This hath not been without the divine pleasure of our gracious and heavenly Father that Election which hath been before the world was he maketh knowne to his by operative and effectuall Vocation Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom he hath called them also hath he justified and whom he hath justified them also hath he glorified 24. Election and Vocation proceeds from the free benevolence of a loving God and are confirmed to the consciences of true beleevers through the true and faithfull testimony of the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.17 And the Spirit witnesseth together with our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God 25. If we desire to see and know the propitious minde of God let us turne our faces towards Christ in whom the Father is well pleased if we would seeke eternall life and the immortalitie of the celestiall Kingdome Not to any other but to Christ must we flie for he is the fountaine of our life the Author of our salvation and the ground of our Adoption and effectuall calling 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to salvation by the meanes of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our worke but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given to us through Jesus Christ before the world was 26. Now whitherward doth our Election tend but that through the bountie of him who is propitious towards us we may enjoy the filiation of sonnes immortalitie and salvation and although our minds are troubled and our cōsciences perplexed yet no otherwise can we know the certaintie thereof but by vocation and absolute regeneration for absolute regeneration and vocation are assured pledges of our salvation immortalitie and filiation 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant bountie hath begetten us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that withereth not reserved in heaven for us 27. Although our heavenly and gracious Father love all his people as he loved his beloved Christ yet it is his divine grace and pleasure in effectuall vocation to try some of his in the fiery furnace of sorrowes and great tribulation Act. 2.37 Who when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and other Apostles Men and Brethren What shall we doe Isa 6.5 Then said I I am a man undone I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell amongst a people of polluted lips mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hoasts 28. Our life is hid with God in Christ and we are called efficaciously from the world unto celestiall grace and from woefull darknesse unto his glorious light that we may live godly in this present world expecting the comming of our Lord and Saviour Ephes 4.1 I therefore being prisoner in the Lord pray you that yee walke worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Titus 2.13 Expecting that blessed hope and that glorious comming of that great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Contemplation THis was the saying of Moses Who is a Rock like our Rock or who is a God like the God of our salvation We may say Who hath a Father like our Father or who hath found any so sweet and delectable as he hath been to us As the sweet influence of the Plejades and the sweet distilling drops from the Clouds so hath he been in our vocation his words are rarer then the words of Moses the one is Law the other grace and peace Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth cams by Jesus Christ. The one a killing Letter the other a quickening Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The one the ministery of condemnation the other the ministery of life and salvation 2 Cor. 3.9 For if the ministery of condemnation hath been glorious much more the ministery of righteousnesse doth abound with glory The one written in Tables of stone the other in the fleshly Tables of our heart 2 Cor. 3 3. In that yee are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us and written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart The one accuseth us before the Barre of Justice the other acquitteth us before the Mercy Seate Joh. 5.4 5. Thinke not that I am come to accuse you before the Father there is one who accuseth you to wit Moses in whom yee trust Hath Moses fetcht home the lost sheep sought the lost groat or imbraced the poore returned Prodigalls No it was our Christ the great and blessed Shepheard of Israel What are the drops or dewes without the Sunne or what can the body effect without the soule or what can the Law doe in the act of vocation without the effectuall operation of the Spirit of Jesus from whence art thou called O my soule Not onely from the receipt of custome but from the custome of hell Not onely from prophanenesse to civilitie from civilitie to moralitie but from all to heavenly and celestiall grace and glory What hast thou found in Christ fince he called thee I have found my life in him my name in the heavenly places a hope amongst his peculiar a rest in his love a communion in his promises a fellowship amongst the Saints and the glorious gracious and loving face of a sweet Father And hast thou not also found rare effects in thee since the time of his overpowring of