others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
communion with Christ that is the life the glory of the other world Vid. Rev. 7. 17. the lamb which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters The whole felicity of glorified Saints is held out in those expressions The Uses of this Point Use 1. Away then with the Doctrine of eternal life by the merit of good works If Iesus Christ be our life then cannot the merit of our works be our life or the cause of it either in part or in whole Christ and works are opposites as to this businesse of salvation The affirming of Christ is the denial of works and the affirming of works is the denial of Christ Act. 4. 11 12. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders c. neither is salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven c. And the truth is all the things required to make a work meritorious are wanting in the best of our good works A meritorious work must be 1. Nostrum So are none of our good works Eph. 2. 10. 2. Perfectum So are not our works Our wine is mixed with water We halt upon our best legs Isa 64 6. Remember Lord my good deeds and spare me was Nehemiahs prayer ch 13. 22. we never did any thing we should do perfectly not any one thing Our most sublimated thoughts are full of the dregges of earthly mindednesse our best words are too scanty and light c. 3. It must be indebitum A man cannot purchase your land by paying an old debt All our obedience to God is an old debt which we owe upon another score Remember that Parable Luk. 17. 9. Doth he thank that servant because he did that which was commended I tell you no. That which will not deserve thanks cannot merit heaven We are fallen into an erroneous age mans will is cried up much High Arminianisme is within a few dayes journey of this piece of Popery 'T is time to give antidotes when such deadly poyson is scattered and drunk in by many injudicious Christians Let Papists make works their life let Arminians make free-will their life but let us make Christ our life He that will not live by Christ solely shall die for ever without Christ I shall conclude this with that of the Apostle Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Use 2. The cerâ—ainty of the salvation of beleevers They shall so certainly be saved that Scripture speaks of their salvation as of a thing already done 1 Cor. 1. 18. the Preaching of the crosse is unto us that are saved the power of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is reported as a thing in facto and not in fierâ— Eph. 2. 5. By grace ye are saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He writes as if they were already in glory All this to shew the certainty of their salvation This depends on many things upon this in the text for one If Christ be their life they shall live He that will keep them out of heaven must first pluck Iesus Christ out of heaven because I live ye shall live also John 14. 19. if the Sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed if the Sonne be your life ye shall live and that for ever in despight of devil in despight of corruption he is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 25. Use 3. Let this provoke all men to get an interest in Christ There 's nothing but eternal death without him He that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him 1 Iohn 5. 12. There 's no way to glory but by him Deceive not your selves cling to him lay fast hold on him and on him alone Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid already even Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. We hope we have an interest in Christ Well He that hath a good assurance that Christ is his for life must have these three things else he deceives himself 1. He must be a true beleever in Christ vid. Ioh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life c. 2. He must be an obedient subject to Christ Though we exclude obedience from the cause of salvation yet we do make it a qualification of the person that shall be saved Christ is the Author of eternal life unto them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Christ will be King where-ever he is Saviour 3. He must live the life of grace Christ is the Author of spiritual life before he be the Author of life eternal We must live in Christ before we live with Christ Christ must live in us before we live with him Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. if Christ be not in you a fountain of grace he will never be yours for glory 4. You that have Christ for life eternal carry your selves as those that beleeve this truth 1. Despaire not No sinne disparageth Christ so much as despair there is more ground of hope and confidence in Christ then there can be of distrust in our selves The sacrifice is sufficient for the guilt Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. a ransome a full ransome 2. Let salvation be so much the more precious to you for his sake who is the Author of it 3. Attribute your salvation to Christ onely 4. Live to Christ 5. The greatnesse of Gods love to the Elect. He gave Christ to be their life to die for them Rom. 5. 