meet 2 Thes 1.3 because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Christians if we did but consider that every duty done to God or Man that every penny given to a poor naked Saint that every cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet should not lose his reward but this day should be reckoned up or drawn as it were into a full Inventory Imprimis For this piece of silver given such a day to such a one Item For this piece of bread such a day given to such a one c. Oh who would not abound in faith and love oh who would think any thing too much too good too dear to give to the needy members of Jesus Christ there is a charge laid upon Ministers to preach this Doctrine I beseech you give me leave to discharge my duty and to lay it and leave it at your doors where beggars usually stand 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to destribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life You to whom God hath given the riches of this world as you would meet Christ with comfort learn this lessen consider whether of these too reckonings will be more comfortable at that day Item So much given to such and such a religious use or so much given towards such a Feast and for the entertainment of such brave gallants so much to promote the Gospel or so much at Dice Cards Horse-races if one should tell you that either you must feed Christ in the poor or you must starve in Hell you must either cloath naked Christ in the poor or you must be laid naked to the fiery indignation of the Lord for ever oh what strictness would you call this but I recollect my self if Christ set you at his right hand he will then recount all your charities and all your labours of love to the Saints you that are poor and had nothing to give he will tell you of your good works if it was no more but at such a time you cast a mite into his Treasury and at such a time you carried a Letter for the Lord Jesus he will produce and commend these pittances of your poor charities to all the world 2. Nor only good works to man but all the Saints duties to God shall come in remembrance Oh then it will be known who served the Lord in spirit and truth and who did not then Men and Angels shall know such a day this poor Saints performed such a spiritual service every prayer in publick or private every tear shed for sin every sob or sigh every spiritual meditation or self-examination every glance ejaculation or looking unto Jesus shall be recounted by Jesus It was said of Cornelius Act. 10.4 that as well his prayers to God as his alms to men came up for a memorial before God certainly every duty in reference to the first table is booked in Heaven and at this day the book being opened it will appear that such a prayer thou madest such a morning and such an evening in thy closet Mat. 6.6 and now will Christ say Did not I tell thee that if thou wouldst pray to thy Father in secret then he that saw thee in secret should reward thee openly why now shalt thou have thy reward in a full view I will divulge here all thy secret duties to Men and Angels all the world shall know it thy wandrings I told them Psal 56.8 and thy tears I bottled them lo here are they not all written in my Book 3. Nor onely duties but graces shall now be rehearsed thy Knowledge Faith Hope Love spiritual Joy thy Fear Obedience Repentance Humility Meekness Patience Zeal Perseverance shall be fully discovered time was that in the incense of such a Prayer many sweet spices were burned together therein was Faith working by Love therein was Humility therein was Patience in submiting to God's will and pleasure therein was Hope of a gracious answer in God's due time therein was Holiness brokenness of Heart Cant. 5.1 and love to others c. Time was saith Christ that I gathered my myrr with my spices that I eat my honey-comb with my honey that I both accepted and delighted my self in thy heavenly graces I shall never forget how thou didst ravish my heart my sister my spouse how thou dost ravish my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Why thus shall the Lord set forth and tell all the world what gracious children he had then will appear indeed the Meekness of Moses the Faith of Abraham the Patience of Job the Zeal of Phineas the Love of Magdalen and according to the measure of grace conferred upon thee Christ will set thee out We commend the graces of such and such Saints at their death but oh let Christ blazon me and his graces in me at the resurrection-day Thus far for the Exploration or trial before sentence Mat. 25.24 2. For the sentence it self then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Every word here is full of life and joy 1. Come this is the King's invitation of his Saints to his Court he had summoned them before to his presence and now they are about him he will not part with them they must come a little nearer yet they must go with him into his presence chamber the mansions are ready the Supper of the Lamb is ready and now he begins the solemn invitation to his bride Come 2. Come ye blessed of my Father Christ blessed them when he went up to Heaven Luke 6.20 21. and whiles yet on earth he pronounced them blessed many a time Blessed be ye poor Blessed are ye that hunger Blessâ—d are ye that weep but now he calls them the blessed of his Father not onely Christ but God the Father hath ever looked upon them as his children it is the Father's will as well as Christ's that they should be blessed Ye blessed of my Father Luke 12 32. Rom. 8.17 3. Inherit the Kingdom Christ had told them before It is your Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom but then they were only as servants or as children under age but now they are heirs Eph. 4.13 Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and now they are come to full age To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ and therefore they must have the inheritance in possession they must all be Kings this very word speaks them Kings and makes them Kings it is the solemn coronation of the Saints It is the anointing the setting of the Crown upon
Word Mark here one of Satans depths in outward things he tempts men to distrust God and to rely altogether on means but in heavenly things and matters of salvation he tempts men to lay all on Gods Decrees and Gods purposes without any regard had to the means Such men might as well say the Lord hath appointed that we shall live to such a time and till then we shall not die and therefore what need we food in health or physick in sickness Oh take heed of these reasonings Gods Decree doth not remove the use of the means but establish and confirm them 2. The Decree is the same with that book of life wherein are written the names of the Elect Phil. 4 3 Luke 12 20 Rev. 20.12 Paul tells us of some women with Clement and other fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of life And Christ bids his Disciples rejoyce because their names are written in heaven And John saw in his vision the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life As Captains have a book wherein they write the names of their Souldiers and Citizens have a book wherein they record the names of their Burgesses So God hath his Decree or book of life in which he registers all that belongs to him Exod. 32.32 33. Some other texts speak of a book of life as blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written said Moses in his zeal for Israel to whom the Lord answered whosoever sinneth against me him will I blot out of my book But this was not the book say some of Gods eternal Decree but the book of his providences God hath a double book and both in a figure he hath a book of his resolved Decrees and a book of his acted providences this latter is but a transcript or a copy of the former those huge original volumes of love and blessings which God hath laid up in his heart for his own people from all eternity is the book I mean Indeed this book is writing out every day by the hand and pen of providence in the ordering of all those affairs which concern our salvation 3. This Decree is the very same also with Gods seal the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his A seal is used in three cases 1. To keep things distinct 2. To keep things secret 3. To keep things safe In every of these respects Gods Decrees are seals but especially in the last those souls that are sealed by God they are safe in the love and favour of God as when Job tells us that God sealeth up the stars i.e. say some he preserveth the stars in their Orbs in the places where he hath set them they shall never drop out so God seals up his Saints i.e. he secures them of the eternal love of God so that they shall never drop out of his heart All these titles speak the immutability of Gods eternal emminent acts q. d. I decree I predestinate I book it seal it that such and such persons shall be eternally saved and why all this but to note the certainty and stability of the thing shall great Monarchs of the earth do thus shall they decree and book and seal to shew their greatness and wisdom that they could so resolve as no person or power whatsoever should be strong enough to cause them to change their resolutions and shall not I much more do not I know or foresee all that can or will follow is there any power or ever shall be to take them out of my hands Or is it possible that ever I should have a relenting thought at the saving of thâ—se souls Can any thing fall out hereafter to make me more provident more powerful more wise more merciful then now I am it may be in some things I may will a change but can I in any thing truly change my will no no I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3 SECT IX The Covenant THE Covenant concerning mans salvation is the last and main particular I instanced in I dare not be too curious to insist on the order of nature and the rather because I believe the Covenant betwixt God Christ from everlasting is interwoven with the Decree fore-knowledge and election above So the Apostle tells us Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world mark that in Christ There was an eternal plot betwixt the