Humane Nature incourageth us to come unto him even after his Resurrection he was pleased to send this comfortable message to the sons of men Iohn 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God now as long as he is not ashamed to call us Brethren Heb. 11.16 God is not ashamed to be called our God O the sweet fruit that we may gather of this Tree the real distinction of two Natures in Christ As long as Christ is man as well as God we have a motive strong enough to appease his Father and to turn his favourable countenance towards us here is our happiness that there is one Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 1.5 the Man Christ Jesus 5. consider the Union of the two natures of Christ in one and the same Person as he was the branch of the Lord and the fruit of the Earth so these two natures were tied with such a Gordian knot as sin hell and the grave were never able to untie yea though in the death of Christ there was a separation of the soul from the body yet in that separation the hypostatical Union remained firm unshaken and indissoluble in this Meditation thou hast great cause O my Soul to admire and adore wonderful things are spoken of thee O Christ he is God in a Person of a God-head so as neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost were made flesh and he is man in the nature of man not properly the Person the humane nature of Christ never having any Personal subsistence out of the God-head this is a mystery that no Angel much less man is able to comprehend we have not another example of such an Union as you have heard only the nearest similitude or resemblance we can find is that of the Branch and Tree into which it is ingraffed we see one Tree may be set into another and it groweth in the Stock thereof and becometh one and the same Tree though there be two natures or kinds of fruit still remaining therein so in the Son of God made man though there be two natures yet both being united into one Person there is but one Son of God and one Jesus Christ If thou wilt consider this great mystery of Godliness any further review what hath been said in the object propounded where this union is set forth more largely and particularly but especially consider the blessed effects of this union in reference to thy self as our nature in the person of Christ is united to the God-head so our persons in and by this Union of Christ are brought nigh to God Hence it is that God doth set his Sanctuary and Tabernacle among us and that he dwells with us and which is more that he makes us houses and habitations wherein he himself is pleased to dwell by his holy Spirit Ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dewll in them and walk in them and I will be their God John 17 20 21 22 23. and they shall be my People 2. Cor. 6.16 Was not this Christs Prayer in our behalf I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me By reason of this hypostatical union of Christ Gal. 4.6 the Spirit of Christ is given to us in the very moment of our regeneration And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit As the members of the Body howsoever distinct amongst themselves and all differing from the head yet by reason of one soul informing both the head and members they all make one compositum or man so all believers in Christ howsoever distinct Persons amongst themselves and all distinct from the Person of Christ and especially from the Godhead which is incommunicable yet by one and the same spirit abiding in Christ Eph. 4.4 1 Cor. 6.17 and all his Members they become one there is one body and one spirit he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit O my Soul consider of this and in considering believe thy part in this and the rather because the means of this union on thy part is a true and lively faith faith is the first effect and instrument of the Spirit of Christ disposing and enabling thy soul to cleave unto Christ and for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Eph. 3.14 17. 6. Consider the birth of Christ this man-God God-man who in his divine generation was the Son of God in his humane generation was born in a stable for the saving of the Children of men who were as the oxe and mule having no understanding It were a fruitful meditation to consider over and over that sweet resemblance of Christ being a Vine me-thinks I hear the Voice of my beloved Cant. 2.10 13. rise up my love the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs and the vine with the tender grapes gives a good smell arise my love my fair one and come away if Christ knocks at the door who will not awake and arise if Christ comes in view who will not look unto Jesus if Christ the Vine calls us to come see the vine with the tender grape who will not taste the goodness smell the sweetness and after a little taste of that goodness and sweetness that is in him who would not long after more till we come from the first fruits to the last-fruits of the Spirit even to those visions and fruitions of Christ in Glory Consider O my soul of this Vine till thou hast brought Christ near and close unto thy self Suppose thy heart the Garden wherein this Vine was planted wherein it budded blossomed and bare fruit suppose the holy Ghost to come upon thee and to form and fashion in thee Jesus Christ thus Paul bespeaks the Galathians my little Children of whom I travel in Birth again untill Christ be formed in you would not this affect would not the whole soul be taken up with this come receive Christ into thy soul or if that work be done if Christ be formed in thee O Cherish him I speak of the Spiritual birth O keep him in thy heart let him there bud and blossome and bear fruit let him fill thy soul with his Divine Graces O that thou couldst say it feelingly I live yet not I but Christ
Solomon answers that white is the colour of joy Let thy garments be alwayes white and let thy head lack no ointment Eccles 9.8 Mark 9.3 Rev. 7.9 When Christ was transfigured his Rayment was all white no Fuller in the earth could come near it and the Saints in Heaven are said to walk in white Robes And here the Angels are in white to signifie the joy they had in Christ's resurrection from the dead But 4. Why are they one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Some answer that as Mary Magdalen had anointed his head and feet so at those two places the two Angels sit as it were to acknowledg so much for her sake Others think it speaks comfort to every one of us if we are but in Christ we shall go to our graves in white and lye between two Angels who are said to guard our Bodies even dead and to present them alive again at the day of the resurrection But in this apparition we see further a question and answer 1. The Angels question Mary Woman why weepest thou May I paraphrase upon these words it is as if they had said O Mary what cause is there for these tears where Angels rejoyce it agrees not that a woman should weep thou couldst before with a manly courage arm thy feet to run among swords when thou camest to the grave and art thou now so much a woman that thou canst not command thine eyes to forbear tears O woman why weepest thou If thy Christ were here in his grave under this Tomb-stone we might think thy sorrow for the dead enforced thy tears but now that thou findest it a place of the living why dost thou stand here weeping dead for if thy tears be tears of love as thy love is acknowledged so let these tears be suppressed if thy tears be tears of anger they should not here have been shed where all anger was buried if thy tears be tears of sorrow and duties to the dead they are bestowed in vain where the dead is now revived and therefore O woman why weepest thou would our eyes be dry if such eye-streames were behoveful for us did not Angels alwayes