8. 6. Live with Christ here as much as you can 7. The greatnesse of mans misery he could not be saved without Christ COL 3. 4. When Christ our life shall appear then IV. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. June 8. 1651. shall we also appeare with him in glory I Have handled the first Proposition that Jesus Christ is a beleevers life both in regard of the life of grace and of the life of glory I proceed to the second viz. Doct. Jesus Christ who is a beleevers life shall certainly appear There will be a manifest appearance of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of a threefold appearance of Christ 1. A bodily appearance in the flesh Thus Iesus Christ appeared in his Nativity when in the fulnesse of time he took our nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifested in the flesh Old Simeon in his song rejoyceth for this Luk. 2. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Venit ad homines salvation Venit ad homines 2. A spiritual appearance of Christ in
of the incense out of the Angels hand before God notes the complacency that God takes through Christ in the obedience of his Saints Put these together and see whether Christ do not bring forth pleasant fruit All the Vineyards in the world cannot shew such grapes for pleasantnesse as these are 2. He brings forth profitable fruit The wine that comes out of this Vine doth chear and refresh and strengthen and make glad and that not the outward man but the soule and conscience also which no other wine can do If I should go over all these fruits againe and shew you the advantage which beleevers have by them you would then say they were profitable fruits Healing fruits and strengthning fruits and quickning fruits They remove all fears they bring in all joy c. 3. He brings forth plenty of fruit I have named many but I have named but a few in respect of what I might name All the graces of his Spirit are the fruits which he brings forth saith love meeknesse perseverance c. All the promises are his fruits eternity will be too short to measure all the fruits which grow on this Vine This is the second resemblance 3. In regard of the shadow which he casts over the Church The Vine is a shadowy plant it is in regard of the 〈…〉 fittest of any plant for sâ—adowing 〈…〉 Arbors of the vine Micah 4. 4. 〈…〉 shadow to his Church The Scripture calls hiâ— a shadow Esay 32. 2. A hiding place from the winde a covert form the tempest the shadow of a great rock in a weary land the words are spoken of Christ as is clear from the first verse Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse he who is there called a King is afterwards called a shadow I sate under Cant 2. 3. his shadow so Jesus Christ is called the Churches onely shadow 1. He is a shadow to defend them from his Fathers wrath God is in himself a consuming fire So the Apostle Heb. 12. 29. His anger is declared against all the sinnes of men He can as well cease to be as cease to be displeased against sinne in whomsoever it is Now Jesus is the Beleevers shadow to preserve him from being burnt by his wrath Yea Christ hath by satisfying his Fathers Justice for sinne quenched this wrath as to beleevers and this satisfaction is such a thick shadow that whensoever the beleever retreats to it and sits under it the wrath of God cannot reach him to hurt him the Screen of Christs perfect satisfaction doth continually stand between God and the beleever to preserve him from the fury of Divine anger The wrath of God must kindle upon Christ before it can kindle upon the beleever and upon Christ it cannot kindle He hath once born the wrath of God and by bearing it hath for ever quenched it Since Christ hath made himselfe a sacrifice for sinne once God hath many wayes declared that he is well pleased with him Abide under his shadowy vine ye that are beleevers the wrath of God cannot come neeâ—e you 2. He is a shadow to defend them from the deâ—isâ— rage Satan is full of rage against the godly They have broke out of his prison they have renounced his service they have proclaimed perpetual war against him and his kingdom they have by the grace of conversion blotted his Name out of their hearts this fills him with rage against them He is continually way-laying them he is daily fighting with them he never ceaseth to tempt them that he may destroy them 1 Pet. 5. 8. Jesus Christ is a shadow to preserve his Church from the fury of this destroyer By his death he hath broken his head Col. 2. 15. By his intercession he doth safegard his from all the attempts he makes upon them Luke 22. 