the Urim and the Thummim lights and perfections a fulnesse of knowledge and a perfection of all other gracious endowments which can stand before the utmost severity of law and justice But now this that we have said touching the imputation of the fulnesse of grace in Christ unto us must be understood cum grano salis We must not divide this fulnesse of grace from the other parts of Christs humiliation but take them all joyntly and together Thus Pareus upon Hebr. 5.10 Effectum aeternae salutis nostrae Apostolus ostendit profluere non ex aliqua parte actionum vel passionum Christi sed ex toto redemptionis opere plenissimè ab eo peracto Ne igitur dividamus Christum aut fidem nostram distrahamus quaerendo aliam justitiae partem in nativitate aliam in habituali sanctitate aliam in vitae integritate aliam in mortis obedientia oportuit haec omnia in Christo compleri omnibúsque his consummatis salutis aeternae author nobis extitit Of these words that which Mr Dickson hath on the same place may serve instead of a translation The proper cause saith he of our salvation is to be sought in Christ perfected by suffering not in any one part of his holinesse or obedience in doing or any part of his suffering but in him perfected by his obedience even to the death of the crosse We may take comfort from and make use of his holy conception life and severall vertues But we must remember that his accomplished obedience in doing and suffering is our ransome joyntly considered and not any particular act looked on alone With these two Dr. Ames also accords Med. Theol. lib. 1. cap. 27. § 27. Haec justitia non est membratim quaerenda in puritate naturae nativitatis vitae Christi sed ex totâ Christi obedientiâ exurgit simul cum remissione peccatorum sicut eadem Adami inobedientia spoliavit nos justitiâ originali obnoxios etiam reddidit reatui condemnationis This righteousnesse which must come in place of justification is not severally to be sought in the purity of the nature birth and life of Christ but it ariseth out of all the obedience of Christ together with remission of sins as the same disobedience of Adam hath both robbed us of Originall righteousnesse and made us subject to the guilt of condemnation In a second place I am to cleare that in all the true members of Christ there shall be a conformitie unto his fulnesse of grace God hath predestinated them thereunto Rom. 8.29 and how great a congruence there is therein will soone appeare if we compare Christ with Adam For as we have borne the image of the earthy the first man we shall also beare the image of the heavenly the second man 1 Cor. 15.49 The first Adam was not only full of sinne in himselfe but he also filled all his posterity with sinne and death And shall not the second Adam then fill all his off-spring with grace and life Unto them the first Adam was a Channell of sin and corruption And Therefore the second Adam shall be unto them a fountain of grace and sanctification For is not he as powerfull to communicate this as the other was to instill that And besides he is as willing to doe it as he is able For he hath in a plentifull measure shed his blood for his Church much more will he plentifully shed and derive his Spirit upon her Questionlesse he will be as liberall of his grace as blood powre out one as well as the other The Prophet Isaiah having chap. 11. ver 2. foretold how that there should descend upon Christ even the fountaine of all knowledge the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and knowledge c. in ver 9. he subjoyneth the plentifull communication or overflowing of this fountain unto the Church The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea that is the channell or bottome of the Sea The Church and her true members shall be as full of the knowledge of God as the sea is full of waters That from this endowing of Christ with all-fulnesse of grace and spirit all that belong unto him have ground of comfort and wherein the Psalmist plainly intimateth Psalm 45.7 where he calleth the spirit wherewith Christ was anointed the oyle of gladnesse And the oyle of gladnesse it is called not onely because in reflexion on it his owne soule was filled with joy peace and comfort but also because it gladdeth the hearts of all his chosen people He was anointed to appoint unto them that mourne in Sion the oyle of joy for mourning Esay 61.1,3 Now his unction gladdeth and cheareth the hearts of all his members Because of the oyle wherewith he was anointed there is also an effusion upon them The excellency of his unction above his members implyeth their communion with him therein The comparison of inequality He was anointed above his fellows presupposeth a comparison of similitude to wit that his fellowes were anointed too though in a farre inferiour measure But now they be onely members and not excrements that are the objects of this effusion They be the fellowes of Christ that share with him in this his anointing He is anointed above his fellowes and what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse What communion hath light with darknesse 2 Cor. 6.14 How can they that are filled with all unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.29 be the fellowes of the Sonne and King of righteousnesss Are drunkards swearers prophaners of the sabbath adulterers muck-wormes c. conforts of the holy one The fellowes of Christ are such as the Apostle saith are made partakers of Christ Heb. 3.14 and those are not yet made partakers of Christ who impenitently partake of other mens sins 1 Timoth. 5.22 and have fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse Ephes 5.11 We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Apostates then that leave their first love and renounce the fundamentals of the Gospell the principles of the doctrine of Christ or the word of the beginning of Christ Heb. 6.1 are whil'st such excluded from all fellowship with Christ The fellowes of Christ are his Brethren and the character which Christ himselfe giveth of them is obedience unto the will of his father Math. 12.50 They are with him coheires Rom. 8.17 and therefore they exercise all acts of communion with God their father Christ their elder brother and with the rest of their Brethren Those that are the Children and heires of God joint heires with Christ walke in some degree suitably unto so eminent a relation And therefore do not walke in the counsell of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornfull Psalm 1.1 But to returne from this digression which I have inserted to keepe aliens and enemies unto Christ from presuming
It takes * Pareus away the cause and the effect It stops up not onely the fountaine Originall corruption but all the rivulets of actuall transgression The fulnesse of satisfaction in the humiliation of Christ was like the fulnesse of water in the sea And the sea by reason of it's huge vastnesse can drowne mountaines as well as molehils Even so the fulnesse of Christ's satisfaction can swallow up the greatest as well as the least sinnes A second head of disparity is in regard of the potency and prevalency of their effects The offence of Adam brought in a kingdome and tyranny of death If by one mans offence death raigned by one ver 17. But now the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ hath purchased and erected a farre more powerfull eminent and glorious kingdome the Kingdome of life Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall raigne in life by one Jesus Christ ibid. It is very remarkable that whereas the Apostle saith in the former part of the verse by one mans offence death reigned by one he doth not to answere this say in the latter part of the verse life shall raigne by one man Christ Jesus but they which receive abundance of grace c shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ For this Estius giveth two reasons 1. Because it sounds more sweetly and comfortably to say that justified persons shall reigne by Christ then to say that life shall reigne in those that are justified by Christ And secondly it is to put a difference between the Kingdome of death and the Kingdome of life The Kingdome of death destroyeth all its vassalls but the Kingdome of life contrariwise exalts all its subjects and maketh them to be Kings partakers of the heavenly Kingdome with Christ And thus have you seen out of the Apostle that there is such a wide imparity between the obedience of Christ and the disobedience of Adam as that the satisfaction and merit of Christs obedience is by far more beneficiall unto the Church and people of God then the guilt of Adams sin was prejudiciall In the next place the Apostle prosecutes a comparison of similitude between the efficacy of the sin of the one unto condemnation and of the righteousnesse of the other unto justification and life And this he doth first in proper and then in metaphoricall tearmes In proper tearmes vers 18 19. As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation Even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous In which words we have the influence of Adams offence and Christs righteousnesse resembled in regard of both intensivenesse and extensivenesse 1. Intensivenesse they are like though not equall in the intension or degree of their efficacy As Adams offence was effectuall