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
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
in his first Sermon after the Spirits mission Act. 2.17 18. In which we read of two pourings of the Spirit one upon their sons and the other upon his servants the former concerned only the Jew they should have Prophesies Visions and Dreams the old way of the Jews but the latter concerns us we are not of their sons but of his servants to whom visions and dreams are left quite out and therefore if any now pretend to those visions and dreams we say with Jeremy Jer. 23.28 The prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream but he that hath my Word let him speak my Word Faithfully what is the Chaffe to the wheat But of all the prophesies concerning the mission of the Holy Ghost our Saviour gives the clearest and the most particular two great Prophesies we find in the Bible the one is of the Old Testament and the other of the New that of the Old Testament was for the coming of Christ and this of the New Testament was for the coming of the Holy Ghost and hence we say that the coming of Christ was the fulfilling of the Law and the coming of the Holy Ghost is the fulfilling of the Gospel In this respect let us search and see those Prophesies of Christ the great Prophet in the New Testament I will pray the Father Joh. 14.16 17. John 15.26 Luke 24.49 John 16.7 and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father he shall testifie of me And behold I send the prâ—mise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be endued with Power from on high It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Why it was of necessity that all these Prophesies and promises must be accomplished and therefore was the Holy Ghost sent amongst us 2. That the holy Apostles might be furnished with gifts and graces suitable to their estates conditions stations places To this purpose no sooner was the Spirit sent Acts 2.3 but they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance They were filled with the Holy Ghost not that they were before empty but now they were more full of the spirit than ever they were before and they speak with other tongues other than ever they had Learned probably they understood no Tongue but the Syriack till this time but now on a sudden they could speak Greek Latine Arabick Persian Parthian and what not the Wisdom and Mercy of God is very observable herein that the same means of diverse Tongues which was the destroying of Babel should be the very same means here conferred on the Apostles to work the building of Syon that the curse should be removed and a blessing come in place that confusion of Tongues should be united to God's Glory that this should be the issue of Tongues that neither Speech nor Language should be upon all the Earth but his praise and glory and the Gospel should be heard amongst them And here is something more observable in that they spake with other Tongues As the spirit gave them utterance the word utterance is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have heard of Apothegmes i.e. wise and weighty sententious speeches now such as these the spirit gave them to utter magnalia Dei v. 11. as in the eleventh verse the wonderful works of God they spake of those singular benefits God offered to the world by the death of his Son they spake of the work of our Redemption of the merits of Christ of the glory and riches of his Grace of the praises due to his Name for all his Mercies others add that they spake of those admirable works of the Trinity as of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification and of whatsoever generally concerned the Salvation of mankind their speeches were not crudities of their own Brain trivial base or vulgar stuff but magnalia great and high Points Apothegmes or Oracles as the spirit gave them utterance But these reasons are remote to us 3. That he might fill the hearts of all the Saints and make them Temples and receptacles for the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own It is said here that after the mighty rushing Wind and cloven fiery Tongues Acts 2.4 they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to spake with other Tongues First they were filled with the Holy Ghost and then they spake with other Tongues the Holy Ghost begins inward and works outward it first alters the mind before it change the speech it first works on the Spirit before on the phraze or utterance this was the first work of the Spirit it filled them And thus for the daily ministration such must be appointed as were full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6.3 Acts 7.55 Acts. 11.24 and Stephen is said to be full of the Holy Ghost and Barnabas is called a good man and full of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is usually said to fill the Saints only whether it be the person of the Holy Ghost or the impressions of the Holy Ghost is a very great question for my part I am apt to incline to their mind who say not only the impressions of the spirit the qualities of holiness the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost or as some think habitual grace in a special manner but that the Holy Ghost himself doth fill and dwell and reign in the hearts of all regenerate men And this seems clear to me 1. By Scriptures 2. By Arguments 1. The Scriptures are such as these He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he of the Spirit John 7.38 39 which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified for those words out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water by living water is meant grace by rivers of living water is meant the manifold graces of the Spirit by the flowing of these rivers is meant the abounding and communicating of those graces from one to another and by the belly out of which those rivers should flow is meant the heart indued or filled with the Holy Ghost Now the spring and rivers the fountain and streams are diverse things and to be distinguished the one is the cause and the other the effect the one is the tree and the other the fruit it is the holy Ghost filling the hearts of beleivers that is the spring and fountain
Devil and man as well as betwixt the Devil and the woman but because the woman had more tampered with Satan and being deceived by Satan was first in the transgression therefore is she onely named I will put enmity between thee and the woman 2. Betwixt Satans seed and the seed of the woman I will put enmity not onely between thee and the woman but also between thy seed and her seed q.d. This enmity shall not cease with the death of the woman but it shall continue to her seed and to her seeds seed even to the end of the World We see to this day how the Serpent and Serpents seed are striving and warring against the Church and a wonder it is considering the malice of the enemy that there is a Church upon Earth but onely that we have Christs promise The gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it and lo I am with you alwayes even to the end of the World 3. Betwixt Christ and the Serpent O this a bloody conflict on both sides he shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 1. He shall bruise thy head Christ shall break thy power thy power i.e. the power of the Serpent or of the Devil himself he fights not so much with the seed as with the Serpent if Satan be overthrown his seed cannot stand 2. Thou shalt bruise his heel thou shalt afflict him and his thou shalt cast out of thy mouth a flood of persecutions thou shalt make warre with him Rev. 12.17 and all them which keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ I have held you a while in the explication of this first promise and the rather because of the darkness of it and the much sweetness that is contained in it it is full of Gospel-truths strike but the flint and there will fly out these glorious sparkles 1. That a Saviour was promised from the beginning of the world 2. That this Saviour should free all his Saints from sin death and hell the head and power of the Devil 3. That to this end this Saviour should be a Mediator for God would not grant an immediate pardon but the promised seed must first intervene 4. That this Mediator should be of the seed of the woman that is a man and yet stronger then the Devil indued with a Divine power and so he is God 5. That this Man-God should according to his Priestly office be a Sacrifice for sin the Serpent should bruise his heel he should suffer and dye for the people and yet accordingly to his Kingly office he should overcome Satan for he should bruise his head overthrow his Kingdom and make us more than Conquerors in him that loved us 6. That this promise of Christ and of our justification is free God of meer mercy and free-grace brings forth this promise there could be now after the fall no merit in man and even now he promiseth remission of sins and life Eternal in for and through the Lord Jesus Christ No question but in belief of this promise the Patriarchs and Fathers of old obtained life glory and immortality By faith the Elders obtained a good report by faith Abel obtained witness that he was righteous by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see Death by faith Noah became heir of the righteousness of Christ how should it but revive us in these last times to hear that the first thing that ever God did after the World was fallen it was this act of mercy to make a promise of Christ and to reconcile lost man to himself through the same Jesus Christ surely he began to do that soon which he meant to be alwayes a doing even to the end of the World Thus far of the promise as it was manifested from Adam to Abraham SECT III. Of the Covenant of promise as manifested to Abraham THe second breaking forth of this gracious Covenant was to Abraham and now it shines in a more glorious light then it did before at first it was propounded in very dark and cloudy termes not easie to be understood and most things sparingly expressed but in this second rise and manifestation we have it laid down in plainer termes I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generation Gen. 17 1â— for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee For the right understanding of this we shall examine these particulars 1. What a Covenant is 2. What is the establishing of this Covenant 3. Betwixt whom is the Covenant to be established 4. For what time is the established Covenant to endure 5. What are the priviledges of this Covenant 6. What is the condition of this Covenant 7. Who is the head both as undertaker and purchaser and treasurer upon whom this Covenant is established 1. What is a Covenant It is a contract of mutual peace and good will obliging parties on both hands to the performing of mutual benefits and offices Thus was the Covenant betwixt God and Abraham there was a mutual stipulation in it on Gods part to performe his promises of temporal spiritual and Eternal grace and on Abrahams part to receive this grace by faith and to performe due obedience and thankfulness to God Hence a little nearer we say the Covenant is a mutual compact or agreement betwixt God and man whereby God promiseth all good things especially Eternal happiness unto man and man doth promise to walk before God in all acceptable free and willing obedience expecting all good from God and happiness in God according to his promise for the praise and glory of his grace Others describing the Covenant of grace for with the Covenant of works we will not meddle they give it thus The Covenant of grace is a free and gracious compact which God of his meer mercy in Jesus Christ hath made with sinful man promising unto him pardon of sins and eternal happiness If he will but repent of sin and embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfeigned and walk before God in willing faithful and sincere obedience In this description many things are considerable As 1. That the Author of this Covenant is God not as our Creator but as our merciful God and Father in Christ Jesus 2. That the cause of this Covenant is not any worth or dignity or merit in man but the meer mercy love and favour of God 3. That the foundation of this Covenant is Jesus Christ in and through whom we are reconciled unto God for since God and man were separated by sin no Covenant can pass betwixt them no reconciliation can be expected nor pardon obtained but in and through a Mediator 4. That the party Covenanted with is sinful man the fall of our first Parents was the occasion of this Covenant and God was pleased to permit the fall that he might manifest the riches of his mercy in mans recovery 5. That the form of