his precious graces yea now his love is more to me then Kingdomes then Consullships then riches then honours then dignities then Dominions yea then all things If I were possest with the wealth of Arabia the riches of India the treasure of Africa and the glory of Europe what would those be to me without a Christ I would rather choose one dram of his grace then mountaines of gold then a sea of silver then an earth of pleasures and Kingdomes and Provinces of delights and delectations Rachel said Give me children or els I dye I say give me Christ or I shall dye Abraham said What availes all these if I goe childlesse I say what availeth all if I goe Christlesse Was Jacob comforted when he wanted Joseph or can I be comforted when I want my Beloved And did not Rachel mourne and would not be comforted when her children were not And doe I not mourne and cannot be comforted because my Christ is not From henceforth will I triumph with the triumphers and take my place amongst the Conquerours for I am not called from the sheepfold but from the gates of hell and made a King and Priest to God the Father I am
Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation 4. The ends of Reconciliation are the peace of Conscience the dignitie of Christ our Mediator and the faithfulls fruition of Gods presence which was obscured or hidden from them by reason of iniquitie Ephes 2.14 For he is our peace who hath made both one and broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us 5. Whilest the soule apprehendeth not this reconciliation with God in Christ there is nothing but disturbance but when the Spirit of God doth assure us of our Reconciliation with him wee then enjoy the peace of Conscience Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee 6. The sence of Reconciliation through the hand of Christ Mediator is the beginning of tranquilitie of mind and the upholder of the Spirit against the feare of the houre of death and Judgement Isa 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also bast wrought all our works in us Isa 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the carth for the Lord hath spoken it 7. The more a Christian hath the sence of this estate and condition he is more heavenly in his meditation more comfortable in declaration and holy in conversation The ground is this sith the deare love of God in the act of Reconciliation is the ground of our affection to Christ in the heavenly places and of obedience to Gods blessed and sacred Majestie 8. It is impossible he should loose Gods favour any more who through the death of Christ is to God reconciled sith that sinnes hand-writing is wholly removed and that this precious death is a sufficient ransome from all iniquitie Col. 2.14 Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification 9. The faithfull under the Law did not onely looke for salvation but also for reconciliatiō by the hand of Christ Isaiah 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our workes in us 10. God was reconciled to man before it was vertually manifested and after vertuall manifestation he is reconciled before of his it be received The ground is this Sith it is the wisdome of the Faether that in himselfe there should be the primary ordination afterwards answered by Christ in the act of Reconciliation and conferred to the Saints by way of Reception 11. For as much as it hath been impossible that any creature could reconcile himselfe to God infinite in nature it hath been the free grace of God to send his beloved Sonne that being infinite he might answer what infinite Justice did require Isaiah 63.3 I have troden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me 12. He that supposeth that by answer to the morall Law he either pacifieth Gods Justice procureth Gods favour or maketh peace with God is deceived for there is no other meanes under heaven to give us rest in the day of great necessitie or peace in the depths or gulfes of misery save by the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Isaiah 53.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 13. To attribute Reconciliation to any Creature save unto Christ Mediator is blasphemy and a point of high Arminianisme 14. Although we have been estranged from God through sinne heires of anger of eternall death subject to destruction shut out from all the hope of salvation and alienated from the blessings of God and under the yoake and bondage of the Morall Law notwithstanding such hath been the love of God unto us in Christ that he would remove all these and not onely reconcile us unto himselfe by the bloud of Christ but also by his death Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 15. By the knowledge of Gods anger against us we come to the knowledge of our misery and of his mercy and unlesse we know how great a sepation or distance there is betwixt GOD and us we can never value or prize the exceeding or excellent vertue of our Reconciliation by Christ 16. As God first loves us before he doth redeeme us so doth he love us before he reconcile us unto himselfe albeit we have no assurance of his love untill wee through faith apprehend him to be reconciled unto us through Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.18 