to make his posterity sinners to involve and inwrap them in guilt and condemnation so Christs righteousnesse and obedience was available to invest all his members with justification to make them righteous before God unto everlasting life 2. They are resembled proportionally in regard of the extensivenesse of their objects As by the offence of one to wit Adam judgment came upon all men that were his naturall seed by propagation Even so by the righteousnesse of one Christ Iesus the free gift came upon all men that were his spirituall seed by regeneration unto justification of life Secondly This similitude is propounded in metaphoricall tearmes ver 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Whereas the kingdome of Originall sinne is made the sequel of Adams transgression So the kingdome of grace is made the consequent of Christs obedience Originall corruption may be tearmed a King in regard 1. of vastnesse of dominion It reigneth before regeneration in all men and in all of men in their mortall bodies as well as their soules 2. In regard of greatnesse of power It hath all the powers of the soule and parts of the body untill they be renewed by the holy Ghost under such a command as the Centurion had his servants or souldiers Math. 8.9 And unto this kingdome of sinne the kingdome of grace by Christ is answerable As sinne reigneth unto death so grace reigneth through righteousnesse by Jesus Christ Now unto the grace and favour of God a kingdome an-answerably is ascribed in two respects 1. in regard of it's powerfull efficacy it is as able to protect and exalt all those to whom it is extended as Originall sinne is to ruine and destroy those that are under it's plenary subjection 2. in regard of its plentifull fruits grace reigneth by Jesus Christ By him there is a large kingdome a great abundance of grace answerable to the kingdome and abundance of sinne in us to the reigning of sinne unto death The subjects of this kingdome receive abundance of grace and of the fruit of righteousnesse ver 17. There is one thing more in the text that much conduceth unto the glory of this kingdome of grace and that is the continuation of it unto eternity Other kingdomes may expire But grace shall reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life And thus the Apostle declareth what a great purchase Christ by his all-sufficient merits hath made in the behalfe of his members He hath purchased for them grace and favour with the God of heaven nay a powerfull rich and an absolutely eternall kingdome of grace O how happy and glorious shall all those soules be that are found in Christ standing by faith under the coverture of His merits and righteousnesse Grace shall reigne over them through righteousnesse unto eternall life Secondly Christ may be considered according unto his state of exaltation and so there dwelled in him an all fulnesse of glory There was a manifestation of the All-fullnesse of glory that was essentiall unto his Godhead A reall collation of an all-fulnesse of glory upon his manhood First then in the exaltation of Christ there was a manifestation of the all-fulnesse the infinitenesse of glory that was essentiall unto the Godhead This divine glory of his was for a time as it were laid aside clouded and eclipsed by the forme of a servant the infirmities of his humane nature the miseries of his life and by the shame and paine of his death But in his exaltation the father glorified him according unto his desire and prayer John 17.5 with his owne selfe with the glory which he had with him before the world was that is the father manifested and displayed in him that glory which he had from all eternity in a way of equality with himselfe By the resurrection he was declared to be the sonne of God with power Rom. 1.4 and therefore possessed of an infinite glory for the sonne of God
his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all And then the meaning of the words is untill the mysticall body of Christ grow to ripenesse and perfection untill all that belong to the election of grace all that be ordained to eternall life be gathered and added unto the Church and untill every member arrive unto a full growth unto a full measure of grace and glory And this I conceive to be the most probable sence of the words for as Cornel. A lapide well observeth the Apostle saith untill we come to a perfect man and not untill we come unto perfect men because he speakes not of Christians considered severally but rather of the whole Church which he compareth unto one perfect man of which man the Church is as it were the body Christ himselfe the soule and head Now when the body commeth unto it's fulnesse of growth the head also commeth thereunto as also the strength vigour quicknance and efficacy of the soule its union with and information of the body which though the soule it selfe be indivisible is divisible and consequently coextended with the body Even so in like manner when all the members that shall be added unto the Church shall come unto their full growth and perfection in grace why then Christ considered under a mysticall capacity as head of his Church may be said to come unto his full growth age or stature too And his union with his Church and members will then absolutely be full and compleate I come in the last place unto the uses of exhortation From the all-fulnesse of Christ's grace we may be exhorted unto two duties 1. Humiliation for the imperfection of our graces 2. Diligence and constancy in the growth of our graces 1. Unto Humiliation for the imperfection that is in our owne graces and to give the better edge unto this exhortation I shall propound two motives 1. The perfection of the holinesse of the second Adam should mind us of that perfect holinesse which we lost in the first Adam And reflexion on such an unvaluable losse cannot but strike the heart of any one with a deepe measure of godly sorrow that is not ignorant of the worth and necessity of grace 2. All aberrations from the rule are blemishes and therefore seeing our graces fall so infinitely short of that perfection which is in the patterne of grace Christ Jesus all our graces are defective and sinfull and so present matter for spirituall mourning Can we behold the Sun of righteousnesse and not blush at the menstruous rag's of our own righteousnesses Can we looke upon the bottomlesse fountaine of holinesse in Christ and not be ashamed of our shallow brooke that would soone waxe dry if it were not continually supplied from the aforesaid fountaine Alas what are our drops unto his ocean our sparks or beames unto his sunne His gifts and graces were in comparison of ours unmeasurable God gave not the spirit by measure unto him But what a narrow measure is there in the brightest gifts and endowments of the most glorious saints that ever lived upon the face of the earth And this measure ariseth from mixture with contrary lusts and corruptions The Holy Ghost replenished the heart of Christ from the very conception The word was no sooner made flesh but it forthwith was full of grace and truth But Satan hath filled our hearts from the very wombe with a body of sin and death armies of lusts and corruptions like the Midianites which lay on the ground like grashoppers for multitude Judg. 7.12 As soone as we were conceived we were forthwith full of all the seeds of sinne ignorance and errour In Christ were unsearchable riches of grace But we are like the foole in the Gospell Luk. 12.21 that was not rich towards God Like the Church of Laodicea Revel 3.18 that was wretched miserable poore blind naked In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge In us there are to allude unto the expression of the Prophet upon another occasion Esay 45.3 treasures of darknesse the treasury of an evill heart Math. 12.34,35 The sonne of man was cloathed with a garment of holinesâ—e downe to the foote Revel 1.13 Whereas the robe of our graces is farre more narrow and scanty then the filthy garments of our corruptions Christ was a lambe without blemish and without spot Whereas alas there is a spot in the dearest Children of God Deut. 32.5 the spot of Originall and Actuall sinne their purest graces and most spirituall duties are bespotted and distained by the adhesion of sinfull lusts and corruptions The eyes of Christ are pure white and precious like orient Jewels or sparkling Diamonds His eyes are as the eies of doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set or as it is in the margent sitting in fulnesse that is fitly placed and set as a precious stone in the foile of a ring Cant. 5.10 But now our eyes are not onely darke and dimme but impure and uncleane 2 Pet. 2.14 full of Adultery Grace was poured into his lips Psal 4.2.5 his lips are full of grace t is in the old translation But now our tongues are full of deadly poyson Jam. 3.8 Our mouthes are full of cursing and bitternesse Rom. 3.14 God anoynted Jesus Christ with the holy Ghost and he went about doing good c. Acts 10.38 But that the greatest part of men have received no such anoynting is witnessed by their unactivenesse for the glory of God and good of the Church They are as unprofitable burdens unto the earth as the Sodomites whose iniquity was fulnesse of bread and the abundance of Idlenesse Ezek. 16.49 2. We may hence be exhorted unto diligence and constancy in the growth of our graces For let our progresse in them be never so great yet still we shall come farre behind out patterne and never be able here to reach his all-fulnesse Those that learne to write will labour to come as nigh their copy as they can And in all handy-crafts learners endeavour a full conformitie unto their rules and patternes And therefore we may conclude that we can never be too conformable to the holinesse of Christ which God hath propounded unto us for a samplar to imitate He was full of grace and therefore we can never be gracious enough In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge And therefore we can never be knowing enough We desire a full conformitie unto the glory and happinesse of Christ And therefore it is very irrationall to thinke upon a stay or stoppe in the way thereunto to wit a conformity unto his grace and holinesse What is spoken of the degrees of grace and light in the Church Cant. 6.10 may be applied unto every Christian In his first conversion he looketh forth as the morning When he arriveth unto further maturity he is faire as the moone that hath a mixture of spots with her fullest light But in the state of glory he will