adds it may be unto them some of his own sins thus he casteth into our minds many outragious Blasphemies such Blasphemies as he propounded to Christ to worship him for our God to deny Jesus Christ as our God our Lord our Saviour our Redeemer to say in our hearts there is no God but Nature no Scripture no Holy Ghost many a pretious Soul feels these injections of Satan and I cannot wonder at it when I see the Devil tempting Christ himself to diffidence presumption vain-Glory yea and to the worshiping of the Devil himself or if we are strong Christians grown men and still growing towards the fulness of Christ why then he tempts us to sins of presumption against knowledg or if he cannot so prevail he will Transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 and tempt us to the doing a less good that we may neglect a greater or to the doing of a greater good but very unseasonably When as some other duties in respect of present occasion are more necessary far thus many times in the hearing of God's Word he will cast into our minds meditations of this or that excellent subject on purpose to distract our minds and to make us hear without profit and in Prayer to God he will bring into our memories this or that profitable instruction which we have heard at such or such a Sermon on purpose to disturb our Spirits in that holy exercise and to keep us from lifting up our hearts wholly and purely unto God I might add a thousand of these stratagems of the Devil and yet not perhaps tell one of a thousand the Apostle could say indeed 2 Cor. 2.11 Eph. 6.11 Rev. 2.24 Eph. 6.16 that he was not ignorant of his devices and of some of his devices you see we are not ignorant but alas who can discover all his Methods Wiles Depths fiery Darts For my part I cannot do it I am yet to learn 2. The general means to withstand his Stratagems are such as these 1. A continual reminding of Christ's Commands in this very thing Be strong in the Power of his might put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.10 11. 1 Pet. 5.8 that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil him resist in the Faith 2. An avoiding of the first suggestions of Satan if this gliding Serpent can but thrust in his head he will easily make room for his body and therefore we must nip and bruise him in the head Give no place to the Devil 3. An objecting of Christ against all his temptations for example Eph. 4.27 if Satan tell us that we are miserable sinners we may answer Mat. 9.13 Isa 53.5 that Christ came into the World to save sinners and that he was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities and with his stripes are we healed If Satan tell us that we are subject to God's wrath we may answer that Christ did bear his Fathers wrath that he might make our peace If he tells us that we are subject to the Curse of the Law we may answer that Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us If he tell us that we are his bondslaves we may answer that we were so indeed in times past Gal. 3.13 but Christ hath paid his Father the price of our Redemption and hath set us free if he tell us that we are unjust and therefore shall be condemned before God's judgment-seat we may answer that Christ who was Innocent was therefore condemned that we who are guilty might thereby be acquitted and that he that came to save us will himself judg us and therefore we need not doubt of mercy if we plead the merits of Christ or if Satan will not be thus answered by us why then Christians there 's no other way but to send him to Christ to this purpose we may tell him that Christ is our Advocate and if he will needs dispute let him go to Jesus he is both able to plead our cause and to answer to all the Suits that are made against us 4. I may add hearing reading meditating on God's Word holy Conferences busie employment in the works of our particular callings living by Faith I must not stay on all these means Mat. 26.41 only remember amongst the rest that one of Christ Watch and Pray that ye enter not into temptation Praying against it is a denying of it and a great part of the victory for it is a disclaiming the entertainment of it it is a positive rejection of the crime it is a calling in auxiliaries from above to make the victory more certain to us Hence one sweetly adviseth If temptation sets upon thee do thou set upon God for he is as soon overcome as thou art as soon moved to good as thou art to evil he is as quickly invited to pitty thee as thou art to ask him provided thou dost not finally rest in the Petition but pass into action and indeavour by all meanes to quench the flame newly kindled in thy bowels before it come to devour the marrow that is in thy bones indeed a strong prayer and a lazy incurious unobservant walking are contradictions in Religion and therefore Watch and Pray and pray and watch SECT V. Of the first Manifestation of Christ 4. FOr the first Manifestation of Jesus by his several witnesses now it was time that the Sun of Righteousness should arise and shine in the view of the world and because of unbelief which had blinded the world that some especial witnesses should be chosen out John 1.45 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 1.20 both to anoint our eyes and to point to the light saying This is he of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph to this purpose we read much of the manifestation of Jesus God was manifest in the flesh And Christ verily was fore-ordained before the foundations of the World but was manifest in these last times for you In that first Miracle that ever he wrought this is written upon it John 2.11 1 John 1.2 he manifested forth his Glory And John the Divine in his setting out of Jesus he tells us that the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us And there is reason for this manifestation 1. Because every manifestation was an approbation of his Mission and Divinity 2. Because in the manifestation of Christ there was a manifestation of the Grace of God and this was the Will of God that he would not only act free Grace but he would have it known and published to all the world this is the Glory of Grace and sets it out And therefore saith the Apostle The grace of God that bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 Tit. 3.4 hath appeared to all men
do he had been nibling a great while at his heel no sooner he was born but he would have killed him and after he fell fiercely on him in the Wilderness but now all the Power and all the malice of hell conjoynes If we look on the Devil in respect of his evil nature he is compared to a roaring Lion not only is he a Lion but a roaring Lion his disposition to do mischief is alwayes wound up to the height and if we look on the Devil in respect of his Power there is no part of our souls or bodies that he cannot reach the Apostle discribing his Power he gives him names above the highest comparisons as Principalities Powers Rulers of the darkness of this World Spiritual wickedness above Devils are not only called Princes but Principalities not only mighty but Powers Eph. 6.12 not only Rulers of a part but of all the darkness of all this World not only wicked Spirits but spiritual wickedness not only about us but above us they hang over our heads continually you know what a disadvantage it is to have your enemy get the hill the upper ground and this they have naturally and alwayes Oh then what a combate must this be when all the Power and all the malice of all the Devils in hell should by the permission of God arm themselves against the Son of God Surely this was a bitter Ingredient in Christ's Cup. 6. The wrath of God himself this above all was the most bitter Dreg it lay in the bottom and Christ must drink it also Oh the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger God afflicts some in mercy and some in anger this was in his anger Lam. 1.12 and yet in his anger God is not like to all some he afflicts in his more gentle and mild others in his fierce anger this was in the very fierceness of his anger It is agreed upon by all Divines that now Christ saw himself bearing the sins of all Believers and standing before the judgment-seat of God to this end are those words John 12.31 Now is the judgment of this World and the Prince of this World shall be cast out Now is the judgment of this World q. d. Now I see God sitting in judgment upon the World and as a right Representative of all the World of Believers here I stand before his Tribunal ready to undergo all the punishments due to them for their sins why there is no other way to save their souls and to satisfie justice but that the fire of thy indignation should kindle against me Nahum 1.6 q. d. O I know it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Oh I know God is a consuming fire who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him But for this end came I into the world O my Father I will drink this Cup lo here an open Breast come prepare the Armory of thy wrath and herein shoot all the Arrows of revenge And yet O my Father let me not be oppressed subverted or swallowed up by thy wrath let not thy displeasure continue longer than my patience or obedience can indure there is in me flesh and blood in respect of my humanity and my flesh trembleth for fear of thee I am afraid of thy judgments Oh if it be possible if it be possible let this Cup pass from me SECT V. Of the Dolours and Agonies that Christ there suffered 2. CHrist's Passion in the Garden was either before or at his apprehension his Passion before is declared 1. By his Sorrow 2. By his Sweat Mat. 26.37 Mar. 14.33 Luke 22.44 John 12.27 1. For his sorrow the Evangelists diversly relate it He began to be sorrowful and very heavy saith Matthew He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy saith Mark And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly saith Luke Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour saith John All avow this sorrow to be great and so it is confessed by Christ himself Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Ah Christians who can speak out this sorrow The Spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity Prov. 18.14 but a wounded Spirit who can bear Christ's soul is sorrowful or if that be too flat his soul is sorrowful exceeding sorrowful or if that language be too low his soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death not only extensively such as must continue for the space of seventeen or eighteen hours even until death it self should finish it but also intensively such and so great as that which is used to be at the very point of death and such as were able to bring death it self had not Christ been reserved to a greater and an heavier punishment Of this sorrow is that especially spoken consider and behold if ever there were sorrow like unto my sorrow Many a sad and sorrowful soul hath no question been in the world but the like sorrow to this was never since the Creation the very terms of the Evangelists speak no less he was sorrowful and heavy saith one amazed and very heavy saith another in an Agony saith a third in a soul trouble saith a fourth Surely the bodily torments of the Cross were inferiour to this agony of his soul the pain of the body is the body of pain Oh but the very soul of sorrow and pain is the soul's sorrow and the Souls's pain It was a sorrow unspeakable and therefore I must leave it as not being able to utter it Luke 22.44 2. For his Sweat Luke only relates it And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground In the words I observe a Clymax 1. His sweat was as it were blood Ethymius and Theophilact interpret those words as only a similitude or figurative Hyperbole an usual kind of speech to call a vehement sweat a bloody sweat as he that weeps bitterly is said to weep tears of blood Augustine Jerome Epiphanius Athanasius Irenaeus and others from the beginning of the Church understand it in a litteral sense and believe it was truly and properly a bloody sweat nor is the Objection considerable that it was sicut guttae sanguinis as it were drops of blood for if the Holy Ghost had only intended that sicut for a similitude or Hyperbole he would rather have expressed it as it were drops of water than as it were drops of blood We all know sweat is more like to water than to blood Besides a sicut in Scripture-phrase doth not alwayes denote a similitude but sometimes the very thing it self John 1.14 Luke 24.11 according to the verity of it thus we beheld his Glory the Glory
