and this the Apostle speaks out yet more plainly by him we have an access unto the Father Ephes 2.18.3.12 and in him we have boldness and access with confidence I shall a little enlarge on both these Texts recorded for our instruction in the Law and Gospel in the Old and in the New Testament First we find in the Law Exod. 28.14 that Aaron was to put two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel and so Aaron was to bear the names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial And again Aaron was to bear the names of the children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart when he went into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually Ver. 29. Here we find the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel ingraven in stones which the high-Priest usually took with him into the holy place when he appear'd before the Lord first upon his humeral and then upon his pectoral in both shewing that he entred into that place not only or principally in his own behalf but in behalf of the Tribes whom he presented before the Lord that they might be in continual remembrance with the Lord a lively Type of Christ's Intercession who being entred into the Heavens he there appears in the behalf of his Elect and he presents their persons to his Father bearing them as it were upon his shoulders and upon his heart why thus Christ takes our persons into heaven and represents them in his own person to his Father Secondly we find in the Gospel a gracious promise Ephes 2.18 3.12 that by Christ we have access unto the Father and in Christ we have access with confidence Where the word access 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly a manuduction or leading by the hand to God an introduction or bringing into God alluding to the custome in Princes Courts where none may come into the presence-Chamber unless they be led or brought in by some Favourite or Courtier there thus none may have access into the presence of God unless they are brought in by this Favourite of heaven the Lord Jesus Christ whose very office it is to bring men unto God he takes us by the hand and leads us to the Father q. d. Come Souls come along with me and I will carry you to the Father Look how a child that haâ—h run away from his Father is taken by the hand of a friend or of his â—lder brother and so brought again into the presence of his Father even so all we having run away from God are by the good hand of Christ taken up and led again into the presence of the Father he is that Ladder that Jacob saw upon whom we ascend into the bosome of God and into heaven he is that high-Priest that takes our persons and bears them on his shoulders and on his heart sustaining our persons and presenting our conditions unto his Father and our Father unto his God and our God 5. Christs Intercession consists in the presenting of our duties unto God Not only doth he take our persons and leads and carry them into the presence of God but together with our persons he presents all our services in his own person Now in this act he doth these two things 1. He observes what evil or what falling is in our duties and he draws that out and takes it away before he presents them unto God or as a child that would present his Father with a posie he goes into the garden and gathers flowers and weeds together but coming to his Mother she picks out the weeds and binds up the flowers by themselves and so it is presented to the Father thus we go to duty and we gather weeds and flowers together but Christ comes and picks out the weeds and so presents nothing but flowers to God the Father and this is plainly set forth by that ceremony of the high-Priest in taking away the iniquity of their holy things Exod. 28.36.37.38 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingravings of a Signet holiness to the Lord and thou shalt put it on a blew lace that it may be upon the Mitre upon the fore-front of the Mitre it shall be And it shall be on Aarons fore-head that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the Children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts and it shall be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord This was the manner of the Ceremony and this was the end of the Ceremony that Aaron might bear and take away the iniquity of their holy things what was this but a Type of Jesus Christ who with his most absolute righteousness covereth all the defects of our good works which are still spotted with some defect Isa 64.6 Alas all our righteousness are as filthy rags but Christ draws out the evil of duty and failings in duty before he will present them unto God 2. He observes what good there is in any of our duties or performances and with that he mingles his own prayers and Intercessions and presents all as one work interwoven or mingled together unto God the Father And another Angel stood at the Altar having a golden Conser Rev. 8.3 4. and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand I know there is a controversie who this Angel should be that with the Incense mingles the prayers of all Saints some conjecture him to be a created Angel in that the incense or ordours are said to be given to him and not to be his own or to have them of himself others say he could be no other but the Angel of the Covenant for no Angel doth intercede or present our prayers but Jesus Christ as for that which is spoken concerning the seven Angels presenting the Saints prayers I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints We say it is no canonical Scripture Tobit 12 1â— nor is it authorized by any canonical Scripture besides I cannot think that the Priests were types of Angels but only of Christ Again howsoever the Greek Copies so read that Text yet the antient Hebrew Copy set forth by Paulus Fagius and Jerome who translated it out of the Caldee as Master Mede on Zachar. 4.10 avoucheth reads it thus I am Raphael one of the seven Angels which stand and minister before the glory of the holy One. And certainly in this Text of Revel 8.3 4. There is a figurative description of an heavenly service correspondent to that which was performed in the Temple namely that the people being without at
under the Power of the promise we begin then to know that we are in that same Covenant But this is rather say they to feel our selves in that Covenant which God hath made with Christ than to enter into Covenant with God our selves 2. Others argue hence that there is no Covenant or promise made with Christ personal but only with Christ mystical such who are members of Christ and so united to Christ for mark the Text say they the promise is made first to Abraham and then to his seed this seed is such a seed as comes to have right to the promise in order from Abraham now this cannot be Christ personal but Christ mystical And whereas the Text sayes the promise is not made to seeds but to one seed which is Christ John 8 37 Gal. 37.29 they distinguish of a double seed of Abraham First there is a carnal natural seed according to the flesh and in this sense Christ speaks to those wicked unbelieving Jewes which went about to kill him I know ye are Abrahams seed but ye seek to kill me Secondly there is a spiritual seed that walk in the faith steps of Abraham know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise now the promise is made to Abraham and his seed not seeds i.e. not to both seeds both carnal and spiritual but only to the one which is the spiritual and this seed is Christ i.e. Christ mystical the body of Christ the faithful that are knit to Christ by a true and lively faith 3. Others argue hence that this Covenant is made both betwixt God and Christ and betwixt God and us First betwixt God and Christ all the work of redemption and salvation was transacted betwixt God and Christ before the foundation of the world but this doth not hinder but that the same promise is afterwards in time made to us also Look as it is in Covenants amongst men while the child is yet unborn the father takes conveyance of an inheritance for his child which he keeps in his own hand till the child be born and come to years and then he puts it into his own possession so it is here we are for a time hid in the womb of Gods Election till we are brought forth by the grace of regeneration now during this time we are not in our selves capable of receiving any promise of life made to us but it is made to Christ in our behalf and he receives the promise from the Father in our stead but yet so that when we come to be born anew the promises are made unto our selves and then we are put into possession of them Here then is the meaning of the Text the Covenant is made with Christ i.e. with Christ and his heirs principally with Christ and with Abrahams nature in Christ and yet personally with believers who are also the seed of Abraham All the difference is in that terme Christ what thereby is meant whether Christ personal or Christ mystical or Christ representative And we say 1. Not Christ personal I mean not Christs person singly considered for that 1. Would fight with the scope of Paul whose bent it is to prove the promise of eternal life to be made to all believers and that 2. ver 17. veâ— 8. ver 14. ver 13. Would conclude the promise of eternal life to be given onely to Christ and not at all to those that are believers in Christ 2. Not Christ Mystical for 1. The promise is made to Christ In whom the Covenant was confirmed 2. In whom the nations were blessed 3. In whom we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith 4. Who was made a curse for us Now not any of these can agree to Christ mystical Christ mystical did not confirme the Covenant nor bless the Nations nor give the Spirit nor was made a curse 3. It is Christ representative Christ-Mediatour Christ a publick person to whom the promises were made for Christ and his heirs are but all of them one confederate family and as the Covenant of works was made with Adam and all his and there were not two Covenants so here the Covenant is made with the second Adam and his children But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits 1 Cor. 15.23 and afterwards they that are Christs I have now propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in that eternity before all time untill the Creation Our next business is to direct us in the Art or Mystery of Grace how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus carrying on the Great work of our Salvation in that Eternity LOoking comprehends knowing considering desiring hoping believing loving joying calling upon Jesus and conforming to Jesus If then we will have an inward experimental Look upon Jesus we must act and exercise all these particulars 1. We must know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in that eternity before all time Come learn what this Jesus is 1. In his relation to God and so he is Gods Son eternally begotten before all worlds See above and learn it throughly who it is that was begotten for the person when it was for the time how it was for the manner and what was the mutual kindness and love of him that begot and of him that was begotten O the height and depth of this knowledge 2. Come learn what this Jesus is in his relation to us before all worlds and to that purpose study close that great transaction betwixt God and Christ for our salvation 1. Study that project of God that he would glorifie his grace and to this end that he would predestinate Christ and in Christ he would choose some of the souls of men and amongst the rest that he would choose thee whom notwithstanding sin he would make holy and without blame before him in love 2. Study the counsels of God concerning man before all worlds O 't was an hard question how sin should be pardoned the sinner reconciled and yet God glorifie his justice none but the wisdome of God could ever find out a way to have had mercy on the man and yet to take vengeance on the sin but herein appeared the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God he devised the way to translate this mans sin suppose thine own sins on anothers person who was able to bear them to interest this mans person suppose thine own self in anothers righteousness who was able to cover him 3. Study the foreknowledge of God how the Lord knew his from everlasting with a knowledge of love and approbation after the project was laid and the counsels of God were agreed upon it then God fore-knew or fore-saw whom to imbrace in his eternal love And O my soul if thou art one of
so the Seed of the Woman must be taken collectively that the opposition may be fit 2. The enmities fore-spoken do strongly evince it now the enmities pertain both to Eve and to all her posterity if godly to the end of the world hence all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.18 And I will put enmity saith God between thee the woman is that all no but also between thy Seed and her Seed and who can deny but these enmities have been ever since betwixt Satans brood and the Saints we are all wrestlers against Principalities and Powers and Rulers of the darkness of this World Ephes 6.12 and against spiritual wickednesses in high places 5. What is that Hu in our Bible translated it it shall bruise thy head Some observe this Hu it is of the masculine gender and Zera Seed is of the masculine gender Jesaphera shall bruise is of the masculine gender which confutes the Translation that renders it thus she shal bruise thy head and which confirms our Translation which is thus he or it or that same Seed i. one singular person of that same Seed shall bruise thy head Well then who is this he or what one is he even Jesus the Son of the Living God Here is the first hint of Jesus that ever was read or heard of in this world This was the Proto-evangel or first Gospel that ever was published after the Creation O blessed news fit for Gods mouth to speak and to break first to the world now fallen O dear parents how would you have dispaired if before sentence you had not heard this blessed tydings O our first Parents upon Earth where had you and we been if this blessed Text had not been Come set a Star upon it write it in letters of Gold or rather write it on the very Tables of our Hearts here is the blessedst news that ever was or ever shall be but for this we had been all Fire-brands of Hell yea but for this Adam and Eve and all their Sons and Daughters that are now gone out of this World had been smoaking and frying in Hell-fire Away with all gross mistakes Erroneous conceits and as you love your Souls yeild to this blessed sense This it or he is one of that same Seed and this one of that same seed is Jesus and only Jesus and none but Jesus and for this sense we have these arguments 1. Some observe that this Sentence is separated from the former with a Period or great stop however God goes on to speak of the Seed of the Woman yet he says not and that Seed shall bruise thy head for so we might have thought he had spoken of that Seed collectively as he did before but stopping there and not repeating the same word again he gives it thus it or he shall bruise thy head i. some individual person of that same Seed some singular one of that same common Seed of the Woman shall bruise thy head as David alone of all the Host of Israel goes forth to fight with Goliah and overcomes him so Christ alone of all the Seed of the Woman was so to fight with the