Father and the Son there was a bargain made I speak it with reverence betwixt God and Christ there was a Covenant betwixt the Lord and his Son Jesus Christ for the salvation of the Elect and of this observe we especially these following Texts In Isaiah 49.1 2 3 4. the Prophet seems to set it Dialogue-wise one expresseth it thus First Christ begins and shews his commission telling God how he had called him and fitted him for the work of redemption and he would know what reward he should have of him for so great an undertaking The Lord hath called me from the womb Isa 19 1 2. from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name and he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft in his quiver hath he bid me Upon this God answers him and tells him what reward he should have for so great an undertaking only at first he offers low viz. onely the elect people of Israel And he said unto me thou art my servant O Israel Ver. 3. in whom I will be glorified or Israel it is in whom I will be glorified by thee Christ who stood now a making his bargain with him thought these too few and not worth so great a labor and work because few of the Jews would come in but would refuse him and therefore he says he should labour in vain if this were all his recompence then said I ver 4. I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for naught and in vain yet withal he tells God that seeing his heart was so much in saving sinners he would do it howsoever for those few comforting himself with this that his work or his reward was with the Lord. Upon this God comes off more freely and opens his heart more largely to him as meaning more amply to content him for his pains in dying ver 6. it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel that is not worth the dying for I value thy sufferings more than so I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth Methinks I imagine as if I heard God speak unto Christ from
for the Lord God will help me Heb. 2.13 Isa 50.7 8 9 Isa 59.5 therefore shall I not be confounded And behold the Lord will help me who is he that shall condemn me whereto agrees that other passage and my God shall be my strength 3. There was a promise of submission to his Fathers will in bearing the reproaches and injuries that should be done to him and to lay down his life for those that were given to him by the Father the Lord God opened my ear and I was not rebellious Isa 50.5 6 neither turned away back I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my Face from shame and spitting John 10.17 and therefore my Father loves me because I lay down my life Christ first thus Covenanted with his Father and then he was careful to discharge the same and at last he tells God John 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 4. There was an earnest expectation of that glory which the Father promised Christ and his members And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self John 17.5 John 17.24 with the glory which I had with thee before the World was And Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World These were the Articles of the Covenant on Christs part and hence it is that God is called the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ viz. by reason of the Covenant Ephes 1.3 O my soul with what delight mayest thou consider muse and ponder on these Articles what that God should make a Covenant and enter into these and these Articles with his own Son for thy good and for thy Eternal good what that God should bring in the second person in the Trinity to be the head of the Covenant as on thy part what a mercy is this O run over and over this meditation a thousand and a thousand times O consider thy hope of Eternal life which God that cannot lye Tit. 1.2 promised before the world began If thy soul question what promise was there made before the World began to whom was the promise made who was there before the World began for God to make any promise to why now thou hast learned it was only to the Son of God the second person in the Trinity There was a most blessed transaction between God the Father and God the Son before the world began for thy everlasting good and upon that transaction depends all thy hope and all thy salvation O this is worthy of thy deep and sad and serious and inmost meditation I have been particular and large in this passage of Looking unto or considering Jesus but I shall be brief in the rest SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. VVE must desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in that Eternity It is not enough to know consider but we must desire Now desire is a passion looking after the attainment of some good which we enjoy not and which we imagine to be fitting for us In this respect we cannot desire after Jesus as now to carry on that work of our salvation before the World began for that work is already perfectly done But these things we may desire after as 1. After the manifestation of that work in us 2. After God and Christ the complotters and actors of that great work for us 3. After the full and utmost execution whereby God effectually works in time according to all his workings or decrees before time 1. We must desire after the manifestation of this work in us We have heard of marvellous excellent glorious things done by Jesus Christ for his Saints from all Eternity oh what desires now should be in us to know that we are of that number when I hear and consider that there was such a project and such counsels and such love and such a purpose and such decrees and such a Covenant betwixt God and Christ for salvation of souls and withal that they are but few in comparison concerning whom God and Christ hath all this care will not this whet on my desires and make me cry and cry again Oh that these loves were mine how happy were I if I had a share in these eternal thoughts of God Methinks we should not hear of such transactions but it should stir up our hearts in infinite desires methinks we should pant after assurance and still be wishing Oh what is truth and what is Christ and what did Christ for me before I was or before the World was I would I knew him I would I could enjoy him I would I were assured that he had one good thought of me in that Eternity Christians if you have any share in those transactions sooner or later you will feel these desires nay if my sinful heart deceive me not upon the very consideration of these things I feel my self another creature in my desires then I was before Tell me you that have took a full view of God Christ and of all these wonders of Eternity do you not sensibly differ from your selves in your affections Is not the world worldly pleasures worldly profits and worldly honours fallen too yea ten in an hundred with you have they not lost their price would you not rather be assured that your names are written in the Book of Life then to have all the world yours yea and all the Devils in Hell subject to your commands Certainly if these revelations work nothing in your hearts if your affections be so strong and hearty to the world and the vanities of it if your desires be so impure and strongly working downwards that Gods ancient loves and everlasting workings have no power on your hearts it is a very sad condition If David may have his wish it runs thus Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us he would have the manifestation of Gods Eternal love Psa 4.6 one smile of his countenance as an image of that countenance which God had towards him before the world began was more gladness to his heart then all that which the men of the world had in the time that their corn and their wine increased 2. We may and must desire after God and Christ the complotters and actors of that great work for us what hath the Gospel revealed this truth that before the Creation God and Christ were busied about our good yea and hath Christ especially that came out of the bosom of his Father brought the treasures of his Fathers counsel to the world discovered such love to men how then should our desires be after God in Christ Whom have I in heaven but thee Psa 73.35 there is none upon earth that I
everlastingly for it O my soul canst thou ponder on this and not love him dearly who has thus loved thee Come stir up the gift that is in thee if thou art a Christian thou hast some sparks though now it may be under the ashes come rub chase and warm thy affections at this fire love like a watch must be wound up or else it will fall downwards what dost thou why stand'st thou idle in the heat of the Day Christ hath fire in his hand 't is but looking up and reaching out thy hand to take it from him O take it with both thy hands and be thankful for it Prayer ejaculation contemplation judicious observation of the Spirits season are thy best instruments to kindle this fire of love in thee And methinks thy heart should begin now to melt methinks it should receive more easie impressions from the object before it methinks these eternal works and acts of God and Christ towards thy poor soul should begin to overcome thee Cant. 6.5 Cant 8.6 and to burne thy heart as with coales of Juniper Why Lord is it thus was I Elected from all Eternity in Christ was I ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a World was this business to make me happy one of the cheef deep counsels of God was this one of the works of his wisdome that he was exercised about before the World began was this the great designe of God in making the World and in making Heaven the place of glory to glorifie himselfe and to glorifie such a poor wretch as I am O then how should this but mightily inflame my heart with the love God and love of Christ how should I choose but say as the Martyr did Oh that I had as many lives as I have haires on my head to lay them down for Christ Ah what flames of Divine affection what raptures of zeal what ravishments of delight what extasies of obedience can be enough for my blessed God and dearest Redeemer SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy O my soul dost thou believe and art thou now cast into a pang of love how then should thy joy