31 32. The devil must overcome Christ he must pluck off all the leaves of this Vine before he can devoure the soule of a beleever Retreat to Christ by faith when Satan hunts you and continue here and you may laugh at Satan and all his assaults 3. He is a shadow to defend them from the fury of men The world is a bitter enemy to the servants of Christ They cannot walk after the fashion of the world they cannot but reprove the wickednesse of the world both by their lives and by their speeches too as they have occasion This makes the men of the world madde against them you may see this both in the Old and in the New Testament In the Old Testament Gen. 19. 9. they were ready to tear Lot in pieces because he reproved their filthy wickednesse In the New Testamen◠〈…〉 4. because the godly cannot drink of 〈…〉 â—â—ters they do therefore do they 〈…〉 Jesus Christ is a shadow to preserve them from the worlds fury He did by his death obtaine victory as well over the world as over the devil John 16. 33. and he doth shadow his Church in the world from the rage of the world Some particular members of his Church are perhaps overcome by the world but the body of the Church can never be overcome And for the particular persons or Churches that are ruined by them their ruine tends to their own personal salvation and to the preservation of the whole body the blood of particular persons or Churches is a sanctified seed which tends to the enlargement of the Church Universal 4. In regard of the influenâ—ial Communications from him to the Branches This is that which is especially meant in this place beleevers are compared to the Branches Christ to the Vine As the Vine doth communicate sap and nourishment to the Branches so doth Christ communicate spiritual sap and nourishment to beleevers All the Churches springs are in Christ Psal 87. 7. Beleevers have nothing but what comes from him Beleevers can do nothing that is good but by assistance from him He is the strength of their strength the wisdome of their wisdome God hath put all their stock and portion into his hands They have their dependance on him they have all their supply from him This is that which is laid down ver 5. of this Chapter Without me or severed from me ye can do nothing Of this I shall speak more in the next Doctrine 3. The excellency of Christ above all other vines He hath the preheminence in these seven respects 1. Christ is a Vine immediately of Gods planting Other Vines are the plantations of men 'T is true In the Creation God did by the Word of his power without the help of any creature cause the Vine as he did all other plants to spring Gen. 2. 4 5. But since the creation of man upon the earth these plants are the work of his hands We read of a vineyard planted by Noah after the flood Gen. â—9 20. and we see that since to this day vines are still set by the hands of men But Jesus Christ â—s the meer plantation of God alone God prepared him a body
work is wrought By this Word is the soule first cut off from the wilde stock of corrupt nature and planted into the true Olive-tree or Vine Jesus Christ Hence the work of planting is in Scripture attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted saith the Apostle Apollo watered God indeed is the great Planter So v. 1. of this Chapter I am the true Vine and my Father iâ— the 〈◊〉 He is the Master-Planter the Ministers are subordinate-planters We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. They are so called because by the Word preached this great work is done This the Prophet clearly affirmes Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach Christ that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. These mystical trees are Gods planting but the instrument wherby they are made such trees is the Word preached Hence the Word is called the incorruptible seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. As all the Trees and Plants in the first Creation were set and sprung up by the Word of God Gen. 1. 11 12. So are all these mystical Branches ingraffed by the Ministerial Word 2. The Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is the immediate Instrument whereby the soule is ingraffed It is the Spirit which gives efficacy to the Word both to cut off the soule from the stock of nature and to implant it into the Stock of grace The Word would never be able to tear off any person from his first root if it were not edged and strengâ—hred by the Spirit of God The Scripture calleâ—h the Holy Ghost the finger of God Luke 11. 20. compared with Mat. 1â— 28. He is so câ—â—â—ed as for other reasons so for this because he is the immediate instrument whereby God works in the hearts of his creatures Particularly for this work of ingraffing the soule into Christ the Holy Ghost is affirmed to be the immediate instrument 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body c. and have been all made to drink into one spirit And againe Eph. 2. 