in their visible resemblances represent their Lords invisible pleasure shadowing their shapes in the drifts of his intentions As for instance when God was incensed they brandished swords when he was appeased they sheathed them in scabbards when he would defend they resembled Souldiers when he would terrifie they took terrible forms and when he would comfort they carried mirth in their eyes sweetness in their countenance mildness in their words savour and grace and comeliness in their presence why then dost thou weep seeing us to rejoyce dost thou imagine us to degenerate from our nature or to forget any duty whose state is neither subject to change nor capable of the least offence art thou more fervent in thy love or more privy to the counsel of our eternal God than we that are daily attendants at his Throne of glory O woman why weepest thou Thus for Paraphrase Iohn 20.13 2. For her answer She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Here was the cause of Mary's tears 1. They have taken away my Lord. 2. I know not where they have laid him q. d. He is gone without all hope of recovery for they but I know not who have taken him away but I know not whither and they have laid him but I know not where there to do him but I know not what O what a lamentable case is this she knows not whither to go to find any comfort her Lord is gone his life is gone his soul is gone his body is gone yea gone and carryed she knows not whither and do they ask her Woman why weepest thou why here 's the cause They have taken away my Lord i.e. the dead body of my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Where a little of Christ is left and that is lost it is a lamentable loss Mary had sometimes a possession of whole Christ she had his presence she heard his words she saw his divinity in his miracles and in casting seven devils out of her own Body but now she had lost all Christ his presence lost his preaching lost his divinity lost his humanity lost his soul lost and last of all his body lost O what lamentable loss was this Mary would now haven been glad of a little of Christ O ye Angels fill but her arms with the dead body of her Jesus and she will weep no more one beam of that Sun of righteousness would scatter all the clouds of Mary's grief Quest But doth Christ ever leave his totally Answ I answer not indeed but only in apprehension In desertions a Christian may to his own apprehension find nothing of Christ and this was the Case of Mary Magdalen or if Christ desert a soul indeed and truth for desertions are sometimes in appearance and sometimes real yet never doth he forsake his own both really and totally The Lord will not wholly forsake his people 1 Sam. 12.22 for his great Name sake the acts of his love may be withdrawn but his love is still the same it is an everlasting love those acts which are for well-being may be withdrawn Jer. 31.3 but his acts of love that are for being shall never be removed No such good things will God withhold from them that walk uprightly Or Christ may go away for a season Psal 84.11 Isa 54.7 8. John 14.18 but not for ever For a moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee in a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer It was Christ's promise to his Disciples I will not leave you comfortless or as Orphans but I will come again Though his compassions may be restrained yet they cannot be extinguished as the Sun sets to rise again and as the tender Mother layes down her Child to take it up again so deals Christ with his only for the present it is a sad thing O it is a lamentable thing to lose all Christ though but in our own apprehensions To hear Maries pitiful complaints They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid my Lord it would make a flint to weep methinks I hear her cryes O my Lord What 's become of Thee Time was that my Soul was an enclosed Garden and the chiefest of Ten Thousands did walk in the shadow of the Trees but now the Fence is down my Love is gone and Sharon is become a desart Time was that I sate at the Feet of my Lord and I received daily Oracles from his Mouth but now he hides himself and will not come at me I pray and he hears
that you may better understand the manner of this generation of the Son of God together with the mutual kindness lovingness joy and delight betwixt the Father and the Son even from Everlasting SECT II. Of our Election in Christ before all Worlds NOw let us look on Christ in his Relation to us before all Worlds God being thus alone himself from everlasting and besides himself there being nothing at all the first thing he did besides what ye have heard or the first thing he possibly and conceivably could do it was this a determination with himself to manifest his Glory Or a purpose in himself to communicate his glory out of his aloneness everlasting unto somewhat else I say unto somewhat else for what is communication but an efflux an emanation an issuing from or a motion betwixt two Terms I have now brought you to the acts or actions of God in reference to his Creatures follow me a little and I shall anon bring you to Christ in relation to your selves These acts or actions of God were and are 1. The Decree 2. The Execution of the Decree of God I must open these Terms 1. The Decree is an action of God out of the Councel and purpose of his own Will determining all things and all the Circumstances and order of all things from all Eternity in himself certainly and unchangably and yet freely Who worketh all things saith the Apostle after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 and this work or action of God is internal and for ever abiding within his own Essence it self 2. The execution of the Decree is an act of God whereby God doth effectually work in time all things as they were fore-known and Decreed And this action of God is external and by a temporal act passing from God to the Creatures Now for the Decree that is of diverse kinds As first There is a Decree common and general which looks to all the creatures and it is either the Decree of creation or the Decree of Providence and preservation 2. There is a Decree special which belongs to reasonable creatures Angels and Men it is called the Decree of Predestination and it consistss of the Decree of Election and Reprobation Concerning the common and general Decrees we have but little laid down in Scriptures and it is little or nothing at all to our purpose And concerning the special Decree of Angels there is not much in Scriptures and that is as little also to our purpose we have only to deal with Men and with Gods Decree in relation to Mans Salvation before all Worlds And this we call Predestination or the Decree of Election which is either of Christ or of the Members of Christ Christ Himself was first Predestinated This appears by that Saying of God Behold My Servant whom I uphold Isa 41.2 Mine Elect in whom My Soul delighteth I have put My Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles These very words the Evangelist interprets of Christ Himself Matth. 