but come on As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoyce not Luk. 10.20 that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven so rejoyce not thou in this that the world is thine that riches are thine that thou hast subdued men and devils but herein rejoyce that thy name is written in the Book of life O what a comfortable point is this that the Father and Christ should transact a bargaine from Eternity concerning thee by name that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven as if their language had been thus Father what shall be given to thy justice to ransome such a one Abraham Isaac Jacob Matthew Mark Luke John Mary Martha Hannah c. why no more but this thou shalt dye my Son and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever Why then saith Christ I will engage for such and such a one I will enter into Bond for such and such a person Abraham shall believe in time See I have writ down his name in the Book of life And who art thou that readest art thou a believer dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ said the same of thee and entered into a bond for thee and entered they name in the Book of life See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3 Phil. 4 3. Thou Thomas Andrew Peter Christ knows thee by name and thy name is written in the Book of life O go thy way and rejoyce and take strong consolation is there not cause why I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven and if this may adde to thy joy know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again No no poor soul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God hath decreed thy salvation and Gods decree shall stand let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations it is as possible for God to deny himself as it is possible for thee a believer to perish 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept saith the Apostle by the power of God through faith to salvation and therefore rejoyce and againe rejoyce yea raise up thy joy to that pitch of triumph which is joy elevated and elevated so high that it comes to victoriousness and magnanimous conquest of heart over all things say with the Apostle what my name written in the Book of life Rom. 8 3â— 35 38 39. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who then shall separate me from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword nay I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. VVE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus This also is included in looking as David while Praying unto thee do I lift up mine Eyes Psa 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Now this calling on God or looking to God contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions betwixt God and Christ may be assuredly ours and that God would clear up our Titles more and more yea and seeing all good things tending to Salvation were from all Eternity prepared for us we are therefore to pray that by prayer we may draw them down from Heaven for what though our Evidences be clear Yet this must not cast out means God doth not use to bestow his saving Graces on lazy sluggards those therefore who from the certainty of Predestination do pretend that the duty of Prayer is superfluous do plainly shew that they have no certainty at all Aquinas Aquinas part c q. art 8. was Orthodox in this the Predestinate must Pray because by these effects of Predestination the Salvation of Souls is best ascertained The same Spirit which Witnesseth to our Spirit that we are his Chosen is also the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and therefore he that believes that he is one of Gods Elect he cannot but pray for those things which he believeth that God hath prepared for him before the foundation of the World 2. We must praise God what that God should look on us and Predestinate us to Life
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
saw thee in danger of death through thy own unbelief for except thou sawest in his hands the print of the nails and put thy finger into the print of the nails except thou hadst clear manifestations of Christ even to thine own sense thou wouldest not believe he condescends so far to succour thy weakness as to manifest himself by several witnesses three in heaven and three on earth yea he multiplies his three on earth to thousands of thousands so many were the signes witnessing Christ that the Disciple which testified of them John 21.25 could say If they should be written every one the world could not contain the Books that should be written 4. When he saw the buying and selling in the Temple yea making Merchandize of the Temple it self I mean of thy Soul which is the Temple of the holy Ghost he steps in to whip out those Buyers and Sellers those Lusts and Corruptions O cries he will you sell away your souls for Trash O what is a man profitted though he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Prov. 30.2 3. 5. When he saw thee like the horse and mule more brutish than any man not having the understanding of a man thou neither learnedst wisdom nor hadst the knowledge of the most holy he came with his instructions adding line unto line and precept on precept teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and sealing his truths with many Miracles Mat. 4.23 that thou maist believe and in believing thou mightest have life through his Name and Oh! what is this but to make thee wise unto salvation 6. When he saw thee a sinner of the Gentiles a stranger from the common-wealth of Israel and without God in the world he sent his Apostles and Messengers abroad and bad them preach the Gospel to thee q. d. Go to such a one in the dark corner of the world an Isle at such a distance from the Nation of the Jews and set up my Throne amongst that people open the most precious Cabinet of my Love there and amongst that People tell such a Soul that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he is one O admirable Love 7. When he saw thee cast down in thy self and refusing thy own Mercy crying and saying what is it possible that Jesus Christ should send a Message to such a dead Dog as I am why the Apostles Commission seems otherwise Go not into the way of the Gentiles Mat. 10.5 6. or into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel O I am a lost sheep but not being of the House of Israel what hope is there that ever I should be found He then appeared and even then he spred his arms wide to receive thy soul he satisfied thee then of another Commission given to his Apostles Go teach all Nations And he cried even then Come unto me thou that art weary and heavy laden with sin and I will receive thee into my bosom Mat. 28.19 and give thee rest there 8. When he saw thee in suspence and heard thy complaint But if I come shall I find sweet welcome I have heard that his ways are narrow and straight Oh it is an hard passage and an high ascent up to heaven Many seek to enter in but shall not be able Luke 13.24 Oh! what shall become of my poor Soul why then he told thee otherwise Prov. 3.17 that all his ways were ways of pleasantness and all his paths peace he would give thee his Spirit that should bear the weight and make all light he would sweeten the ways of Christianity to thee that thou shouldest find by experience that his yoke was easie Mat. 11.29 and his burden was light 9. When he saw the wretchedness of thy Nature and original pollution he took upon him thy Nature and by this means took away thy original sin O here is the lovely Object What is it but the absolute holiness and perfect purity of the Nature of Christ This is the fairest Beauty that ever eye beheld this is that compendium of all Glories now if Love be a motion and union of the Appetite to what is lovely how shouldst thou flame forth in loves upon the Lord Jesus Christ this is rendered as the reason of those sparklings Thou art fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 10. When he saw thee actually unclean a transgressor of the Law in thought word Heb. 10.9 and deed then he said Lo I come to do thy will O God and wherefore would he do Gods will but meerly on thy behalf O my Soul canst thou read over all these passages of Love and dost thou not yet cry out O stay me comfort me for I am sick of Love Can a man stand by an hot and fiery furnace and never be warmed Oh for an heart in some measure answerable to these Loves Surely even good natures hate to be in debt for love and is therein thee O my soul neither grace nor yet good nature O God forbid awake awake thy ardent love towards the Lord Jesus Christ why thou art rock and not flesh if thou beest not wounded with these heavenly darts Christ loves thee is not that enough fervent affection is apt to draw love where is little or no beauty and excellent beauty is apt to draw the heart where there is no answer of affection at all but when these two meet together what breast can hold against them See O my soul here is the sum of all the particulars thou hast heard Christ loves thee and Christ is lovely his heart is set upon thee who is a thousand times fairer than all the children of men doth not this double consideration like a mighty loadstone snatch thy heart unto it and almost draw it forth of thy very breast O sweet Saviour thou couldst say even of thy poor Church though labouring under many imperfections Thou hast ravished my Heart Cant. 4.9 10. my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck how fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all Spices Couldst thou O blessed Saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of the Church and shall not I much more be enamoured with thy absolute and divine Beauty It pleased thee my Lord out of thy sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love to say to thy poor Church Turn away thine Eyes from me for they have overcome me but Oh let me say to thee Turn thine eyes to me that they may overcome me my Lord Cant. 6.5 I would be thus ravished I would be overcome I would be thus out of my self that I might be all in thee Thus is the Language of true love to Christ but alas how dully and flatly do I speak