Serpent by his own power as to overcome him and to bruise his head 2. The Seventy in their Translations of this place with which agrees the Chaldee Paraphrast renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he which needs most denote some singular person or Son of the woman and the rather because the Seed spoken of before is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which if the relative had rightly agreed it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereto we may add that to this it or he the Seed of the Serpent is not opposed as it was in the former sentence but the Serpent it self one singular Antagonist here is singularis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a duel or a combate of two hand to hand only Christand the Serpent he shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 3. The bruising of the head doth plainly discover this it or he is Jesus Christ for non can bruise the Serpents head but only God the God of peace saith the Apostle shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Now there was none of the Seed of the Woman Rom. 16.10 that was ever God but only Christ God-Man Man-God blessed for ever and therefore it must needs be Christ and only Christ that can bruise this Serpents head O there 's a Divine Power a power and vertue of God in it to bruise the Serpents head observe but the manner of this Duel Christ treads on the Serpent and by this means he comes to have a bruise in the heel whilst with his heel he bruiseth the Serpents head a wonderful thing that Christ should lay at the Serpents head with no other weapon but only with his heel it were much for any man to strike at any common Serpent with a bare and naked foot rather would he take a dart or club or any other Weapon but with a foot to bruise Satans head that great and fierce and monsterous Serpent this exceeds any mans power or any mans daring to attempt hence it is that some one person of more than human strength must do this deed and who is that of the Seed of the Woman but only Jesus Christ 4. God himself in other places of Scripture doth expresly declare that this Seed here promised is Christ and only Christ mark but where this promise is repeated to the Patriarches as when the Lord said to Abraham Gen. 22.18 in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed and when the Lord said to David I will raise up thy Seed after thee which shall be of thy Sons and I will establish his Kingdom 1 Chro. 17.11 and you may see it clear that this Seed is Christ and only Christ concerning that promise to Abraham the Apostle so interprets it now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not Gal. 3.16 and to Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seed which is Christ and concerning that promise to David the Prophet so interprets it He shall sit upon the Throne of David Isa 9.6 7 and upon his Kingdom to order it to establish it who is that in the former verse his name is Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace i. Christ and none but Christ for unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given c. and who is that but Jesus Christ 5. The accomplishment of this Promise in Christ is expresly and clearly made out in the New Testament Was not Jesus Christ of the Seed of the Woman born of a Virgin was not his heel bruised himself Crucified and did he not bruise the Serpents head break the Power and
them again to this Land and I will build them and not pull them down and I will plant them and not bluck them up and I will give them a Heart to know Me that I am the Lord and they shall be My People and I will be their God for they shall return unto Me with their whole Heart Hag. 2.7 8 9. Again I will shake all Nations and the Desire of the Nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts the Glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts And I will put my Law in their inward parts Jer. 31.33 34. and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their Sins no more 3. It excels in the discovery and revelation of the Mediator in and through whom this Covenant was made In the former expression we discovered much yet in none of them was so plainly revealed the time of his coming the place of his birth his name the passages of his nativity his humiliation and kingdom as we find them in this 1. Concerning the time of his Coming Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks shall be determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophesie and to anoint the most holy 2. Concerning the place of his Birth But thou Bethlehem Ephrata Mica 5.2 though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting 3. Concerning his Name Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given Isa 9.6 and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Jer. 23.6 In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this his Name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Isa 7.14 and thou O Virgin shalt call his Name Immanuel 4. Concerning the passages of his Nativity that he should be born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 That at his Birth all the Infants round about Bethlehem should be slain Jer 31.15 That John the Baptist should be his Prodromus or forerunner to prepare his way Mal. 3.1 That he should flee into Egypt and be recalled thence again Hos 11.1 I might add many Particulars of this kind 5. Concerning his Humiliation Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa 53.4 yet we did not esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him 5. and with his stripes were we healed He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth He was taken from Prison and from Judgment 7. and who shall declare his Generation he was cut off out of from the Land of the Living 8. for the transgression of my people was he stricken It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great and he shalt divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto Death and he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the Sin of many and made intercession for tâ—e transgressors One would think this were rather a History than a Prophesie of Christs sufferings you may if you will take the pains see the circumstances of his sufferings as that he was sold for thirty pieces of silver Zech. 11.12 and that with those thirty pieces of silver there was bought afterwards a Potters field Zech. 11.13 That he must ride into Jerusalem before his Passion on an Ass Zech. 9.9 I might seem tedious if I should proceed 6. Concâ—rning his Kingdom Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion Zech. 9.9 Isa 62.11 Mat. 21.5 shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is Just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Behold a King behold thy King behold thy King cometh and he comes unto thee 1. He is a King and therefore able 2. He is thy King and therefore willing wonderful Love that he would come but more wonderful was the manner of his coming He that before made man a Soul after the Image of God then made himself a Body after the Image of Man And thus we see how this Covenant excels the former in every of these respects 3. How doth God put the Law into our inward parts I answer God puts the Law into our inward parts by enlivening or qualifying of a Man with the Graces of Gods Spirit suitable to his Commandment first there is the Law of God without us as we see it or read it in Scriptures but when it is put within us then God hath wrought an inward disposition in our minds that answers to that Law without us for example this is the Law without Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength Deut. 6.5 Deut. 30.6 To Answer which there is a promise I will circumcise thy Heart and the Heart of thy Seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all my soul now when this promise is fulfilled when God hath put the affections and grace of Love within our hearts when the habit of Love is within answerable in all things to the command without then is the Law put into our inward parts Deut. 13.4 Jer. 32.40 Again this is the Law without Thou shalt fear the Lord and keep his Ordinances and his Statutes and his Commandments to do them to answer which there is a promise I will make a Covenant with you and I will not turn away from you to do you good but I will put my fear into your hearts and you shall not depart from Me now when this promise is accomplished when God hath put the affection and grace of fear within our hearts when the habit of fear is within answerable to that Command without then is the Law put into our hearts Surely this is Mercy that God saith in his Covenant I will put my Law in their inward parts many a time a poor Soul cries out
Barak and Samson and Jephtah and David and Samuel and of all the Prophets who through Faith did marvellous things as it there appears Surely they had the same Doctrine of Grace as we have it is the very same for Substance without any difference 2. Wherein is the Difference then betwixt the Old and New-Testament or betwixt the Old and New Manner of the Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace They are one for Substance but in regard of the manner of Dispensation and revealing in the several Times Ages States and Conditions of the Church there is a difference I shall reduce all to these Particulars They are distinguished 1. In the Object In the Old Administration Christ was promised but in the New-Covenant Christ is exhibited It was meet the Promise should go before the Gospel and be fulfilled in the Gospel that so great a Good might earnestly be desired before it was bestowed 2. In the Federates Under the Old Dispensation they are compared to an Heir under Age needing a Gardian Tutor or School-master little differing from a Servant But in the New-Testament they are compared to an Heir come to ripe Years see Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 3. In the Manner of their Worship In the Old-Testament they were held under the Ceremonial Law and Oh What an heap of Ceremonies Rites Figures Shadows did they use in their Worship Certainly these declared the Infancy and Non-age of the Jews who being not capable of the high Mysteries of the Gospel they were taught by their Eyes as well as their Ears These Ceremonies were as Rudiments Introductions fitted to the gross and weak Senses of that Church who were to be brought on by little and little through such Shadows and Figures to the true Image and thing signified But in the New-Covenant or Testament our Worship is more spiritual Our Saviour hath told us 〈◊〉 4.23 24. That as God is a Spirit so They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit Truth The Hour cometh and now is saith Christ when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him â—ts 15.10 4. In the Burthen of Ceremonies Peter calls the Ceremonies of old A Yoak which niether our Fathers nor we saith he were able to bear And no wonder if we consider 1. The burthen of their costly Sacrifices if any had but touched an unclean Thing he must come and offer a Sacrifice as sometimes a Bullock and sometimes a Lamb You that think every thing too much for a Minister of Christ if for every Offence you were to offer such Sacrifices now you would count it an heavy Burthen indeed 2. They had long and tedious Journeys to Jerusalem the Land lay more in length than bredth and Jerusalem stood almost at one End of it â—ut 16.16 and thither Thrice a Year all the Males were to go and appear before God 3. They were tyed to the Observation of many Dayes the New Moons and many Ceremonial Sabbaths and they were restrained from many Liberties as in Meats and the like Oh What Burthens were upon them But in the New-Covenant or Testament the Yoak is made more easie We are bound indeed to the Duties of the moral Law as well as they yet a great Yoak is taken off from us and therefore Christ inviting us to the Gospel He gives it out thus Take My Yoak upon you saith He for My Yoak is easie 〈◊〉 11.29 and My Burthen light 5. In the Weakness of the Law of old The Law then was unable to give Life to purge the Conscience 〈◊〉 7.18 to pacifie God's Wrath and therefore saith the Apostle There is verily a dis-annulling of the Commandment going before for the Weakness Vnprofitableness thereof Hence they are called weak and beggarly Rudiments 〈◊〉 4.9 in comparison of the New-Testament there was then a less forcible Influence of the Spirit accompanying that Dispensation of the Covenant 〈◊〉 7.39 The Spirit was not then given in that large Measure as now Because Christ was not then glorified It appears in these Particulars 1. There was less Power of Faith in the Saints before Christ when the Doctrine of Faith was more fully revealed then was Faith it self more fully revealed in the hearts and lives of God's People 〈◊〉 3.23 Before Faith came saith the Apostle we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Surely this implies there was a Time when there was less Faith in God's People and that was the Time of the Law 2. There was less Power of Love in the Saints before Christ according to the measure of our Faith so is our Love The less they knew the Loving-kindness of God towards them in Christ the less they loved It may be they were more drawn by the Terrours of the Law than by the Promises of Grace and therefore they had less Love in them 3. They had a less Measure of Comfort to carry them on in all their Troubles Christ exibited is called the Consolation of Israel and therefore the more Christ is imparted Luk 2.25 Acts. 9 31 the more means of Comfort Hence the Primitive Saints after Christ are said to walk in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Certainly the Spirit was poured in less plenty on the faithful in the Old Testament because that benefit was reserved to the times of Christ who was first to receive the Spirit above measure in his humane Nature and thence to derive Grace to his Saints 6. In the darkness of that administration of Old Christ was but shadowed out to the Fathers in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but now we see him with open Face 2 Co. 5.18 Observe the difference in reference to the person of Christ and to the Offices of Christ and to the benefits that come by Christ 1. Concerning the Person of Christ it was revealed to them that he should be God Isa 9 6. And that he should be man Isa 9.6 Isa 9.6 The same verse speaks of a Child that is born and of a mighty God But how he should be God and man in one person it was very darkly Revealed 2. Concerning the Offices of Christ his Mediatorship was Typed out by Moses his Priesthood was Typed out by Melchizedeck among the Canaanites and Aaron among the Jews his Prophetical Office was typed out by Noah a Preacher of Righteousness his Kingly Office was typed out by David but how dark these things were unto them we may guess by the Apostles who knew not he should Die who dreamed of an earthly Kingdom and till the Holy Ghost came were ignorant of many things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 3. Concerning the Benefits that come by Christ Justification was signified by the sprinkling of Blood and Sanctification by the water of Purification Heaven and glorification by their Land flowing