A TREATISE Concerning THE FVLNESSE OF CHRIST Considered ACCORDING VNTO 1 His relations 2 His Natures Divine and Humane 3 His twofold state of Humiliation and Exaltation OXFORD Printed by H. H. for Th Robinson 1656. VNTO HIS HONOVRED FRIEND COLONEL HENRY HENLY A worthy example of personall piety and publike affections HENRY IEANES VVith his unfained prayers for the prosperity of him and his devoteth this part of his labours THERE DWELLETH IN CHRIST ALL FVLNESSE COLLOSS 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell FRom verse the 15th unto the 20th we have a full and pithie description of our Redeemer Christ Jesus and that by his inward by his outward relation First by the intrinsecal relation he beareth unto his Father in the beginning of the 15th verse who is the Image of the invisible God As for his extrinsecal relations they are either unto the creatures in general or else unto the Church in special Unto the creatures in general he carrieth the relation 1. Of first borne the first borne of every creature the latter part of the 15th verse 2. Of Creator and Preserver verses 16th and 17th Unto the Church in speciall he is referred as head verse 18th And he is the head of the body the Church Of which relation we have an amplification a confirmation 1. An amplification from two other titles dependant thereon and resulting therefrom Who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Who is the beginning that is the cause and principle unto all his members of their resurrection of their spiritual resurrection from the death of sinne here of their corporal resurrection from the grave the death of nature hereafter The first borne from the dead the first that was borne from the dead that is the first that rose by his own power unto a present and plenary participation of glory That in all things he might have the preheminence In that he was not only a Creator and Preserver of the living but also a raiser and restorer of the dead Of this relation of headship unto his Church we have 2 a Confirmation from his fitness and qualification for it For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Upon which words we may look 1. according to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing 2. as they are in themselves 1. According to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing which is implied in the particle for Here to clear the Apostles meaning we must know there is wanting this proposition He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church This is to be supplied as necessarily understood and then we have a full compleat syllogisme to prove Christ the head of the Church He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church because qualified and fitted for it but in Christ dwelleth all fulness and that by his Father's decree therefore he is the head of the body the Church In the head of the Church you see there resides all-fulness Were it not so the Apostle had reasoned but weakly in inferring Christ's being head of the Church from the dwelling of all-fulness in him If any one want this fulness it will goe well with him if among the members of the Church he can find a place of head the name and honour he cannot challenge without the just imputation of excessive both pride and folly I cannot but marvel then how it comes about that the Popes of Rome have for a long time laid so eager claime unto this title for what fulness save that of sin and Satan can be ascribed unto the greatest part of them since their arrogant and sacrilegious usurpation of this incommunicable attribute of our Redeemer We may say of them as Paul of the Gentiles Rom. 1.29 they are filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousnes full of envy murder debate deceit malignity of this the miserable face of almost whole Christendome is too palpable an evidence Antichrist is stiled in scriptures that man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 For this reason perhaps because he is not only full of sin but the fulness of sinne dwelleth in him Sathan hath filled his heart as Peter spake of Ananias Act. 5.3 And good reason there is Sathan should communicate unto him a double portion the greatest portion of his spirit for he is his eldest sonne the sonne of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 his vicar-general the most powerful and universal agent he hath here upon earth Thus you see standeth the context If we look upon the words as they are in themselves so for the better unfolding of them we must know that in Christ there was a manifold fuâ—ness according to the diverse considerations of him and considered he may be either relatively or absolutely 1. Relatively and so againe three wayes 1. As an object of all promises and prophecies delivered under the law and also as an antitype unto legal types and ceremonies And so there was in him that fulness of truth of which the Evangelist St. John speaketh John 1.14 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth He is said to be full of truth because he is the performance of the promises the fulfilling of the prophecies the fulfilling of the typical prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law Quia plenus gratiae saith Bonaventure tulit peccata quia plenus veritatis solvit legis promissa because full of grace therefore he bore our sins in his body on the tree and so suffered the curse of the Law because full of truth therefore he accomplisht all the promises of the old Testament In him all the promises of God were yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers Rom. 15.8 Full he was of truth because in him were fulfilled all the prophecies that ran of the Evangelical Church and therefore he is said Dan. 9.24 to seale up the vision and the prophecies Quonià m Christus est signaculum omnium prophetarum adimplens omnia quae retro erant de eo nunciata as Tertullian contra Judaeos observeth upon the place Because Christ is the seal of the prophets fulfilling whatsoever was foretold of him Full he was of truth because he made good the prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law In them there was an emptiness they were but shadowes figures Col. 2.17 A fulness then there must be in Christ who is the body of those shadowes the substance of those figures In him they were to be filled full fulfilled perfected and accomplished And so the new Testament whereof he is the substance is said by Aquinas to fill up or fulfil the old because whatsoever was promised or prefigured in this is really and truely exhibited in that 1 a 2 ae
quaest 107. Art 2. Whereas it is said Col. 2.9 that in him dwelleth all fulness of the God head bodily Lombard thinkes that bodily is as much as completivè So that he understands by the words Christs fulfilling the signes and ceremonies of the law For as they are said to be shadowes of things to come not in a proper but metaphoricall sense and in reference to them God was said to dwell in the material Temple made with Hands only umbratilitèr after a typical darke umbratile and latent way Even so the fulness of the God-head is said to dwell in him bodily only metaphorically in opposition to legal shadowes because God by him accomplisht whatsoever they prefigured or shadowed Hence then we may inferre the plucking away of Moses his vail the abrogation of all Levitical sacraments sacrifices observances all typical ceremonies whatsoever When we have Christ the Antitype there is no need of the ceremonies the Types they are as the bones Christ as the marrow and therefore the perverse Jewes are fitly by Jerome compared unto dogs in that as dogs they doe as it were only gnaw the bones dote on the bare types and in the mean while neglect Christ Jesus the marrow Mannah hidden in them The law was given by Moses full of types and shadowes voyd and emptie of grace but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.17 As grace to pardon the breaches to remove the curses to enable for obedience unto the precepts of the morral law so truth to abolish the types and resemblances of the ceremonial law Whereupon he is