And all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himselfe by Jesus Christ and hath given us the ministery of Reconciliation 17. Incomprehensible and immutable is the love of God that although we were not reconciled actually through the bloud and death of his Sonne yet he loved us before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love 18. As Redemption Adoption Union and Communion can never be disannulled sith they are obtained by Christ and in him established so reconciliation being the worke of God in Christ and procured both by the precious bloud and vertuall death of Christ can never be annihilated 19. Not onely the presentation of the chosen of God but also the glory of God the honour of Christ Mediator hangs upon the everlasting reconciliation of the faithfull to God Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appear in the presence of God for us 20. The infinite worth and power of Christ in matter of Reconciliation is so sufficient to answer Gods infinite puritie that Gods pure nature desireth no more in matter of Reconciliation 2 Pet. 17. For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased 21. Though there is a participation of the vertue of Christs Reconciliation in this vaile of misery yet the full fruition is not enjoyed of the faithfull untill they come to the Heaven of felicitie 1 Cor. 2.9 For it is written eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 22. The assurance that the faithfull
no night there for the Lord God doth enlighten them and they shall reigne for evermore For the Lord God doth enlighten them VVHat said he for the Lord God that is he who was who is and is to come who is the Alpha and Omega who hath been from everlasting to everlasting and from eternitie to eternitie who is the Lord of hosts the holy One of Israel the King of Kings the God onely wise blessed for evermore who is the Father of glory the God all-sufficient the fountain of consolation the well-spring of living waters the ancre of hope and the Lord God of Israel to Israel his redeemed who is strong gracious and mercifull slow to anger and abundant in kindnesse and truth He will give grace and glorie enlightning them with his light and glorie according to the text For the Lord God doth enlighten them and they shall reign for evermore Doth enlighten them O Admiration of admirations O wonder of wonders O gift of gifts that the high and holy One of Israel the Father of eternall mercies of incomprehensible and infinite kindnes who dwels in light in accessible should communicate his light and glory to poore distressed captives who walked upon the dark mountains who were bound by Law and justice to everlasting chains under darknes who were blinded by the fearfull king of terrors that roaring Lyon whose dwelling and habitation is in eternall wo and miserie O my soul was not thy darknesse worse then the darknesse of Egypt was it not more terrible then the darknesse of the night season wa st thou not as blind as the Sodomites yea thy blindnesse worse then the blindnesse of the Aramites In that day of darknesse and obscuritie thou sawest nothing but sinne transgression and iniquitie but hell death and calamitie but justice wrath and furie but destruction woe and misery though the glory of God showne in the land of the living though the beautie of Christ showne amongst the beleeving yet thou beheldest not his glory but now he hath enlightned thee when he became the day starre in thy heart a Sunne of brightnesse in thy understanding and his glory showne in the face of Jesus Christ upon thy conscience What light is like this light wherewith thy Father hath enlightned thee not the light of the starres Christ the day starre is thy illumination not the light of the candle the Spirit of Christ is to thee the Spirit of revelation nor the light of the Sun though it shine in the Meridian That enlightneth the aire this thy soul that contents thy eye this thy conscience that setteth and riseth this riseth and never setteth that draweth vapors from belowe this draweth thy soule as high as the heavenly places that enlightneth Townes Cities and Countreys this enlightneth thee to the heavenly Citie whose maker and builder is God O my soule is light sowne for the righteous and not for thee Hath light appeared in a dungeon of darknesse and not to thee Or hath Christ the Light of the world appeared and not to thee Yea for though thou wast born blind yet now thou seest and though thou wast encompassed with obscuritie yet now thou beholdest what doest thou behold yea what dost thou not behold For his grace is thy glory his face thy comfort his promise thy rest his Christ thy hope his kingdome thy end and the fruition of his face thy great felicitie Thou sawest the Sunne whilest the Sonne of righteousnesse was obscured and whilest the Son of righteousnesse appeared the Sunne in the midst of the Planets was ecclipsed so that whilest thou wast deprived of the one thou didst enjoy the other as the text relateth For thy God enlightneth his and they shall reigne for evermore And they shall reigne for evermore VVHat they who received the holy unction who have been made Kings and Priests to God our Father through the blood