as one says well that had been Virgo decipiet not concipiet rather a deceiving of us than a conceiving of him 2. That of the Valentinian revived lately in the Anabaptists who hold that he had a true body but made in heaven and sent into the Virgin here on earth and if so that had been virgo recipiet not concipiet rather a receiving than conceiving yet I cannot but wonder how confidently the Anabaptists tell us that the Flesh of Christ came down from heaven and passed through the Virgin Mary as water through a Conduit-pipe without taking any substance from her Their objections are raised out of these Texts 1. No man ascendeth into heaven but he that came down from heaven John 3.13 even the son of man which is in heaven I answer first this speech must be understood firstly in respect of the God-Head which may be said in some sort to descend in that it was made manifest in the Manhood here on earth 2. This speech may be understood truly of the whole person of Christ to whom the properties of each Nature in respect of the communication of properties may be fitly ascribed but this doth no way prove that this flesh which he assumed on earth descended from heaven 1 Co. 15.47 48 2. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven heavenly I answer 1. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly-minded as sometimes he told the Jews you are from below I am from above you are of the World I am not of this World Christ was not worldly-minded or swayed with the lusts of the Flesh John 8.23 John 15.19 or any way earthly affected as sometimes he could tell his Apostles ye are not of the world so much more might he say of himself that he was not of this world but his Conversation was in heaven Or 2. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly or from heaven in respect of the glorious qualities which he received after his Resurrection and not in respect of the substance of his Body many glorious qualities was Christ endowed with after he was raised I shall not now dispute them which he had not before and in respect of these he might be called heavenly or from heaven 3. This holds forth that Christ also was in some sort heavenly or from heaven in his humane nature in that the humane nature was united to the divine and withal in that the humane nature was formed by the holy Ghost so John's Baptism is said to be from heaven though neither he nor the water wherewith he Baptized descended from heaven but because he received it from God who is in heaven Christ was conceived as you heard by the Holy Ghost and in that regard his generation was divine and heavenly or from heaven 2. In way of comfort and incouragement Christ was thus conceived that he might Vse 2 sanctify our conceptions as the first Adam was the root of all Corruption so is the second Adam the root of all sanctification Christ went as far to cleanse us as ever Adam did to defile us what were our very Conceptions defiled by Adam in the first place Christ takes course for this you see he is conceived by the Holy Ghost and he was not idle whilst he was in the womb for even then and there he eaâ—e out the Core of corruption that cleaved close to our defiled natures so that now God will not account evil of that nature that is become the nature of his own deare Son O the Condescentions of our Jesus O that ever he would be conceived in the womb of a Virgin O that he would run through the Contumelies of our fordid Nature that he would nor refuse that which we our selves in some sort are ashamed of Some think it a reason why the Anabaptists and some others run into such Fancies and deny this Conception of Christ only to decline those soul indignities as they take them for the great God of heaven to undergo but certainly this was for us and for our sakes and therefore far be it from us to honour him the less because he laid down his honour for our sakes no no let us honour him more and love him more the lower he came for us the dearer and dearer let him be unto us consider in all these transactions Christ was carrying on the great work of our salvation otherwise he had never been conceived never had assumed to his Person humane Nature never had been Man SECT III. Of the Duplicity of Natures in Christ Isa 9.6 Gal. 4.4 3. THe duplicity of Natures in Christ appears in that he was truly God and truly Man To us a Child is born saith the Prophet there is a Nature humane and he shall be called the Mighty God there is a Nature divine God sent his Son saith the Apostle therefore truly God and this Son made of a Woman therefore truly Man one would have thought this truth would never have come into controversie in our days but these are the last days and that may take off the wonder In the last days shall come perillous times 2 Tim. 3.1 Men shall resist the Truth c. In the last days I know there will be abundance of Truth revealed Zech. 12.8 The Knowledg of the Lorâ— shall be as the waters that cover the Sea and every Child shall be as David And the Book that was sealed must be opened Dan 12.4 and knowledg shaall be increased but Satan even then will be busie to sow his Tares as God is in sowing of his Wheat then is Satan active to communicate errors when he sees God begin to discover truths he hopes in the heat of the Market to vent his own wares and I believe this is one reason why now the Devil sets on foot so many dangerous errors that so he may prejudice the hearts of God's People in the receiving and entertaining of many Glorious truths But that we may not pass over such a Fundamental Error as this some saying with Martian that he is God but not man and others with Arrius that he is man but not God I shall therefore confirm this truth of the two Natures of Christ against the Adversaries of both sides And 1. That Christ is true God both apparent scriptures and unanswerable Reasons drawn from scriptures do plainly evince 1. The scriptures call him God In the beginning was the word and the word was with God Dan. 12.4 John 1.1 Heb. 1.8 John 20 28. Acts. 20.8 1 John 3.16 1 John 5.20 1 Tim. 3.16 and the word was God And unto the son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God and take heed to your selves and to all the flock To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood And hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his life for
everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7.27 Yet his end shall be and he shall have nothing Dan. 9.26 Thus all along from his Cratch to his Cross sweet Savours but sowr Grapes at last indeed the Grapes grew to a ripeness and then he was pressed and his dearest heart-blood run out in abundant streams this was the sweet juice of our Garden-Vine God planted it the Heavens Water it the Jews prune it what remains now but that we abide in it but of that when we come to the Directions how we are to look SECT VII Of some Consequents after Christ's Birth SOme Consequents after the Birth of Christ may be touched whilest yet he was but a Child of twelve years old As 1. When he was but eight dayes old he was Circumcised and named Jesus As there was shame in his Birth so there was pain in his Circumcision a sharp Razor paseth through his skin presently after he is born not that he needed this Ceremony but that for us he was content to be legally impure In this early humiliation he plainly discovers the Riches of his Grace now he sheds his Blood in drops and thereby gives an earnest of those Rivers which he afterwards poured out for the cleansing of our Nature and extinguishing the wrath of God and for a further discovery of his Grace at this time his Name is given him which was Jesus This is the name which we should engrave in our hearts rest our Faith on and place our help in and love with the overflowings of Charity and Joy and Adoration above all things we had need of a Jesus a Saviour for our Souls and from our sins and from the everlasting destruction which sin will otherwise bring upon our Souls hence this Name Jesus and this Sign Circumcision are joined together for by the effusion of his blood he was to be our Jesus our Saviour Without shedding of Blood is no remission of Sins no Salvation of Souls Heb. 9.22 Rom. 4.11 Circumcision was the Seal and now was it that our Jesus was under God's Great Seal to take his Office We have heard how he carried on the great Work of our Salvation from Eternity this very Name and Office of Jesus a Saviour was resolved on in Gods fore-councel and given forth from the beginning and we have heard of late how it was promised and foretold by an Angel John 6.27 but now it is Signed and Sealed with an absolute Commission and fulness of Power Him hath God the Father fealed John 6.27 It is his Office and his very profession to save that all may repair unto him to that end Mat. 11.28 John 6.37 John 4.42 Come unto me all ye that are weary and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out in which respect he is called the Saviour of the world i.e. of Samaritans Jewes Gentiles Kings Shepherds and of all sorts of men 2. When he was forty daies old he was brought to Jerusalem and presented to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord every Male that openeth the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord. O wonder there was no impurity in the Son of God and yet he is first circumcised and then he is brought and offered to the Lord Luke 2.22 23 he that came to be sin for us would in our Persons be legally unclean that by satisfying the Law he might take away our uncleanness he that was above the Law would come under the Law that he might free us from the Law we are all born sinners but O the unspeakable Mercy of our Jesus that provides a remedy as early as our sin first he is conceived and then he is born to sanctifie our Conceptions and our Births and after his Birth he is first Circumcised and then he is presented to the Lord that by two holy acts that which was naturally unholy might be hallowed unto God Christ hath not left our very Infancy without redress but by himself thus offered he cleanseth us presently from our filthiness Now is Christ brought in his Mothers Arms to his own House the Temple and as Man he is presented to himself as God O how Glorious did that Temple seem now the Owner was within the walls of it Now was the Hour and Guest come in regard whereof the second Temple should surpass the first this was the House built for him and dedicated to him there had he dwelt long in his Typical presence nothing was done there whereby he was not resembled and now the body of these shadows is come and presents himself where he had ever been represented You will say what is this to me or to my Soul O yes Jerusalem is now every where there is no Church-Assembly no Christian heart which is not a Temple of the Living God and there is no Temple of God wherein Christ is not presented to his Father Thus we have the benefit of Christ's fulfilling the Law of Righteousness God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law that he might redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 3.4 5. It is as if the Father should have said to Christ Come my dear Son here are certain Malefactors under the Law to suffer and to be executed what say you to them Why I will become under the Law saith Christ I will take upon me their Execution and suffer for them and to this purpose he is first circumcised and then he is presented to the Lord. 3. When he was yet under one year old as some or about two as others he fled into Egypt As there was no room for him in Bethlehem so now there is no room for him in all Judea no sooner he came to his own but he must fly from them what a wonder is this Could not Christ have quit himself from Herod a thousand wayes what could an Arm of flesh have done against the God of Spirits had Jesus been of the spirit of some of his Disciples he might have commanded fire from Heaven on those that should have come to have apprehended him but hereby he taught us to bear the yoke even in our youth thus would he suffer that he might sanctifie to us our early afflictions he flies into Egypt the slaughter-house of Gods People the sink of the world the surnace of Israel's ancient afflictions what a change is here Israel the first-born of God â—lie out of Egypt into Judea and Christ the first-born of all Creatures flies out of Judea into Egypt Euseb de demonst l. 6. c. 20. Eusebius reports that the Child Jesus arriving in Egypt and being by design carried into a Temple all the Statutes of the Idol-Gods fell down like Dagon at the presence of the Ark and to this purpose he cites Isaiah's Prophesie Behold the Lord shall come into Egypt and the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence Now is Egypt become the Sanctuary and Judea
the inquisition-house of the Son of God surely he that is every where the same Isa 19.1 knows how to make all places alike to his he knows how to preserve Daniel in the Lions den the three Children in a fiery furnace Jonah in a Whales belly and Christ in the midst of Egypt 4. When he was now some five years old say some or but two years and a quarter old say others an Angel appears again in a Dream to Joseph saying Arise and take the young Child and his Mother Mat. 2.19 20. and return again into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young Childs Life Herod that took away the lives of all the Infants in or about Bethlehem is now himself dead and gone to his own place and by this meanes the Coast is clear for the return of that holy Family O the wonderful dispensation of Christ in concealing of himself from men all this while he carries himself as an Infant and though he know all things yet he neither takes nor gives any notice of his removal or disposing but appoints that to be done by his Angel which the Angel could not have done but by him As Christ was pleased to take upon him our Nature so in our Nature he was pleased to be a perfect Child for that is the word take the young Child and his Mother he supprest the manifestation and exercise of that Godhead whereto the Infant-nature was conjoyned as the Birth of Christ so the infancy of Christ was exceeding humble Oh how should we magnifie him or deject our selves for him who himself became thus humble for our sakes 5. When he was twelve years old he with his Parents go up to Jerusalem after the custom of the Feast Luke 2.42 V. 46. This pious act of his younger years intends to lead our first years into timely devotion but I shall not insist on that I would rather observe him sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions whilest the Children of his age were a playing in the streets he is found of his parents sitting in the Temple not to gaze on the outward glory of that house of the Golden Candlesticks or Tables or Cherubims or the Pillars or the Molten Sea or the Altar of Gold or the Vessels of pure Gold no no but to hear and oppose the Doctors He who as God gave them all the Wisdom they had doth now as the Son of man hearken to the Wisdom he had given them and when he had heard then he asks and after that no doubt he answers his very questions were instructions for I cannot think that he meant so much to learn as to teach those Doctors of Israel Surely these Rabbins had never heard the voice of such a Tutor they could not but see the very Wisdom of God in this Child V. 47. and therefore saith the Text they all wonder or they were all astonished at his understanding and answers their eyes saw nothing but a Child but their ears heard the wonderfull things of Gods Law betwixt what they saw and