termed the end of the law Rom. 10.4 to note that all the ceremonies of the law had in him their perfection and accomplishment and consequently period and abolishment They were but figures and presence of the truth nullifies all figures they were but shadowes and presence of the body and substance evacuates all shadowes they were but obscure glimmerings weak and faint representations darke and misty prefigurations of the day spring from on high that is a light to them which sate in darkness a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the Glory of the people Israel When this light therefore is risen upon the world they must needs vanish it 's brightness and lustre cannot but dimme tapers and candles in comparison of the sunne of righteousness and approach of the sunn makes all lesser lights useless Bernard in his first Homily super missus est tels us that the promises made of Christ unto Abraham Isaacke and Jacob were as the seed the types foreshadowing him as the blossoms Christ himselfe as the fruites Answerable unto which is that of Aquinas prim secun quaest 107. Art 3 that the new Testament where of Christ is the summe is contained in the old tanquam frumentum in spicâ tanquam arbor in semine Now prodeunte fructu flos decidit quia veritate apparente in carne figura pertransit when the fruit appeares the blossome fals off when the truth appeareth in the flesh the figure thereof passeth away All Levitical rites were but promissiva signa as Austin termeth them predictions of Christ to come and therefore farther observation of them would be a flat and real denial of Christs comming in the flesh But now this cessation of the ceremonies was not at once in an instant but sensim paulatim saith Austin leasurely by degrees by little and little As the mystery of our redemption signified by them had it's inchoatum in the cratch at the birth of Christ it 's consummatum on the cross at the death and passion of Christ Even so the ceremonies of the law themselves began to cease upon Christ's comming but were together with the sins of the world to be utterly cancelled upon the cross Ephes 2.15,16 Col. 2.14 Aquinas prim secun quaest 103. Art 3. upon the first breaking out of the light of the sun of righteousness upon the world all shadowes began to wast lessen Upon the initial promulgation of the Gospel in Christ's own personal preaching nay upon the very proclamation of Christs approach by his forerunner John Baptist the ceremonial law was in the waine and therefore it is said that the Prophets and the law prophâ—…sied until John Math. 11.13 because however the ceremonial law was not abrogated by John or as soon as John preached yet aegrotare tunc caepit as Maldonate hath it non multò post Christi mortem moritura it thereupon began presently to languish weaken and sicken and upon the cross it actually gave up the Ghost To which purpose some have observed that the last character of the Hebrew Alphabet was a plaine figure of Christ's cross to shew that his sacrifice thereon ended all legal sacrifices and ordinances whatsoever But now however ceremonialia presently upon Christs death became mortua dead void of all efficacy and power to bind yet were they not mortifera deadly until there was a plenary promulgation of the Gospel And therefore the Apostles gave them an honourable funeral by observation of them even after their power of obligation was quite expired in Christ's death From this abrogation of Jewish ceremonies some of the ablest patrons of humane ceremonies of mystical signification doe allow us to dispute against the pedagogy and schoole of them whereby the mysteries of faith and doctrines of the gospel are wrapped up in new shadowes which God had freed from the old which were of his own institution and meant to have published plainely by the preaching of the Gospel and Sacraments a cleerer kind of teaching and not againe to be adumbrated by new shadowes for this were to turne us back to our spelling book So Doctor John Burges in his rejoynder to Ames pag. 265. 267 268. But the old Non-conformists were not content with this but argued hence farther for the abolishing of all significant ceremonies of humane institution whatsoever not only those which Doctor Morton termeth Sacramental which signify some grace conferred by God but also those which he calleth moral which signify man's spiritual duty and obedience towards God such as the surplice cross c. Neither is this inference so irrational as the Prelatical partie have heretofore represented it To make which appeare I shall desire you to take notice of that which the judicious Mr. Bayne observeth on Col. 2.17 The Papists saith he may hence be in part answered they object that their ceremonies are not here condemned but such as signified Christ to come Though in other regards they are taken away then of signification yet they must know signification respecting Christ is two-fold 1. Of that which concerneth his own individual person as his manifestation in the flesh suffering c. 2. Of that which representeth any thing to be done in the body of Christ mystical to be done spiritually of Believers And that Christ is to be taken here in this latitude a If that of the Fathers may goe for currant that distinction of â—lâ—ven footed
persons from their places that is named in this world or that which is to come that is renowned here on earth or in heaven in the state of heavenly blisse which is said to be future or to come not because it doth not now exist but for that it is to come unto us that live here in this present world Lastly we have a distribution of this soveraigne authority or dominion of Christ It is 1. generall over the whole Creation And hath put all things under his feet v. 22. 2. speciall over the Church And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church 1. Generall over the whole creation and hath all things put under his feet Zanchy by all things here understands the enemies of Christ which shall be subjected unto him by way of conquest he shall in a victorious manner as it were tread upon them and trample them under his feet As the Captaines of the men of warre with Joshua did tread upon the five kings that were taken Josh 10.24 For this * Qui de ecclesia non sunt subjecti sunt Christo ficu◠quae sub pedibus habemus nempe ut vilia digna quae conculcentur et conterantur Zanchius restriction of the phrase to wicked men and the enemies of Christ he giveth this reason the sheepe the members of Christ are in his hand not under his feete no man shall pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10.28 For answer the Scripture indeed mentioneth a twofold putting under the feete of Christ penall or obedientiall 1. There is a penall and disgracefull way of putting under the feet of Christ by way of punishment or contempt but when the Scripture speakes of that there is allwaies expresse mention made of enemies Psal 110.1 1 Cor. 15.25 But putting under the feet of Christ when it is used simply by it selfe without any such addition of enemies signifieth that which is obedientiall and denoteth the generall subordination of all creatures whatsoever unto Christ If any differ herein from me I shall desire him impartially to consider that place in Heb. 2.5,6,7,8 Where the Apostle hath a large discourse of this very subject And out of this place I shall draw three arguments to prove that the putting all things in subjection under the feet of Christ is so comprehensive as that it takes in not only enemies but all the creatures 1. v. 5. He hath put in subjection unto him the world to come that is heaven the inhabitants of which are the glorious Saints and Angels 2. v. 8. In that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him The Apostle we see is peremptory and expresse that no creature whatsoever is excepted or exempted from this subjection and therefore it would be saucinesse in any man to restraine it only unto enemies 3. The 8th Psalme out of which this phrase is applied unto Christ makes mention of all sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the foules of the aire and the fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the path's of the sea 's Psal 8.7,8 that were put under his feet Now these creatures are not capable of any enmity or hostility against Christ and therefore the phrase doth not here signify the speciall subjection of enemies by way of victory and triumph 2. We have here the second branch of Christs dominion that speciall soveraignty and supreme authority which he hath over his Church Gave him to be an head over all unto his Church that clause over all as is noted by Mr Bayne may be understood either in regard of Christ or the Church 1. In regard of Christ and so it denoteth the perfection of his glory and authority Gave him who is over all things to be the head unto the Church and so here is not only signified the excellency of Christ but farther the greatnesse of the gift or benefit herein bestowed by God upon the Church in that he hath given her a most eminent glorious and powerfull head But of this the Apostle speakes so fully in the foregoing words as that to insert it here againe so suddenly would be little lesse then a tautology I conceive therefore that the words are meant in regard of the Church so that in them is couched