great inconformity and dissimilitude to the life of Christ how should I but lie in the dust O woe is me what a vast disproportion is betwixt Christ's life and mine why thus O my soul shouldst thou humble thy self each morning each prayer each meditation each self examination shouldst thou fetch new fresh clear particular causes occasions matters of humiliation as thus loe there the evenness gravity graciousness uniformity holiness spiritualities divineness heavenliness of Jesus Christ loe there the fragrant zeal dear love tender pity constant industry unwearied pains patience admirable self-denial contempt of the world in Jesus Christ loe there those many yea continual devout divine breathings of soul after God his Fathers glory after the spiritual and immortal good of the precious souls of his redeemed ones Oh all the admirable meekness mercifulness clemency charity with all other excellent temperance rare composure wonderful order of his blessed soul O the sweet expressions gracious conversation O the glorious shine blessed lustre of his divine Soul Oh the sweet countenance sacred discourse ravishing demeanour winning deportment of Jesus Christ and now I reflect upon my self on alas Oh the total wide vast utter difference distance disproportion of mine there from I should punctually answer perfectly resemble accurately imitate exactly conform to this life of Christ but ah my unevenness lightness vanity Ah my rudeness grossness deformity odiousness sleightness contemptibleness execrableness Ah my sensuality brutishness devilishness how clearly are these and all other my enormities discovered discerned made evident and plain by the blessed and holy life of Jesus so true is that rule Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt Psal 103.1 3. Let us quicken provoke and incense our sluggish drousie souls to conform to Christ If we will but strictly observe our hearts we shall find them very backward to this duty and therefore let us call upon our souls as David did Bless the Lord O my soul Rom. 8.29 and let all that is within me bless his holy Name let us work upon our souls by reasoning with our own hearts as if we discoursed with them thus O my heart or O my soul if in the deep counsels of eternity this was Gods great design to make his Son like thee that thou also mightest be like his Son how then shouldest thou but endeavour to conform and what sayes the Apostle For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son this was one of his great purposes from eternity this law God set down before he made the world that I should conform to his Son and what O my soul would'st thou break the eternal bands of predestination O God forbid Again if this was one of the ends of Christ's coming to destroy the works of the devil to deface all Sathan's works especially his work in me his Image in me and to set his own stamp on my soul how then should I but endeavour to conform I read but of two ends of Christ's coming into the world in relation to us whereof the first was to redeem his people and the other was to purifie his people He gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works the one is the work of his merit which goeth upward to the satisfaction of his Father the other is the work of his Spirit and grace which goeth downwards to the sanctification of his Church in the one he bestoweth his righteousness on us by imputation on the other he fashioneth his Image in as by renovation and what O my soul would'st thou destroy the end of Christ's coming in the flesh or would'st thou miss of that end for which Christ came in relation to thy good O God forbid Again consider the example of the Saints before thee if this was their holy ambition to be like their Jesus emulate them in this for this is a blessed emulation it is observable how the heathens themselves had learnt a rule very near to this Seneca Senec. Ep. 11. advised that every man should propound to himself the example of some wise and vertuous personage as Cato or Socrates or the like and really to take his life as the direction of all their actions but is not the life of Jesus far more precious and infinitely more worthy of imitation we read in history of one Cecilia a Virgin who accustomed her self to the beholding of Christ for imitation and to that purpose she ever carried in her breast some pieces of the Gospel which she had gathered out of all the Evangelists and thereon night and day she was either reading or meditating this work she carrried on in such a circulation that at last she grew perfect in it and so enjoyed Christ and the Gospel not only in her breast but also in the secrets of her heart as appeared by her love of Christ and confidence in Christ and familiarity with Christ Cant. 1.13 as also by her contempt of the world and all its glory for Christ his sake There is some resemblance of this in the Spouse when she resolved of Christ He shall lye all night betwixt my breast q. d. he shall be as near me as near may be my meditation of him and by consequence my imitation of him shall be constant and continual not only in the day but He shall lye all night betwixt my breasts What O my soul was this the practise of the Saints and wilt thou not be of that communion O God forbid thus let us quicken and provoke our souls to this conformity let us excite rouze incense awake and sharpen up our wretched sluggish drouzy lazy souls our faint feeble slâ—gging faultering drooping languishing affections desires endeavours let us with enlarged industry engage and encourage our backward and remiss spirits to fall upon this duty of conformity again and again let us come up higher towards it or if possibly we may compleatly to it that the same mind and mouth and life may be in us that was in Jesus Christ that we may be found to walk after Christ that we may tread in the very prints of the feet of Christ that we may climb up after him into the same hâ—â—ven Kingdom that we may aspire continually towards him and grow up to him even to the measure of the statuâ—e of the fulness of Christ 4. Let us regulate our selves by the life of Christ whatsoever action we go about let us do it by this rule what Would Christ have done this or at least Would Christ have allowed this It is true some things are expedient and lawful with us which were not sutable to the Person of Christ Marriage is honourable with all men and the bed undefiled but it did not befit his Person who came into the world only to spiritual purposes to beget sons and daughters writing of books is commendable with
in the morning about sun-rising our Saviour was brought unto Pilate and Judas Iscariot hanged himself because he had betrayed innocent Blood About seven in the same morning Christ is carried to Herod that cruel Tyrant who the year before had put John the Baptist to death At eight of the same day our Saviour Christ is returned to Pilate who propounded to the Jews whether they would have Jesus or Barabbas let loose unto them About the ninth which the Jews call the third hour of the day Christ was whipped and crowned with Thorns About ten Pontius Pilate brought forth Jesus out of the Common Hall saying Behold the man and then in the place called Gabbatha he publickly condemned Christ to be Crucified About eleven our Saviour carried his Cross and was brought to the place called Golgotha where he was fastned on the Cross and lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness About twelve in that Meridian which the Jews call the sixth hour that supernatural Eclipse of the Sun happened And about three in the afternoon which the Jews call the nineth hour the Sun now beginning to receive his Light Christ cried It is finished and commending his Spirit into his Fathers hands he gave up the Ghost I shall add to these that about four in the Afternoon our blessed Saviour was pierced with a Spear and there issued out of his side both Blood and Water And about five which the Jews call the eleventh and the last hour of the day he was buried by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus So that in this round of our natural day you see the wonderful transaction of Christ's sufferings I shall take them in order and begin with his sufferings in that night before his crucifying And Jesus said unto his Disciples Mat. 21.31 Mark 16.30 all ye shall be offended because of me this night and he said unto Peter that this day even in this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice SECT II. Of the Brook over which Christ passed THe first passage of that Night was Christ's going over the Brook Cedron to the Garden of Gethsemane When Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron where was a Garden into which he entred John 18.1 and his Disciples In this passage observe we these Particulars 1. The River over which they passed 2. The Garden into which they entred 3. The Prayer he there made and the dolours and agonies he there suffered 1. He and his Disciples went over the Brook Cedron So it was called say some from the same Cedars that grew all along the Banks or say others from the darkness of the Valley so Kader signifies darkness and this was done to fulfil a Prophesie Psal 110.7 He shall drink of the Brook in the way By the Brook or Torrent we may understand mystically the wrath of God and the rage of men the very afflictions which befell Jesus Christ and by his drinking of the Brook we may understand Christ enduring afflictions or as others his enduring many afflictions and not a few 1. That afflictions are understood by waters we find it very frequently in Scriptures Psal 18.4 Psal 42.7 Psal 69.1 Psal 124.1 4 5. The sorrows of death compassed me and the floods of Belial made me afraid Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of the water spouts all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me And Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul and if it had not been the Lord who was on our side then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul then the proud waters had gone over our soul 2. As waters signifie afflictions so Christ drinking of those waters it signified