what they heard they could not but be distracted and amazed But why did ye not O ye Jewish teachers remember now the Star and the Sages and the Angels and the Shepherds why did ye not now bethink your selves of Herod and of his enquiry and of your answer that in Bethlehem of Judea Christ should be born You cited the prophets and why did you not mind that Prophesie now Isa 56. that unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Fruitless is the wonder that endeth not in Faith no Light is sufficient where the eyes were held through unbelief and prejudice 6. After this from twelve to the thirtieth year of his Age we read nothing of the Acts of Christ Luke 2.51 but that he went down with his Parents unto Nazareth and was subject to them as he went up to Jerusalem to Worship God and in some sort to shew himself God so now he goes down to Nazareth to attend his particular Calling Luke 2.51 This is the meaning of those words and he was subject to them Christs subjection to his Parents extends to the profession and exercise of his life certainly Christ was not all that time from twelve to thirty years idle as he was educated by his Parents so of his reputed Father he learnt to be a Carpenter this I take it is plain in these words Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6.3 the Son of Mary It appears say our English Annotations that Christ exercised that Trade in his younger years I know Matthew renders it thus Mat. 13.55 Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his Mother called Mary But Mark thus is not this the Carpenter c. Some comment thus that while Joseph was alive Christ wrought with him in the Trade of a Carpenter and when Joseph died which happened before the manifestation of Jesus unto Israel he wrought alone and was no more called the Carpenters Son but the Carpenter himself here 's comfort for men of the meanest Callings as Husbandry was honoured in the Person and Condition of the first Adam before his Fall so now the Handicraft O the Poverty Humility Severity of Jesus it appears at this time especially in his Labouring Working Hewing of Wood or the like here 's a sharp reproof to all those that spend their time in idleness or without a particular Calling that take no pains at all unless in pursuit after Vain Foolish Superfluous Sinful things what are they wiser than Christ Our Jesus would not by any means thus spend his time Indeed for the while he did nothing famous or of publick note Nihil faciendo fecit magnificn but neither was this without a Mystery In doing nothing Publick saith one He atchieved great and sumptuous and praise-worthy acts There is a season and time to every purpose under heaven as there is a time of silence and a time to speak so there is a time for publick and a time for private Negotiations as yet Christ conceals his virtues and conforms himself to the conversation of men that the Mystery of his Incarnation might not be thought a Phantasme then he would have his Virtues and Graces to shine out when men usually come to their vigour and strength both of body and mind And besides as it was said of a Divine that he would never Preach a Sermon but he would first endeavour to practise it himself Mr. Bolton Mat. 11.29 Acts 1.1 so I am sure did Christ he would not teach the World saying Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart but first he would practice first do then teach as Luke tells Theophilus he had writ all that Jesus began both to do and teach But concerning this time of
his youth because in Scripture there is so deep a silence I shall therefore pass it by Thus far have I propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in his first coming or incarnation whiles yet a Child of twelve years old Our next Work is to direct you in the Art or Mystery how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great Work of our Salvation in his Birth WHat Looking comprehends you have heard before And that we may have an inward experimental look on him whom our souls pant after let us practise all these Particulars As 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Coming or Incarnation Come let us learn what he did for us when he came amongst us There is not one Passage in his first appearing but it is of mighty concernment unto us Is it possible that the great God of Heaven and Earth should so infinitely condescend as we have heard but on some great Design And what Design could there be but only his Glory and the Creatures good O my Soul If thou hast any interest in Christ all this concerns thee the Lord Jesus in these very transactions had an eye to thee he was Incarnate for thee he was conceived and born for thee look not on these things as Notionals or Generals look not on the bare history of things for that is but unprofitable the main duty is in eying the end the meaning and intent of Christ and especially as it relates to thee not to others but to thy self Alas what comfort were it to a poor prisoner if he should hear that the King or Prince of his meer grace and love visited all the Prisoners in this and that Dungeon and that he made a Goal-delivery and set all free but he never came near the Place where he poor wretch lies bound in Fetters and cold Irons or suppose he gives a visit to that very man and offers him the tenders of Grace and Freedom if he will but accept of it and because of his waywardness Perswades Intreats Commands him to come out and take his liberty and yet he will not regard or apply it to himself what comfort can he have what fruit what benefit shall he receive Dear soul this is thy case if thou art not in Christ if thou hadst not heard the Offer and embraced and closed with it then what is Christ's Incarnation Conception Nativity unto thee Come learn not meerly as a Scholar to gain some notional-knowledge but as a Christian as one that feels virtue coming out of Christ in every of these respects Study close this great transaction in reference to thy self I know not how it happâ—ns whether out of the generality of some Preachers handling this Subject or whether out of the Superstition of the time wherein it usually hath been handled it either savours not with some Christans or it is seldom thought of by the most O God forbid we throw out of the doors such a blessed necessary truth If rightly applied it is a Christians joy Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all People for unto you is born in the City of David Luk. 2.10 11. a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Sure the Birth of Christ is of mighty concernment unto thee Isa 9.6 unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given there is not any piece of this transaction but it is of special use and worth thy pains How many break their brains and waste their Spirits in studying Arts and Sciences things in comparison of no value whereas Paul otherwise determined not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ To know Jesus Christ in every piece and point 1 Cor. 2.2 whether in Birth or Life or Death it is saving knowledge O stand not upon Cost whether Pains or Study Tears or Prayers Peace or Wealth Goods or Name Life or Liberty sell all for this Pearl Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over-buy him though thou gavest thy self and all the World for him the study of Christ is the study of studies the knowledge of Christ is the knowledge of every thing that is necessary either for this World or for the World to come O study Christ in every of the foresaid respects SECT II. Considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this great work of our Salvation at his first Coming or Incarnation It is not enough to study and know these great Mysteries but according to the Measure of Knowledge we have we must Muse Meditate Ponder and Consider of them Now this Consideration brings Christ nearer and closer to the soul Consideration gathers up all the long fore-passed Acts and Monuments of Christ and finds a deal of sweetness and power to come flowing from them Consideration fastens Christ more strongly to the Soul and as it were rivets the Soul to Jesus Christ and fastens him in the heart A soul that truly considers and meditates of Christ thinks and talkes of nothing else but Christ Prov. 4.13 it takes hold and will not let him go I will keep to thee saith the soul in meditation for thou art my life Why thus O my Soul consider thou of Christ and of what he did for thee when he was incarnate and that thou maist not confound thy self in thy meditations consider a part of these particulars As 1. Consider Jesus in his Fore-runner and the blessed tidings of his coming in the flesh now the long-looked for time drew near a glorious Angel is sent from Heaven and he comes with an Olive-branch of peace first he presents himself to Zachary and then to Mary to her he imparts the Message on which God sent him into this neather World Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus Luke 1.31 Till now Humane Nature was less than that of Angels but by the Incarnation of the Word it was to be exalted above the Cherubims What sweet News What blessed Tidings was this Message The Decree of old must now be accomplished and an Angel proclaims it upon Earth hear O ye Sons of Adam this concerns you as much as the Virgin Were ye not all undone in the Loins of your first Father Was not my Soul and thy Soul in danger of Hell-fire was not this our case and condition that after a little life upon Earth we should have been thrown into eternal torments where had been nothing but Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth And now that God and Christ should bid an Angel tell the News Ye shall not die lo here a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and he shall be your Jesus he shall save you from this Hell and Death and Sin he shall deliver your Souls he shall save you to the utmost his Name is
enjoyments for never was Christ so enjoyed in this life but thou hast cause to desire yet more of Christ It is worth thy observation that Spiritual desires after Christ do neither load nor cloy the heart but rather open and enlarge it for more and more Who was better acquainted with God than Moses Exod. 33.18 Phil. 1.23 and yet Who was more importunate to know him better I beseech thee shew me thy glory And Who was more acquainted with Christ than Paul and yet who was more importunate to be with him nearer I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Further and further union with Christ and communion with Christ are most desirable things and are not these the fruits of his incarnation the effects of his hypostatical personal union more and more peace and love and reconciliation betwixt God and us are desirable things and are not these the fruits of Christs birth the effects of his budding out of the earth was it not then That Righteousness looked down from Heaven That Mercy and Truth met together and Righteousness and Peace kissed each other an higher degree of holiness sanctification likeness to God and Christ are desirable things and are not these the fruits of his circumcision and presentation to the Lord the effects of all those consequents that follow after his birth Come Soul and stir up thy desires true desires are not wavering and dull but resolute and full of quickness observe how the nature of true desires in Scripture is set forth by the most pathetical and strong similitudes of Hunger and Thirst and those not common neither but by The panting of a tyred Hart after the rivers of waters and by the gaping of dry ground after some seasonable showers O then How is it that the passages of thy desires are so narrow and almost shut up Nay How is it that thy vessels are so full of contrary qualities that there is scarce any room in thy Soul for Christ and all his Train Will not the desires of the Patriarchs witness against thee How cryed they after Christs coming in the Flesh Bow the Heavens O Lord and come down Psal 144.5 Psal 144.5 Oh that Thou wouldest rent the Heavens that Thou wouldest come down Isa 64.1 Isa 64.1 Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness let the Earth open and bring forth Salvation Isa 45.8 Isa 45.8 Is it possible that their desires should be more vehement after Christ than ours They lived on the dark-side of the cloud but we on the bright-side the vail was upon their hearts which vail is done away in Christ they saw Christ afar off and their sight was very dim and dark But we all with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 One would think the less any thing is known the less it should be desired O my soul either thou art more ignorant of Christ than the Patriarchs of old or thy heart is more out of frame than theirs suspect the latter and blame thy heart it may be thy turpid and sluggish nature hath layed thy desires asleep if an hungry man will sleep his hunger will sleep with him But O stir up and awake thy desires Present before them that glorious object the incarnation of Jesus Christ it is an object which the very Angels desire to look into and Art not thou more concern'd in it than the Angels is not the fruit of the incarnation thine more especially thine Come then stir up those motions of thy appetite by which the soul darts it self towards the absent good draw nearer and nearer till thou comest to union and enjoyment cry after Christ Judg. 5.28 Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why tarry the Wheeles of his Chariots SECT IV. Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect 4. LEt us Hope in Jesus carrying on the great Work of our Salvation at his first coming or incarnation Only here remember I speak not of every hope but only of such an hope as is grounded on some certainty and knowledge This is the main question whether Christs incarnation belongs unto me the Prophet tells us that Vnto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given Isa 9.6 But how may I Hope that this Child is born to me and that this Son is given to me what ground for that Out of these words of the Prophet I shall draw a double Evidence which may be instead of all our first Evidence from the former words Vnto us a Child is born our second Evidence from the latter words unto us a Son is given 1. From the former words I lay down this position unto us a Child is born if we are new born the surest way to know our interest in the birth of Christ it is to know Christ born in us or formed in us Gal. 4.19 as the Apostle speaks The new birth is the effect of Christs birth and a sure sign that Christ is born to us Say then O my soul Art thou born anew is there in thee a new nature a new principle is the Image of God and of Christ in thy soul so the Apostle stiles it 1 Cor. 15.59 the bearing of the Image of the heavenly why then was Christ incarnate for thee if thy new birth be not clear enough thou may'st try it further by these following rules 1. Where this new birth is there is new desires new comforts new contentments Sometimes with the prodigal thou wast content with husks but now nothing will satisfie thee but thy Fathers mansion and thy Fathers feasts sometimes thou mindest only earthly things but now the favour of God the light of his countenance society with him and enjoying of him are thy chief desires This is a good sign David's heart and flesh Psal 84.2 and all breathed after God My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Men truly regenerate do not judge it so happy to be wealthy great and honoured in the world as to have the light of Gods favour shine upon them O my soul dost thou see the glory of the world and thou fallest down to worship it dost thou say in the increase of worldly comfort it is good to be here Then fear thy self but if these things compared with Christ are vain and light and of poor and mean esteem then hope well and be assured that thou art born again and that Christ is formed in thee 2. Where this new birth is there is new words new works new affections a new conversation 2 Cor. 5.17 Acts 9.11 1 Cor. 6.11 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new Paul once a persecutor but Behold now he prayeth And Such were some of you but now ye are washed now ye are sanctified now ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by