12.18 Mat. 12.18 And Christ being Predestinate the Members of Christ were Predestinated in Him So the Apostle According as He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World Ephes 1.4 We are chosen in Christ as in a common Person He was the first Person Elected in order and we in Him Suppose a New Kingdom to be set up a New King is chosen all his Successors are chosen in him Why God hath Erected a Kingdom of Glory He hath chosen Jesus Christ for the King of this Kingdom and in Him He hath chosen us whom He hath made Kings and Priests unto the most High God But observe we this of the Apostle He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World 1. He hath chosen i.e. God the Father hath chosen not that the Son and Spirit chose not also for if Three of us had but one Will common to us all One could not will any thing which the Will of the other Two should not also will But because the Son sustains the Person of one Elected and the Spirit is the Witness sealing this Grace unto our Hearts therefore the Father only is expressed as the Father alone is often named in Prayer not that the other Persons are not to be prayed unto but because the Son is considered as the Mediatour and the Spirit as the Instructor teaching us to Pray as we ought therefore the Father only is expressed 2. He hath chosen us in Him This Him denotes Christ God-man and this in Him notes the same Christ God-man as the Head and first Elect in whom and after whom in order of Nature all His Body are Elected Mark here the Order but not the Cause of our Election Though Christ be the Cause of our Salvation yet Christ is not the Cause of our Election It is only the Fore-knowledge of God and His free Love that is the Cause thereof 3. He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World i.e. From all Eternity but because within Eternity God doth fore-see the Things which are done in time therefore this Phrase say some may be extended not only to respect the Actual Creation but the Decree it self of the World 's Being q. d. He hath chosen us in order of Nature before His Decree did lay the Foundation of the World My meaning is not to enter into Controversies this all grant that the antient Love which the Lord hath born to us in Christ is not of Yesterday but before all Worlds Paul mentions Grace given us before all Worlds 1 Tim. 1.9 But that which is the most observable in the Text as to our purpose is that we are chosen in Him We read of Three Phrases in Scripture speaking of Christ Sometimes we are said to have Blessings in Him and sometimes for Him sometimes through Him Sometimes in Him as here He hath chosen us in Him sometimes for Him as elsewhere To you it is given for Christ His sake not only to Believe but to Suffer sometimes through Him as in that of Paul Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.29 1 Cor. 15.57 Now Blessings come through Christ in respect that Christ is a Mediatour not only of Impetration but Execution not only obtaining and receiving from Grace all Good for us but in executing and applying Efficaciously the same unto us And Blessings come for Christ in respect that Christ doth by His Obedience obtain every good Thing which in time is communicated to us And we have Blessings in Christ because that in Christ as a Common Store-house every thing is first placed which is to be imparted afterwards to any of us And thus we are chosen in Christ as in a common Person This Grace of Election began first at Christ our Head and so descends downwards on us His Members Christ is the First Begotten amongst all His Brethren having
unity of any other thing and yet by the help of some forreign cause they may be united as the branch of a Tree of one kind which put into the ground would be an intire distinct Tree in it self may by the hand of a man be put into the unity of a Tree of another kind and so grow move and bear fruit not distinctly in and for it self but jointly in and for that Tree into which it is planted 3. Other things of this kind cannot by force of natural causes nor by the help of any forreign thing ever become parts of any other created thing or pertain to the unity of the substance of any such thing as the nature of man and the nature of all living things and yet by divine and supernatural working it may be drawn into the unity of the subsistence of any of the Persons of the blessed Trinity wherein the fulness of all being and the Perfection of all created things is in a more eminent sort than in themselves for though all created things have their own being yet seeing God is nearer to them than they are to themselves and they are in a better fort in him than they are in themselves there is no question but that they may be prevented and staid from being in and for themselves and caused to be in and for one of the divine persons of the blessed Trinity So that as one drop of water that formerly subsisted in it self if it be poured into a vessel containing a greater quantity it becomes one in subsistence with the greater quantity of water and as a branch of a Tree that being set in the ground and left to it self would be an intire and independant tree becomes one in subsistence with that tree into which it is grafted so the individual nature of man assumed into the unity of one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity it looseth that kind of being that naturally left to it self it would have had and it becomes one with the Person for now it is not in and for it self but hath got a new Relation of dependance and being in another But you will say all the Creatures in the world have their being in God and dependance on God and therefore all Creatures as well as Man may pertain to the Person or Subsistence of God I Answer it is not a general being in and dependâ—nce on God but a strict dependance on mans part and a Communicating of the subsistence on Gods part that makes up this union Hence we say that there are four degrees of the presence of God in his Creatures the first is his general presence whereby he preserves the substances of all Creatures and gives unto them to live and to move and to have their being Acts. 7.28 and this extends it self to all Creatures good and bad The Second degree is the presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of his Creature but also gives Grace unto it and this agrees to the Saints and Gods People on earth The third degree is the presence of glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in heaven and hereby God doth not only preserve their substances and give them plenty of his Grace but he also admits them into his Glorious presence so as they may behold him face to face The fourth and last degree is that whereby the God-Head of the Son is present with and dwells in the Manhood giving unto it in some part his own subsistence whereby it comes to pass that this Manhood assumed is proper to the Son and cannot be the Manhood of the Father or of the Holy Ghost or of any Creature whatsoever And this is a thing so admirable and unspeakable that though we may find some similitudes yet there cannot be found another example hereof in all the World Hence it follows that in the Manhood of Christ consisting of Body and Soul there is a Nature only and not a Person because it doth not subsist alone as other men Peter Paul and John do but it wholly depends on the Person of the Word into the unity whereof it is received and this dependance of the humane nature on the person of the Word and the communicating of the Person or subsistence of the Word with the humane nature is the very thing it self wherein this union consists 3. For the Scriptural texts that confirm this Union you see the Well is very deep but where is the Bucket What texts of Scripture have we to confirm this wonderful Union of two Natures in one Person Amongst many I shall only cite these Mat. 16.13 16. When Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Simon Peter answered Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Now if but one Christ then surely but one Person and if the Son of man be the Son of the Living God then surely there are two natures in that one Person Observe how the Son of man and the Son of God very Man and very God concenter in Christ as the Soul and the Body make but one man so the Son of man and the Son of God make but one Christ Rom. 1.3 4. Thou art Christ saith Peter the Son of the Living God So Paul speaking of Jesus the Son of God he tells us that he was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit 1. Made of the Seed of David of the substance of the Virgin who was Davids posterity 2. Declared to be the Son of God not made the Son of God as he was made the Son of Man but declared to be the Son of God The word in the Original signifies a Declaration by a solemn sentence or difinitive judgment I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son That which I point at he is the Son of David Psal 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Manhood and he is the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Godhead here be the two Natures but iâ—â—he words before these two natures make but one Son Jesus Christ our Lord and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ry words themselves he is declared to be the Son of God he doth not say Som◠〈◊〉 two but his Son Jesus Christ first before and then after to shew unto us thâ—â—â—â—fore his making so after his making he is still but one Son or one person of the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tinct natures subsisting Col. 2.9 To the same purpose is that same Text In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily by the union of the divine nature with the humane in the unity of his person the Godhead dwelleth in Christ as the Soul in the Body it dwelleth in him bodily not seemingly but really truly and indeed not figuratively and in a shadow as he dwelleth in the Temple not by power and efficacy as he dwells
ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefest of ten thousands As in the fairest beauty there is a mixture of these two colours white and ruddy so in Christ there is a gracious mixture and compound of all the graces of the Spirit there is in him a sweet temper of gentleness purity righteousness meekness humility and what not In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 and I may add of all other gifts and graces not a grace but it was in Christ and that in an higher way than in any Saint in the World and therefore he is called fairer than all the children of men Observe There was more habitual grace in Christ than ever was or is or shall be in all the Elect whether Angels or Men. He received the Spirit out of measure there was in him as much as possibly could be in a creature and more than in all other creatures whatsoever As the Sun is the Prince of Stars as the Husband is the head of the Wife as a Lion is the King of the Beasts so is this Sun of Righteousness this Head of the Church this Lion of the Tribe of Judah the chiefest of ten thousands if we look at any thing in Heaven or Earth that we observe as eminently fair by that is the Lord Jesus in respect of his inward beauty set forth in Scriptures he is the Sun of Righteousness the bright Morning-Star the Light of the World the Tree of Life the Lilly and the Rose fairer than all the Flowers of the Field than all the precious Stones of the Earth than all the Lights in the Firmament than all the Saints and Angels in Heaven You will say What 's all this to us Certainly much every way the Apostle tells you That the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.2 hath freed me from the Law of sin of Death let us enquire into these words the law of the Spirit of life the Spirit of life is here put for life as else where After three dayes an half Rev. 11.11 the Spirit of life coming from God shall enter into them Now life is that whereby a thing acteth and moveth it self and it is the cause and beginning of action and motion and this Spirit of life or life it self being here applied to Christ it is that in Christ which is the beginning and cause of all his holy actions and what was that but his Original holiness or the holiness of his humane Nature But why is the holiness of Christs nature called the Spirit of life I answer 1. Because it was infused into his manhood by the Spirit of God The holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God 2. Because it is a most exact and absolute and perfect holiness the Scripture-phrase setting out things in perfection or fulness usually adds the word Spirit unto them as the spirit of pride the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error so then the meaning of the Spirit of life is all one with the most absolute and most perfect purity and holiness of the nature of Christ It is briefly as if the Apostle had said the law of the Spirit of life or the power of the most absolute and perfect holiness of the nature of Christ hath freed me from the law of sin and death hath acquitted me from the power of my sinful nature and from the power of death due to me in respect of my sinful and corrupt nature We might draw from hence this conclusion that The benefit of Christ's habitual righteousness infused at his first conception is imputed to believers to their justification As the obedience of his life and the merit of his death so the Holyness infused at his very conception hath its influence into our justification it is by the obedience of his life that we are accounted actually holy and by the purity of his conception or habitual grace that we are accounted personally holy But I must not stay here Thus much of the Holiness of Christ's Nature SECT IV. Of the Holiness of Christ's Life Rom. 5.19 2. FOr the holiness of Christs life the Apostle tells us that by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous here 's the obedience of Christ and its influence on us 1. The obedience of Christ is that whereby he continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Matth. 5.17 John 8.29 Acts 3.14 Observe Christ's life was a visible commentary on Gods Law For proof Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets saith Christ but to fulfil them And the Father hath not left me alone saith Christ for I do alwayes those things that please him Hence Christ in Scripture is called Holy and Just and the Holy One Acts 2.27 The most Holy Dan. 9.24 by his actual holiness Christ fulfilled in act every branch of the Law of God he walked in all the Commandments of God he performed perfectly both in thought word and deed whatsoever the Law of the Lord required I do not cannot limit this obedience of Christ to this last year of his Ministry for his whole life was a perpetual course of obedience he was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even until his death and yet because we read most of his holy actings this year and that this was the year wherein both his active and passive obedience did most eminently shine and break forth the year wherein he drew up all the dispersions of his precepts and cast them into actions as into sums total therefore now I handle it and I shall make it out by the passages following only in this one year As 1. Now he discovered his charity in feeding the hungry as at once five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes John 6.9 10 11. John 6.9 10 11. and at another time four thousand men with seven Loaves and a few small Fishes Matth. 15.32 Matth. 15.32 2. Now he discovered his self-denial and contempt of the World in flying the offers of a Kingdom when the people were convinc'd that he was the Messiah from that miracle of feeding five thousand men with five Loaves presently they would needs make him a King but he that left his Fathers Kingdom for us he fled from the offers of a Crown and Kingdom from them John 6.15 as from an enemy When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a Mountain himself alone 3. Now he discovered his mercy in healing the Womans Daughter that had an unclean spirit Mar. 7.26 27. the Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation and in that respect Christ called her a Dog and yet Christ gave her the desire of her soul O the
