess. 4. 17. nor grosness Luk. 24. 31. Jo. 20. 19. and so no sensual pleasure suiting to corruptible substances of which for the most part some foregoing pain is the parent Luk. 20. 36. what then shall we be like Angels nay like the Son of God the second Adam our Father like him when he shall appear in his greatest glory 1 Jo. 3. 2. but what this likeness shall be we know not yet nor how far the spirit shall be united to us in similitude of that unity which Christs human nature now hath with the deity but as in some kind we are now partakers so much more then shall we be of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. nay filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 19. Glorious in body Esai 13. 12. and enriched with all knowledg wisdom holiness joy security in soul after the similitude of that wisdom and holiness and glory which Christs humanity hath received from the Deity some beams of that Sun being united to us the body of which dwells in him Col. 2. 9. Jo. 17. 21 23. To whom be all preeminence and glory for ever by all the partakers of his glory O foelix culpa said one quoe talem meruit habere redemptionem Ad aliquid majus humana natura perducta est per peccatum And God permitted that great evil of mans fall to raise him to a far greater honor finishing all his works in goodness and mercy Meanwhile as not we so neither is our Savior compleat every way before our resurrection being without us a Head glorified without its body Therefore is the Church called His fulness Eph. 1.
18. For as he in our stead was made sin and an accursed thing and an offering that calling sin to remembrance suffered the extreme wrath of the Almighty due to sin so in himself and this for our sake too he was not only in his death being a voluntary and a free will-offering see Jo. 10. 15 17 18. comp with Jo. 19. 30 33. the other living longer for this my Father loveth me c. and so also loveth us for whom it is offered for his sake Eph. 1. 6. but all his life an Holocaust consumed with the fire of love towards man and zeal of the glory of his Father in a perfect devotement and resignation of his whole self to the will of God and in his perfect obedience and fulfilling of all his Commandements And then when he had done working Jo. 17. 4. finishing this Holocaust in suffering for the divine glory for the truth suffering till he was all spent and consumed with the zeal of his Fathers honor laid upon which whole burnt-offering all our imperfect sacrifices of obedience and resignation of sufferings and martyrdom of spending and being spent 2 Cor. 12. 15. Phil. 2. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 10. whereby God is made all in all and we nothing in our selves and so one with him do partake also of the sweet savor of this sacrifice and all our praiers and petitions for our selves or intercessions for others are accepted of God and the descent of all good things spiritual and temporal from him are procured Gen. 8. 21. Jo. 14. 13. Phil. 1. 12. 4. He was the grand Eucharistical sacrifice and peace-offering answering to those typical ones under the Law In which respect the memorial which we now celebrate of his passion is called the Eucharist and in which relation we are made partakers in the Communion and admitted to eat of this sacrifice see 1 Cor. 10. 16 20. of which as a burnt or sin-offering tho these it is also Heb. 13. 11 12. we might not eat for none might eat of his own sin-offering Now the peace-offerings had many several uses in all which the sacrifice of our Savior fulfilled them 1. They were a kind of federal oblation after remission of offences procured by the sin-offering which was still offered before not after the Peace-offerings by which the sinner was as it were readmitted into Gods favour and whereas he might not eat of the sin-offering by eating part of which sacrifice being Gods bread Lev. 21. 6. -22. 25. and partaking of these holy things he was entertained at the table and accepted into the fellowship of God c. Only none that was unclean or any stranger upon peril of death might eat thereof See Lev. 22. Secondly they were offerings of thanksgiving for all the Creatures all the blessings and good things first received from God Gen. 1. 29. -9. 3. Ps. 50. 10 11 12. and continued by his word Gen. 1. 22. Deut. 8. 3. Matt. 4. 4. of which therefore both of men and beasts and fruits the choicest and first were offered and sanctified unto the Lord as his portion and tribute Sanctifie unto me all the first born both of Man and of Beast and so also it was for the first Fruits It is mine Exod. 13. 15 2. And these accordingly they offered these or their price both to shew their gratitude and acknowledgment of Gods right as to these so to all the rest Deut. 8. 18. -28. 4 5 8 11 12. -26. 2 10. Lev. 25. 23. -19. 24. and also to receive his benediction through what was offered to him upon all the rest Ezech 44. 30. Lev. 23. 11 14. Rom. 11. 16. Now according to this type Christ the substance in whom all things are fulfilled and accepted for what careth God for Oxen or other Firstlings or first fruits not only the first born of his Mother but of every Creature and likewise the first fruits Col. 1. 15 18. Rom. 8. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 20 23. was not redeemed but offered in his own person offered unto God first by whom all others were redeemed from the like And secondly by and through which offering only all our praises and thanksgivings are accepted for all things Eph. 1. 6. -3. 21. Col. 3. 17. Heb. 13. 15. Phil. 1. 11. and the right to and lawful use of them procured unto us only by this offering Rom. 14. 14. Eph. 1. 3. -4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rom. 8. 32. And again by it as a federal oblation is the Covenant of grace and our peace ratified To the eating and partaking of which Sacrifice also in the mystical Sacrament of his Body and blood we are admitted to the worlds end And 1. By the eating of which as the Jews and also Idolaters were to the eating of theirs we are accepted in partaking of this Table to the unity Communion and fellowship with God see 1 Cor. 10. 14. c. to the 22. Only concerning which it is also provided that no unclean person or stranger unadmitted by Baptism may approach to eat thereof 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. Secondly by eating and partaking of which sacrifice excelling the other under the law in as much as it is the Body and blood of the Son of God we are admitted to Communion with the Son and mystically incorporated into him made members of his body flesh of his flesh c. And that not in a Metaphor but in a great mystery saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 32. And then from being partakers of the body become also partakers of the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 17. And from partaking of his nature the body and the spirit of the Son of God become also Sons of God and heirs of eternal life 1 Cor. 12. 13. -6. 13 15 17. c. Eph. 5. 29. Jo. 17. 2 23. By eating and partaking of one and the same nourishment of this one Sacrifice of this one bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. we also become one Bread and have Communion with all the Saints of God as well those in Heaven as those upon earth partaking of all their glory praiers c. Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 3. 15. Eph. 2. 19. Col. 1. 20. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Job 42. 8. Gen. 20. 7 17. 2 Cor. 1. 〈◊〉 5. And hence with reference to this Sacrifice as also to the tree of life in Paradise and to the Manna and water flowing out of the Rock in the Wilderness which were types of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 2 3 4. -12. 13. Jo. 6. 32 35 49. Our Saviour is said to be the bread of life preserving him that eats the flesh of this Sacrifice so that he shall live for ever And he that eateth him shall live by him Jo. 6. 57. 6. Lastly he was the true Passover Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7. He the true paschal Lamb fulfilling that typical one of the Jews In relation to which also when this Lamb was slain it was taken care that a bone
life knowledge power to the gift and Communication and all he doth to the command and appointment and exemplar of the Father Himself to live by him to have life in himself as the Father hath but from his gift to be sent by him not only the man Christ Jesus to be sent to us in the flesh and human nature but the second Person in the Trinity then the only begotten Son of God the Father see 1 Jo. 4. 9. comp Jo. 3. 13 17. Jo. 6. 38 39. -17. 5. Heb. 1. 2 3. to be first also sent into the flesh and to take human nature upon him for he that was sent descended from Heaven and was made flesh see 1 Jo. 4. 2. Jo. 16. 28. Heb. 2. 14 16. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Jo. 6. 38. Again to judge do as he hears from him as he is taught by him Jo. 8. 28. as he hath seen him do the works he shews him operating as it were after his pattern see Jo. 5. 6. 7. 8. chapters Jo. 14. 28. -17. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 27. Jo. 10. 18. -5. 30. -8. 15. -10. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Many of which places if not all cannot be understood of his human nature Neither are these expressions incongruent to the second person of the Trinity since the like are granted to be used of the third the Holy Ghost See Jo. 15. 26. -16. 13 14 15. 2. But secondly which is more to our purpose in the mystery of the Incarnation here God the Father only represents the whole Deity in its Glory and Majesty and God the Son then divested stripped and emptied Himself of that form of God in which he was and in respect of the use and exercise of it further then as the Father pleased to dispense it unto him of all the Majesty and power of his Divinity In which thing our blessed Lord was fore-typified by Sampson for thus was he for the love of an Harlot we were no better willing to part with and to lay aside all his strength to be bound by his own Nation and delivered up to his enemies Judg. 15. 11. to be blinded and made sport with and to be put to death but by his death as Sampson destroying his enemies and getting the victory See Judg. 16. Thus he became in fashion only as a man Luk. 12. 50. undertaking all the imperfections that are without sin of human nature such as others have and receiving all the perfections of it from the gift of God the Father so as others do c. Suffering the imperfection and infirmities not only of the body but those innocent ones of the Soul too and these not only in the sensitive and appetitive faculties as fear sorrow Mark 14. 