the Spirit of our God As every man is so is he affected so he speaks and so he lives if thy life be supernatural so is thy affections so is thy words so is thy conversation Paul lived a life once of a bloody persecutor he breathed out threatenings against all the Professors of the Lord Jesus but now it is otherwise The life which I now live in the flesh Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me O my soul Hast thou the old conversation the old affections the old discourse the old passions thou used to have What Is thy heart a den of lusts a cage of unclean imaginations Then fear thy self there cannot from a sweet fountain come forth bitter streams there cannot from a refined spirit as refined come forth corrupted actions or imaginations a Thorn cannot send forth Grapes saith Christ so neither can a Vine send forth Thornes say we I know there is in the best something of flesh as well as of the spirit but if thou art new born then thou canst not but strive against it and wilt endeavour to conquer it 1 Pet. 3.4 2 Pet. 1.4 Rom. 7.22 2 Cor. 5.17 3. Where this new birth is there is a new nature a new principle Peter calls it the hidden man of the heart the divine nature Paul calls it the inward man the new creature it is compared to a root to a fountain to a foundation and for want of this foundation we see now in these sad times so much inconstancy and unsetledness in some professors themselves many have gotten new and strange notions but they have not new natures new principles of grace if grace were but rooted in their hearts though the winds did blow and storms arise they would continue firm and stable as being founded upon a Rock Never tell me of profession shew outward action outward conversation outward duties of Religion all this may be and yet no new creature you have some bruits that can act many things like men but because they have not an humane nature they are still brutish so many things may be done in a way of holiness which yet come not from this inward principle of renovation and therefore it is but copper and not gold mistake not O my soul in this which is thy best and surest evidence though I call the new birth a new creature my meaning is not as if a new faculty were infused into him that is new born a man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before his regeneration only in the work of regeneration those ablities which the man had before are now improved and made spiritual and so they work now spiritually which before wrought naturally As in the resurrection from the dead our bodies shall have no more nor other parts and members than they had before only those parts and members which now are natural shall then by the power of God be made spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body so the same faculties and the same abilities which before regeneration were but natural are now spiritual and work spiritually they are all brought under the government of the Spirit of Christ a lively resemblance of this change in the faculties of the soul we may discern in those natural and sensitive faculties which we have common with beasts as to live to move to desire to feel the beasts having no higher principle than sense use them sensually but a man enjoying the same faculties under the command of a reasonable soul he useth them rationally so is it in a regenerate man his understanding will and affections when they had no other command but reason he only used them rationally but now being under the guiding of the Spirit of Christ they work spiritually and he useth them spiritually and hence it is that a regenerate man is every where in Scripture Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.18 25. said to Walk after the Spirit to be led by the Spirit to walk in the Spirit the Spirit by way of infusing or shedding gives power an ability a seed a principle of spiritual life which the soul had not before and from this principle of spiritual life planted in the Soul flows or springs those spiritual motions and operations as the Spirit leads them out according to the habit or principle of the new creature the divine nature the spiritual life infused Come then look to it O my soul What is thy principle within consider not so much the outward actions the outward duties of Religion as that root from whence they grow that principle from whence they come they are fixed ones setled ones by way of life in thee Clocks have their motions but they are not motions of life because they have no principles of life within Is there life within then art thou born again yea even unto thee a Child is born This is one evidence 2. From the latter words I lay down this position unto us a Son is given if we are Gods Sons The best way to know our Interest in the Son of God it is to know our selves to be Gods Sons by grace as Christ was Gods Son by nature Christians to whom Christ is given are coheirs with Christ only Christ is the first-born and hath the preheminence in all things our sonship is an effect of Christs sonship and a sure sign that unto us a Son is given Say then O my soul Art thou a Son of God Dost thou resemble God according to thy capacity being holy even as he is holy Why then Christ was incarnate for thee he was given to thee If thy sonship be not clear enough thou mayst try it further by these following Rules 1. The Sons of God Fear God If I be a Father Where is my Honour Mal. 1.6 saith God if I be a Master Where is my Fear If I be a Son of God there will be an holy Fear and Trembling upon me in all my approaches unto God I know there is a servile mercinary Fear and that is unworthy and unbeseeming the Son of God but there is a filial Fear and that is an excellent check and bridle to all our wantonness What Son will not Fear the frowns and anger of his loving Father 1 Pet. 1.17 I dare not do this will he say my Father will be offended and I whether shall I go Agreeable to this is the Apostles advice If ye call on the Father pass your sojourning here with Fear 2. The Sons of God Love God and Obey God out of a principle of Love Suppose there were no Heaven or Glory to bestow upon a regenerate person yet would he Obey God out of a principle of Love not that it is unlawful for the Child of God to have an Eye unto the recompence of reward Heb.
11.26 Moses reason of esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of Egypt was for that he had respect unto the recompence of reward he had respect in the original he had a fixed intent Eye there was in him a Love of the reward and yet withal a Love of God and therefore his Love of the reward was not mercinary but this I say though there were no reward at all a Child of God hath such a principle of Love within him that for Loves sake he would Obey his God he is led by the Spirit and therefore he Obeys now the Spirit that leads him is a Spirit of Love and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 3. The Sons of God imitate God in his Love and Goodness to all Men. Our Saviour amplifies this excellent property of God He causeth his Sun to shine upon good and bad and thence he concludeth Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 Goodness to bad men is the highest degree of Grace and as it were the perfection of all O my Soul Canst thou imitate God in this Consider how thy Father bears it though the wicked provoke him day by day yet for all that he doth not quickly revenge vengeance indeed is only his and he may in justice do what he will that way and 't is the opinion of some that if the most patient man in the world should but sit in Gods Throne one day and see and observe the doings and miscarriges of the Sons of Men he would quickly set all the World on Fire yet God seeth all and for all that He doth not make the Earth presently to gape and devour us He puts not out the glorious Light of the Sun He doth not dissolve the Work of Creation He doth not for Mans Sin presently blast every thing into Dust What an excellent pattern is this for thee to Write after Canst thou but forgive thy Enemies Do well to them that do evil to thee O this is a sure sign of Grace and Sonship It is storyed of some Heathens who beating a Christian almost to Death asked him What great matter Christ did ever do for him Even this said the Christian That I can forgive you though you use me thus cruelly here was a Child of God indeed It is a sweet resemblance of our Father and of our Saviour Jesus Christ to Love our Enemies to Bless them that Curse us to do Good unto them that Hate us to Pray for them that Despitefully use us and Persecute us O my Soul look to this 5.44 consult this ground of Hope if this Law be written in thy Heart write it down amongst thy Evidences that thou art Gods Son yea that even unto thee a Son is given To Review the Grounds What is a Child born to me and a Son given to me What am I indeed new born am I indeed Gods Son or Daughter do I upon the search find in my Soul new desires new comforts new contentments What are my words my works and affections and conversation new is there in me a new nature a new principle hath the Spirit by way of infusing or shedding given me a new Power a new Ability a Seed of Spiritual Life which I had not before do I upon the search find that I fear God and love God and imitate God in some good measure in his love and goodness towards all Men can I indeed and really forgive an Enemy and according to opportunity and my ability do good unto them that do evil unto me Why should I not then confidently and comfortably hope that I have my share and interest in the birth of Christ in the blessed incarnation and conception of Jesus Christ Away away all despair and dejections and despondencies of Spirit If these be my grounds of Hope it is time to hold up head and heart and hands and all with cheerfulness and confidence and to say with the Spouse I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine SECT V. Of Believing in Jesus in that Respect 5. LEt us Believe on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation at his first coming or incarnation I know many staggerings are oft in Christians What is it likely that Christ should be incarnate for me That such a God should do such a thing for such a sinful woful abominable wretch as I am Ah my Soul put thy propriety in Christs incarnation out of dispute that thou mayst be able to say As God was manifest in the flesh and I may not doubt it so God is manifest in me and I dare not deny it But to help the Soul in this choice Duty I shall first propose the hinderances of Faith 2. The helps of Faith in this Respect 3. The manner how to act our Faith 4. The encouragements to bring on the soul to believe its part in this blessed incarnation of Jesus Christ For the first there are but three things that can hinder Faith As 1. The exceeding unworthiness of the soul and to this purpose are those complaints What Christ incarnate for me for such a dead Dog as I am What King would dethrone himself and become a Toad to save Toades and am not I at a greater distance from God than a Toad is from me hath not sin made my soul more ugly in Gods Eye than any loathsome Toad can be in my Eye O I am less than the least of all Gods Mercies I am fitter for Hell and Devils than for Vnion and Communion with God and Christ I dare not I cannot Believe 2. The infinite exactness of divine justice which must be satisfied a soul deeply and seriously considering of this it startles thereat and cries O what will become of my soul one of the least sins that I stand Guilty of deserves Death and eternal Wrath The wages of sin is death and I cannot satisfie though I have trespassed to many millions of talents I have not one mite of mine own to pay O then how should I believe What thoughts can I entertain of Gods Mercy and Love to me-ward God's Law condemns me my own Conscience accuseth me and Justice will have its due 3. The want of a Mediator or some suitable Person which may stand between the Sinner and God If on my part there be unworthiness and on Gods part exact and strict and severe Justice and withall I see no Mediator which I may go unto and first close withall before I deal with the infinite glory of God himself how should I but despair and cry out O wretched man that I am O that I had never been or if I must needs have a being Oh that I had been a toad or serpent or any venomous creature rather than a man for when they dye they perish and there 's an end of them but the end of a reprobate sinner is torments without end O wo and alas I cannot believe