by his very silence 3. Because Herod had the year before put John the Baptist to death who was that Voice crying in the Wilderness now that Voice being gone Christ the Word will be silent he will not give a Word 4. Because Herod had been sottishly careless of Jesus Christ he lived in the place where Jesus more especially had conversed yet never had seen his Person or heard his Sermons It gives us to learn thus much that if we neglect the opportunities of Grace and refuse to hear the voice of Christ in the time of Mercy Christ may refuse to speak one word of comfort to us in our time of need if we during our time stop our ears God will in his time stop his mouth and shut up the springs of Grace that we shall receive no refreshment no instruction no pardon no salvation 5. Because Christ was resolved to be Obedient to his Father's Ordinance he was resolved to submit to the doom of death with patience and silence for this purpose he came into the world that he might suffer in our stead and for our sins and therefore he would not plead his own cause nor defend his own innocency in any kind he knew that we were guilty though himself was not 3. This silence they interpret for simplicity and so 1. They despised him And 2. Luke 23.11 they dismist him And Herod with his men of war set him at nought and mocked him and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe and sent him again to Pilate They arrayed him with a white glittering gorgeous rayment the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies gorgeous bright resplendent such as Nobles and Kings used to wear The Latines sometimes render it splendidam vestem and sometimes candidam or albam vestem we translate it a gorgeous robe and the Ancients call it a white robe in imatation whereof the Baptised were wont to put on a white rayment which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but whether it were white or no I shall not controvert The Original yields thus far that it was a bright and resplendent garment such as came newly from the fulling many mysteries if it be white are found out here some say this held forth the excellency or dignity of Christ White colour is most agreeable to the highest God he many times appeared in white but never in any other colour and the Saints in heaven are said to be cloathed in long white Robes Rev. 4.4 and Peers Kings and Coesars were usually cloathed in white saith Jansenius Others say this held forth the innocency of Christ and that they were directed herein by Divine providence declaring plainly against themselves that Christ should rather have been absolved as an innocent than condemned as a malefactor But to leave these mysteries the meaning of Herod was not so much to declare his excellency or innocency as his folly or simplicity certainly he accounted him for no other than a very fool and ideot a passing simple man The Philosophers sayes Tertullian drew him in their Pictures attired by Herod like a fool with long Asses ears his nailes plucked off and a book in his hand c. O marvellous madness Oh the strange mistakes of men Mat. 12.19 Mark 2.7 Mat. 12.24 John 8.48 in his life time they account Jesus a glutton a drinker of Wine a Companion of Sinners a Blasphemer a Sorcerer and one that cast out Devils through Belzebub Prince of Devils yea and one that himself was possessed with a Devil And now towards his death he is bound as a thief he is struck in the house of Caiaphas as an arrogant and saucy fellow he is accused before the Sanhedrim of Blasphemy he is brought before Pilate as a malefactor a mover of sedition a Seducer a Rebel and as one that aspired to the Kingdom he is transmitted unto Herod as a jugler to shew tricks and now in the close of all he is accounted of Herod and his men of War as a fool an ideot a bruit not having the understanding of a man But soft Herod is Christ therefore a fool because he is silent and art thou wise because of thy many words and many questions Solomon a wiser man than Herod is of another mind In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin Prov. 10.19 Prov. 17.27 28. but he that refraineth his lips is wise Again he that hath knowledg spareth his words and a man of understanding is of a cool Spirit even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding Ah poor Herod consult these texts and then tell me who is the fool what thou that speakest many words and questionest about many things which in time will turn to thy greater condemnation or Christ Jesus that was deeply silent to the worlds eternal Salvation Paul was of another Spirit and of another judgment concerning Christ in him was knowledg nor is that all in whom was wisdom and knowledg nor is that all in him were treasures and all treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2.3 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg and yet that is not all neither not only is wisdom in him but he is wisdom it self for that is his name and title in the book of Proverbs and yet by Herod and his Courtiers he is reckoned arrayed and derided as a meer simple man 2. They dismist him in this posture they sent him away again to Pilate to all their former derision they added this that now he was exposed in scorn to the boys of the streets Herod would not be content that he and his men of war only should set him at naught but he sends him away through the more publick and eminent streets of Jerusalem in his white garment to be scorned by the people to be hooted at by idle persons And now was fulfilled the Prophesie of Christ I was a derision to all my people Lam. 3.14 and their song all the day Of this let us make some use Was the eternal Word of God Vse and the uncreated wisdom of the Father reputed a fool no wonder if we suffer thousands of reproaches We are made a spectakle unto the World and to Angels and to men we are fools for Christ's sake saith the Apostle We are made as the filth of the world 1 Cor. 4.2.10 13. and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Christians must wear the bage and livery of Jesus Christ we cannot expect to fare better than our Master why then should we despond I never knew Christians in better heart than when they were stiled by the Name of Puritans Precisians Hypocrites Formalists or the like 2. Let us not judg of men and their worth by their out-side garments wisdom may be and often is clad in the Coat of a fool As beggarly bottles oft-times hold Rich Wines so poor robes contain sometimes many precious Souls
hell as Christ standing in our room is of his Fathers wrath fear is still suitable to apprehension and never man could so perfectly apprehend the cause of fear as Jesus Christ nor was he only afraid but very heavy My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death His sorrow was lethal and deadly it melted his soul gradually as wax is melted with heat it continued with him till his last gasp his heart was like wax burning all the time of his passion and at last it melted in the midst of his bowels Psal 22.19 Mark 14.33 Nor was he only afraid and heavy but he began to be sore amazed this signifies an universal cessation of all the faculties of the soul from their several functions we usually call it a consternation it is like a Clock stopped for the while from going by some hand or other laid upon it or if it was not wholly a cessation yet was it at least an expavefaction such a motion of the mind as whereby for the present he was disinabled to mind any thing else but the dreadful sense of the wrath of God O what an agony was this O what a strugling passion of mixed grief was this what afflicting and conflicting affections under the sight and sense of eminent peril was in this agony Luke 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly thrice had he prayed but now in his agony he prayed more earnestly O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Though I feel the soul of pain in the pain of my soul yet there is divinity in me which tells me there is a wage for sin and I will pay it all O my Father sith thou hast bent thy bow lo here an open breast fix herein all thy shafts of fury better I suffer for a while than that all believers should be damned for ever thy will is mine lo I will bear the burthen of sin come and shoot here thy arrows of revenge And thus as he prayed he sweat Luke 22.44 And is sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Oh what man or Angel can conceive the agony the fear the sorrow the amazement of that heart that without all outward violence meerly out of the extremity of his own passion bled through the flesh and skin not some faint dew but solid drops of blood now is he crucified without a cross fear and sorrow are the nails our sâ—ns the thorns his Fathers wrath the spear and all these together cause a bleeding shower to rain throughout all his pores O my soul consider of this and if thou wilt bring this consideration home say thy sins were the cause of this bloody sweat Jesus Christ is that true Adam that is come out of Paradise for thy sins and thus laboured on earth with his bloody sweat to get the bread that thou must feed on 2. Consider his apprehension Judas is now at hand with a troop following him to apprehend his Master see how without all shame he set himself in the van and coming to his Lord and Master gives him a most Traiterous and deceitful kiss What Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss hast thou sold the Lord of life to such cruel merchants as covet greedily his blood and life O alas at what price hast thou set the Lord of all the creatures at thirty pence what a vile and slender price is this for a Lord of such Glory and Majesty God was sold for thirty pieces of silver but man could not be bought without the dearest heart-blood of the Son of God Luke 22.53 At that time said Christ Ye be come as it were against a thief with swords and staves I sate daily among you teaching in the Temple and ye never laid hands on me but this is your hour and the power of darkness Now the Prince of darkness exercised his power now the hellish rout and malicious rabble of ravenous wolves assaulted the most innocent Lamb in the world now they most furiously haled him this way and that way O how ungently did they handle him how uncourteously spake they unto him how many blows and buffets did they give him what cries and shouts and clamours made they over him now they lay hold on his holy hands and bind them hard with rough and knotty cords so that they gall the skin off his arms and make the very blood spring out now they bring him back again over Cedron and they make him once again to drink of the brook in the way now they lead him openly through the high streets of Jerusalem and carry him to the house of Annas in great triumph O my soul consider these several passages consider them leisurely and with good attention consider them till thou feelest some motions or alterations in thy affection is not this he that is the infinite vertue the pattern of innocency the everlasting wisdom the honour of earth the glory of heaven the very fountain of all beauty whether of men or Angels how is it then that this vertue or power is tyed with bands that innocency is apprehended that wisdom is flouted and laughed to scorn that honour is contemned that glory is tormented that he that is fairer than all the children of men is besmeared with weeping and troubled with sorrow of heart surely there is some thing O my soul in thee that caused all this hadst not thou sinned the Sun of Righteousness had never been eclisped 3. Consider the hurryings of Jesus from Annas to Caiphas there a Councel is called Mat. 26.63 Ver. 66. and Caiphas the high Priest adjures our Lord to tell him if he was Christ the Son of God no sooner he affirms it but he is doomed guilty of blasphemy and so guilty of death Now again they assault him like mad dogs and disgorge upon him all their malice fury and revenge each one to the utmost of his power gives him buffets and strokes there they spit upon that Divine face with their devilish mouths there they hudwink his eyes and strike him on the cheek scoffing and jesting and saying Read who is it that smote thee O beauty of Angels was that a face to be spet upon men usually when they are provoked to spit turn away their faces towards the foulest corner of the house and is there not in all that Palace a souler place to spit in than the face of Jesus O my soul why dost thou not humble thy self at this so wonderful example how is it that there should remain in the world any token of pride after this so great and marvellous an example of humility surely I am at my wits end and very much astonished to consider how this so great patience overcomes not my anger how this so great abasing asswageth not my pride how these so violent buffets beat not down my presumption Is it not