34. horror of death c. In so much that he was capable of being strengthened by one of those Angels whom he had made Luk. 22. 43. not to name that treating with him by Ambassadors from Heaven Luk. 9. 31. one from the law and another from the Prophets about his sufferings Besides those natural inclinations and velleities if I may so say that appeared in him of the lower faculties solliciting for things convenient to them tho alwaies ordered by reason and the Spirit to conformity with the will of God see Jo. 6. 38. Rom. 15. 3. Matt. 26. 39. Where we discover natural propensions diverse from those of the Spirit tho these proposing their own desires not opposing the others resolves But some think in the Intellectual part also either 1. The absence of some knowledge supernatural to man non debitoe inesse for some time by the suspension of the light of his Divinity from it as it is clear the Beatifical vision was suspended from it in the time of his sad and dolorous passion Which knowledg increased in him according to the dispensation of the Father See Luk. 1. 80. -2. 52. where Christ is said to increase in wisdom and spirit c. not in appearance only but with God as well as men see Mark. 13. 32. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and this with Rev. 5. 5 6. c. where the Lamb is said to be worthy to c. to have prevailed to open the book Of all future events and to look thereon c. and v. 12. To receive wisdom this being signified vers 6. by the 7 eyes as power by the 7 horns for that he was slain c. and Mark 6. 6. Matt. 8. 10. where he is said to wonder as if some thing happened unexpected Or 2. The absence of that experimental knowledg which he afterward acquired by sufferings see Heb. 5. 8. -2. 17 18. Or 3. at least see Jo. 16. 30. -21. 17. some restraint of the effects and external manifestations of his knowledge till the time the Father had appointed for them to be opened See Act. 17. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and Mark. 13. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Therefore he is said in his youth to have heard the Doctors of the Law and conferred with them tho by this doubtless he learned not from but imparted wisdom to them Luk. 2. 46 47. Nor did he offer to teach till the age allowed for Doctors to profess And not then till after he had as it were prepared himself for it in six Weeks solitude silence watching fasting prayer For he who prayed whole nights when all the day wearied with emploiments certainly omitted it not in that long vacation And so for the external operations of the Spirit it self tho he was by the Holy Ghost conceived and had it not stinted and given by measure as others Jo. 3. 34. Col. 1. 19. who yet are said also to be filled with the Holy Ghost as the blessed Virgin and St Stephen and some even from the womb as St John Baptist. See Luk. 1. 15. Act. 7. 55. yet the more publick functions of it were restrained till at 30 years of age that he was baptized that it at the solemnity visibly descended on him and then he began in the strength of it to preach do Miracles c. Luk. 4. 1. Jo. 2. 11. -4. 54. And so his power tho alwaies as God equal to the Fathers Jo. 3. 35. yet for the actual exercise and execution of it as man successively given him according to the fore-appointments of the Father In which respect he saith more emphatically and with signification of some enlargement of it I mean as Man All power is given me c. Matt. 28. 28. Jo. 5. 20. Jo. 14. 12. -17. 12. -16. 7. Matt. 11. 25. Eph. 4. 10. Rev. 1. 18. And it shall be yet more fully said by him at his second coming till when his fulness and his Kingdom in respect of his members is not prefected See 1 Cor. 15. 28. Eph. 1. 23. 2. Again receiving all perfections of this human nature not from the donation of the Word the second person united to it but from the Donation of the Father For tho as 't is shewed before he hath all dependence on the
required of us A Configuration to all his vertuous and holy life here many singular patterns of which are set down before a Configuration to his sufferings and death Phil. 3. 10. as it is first in our Baptism and for sins after Baptism ought to be in the painful fruits of repentance abstaining from worldly pleasures using the body hardly c. which are therefore called mortifications A Configuration to his resurrection and life after it In having our conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. living to God only no more to affections of this life ever worshipping praising loving admiring glorifying offering up and dedicating our selves to God For so Saints live that are dead See Rev. 4. 8. c. -5. 9 12. c. -7. 9. c. Quicquid gestum est in sepultura resurrectione c. ita gestum est ut configuretur vita humana quae hic geritur For our participation of Christs merits is only by being his members they can be communicated to none else and our being members necessarily implies conformity in actions suffering c. to the Head For that one should suffer and not the other is quite contrary to the nature of members 1 Cor. 12. 26. and argues schism in the body Should any member therefore so presume on the obedience or sufferings of the head as that himself now needs nor suffer nor obey such a one without bearing its part and proportion therein Col. 1. 