there 's no room for faith in this case these are the hinderances 2. The helps of faith in this sad condition are these 1. A consideration that God is pleased to pass by and to overlook the unworthiness of his poor creatures this we see plain in the very act of his incarnation himself disdains not to be as his poor creatures to wear their own flesh to take upon him humane nature and in all things to become like unto man sin only excepted 2. A consideration that God satisfies Justice by setting up Christ who is Justice it self now was it that mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other now was it that free grace and merit that fulness and nothingness were made one now was it that all things became nothing and nothing all things our nature which lay in rags was enriched with the unsearchable treasures of glory now was it that God was made flesh and so that flesh which was so weak as not able to save its own life was now enabled to save millions of souls and to bring forth the greatest designs of God now was it that truth ran to mercy and embraced her and righteousness to peace and kissed her in Christ they meet yea in him was the infinite exactness of God's Justice satisfied 3. A consideration that God hath set up Christ as a Mediator that he was incarnate in order to reconciliation and salvation of souls but for the accomplishment of this design Christ had never been incarnate the very end of his uniting flesh unto him was in order to the reconciliation of us poor souls alas we had sinned and by sin deserved everlasting damnation but to save us and to satisfie himself God takes our nature and joyns it to his Son and calls that Christ a Saviour This is the Gospel-notion of Christ for what is Christ but God himself in our nature transacting our peace In this Christ is that fulness and righteousness and love and bowels to receive the first acts of our faith and to have immediate union and communion with us indeed we pitch not our faith first or immediately on God himself yet at last we come to him and our faith lives in God as one saith sweetly before it is aware through the sweet intervention of that person which is God himself only called by another name the Lord Jesus Christ and these are the helps of faith in reference to our unworthiness Gods justice and the want of a Mediator betwixt God and us 3. The manner how to act our faith on Christ incarnate is this 1. Faith must directly go to Christ we find indeed in the Bible some particular promises of this and that grace and in proper speaking the way to live by faith it is to live upon the promises in the want of the thing or to apprehend the thing it self contained in the promise but the promises are not given to the elect immediately without Christ no no first Christ and then all other things Encline your ears and come unto me 1. Come unto Christ and then I will make an everlasting Covenant which contains all the promises even the sure Mercies of David As in marriage the woman first consents to have the man and then all the benefits that necessarily follow so the soul by faith first pitcheth upon Christ himself and then on the priviledges that flow from Christ Say Soul dost thou want any temporal Blessing suppose it be the payment of Debts thy dayly Bread Health c. Why look now through the Scripture for promises of these things and let thy faith act thus If God hath given me Christ the greatest blessing then certainly he will give me all these things so far as they may be for my good in the twenty thirst Psalm we find a bundle of promises but he begins thus The Lord is my Shepherd saith David and what then Therefore I shall not want the believing Patriarchs through faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stoped the mouths of Lyons did wonders in the world but what did they chiefly look to in this their Faith Surely to the promise to come and to that better thing Christ himself and therefore the Apostle concludes having such a cloud of witnesses that thus lived and died by faith let us look unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith 2. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in our flesh some think it a carnal apprehension of Jesus Christ to know him as in flesh I confess to know him only so and absolutely so to consider Jesus no other way but as having flesh and going up and down in weakness it is no better than a carnal apprehension but to consider Christ as God in flesh and to consider that flesh as acted by God and filled with God it is not a carnal but a true and spiritual apprehension of Jesus Christ and hither is faith to be directed immediately and in the first place suppose a case of danger by some enemies and I find a promise of protection from my enemies I look on that but in the first place thus I argue if the Lord hath given me Christ God in the flesh to save me from Hell then much more will he save me from these fleshly enemies Thus Juda had a promise that Syria should not prevail against Judah they doubted of this Isa 7.14 but how doth the Lord seek to assure them why thus a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and his name shall be Immanuel this seems a strong reason to flesh and blood I knew one turn Infidel and to deny Jesus Christ upon this very argument Ah thought he what a grand imposture is this that Christ's conception and Christ's birth many years after should be a present sign of ruin of Rezin King of Aram and of the preservation of Ahaz King of Judah alas poor soul he was not acquainted with this art of living by faith he might have seen the very same reason elsewhere the yoke of their burthen Isa 9.4 6. and the stuff of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressor shall be broken for unto us a child is born and unto us a Son is given if their faith had not first respected Christ incarnate they could never have expected any temporal deliverance by that promise of deliverance first laid down But in this way they might and so may we You will say what 's this to us they looked for Christ to come in the flesh but now he is come and that time and design is gone and past many a year since I answer no the time is gone but the design is not Christ remains God in the flesh to this very day he came not as once to manifest himself in flesh to satisfie Gods justice in the flesh for sin and so to lay it down again that flesh remains and shall remain nor is it without use for all the spirit and life which the
glorious but to shew that he will by that make thee glorious also Christ is the great Epitome of all the designs of God so that in him thou mayest see what thou art designed unto and how high and rich thou shalt be in the other world Beloved now are we the Sons of God 1 John 3.2 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him he is now like us but then saith the Apostle we shall be like unto him Phil. 3.21 he will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious body Oh consider what a frame of eternal comfort may we raise up from this ground of Christ incarnate God in the flesh 5. God in the flesh is the first opening of his eternal plot to do us good the Seed of the woman was the first word of comfort that ever was heard in the world after man was fallen the Plot was of old but the execution was not till after the Creation and then was a dim discovery of it even in the beginning of time though no clear manifestation till the fulness of time Well take it as we please whether in the beginning of time or in the fulness of time whether in the promise or in performance this discovering of Christ incarnate is the first opening of all Gods heart and Glory unto the Sons of men and from this we may raise a world of comfort for if God in the execution of his Decrees begins so gloriously how will he end if God be so full of love as to come down in flesh now in this world Oh what matter of hope is laid up before us of what God will be to us in that world to come if the Glory of God be let out to our souls so fully at first what Glorious openings of all the Glory of God will be let out to our souls at last Christians what do you think will God do with us or bring us unto when we shall be with him in heaven you see now he is manifested in flesh and he hath laid out a world of Glory in that but the Apostle tells us of another manifestation for we shall see him as he is he shall at last be manifest in himself 1 John 3.2 now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now we know in part but then we shall know even as also we are known To what an height of knowledg or manifestation this doth arise I am now to seek and so I must be whilst I am on this side Heaven but this I believe the manifestation of God and Christ is more in Heaven than is or ever hath been or ever shall be upon earth thine eyes shall see the King in his Beauty Isa 33.17 or in his Glory saith Esay there is a great deal of difference betwixt seeing the King in his ordinary and seeing him in his Robes and upon his Throne with his Crown on his head and his Scepter in his hand and his Nobles about him in all his Glory the first openings of Christ are glorious but O what will it be to see him in his greatest Glory that ever he will manifest himself in we usually say that workmen do their meanest work at first and if the Glorious incarnation of Christ be but the beginning of Gods works in reference to our souls salvation what are those last works O my soul weigh all these passages and make an application of them to thy self and then tell me if yet thou hast not matter enough to raise up thy heart and to fill it with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Mat. 2.10 when the wise men saw but the Star of Christ they rejoyced with an exceeding great joy how much more when they saw Christ himself Your Father Abraham said Christ to the Jews rejoyced to see my day John 8 5â— and he saw it and was glad he saw it indeed but afar of with the eyes of Faith they afore Christ had the promise but we see the performance how then should we rejoyce how glad shouldst thou be O my Soul at the sight and effect of Christs Incarnation if John the Baptist could leap for joy in his Mothers belly when Christ was but yet in the womb how should thy heart leap for joy who canst say with the Prophet Luke 2.28 unto me a Child is born and unto me a Son is given if Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel took him up in his arms for joy and blessed God how shouldst thou with joy embrace him with both arms who knowest his coming in the flesh and who hast heard him come in the Gospel in the richest and most alluring expressions of his Love If the Angels of God yea if multitudes of Angels could sing for joy at his Birth Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men how much more shouldest thou whom it concerns more than the Angels join with them in consort and sing for joy this joyful song of good will towards men Awake awake O my Soul awake awake uttter a Song tell over these passages that God is come down into the world that God is come down in flesh that God is come down in flesh in order to thy reconciliation that God is come down in the likeness of man that he may bring thee up into the likeness of God and that all these are but the first openings of the Grace and goodness and Glory of God in Christ unto thy Soul and Oh what work will these make in thy Soul if the Spirit come in who is the comforter SECT VIII Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus Now this calling on Jesus contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus at his first coming or incarnation may be ours and is not here encouragement for our Prayers If we observe it this very point of Christs Incarnation opens a door of rich entrance into the presence of God we may call it a blessed Portal into Heaven b. 10. 20. not of Iron or Brass but of our own flesh this is that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his flesh with what boldness and freeness may we now enter into the Holiest and draw near unto the Throne of Grace why Christ is incarnate God is come down in the flesh though his Deity may confound us if we should immediately and solely apply our selves unto it yet his humanity comforts our faint and feeble souls God in his humility animates our souls to come unto him and to seek of him whatsoever is needful for us Go then to Christ away away O my soul to Jesus or to God the Father in and through Jesus and O desire that the
be one with him in a spiritual holy and a mystical union if God be not in our persons as truely though not as fully as in our nature we have no particular comfort from this design of his personal hypostatical and wonderful union 6. Christ was born so must we be new-born to this I have spoken when I laid it down as an evidence that unto us a Child is born and unto us a son is given only one word more we must be new born as once born by nature so new born by Grace there must be some resemblances in us of Christ born amongst us As 1. Christ born had a Father in Heaven and a Mother on Earth so in our new Birth we must look on God as our Father in Heaven and on the Church as our Mother on Earth it was usually said out of the Church no salvation and to this the Apostle alludes Jerusalem which is above is free Gal. 4.26 which is the Mother of us all indeed out of the Church there is no means of Salvation no Word to teach no Sacraments to confirm nothing at all to hold forth Christ to a soul and without Christ how should there be the Salvation of souls â—o that we must look on the Church as our Mother and on God as our Father not that we deny some to be as spiritual Fathers unto others Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 that he was their Father though yea have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel but alâ—s such Fathers are but ministerial Fathers and therefore Paul seems to correct himself 1 Cor. 3.7 who is â—aul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom yea believed even as the Lord gave to every man it is God only is our Father principally originally supreamly God only puts Grace and vertue into the womb of the Soul it is not possible that any creature should be a Creator of the new Creature O then let us look up to Heaven and say O Lord nâ—w make me nâ—w Create me O be thou my Father 2. When Christ was born all Jerusalem was troubled so when this new birth is we must look for it that much commotion and much division of heart will be the Deviâ— could not be cast out of the professed person but he would excâ—edingly fear and â—orment and vex the possâ—ssed person the truth is we cannot expect that Christ should expel Satan from those holds and dominions he hath over us but he will be sure to put us to great fear and terror in heart Besides not only the evil Spirit but Gods Spirit is for a while a Spirit of Bondage to make every thing as a mighty burden unto us there are many prâ—tenders to the grace of God in Christ but they cannot abide to hear of any pains or pangs in this new Birth O this is legal but I pray thee tell me dost thou ever know any woman bring forth in her sleep or in a dream without feeling any pain and how then should the heart of man be thus new changed and moulded without several pangs look as it is in the natural birth there are many pangs and troubles in in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children so it is and must be in our spiritual birth there is usually I will not say alwayes to such or such a degree many pangs and troubles there 's many a throb and many an heart-ach ere Christ can be formed in us 3. When Christ was born there was a discovery of many of the Glorious attributes of God then Mercy and Truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other then especially was a discovery of the Goodness and Power and Wisdom and Holiness of God So when this New Birth is we must look upon it as a glorious discovery of those lovely Attributes As 1. Of his Mercy Goodness Love how often is this called his Grace and the riches of his Grace Christians you that know what the New Birth means do you not say The Goodness of God appears in this surely it was Gods Goodness to make a World but this is the riches of his Goodness to create a New Heart in you when Man by his sin was fallen he might have been thrown away as refuse fit fuel only for everlasting flames it might have been with mankind as it was with Devils in their deluge God did not provide an Ark to save so many as eight persons not one Angel that fell was the Object of Gods Grace And that God should pass by all those Angels and many thousands of the Sons Men and yet that he should look upon you in your Blood and bid you Live O the goodness of God! 2. As of the Goodness so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of Gods power and hence it is called a New Creature The very same Power that framed the World Gal. 6.15 is the framer of this New Creature the work of Conversion is set forth by the Work of Creation God only creates Man and God only converts Man in the Creation God said Let there be Light and there was Light in our conversion God saith Let there be Light and presently the same God shines in our hearts Nay this Power of conversion in some sense far passeth the Creation To whom is the Arm of the Loâ—d revealed Isa 53.1 the Lord puts to his Arm his Power his Strength indeed in Conversion of Souls when he made the World he met with nothing to resist him he only spake the word and it was doâ—e but in the conversion of a sinner God meets with the whole frame of all creatures opposing and resisting him the Devil and the World without and sin and corruption within here then must needs be a Power against all Power 3. As of the Goodness and Power of God so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of the Wisdom of God I might instance in many particulars As 1. In that the regenerate are most-what of the meanest and contemptiblest persons not many wise 1 Cor. 1.27 not many noble c. 2. In that many times God takes the worst Weeds and makes them the sweetest Flowers thus Paul Zacheus the Publicans and Harlots 3. In that the regenerate are of the fewest and least number many are called but few are chosen 4. In that God chooseth such a time to be his time of love wherein he usually discovers many concurrences of strange love meeting together read Ezek. 16.4 5 6 8 9. in all these particulars is his Wisdom wonderful 4. As of the Goodness Power and Wisdom of God so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of the holiness of God If a clod of Earth or a piece of Muck should be made a glorious Star in Heaven it is not more wonderful than for a sinner to be made like an Angel doing the Will of God it argues the