a comparison of the greater with the lesse of Christs head-ship unto the Church with his domination which he hath above all other creatures Christ may be said to be an head unto the whole universe He is the head of all principality and power Col. 1.10 But he is an head unto the Church in a more singular and eminent manner then he is unto any other of the creatures then he is unto the Angels He was unto the Angels only a mediator of confirmation or preservation unto us also a mediator of redemption and therefore now being at the right hand of God he presents unto him in our behalfe the satisfaction of his death for the remission of our sinnes the merit of his death for the supply of all our wants and in such a manner he doth not intercede for the elect Angels who are free from both sinne and indigency Besides there is not such a suitablenesse of nature between him and the Angels as there is between him and the Church of the redeemed For he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 Zanchy expounds the words as of the singularity of Christs love unto the Church so also of the extent and universality of his influence upon her So that over all things with him sounds as much as in all things in all mercies and benefits needfull unto the Church his body in all duties belonging unto him as the head of his Church He communicates unto her all good things grace and glory Psal 84.11 he is present with her in all her streits and supplieth her in all her wants He dischargeth for her and unto her all the offices of an head he illightneth quickneth governeth and protecteth her But this interpretation may be thought to be strained therefore I shall acquiesce in the former touching the specialty of Christs headship Bayne or soveraignty over the Church It is more intimate communicative and beneficiall then that over any other Creatures though never so great and glorious A second place is Phil. 2.9,10,11 Where we have of Christs exaltation 1. an emphaticall affirmation 2. a large and lively description 1. An emphaticall affirmation God also hath highly exalted him It is not barely said that God exalted him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super exaltavit highly exalted him Exalted him above all highnesse Exalted him unto the greatest height of honour and power that the humane nature is advanceable so highly he exalted him that all Creatures whatsoever from the highest heavens unto the center of the earth are far below him as it were under his feete 2. We have a large
and full discharge unto him their surety and so a virtuall pardon of them Hence the answer or apology of a good conscience unto the cry of sinne the accusation of the law and the concurrence of this answer unto our salvation is made by the Apostle Peter to depend upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ his going into heaven and his being there on the right hand of God and the subjection of Angels authorities and powers unto him 1 Pet. 3.21,22 Hence is it also that the Apostle Paul inferreth the non-condemnation of the elect rather from Christs exaltation then his death because his exaltation is a cleere and full evidence that his death is abundantly satisfactory unto the justice of God Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 many sin Satan and the law may be ready and very forward to accuse but none of these have any power to condemne for it is Christ that died for us And in the death of such a person as Christ there cannot but be a fulnesse of satisfaction But of this without his resurrection we could have had but little assurance and therefore that with the following parts of his exaltation the Apostle makes the chiefe ground of his confidence yea rather that is risen againe He haith paid the utmost farthing for he is delivered out of prison He is risen nay he is exalted unto a throne a crowne a Kingdome He hath all power given unto him in heaven and earth He is sate downe at the right hand of God and there he hath authority to make intercession in the behalfe of all the elect for whatsoever he pleaseth If he were not disburd'ned of the guilt of our sinne God would never have thus highly exalted him never suffered him to have been thus neare him to have had such power and prevalency with him Because the father hath committed all judgment unto the sonne Joh. 5.22 the sonne himselfe concludeth the freedome of all believers from condemnation Verily verily I say unto you He that Heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Joh. 5.24 Thus you see how the fulnesse of Christs soveraignty dominion exempts believers from the guilt of sinne Now It is only guilt that makes men afraid of death hell it is the sting of death it is that which puts us into danger of hell fire therefore being freed from guilt we may be confident to be delivered from the wrath to come we need not fear the arrest of death or imprisonment in hell Christ our mediatour hath the keyes of death and therefore unto his death shall not be a prison but a bed or a withdrawing roome a place of repose He hath the keyes of hell and therefore he will suffer none of these to be cast into it for whom he hath prepared a mansion in his fathers house Secondly The fulnesse of Christs authority may comfort all his members against the power rage and raigne of sinne what complaint more usuall with believers then that of the violence of their lusts Oh say they our corruptions are so powerfull and vigorous as that we are afraid they will sometime or other break out unto our either disgrace if not undoing why if they would but looke off from themselves upon Christ Jesus at the right hand of his Father they might behold him invested with authority to mortify their most violent lusts to subdue their most head-strong corruptions He gave his Apostles power against uncleane spirits to cast them out Math. 10.1 and to heale all manner of sicknesse and all manner of diseases He gave the seventy disciples power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy Luk. 10.19 So he gives unto his disciples and members power to cast out uncleane habits every serpentine lust which are the spawne and broode of that great Serpent Indeed no wind so boisterous impetuous as the unmortified passions of men no sea so tempestuous so rough or restlesse as the hearts of unregenerate men Isa 57.20 The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up wire and dirt The sea is calme sometimes but there is a perpetuall tempest in their bosomes their lusts are alwaies raging they are like a troubled sea when it cannot rest they cast up nothing but mire and dirt All their words and actions are not only sinfull but sins mire and dirt But now Christ is such a manner of man as that he can easily rebuke both the very wind seas obey him Mark 4.41 He hath such authority from his father as that he can in all the elect with a word as it were still the wind of passion and calme the sea of sinne and stay it 's proud waves Secondly The fulnesse of Christs power and authority yeelds comfort against the strength malice and temptations of Satan Christ hath the keyes of hell and therefore they that have interest in Christ have no reason slavishly to feare all the Divels in hell Satan indeed is the prince of the power of the aire but what is the power of the aire in comparison of the power of our mediatour All power in heaven and earth Satan is compared to a strong man armed Luk. 11.21 but in the next verse we find that Christ is stronger then he able to overcome and bind him to take from him all his armour wherein he trusted and to divide his spoiles Math. 12.29 Luk. 11.21,22 The Seed of the woman is able to overpower the seed of the serpent the utmost mischiefe that the seed of the serpent the Divell and his instruments can doe is but to bruise the heele and that is no mortall wound for it is farre from either head or heart but the seed of the woman Christ Jesus shall bruise the head of the serpent that is destroy the power the Kingdome and workes of the Divell 1 Jo. 3.8 It is true we wrestle not against flesh blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world c. Eph. 6.12 But let us be strong in the Lord Jesus and in the power of his might for it is a power farre above all principality power might and dominion c. Eph. 1.21 Christ is the head of all principality and power Col. 2.10 And therefore Paul had good reason to be perswaded that neither Angels principalities nor powers shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Lastly The fulnesse of Christs authority is a support and comfort unto all that belong unto him against opposition of men whether violent by persecution or fraudulent by heresy schisme Why should any member of the Church be diffident and distrustfull