Christ's suffering of afflictions or as others it signifies Christ's suffering of many afflictions Thus we find together two words with relation thereunto are ye able to drink of the cup saith Christ that I shall drink of Mat. 20.22 and to be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with He that drinketh hath the water in him and he that is baptized dipped or plunged hath the water about him so it notes the variety or universality of afflictions which Christ suffered it was within him and it was about him he was every way afflicted Not to speak yet of those sufferings which yet we are not come to speak unto we find here in the way betwixt the City and the Garden that Christ went over the Brook Cedron in the night he wades through cold waters on bare feet and as he wades through them he drinks of them he doth not sip but drink he shall drink of the Brook in the way I know some would not have this Prophesie accomplished till afore Christ's apprehension when it is said that the rude rout brought him again to Jerusalem over the Brook Cedron and then he drunk of the Brook but I find no mention of this Brook in Scripture at such a time only now in this way I find these passages 1. His Conference with his Disciples as they go along 2. The Disciples reply upon his Conference 3. His dolorous passage over the Brook betokening the very wrath of God 1. In the way †Vid. Arot in locum Mat. 26.30 36 he hath a serious conference with his disciples so the Evangelist and when they had sung an hymne they went out towards the mount of Olives and then saith Jesus unto them all ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad Christ now begins the story of his Passion the shepherd shall be smitten and he proves it from Gods Decree and from the Prophesie of the Prophet Zech. 13.7 Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered abroad God the Father is here brought in as drawing and whetting his Sword and calling upon it to do execution against Jesus Christ God the Father had an hand in the sufferings It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Isa 53.10 I will smite the shepherd saith God it was not a naked permission but a positive decree and actual providence of God that Christ should suffer the plot was long since drawn and lay hid in Gods bosom till he was pleased by the actions of men to copy it out and to give the world a draught of it This was not a thing of yesterday no no God spent his eternal thoughts about it the Story was long since written in Zecharie's Book Psal 40.8 Acts 2.23 and in the Volume of Gods Book Christ was ordained to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world him being delivered by the determinate council and fore-knowledge of God ye have taken saith Peter and by
alledge that this priviledge was granted to Peter as an Apostle but we say that if it was granted to Peter as an Apostle then it was common to Peter and Judas in that both were Apostles They alledge further that Christ prayes not for the absolute perseverance of Believers but after a sort and upon condition But we say the Prayer of Christ is certain and not suspended in this Prayer his desire is not for Peter that would presevere but his desire is for Peter that he should persevere the object of the thing for which Christ prayes is distinct from the thing it self prayed for 9. That we might have the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they might behold my glory Why this is the main end in respect of us our glory and indeed herein is the main piece of our glory to behold this glory Oh to see the Lord Jesus Christ glorified as he shall be glorified must be a glorious thing What is it to see his glory but to behold the lustre of his Divinity through his humanity In this respect our very eyes shall come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him we may be sure God shall appear through the humanity of Christ as much as is possible for the Divinity to appear in a creature and therefore Men and Angels will be continually viewing of Christ I know there is another glory of Christ which the Father will put upon him Because he humbled himself therefore God will exalt him Rev. 14.4 and give him a name above every name and we shall see him in this glory O the ravishing sight of Saints Christ is so lovely that the Saints cannot leave but they must and will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes there shall be no moment to all eternity wherein Christ shall be out of sight to so many thousand thousands of Saints now this is the glory of the Saints above as a Queen that sees the Prince in his glory she delights in it because it is her glory so the Church when she shall see Christ her Husband in his glory she shall rejoyce in it because she looks upon it as her own Is not this a blessed end of Christ's intercession why hither tend all the rest all the other ends end in this and for this above all Christ intercedes to his Father Father Cant. 3.11 I would have my Saints with me O that all the daughters of Zion may behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith thou hast crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Only one Question and I have done how should I set my faith on work to act on Christ's intercession for these ends I answer 1. Faith must perswade it self that here is a vertue in Christ's intercession Certainly every passage and acting of Christ hath its efficacy and therefore there is vertue in this it is full of juyce it hath a strong influence in it 2. Faith must consider that it is the design of God and the intendment of Christ that this intercession should be for the good of those that are given to Christ O there 's enough in Christ enough in Christ's intercession to convey communion the Spirit protection free access to the Throne of Grace a Spirit of prayer pardon of sins continuance in grace salvation of souls to the Saints and people of God through all the world and this is the design of God that Christ's intercession should be as the fountain whence all these streams must run and be conveyed unto us 3. Faith must act dependantly upon the intercession of Christ for these very ends this is the very nature of Faith it relyes upon God in Christ and upon all the actings of Christ and upon all the promises of Christ so then Is there a desirable end in Christ's intercession which we aim at O let us act our Faith dependantly let us rely stay or lean upon Christ to that same end let us roul our selves or cast our selves upon the very intercession of Jesus Christ Saying O my Christ there is enough in thee and in this glorious intercession of thine and therefore there will I stick and abide for ever 4. Faith must ever and anon be trying improving wrestling with God that vertue may go out of Christ's intercession into our hearts I have heard Lord that there is an Office erected in heaven that Christ as Priest should be ever praying and interceding for his people O that I may feel the efficacy of Christ's intercession am I now in prayer O that I could feel in this prayer the warmth and heat and spiritual fire which usually falls down from Christ's intercession into the hearts of his Lord warm my spirit in this duty give me the kisses of thy mouth O that I may now have communion with thee thy Spirit upon me thy protection over me O that my pardon may be sealed my grace confirmed my soul saved in the day of Jesus In this method O my soul follow on and who knows but God may appear e're thou art aware howsoever be thou in the use of the means and leave the issue with God SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession Now two things more especially will excite our love 1. Christ's love to us 2. Our propriety in Christ For the first many acts of Christ's love have appeared before and every one is sufficient to draw our loves to him again As 1. He had an eternal love to man he feasted himself on the thoughts of love delight and free-grace to man from all eternity since God was God O boundless duration the Lord Jesus in a manner was loving and longing for the dawning of the day of the Creation he was as it were with child of infinite love to man before he made the world Some observe that the first words which ever Christ wrote were Love to Believers and these were written with glory for it was before gold was and they were written upon his bosom for then other books were not 2. In the beginning of time he loved man above all creatures for after he had made them all he then speaks as he never did before Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and though man at that very instant unmade himself by sins Christ's love yet was not broken off but held forth in a promise till the day of performance The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3. In the fulness of time his