even the forgiveness of sins Zach. 13.1 Eph. 1.7 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.26 Ver. 28. Levit. 16.21 22. He by himself purged our sins And now once in the end of the world hath he appeared put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear away the sins of many As the Scape-coat under the Law had upon his head all the iniquities of the Children of Israel and so was sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness so the Lord Jesus of whom that Goat was a type had all the iniquities of his Elect laid upon him by God his Father and bearing them he took them away Behold the Lamb of God John 1.29 that taketh away the sins of the world he bore them and bore them away he went away with them into the wilderness or into the land of forgetfulness See what comfort is here 2. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the Law is mine enemy I have transgressed the Law and it speaks terribly Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Oh I have offended the Law and I am under the curse Say not so for by the death of Christ though the Law be broken yet the curse is removed the Apostle is clear Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us he was made a curse for us i.e. the fruits and effects of God's curse the punishment due to sinners the penal curse which justice required was laid upon Christ and by this means we are freed from the curse of the Law It is true that without Christ thou art under this Law Do or Die end if thou offendest in the least kind thou shalt perish for ever the curse of the Law is upon thee to the uttermost but on the other side if thy claim be right to the blood of Christ thou art freed from penalty not but that we may be corrected and chastised but what is that to the eternal curse which the Law pronounceth against every sin we are freed from the curse or damnatory sentence of the Law Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus the Law is satisfied and the bond is cancelled by our Surety Christ O what comfort is this 3. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me I have offended justice and what shall appeal from the seat of justice to the throne of grace my sins are gone before and they are knocking at heaven gates and crying justice Lord on this sinner I know not what will be the issue but either free Grace must save me or I am gone Say not so for by this death of Christ free grace and justice are both thy friends How e're some do yet certainly thou needs not to appeal from the court of justice to the Mercy-seat in this mystery of Godliness there may be as much comfort in standing before the Bar of justice as at the Mercy-seat i.e. by standing therein and through the Lord Jesus Christ yea this is the Gospel-way to go to God the Father and to tender up to him the active and passive righteousness of Christ his Son for an atonement and satisfaction for our sins in this way is the comfort of justification brought if we go to God in any other way than this it is but in a natural way and not in a true Evangelical way A man by nature may know thus much that when he hath sinned he must seek unto God for mercy but to seek unto God for pardon with a price in our hands to tender up the merits of Jesus Christ for a satisfaction to Divine justice here is the mystery of Faith and yet I speak not against relying on God's mercy for pardon but what need we to appeal from justice to mercy when by faith we may tender the death of Christ and so find acceptance with the justice of God it self come soul and let me tell thee for thy comfort if thou hast any share in the death of Christ thou hast two tenures to hold thy pardon and salvation by Mercy and justice free-grace and righteousness mercy in respect of thee and justice in respect of Christ not only is free-grace ready to acquit thee but a full price is laid down to discharge thee of all thy sins so that now when the Prince of this World comes against thee thou mayest say in some sense as Christ did He can find nothing in me for how can he accuse me seeing Christ is my Surety seeing the bond hath been sued and Christ Jesus would not leave one farthing unpaid as Paul said to Philemon concerning Onesimus if he have wronged thee or owe thee any thing put it on my account so doth Christ say to God if these have wronged thy Majesty or owe thee any thing put it on me Paul indeed added I Paul have written it with mine own hand but Christ speaks thus Gen. 2.17 I Jesus have ratified and confirmed it with my own blood 4. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the first threat that ever was in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die now sits on my spirit methinks I see the grizly form of death standing before me Oh this is he that is the King of fears the chief of terrors the inlet to all those Plagues in another world and die I must there is no remedy Rom. 8.94 Oh I startle and am afraid of it And why so it is Christ that dyed and by his death he hath took away the sting of death that now the drone may hiss but cannot hurt come meditate much upon the death of Christ and thou shalt find matter enough in his death for the subduing of thy slavish fears of death both in the merit of it in the effect of it and in the end of it 1. In the merit of it Christ's death is meritorious and in that respect the writ of mortallity is but to the Saints a writ of ease a passage into Glory 2. In the effect of it Christs death is the conquest of death Christ went down into the grave to make a back-door that the grave which was before a prison might now be a thorough-fare so that all his Saints may with ease pass through and sing O death where is thy sting Heb. 2.14 15. Oh hell where is thy victory 3. In the end of it Chri'sts death amongst other ends aims at the ruine of him that had the Power of death that is the Devil and to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time in bondage Christ pursued this end in dying to deliver thee from the fear of death and if now thou fearest thy fearing is a kind of
whence all those rivers of living waters flow And therefore saith the Evangelist expresly This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive of what Spirit even of the Holy Ghost which in full measure was not yet given because that Christ was not yet glorified it is the same spirit which believers receive whence all these rivers of living waters flow but those rivers flow not from habital grace nor from any of the graces of the Holy Ghost but from the Holy Ghost himself Again When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth John 16 1â— and he will shew you things to come Now the habits of grace cannot guide or teach or shew a man things to come the habits of grace cannot speak and hear as it is there written He shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This can be no other than the spirit in his own Person this is the Comforter that hears and speaks and guides into all truth and shews us things to come Again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Besides the grace of the Spirit which is the love of God the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 or the Spirit it self is said to be given unto us And Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Here 's a plain distinction betwixt the new man our being in the Spirit and the Spirit dwelling in us Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ i.e. the same holy Spirit which dwelleth in our head and Saviour Jesus Christ he is none of his But if the spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you v. 11. he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you This Spirit cannot be meant of habitual grace for habitual grace did not raise up Jesus from the dead no no it was the same Spirit that dwelt in Christ and that dwels in us Again Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.19 and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you now gifts and graces are not properly said to dwell in Temples this belongs rather to persons than qualities and therefore it is meant of the holy Ghost himself Ye are the Temples of the living God surely graces are not the living God 2 Cor. 6.16 But ye are the Temples of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2. The arguments to confirm this are such as these 1. Actions are ascribed to the Holy Ghost as given unto us or dwelling in us Joh. 16.8 13. Rom. 8.15 16 When the spirit is come he will reprove the World of sin And when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth And yea have received the spirit of adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father And this spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God These actions are usually given to the Holy Ghost I mean to that Holy Ghost which we receive and dwelleth in us it reproves it guides it helps it satisfies it witnesseth now actiones sunt suppositorum actions are of persons and not of qualities habitual grace cannot reprove or guide or teach or help our infirmities these are the actions of the Spirit himself in his own person 2. The spirit it self is the bond of our mistical union with Jesus Christ and therefore it is the Spirit it self that dwelleth in us Look as it is in our body there is head and members yet all are but one natural body because they are animated and quickned by one and the self-same soul so it is in the mistical body Christ is our head and we are his members and yet both of us are but one mystical body by reason of the self-same Spirit dwelling in both And hence it is said that Christ dwelleth in us by his spirit 2 Cor. 13.5 John 6.26 Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And I live saith Paul yet not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liveth in me How in me not corporally for in that sense The Heavens must receive him untill the time of the restitution of all things but spiritually according to the testimony of the Apostle Acts 3.21 because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4.6 This is the mystery that should be known among the Gentiles the glorious mystery yea the rich and glorious mystery Col. 1.2 the Apostle gives it all these Epithetes the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you the hope of glory 3. As Satan keeps his residence in wicked men working them unto all manner of sin and holding them captive to do his will so the spirit of God coming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in us leading us into all truth replenishing us with all graces and enclining us to all holy Obedience There is little question but whilest men remain in the state of infidelity the strong man Satan keeps possession and dwelleth in them though not after a gross and sinsible manner as in Demoniacks yet invisibly and spiritually ruling and reigning in them and making them his slavâ— to do his will and therefore by the same reason when a stronger than he cometh even the good spirit of God he casts him out and takes possession and dwells and reigns and rules in our souls and bodies If the spirit it self dwell not in us then how would there be three that bear witness the Apostle tells us 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear witness in earth or in our hearts the Spirit the water and blood now by water is meant sanctification it is our sanctification that bears witness with us that we are the Children of God and this sanctification consists either in the habit of grace or in the actings of grace if therefore the spirit of Christ in a believer were nothing else but grace then it were all one with the testimony of water but there are three that bear witness there 's the testimony of the spirit of blood and of water not only justification and sanctification which are but two witnesses but the spirit is superadded and that also bears witness in our Consciences that we are the Children of God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Christians think me not tedious in these proofs these are not speculative notional poynts that tend not to edification but are