for my health and thankes is a sufficient requitall But let a Doctor of Physicke doe it and a fee is due unto him That advice which delivered by a common man is good cheape yet comming from a counseller serjeant judge are of great value Even so that bloud which Christ shed that death which he suffered if it had been by an ordinary person would have been of no great force but being by him who was over all God blessed for ever it was of high indeed infinite price As sin though it be of a finite nature yet it is objectivè infinite as being committed against an infinite Majesty and so meriting an infinite wrath and punishment So Christs obedience though it were metaphysically for its nature finite yet it was morally infinite as being performed by a person of infinite dignity and majesty and so consequently it was of infinite merit to appease Gods wrath and procure all good things in the behalfe of his members But by reason of the infinitenesse dignity of Christ person there was in his obedience and sufferings of satisfaction and merit not only a fulnesse of Sufficiency He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 But also a fulnesse of Redundancy The satisfaction merit and acceptablenesse of his sufferings did as farre surmount thinkes Chrysosteme the demerit malignity and unpleasingnesse of our disobedience of our transgressions as the vast Ocean doth the least drop of water as the payment of infinite millions doth the debt of some few pence Speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins Isaiah 40.2 to wit in her head and surety Christ Jesus This redundancy overflowing and overplus as I may say of Christ satisfaction will be more apparent if with the acute Albertinus tom 1. quaest 18. Theolog. Ex primo principio Philos pag 135. We will be pleased to consider that however there was a kind of infinitenesse as well in our sins against God as in Christs satisfaction for them yet this latter infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction was of a higher ranke and nature then the infinitenesse of sin Because the reference of the satisfactory and meritorious workes of Christ unto his infinite person was greater nearer and more intimate then that of sin unto the infinite nature of God offended thereby the person of Christ respecting those formally and as it were intrinsecally because as a morall circumstance it morally informed and dignified them and the demerit of sin respecting God offended thereby onely objectively and extrinsecally as outwardly terminating its reference unto him and therefore however from the infinite person of Christ there redounded unto his satisfactory actions an absolute infinitenesse of value and acceptablenesse which was absolutely and simply such yet from the infinite nature of God offended by sin there redounded unto sin onely an infinitenesse of guilt and demerit secundum quid after a sort in such a kind This doctrine of the all-fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction and merit the Papists injure 1. By abuse of it 2. By a consequentiall impugning of it 1. They abuse pervert and wrest it unto the Patronage of Papall Indulgences for they make it the principall pillar of that treasury of the Church erected by Pope Clement the sixth to raise a stocke to redeeme Soules out of Purgatory Christâ— satisfaction being of infinite worth was enough for the sinnes of the whole world all the men that ever were are or shall be in the world but it is applied onely unto a little flock There is thereâ—ore a surplusage or plentifull remainder of the price of Christs satisfaction that may alwaies farther be applied For answer we readily grant that there was such an all-sufficiency in the humiliation of Christ as that it was able to satisfy for the sins of all men in the world if it were applied unto them But then we * Ames Bell. Enervat tom 3. lib. 6. c. 1. p. 232.233 utterly deny any superfluous and superabundant satisfactions of Christ not applied unto those for whom they were by God and Christ intended For the intire price of Christs satisfaction is applied wholly unto every believer and not by pieces and patches To affirme that Christs satisfaction is applied but in part that some of his satisfactions are applied and that others remaine unapplied what is this but to divide Christ The * Chamier tom â— lib. 24 c. 12. sect 1093. light of the Sun is sufficient to ilâ—ighten all the men in the world and yet there are many born blind that never see the light thereof But now how ridiculous would it be to infeâ—…hence that there are any supervacaneous beames of the Sun to be put into a treasury of light The same light of the Sun may serve for millions of men So the same satisfaction of the Sun of righteousnesse may be is applied unto all the Saints And indeed if but one single person had been saved and redeemed it could have been at no lower a rate then the whole death of Christ the whole satisfaction of Christs blood must be applied unto such a soule and not only a parcell thereof The reservation then of many satisfactions of Christ in the treasury of the Church that are not applied is but a fiction invented for the filling of the Coffers of his Holinesse But to speake of this somewhat more accurately The maine foundation upon which Papalins build the superfluous satisâ— factions of Christ and that imaginary treasure of the Church consisting principally of them is the infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction and this may be branched into two arguments The first Such is the infinite worth of Christs satisfaction 〈◊〉 that it may be extended unto those unto whom it is never actually extended But how sandy a foundation this is for such a structure is well discovered by Ames Because as much may be said of Gods power and mercy whence yet to inferr any superfluity in them were very ridiculous Satisfactio Christi non magis dicenda est super flua aut Thesaurus ab Ecclesia dispensandus quia suâ naturâ potest ad illos extendi ad quos non extenditur actu quam misericordia aut potentia Dei Bell. Enerv. tom 3. lib. 6. C. 1. pag. 232. The substance of this answer we meet with in one of their owne Schoolmen Suarez in tertiâ part Thomae tom 4. disp 51. sect 1. pag. 686. Though indeed it be brought by him to another purpose Having affirmed that this supposed treasury of the Church shall continue even after the day of judgment he hints an objection against it that the remaining of it would be idle vaine and without fruit To what purpose should there be in it sufficient satisfactions for infinite sins when there is no longer any place for the
pardon of any sin He answereth that it would not be idle and in vaine and his confirmation of it will mutatis mutandis with due change serve our turne Neque id est otiosum sicut potentia Dei non est otiosa etiamsi infinita possit operari quae non operatur qùia est attributum quoddam connaturale ipsi Deo pertinens ad perfectionem ejus Ita enim infinitus valor propriorum operum est quasi naturalis proprietas Dei hominis pertinens ad perfectionem ejus Gods power is not idle though it can worke infinite things which it never worketh because it is a connaturall attribute of God belonging unto his perfection So the infinite value of the satisfactory works and sufferings of Christ is as it were a naturall property of God man and therefore we cannot say that any of them be superfluous though they be not applied unto those unto whom they are appliable A Second Argument may be framed thus The bloud of Christ is of infinite price and therefore every drop of it sufficient to cancell the sins of the whole world Christ therefore did endure much more then was necessary for the redemption of man and of his superabundant satisfaction the treasure of the Church principally consisteth Unto this I shall answer 1. in the words of Dr. Francis White in his reply unto the Jesuite Fisher pag. 553 554. Although one drop of Christs bloud even when he was circumcised and whipped might have been sufficient for mans redemption if God had so ordained yet presupposing the Divine decree and ordinance to the contrary one drop of Christs bloud is not sufficient to make satisfaction for our sins because sufficiency in this kind is to be measured by the wisdome will and acceptation of the ordainer which requireth as much as himselfe appointed and decreed should be and neither more nor lesse 2. A confutation of this popish conceit touching a sufficiency in one drop of Christs bloud to satisfy for sin you may fetch out of another Bishop Dr. Bilson in his survey of the sufferings of Christ c. pag. 103. Nothing saith he did fully satisfy the justice of God for sin nor make a perfect reconciliation for us with God but his obedience unto death For that which must satisfy for sin must be death other ransome for sin God neither in his wisdome and counsell would nor in his truth and justice could accept after his will once determined and declared It was the first wages appointed and denounced by God to sin In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Gen. 2. or certainly thou shall diâ— the doubling of the word noting the inflexibility of Gods counsell and justice The Apostle witnesseth the same when he saith the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. Then as sin was irrevocably rewarded with death so must it necessarily be redeemed by death which rule stood so sure that when the son of God would give himselfe for us to redeem us he could not do it by reason of Gods immutable counsell and decree but by death Wherefore the Apostle calleth him Heb. 9. the mediatour of the new Testament through death for the redemption of transgressions And where a testament is there must be saith he the death of the testator He contenteth not himselse to say there was but there must be the death of the testator before we could