21 22. where the Apostle speaking of this great mystery under another resemblance saith that in Christ we are builded an habitation of God thorough the Spirit The same Spirit which builds us upon Christ into one Temple doth ingraffe us into Christ as one Vine 3. Faith This is the immediate instrumental cause on mans part Faith is an uniting grace it knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soul Faith is an incorporating grace it doth as it were embody the soule into Christ making it one with Christ and Christ with it This is that which the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as to a living stone c. Ye also are built up as lively stones c. Two things are observable in that Text. First that the Saints are built together upon Christ the foundation-stone an holy house to God Secondly how Christ and they are cemented together into one building this is by beleeving set out by the expression of coming which is used ordinarily for beleeving as Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God first works saith in the heart of a person through the Word and then the soul is by the Spirit through faith ingraffed into Christ and made a lively Branch For the second particular What advantage the soul hath by being a Branch of Christ I shall here follow the Metaphor The same advantage the Branch hath by being ingraffed into the Stock hath a Beleever in a spiritual sense by being ingraffed into Christ I name these five 1. Spiritual supportation The Branch hath this benefit from the Stock into which it is ingraffed that it is born up and supported by it The Branch doth not bear the Vine nor doth it beare it self but is born of the Vine A beleever hath supportation from Jesus Christ We stand on Christs legs not on our own I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. The strength of the Branch is in the Vine so is the strength of a Beleever in Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. 5. I laid me down and slept saith David I awaked for the Lord susteined me Many blasts passe over a beleever many violent concussions and shakings is he exposed unto partly by reason of sinne partly by temptations from the Devil from men in all these shakings he hath sustentation from Christ into whom he is implanted My grace saith Christ to Paul shall be sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse in 2 Cor. 12. 9. A beleever may with confidence go to Christ and pray for support in all his weaknesses A beleever may go to Christ and chalenge support Christ would never have made thee a Branch if he had not intended to support and strengthen thee Esay 41. 10. there are repeated promises of sustentation I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee In doing in suffering in dying is a beleever supported by Christ A beleever never wants support but when either through pride he will not have it or through slothfulnesse he will not 〈…〉 Jesus Christ 2. Spiritual nourishment The Branâ—â— doth not give nourishment to the Stock nor doth it nourish it selfe but it receives nourishment from the Stock A beleever hath nourishment from Jesus Christ The Root feeds the Branch it conveys its sap to each Branch whether it be great or little whether it be nearer the Root or at a farther distance from it Christ conveys proper nourishment to every beleever The Apostle speaks of this Col. 2. 19. The whole body from Christ by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred the Ordinances are the joynts and bands by which nourishment is carried but Christ is the great treasury from whence it is carried He nourishes Faith he feeds Hope he nourisheth love c. Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Every grace a beleever hath would die and wither if it did not receive daily nourishment from Jesus Christ 3. Spiritual increase The branch receives its Augmentation from the Vine The graffe when it's first implanted is very small a childe may break it with one of his fingers but by abiding in the Stock it grows till it come to perfection All a Beleevers increase is from Jesus Christ 'T is by and through him that we grow from infancy to a perfect man Two Texts of Scripture do fully set out this benefit of our implantation The one is Col. 2. 19. In him the whole body having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God The other is Eph. 4. 16. Where the Apostle tells us that by and from Christ the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every part supplieth maketh increase