as Rev. 20.12 1. The Book must be opened And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life It is spoken after the manner of men in whose publick Judgments are produced all the writings of the process informations depositions of witnesses to shew that all actions Aug. l. 20. de civitate Dei cap. 14. even the most secret ones shall then be rehearsed and made manifest Augustine thinks these Books to be the Books of the Old and New Testament wherein all things either to be done or omitted are prescribed by God and then shall these Books be opened Rom. 2.16 Orig. Com. ad Rom. 14. because according to them shall sentence be given In that day God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Origen and all most all with him think these Books to be the Books of our consciences which now are shut up and concealed from men but then shall be made manifest to all the world whatever these Books are we find here one Book opened which is proper to the Saints called the Book of Life This Book contains in it the names of all that are elected from first to last Thou John and thou Joseph and thou Judeth and thou Mary and thou Elizabeth c. you are all Book'd down there is the particularity and there is the certainty Your names are written in Heaven rejoyce in it Oh what is the joy of Saints when once they see this book opened and their names inrolled engraven there in letters of glory This very Book clears it to me that God from all eternity made choice of a particular and determinate number of Persons to save them and that none other can be saved but those who were so elected and whosoever are so elected Rev. 13.8 17.8 they shall not fall away All that worship the Beast their names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb from the foundation of the world On the other side Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh the same shall be written in the Book of life and I will not blot out his name but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels This is the day when that book of life shall be opened and Christ shall read the names of every elect person before God and Angels not that Christ needs a book or indeed reads a name but that his Election stands so firm that he knows every predestinated Saint as well as we know their names whom for our memories we commit unto our books and then he will so honour his Saints that he will publish their names to all the world 2. All the actions demeanours graces duties and it may be sins of Saints shall be produced and laid open the holy Ghost tells us that the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books It appears hence that not onely names but things were written and these things were produced and accordingly they were judged 1. As to evil things unfruitful works of darkness It is a question and I dare not be too positive in it viz. Whether the sins of God's People shall be manifest at the day of Judgment Some are for the negative because God in his promises speaks so expresly Isa 43.25 44.22.38.17 John 5.24 Of forgiving iniquities of remembring them no more of blotting them out of throwing them into the bottom of the Sea of casting them behind his back in which respect say they the Godly are said not to come into Judgement I suppose this last Text is ill urged for by Judgment is not meant discussion but condemnation and in our best Translations so it is rendred others are for the affirmative upon these grounds 1. Because many of the Godly and wicked men's sins are mingled together and there cannot be a Judgment of discussion preceding that of condemnation unless Godly men's sins are also produced 2. Because it is spoken generally in respect of all sorts that the Books were opened By which Books most understand the consciences of men and by the opening of those Books they understand the manifesting clearing and discovering of consciences at that general day 3. Because the Scriptures are express for the affirmative not but that those Texts are truths that sins are forgiven blotted out thrown away to be remembred no more i.e. as to condemnation but as for exploration or discussion the Lord speaks universally that of every idle word that men speak Mat. 12.36 they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment If the ballance weigh down on this side for my part I am not peremptory but shall easily submit to the spirits of the Prophets yet this manifestation shall not be for the shame grief trouble ignominy or confusion of the godly but only for the setting up of God's justice and that the goodness and free grace of God in Christ may be made more illustrious how will Christ then be exalted when all the world shall see his righteousness and goodness his truth and mercy now again meeting together and kissing each other it was so at his first coming and it will be so at his second coming then shall his justice and mercy his righteousness and goodness be manifested to all in that by his own merits notwithstanding their sins he will bring all his Saints to his heavenly glory 2. As for good things whether good works duties or graces there is no question but all these will be that day produced and laid open 1. We see Christ enumerating the good works of them on his right hand for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked Mat. 25.35 26. and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me in prison and ye came unto me It is true in this catalogue we find nothing of faith but all of works but certainly faith is included as the life of the Tree is included in the fruit not only nor principally are works here mentioned for the goodness of the work considered in it self but as these works did express our faith and love to Jesus Christ in that by saith we could see Christ in a poor beggar or prisoner and could love Jesus Christ in these poor better than all our worldly goods or liberties I do not wonder that Paul adviseth his Corinthians See that ye abound in this grace of contribution to the Saints 2 Cor. 8.7 Phil. 1.9 1 Thes 1.12 and that he prayeth his Philipians And this I pray that your love may abound yet more And that he prayeth for his Thessalonians now the Lord make you to increase and to abound in love one towards another and towards all men and that he praiseth God in their behalf We are bound to thank God always for you brethren as it is
that is begotten which brings forth a third person or subsistence which we call the Holy Ghost 1. For the thing it self it is Jesus Christ who must be considered two ways as he is a Son and as he is a God Now as he is a Son he is the thing begotten but not as he is a God As he is God he is of himself neither begotten nor proceeding the God-head of the Father and the God-head of the Son is but one and the same thing and therefore * Esientia filiis est a seipsa hac ratione dici potest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia tamen siliis non est a seipso ideo sic non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son as he is God he is God of himself without beginning even as the Father but as he is a Son he is not of himself but the Son of the Father begotten of him and hereupon it follows that the Son is begotten of the Father as he is a Son but not as he is a God 2. For the time of this generation it hath neither beginning middle nor end and therefore it is eternal before all worlds this is one of the wonders of our Jesus that the Father begetting and the Son begotten are coeternal Wisdom in the book of Proverbs which with one consent of all Divines is said to be Christ affirmeth thus Prov 8.24.25 2â— 2â— When there was no depths I was brought forth When there were no fountains abounding with water before the Mountains were setled before the hills was I was brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the world when he prepared the heavens I was there when he set a compass upon the face of the depth I was there And a little before â—rov 8.22 23 the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the world was that is to say from eternity for before the world was made there was nothing but eternity It may be alleaged to the contrary that the saying of God the Father thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psa 2.7 Acts 13.32 33 is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection And we declare unto you glad tydings saith Paul how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm thou art my Son this â—ay have I begotten thee But we distinguish betwixt generation it self and the manifestation or declaration of it Jesus the Son of God from all eternity was begotten but when he was incarnate and especially when he was raised again from the dead then was he mightily declared to be Gods Son by nature And of this declaration or manifestation of his eternal generation is that of the Apostle understood 3. For the manner of this generation of Jesus the Son of God understand there be two manners of begetting the one is carnal and outward and this is subject to corruption alteration and time the other is spiritual and inward and such was the beginning of the Son of God of whose generation there is neither corruption alteration nor time Isa 53.8 Rom. 11.33 But alas how should we declare his generation O my soul here thou mayest admire and adore with Paul and David and cry out O the depths of the riches both â—f the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways pâ—â—â— finding out There is no searching for us into the secret counsels of God which he never revealed in his Word but so far as he hath revealed himself we shall in sobriety according to the light of the Scriptures endeavour a discovery of the manner of this spiritual generation of the Son of God as thus We must consider in God two things 1. That in God there is an understanding 2. That in God this understanding everlastingly acts or works For the first that God hath a most excellent understanding or that he is understanding it self in the highest degree is very clear for he that gives understanding to all his intelligible creatures must needs have it and be it most eminently in himself if fire be the cause of heat in other things it must needs be that fire is the hottest of any thing * Propter quod unum quodque tale illud est magis talâ— Job 12 13 Prov. 8.14 the axiome is common but the Scripture verifies it with God is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding Nay that this understanding is his very being is very plain Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding and I am strength For the second that this understanding in God everlastingly acts or works is very clear for that understanding which is the nature essence and being of God is a meer act or the first act it is all one with the life of God now as all life is active in it self so the chief life such as in the highest degree is to be attributed to God must needs be active what is the life of God but an essential property whereby the Divine nature is in perpetual action living and moving in it self and hereof is that speech in Scripture so often used Jer. 4.2 Jer. 38.16 Numb 14.21 Rom. 14.21 the Lord liveth hereof likewise is that asseveration or oath so often used by God as the Lord liveth and As I Live saith the Lord well then the understanding of God being active or working from all eternity it must needs have some eternal object on which it acts or works every action requires a sutable object about which it must act or be exercised so then if Gods understanding act eternally it must have some eternal object and if Gods understanding act most perfectly it must have some most perfect object to act upon and what is that but onely God himself that Gods understanding should act out of himself would argue his understanding to act upon that which is finite and imperfect Certainly nothing is infinite eternal and perfect but onely himself and therefore if his understanding will act upon any sutable object he must act upon nothing but himself And now we come to the manner of this high mystical spiritual generation of Jesus the Son of God As the understanding of God doth act and reflect upon it self from all eternity so it works this effect that it understands and conceives it self it apprehends in the understanding an image of that Object which it looks upon and this very image is the Son of God This we shall lay out by some similitudes A mans soul we know doth sometimes muse and meditate on other things as it thinks of Heaven or it thinks of earth this we call a right or direct or emanant
continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood and the work of his Priesthood is interpreted ver 25. To make intercession for ever The meaning of this is that God would not have him continue to be a Priest in title only or in respect onely of a service past and so to have only the honour of Priesthood perpetuated to him out of the remembrance of what he once had done But God would have him to enjoy as the renown of the old to a perpetual spring of honour by this new work of intercession and so to preserve the verdure of his glory ever fresh and green and the sum of the Apostles reasoning is this that seeing himself was to be for ever so his work of Priesthood should be for ever that so his honour might be preserved and continued for ever also 5. It is Christ's love to his Saints his heart is so inamoured with his Saints that therefore he intercedes for them for ever Love is as strong as death it is never weary of doing good for the party beloved now Christ's Saints are Christ's love My sister my love Cant. 5.2 Mal. 3.17 John 15.19 Isa 43.20 my dove the Saints in Christ's books are so many jewels And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hoasts in that day when I make up my jewels the Saints are Christ's only choyce the very flower of the Earth You have I chosen out of the world and ye are my people my chosen All the World is Christ's refuge and Kings are but morter to him onely the Saints are Christ's chosen they are they whom the Lord in his eternal councels hath set a part for himself But know saith the Psalmist that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly psalm 4.3 The Saints are Christ's image i.e. the resemblance of Christ in all that which is his chief excellency I mean in his righteousness and holiness as if I would take the picture of a man I would not draw it to resemble his back-parts but as near as I could I would draw it to life the very face and countenance so are the Saints the very picture the image the draught of God in his top excellency The Saints are in covenant with Jesus Christ and therefore in nearer relation than any others hence it is that they are called the portion of God the treasure of God the peculiar people of God those that God and Christ satisfie themselves in those that God and Christ have set their hearts on the children of God the Father the very Spouse and bride of God the Son in some respect nearer than the Angels themselves for the Angels are not so married to Christ in a mystical union as God's people are now is it any wonder that those who are so very dear to Christ should be in the prayers of Christ if they were so much in his heart that sometimes be shed his blood for them will he not now intercede for O yes to this end he carries them on his breast or heart as near as near may be that they may be in a continual remembrace before the Lord for ever his very love compels him to this office to intercede for them 6. It is Christ's delight to intercede for his Saints before the world was Prov. 8.31 Psalm 40 7 8. His delights were with the sons of men and when the fulness of time came then said he Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O my God and what was that but to be with the sons of men he knew that was his Fathers pleasure and in respect of himself he had a delight to live with them and to dye for them and no sooner he entred into Heaven but there he delights to officiate still in behalf of the sons of men he carries their names on his heart there and though some of their persons be on earth and he in his bodily presence is in Heaven yet distance of place cannot deaden his delights in the remembrance of them he is ever minding his Father of his people in the neather world he tells him that they are his all in all upon the earth all his joy and all his delight and all his portion as men use to give portions to their children so God having but one Son by eternal generation he hath given the Elect unto him as his portion and hence he makes it his great business in Heaven to provide mansions for his portion to take up God's heart for his portion to beg favour and love for his portion Here 't is the joy of Christ in Heaven in going to his Father and telling him Why Father I have a small portion yet on earth and because they are on earth they are still sinning against thy Majesty but I have suffered and satisfied for their sins and hither am I come to mind Thee of it and contiunally to get out fresh pardons for new sins come look on my old satisfaction didst Thou not promise Isa 53.11 12. is it not in the Articles of agreement betwixt Thee and me that I should see of the travel of my soul and should be satisfied didst Thou not say that because I poured out my soul therefore Thou wouldst divide me a portion with the great and the spoyle with the strong O my Father now I make intercession for the transgressors give me out pardons for an hundred thousand millions of sins Thou hast said and sworn that Thou hast no pleasure in the death of sinners and it is my pleasure my joy my infinite delight to save sinners these are my seed my portion my redeemed ones and therefore let them be saved Thus Christ intercedes and his delight in his Saints as knowing it to be his Fathers mind draws him on to this intercession indeed this reason hangs upon that primary and first reason it is God's will that Christ should intercede as it is Christ's delight to do the will of his Father in Heaven I delight to do thy Will O my God 7. It is Christs compassion that causeth intercession Christ is such an high Priest Heb. 4.15 saith the Apostle as cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmities He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin When he was on earth he felt our infirmities frailties miseries and as a man that hath felt the Stone or Gout or Fever or especially that hath felt soul-troubles cannot but compassionate those that are in the like condition so Christ having had the experience of our outward and inward sufferings he cannot but compassionate us and hence it is his very compassion's moving that he intercedes to his Father in our behalf It is observed that the very office or work of the High-Priest was to sympathize with the people of God onely in the case of the death of his kindred he was not as others to sympathize or mourn but Jesus Christ goes beyond all
Thorns now with Majesty then judged by one man now judging all men then as a Lamb now as a Lyon oh horror to conceive how will the sight of this Judge amaze the wicked and the rather because they shall see him whom they have pierced Is not this the aggravation of their terror conceive the guilty man-slayer coming to his tryal will not the red robes of his Judge make his heart bleed for his blood-shed doth not that crimson cloath present a monstrous hew before his eyes O then what sight is this when the man slain sits in the Judgment-seat the rosy wounds of our Saviour still bleeding at it were in the prisoners presence well my they hang their heads but they shall not shut their eyes They shall see him saith the Text yea they also which pierced him shall see him This very sight will be as convincing as if they heard Christ say Thou art the man that didst murther me thou art the man hast pierced me this wound this skar and this print of the nails in my hands and feet were thy very doings in thy sinning against me And who can tell but Christ may speak in some such manner as this Come all you on the left hand prepare you for the sentence I am them an whom you did crucifie afresh I am he whose person you despised whose Commands you disobeyed whose Ministers you abused whose Servants you hated whose Offers you rejected and of whom you said There is no beauty in him that we should desire him Whatsoever he shall say this I believe that Christ's sweet face will be most terrible to the wicked at that day Oh it will cut them to see him in the judgment-seat whom they basely shut out of doors preferring a lust before his presence then will they begin with extreamest grief and bitterness of spirit to sigh and say Oh he that I look upon and must look upon and cannot choose but look upon he whom I now see sitting on yonder flaming white and glorious Throne is Jesus Christ the Mighty God the Prince of Peace that true Messiah whose precious blood was poured out as water upon the earth to save his people from their sins it is he yea the self same he that many a time whiles I lived on earth invited and wooed me by his faithful Ministers that besought and entreated me with tears of dearest love to leave my lusts and to bid the Devil adieu that knocked again and again at the door of my heart for entrance offering himself to be my al-sufficient and everlasting husband telling me that if I would but have embraced him at this time should have been the solemnity of the marriage and now he would have set an immortal crown of bliss and glory upon my head with his own Almighty hand but I alas like a wilful desperate wretch forsook my own mercy judged my self unworthy of everlasting