be redeemed A necessity not simply binding Gods power but plainly declaring his counsell to be fixed and his will revealed I have alleadged the testimony of these two Bâ—shops because I find others of the same ranke to speak another language And those that have been the most rigid assertors of the prelaticall cause have made this Monkish dreame one piece of their Divinity and have bespattered as Puritans all that have adventured upon any limitation or mitigation of this hyperbole of Bernards Thirdly I shall referr the reader for further satisfaction unto x Illud non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligitur de totali causa meriti Christi sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duntaxat departiali causa nempè dignitate atque habilitate perscuae satisfacientis c. Ludovicus Lucius against Gittichius the Socinian who doth what he can to qualify the Rhetorick of such Protestants as say with Bernard that one drop of Châ—ists blood is enough to ransome all mankind pag. 22. and withall he proveth pag. 121. out of Heb. 9.15 that in strictnesse and propriety of speech there was need not only of some few drops of his bloud but of his very death it selfe for satisfaction of Gods justice Unto him I shall also fourthly adde Chamier tom 3 lib. 24. cap. 12. sect 7 8 9. p. 1093. Who there thus argueth against the Papists in this particular The Scripture ascribes the redemption and salvation of the elect as to the blood so to the death of Christ We were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 You that were sometimes alienated c now hath he reconciled in the body of his flâ—sh through death Col. 1.21,22 Now will they play the sophisters with Christs death as with his bloud and say that some are redeemed with one part and others with another branch of his death What can be more absurd then such a distribution of the application of Christ's death As all the elect considered joyntly are redeemed by the whole death of Christ so every one of them severally and apart Paul is not ransomed by one portion of his death and Peter by another But each of them by the same whole death considered entirely in all its kinds members and degrees Now if by the scripture the whole death of Christ is requisite for the redemption of but one single soule then it is but a curious and rash presumption so peremptorily to affirme that but one drop of Christs blood one teare of his eie one drop of his sweat is more then sufficient for the ransome of all mankind Unto all these I shall in the last place subjoyne out of Ames Bell. Enervat tom 1. lib. 2. Cap. 2. pag. 93. a passage that proveth one or a few drops of bloud to be an unmeet satisfaction unto the divine justice for the numerous and heinous sins of men Quamvis valor passionis pensandus sit ex dignitate patientis tamen ut passio idonea esset ad valorem illum in talem usum sustinendum proportio fuit observanda inter poenam debitam solutam Although the value of Christ's passion be to be weighed and measured by the dignity of his person suffering yet notwithstanding that his passion might be fit to receive or sustaine the now mentioned value requisite it was that a proportion should be observed between the punishment that was due from us and that which was paid and suffered by him That Christs sufferings might be satisfactory there was requisite not only dignitas personae but also gravitas poenae not only the
worthinesse of his person but also a fulnesse in his suffering he was to suffer all the parts of the generall curse and punishment due to sinne as touching the substance and nature of them not as touching the circumstances either of place or continuance And this was figured by the powering all the bloud beside the bottome of the Altar Exod. 29.12 By the burning of all the burnt offering Levit. 1.9 by the z As the burning of the heyfer signified the fufferings of Christ Heb. 13.11,12 So the ashes were the monument of his most base and utmost afflictiōs for ashes were used as greatest signes of sorrow and misery 2 Sam. 13.19 Job 30.19 42. vers 6. Jer. 6.26 and to be brought to ashes upon the earth is noted for the extremity of Gods fiery judgments Eze. 28.18 Aynsworth upon the place burning of the red heifer unto ashes Numb 19.9 Secondly The Papists by jost consequence impugne the all-fullnesse of Christ's satisfaction and merit in their maintenance of saintlie satisfactions and merits 1. In their maintenance of the satisfaction of the saints for this maketh Christs satisfaction imperfect in that it addeth thereunto a supply of humane satisfactions Yea but say the Papists the doctrine of the satisfaction of the saints is so farre farre from derogating any thing from the dignity of Christ's satisfaction as that it rather maketh unto the greater honour thereof because it deriveth all our power of satisfying from his satisfaction It is no derogation from Gods Omnipotency that he workes by second causes that in the acting of the greatest miracles he makes use of his meanest servants So it is no imbasement but rather an honour and glory unto Christ's satisfaction to have them advanced so farre as that by vertue of them the members of Christ are made in part satisfyers of divine justice not in equality with Christ but by subordination to him Hereupon Bellarmine tom 3. de paenitentia lib. 4. cap. 14. very gravely adviseth us to take heed that we doe not wrong the workes of grace the members of Christ and the holy Ghost himselfe whiles we thinke to strive for the honour of Christ for the disparagement of the fruite redounds unto the roote and the injury done unto the members reflects upon the head But that notwithstanding all this glozing their doctrine of humane satisfactions doth eclipse the dignity and overthrow the force of Christ's satisfaction will appeare by clearing up these two particulars 1. that considering the all-fulnesse of Christ's satisfaction humane satisfactions are needlesse 2. that they are injurious to the worth of Christ's satisfaction 1. Presupposing the all-fulnesse and infinite worth of Christs satisfaction humane satisfactions are needlesse and causelesse To what purpose should any man light up a dimme taper and smoaky candle when he hath the cleare and full light of the sunne If Christ's satisfaction be of infinite price why then may it not serve for the expiation of the guilt of temporall punishments and if there be an all-sufficiency in Christs satisfaction what need ours Yea but say they mans satisfaction is needfull not to supply the want of Christs satisfaction but to apply it unto us It is one of the instruments ordained by God for the application of Christs satisfaction unto us unto the taking away of temporall punishments That this is but an idle evasion will appeare 1. By a comparison of Christs satisfaction 2. By the entirenesse of the application thereof and 3. by their owne restriction and limitation of the use of it 1. By a comparison of Christs satisfaction and such an argument we have urged by Ames Bell. enervat tom 3. lib. 5. cap. 4. pag. 227. Satisfactio nova non magis requiritur ad satisfactionem Christi applicandam quam nova mors redemptio resurrectio ad mortem redemptionem resurrectionem Christi applicandam A new satisfaction is no more required to apply the satisfaction of Christ then a new death redemption resurrection is to apply the death redemption and resurrection of Christ 2. From the entirenesse and indivisibility of the application of Christs satisfaction Christs satisfaction is applied unto a soule entirely wholly and at once at least for the same sins and not by parcels But now they without any the least warrant from Scripture make two parts of the application of Christs satisfaction First one by confession contrition together with the Priests absolution to the taking away of the fault and eternall punishment 2. Another by satisfactory workes to the taking away of the temporall punishments 3. By their owne a Mr. Bishop telleth usthrough all this discourse that the use of Christs satis faction is to take away the guilt of sin and the eternall punishment thereof and that this we obtaine in the forgivenesse of our sins But now after theforgivenesse of our sins the satisfactions remaine to be performed by us If this be so if the use of Christs satisfaction be determined in the forgivenesse of our sins and the satisfactions follow after how or to what use doe the satisfactions apply unto us the satis factions of Christ As for example Mr. Bishop giveth a man absolution before he dyeth he hath thereupon his sins forgiven him and a release from cternall punishment but yet being not as yet throughly scoured to Purgatory he must goe Now then in what fort and to what end doth Purgatory apply unto him the satisfaction of Christ For the satisfaction of Christ medleth not with temporall punishments he hath left the Kingdome of temporall satis factions and the whole revenuethereof to the Pope What doe we here then with applying the satis faction of Christ Riddle this riddle he that can for Mr. Bishop eannot doe it Abbot against Bishop part 2 d. pag. 737 738. limitation and restriction of the use of Christs satisfaction They limit and restraine the use of Christs satisfaction unto the taking away of the fault of mortall sins and the eternall punishment of them And how then can humane satisfactions apply the satisfaction of Christ for the taking away of temporall punishment Unto these foregoing proofes I shall adde foure more taken from 1. The generall nature 2 The originall 3. The distribution 4. The relation of the instruments of the application of Christs satisfaction 1. From their generall nature They are all ordinances of God branches of his worship But the supposed paines of Purgatory which they make to be satisfactory to Gods justice are not ordinances of God branches of his worship therefore no meanes of applying Christs satisfaction to us 2. From their originall All instruments of applying the satisfaction of Christ proceed from the grace mercy and favour of God But the paines of Purgatory and we may say the same of all temporall punishments that are properly and formally such come from the justice of God and are of a destructive and malignant nature tending unto the perdition of the creature and therefore not meanes of