this day and there will vertue come out of him It was Christ's care to wean Mary from the comfort of his external presence and to teach her how to embrace him by a true and lively faith he was not long to be seen in his visible shape being shortly to ascend unto his Father and therefore the main business was to learn that touch that would both continue and do her good to her souls health And I believe for this very cause Christ would not stay long with any of his Disciples at any time he only appeared to manifest himself and to prove his resurrection and then to wean tâ—em from all sensual and carnal touching he would quickly have been gone Observe that a Spitual touch of Christ by faith is that which Christ prefers before all touches it is the Apostles saying henceforth know we no man aftâ—r the flâ—sh yea though we ha e known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more The words have a double interpretation As 1. Henceforth know we him no more if we had any earthly carnal thoughts of Christ like unto the rest of the Jews that he as the King of Israel should begin an earthly Temporal Kingdom and that we should enjoy all manner of earthly carnal priviledges as honour riches power yet now we knoâ— him no more we have put off all such carnal imaginations of his Kingdom Or 2. Henceforth know we him no more we stand no longer affected towards Christ after any meerely humane civil or natural manner of affections such as those bear to him who conversed with him before his resurrection but altogether in a divine and Spiritual manner agreeable to the state of glory whereunto he is exalted Some vilified the Ministry of Paul below that of the rest of the Apostles because he had not been conversant with Christ in the flesh to which Paul answers away with this fleshly knowledg henceforth know we no man after the flesh our way to deal with Christ is in a Spiritual manner yea the blessing is upon this manner and not on that blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed It is said of Mary his mother that she had a double conception of Jesus Christ one in the womb of her body another in the womb of her soul the first indeed was more miraculous the second more benefical that was a priviledg singular to her self but this was her happiness common to all the chosen it is the work of the inward man that God accepts a Spiritual touch of Christ by faith is that which Christ prefers before all touches 2. But go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God this was the command of Christ instead of touching him she must go with a message to his Apostles and this was more beneficial both to her and them The first preacher of this resurrection besides the Angels was Mary Magdalen she that before had seven devils cast out of her had now the holy Spirit within her she that was but a woman is now by Christ made an Apostle Apostolorum Apostola the Apostles for to them she was sent and the message she was to deliver it was Christ's rising and ascending and what were they but the Gospel yea the very Gospel of the Gospel this was the first Sermon that ever was made by any mortals of Christ's resurrection and this her fact had some reference unto Eves fault a woman was the first messenger of this our joy because a woman was the first Minister of that our sorrow But what means he to speak of the ascension when as yet we are but upon the resurrection I suppose this was to prevent their mistake who might have thought if Christ be risen why then we shall have his company again as heretofore no saith Christ I am not risen to make any abode with you or to converse with you on earth as formerly my rising is in reference to my ascending look how the stars no sooner rise but they are immediatly in their ascendent so Christ no sooner risen but he is presently upon his ascending up But whither will he ascend to his Father and our Father to his God and our God Every word is a step or round of Jacobs ladder by which we may ascend up into heaven As 1. Father is a name of much good will there is in it bowels of compassion Oh what tenderness is in a Father and yet many a Father wants good means to express his good will unto his Child now therefore God is added that he may not be thought to be defective in that way Oh Blessed message this is the voice of a Father to his Son all that I have is thine Luke 15.31 Now if this Father be also God and if all that is God's to be also ours what can we desire more than all that God hath or all that ever God was worth Oh but here 's the question whether his Father and God be also ours that he is Christ s Father and Christ's God is without all question but that his Father should be our Father and that his God should be our God this were a Gospel indeed O then what a Gospel is this Go to my brethren and say unto them that our relations and interests are all but one the same Father that is mine is theirs and the same God that is mine is theirs his relations are made ours and our relations are made his interchangeably No wonder if Luther tells us that the best divinity lay in pronouns for as there is no comfort in heaven without God and no comfort in God without a Father so neither is there comfort in Father Heaven or God without ours to give us a property in them all O the blessed news that Christ tells Mary and that Mary tells us I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Oh what dull hearts have we that are not more affected with this blessed news no sooner was Christ risen from the dead but he takes care in all haste to appear to Mary and no sooner he appears to her but he sends her away in all haste to others go to my brethren and tell it them he would both have Mary and the rest of his Apostles to hear of his loving kindness betimes in the morning why alas they had for some dayes been amazed with sorrow and fear but now he provides for their joy and no sooner they heard the news but theâ— joy according to the joy in harvest and as men rejoyce when they divide they spoyl Christ's resurrection was a cause of unspeakable joy to them how is it that we hear the same glad tydings Isa 9.3 and yet we are no more affected with them come Christians sith the occasion extends to us and is of equal concernment to us let us tune our hearts to this key that as upon
cast out of God's favour As Christ once died but rose again never to die more death hath no more power over him so a justified man once allyed to God through Jesus Christ doth from that time forward as necessarily live as Christ himself by whom he doth live there is an immortal and indissoluble union betwixt Christ the Head and every Believer our justification depends not on our own strength but it is built on Christ himself who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever and hence it is that a justified man can no more cease to live in this state of justification than Christ can cease to live in Heaven 4. It is a life of new relations this immediately follows our state if once we are justified then we are related to God and Christ and to the Covenant of Grace 1. To God Before we were vivified God and we stood at a distance God was our enemy and we were his enemies At that time saith the Apostle ye were without God in the world Eph. 2.13 but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made near by the blood of Christ God that was a stranger stands now in near relation he is a Friend a Father a God Alsufficient to us 2. We are related to Christ before vivification we were a Christless people Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ but now we are united to Christ and which is more now we make use of Christ with the Father O the comfort of this relation A troubled spirit looks on his sins and they thrust him away from God What communion hath light with darkness but then comes the Lord Jesus and takes him by the hand and leads him to the Father and says Come soul come along with me and I will carry thee to the Father wilt thou make use of me Eph. 1.18 1 Pet. 5.18 It is the Apostles saying that through him we have an access by one spirit unto the Father we have a leading by the hand Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God By nature we are severed from God and if he manifested himself Isa 59.2 he is dreadful to us Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear but in Christ we approach boldly before him because Christ hath took away our sins which are the mountains of separation in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3.12 Here is the difference betwixt a man related to Christ and a meer stranger the stranger knows not how to go to God God stands as a Judge he is as a Malefactor the Law an Accuser Sin his Indictment and what is the issue Every mouth is stopped Rom. 3.19 and all the world is guilty before God But he that is related to Christ Christ takes him by the hand and so he goes with boldness and confidence and pleads his righteousness before the Father Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyeth yea rather that is risen again In the very matter and cause of justification wherein no man can stand or dare to appear or shew his face a Christian coming with Christ his Advocate he dares to appear and to plead his case and to stand upon interrogatories with God himself yea and to ask God himself humbly and with reverence what he hath to lay to his charge what more he will or can in justice require for satisfaction than his Surety hath done for him 3. We are related to the Covenant of Grace before vivification we had no such relation Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise But now the Covenant is ours that fountain or bundle of promises is ours God is our God and we are his people Psal 144.15 O the blessedness of this priviledge Happy is the people that be in such a case yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord. The Covenant is reckoned all happiness it contains in its bowels all benefits in Heaven or under Heaven as a man may say of any thing he hath in possession This is mine so may they who are in covenant with God say He is mine I have God himself in my possession How might we try our vivification even by this communion we have with God and Christ and the Covenant of Grace Christians look into your own hearts have you not felt in your approaches to God some raisings or workings of the Spirit of the Lord concluding the pardon of your sins hath not Christ taken you by the hand and led you to the Father it may be your own guilt made you afraid but the discovery of Jesus your righteousness made you bold to go to God you felt boldness coming in on this ground because all your approaches or drawings near to God were bottomed on Jesus hath not God married you to himself hath he not conveyed himself through his holy Spirit into your own hearts by way of covenant Hath he not sometimes whispered to your souls Thou art mine and have not your souls ecchoed back again unto the Lord Thou art mine much of the truth of all this would appear if Christians would but daily observe the movings of their own hearts for as he that hath the Spirit of Satan shall ever find him putting on and provoking to evil so he that hath the Spirit of God shall most-what or at least frequently find and feel it active and stirring in the heart to the reforming of the whole man the holy Spirit is not idle but he rules and governs and maintains his Monarchy in us and over us in spite of the power of Satans and privy conspiracy of a mans own flesh 5. It is a life of a new in-come I mean of a saving in-come as of Grace Power Light c. Before vivification there was no such in-come A man beâ—ore his conversion might hear and pray and do all duties but alas he feels no sweet no power no vertue no communion with Christ If I might appeal unto such I beseech you tell me you have been often at prayer what have you gotten there what in-come hath appeared if you answer truly you cannot but say I went to prayer and I was satisfied that I had prayed I never observed whether I had got any power or strength any thing of mortification or vivification I never found any lively work of God on my soul either in prayer or after prayer or you have been often at this Ordinance of hearing the Word what have you gotten there what in-come hath appeared Why truly nothing at all it may be a little more knowledg but nothing that I can