moulder 2. Acknowledge upon whom all your spiritual good doth depend All your graces all your comforts all your priviledges are bottom'd on Christ Christ lies as the foundation of all The Scripture affirms all our good to be bottom'd on Christ Our Election Eph. 1. 4. Our justification Eph. 5. 1. Our Adoption Eph. 1. 5. Our Salvation He is called not onely a Saviour but salvation in the abstract Esay 62. 11. say ye to the daughter of Zion behold thy salvation cometh What ever good we have or hope for it is for Christ and from Christ He is made to us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification redemption as the Apostle saith 1 Corinth 1. 30. that you sink not it is from Christ alone 3. Cast the care and burthen of all your concernments by faith on Christ There are two Texts of Scripture enjoyning this duty the one is in the Old Testament the other in the New That in the Old Testament is in Psalme 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord and he will susteine thee That in the New Testament is in 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care on him Those two words Burthen Care take in all our concernments whatsoever There are many burthens as a burthen of sinne a burthen of duty a burthen of suffering a burthen of losse a burthen of successe issues and events are a heavy burthen sometimes Lay all this on Christ And then how many cares is a beleever liable unto A crowd of cares comes in daily Cast these by an act of faith on Christ He is the corner stone he hath undertaken to bear the burthen of all You honour him as well as ease your selves by casting all on him the stresse of all 4. Be stable Stedfastnesse is often commended to Christians as 1 Corinth 15. ult Be stedfast unmovable and 2 Pet. 3. 17. Let those stones totter and shake that have a shaking foundation The instability of beleevers is some disparagement to Christ the corner stone on which they are built 3. For consolation This may comfort beleevers 1. Against their own weaknesse Who that knows his own heart but findes his graces weak Every temptation shakes him as if it would shake him to pieces Remember to thy comfort Christ is the corner stone of thy grace as well as of thy salvation He hath strength though you be weak 2. In case of the totterings of the Church Such blasts arise sometime to threaten its ruine Remember the corner stone yea he is the corner as well as the corner stone 1 PET. 2. 6. Christ the chief corner stone elect and XX. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth â—ond Jan. 16. 1652. precious I Proceed to the properties of this Corner-stone First it is an Elect stone Secondly 't is a precious stone For the first Elect. This word hath a double signification It signifies choice excellent And it signifies elected or chosen Gerhard thinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is used not participially for elect or chosen but nominally for excellent and precious But I rather conceive that it is here used participially for elected or chosen This signification have our Translators given it I am induced to think it is so used here for two reasons 1 Otherwise this and the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would signifie one and the same thing And it 's not probable that the holy Ghost in such short speeches should use two words to signifie the same thing 2. Because ver 4. of this Chapter where the same words are used this word signifies not choice but elected oâ— châ—â—â—n for so it 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this Text is but a recapitulation of what is there said It refers to the act of God in chusing Christ for the corner stone of the Church The point is this Doct. That Iesus Christ is chosen by God for the corner stone or foundation of the Church God the Father hath elected him for this service Here are two things to be opened 1. What this election hath reference to 2. Why Christ was thus elected 1. For the former This election referres to foure of acts God concerning Christ 1. To his eternal designation of Christ to this work The everlasting determination of God was that Christ should perform this office in and for his Church Of this our Apostle speaks in 1 Pet. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. To his publick mission As he was foreordeined before all time so he was publickly sent in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. 4 5. The Scripture often mentions the mission of Christ Esay 61. 1. he hath sent me c. 3. To the divine unction God hath anointed the humane nature filled it with all grace and with abundance of grace for this work The Prophet speaks of this unction Esay 61. 1. and more fully Esay 11. 2 3 4. This is that which our Saviour calls Gods sealing of him John 6. 27. This sealing refers to two things First the solemne appointment of God God hath authorized him publickly under his broad seale for this work Secondly God hath furnished him for the work by communicating to him the fulnesse the unmeasurable fulnesse of his Spirit For the Spirit is not given to him by measure John 3. 34. 4. To the publick testimony given by God to Christ God hath given very solemn Testimony and approbation to Christ 1 By audible voices from heaven once at his baptisme Matth. 3. 17. A second time at his tranfiguration Mat. 17. 