24. either never was or is ceased to be a true member Christ did nothing for our salvation which we are not for it in some sense to do also our selves Gal. 6. 14. -9. 19 20. CHAP. VII Jesus Christ the Melchizedechical Holy Priest passed into the Heavens and making Intercession c. for ever for us with God GOD being of infinite Holiness and purity to shew his hatred against sin would not admit the approach of sinners into his Sanctuary and presence nor accept immediately of their praiers and service offered to him which if any after Discipline was settled should have presumed to do they were no less then to dy for it See Lev. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 6. 7. Numb 4. 15. -16. chap. Job 9. 31. -42. 8. But yet being of infinite mercy too not to shut out sinners thus from all commerce with his goodness he selected from the beginning some singular persons taken from the rest of men no man taking this honor to himself but he that was called of God Heb. 5. 1 4. and being first anointed consecrated and sanctified after an extraordinary manner and cleansed with great Ceremony after the more express delivering of his pleasure in the promulgation of the law see Exod. 29. chap. Lev. 8. 12. who should be ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5. 1. -2. 17. who should have the administration of holy things and nearer access to Gods presence should bring unto the Lord the peoples gifts and offerings Heb. 5. 1. make attonement and reconciliation for their sins and errors c. Heb. 2. 17. Heb. 5. 2. Amongst which ministers of the Sanctuary some were kept at a greater distance as the Levite who had the charge of the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof and was to minister to the Priest but might not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary or the Altar that they dy not Numb 18. 3. Some approached nearer as the Priest confined to Aaron and his seed who had the charge of the Sanctuary and of the Altar who were to preserve themselves continually undefiled Lev. 21. 1. c. and amongst them all such to be excluded from attendance as had any corporal blemish tho but a squint eye or a flat nose or a dwarf Lev. 21. 18. c. The same perfection being required for the sacrificer that was for the Sacrifice Lev. 22. 20. to whom only it belonged to offer the daily morning and even Sacrifice and all other the peoples offerings upon it and to make attonements for them to sound with Trumpets which none else might use over the burnt and peace-offerings that they might be for a memorial to the people before the Lord. Numb 10. 10. In sin-offerings to carry some of the blood into the outer Sanctuary and to sprinkle part thereof before the Lord before the Veil and to put also of it on the horns of the Altar of Incense before the Lord Morning and Evening at the time of the sacrifice to burn incense before the Veil upon the Altar of the Sanctuary to dress the Lamps morning and evening and every Sabbath to renew the shew-bread before the Lord to discern between clean and unclean holy and unholy At the coming out of the Sanctuary lifting up their hands towards the people and putting Gods name upon them solemnly in a set form Numb 6. 6 24. c. 2 Chron. 30. 27. Ecclus. 50. 5 19. c. 1 Chron. 23. 13. to give the sacerdotal benediction And as solemnly to bless so also to curse Deut. 27. 14. This for the Priest But the High Priest approached yet nearer to the Lord much distinguished from the rest in his typical garments who once yearly on the grand day of Expiation was to enter within the Veil into the Sanctum Sanctorum before the glory of the Lord appearing between the Cherubims he first making a cloud of Incense and there to present and sprinkle with his finger 7 times upon the mercy-seat it self and seven times on the floor before it Lev. 16. 14. the blood of the sacrifice made for the Priest and the people before the Lord and to make attonement with it for the Priests and for all the people and not only for them but also for all the holy things the Tabernacle the Holy Sanctuary the Altar it self to purge and resanctify and as if God was also displeased with these for sin to reconcile them Lev. 16. 20. with blood to hallow them saith the Lord from the uncleannesses and transgressions of the children of Israel in the midst of whom they remained Such a contagion is our sin to the whole creation See Levit. 16. 16 19. and when he went in he was to bear the names of the children of Israel engraven and upon his two shoulders and again engraven like the engraving of a Signet upon the brestplate of judgment upon his heart for a memorial of them before the Lord continually Exod. 28. 12 21 29. He was also to have engraven upon the front of his Miter in Gold Holiness unto the Lord. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead that he may bear the iniquity of the Holy things of the children of Israel See Numb 18. 1. Lev. 16. 16. And it shall be alway upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Exod. 28. 38. And besides these Urim and Thummim were likewise to be upon his heart and in any thing doubtful the people were to repair unto him and he by Urim was to ask counsel for them before