as it were of the only begotten Son of the Father and their words seemed to them as it were idle Tales and they believed them not The words in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same here is the first step of this Clymax his sweat was a wonderful sweat not a sweat of water but of red gore-blood 2. Great drops of blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is sudor diaphoreticus a thin faint sweat and sudor grumosus a thick concrete and clotted sweat in this bloody sweat of Christ it came not from him in small dews but in great drops they were drops and great drops of Blood crassie and thick drops and hence it is concluded as preternatural for though much may be said for sweating blood in a course of nature Aristotle Arist l. 3. de hist anim c. 29. Aug. l. 14. de Civ Dei c. 24. affirms it and Augustine grants that he knew a man that could sweat blood even when he pleased in faint bodies a subtile thin blood like sweat may pass through the pores of the Skin but that through the same pores crass thick and great drops of blood should issue out it was not it could not be without a Miracle Some call them grumes others globes of blood certainly the drops are great so great as if they had started through his skin to outrun the streams and rivers of his Cross 3. Here is yet another clymax in that these great drops of blood did not only distillare drop out but decurrere run a stream down so fast as if they had issued out of most deadly wounds they were great drops of blood falling down to the ground here 's magnitude and multitude great drops and those so many so plenteous as that they went through his apparel and all streaming down to the ground now was it that his garments were died with crimson red that of the Prophet though spoken in another sense yet in some respect may be applyed to this Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel and thy garments like him that treadeth the Wine-fat Oh what a sight was here Isa 63.2 His Head and Members are all on a bloody sweat his sweat trickles down and bedecks his garments which stood like a new firmament studded with stars portending an approaching storm nor stayes it there but it falls down to the ground Oh happy Garden watered with such treas of blood how much better are these rivers than Abana and Pharphar rivers of Damascus yea than all the waters of Israel yea than all those Rivers that water the Garden of Eden 1. This may inform us of the weight and burden of sin Vse that thus presseth Christ under it till he sweat and bleed when the first Adam had committed the first sin this was the penalty in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread Gen. 3.19 but now the second Adam takes upon him all the Sins of all Believers in the world he sweats not only in his face but in all his Body O then how was that face disfigured when it stood all on drops and those drops not of a watry sweat but of a gore blood We see in other men that when they are disquieted with fear or grief the blood usually runs to the heart indeed that is the principal member and therefore leaving the other parts it goes thither as of choice to comfort that but our sweet Saviour contrariwise because he would suffer without any manner of comfort he denies to himself this common relief of nature all the Powers of our souls and parts of our bodies were stained with sin and therefore he sweats blood from every part we sin and our eyes will scarce drop a tear for sin but his eyes and ears and head and hands and feet and heart and all run rivers of tears of blood for us even for our sins Let Jesuites and Friers in meditating of Christ's sufferings cry out against the Jews in this bloody sweat of Christ I see another use alas here 's no Jew no Judas no Herod no Pilate no Scribe no Pharisees here 's no tormentors to whip him no souldiers to crown his Head with thrones here 's neither nailes nor spear to fetch his blood out of his Body how comes it then to pass Is there any natural cause ah no the night is cold which naturally draws blood inwards in the open air he lies grovelling on the ground and there he sweats and bleeds O my heart who hath done this deed As the Lord liveth 2 Sam. 12.5 the man that hath done this thing shall surely die So said David when Nathan replied upon him thou art the man O my heart my sinful heart O my sinful V. 7. deceitful abominable heart thou art the Murderer thy sins sate upon the heart of Christ as heavy as a Mountain of Lead or Iron when none was near but a few dull heavy sleepy Disciples then all the sins of Believers and amongst them thy sins fell upon the soul of Christ as so many murtherers and squeezed blood and made him cry out My soul is heavy heavy unto death Go thy wayes now and weep with Peter and say with David I have sinned against thee Lord. O how should these eyes of mine look upon Christ thus sweating bleeding streaming out blood clods of blood V. 13. great drops of blood from all the parts and members of his Body but I must mourn over him Zech. 12.10 as one that mourneth for his only son but I must be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born 2. This may inform us of the extraordinary love of Christ It is said of the pelican that when her young ones are struck with the tail of some poysonous Serpent she presently strikes her breast with her Beak or Bill and so lets out her own blood as a Medicine for them that they may suck and live even so Christ seeing us struck with the poyson of sin he is impatient of delay he would not stay till the Jews let him blood with their whips Luke 12.50 and thorns and nayls I have a Baptism to be baptized with saith Christ and how am I straightned till it be accomplished He is big with love and therefore he opens all his pores of his own accord he lets blood gush out from every part and thereof he makes a precious Balsom to cure our wounds O the Love of Christ As Elihu could sometimes say Job 32.19 Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new Bottles so the heart of Christ was full even full of love so full that it could not hold but it burst out through every part and member of his body in a bloody sweat I will not say but that every drop of Christ's blood was very precious and of sufficient value to save a world but certainly that blood which was not forc'd by whips or thorns
Cross But hast thou taken the same course with the body of sin that the Jews did with the body of sin hast thou arraigned it accused it condemned it and fastened it to the Cross hast thou arraigned it at the Bar of God's judgment accused it by way of humble and hearty confession condemned it in passing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon thy self for it and fastned it to the Cross in beginning the execution of it in setting upon the mortification of it with a serious and unfeigned resolution to use all means for its mortifying and killing why then be not disheartned it may be thou feelest it stirring and strugling within thee and so will a crucified man do and yet in the eye of the Law and in the account of all men that see him he is a dead man surely so is the body of sin when it is thus crucified though it still move and stir yet upon a Gospel-account and in God's estimation it is no better than dead and it shall certainly die it shall decay and languish and die more and more is not the promise express He that hath begun the good work Phil. 1.6 he will perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ Of this Paul was confident in behalf of his Philippians and of this let all true Believers rest confident in respect of themselves Thus far we see wherein we must conform to Christ viz. in his Graces in his Sufferings and in his Death For the Query what is the cause of this conformity I answer The death of Christ is the cause of this conformity And that a fourfold