5. 2 By serious recommendation of him in the Gospel to men that they should rely upon him The Evangelist makes mention of this 1 Iohn 5. 10 11. 2. For the latter The great moving cause is his meer mercy to his Elect. No other was able Christ was sufficient to discharge this great work Out of his rich love did God chuse him upon this hinge all turns Iohn 3. 16. But if the reasons be demanded why Christ should have such solemne election c. These may be considered 1. The offices which Christ undertook did call for this divine Election he was to be Prophet Priest King fit therefore it was that he should be thus solemnly set out Prophets must be sent else they are none of Gods Ier. 23. 21. Christ was a Prophet therfore he would have a formal Authorization from him whose Prophet he was Deut. 18. 18. Christ was a King Psalme 2. 6. Therefore fit he should be sufficiently authorized hence is that Psalme 110. 1. Christ was a Priest therefore he must be lawfully consecrated Heb. 5. 4 5 6. no man taketh this honour c. 2. Else that which Christ did would not have been accepted of God nor would it have been meritorious for his Church It would have been sacriledge for Christ to have made himselfe a corner stone if God had not chosen him for the work This is my well beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 17. God would not have been well pleased with Christ
defective They are so in our own sight much more in the sight of God Esay 64. 6. Not only our righteousnesse but our righteousnesses are a silthy ragge Psal 130. 4. David was a man after Gods own heart yet doth he acknowledge that if God should weigh iniquity none should stand Job had a very high testimony from God Chap. 1. 1. yet he durst not stand upon such termes Chap. 9. 3. 15. 20. 30 31. Nehemiah did many good works yet he comes to a Psalme of mercy chap. 13. 22. 4. This Doctrine makes a man his own justifier which is contrary to Scripture The Scripture ascribes the work of justification to God Rom. 3. 26. and Rom. 8. 33. To make mans works the cause of his justification is to make him a justifier which is the work of God alone 5. This Doctrine makeâ— the merit and sacrifice of Christ either needlesse or insufficient This is the Apostles Argument Gal. 2. ult To affirme either of these is a great wickednesse To say it was needlesse is to make God cruel to his Sonne Why should he poure out his blood if there was no necessity of it To say it is insuffiâ—ient is to vilifie his person to contradict Scriptures which saith he is able to save to the uttermost 6. This Doctrine establisheth boasting Now the great designe of God in the justification of a sinner is to exclude boasting Rom. 3. 27. The Law of works layes a foundation of boasting but the Law of faith excludes boasting 7. This Doctrine robs the soul of all consolation and leaves it unsetled and perplexed A man can never be free from troubles that builds the hopes of his justification upon himself Rom. 10. 6 7. The scope of the Apostle in that place is to put a difference between the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of faith Amongst other this is one the righteousnesse of faith settles the heart it saith not who shall ascend c It knows Christ hath ascended and descended that he hath done all and suffered all and so quiets the conscience He that trusts to his own righteousness can never be setled but will be still disputing And therefore the Papists who cry up justification by their own works cry down assurance of salvation And they cannot do otherwise for justification by our own righteousnesse and assurance of salvation are inconsistent Thus I have proved the righteousness of justification to be from Christ 2. For the righteousnesse of sanctification This is also from Christ he that is without Christ is without sanctification Till this Sunne be risen upon the soul there is no holinesse in the soul A Christlesse condition is an unsanctified condition A man must prove himself interested in Christ before he can be able to assert his Sanctification we are said to be sanctified in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 2. you must thank Christ as well for the righteousness of sanctification as for that of justification Till these beames shine upon you you have no grace in you 2. For exhortation 1. To all in general 2. To you that have no interest in Christ 3. To them that have an interest 1. To all men in general I would recommend two things 1. Blesse God for Jesus Christ We have great cause to blesse God for the light of the Sunne innumerable are those benefits we receive by this creature 'T is our guid 't is our life by the influences of it nature is revived the body is cheered and all things usefull for our life are refreshed the world had been an Egypt for darknesse a Wildernesse for barrennesse an Hospital of diseases if God had not made the Sunne the beauty of the creation would have been hid the benefit of the creation would have been lost if this lamp of heaven had not been hung out much more cause have we to blesse God for his mystical Sunne Eph. 1. 