grace well may we cry come holy Spirit Oh what a comfortable condition would it be if our Spirits never lay still but we were alwayes hungring thirsting or moving after God and goodness 6. That the holy Ghost might according to his Office comfort his Saints amidst all their afflictions this was that which Christ had so often told his Apostles John 14.16 V. 18. V. 26. John 15.26 I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me John 16.17 If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you But how is it that the spirit comforts Saints I answer in these particulars †See at large Dr. Reynolds on Psal 116. 1. The Spirit discovers sin and bends the heart to mourn for sin and such a sorrow as this is the seed and matter of true comfort as Josephs heart was full of joy when his eyes poured out tears on Benjamin's neck so there is a certain seed and matter of joy in spiritual mourning I know they are contrary but yet they may be subordinate to each other as a dark and muddy colour may be a fit ground to lay gold upon Certainly there is a sweet complacency in an humble and spiritual heart to be vile in its own eyes But especially the fruit of it is joy and great joy John 16.21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the World 22. and ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 2. The Spirit doth not only discover but heal the corruptions of the soul and there is no comfort to the comfort of a saved and cured man the lame man that was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exaltation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 and for this cause the Spirit is called the Oyl of gladness because by that healing vertue that is in him he makes glad the hearts of men 3. The Spirit doth not only heal but renew and revive again when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischief a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgeon can heal the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because total privations admit no regress or recovery But the spirit doth not only heal and repair but renew and re-edifie the spirits of men as he healeth that which was torn and bindeth up that which was broken so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos 6.1.2 And this the Apostle calls the renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy for so the Lord comforts his afflicted people O thou afflicted tossed with tempest Isa 54.11 12. and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphyres and I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones The meaning is that all must be new and new built up as for a goodly costly and stately structure 4. The spirit doth not only renew and set the frame of the heart aright and then leave it to it self but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it and to make it victorious against all tempests and batteries and this further multiplyeth the joy and comfort of the heart victory is ever the ground of joy Isa 9.3 They joy before thee as men rejoyce when they divide the spoyle And the spirit of God is a victorious spirit A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench Mat. 12.20 till he send forth judgment unto victory 5. The spirit doth not only preserve the heart which he hath renewed but he makes it fruitfull and abundant in the work of the Lord. And fruitfulness is a ground of comfort Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing Isa 54.1 and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with Child for more are the Children of the desolate than the Children of the married Wife saith the Lord. 6. The Spirit doth not only make the heart fruitful but gives it the hansel and earnest of its inheritance and thereby it begets a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and comfort thereupon Oh when I feel a drop of heavens Joy shed abroad into my soul by the Holy Ghost and that I look upon this as a taste of glory and a forerunner of happiness how should I but rejoyce with joy unspeakable in all these respects the Spirit is our Comforter and this is another reason why the Holy Ghost is sent I will not leave you comfortless saith Christ no no for I will come unto you by my spirit Eph. 4.30 7. That the Holy Ghost might according his Office seal us unto the day of redemption By sealing is meant some work of the Spirit by which he assurâ—s a believer that he is Gods it is all one with the spirits witnessing only under that notion I shall speak of it another time But all the question is what is that work of the spirit by which he assures I answer this work is many-fold As 1. There is a reflex work of faith and this is the work of the Spirit too assuring our souls of our good estate to God-ward 1 John 5.10 and Christ-ward He that believeth hath the witness in himself he carries in his heart the Counterpane of all the promises this is the first seal or if you will the first degree of the Spirits sealing the first discovery of our election is manifested to us in our believing as many saith the Text as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13.48 2. There is a work of sanctifying grace upon the heart and this is a seal of the Spirit also 2 Tim. 2.19 for whom the Spirit sanctifieth he saveth The Lord knoweth who are his saith the Apostle ay but how should we know it why by this seal as it follows Let every one that Nameth the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity none are children of God by adoption but those that are Children also by regeneration none are heirs of Heaven 2 Pet. 1.3 4. but they are new born to it Blessed be
he did this alone and it constituted the difference betwixt him as he was high Priest and other Priests for they killed and offered the Sacrifices without as well as he but only the high Priest was to approach the holy of hollies with blood and that but once a year 2. This was Typified by Melchizedech's Priest-hood which the Apostle argues to have been much more excellent then that of Aaron's in as much as Levi Aarons Father payed Tythes to this Melchizedech in Abrahams loyns now Melchizedech was his Type not so much in respect of his Oblation or offering Sacrifice as in respect of his continual presentation and intercession in heaven and therefore the same clause for ever still comes in when Melchizedech is named thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 7.17 Here then is the agreement betwixt Christ and the high-Priests of old in respect of name both were Priests and in respect of Office both had their oblations and presentations or intercessions with God in Glory 3. In the point of Intercession they agreed in these particulars 1. The high-Priest of old usually once a year went into the most Holy place within the vail and so is Christ our great high-Priest passed into the Heavens within the Vail even into the holy of holies Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Not into the holy places made with hands Heb. 9.12 24. which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 2. The high-Priests of old had a plate of pure Gold upon their Fore-heads which was to bear the iniquity of the holy things that they might be accepted before the Lord Exod. 28.38 and so doth Christ bear the iniquity of our holy things Spiritual Christians here is your comfort you are not able to perform any duty to God but there is a great deal of sin in the same you cannot hear nor pray nor confer nor meditate without much sin but Christ bears all these sins even the iniquity of your holy things and he presents your persons and prayers without the least spot to his Father he is the Angel of the Covenant that stands at the Altar Rev. 8.3 having a golden Censer with much incense to offer it with the prayers of his Saints and so they are acceptable before the Lord. 3. The Jewish high-Priests bore the names of the Children of Israel on a breast-plate of judgment upon their hearts for a memorial before the Lord continually Exod. 28.29 and so doth Christ our great high-Priest bear the names of his people upon his heart before the Lord continually But how is Christ said to bear the names of the Saints upon his heart I answer 1. Continually in presenting of them to his Father as they are in him how is that why he represents them without spot as righteous in his own righteousness Ephes 5.27 Christ loved the Church that he might present it to his Father and in him to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2. In this continual remembring of them Psal 112.6 the righteous shall be had in continual remembrance this is the souls comfort in a time of desertion or in an evil day Psal 13.1 if any cry out as sometimes David did how long wilt thou forget me Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Isa 40.14 15 16. Let such a one remember that Christ's redeemed ones are upon his heart and he can not forget them But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh no! can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me the Sons of Zion are upon Christ's heart and hands and they are ever in his sight 3. In his perpetual loving of them they are near and dear unto him he hath set them as a Seal upon his heart so was the prayer of the Spouse set me as a Seal upon thine heart Cant. 8.6 as a Seal upon thine arme and then it follows for love is as strong as death Christ hath an entire love to his Saints he dyed for them and now he intercedes for them he keeps them close to his heart and there is none shall pluck them out of his hands John 13.1 for whom he loves he loves unto the end Thus far of the agreement betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old SECT VI. What the difference is betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old 6. VVHat is the difference betwixt Christ's Intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old There is no question but howsoever they might agree in some respects yet Christ officiates in a more transcendent and eminent way then ever any high Priest did before him now the difference betwixt Christ and them and betwixt Christ's Intercessions and their Intercessions may appear in these particulars Heb. 4.14 1. They were called high Priests but Christ is called the great high Priest such a Title was never given to any but Christ whence the Apostle argues for the steadfastness of our profession seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession 2. The high-Priests then were Aaron and his Sons but Christ our great high-Priest is the Son of God for so he is styled in the same verse the great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Heb. 4.14 Jesus the Son of God 3. The high-Priests then were but for a time but Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 Heb. 7.3 Melchizedech saith the Apostle was without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life That is as far as it is known and so is Christ without a Father on earth and without a Mother in Heaven without beginning and without end he abides a Priest perpetually even to the end of the World yea and the vertue of his Priesthood is infinitely beyond all time even for ever and ever 4. The high-Priests then entred only into that place that was Typically holy but Christ is entred into that place that is properly holy he is entred into the Heavens or if you will as into the holy of holies so into the heaven of heavens 5. The high Priests then did not always intercede for the people only once a year the high Priest entred into the holy of holies and after he had sprinkled the mercy-seat with blood and caused a cloud to rise upon the mercy-seat with his
apt to listen to his doubts that in the conclusion I know not how to extricate my self Person Sayst thou so surely in this case there 's no cure no remedy but onely the testimony of God's Spirit but saith not the Apostle Rom. 8.16 That the spirit of it self bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God if a Man or Angel or Archangel should promise Heaven peradventure thou mightest doubt but if the Supream Essence of the Spirit of God bear witness within what room for doubting why this voice of the spirit is the very voice of God hark then enquire O my soul if thou hast but this testimony of the spirit thou art sure enough Soul Oh that it were thus with me oh that the spirit would even now give me to drink of the wells of salvation oh that the spirit would testifie it home oh that he would shine upon and enlighten all those graces which he hath planted in me fain would I come to the highest pitch of hope oh that I could look upon the things hoped for as certainly future Person Thou sayst well O my soul and if these wishes be real then pour out thy self unto God in prayer this was the Apostles method Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost let this be thy practise pray as he prayed pray thou for thy self as he prayed for others if an earthly Father will hearken to his child Luk. 11.13 how much more will God the Father give the spirit to them that ask the spirit of him Soul Why if this be it to thee Lord do I come O give me the Spirit the witness of the Spirit the first-fruits of the spirit the sealing of the spirit the earnest of the spirit O give me the spirit and let the spirit give me this hope O the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in my soul and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Come O come and dwell in my soul Come and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out come and fill me with a livelv hope yea Lord excite and quicken and stir up my soul to act this hope yea so illighten or shine upon my hope that I may know that I hope and know that I joyfully expect and wait for the coming of Christ O Let me hear thy voice Say unto my soul I am and will be thy salvation Person Well now thou hast prayed Psal 35.3 O my soul Come tell me dost thou feel nothing stir is there nothing at all in thee that assures thee of this assurance of hope is there no life in thy affections no spark that takes hold on thy heart to set it on flame no comfort of the spirit no joy in the holy Ghost Soul Yes methinks I feel it now begin to work the Spirit that hath breathed this prayer into me comes in as Comforter O now that I realize Christ's coming and my resurrection Psal 16.9 I cannot but conclude with David Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth and my flesh also shall rest in hope Oh what an earnest is this what a piece hath the spirit put into my hand of the great sum promised not onely that he in great mercy promised me Heaven but because he doth not put me into a present possession he now gives me an earnest of my future inheritance Why surely all is sure unless the earnest deceive me and what shall I dispute the truth of the earnest oh God forbid the stamp is too well known to be mistrusted this seal cannot be counterfeit because it is agreeable with the Word I find in my self an hope a true sincere hope though very weak I find upon trial that I am regenerate that I look and long for the second coming of Jesus that I love his appearance even before hand that my works though imperfect are sincere and true that I believe on the Name of the Son of God and flesh and blood could never work these duties or these graces in me it is only that good spirit of my God which hath thus sealed me up to the day of redemption Away away despair trouble me no longer with a musing thoughts I will henceforth if the Lord enable walk confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of my happy contract from the hands of Christ The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 25 26. the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him it is good that I both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord It is good that I hope to the end 1 Pet. 1.13 for the grace that is to be brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LET us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming Now this believing in Christ is more than hoping in Christ Faith eyes things as present but hope eyes things as future and hence the Apostle describes faith to the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 it is the substance foundation or prop which upholds the building or it is the substance essence existence of things hoped for and consequently absent and a far off to be by a firm apprehension of the believer as already present and real And this is as necessary as the former oh if we could but see things now as they shall appear at that last general day of Judgment how mightily would they work upon our souls I verily think the want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world and the acting of Faith on this subject would produce fruits even to admiration If we could but see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall then be communicated if we could but see those dreadful evils that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled would not this draw the hardest heart under Heaven come let us act faith this day as if this day were the last day a thousand years are but as one day to faith it takes hold upon eternal life whensoever it acts it takes present possession of the glorious things of the Kingdom of God even now O then let us believe in Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment But how should we believe what directions to act our saith on Jesus in this respect I answer 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the