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
prayer the Priest offered incense within upon the Altar Luke 1.9 10. To signifie that Believers prayers have always need to be helped and sanctified by Christ's intercession and what though the incense was given him we know that Christ himself was given of God God so loved the world John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son and yet this hinders not but that Jesus Christ gave himself and that he gave himself for an incense too for so the Apostle Ephes 5.2 He hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice unto God for an incense or for a sweet smelling savour in this respect the incense might be given him and yet the incense was his own they were only Christ's merits righteousness satisfaction they are the sweet odour by vertue whereof God accepts of his Saints persons and prayers and it is onely Christ that presents before God that which he is and hath he alone being both offering and Priest we can think of no other Priest in Gospel-times but only Jesus Heb. 6.20 The fore-runner even Jesus Christ made an high-priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech It is Jesus and only Jesus that presents our prayers and sanctifies our prayers and mingles our prayers with his merits and so makes them penetrate sweetly before his God 6. Christ's intercession consists in the presenting of our plea or answer in Heaven to all those accusations that are brought in against our selves And this I take it to be the meaning of the challenge Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifies Who is he that condemneth it it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right of God who also maketh intercession for us Christ intercedes and who shall condemn Christ takes off all accusations and who shall charge if the Law or Sin or Satan shall dare to accuse our Jesus is ready at God's right hand to answer all There is a vision in Zachariah representing this Zach. 3.1 And the Angel shewed me Joshua the high-priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him It was the custom of the accuser to stand at the right hand of the accused Set thou a wicked man over him Psalm 109.6 and let Satan stand at his right hand now here 's Satan standing at Joshua's right hand to accuse him but whereof doth he accuse him that appears in the words following Ver. 3. Joshua was cloathed with filthy garments an ordinary sign of sin as a white garment is a sign of Christ's righteousness so is a filthy garment in Scripture a sign of vileness alas Joshua was defiled with the pollution which he had gotten by the contagion of Babylon and now at his return Satan lays it to his charge but Jesus Christ our great High-Priest steps in and takes off the accusation And the Lord said unto Satan Ver. 2. the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee twice he repeats it to shew the fulness of Christ's intercession q. d. the Lord my God my everlasting Father rebuke and confound thee Satan in this thy malicious opposition against my Joshua and then he goes on in his apology for Joshua Ver. 2. Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire q. d. is not this one whom of my grace I have reserved amongst my people whom I caused to pass through the fire of mine indignation and shall not my decree of grace stand firm and inviolable towards such or thus Is not this a brand pluckt newly out of the fire of affliction was he not in the captivity of Babylon and is it likely he should be there but he would be defiled with the touch of pitch take a brand and pull it out of the fire and there will be some dust and ashes and filth about it Why Lord says Christ this Joshua is but newly pull'd out of the burning and therefore he must needs have ashes and dust and filth about him Ver. 4. But come saith Christ to his holy Angels take away the filthy garment from him Ver. 4. and come says Christ to his servant Joshua Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment And thus Christ took off the accusation that was brought against Joshua by Satan for his filthy garments In like manner doth our blessed Intercessor at this instant if a poor Saint falls into any sin and defiles his garments Satan comes in and takes the right hand of him and accuses him before the Lord but Christ our great High-Priest being at the right hand of his Father he takes up the cause puts in a plea and answers all the accusations of the enemy True Lord this poor soul hath filthy garments but is he not a fire-brand newly pluckt out of the fire was he not in his natural and sinful condition the other day is he not yet partly regenerate and partly unregenerate needs therefore must there be some ashes and dust and filth upon him O my Father my will is That thou consider him in that respect thou knowest his frame and thou remembrest that he is but dust though he have filthy garments now upon him yet I will give him change of rayments I will cloath him with the robe of my righteousness and then thou shalt see no iniquity in Jacob no transgression in Israel Why thus the Lord Christ steps in and answers to all the accusations that are brought in against us by the Law or Sin or Satan to God his Father 1 John 2.1 and in this respect he is truly called our Advocate If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous We have an Advocate that pleads for us that answers for us that in a way of equity grounding all upon his own merits calls for the pardon of our sins and for the salvation of our souls SECT IX How powerful and prevailing Christ's Intercessions are with God his Father 9. HOW powerful and prevailing are Christ's Intercessions with God his Father I answer very much and this will appear if we consider Heb. 8.1 1. That Christ is our great High-Priest to God We have such an high-Priest who is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Now 't was the way of God to lend his ear in special manner to the High-Priests and therefore the people usually run to them 1 Sam. 9 9. when they would enquire of God Before time in Israel when a man went to enquire of God thus he spake Come and let us go to the Seer for he that is now called a Prophet or High-Priest was before time called a Seer People were wont to repair to the Priests and the Priests were wont to go to God and good reason for the Priests
communion which the Saints shall have with Christ never will their eyes be off-him never will their thoughts wander after any other objects O the intimacy that will be then betwixt Christ and Christians Oh what communication of glory will there be to each other These shall walk with me saith Christ for they are worthy Rev. 3.4 O my soul if this be the business of Christ's intercession if all these particulars are contained in the bowels of this one transaction how is it that thou art not in a fainting swoon how is it that thou art not gasping groaning sick unto death with the vehement thirst after thy part and portion in Christ's intercession if there be such a thing as the passion of desire in this heart of mine O that now it would break out Oh that it would vent it self with mighty longings and infinite aspirings after this blessed Object why Lord I desire but help thou my faint desires blow on my dying spark it is but little and if I know any thing of my heart I would have it more Oh that my spark would flame why Lord I desire that I might desire Oh breath it into me and I will desire after thee SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in this respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession It is good that a man should hope Indeed if it were not for hope Lam. 3.26 the heart would not hold only look that our hope be true hope very hypocrites have a kind of hope but if God's Word be true The hope of unjust men shall perish Prov. 11.7 Job 27.8 9. Job 8.13 14. What is the hope of the hypocrite Will God hear his cry whe◠trouble cometh upon him No no The hypocrites hope shall perish his hope shall be cut off and his trust shall be as a Spiders web O my soul hope in Jesus but rest not till thou canst give a reason of thy hope till thou canst prove that they are the hopes which Grace and not only Nature hath wrought that they are grounded upon Scripture-promises and sound evidences that they purifie the heart that the more thou hopest the less thou sinnest that they depend on sure and infallible causes as on the truth power and mercy of God on the merits mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ what is this last amongst the rest I mean the intercession of Christ the spring of thy hope canst thou follow the stream till it brings thee to this Fountain or Well-head of hope that now thou canst say O this intercession is mine come search and try it is worth the pains and to put thee out of question and in a more facile way of discerning I shall lay down these signs As 1. If Christ's intercession be mine then is the Spirits intercession mine or if thou wouldst rather argue from the effect to the cause then thus if the Spirit 's intercession be mine then is Christ's intercession mine In this case we need not to ascend up into Heaven to learn the truth rather let us descend into our own hearts and look whether Christ have given us of his spirit which makes us cry unto God with sighs and groans which cannot be expressed he that will know whether the Sun shine in the Firmament he must not climb into the clouds to look rather he must search for the beams thereof upon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the Sun shines in the Firmament O come and let us ransack our own consciences let us search whether we feel the Spirit of Christ crying in us Abba Father certainly these two are as the cause and the effect Christ's intercession in Heaven and his Spirits intercession on earth are as twins of a birth or rather such is the concatenation of these two that Christ's intercession in Heaven breeds another intercession in the hearts of his Saints It is the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all his Members that moves and stirs them up to cry Abba Father Here then is my Argument if Christ hath put his spirit into thy heart and if the Spirit hath set thine heart on work to make incessant intercessions for thy self then is Christ's intercession thine There is a kind of a round in the carrying on of this great work of intercession as 1. Christ intercedes for his people O that my Spirit might go down 2. God harkens to the intercession of Christ Away holy spirit get thee down into the hearts of such and such 3. The spirit waits on the pleasure of them both and no sooner down but he sends up his intercession back again Christ cries to God and God sends the spirit and the spirit goes and ecchoes in the hearts of Saints to the cries of Christ Gal. 4.6 Much of this is contained in that one Text God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crying as if he meerly acted our tongues Abba Father here is God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost and all are acting their parts on the elect people of God the Son intercedes O that my spirit may be given to these the Father willingly grants Away holy spirit and as my Son asketh enter and take possession of those sinful hearts the holy spirit obeys and no sooner in the hearts of his Saints but he cryes in them Abba Father God hears Christ and the spirit hears God and the Elect hear the spirit and now because the Spirit speaks in the Elect Mosea 2.21 God hears the Elect much like unto this is that of the prophet And it shall come to pass in that day I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and wine and oyl and they shall shall hear Jezreel O my soul to the test hath God sent forth the spirit of his Son into thy heart hast thou the in-dwelling of the Spirit and now by the help of the spirit canst thou pray with earnestness confidence and an holy importunity canst thou cry Abba Father Canst thou cry with earnestness Father with confidence and Abba Father or Father Father with an holy importunity why these are the very signs of the spirits intercession O my soul that thou wouldst deal faithfully with thy own self canst thou by the help of the spirit go to the Father in the name of Christ as Christ is gone before into the holy of holies to intercede so canst thou with boldness follow after Heb. 10.19 and enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Canst thou say God hath given me his spirit and his spirit hath shewed me Christ as my Mediator at the right hand of God and now under the wing of such a Mediator I can by the Spirits assistance go with boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with assuming a liberty to speak any thing I