3. This will be the work of heaven to all eternity had not this Sun from heaven visited us our condition had been as miserable as the condition of devils 2. Never see the Sunne but meditate on Jesus Christ A spiritual Christian may learn very much Divinity from the works of creation Though the whole book of Creation without that revelation of the Gospel could not have made Christ known to the world the Phylosophers turn'd over every page of that great book but they could spell nothing of Christ out of it Yet now we that have the Gospel may help our knowledge of Christ by the book of creation Christ is resembled to so many creatures that we can hardly see any creature but it preacheth something of him when your eyes behold the light of the Sunne when you feel the warmth of the Sunne when you perceive the influential vertue of the Sunne upon the creatures then think on Christ the very Sun in the Firmament wil rise up in judgment against us that have Christ revealed in the Gospel as a Sunne if we do not fill our hearts with daily thoughts of him 2. To them that are without the saving beams of Christ I have onely one thing to presse upon them That they would endeavour that this Sunne may shine upon them yea that it may shine into them be not contented to live without the Sunne I know it will be said what shall we do that Christ may arise upon our hearts 1. Be sensible of your want of Christ he that sees and bewailes his own darknesse will hardly dye without light One reason why Christ doth not shine upon us is because we think we have light in our selves we think we saw Christ without the Sunne therefore we are suffered to walk in blindness without the Sun This our Saviour declares expresly Joh 9. 3â— 2. Stand in those places where the Sunne usually shines He that would have the Sunne shine on him must not keep in dark Cellers and Vaults but must come into the open aire The ordinary place of Christs shining is where his Gospel is preached the preaching of the Gospel is the East where this Sunne ariseth 2 Cor. 4. 4. 6. The Gospel is the Orbe of this Sunne be that constantly waits here will at lâ—st feeâ— the warm beams of Christ coming down upon him especially if he make it his designe to enjoy the beams of Christ in his Gospel 3. Take heed of shutting your eyes when the Sunne begins to appear He that shuts his eyes will never see the Sunne though it shine in all its brightnâ—sse Stand with your eyes open yea with your eyes fixed looking for Christs appearing and he will cause his beames at last to fall upon you To you on whom this Sunne hath arisen I have things to recommend to you 1. Do you wâ—lk as the children of the Light Put away darknesse ignorance blindnesse and be full of spiritual light God may well expect much light from those on whom Christ hath shined Stumbling in a childe of God is worsâ— then falling in another man If
suppling oyntment dâ—opt upon it it had been stony to this present day Fourthly from the beautifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. What true beauty is To be anointed with Christ to be filled with his graces to be made partaker of the divine nature this is beauty this is true beauty this is lasting beauty this is beauty that will commend us to God 'T is not he that hath the beautiful face but he that hath the beautiful soule that is accepted of God And then 2. He that would be beautiful let him anoint himself with Christ How vaine are persons in painting their faces Jezabels daughters abound 2 Kings 9. 30. as if they would mend Gods workmanship it was formerly whores customes Ezek. 23. 40. Anoint your selves once with this oyntment and all others will be unpleasant And then Fifthly from the healing quality of this oyntment learn two things 1. To acknowledge how their sores were healed Thou wast one full of wounds now they are bound up and healed Thou mayest blesse God for this balsome of heaven â—esus Christ otherwise thou hadst died of thy wounds 2. Get this oyntment into 〈…〉 Wise men will not be without healing oyntment in their houseâ— especially were they are farre from Chirurgion All our houses by reason of sin are no better then spiritual hospitals There 's no balme in Gilead that can heal one sore but this divine balm Jesus Christ get your vessels fill'd with this oyntment and all will be well pray that God would poure this oyntment into your wounded children and servants else they are but dead men LUK. 2. 25. Waiting for the consolation of Israel XXIX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon May 29. 1653. THere are in this Chapter foure things observable concerning Jesus Christ 1 His nativity ver 1. to ver 21. 2 His circumcision verse 21. 