of Jesus who have washed their long white robes through that blood most precious They yea they who have been cast out to the open shame and contempt of their faces who have been unsavourie salt whom no eye pitied neither towards them hath the bowels of mercy yearned yea they who have not been ashamed of chaines fetters and bonds for Christs sake who have endured reproaches slanders shipwracks whippings and rebukes for Christ their Master who have not been ashamed to confesse the Name of Christ before Kings Princes and Monarchs of the earth They yea they who have been strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel alienates from the Covenant of promise without Christ and without God in the world They shall reigne with Christ for evermore They shall WHat not now who are more then conquerours through Christ that loved them who have encountred with sin fought with Satan overcome death and by the power of their blessed and loving Mediatour have suppressed all evils and removed all the force of powers and principalities Not now who are alreadie anointed with the holy unction filled with the fulnesse of grace and mercie made Kings through Christ the beloved King and Lord of life and reconciliation Yea now for Christ lives in them they in Christ Christ dwels in them they in Christ Christ reignes in them and they by Christ And they shall reigne for evermore Reigne VVHat they yea they who have wandred in sheep-skins and goat-skins they who have been counted as sheep to the slaughter and have been slain all the day long for his names sake They yea they who have not had the oyle of unction who have not had a foot of inheritance amongst the sonnes of men who are the mock of the world the derision of the people adjudged unworthie though most worthie whom the world is not worthy of they shall enjoy a kingdome not earthly but heavenly not mortall but immortall not momentarie but eternall not made of stone of lime of gold of silver or established upon any earthly foundation not senced with walls of brasse and posts and gates of wood and iron but incompassed about with an eternall protection not filled with terrene fruits and pleasures delectable but with heavenly pleasures and joyes inenarrable not with terrene or terrestriall profits accounted valeable but with heavenly treasures and thing unvaleable O the Himnes the Songs and Psalmes that are in that Citie O the praisings laudings and honours that are in that Jerusalem O the dignifyings laudings and magnifyings that is in that kingdome There is nothing but peace love and amitie there is nothing but blessednesse life and felicitie there is nothing but heavenly fruition glorious communion and the excellent and eternall weight of glory For the Lord Jehovah dwelleth there Therefore they shall need no light and they shall reigne for evermore For evermore NOt for daies times years moneths and houres not for tens hundreds thousands and millions but for aeternitie What day like that day wherein the Sonne of righteousnesse shall never set what time like that time wherein the splendorous glorious
certainly perswaded that whatsoever they do according to his pleasure is accepted in the hands of Christ Mediatour Ephes 1. Vnto the praise and glory of his grace whereby he hath freely accepted us in his beloved 18. The effects of divine grace and favour are the remission of sins the imputation of righteousnesse the donation of the Spirit of peace and consolation and everlasting blessednesse in the kingdom of hope and fruition 2. Thess 2.13 God hath chosen us from the beginning unto salvation by sanctification of the Spirit and the faith of truth 14. Now the same Lord Jesus Christ and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 19. Christ died for the sins of his Saints and is risen again for their righteousnesse and justification so that he is not onely become our salvation but his Father is gracious and propitious to us for his sake Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased hear him 20. As by the sin of Adam we were estranged from God and destinated to destruction so by the obedience of Christ we are received into favour and imputed righteous to justification Rom. 5.19 As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man many were made righteous 21. God began to imbrace through free favour whom he loved freely before the foundation of the world then it appeared apparently when he reconciled us to himself through the precious blood of his beloved Son Ephes 2.4.13 Through his great love wherewith he loved us now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometime afar off hath he made nigh by the blood of his Son 22. God through his benevolence hath not onely given the body of Christ but the soul of Christ to feel the sence of his wrath for the redemption of mankind that although we were lost we might be found and although through the law we could hear nothing but condemnation yet now through Christ we may hear the sentence of salvation Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them 2. Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the glorious coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought in life and immortalitie into light by the Gospel 23. In this hath appeared the immense love of God towards men whilest he was sent into the world for their deliverie whilest he was made a sacrifice to pacifie the wrath of his Father which was so hot against them 1. Joh. 4.10 In this is love not that we have loved God but that he hath loved us and hath sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 24. God was most clementious and propitious in the beloved Christ making him the Redeemer of humane generation whilest the beloved Christ was willing to redeeme them Heb. 10.6 7. Burnt-offerings and sacrifice thou wouldest not for sin then said I behold I come In the volume of thy book it is w itten of me that I should do thy will O God 25. The free grace of God is the stay of the mind the prop of the soul and the hope of the conscience in the midst of all sorrow and tribulations Lament 3.21 22. This call I to mind therefore have I hope It is the Lords mercy we are not consumed but his compassions fail not 26. If any man shall set himself before the tribunall seat of an angry God he shall not stand being there is nothing in him that may merit favour or deserve love at the hands of God Psal 130.3 If Jah shall observe iniquities O Lord who shall stand 27. Christ through his obedience hath obtained favour he hath satisfied for our sins he hath born the punishment for us and through his obedience God is well pleased 2. Cor. 2.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Contemplation O Christian look to the Rock from whence thou art hewen and to the hole of the pit from whence thou art digged all that thou receivest is from free favour and grace of a loving Father had he not favoured thee where hadst thou remained or where hadst thou been assuredly in the bottomlesse pit under the heat of everlasting burnings bound by the black swadle bands of the devill lockt up under the blacknesse of darknesse to the judgement of the great day arraigned by the power of justice and condemned by the morall Law never to have heard the sweet sound of reconciliation or the heavenly harmony of the gracious doctrine of redemption except the bowels of overflowing mercie had yearned and the gracious countenance of thy loving Father had been manifested The clouds open and distill their drops to the refreshing and replenishing of the sublunarie creature Thy gracious Father hath yearned by the bowels of his compassion and hath replenished and refreshed thy soule with his abundant kindnesse Thy dayes might have been dayes of sorrow and thy nights nights of terrour The terrours of death the horrors of hell and the afrightment of a wofull conscience might have sadded thee had not free love and superabundant grace prevented Is not his grace better to thee then kingdomes then Consulships then riches then Honours then dignities or dominions The Disciples wondred at the rare and famous buildings of the Temple and mayest not thou wonder at the excellencie and incomparablenesse of the free grace of God thy celestiall Father O how sweet is his grace unto me is it not as an ointment poured out as the sweetest drops distilling from the fullest clouds and as the sweetest dewes upon the tender hearb Did the babe spring in the wombe of Elizabeth at Maries salutation and doth not joy spring in my conscience because of free grace in everlasting redemption Here is grace incomparable here is mercie ineffable and here is bountie unalterable is not this the River from whence my soul hath water is not this the Sunne from whence my mind hath light is not this the heart from whence my will receiveth vitall motion I am adopted to be a sonne elected to salvation redeemed from bonds united to the Lord Jesus Christ But from whence flowes all these but from the rivers of free love and the fountain of gracious love and bountie My life my hope my peace my rest my faith my all is from Christ all in all as the Apostle saith Rom. 11. last verse For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be praise and glory for ever Amen CHAP. II. Concerning Election 1. ELection is the selecting or chusing of some certain men that the glorious and supereminent grace of God may
bondmen from everlasting slavery What is the bondage to man in respect of the bondage to Satan or what is the libertie amongst men in respect of the libertie of Christ Jesus From what are we freed yea from what are we not freed from the dominion of sinne the slavery of the Law the tyranny of Satan and the gates of the pit of hell and destruction By what art thou freed yea by what art thou not freed From sinne by the precious incōparable inestimable bloud of Christ out of the jawes of Satan by the potent invincible and unconquerable strength of Christ from the force of death by the vertuall and efficatious death of Christ and from the cursing condemning and arraigning power of the Morall Law by the full and satisfactory obedience of Christ It hath not been in the power of man nor the will of man to worke out the work of satisfaction or the worke of Redemption the Wine-presse of Gods wrath would have been too hotte and too heavie for him It hath not been in the minde of Angells it would have crusht them to the earth yea to hell to have born that weightie wrath and