life and wretchedly and cruelly against my own soul persecuted all the means which should have sanctified me and all the Ministers which should have saved me as instruments in the hands of Christ and now happy I if I were an hundred thousand millions of miles distant from this sight of Jesus Christ oh that these eyes in my head were holes again as they were but even now when I was rotting or rotten in the grave oh that I could turn any way aside from this glorious sight oh that I were a Stone or Tree or Air or any other thing that wanted eyes oh that I had no eye within nor understanding faculty to conceive of Christ or to know Christ Jesus as my Judge now ready to bid me go to Hell certainly these will be the woful wishes of the wicked when they shall look on Christ as sitting on his Throne of Judgement 2. For the Saints they shall look on them Indeed they sit so near their Saviour that they cannot look on him but they must look on them the Saints are on their Thrones either in the Throne or about the Throne of Jesus Christ and the reprobates stand in a direct opposite line to the Saints so that their eyes cannot be off them It is said in the parable that the rich man being in Hell He lift up his eyes Luke 16.23 and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom but the distance being so great as Heaven and Hell that cannot be litterally understood but onely parabolically it is otherwise here for howsoever the separation be already made yet neither is the sentence nor execution past upon the reprobates and indeed as yet both the Saints and reprobates are in the Air the one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Jesus Christ and therefore they cannot but have a full view of each other In the Apocriphal book there is a plain description of this view Wisd 5.1 2 3 4 5. Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him and made no account of his Labours and when they see it they shall be troubled with terrible fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation so far beyond all that they looked for and they repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit shall say within themselves this is he whom we had somtimes in a derision and a proverb of reproach we fools accounted his life madness and his end to be without honour how is he numbred among the children of God and his lot is amongst the Saints Here is a sight that will trouble and amaze the wicked that those who sometimes were their footstools should now be on Thrones that poor Lazarus who lay at the gates of that certain rich man should now shine like a Star near the Sun of Righteousness that they who were reproached reviled massacred murthered by them should now be their Judges joyning with Jesus Christ to sentence them to Hell Oh who can conceive the terrible thoughts of these men's hearts now the world cannot help them their old companions cannot help them the Saints neither can nor will onely the Lord Jesus can but Oh! there is the soul-killing misery he will not Ye Men and Devils saith Christ joint-heirs of Hell fit fuel for eternal fire look on us in our Thrones time was we could not have a look from you Christ and Christians were an abhorrency of spirit unto you you troad us under foot but now we are got above you oh see the vast difference betwixt us and you look on us look on me and my Saints see us on our Thrones see us glittering in glory and be confounded and amazed for ever 4. A particular strict account shall be then required and given Of what you will say I Answer 1. Of sins Come will Christ say Now confess all your sins before all the world time was that you consealed your sins but now every sin shall be laid open before God Angels and Men and now is the black Book
men because like Abel being dead they may still speak and teach those who never saw them but it would have been derogatory to the Person and office of Christ for it is his Prerogative to be in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks to be present to all his Members to teach by power and not by ministry to write his Law in the hearts of his people and to make them his Epistle Contrition Compunction Mortification Repentance Acts 11.18 for sin are acts and duties necessary to our state and condition for we are sinners and sinners of the Gentiles To whom God also hath granted repentance unto life but these were in no sort agreeable to Christ for he was without sin and needed not to repentance nor to any part of it The several states of men as of Governours Kings Judges Lawyers Merchants c. are convenient for us otherwise what ataxye John 18.36 and confusion would there be in the world and yet Jesus never put himself into any of these states My Kingdom sayes he is not of this world Now as in these things we must only respect the Allowance of Christ so in other things we must reflect upon the example of Christ as 1. In sinful acts eschewed by Christ 2. In moral duties that were done by Christ 1. In sinful acts eschewed by Christ as when I am tempted to sin then am I to reason thus with my self would my blessed Saviour if he were upon earth doth thus and thus when I am tempted to looseness and immoderate living then am I to ask conscience such a question as this would Christ have done thus would he have spent such a life upon earth as I do when I am moved by my own corruption or by Sathan to drunkenness gluttony sinful and desperate society to swearing cursing revenge or the like then am I to ask is this the life that Christ led or if he were to live again would he live after this manner when I fall into passion peevishness rash words or if it be but idle words then am I to consider O but would Christ speak thus would this be his language would such a rotten or unprofitable speech as this drop from his honey lips 2. In case of moral obedience concerning which we have both his pattern and precept I look upon Christ as my rule and I question thus did Christ frequently pray both with his Disciples and alone by himself and shall I never in my family or in my closet think upon God did Christ open his wounds for me and shall not I open my mouth to him did Christ serve God without all self-ends meerly in obedience and to glorifie him and shall I make God's worship subordinate to my aims and turns did Christ shew mercy to his very enemies and shall I be cruel to Christ's very Members O my soul look in all thy sins and in all thy duties to thy original and measure them by the holiness of Christ whether in avoiding sin or in doing duty think What would my blessed Saviour do in this case Or what did he in the liâ—e case when he was upon earth If we had these thoughts every day if Christ were continually before our eyes if in all we do or speak we should still muse on this What would Jesus Christ say if he were here I believe it would be a blessed means of living in comfort and spiritual conformity to the Commands of God yea of acting Christ's life as it were to the life 5. Let us look fixedly on Jesus Christ let us keep our spiritual eyes still on the pattern untill we feel our selves conforming to it it is a true saying that Objects and moving reasons kept much upon the mind by serious thoughts are the great engine both appointed by nature and grace to turn about the soul of man If I may deliver it in fewer terms Objects considered much or frequently do turn the soul into their own nature Such as the things are we must think of and consider of such will be our selves or if we be not so it is not through any imperfection in the object especially in such an object as Jesus Christ is but because it is not well applied and by consideration held upon the heart till it may work there indeed the manner of this working may be secret and insensible yet if we follow on we shall feel it in the issue the beholding of Christ is a powerful beholding there is a changing transforming vertue goes out of Christ by looking on Christ can we think of his humility and not be humble can we think of his meekness and gentleness of Spirit and yet we continue in our fierceness roughness frowardness of Spirit can a proud fierce heart apprehend a meek and sweet and lowly Jesus no no the heart must be suitable to the thing apprehended it is impossible otherwise certainly if the look be right there must be a suitableness betwixt the heart and Christ Sight works upon the imagination in brute creatures as Laban's Sheep when they saw the party-coloured Rods they had Lambs suitable now will sight work upon imagination and imagination work a real change in nature and is not the eye of the mind especially the eye of faith more strong and powerful if I but write after a copy I shall in a while learn to write like it if I seriously meditate on any excellent subject it will leave a print behind it on my spirit if I read but the life and death of some eminently gracious and holy man it molds and fashions and transforms and conforms my mind to his similitude even so and much more is it in this case since the eye of faith works in the matter which in it self is operative and effectual and therefore it cannot but work more than where is only simple imitation or naked meditation O then let us set the coppy of Christ's life as before described in our view and let us look upon it with both eyes with the eye of reason and with the eye of faith But how should we keep the eye of our faith on this blessed object until we feel this conformity in us I answer 1. Let us set apart some times on purpose to act our faith in this respect There is a time for all things under the Sun Eccles 3.1 saith Solomon It may be sometimes we are in our civil employments but then is not the time yet when they are done and the day begins to close if together with our closet prayer we would fall on this duty of looking unto Jesus by lively faith how blessed a season might this be I know not but that some Christians may do it occasionally but for any that sets some time apart for it every day and that in conscience as we do for prayer where is he to be found 2. Let us remove hinderances Sathan labours to hinder the soul from beholding Christ with the dust of the world The