love was manifested the seed then blossomed and the birth came out in an high expression of love the man-child the love of Christ was born Tit. 3.4 and saw the light After that saith the Apostle the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared I shall not need sure to instance in succeeding passages so far as we have gone we have clearly seen Christ's life was a perfect mirror of his love as there is no beam in the Sun in which there is no light so there was no act in the life of Christ but to a spiritual eye it shines with the light of love But above all O the love of Christ in his death ask a Malefactor if the Princes Son should go to his Father and say Father I confess this wretch hath deserved to dye but I see a willingness in thee that he should live only I perceive it sticks with thy justice why for that Father here I am and to satisfy thy justice I will dye my self only let this poor wretch live to the glory of thine and my free grace Ask I say the Malefactor what kind of love were this Surely Christ dyed for our sins and Christ rose again for our justification and he ascended and sate down at God's right hand and sent down his holy Spirit and all for us there was not one passage in all these transactions but held forth the breakings and breathings out of a strong fire of love 4. At this time there is a coal of burning love in the breast of Christ this fire was indeed from everlasting but the flames are as hot this day as ever now it is that Christ loves and lives And wherefore lives but only to love us and to intercede for us Christ makes our salvation his constant calling he is ever at his work Yesterday and to day and for ever there is not one hour in the day nor one day in a year nor one year in an age wherein Christ is not busie with his Father in this heavenly imployment of interceding for us He loved us before he died for us his love being the cause why he died for us and he loves us still in that now he intercedes for us it is as much as to say Christ hath loved us and he repents not of his love love made him dye for us and if it were to do again he would dye over again yea if our sins had so required that for every elect person Christ must have dyed a several death Love love would have put him willingly upon all these deaths O the loves of Christ towards our poor souls If I might but stay and take some turns in this large Field of love How many thousands of particulars might I draw out of Scripture expressing Christ's love to us in this respect though he be in Heaven yet by vertue of his intercession he bears us in his hands yea he leads us by the hand and arms too I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their arms but they knew not that I healed them he dandles us on his knees Isa 40 11. Hos 11.3 Deut. 32.11 12. he bears us on his wings As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone doth lead us he carries us on his shoulders as the man found his sheep and laid it on his shoulders rejoycing Nay I must yet come nearer Luke 15.5 for Christ by his intercession sets us nearer yet His left hand is under us Cant. 2.6 and his right hand doth imbrace us he wears us in Heaven as a bracelet about his arms which made the Spouse cry out O set me as a seal upon thine arm Cant. 8.6 he stamps and prints us on the palms of his hands Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands Isa 49.16 as if our names were written in letters of blood upon Christ's flesh he sets us as a seal upon his heart that is the expression of the Spouse too O set me as a seal upon thine heart Nay Cant. 8.6 so precious are the Saints to Jesus Christ that they lodge in Heaven in his bowels and in his heart for they dwell in Christ Hereby we know that we dwell in him 1 John 4.13 1 John 4.16 and they dwell in God and dwell in love For God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God I know not what more to say you know the manner of the high Priests was to carry the names of the children of Israel into the Holy of Holies on their shoulders and on their breasts but was it ever heard that any high Priest besides the great high Priest of our profession should carry the names of thousands and millions on his shoulders and on his arms and on his hands and on his wings and on his bosom and on his heart nay in his heart and in his bowels as a memorial before the Lord O unmatchable love Methinks this love of Christ should now change my soul into a Globe or Mass of Divine love towards Christ as it were by the Spirit of the Lord. Methinks a sight of Christ in his presenting himself and his sacrifice to his Father for me should so enamour my soul as that I should delight in no other sight but this then is a Christian sweetly exercised when as the golden Ball of Divine Love is tossed to and again betwixt Christ's bosom and his and in this respect it is a wonder that before this I am not sickned and overcome with love and ready to cry out with the Spouse O stay me with flaggons Cant. 2.5 and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love O I am wounded with the arrows of love so as neither grave nor death nor hell neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come can ever lick these wounds or enbalm or bind them up O my Christ my Lord my Jesus What should I do but yield over my self as a Spouse under the power of her husband what should I do but lose my self in such a deep Ocean of loves stronger than wine hotter than coals of Juniper which hath a most vehement flame 2. Another motive of our love to Christ it is our propriety in Christ 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own said the Apostle of us and he is not his own may we say of Christ If any ask how may this be I answer That the soul in loving Christ is not her own and in regard of loving Christ is not his own every one makes over it self to another and propriety or interest to it self on both sides ceaseth My Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 saith the Spouse not as if Christ should leave off to be his own or to be a free God when he becometh ours no no but he so demeans himself in respect
of his loves as if he were not his own he putteth on such relations and assumes such offices of engagement as if he were all for us and nothing for himself thus he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Friend a Guide an Head an Husband a Leader Ransomer Intercessor and what not of this nature O my soul come hither and put thy little candle to this mighty flame if thou hadst ten hearts or as many hearts in one as there are elected Men and Angels in Heaven and Earth all these would be too little for Jesus Christ only go as far as thou canst and love him with that heart thou hast yea love him with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might and as Christ in loving thee is not his own so let thy soul in loving Christ be not her own Come love thy Christ and not thy self possess thy Christ and not thy self enjoy thy Christ and not thy self live in thy Christ not in thy self solace thy self in Jesus Christ not in thy self say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Certainly if ever thou comest to love Christ truly thou canst not but deny thy self and all created lovers This love will screw up thy soul so high above the world and above thy flesh and above thy self and above all other lovers that nothing on this side Christ whether in heaven or on earth will come in competition with him Suppose a man in the top of a Castle higher than the third Region of the Air or near the Sphere of the Moon should look down to the fairest and sweetest Meadows or to a Garden rich with Roses and Flowers of all sweet colours and delicious smells certainly he should not see or feel any sweetness pleasantness colour smell because he is so far above them so the soul filled with the love of Christ is so high above all created lovers that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritual soul O for a soul filled up with all the fulness of God! O for a soul stretched out to its widest capacity and circumference for the entertainment of God! Eph. 3.18 19. O my soul that thou wert but able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Surely if Christ be mine if his death be mine his resurrection mine his ascension mine his session mine his intercession mine How should I but love him with a singular love farewel world and worldly glory if Christ come in room it is time for you to vanish I shall little care for a Candle when the Sun shines fair and bright upon my head What is my name written on the heart of Christ doth he wear me as a Favour and Love-token about his arms and neck is he at every turn presenting me and my duties to his heavenly Father Cant. 4.9 O thou hast ravished my heart my King my Jesus thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Suppose O my soul thou hadst been with Christ when he washed his Disciples feet and that he should have come and have washed thy feet Would not thy heart have glowed with love to Jesus Christ why Christ is now in glory and now he takes thy filthy soul and dirty duties and washes as it were the feet of all that he may present them to his Father thou canst not shed a tear but he washes it over again in his precious blood and perfumes it with his glorious intercessions Oh what cause hast thou to love Jesus Christ Oh you that never loved Christ come love him now and you that have loved Christ a little O love him more Above all let me O my soul charge upon thee this duty of love O go away warmed with the love of Christ and with a love to Christ SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession Surely this is glad tydings of great joy when wicked Haman procured letters from King Ahasuerus for the destruction of all Jews then Esther the Queen makes request to the King that her people might be saved and Haman's letters revoked Esther 5.3 8.15 16 17. And the King said to her What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy request and it shall be given thee O the joy of Jews at this happy tidings Then the City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad then the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honour in every province and in every City whithersoever the Kings Commandment and his Decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day Is not this our very case was there not a Law against us an hand-writing of Ordinances a sentence of a double death of body and soul had not Satan as wicked Haman accused us and sought by all means our condemnation but yet behold not only an earthly Esther but Jesus the Son of God was willing for our sakes to come down from Heaven and he it was that took away the hand-writing of Ordinances and cancelled it upon the Cross that ascended into Heaven and there makes requests for us and he it is in whom his Father is well pleased never comes he to his Father but he obtains the grace of the golden Scepter no sooner he cryes I will that these poor souls may be eternally saved but his Father answers Amen Be it so be it O my Son even as thou pleasest O that we could joy at this O that we could imitate the Jews O that light and gladness and joy and honour would possess our souls if at Christ's birth was such and so much joy because a Saviour was proclaimed Is not our joy to be heightened when salvation is effected if the first act of Christ's mediation was so joyous shall not the last act of his mediation be much more joyous But I hear many objections which keep back joy they are as bars and hindrances at the doors of many heavy hearts that joy cannot enter in I shall instance in some O I am much opposed here in this world sayes one men are as wolves and devils Psal 22.16 Dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they have no bowels they persecute reproach revile so that I am killed all the day long And what then what matters oppositions of men so long as Christ doth intercede for thee in Heaven O remember Christ's bowels it may be he suffers men to be merciless on earth that thou mayst look up and behold how merciful he is who sits above and tell me hast thou no experience of this truth doth not relief strangely come in now and than why write upon