3 The presenting of him in the Temple ver 22. to v. 41. 4 A proof of his prophetical office v. 41. ad finem In that part which speaks of his presentation in the Temple we have many things observable 1. The time of it ver 22. which was the fourtieth day after his nativity 2. The efficient cause of it his parents Joseph and Mary 3. The final cause of it this is declared ver 23 24. 4. The adjuncts accompanying this work These are principally two First the prophecy of Simeon verse 25. to verse 36. Secondly the prophecy of Anna concerning him v. 36 to 39. In this prophecy of Simeon we have 1. A description of some things concerning his person v. 25 26. And then 2. A declaration of his prophecy v. 27 c. His person is described two wayes First by his piety v. 25. init Secondly by his gift of prophecy this is expressed generally by the efficient cause of it v. 25. The holy Ghost was upon him particularly by the revelation which he received v. 26. His piety is set down by three graces 1. His justice or righteousnesse He was just 2. His devotion he was a devout man 3. His faith and hope in expecting the fulfilling of Gods promise concerning Christ This is in the text He waited for the consolation of Israel â—n which words we have two things 1. A description of what Christ is to his people 2. A 〈◊〉 of what Simeon did in reference to â—â—rist 〈…〉 him God had reveaâ—ed 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 â—oly Ghost that Jesus Christ 〈…〉 before his soule went out oâ— the flesh 〈◊〉 â—he holy man beleeved this and 〈…〉 wâ—it for it From 〈…〉 two particulars we have this double Observation 1. That Jesus Christ is the consolation of Israel 2. That godly men do expect and wait for the accomplishment of divine promises even of such as are most unlikely to be fulfilled I begin with the first viz. Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is that consolation of the Israel of God Simeons expectation was for the coming of Christ in the flesh as is clear from v. 25. He that is there called the Lords Christ is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consalation of Israel Christ is the only true consolation of all Gods Israel the consolation of Israel is a periphrasis of Christ the Messiah saith Piscator 1 See the type Noah was herein a type of Christ Gen. 5. 29. 2 See it in the prophecies They that foretold Christ prophecied of him as a comforter Esay 9. 3 6. Esay 40. 1. Esay 51. 3. Esay 52. 9 10. 3 See it in the Angels that proclaimed his birth Luke 2. 10 11. In opening of this doctrine I shall handle these three particulars 1. Who are meant by Israel 2. In what respects Christ is said to be the consolation of Israel 3. That he is the consolation of Israel only 1. For the first By Israel we are to understand true beleevers the members of the truly invisible Church so we find them called Gal. 6. 16. They are called Israel or the Israel of God in two respects First in reference to the people of Israel beleevers are like the people of Israel in three respects 1. In regard of their inward circumcision It was the badge of an Israelite and that whereby he was distinguished from all other Nations that he was circumcised Other Nations are called uncircumcision the Israelites are called ordinarily â—he circumcision Beleevers they and they onely are spiritually circumcised the foreskin of their flesh is mortified and cut off they are circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands Col. 2. 11. The body of sinne is truly mortified in them Hence they are called in Scripture the circumcision as the Israelites were Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision saith the Apostle speaking of beleevers which worship God in the Spirit a true Beleever is a true circumcised person 2. In regard of the Law written in their hearts It was the great priviledge of the people of Israel that they had the Law of God amongst them The Apostle mentions this Rom. 2. 2. And the Prophet David long before him Psalme 147. 19. Beleevers have this priviledge above all people under heaven that the Law of God is with them nay the Law of God is in them not the Law of nature but the Law of grace it is not onely written amongst them but it is written in them The Apostle speaks of this Heb. 8. 10. 3. In regard of their neernesse to God It was the great dignity of the people of Israel that they were of all people neerest to God Deut. 4. 7. They were Gods heritage his peculiar people separated from all people under heaven It is the great priviledge of beleevers that they are neerer to God then all other people They are neer to God in affection they are neer to God in relation Of this the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 13. Thus they are called the Israel of God in regard of the people of Israel Secondly in reference to the 〈…〉 rael Israel is Jacob he had that name 〈◊〉 him of God Gen. 32. 28. Now