fierce indignation of God against sinne when neither speare nor shield was found among any in the world for the delivery of mankinde strength and power hath been found in the armes of Christ fully to performe the worke of deliverance if a world had been given for the Redemption of one soule it would have been refused an infinite would admit of nothing finite O! what worth what value what price is the bloud of Christ which is of sufficiency to redeeme all men all the power of the Creature could not bring one soule out of the slavery of the Devill Oh! what power what strength what worth of excellency is there in Christ who by his power strength and might hath brought thousands out of the bondage and slavery of hell and the Devill All the Angells in heaven could not by their skill remove one poore soule from the barre of Justice and bring it to the mercy-seate to heare one word of mercy What a Sea of wisdome is in Christ who by his wisdome can bring all the poore and distressed Consciences to the throne of mercies to receive whole Rivers of mercy from thence unto their soules Sampson overthrew more at his death then he did all his life Christ did more in the Redemption of his in death then he did in the time of his life Let us therefore lift up our eyes to heaven and behold the bountifull and benignous mind of God unto us that whilest our cases were desperable and we saw no way for delivery God hath found out a way and hath sent from heaven the Sonne of his love to be our deliverer A Ram was not provided but a Lamb that through his bloud tooke away the sinnes of the world satisfied Gods Justice and procured for his people a joyfull and glorious freedome God manifested his power from the Cloud and overthrew Pharoah his Charets and horsemen in the red Sea God manifested his mightie strength in the subverting of Satan and sinne through the bloud of Christ When Peter was in bonds the Angell set Peter free when we were bound by chaines in the dungeon of darknesse and death Christ hath set us free So that now the consciences and spirits of the faithfull and ours also are free to grace and to the enjoyment of the Kingdome of felicitie let the Christian therefore thinke on these things and triumph with the Apostle Oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory let him not feare neither Law nor hell nor death nor the Devill sith he is redeemed from the world though he live in the world to God above who is all in all to whom be ascribed the praise of all for evermore 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible and the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII Concerning Christs Mediation Definition 1. THe Mediation of Christ is the presentation of himself that externall and infinite oblation once offered to God his Father to that end that the riches of heavenly grace might be infused his redeemed might have free accesse to his Fathers Majestie and his Father everlastingly reconciled to his peculiar and selected Hebr. 7.25 26 27. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself 2. It is convenient that Christ who is the Mediatour betwixt God and man should be God-man unlesse he had been man he had not been a fit sacrifice unlesse he had been God he had not been of sufficient vertue 1. Tim. 2 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus 3. Through the personall union of both natures Christ Mediatour is become King of his Church and head of the same kind with his body Ephes 1.22 23. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all 4. The humiliation of Christ through which he submitted himself to answer the righteousnesse of God and his exaltation which was manifested when he rose again from the dead ascending on high leading captivitie captive hath obtained a perfect redemption for the faithfull Ephes 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Hebr 9.12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us 5. The satisfaction and merit of Christ Mediatour hath taken away condemnation and hath brought eternall life and salvation Colos 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his dear Son 6. The merit and satisfaction of Christ differ in divers operations 7. The exaltation of Christ is no part of the merits or satisfaction of Christ through which he mediates for his with his Father The ground is this sith the exaltation of Christ Mediatour followeth his crosse or satisfaction 8. Christ is said to be Mediatour betwixt God and the faithfull not that it wholly agreeth to the humaine nature of Christ but also to his divine nature Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood 9. The satisfaction of Christ according to the substance of it