cause Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1. It is a meritorious cause Christ's death was of so great a price that it deserved at God's hands our conformity to Christ Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that by his death he might sanctifie it and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 1 Pet. 2.21 2. It is an exemplary cause He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps he died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin we may observe in many particulars besides those I have named a proportion analogy and likeness betwixt Christ's death and ours Christ died as a servant to note that sin should not rule or reign over us Christ died as a curse to note that we should look upon sin as a cursed thing Christ was fast nayled on the Cross to note that we should put sin out of case yea crucifie the whole body of sin Christ died not presently yet there he hung till he died to note that we should never give over subduing sin while it hath any life or working in us 3. It is an efficient cause it works this conformity by a secret virtue issuing from it Thus Christians are said to be engraffed with Christ in the likeneâ—s of his death Rom. 6.5 Phil. 3.10 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a passive signification importing not only a being like but a being made like and that by a power and vertue out of our selves so the Apostle elsewhere interprets That I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Not conforming my self but being made conformable by a power out of my self But how then is the power of mortification attributed to men as Quest Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Mortifie ye your members which are upon the earth And They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh I answer there is a twofold mortification the one habitual the other practical Answ the former consists in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of the heart from all manner of sin now this is the only and immediate work of the Spirit of Grace breathing and working where it will the latter consists in the exercise of putting forth of that inward grace in the acting of that principle in resisting temptations in suppressing inordinate Lusts in watching against sinful and inordinate acts now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating with the Spirit of God as a rational instrument with the principal Agent and therefore the Apostle joins both together If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8.13 ye shall live 4. It is an impelling or a moving cause as all objects are for objects have an attractive power Achan saw the wedge of Gold and then coveted it David saw Bathsheba and then desired her As the brazen Serpent did heal those who were bitten by the fiery Serpent tanquam objectum fidei meerly by being looked upon so Christ crucified doth heal sin beget grace encourage to sufferings by being looked upon with the eyes of Faith Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking uâ—to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith The Apostle was to encourage the Hebrews to hold on the well-begun profession of Faith in Christ and to that purpose he sets before them two fights to keep them from fainting 1. A cloud of witnesses the Saints in heaven on which cloud when he had staid their eyes a while and made them fit for a clearer Object he scatters the cloud and presents the Sun of Righteousness Christ himself and he wills them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn their eyes from it to him looking unto Jesus q. d. this sight is enough to make you run the race and not to faint why Jesus is gone before you and will you not follow him O look unto Jesus and the very sight of him will draw you after him Christ crucified hath an attractive power And I if I be lifted up John 12.32 will draw all men to me Thus of the causes of our conformity we see how it is wrought 3. For the last Query what are the means of this conformity as on our part I answer 1. Go to the Cross of Jesus Christ It is not all our purposes resolutions promises vows covenants endeavours without this that will effect our conformity to Christ in his sufferings and death no no this conformity is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ and therefore whosoever would have this work wrought in him let him first have recourse to Christ's Cross O go we more immediately to the Cross of Jesus 2. Look up to him that hangs upon it contemplate the death of Jesus Christ consider seriously and sadly his bitter shameful painful sufferings Much hath been said only here draw it into some Epitome As 1. Consider who he was 2. What he suffered 3. Why he suffered 4. For whom he
earthly men included in him and Christ had all his elect whose names are written in heaven and therefore called Heavenly men included in him so that now whatsoever Christ did it is reckoned by God as if done by us and for us When Christ arose he arose as our head and as a common Person and in God's account we arose with him and in him As among all the sheaves in the Field there was some one sheaf that in the name and room of all the rest was lift up and waved before the Lord so when all were dead Christ as the first-fruits rose again from the dead and by this act of his resurrection all the Elect from the beginning of the World to the end are risen with him and in him He is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 though the Saints are a sleep yet are they vertually risen already with Christ because he is their first-fruits Let this ever be remembred that Christ rose again as the first-fruits as the second man as an head as a common Person 2. That Christ rose again by his own Power this he meant when he said John 2.19 destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up He saith not destroy you and some other shall raise it up no no but I even I my self will do it yea and I will do it by my own Power and vertue here is a plain argument of the Divine nature of Christ for none ever did ever could do that but God himself some were raised before Christ was incarnate but not any by himself or by his own proper Power only a Power was imparted to some Prophet by God for that time and turn and so they were raised but Christ rose again not by a Power imparted to some but by his own Power The Widows son of Sarephtah was raised by Elias and the Shunamites son was raised by Elisha both these were raised by others and those others that raised them did it not by their own power but by a power given them from above and therefore though in their life-time they raised others yet being dead they could not raise themselves but Jesus Christ did not only in his life-time raise others but also being dead and laid in his grave and pressed with stones and watched by Souldiers and sought to be deteined by all the Power of darkness yet he as a conqueror by his own Power raised himself he caused all things by the strength of his own arme to give way unto himself I have Power to lay down my life and I have Power to take it up again an equal Power to take it up as to lay it down John 10.18 But against this it may be objected The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus Acts. 5.30 Acts. 3.24 whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death In many places the resurrection of Christ is ascribed to his Father how then is he said to raise up himself by his own Power I answer it is true that the Father raised him and yet this contradicts not but that he raised up himself Whatsoever the Father doth I do saith Christ Christ's resurrection is the indivisible work of the blessed Trinity it is a work common to all the three persons there is but one power of the Father and of the Son so that of both it is