the forehead of such favours I have a merciful and compassionate Mediator in heaven O I am much tempted sayes another that I cannot pray had I now the key of prayer I could then unlock the cabinet where all God's treasures lye and take out what I pleased but alas my prayers are dull and weak and dry and without spirit and life I cannot pray If so be humbled for it and yet know this that when thou canst not pray Christ then prayes for thee and he prayes that thou mayst pray And tell me hast thou no experience of this truth hath not sometimes thy spirit been enlarged in prayer hast thou not sometimes felt thy heart warmed or savingly affected hast thou not sometimes in prayer been lifted up above thy self and above the world conclude then My Intercessor above hath sent me this gift and Spirit it is not I but Christ's Intercession that by an admirable and secret operation hath given me the Spirit to help my infirmity these are the intercessions of the Spirit of Christ and they are the very Eccho of the intercessions of Christ in his own person O but I labour under such and such corruptions sayes another and the Devil is busie exceeding busie and he exceedingly prevails how am I overcome with these corruptions and with these and these sins It may be so and yet do not altogether despond for Jesus Christ is at God's right hand and there he sits till all his enemies be made his foot-stool and what are not thy sins his enemies O be of good comfort for Christ will prevail it is one piece of his prayer that he puts up for thee John 17.15 To keep thee from evil and surely he will either keep thee from it or keep thee in it that in the issue thou shalt have the victory Ver. 12. Isa 55 3. Those that thou gavest me I have kept saith Christ and none of them is lost if he undertake for thee thou art safe and sure His Covenant is everlasting even the sure mercies of David and therefore if yet thou dost not certainly thou shalt feel the vertue of Christ's intercession sin must be subdued hell-gates shall not prevail against thee he will not quench thy sparks until he bring forth judgment unto victory Oh but I am in a suffering condition sayes another and there is none that regards or takes pity on me all my friends have dealt treacherously with me among all my Lovers there is none to comfort me they have heard that I sigh and there is none to refresh me I stand for Christ but there is none stands by me I own him but there is none owns me Bleeding Christian bear up is not Christ's intercession a sufficient answer to this case alas thou wouldst be pitied for all thy weaknesses why know that compassion is natural to Jesus Christ he is a merciful high Priest and can be no other to thee God ordained him to officiate in such a Tabernacle as wherein thou dwellest he was in all things like unto thee sin only excepted it may be thou art in want and so was Christ he had no house thou art persecuted and so was Christ sin loads thee and so it did Christ A Christians condition needs compassion and Christ knows how much and it is his work continually to lay it open above O my Father thus and thus it is with the Militant Church not a Member in it but he is under sin and affliction see here the tears hearken to the sighs and groans and chatterings and mournings of my Doves below I present here their persons and performances and oh that they may find acceptance through my merit Some speak of Heavens Musick some tell us of Saints and Angels singing and warbling in lively notes the praises of Christ in Heaven and if any such thing be certainly it is ear-tickling heart-ravishing musick O the melody O the joy of Saints to hear such heavenly ayres with heavenly ears but be it as it will be of this I am confident that Heaven it self yields no such musick as is the intercession of Jesus Christ this if any thing in Heaven do it makes melody in the ears of God and of all celestial Spirits Saints or Angels And O my soul suppose thy self within the compass if now thou couldst but hear what thy Jesus is saying in thy behalf Is not this a brand newly pluck'd out of the fire was not this poor soul but the other day in a state of nature defiled with sin within a step of hell and did not I send my Spirit to recall him was not this precious blood shed for the redemption of him and what though sin stick and cleave to him to this day yet have I not given thee charge to take away his filthy garments from him and to cloath him with changes of rayment even with the shining robes of mine own righteousness O my Father let this soul live in thy sight O cast him not away for whom I have suffered and done all this I cannot rest satisfied without his society I am not right till he is with me in glory he is my darling my purchase my portion my delight and therefore let him be saved Is not this enough to cause thy very heart to leap in thy bosom Bonaventure fondly reports that Francis hearing an Angel a little while playing on an Harp he was so moved with extraordinary delight that he thought himself in another world O but suppose thou shouldst hear the voice of Jesus thy Intercessor thus pleading for thee wouldst thou not be cast into an extasie would not this fill thee with joyes unspeakable and full of glory Come realize this meditation certainly if thou art Christ's he is thus or in some other manner interceding for thee as sure as Christ is in Heaven he is pleading with his Father in Heaven on thy behalf O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I should now feel Tell me is it not a comfort for a poor beggar to be relieved at a rich man's door we are all beggars in regard of Heaven and Jesus Christ doth not only come forth and serve us but he takes us poor beggars by the hand and leads us in to his heavenly Father Oh what comfort is here SECT VIII Of praying to and praising of Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us pray and praise our Jesus in this respect 1. Let us pray or sue our interest in this intercession it is a question amongst the Schools whether we may conveniently pray to Jesus to pray to his Father in our behalf And thus far is granted that we may pray to Christ to make us partakers of his intercessions and to mingle our prayers with his prayers that they may find acceptance with God his Father 1 Cor. 11.6 But that we may use such a form as ora pro nobis O Christ pray for us it is looked upon as inconvenient in this respect 1. Because cause we have no
such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Because it favours too much of the error of Arrius Nestorius and indeed of the Romanists themselves 3. Because our prayers are most-what directed to Christ in his person or divine subsistence whose part is rather to give than to ask or if they are directed to Christ as Mediator and not simply as the only begotten Son of God then I see no incongruity though in the former respect some inconvenience but that we may pray to Christ to intercede for us for so he is God and man and he is considered according to both Natures only the difference of both Natures is still to be kept and maintained intercession is the office of the whole person of Christ and of the two natures of Christ But he performs this office one way according to his Divine nature and another way according to his humane nature I list not to quarrel about niceties it is thus agreed on all hands and that is enough to our purpose that we may call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus that Christ's intercessions may be ours and that he would make it out to us in a way of assurance every day more and more 2. Let us praise let us bless God and bless Christ for every transaction in Heaven for us It is a wonder to observe what songs of praise were chanted to Christ in Heaven for that one transaction of opening the Book and loosing the seven Seals thereof first The four beasts Rev. 5.8 9 11 12 13 14. and then the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And then the Angels round about the Throne whose number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands came on saying worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And then every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea came on saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever and the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever I cannot tell what other transactions may be in Heaven we have but hints of them here nor shall we fully or particularly know them till we come to Heaven but for this one transaction of Christ's intercession we cannot imagine less praise to be given to Christ than for any other O then let us do this duty on earth as it is done in Heaven what is Christ praying for us O let us be on the exercise of praising him is Christ interceding for us let us give him the glory of his intercession Heaven is full of his praises O why should not earth ring with the sound thereof Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his intercession I cannot think but in every action of Christ there is something imitable of us And as to the present work I shall instance only in these few particulars As 1. Christ appears in Heaven for us let us appear on earth for him Is there not equity as well as conformity in this duty O my soul consider what thy Christ is doing consider wherein the intercession of Jesus Christ consists is not this the first part of it why he appears in Heaven before Saints and Angels and before God his Father in thy behalf and art thou afraid to appear before worms mortals dust and ashes in his cause or for his truth shall Jesus Christ own thee in Heaven and wilt thou not own Jesus Christ here in this world shall Jesus Christ as thy great high Priest take thy very name carry it upon his breast into the presence of God and wilt not thou take the Name of Christ and hold it forth in profession and practise to all men Oh what a mighty engagement is here to stand to Christ and to appear for Christ and to own his cause in these backsliding-times in that Christ who sits at the right hand of God is willing and ready to appear in person for us both as a Mediator and Sponsor and Solicitor and Advocate and Leiger Embassador 2. Christ spends all his time for us and our salvation let us spend all our time for him and in his service the Apostle tells us that He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 it is not for a day or a month or a year but he lives for ever upon this account for ever i.e. during all the time from his Ascension until the end of the world he is still interceding he spends of all that time for us and shall we think it too much time to spend a few dayes that we have here to live upon the earth for him one thinks this the greatest Argument in the world to make us to walk closely with God in Christ He spends of his eternity for us and shall not we spend of our whole time for him surely people do not think what Christ is doing in Heaven for them if you who are Saints would but seriously consider that Christ this Sabbath this day of rest is at his work that without any weariness or intermission from morning till evening and from evening till morning he is ever ever interceding how would this engage you in his service Ah Christians if you should continue praying praising reading hearing all this day without any intermission or breaking off Oh what weariness O how would you say When will the day be done when will the Sabbath be at an end Well but Christ is not weary of serving you this Sabbath and the last Sabbath and the other Sabbath and every Sabbath when you had done your duties he took your persons and duties and presented all unto his Father he prayed over your prayers and continued praying and saying Lord accept of a short poor lean imperfect service done on earth for my sake and for those merits sake which I am continually presenting to thee here in heaven Oh why do we not come up to this conformity Oh why are we so uncomformable to the actings of Christ he is preparing Mansions for us in Heaven and are we digging in this world he is making mention of our names to God and are we sinning against him and God his blood cryes O that these souls may be saved and shall our sins cry It is just that these souls should be damned O mind the exemplar Christ spends