inheritance unto the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory 2 Cor. 5.1 For wee know if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand eternall in the heavens 6. The glory and dignitie of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour consists not in temporall joyes terrene pleasures or earthly jucundities but in the divine manifestation of the blessed presence of a God most loving Psal 4.7 8. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in mine heart more then in the time that their corne and wine and oyle increased Psal 17.15 They have children at their desire and leave the rest of their substance for their babes Verse the 16. But as for me I will behold thy presence in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I wake with thy likenesse 7. Not onely the whole Church espoused redeemed and reconciled shall have possession in the Kingdome of hope and consolation but also they shall be possessed of it for ever and evermore Hence shee is said to reigne for ever and evermore Apoc. 22.4 5. And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sunne for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reigne for ever and ever 8. That priviledge from bonds by redemption the righteousnesse of Communion with Christ and of the bright shining and glorious countenance of God in Christ shall be more fully comprehended in the Kingdome of felicitie then hath been comprehended or apprehended in this vaile of misery 1. Joh. 3.2 Behold now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 9. The sence of the deare and tender love of God through union and communion with the Lord Christ is that happinesse felicitie glory and beatitude which shal be injoyed of the Saints for ever and ever 10. The abundant fluent and supereminent grace of God powred upon the faithfull and beloved Saints in the estate of grace is their glory hope and blisse in that estate and condition Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce under hope of the glory of God 11. The heavenly Canaan hath been designed out by the promised Land of Canaan and our heavenly Jerusalem hath been figured out by the earthly Jerusalem Gal. 3.25 26. For this is Agar in Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all 12. Predestination from eternall vocation by the Word of truth and the Spirit of glory Justification through the admirable and pure righteousnesse of Christ Sanctification by the death and resurrection of Christ are insepably conjoyned to the glorified estate and condition of the Saints in glory Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 13. Joyes supereminent comforts superexcellent consolations superabundant are annext to the faithfull and dear children of glory when they think and consider they shall have an end of all their hopes a fulnesse of all their wants an answer of all their desires in that heavenly glorious and famous Citie where their loving Redeemer and dear Father dwels and inhabits for evermore Isa 15.8 He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Psal 36.9 For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light Apoc. 7.15 16 17. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heat For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Contemplation SWeet were the streames which were in Paradise precious are the streams which flow from this fountain of grace and glory it is a free glory which is bestowed upon the Saints beloved Freenesse of grace is the cause of justification the freenesse of love the cause of sanctification the freenesse of bountie the cause of glorification What worth what value what dignitie hath there been in thee O my soule For in thy conscience hath been impuritie in thy will contradicencie in thy affection indignitie and in thy flesh impugnancie Thou that wast purer then the purest Nazarene becamest more leprous then Naaman the Syrian Thou that wast more polished then the polished Saphir becamest most vile by thy wicked nature thou mayest confesse that thou art nothing thy Christ is all yea a thousand nothings for he is all for evermore This glory was destinated for thee before the world was promised to thee in the covenant of free grace and bountie treasured up in Christ the Mediator of free grace and mercie and sealed by the Spirit of Adoption life and glorie What said I is it laid up in Christ Yea for in him is thy power wisedome strength and felicitie in him is thy peace rest life and glory in him is thy redemption wisedome righteousnesse and excellencie Hast thou not heard that in him the Father is well pleased in him dwels the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and that the light of the glory of God shines in his face and favour Not onely mediate communion is granted to thee in the day of thy grace but immediate communion shall be grāted to thee in the day of thy glory and felicity It is meet that Christ who is the Redeemer of poore souls the justifier of the ungodly the Reconciler of them who were at enmitie the selector or chuser of a people undeserving that he should be the fountain of their blessednesse and beatitude It is an honour too great to be given to principalities to powers to dignities to Mights or to Dominions this onely befits Israels eternall Shepheard the Author of their peace and Prince of their consolation This hath been the Fathers pleasure that as all their joyes love peace righteousnesse and promises should be communicated to the Saints by Christ in the vale of miserie This hath been the Fathers bountie that the communion of the Saints the perfection of his people the coronation of his Martyrs should be given to his in him in that state so happie The end of predestination is vocation the end of vocation union the end