truly verified the Father raised him and the Son raised himself Mat. 28.2 3. That Christ rose again with an Earthquake and behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven The earth shook at his death and now it trembles at his Resurrection plainly speaking that it could neither endure his suffering nor hinder his rising As a Lion with a Roar is said to make the Bed wherein he lies to tremble so this Lion of the tribe of Judah was able with his voice or sight to make his Bed the earth wherein he lay to tremble no sooner he shakes himself but he shakes the earth at his first motion the earth moves and now was fulfilled that prophesie Psal 114.7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. It is not for us curiously to enquire into the cause of this earthquake certainly the cause was above Natures reach it was not any hollow wind got into the bowels of the earth but either it was Christ's rising or the Angels descending the earth either danced for joy that Christ was risen or it trembled for fear that men would no believe his resurrection The Evangelist seems to lay it on the Angel for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven sure the power of Angels is very great they can move all corporeal things almost in an instant they can stir up tempests they can shake the earth move the waters only all their power is subjected to God's will Bless the Lord all ye Angels that excel in strength Psal 103.20 that do his Will it was the Will of God that now an Angel should take hold on the pillars of the earth and make it shake no wonder if for fear of him the keepers shake Mat. 28.4 and become as dead men and if one Angel be able to shake the earth and to shake the Keepers those armed Souldiers that were set to watch the Tomb what then will Christ himself do when he shall come to judgment the second time with many thousand thousands of Angels Oh now terrible and fearful will his coming be As at Christs Resurrection so at the last Resurrection there will be earthquakes in divers places Mat. 24.7 Christ hath shewed and he will shew himself to be the absolute Lord of heaven and earth see how the earth trembling under his feet doth as it were pay him homage and behold there was a great Earthquake Mat. 28.2 4. That Christ rose again Angels ministring to him An Angel came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it Christs Power was not included in the grave or on the earth but extended to Heaven and to the Hosts therein however the chief Priests and Pharisees conspired together to close him in the earth they sealed the stone and set a watch they made all as sure as possibly they could yet the Angels of heaven are ready to wait on him as their Sovereign Lord. An Angel descended to role away the Stone not that Christ was unable to do it himsef he shook the earth and could he not lift up a stone O yes but thus he would manifest his Power by declaring his Power over the mighty Angels he needed but to say unto his Angel do this and he doth it I find some difference amongst Authors why an Angel should role away the Stone some think it was only for the womens sake that they might go into the Sepulchre and take a view of the empty Tomb and so be satisfied that Christ was
not I hearken after him but he speaks not I call but he answers not O my Lord if I had never known thee I could have lived without thee but this is my misery not so much that I am without thee as that I have lost thee many are well without thee because they never enjoyed thee the children of beggars count it not their misery that they are not Princes but oh the grief when the children of Princes shall be turned to beggars O my Lord once I had thee but now I have lost thee yea I have lost thee every jot and piece and parcel of thee O ye Apostles Where is the dead body of my Lord O Sir Angel tell me if you saw his torn his macerated crucified body O grave O death shew me is there any thing of Christ's body though but a few dead ashes in your keeping no no all is gone I can hear nothing of what I would hear death is silent the graâ—e is empty the Angels say nothing to the purpose the Apostles are fled and they I know not who have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 2. After this Christ himself appears but first as unknown and then as known 1. As unknown She turned her self back and saw Jesus standing John 20.14 15. and knew not that it was Jesus Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardiner c. In this Apparition of Christ unknown I shall only take notice of Christ's queâ—â—ion anâ— Maries inquisition his question is in these words Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou 1. Why wâ—epest thou This very question the Angels asked her before and now Christ asks it again sure there is something in it and the rather we may think so because it is the first opening of his Mouth the first words that ever came from him after his rising again Some say that Mary Magdalen represents the state of all mâ—nkind before this day viz. One weeping over the grave of another as if there were no hope and now at his resurrection Christ comes in with weep not Woman Why weepest thou q. d. there is no cause of weeping now Lo I am risen from the dead and am become the first-fruits of them that sleep And yet we may wondâ—r at the question Why should Christ demand of Mary why she wept but a while since shâ— saw him hanging on a tree with his head full of thorns his eyes full of tears his ears full of blasphemies his mouth full of gall his whole person mangled and disfigured and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou scarce three dayes since she beheld his arms and legs racked with violent pulls his hands and feet bored with nails his side and bowels pierced with a spear his whole body torn with stripes and gored in blood and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou she saw him on the cross yielding up his soul and now she was about to anoint his body which was the only hope she had alive but his body is removed and that hope is dead and she is left hopeless of all visible help and yet doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou O yes though it may be strange yet it is not a question without cause she weeps for him dead who was risen again from the dead she was sorry he was not in his grave and for this very cause she should have been rather glad she mourns for not knowing where he lay when as indeed and in truth he lay not any where he is alive and present and now talks with her and resolves to comfort her and therefore Woman Why weepest thou 2. Whom seekest thou she seeks Christ and Christ asks her Woman Whom seekest thou We may wonder at this also if she seek Christ Why doth she not know him or if she know Christ Why doth she seek him still O Mary Is it possible thou hast forgotten Jesus there is no part in thee but is busie about him thy eye weeps thy heart throbs thy tongue complains thy body faints thy soul languisheth and notwithstanding all this Hast thou now forgotten him What are thy sharp eyes so weak sighted that they are dazled with the Sun and blinded with the Light O yes a shower of tears comes betwixt her and him and she cannot see him or it may be Her eyes were holden that she should not know him Luke 24.16 or it may be he appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some other shape such as resemble the Gardiner whom she took him for howsoever it was She saw Jesus standing but knew not that it was Jesus and therefore saith Jesus to her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou There is a double presence of Christ felt and not felt the presence felt is when Christ is graciously pleased to let us know so much and this is an heaven upon earth The presence not felt is that secret