men nor the best Ministers under Heaven escape them Are they not all say they †I lately received a paper wherein the Quakers gave the Ministers of Christ these following names Conjurers Thieves Robbers Antichrists Witches Blind guides Devils Lyars Baal's Priests Sir-Simonds Dissemblers Vpholders of the seven headed and ten-horned beasts a Viperous and Serpentine generation bloody Herodians Blasphemers Scarlet-coloured beasts Babylons Merchants Busie-bodies Whited Walls Painted Sepulchres Ravening Wolves Persecutors Tyrants Greedy dogs Pharisees Wolves Dogs Hirelings Priests of Baal Covetous Carnal Damned and what not Are they not all say they as the Devil said of Joshua cloathed with filthy garments defiled totally utterly defiled with the pollutions of Babylon Christian when you hear this language learn you to conform to Christ go you first to God with the Lords own plea Now the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee Zach. 3.2 And then go on in vindication of their persons and their cause are they not precious gracious holy able shining and burning lights it may be some of their persons have been faulty but say of such Is not this a brand newly pluck'd out of the fire failings and humane frailties have been in the best yea in most of the Prophets and Apostles but shall we therefore condemn to hell the generation of God's dear Children or howsoever it may be with their persons yet is not their cause and office of Christ's own institution in this respect he that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10.16 Are not the Ministers of Christ as stars in the right hand of Christ they that would do them any deadly harm must pluck them thence Christians conform you to Christ in this point you see how Satan stands at the right hand of our Joshua's to resist them now then plead you their cause and answer the Adversaries accusations 6. Christ by his intercession saves us to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 O let us serve him to the uttermost surely all we can do is too little to answer so great a love as this Oh Christians why should it be esteemed a needless thing to be most rigorously conscionable and exactly circumspect Christ payed our debt to the uttermost farthing drunk every drop of our bitter cup and now presents all unto his Father by way of intercession and saves us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughly to the uttermost why should not we labour to perform his service and to fulfil every one of his commandments throughly and to the uttermost also certainly there is a duty which concerns us Christians as to be hot in Religion Rev. 3.16 to be zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 to walk circumspectly or precisely as the word carries it Eph. 5.15 to be fervent in spirit Rom. 12.11 to strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13.24 to contend for the faith Jude 3. with an holy kind of violence to lay hold upon the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 11.12 Oh what ever men should be afraid of taking God's part too much or fighting too valiantly under the Colours of Christ of being too busie about the salvation of their own souls of being singular as they call it in the duties of Religion I observe men are content to be singular in any thing save in the service of God you desire and labour to be singularly rich and singularly wise and singularly valorous and singularly proud but you can by no means endure singularity or eminency in zeal and the Lord's service in matters of Religion you are resolved to do as the most do though in so doing you damn your own souls Mat. 7.13 O come and learn this lesson of Christ he saves us to the uttermost and let us serve him to the uttermost with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our might Thus far we have looked on Jesus in his intercession our next work is our last work which is to look on Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his coming again the very end of time to all eternity he hath no more now to do but to judge the Saints and to lead them into glory and to deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and so to live with his redeemed ones for ever and ever and ever LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Second Coming Book X. Part VII CHAP. I. Job 19.25 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another SECT I. Of Christ's preparing for Judgment AND is not yet all done O the unwearied patience love mercy free grace of Christ in carrying on this mighty work he begun it before the beginning of the world since then he hath been labouring in it about six thousand years and now the time of restoring being come he will perfect what he hath begun and bring on the other end of the Golden chain Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8.30 and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In this piece also as in the former we shall first lay down the object and then give directions how to look upon it The Object is Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in his coming again to earth and taking up with him all his Saints into Heaven In this work I shall set before you these particulars 1. Christ's preparing for judgment 2. Christ's coming to judgment 3. Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment 4. Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day 5. Christ's sentencing or judging the Saints for eternal glory 6. Christ and the Saints judging the rest of the world 7. Christ and his Saints going up into Heaven when shall be the end of this world 8. Christ surrendring and delivering up the Kingdom to God even the Father 9. Christ's subjection to the Father that God may be all in all 10. Christ notwithstanding this being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all eternity 1. For his preparing for judgment When once the number of all his Elect shall be compleated and the work of his intercession shall be at an end then immediately will follow these particulars As Rev. 16.17 1. A great voice comes out of the Temple of Heaven saying it is done It comes out of the Temple of Heaven that we may understand it to be the voice of Christ And if this speech be directed unto God it is as if Christ had bespoke his Father thus And now John 17.12 O my Father I have done that office of the Priest-hood which by agreement we erected is now at an end here I have sate at thy right hand interceding for my Saints ever since my ascension and of all that thou hast given me by
tempestuous round about him Whence this fire should come I shall not dispute only one tells us with some confidence * Suarez de renovatione mundi in 3. part Thomae Psal 97.3 Isa 66.15 2 Thes 1 7 8. Dan. 7.9 10. 2 Pet. 3.10 2 Pet. 3.11 12. that 't is begotten in the middle Region of the Air by Divine command and that first it goes before him ushering the Judge to the Judgment-seat and that there it stayes during the judgment and that ended and the doom passed on all flesh then it sets on fire all the world Let this pass as it may Scripture goes thus far that a fire goeth before him Behold the Lord will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire In which respect Daniel saw his throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him and at last this fire shall have that effect that the very Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up O Christians what cause have we to make the Apostles use on this point Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 4. He descends lower and lower till he is inwrapt with clouds Matth. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven When he went up into Heaven it is said that a cloud received him out of their sight Act. 1.9 and the Angels then said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come Act. 1.11 12. Dan 7.13 in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come down in clouds I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven Here is the first sight of Christ to men on the earth when once he is come down into the clouds then shall they lift up their eyes and have a full view of Jesus Christ a cloud first received him out of their sight and a cloud now discovers him to their sight Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven Matth. 24.30 and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory is it not plain that the first appearings and sight of Christ at his second coming from Heaven is in the midst of clouds Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 and they also which pierced him Some controversie there is about these clouds as whether they be Angels when the Psalmist speaks of all sorts of Meteors as of Waters Clouds Winds Flames some say all these are Angels and of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire For my part I take it in the literal sense that upon the very backs of clouds Christ shall come riding along at the general day and howsoever this may seem a small matter unto us yet I cannot look on any circumstance of this transaction as small and trifling the very clouds on which Christ rides speaks terror and comfort 1. Oh what a terror is this to the wicked Heb. 1.7 Matth. 24.30 Id de impiis solum intelligo ad quos planctus luctus ille miserandus solum pertinet Aretius in locum They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn These Tribes of the Earth are the Tribes of the wicked no sooner shall they look up and see Christ in his clouds but with unconceivable horror will they cry it out O yonder is he whose blood we neglected whose grace we resisted whose counsels we refused whose government we cast off O yonder is he that comes now in clouds in tempestuous clouds O see how he storms do not those very clouds in which he rides speak or threaten a storm In the eighteenth Psalm is a description of Christ's coming to judgment But O how terrible in the seventh verse we find the earth trembling in the eighth verse a fire devouring in the ninth verse the heavens bowing downwards in the 12 13 14 15. verses are thick clouds darkning the skie thunders lightnings hailestones flying through the air the foundations of the world discovered thus the Mighty God our Jesus descends Oh how should the wicked but tremble at this when but a consideration of this hath sometimes startled God's own people behold Habakkuk with quivering lips trembling joynts Hab. 3.16 bones mouldering into dust when he had onely a Prophetick representation of Christ's second appearance all the dreadful things that attended the presence of God in Egypt at the red Sea on Mount Sinai through the Wilderness are made but types but shadows of the terrible march of the Captain of the Lord of Hosts and therefore shall the wicked mourn 2. Here is the patience and faith and joy of Saints Rev. 1.7 And all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn over him even so Amen This I cannot but understand of the wicked onely some tell us of a double mourning on that day the one of joy and love and the other of sorrow and despair I shall not deny but there may be some sweet tears upon this sweet Subject Christ's apparition in the clouds Such a shine will be from Christ in the cloud that the very shine will pierce the hearts of men with the golden-headed arrow of love and how may this work tears Rev. 1.7 Hinc consequitur Christum in eo judicio cicatrices vulnerum ostensurum tanquam trophaeum infallibile contra omnes suos bostes Aret. in loco from this Text of John Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle c. Some Divines gather that Christ at that day will shew in his glorified body the wounds of his crucifying as an infallible trophy of his victory over all his enemies and hence the wicked who pierced or crucified the Lord of glory by their sins will weep and waile I can think no less but that Christ at that day will open his bosom and shew those wounds of love which he had in his heart from all eternity together with those wounds which he received on the Cross as they are glorified in his eternal love and then as at the discovery of Joseph he and his brethren fell upon the necks