presence when Christ seems to draw us one way and to drive another way So he dealt with the Woman of Canaan he seemed to drive her away but at the same time he wrought in her by his Spirit an increase of faith and by that means drew her to himself Thus may a soul suppose Christ lost and seek and weep and weep and seek and yet Christ is present 2. For Maries enquiry She supposing him to be the Gardiner said unto him Sir If thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away In the words we may observe first her mistake 2. Her speech upon her mistake 1. Her mistake She supposing him to be the Gardiner O Mary hath Christ lived so long and laboured so much and shed so many showers of blood to come to no higher preferment than a Gardiner this was a very strange mistake and yet in some sence and a good sence too Christ might be said to be a Gardiner As 1. It is he that gardens all our souls that plants in them the seeds of righteousness that waters them with the dew of grace and makes them fruitful to eternal life 2. It is he that raised to life his own dead body and will turn all our graves into a garden-Plot Thy dead men shall live together Esa 26.19 with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for the dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Besides there is a mystery in her mistake As Adam in the state of grace and innocency was placed in a garden and the first office allotted to him was to be a Gardiner so Jesus Christ appeared first in a garden and presents himself in a Gardiners likeness And as that first Gardiner was the Parent of sin the ruine of mankind and the Author of death so is this Gardiner the ransome for our sins the raiser of our ruines and the restorer of our
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
I will not say that the very blood which Christ shed on the Cross is now in heaven nor that it speaks in heaven these cryings are merely Mataphorical yet this I maintain as real and proper that the power merit and vertue of Christ's blood is presented by our Saviour to his Father both as a publick satisfaction for our sin and as a publick price for the purchase of our glory 3. Christ's Intercession consists in the presenting of his will his request his interpellation for us John 17.24 grounded upon the vigor and vertue of his glorious merits 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 This was a piece of Christ's prayer while yet he was on earth and some say it is a summary of Christ's Intercession which now he makes for us in his glory he prayed on earth as he meant to pray for us when he came to heaven he hints at this in the beginning of his Prayer for he speaks as if all his work had been done on earth John 17.4 5. and as if then he were even beginning his work in heaven I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was I know it is a question whether Christ now in heaven do indeed and truth and in right propriety of speech pray for us some able Divines are for the Negative others for the Affimative For my part leaving a liberty to those otherwise minded according to their light I am of opinion that Christ doth not only intercede by an interpretative Prayer as in the presenting of himself and his merits to his Father but also by an express prayer or by an express and open representation of his will and to this opinion methinks these Texts agree I will pray the Father John 14.16 John 16.26 27. and he shall give you another Comforter and at that day ye shall ask in my Name and I say unto you that I will pray the Father for you when he saith I say not that I will pray for you it is the highest intimation that he would pray for them as it is our phrase I do not say that I will do this or that for you no not I when indeed we will most surely do it and do it to purpose Austin confirms this orat pro nobis orat in nobis oratur a nobis c. He prays for us he prays in us and he is prayed to by us he prays for us as he is our Priest Aug. Prefat in psalm 85. and he prays in us as he is our Head and he is prayed to by us as he is our God Ambrose tells us That Christ so now prays for us as sometimes he prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail Amb. super ad Roman 8. Methinks I imagine as if I heard Christ praying in heaven in this Language O my Father I pray not for the World I will not open my lips for any one Son of perdition but I imploy all my blood and all my prayers and all my interests with thee for my dear beloved precious Saints it is true thou hast given me a personal glory which I had with thee before the World was and yet there is another glory I beg for and that is the glory of my Saints O that they may be saved why I am glorified in them they are my joy John 17.10 13 24. and therefore I must have them with me where I am thou hast set my heart upon them and thou thy self hast loved them as thou hast loved me and thou hast ordained them to be one in us even as we are one and therefore I cannot live long asunder from them I have thy company but I must have theirs too I will that they be with me where I am If I have any glory they must have part of it this is my prayer that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Why thus Christ prayed while he was on Earth and if this same prayer be the summary of Christ's intercession or interpellation now he is in heaven we may imagine him praying thus it were too nice to question whether Christ's prayer in heaven be vocal or mental certainly Christ presents his gracious will to his Father in heaven some way or other and I make no question but he fervently and immoveably desires that for the perpetual vertue of his sacrifice all his members may be accepted of God and crowned with glory nor only is there a cry of his blood in heaven but Christ by his prayer seconds that cry of his blood an argument is handed to us by Master Goodwin thus As it was with Abel Goodwin Christ set forth so it is with Christ Abels blood went up to heaven and Abels soul went up to heaven and by this means the cry of Abels dead blood was seconded by the cry of Abels living soul his cause cryed and his soul cryed as it is said of the Martyrs that the souls of them that were slain for the Testimony which they held cryed with a loud voice saying how long Lord Holy and True dost thou not judge and avenge our blood that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.9 10. even so it is with Christ his blood went up to heaven and his soul went up to heaven yea his body soul and all his whole person went up to Heaven and by this means his cause cryes and he himself seconds the cry of his cause Jesus Christ in his own person ever liveth to make Intercession for us he ever liveth as the great Master of requests to present his desires that those for whom he dyed may be saved 4. Christ's Intercession consists in the presenting of our persons in his own person to his Father so that now God cannot look upon the Son but he must behold the Saints in his Son are they not members of his body in near relation to himself and are not all his Intercessions in behalf of them and only of them but how are all the Elect carried up into heaven with Jesus Christ and there set down before his Father in Jesus Christ I answer not actually but mystically when Christ intercedes he takes our persons and carries them in unto God the Father in a most unperceiveable way to us for the way or manner I leave it to others for my part I dare not be too inquisitive in a secret not revealed by God only this we say that Christ presents our persons to his Father in his own person and this was plainly shadowed out by that act or office of the high Priest who went into the holy of holies Exod. 28.12 with the names of all the Tribes of Israel upon his shoulders and upon his breast