and the glory thereof be given yet it is never the sole or totall meritorious cause Because alwayes with the merit of Christ there concurreth some worke as the merit of congruity or condignity of him that receiveth grace or glory c. Here it is in terminis affirmed that the passion of Christ is not a solitary totall meritorious cause and the reason alleadged is Because there is farther requisite the concurrence of our merits therefore by consequence it is affirmed that our supposed or pretended merits are conjoyned with Christ's in a way of coordination Because a totall or solitary cause excludes onely coordinate and not subordinate causes A second shift that Hosius Cajetan and others mentioned by Vasquez have to cleare this their doctrine of merit from dishonouring of Christ's merits is the union of the godlie with the person of Christ Whence there redounds unto their good workes a greater worthinesse of eternall life then of themselves they would otherwise have They are knit unto Christ as members unto the head as branches unto the vine and so are as it were reputed one person with Christ And consequently their actions and good workes their merits are looked upon as the actions good workes and merits of Christ himselfe For Christ hereupon as an head hath an influence upon them as members and so worketh and meriteth in them Whereupon Every godly and righteous person may not onely say with the Apostle Paul I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 But also I merit yet not I but Christ meriteth in me And to prove all this they alleadge a saying rife in their Schooles That our workes besprinkled with the bloud of Christ and washed with the merits thereof doe become worthy of heaven and it's happinesse and this saying they might perhaps ground upon Revel 7.14 Where it is said of the saints that they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the lambe But Vasquez hath sared us the labour of confuting this evasion In primam secundae tom 2 disp 214. cap. 7. pag. 810. Good workes saith he receive their value and worthinesse from the person immediatly and formally productive or elicitive of them and not from the person giving grace and assistance for the performance of them and therefore our good workes have noe worthinesse of desert or increase thereof derived from the worthinesse of Christ our head and this he doth not barely dictate but prove by three reasons 1. Otherwise it would follow that our workes were of infinite value Because Christ from whose grace they proceed is of an infinite dignity Secondly Our good workes would be condignly meritorious of justification for others And Thirdly they would merit in the utmost rigour of justice according unto not onely a proportionall but also an absolute equality between the merit and the reward Which are things disclaimed by those Papists that are yet most rigid and stiffe patrons of the merit of our beggarly and polluted observations Having thus cleared the doctrine of the All-fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction and merit from the Papists both abuse and opposition of it I shall in the next place proceed unto some practicall application of the point It may serve as a motive unto humiliation and as a ground of consolation 1. Then here is a motive unto humiliation for sinne for the fulnesse of its obliquity and infinitenesse of its guilt or demerit is sufficiently and clearely demonstrated from the fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction for it And therefore there is nothing that can with halfe that justice challenge such a deepe measure of our teares and sorrow as they O the spots and blemishes of our Originall Corruptions and actuall transgressions must needs be filthy beyond all expression seeing nothing could wash them away but the unvaluable bloud of the immaculate lambe of God There was no satisfying of Gods justice for them appeasing of his wrath against them no redemption of our soules from them no possibilitie if we speake in order unto Gods ordinate power of the healing of them but by shedding the heart bloud of him who was over all God blessed for eve by his obedience that reached even so farre as a cheerfull submission unto a most painefull and ignominious death And from this now let us thus aggravate the hainousnesse of our sinnes Surely they must needs infinitely displease and provoke God seeing he expects so ample a recompense for them The stench of them must needs be extreamly noysome and offensive unto the nostrils of God For nothing could quiet and appease him but that costly perfume of which the Apostle speakes Eph. 5.2 His son giving himselfe for us an offering and sacrifice to him for a sweet smelling savour O that thraldome must needs be most miserable and intollerable from which there is no ransome but by so inestinable a a price Those diseases are deadly unto the healing of whic there is requisite so precious and divine a medicine Those wounds must needs be deepe and dangerous unto the cure of which there is necessary so rich a balsome as out-weighs in worth millions of worlds Secondly This fulnesse of satisfaction and merit in Christ's humiliation is a ground of consolation for from it we may inferre 1. a perfection of his office that he assumed for us 2. a perfection of his influence upon us 1. A perfection of his office that he assumed for us the Captaine of our salvation was made perfect through his sufferings Heb. 2.10 and Chap. 5. vers 8 9. that is as touching his office 1. Such was the worth of his sufferings as that by them he accomplished finished an fulfilled that worke which he was to performe for us here on earth a full satisfaction of Gods justice a perfect expiation of our sinnes Luk. 13.32 John 17.4 Iohn 19.30 Secondly He was by his sufferings perfectly and fully qualified and fitted for discharge of those duties that are to be done in heaven for us He was by them qualified as with compassion towards us so with merit towards his father As his owne experience of sufferings was a motive unto sympathy with us so the value of his sufferingâ— was an argument of prevalency with his father If he aske for the pardon of any sinne he can plead that he hath fully satisfied God's justice for it If he crave for any mercy favour grace in the behalfe of his members why he hath paid for it unto the utmost farthing An intercession that is backt with an infinite merit must neeeds be very forcible and prevailing 2. From this fulnesse of Christs satisfaction and merit we may inferre a perfection of Christs influence upon us It is said of the gifts and sacrifices under the law that they could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience Heb. 9.9 Now this is spoken of them as compared with the sacrifice of Christ in a comparison of dissimilitude The deny all
then of then sufficiency to perfect in things concerning the conscience implieth that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to peâ—fect the conscience to purify it and pacify it to enable it for the regular performance of all its offices It can put both into our hearts and mouthes the answere of a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 He hath perfected them for ever as a morall cause in the way of satisfaction and merit 1. He hath perfected them satisfactorily He hath fully satisfied Gods justice for all their sinnes 1 John 1.7 Tit. 2.14 Acts 13.39 and for all things considerable in their sinnes for the fault in the offence of Gods majesty and violation of our friendship with him the staine or corruption of sinne all punishments for sinne whether eternall or temporall so that they are freed from the whole curse of the law Galat. 3.13 and totally exempted from any condemnation whatsoever Rom. 8.1 Sprinkling of bloud seven times was required upon severall occasions under the law As in the sin offering for the ignorance of the anointed Priest * Aynsworth Levit. 4.6 on the day of expiation or attonement Chap. 16.14 and in the cleansing of the Leper Chap. 14.7 Now seven is a perfect number used for the compleating of a worke Gen. 3.2,3 and therefore this sprinkling of bloud seven times fitly served to typify that the bloud of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 perfectly and fully cleanseth our soules from all sinnes purgeth our consciences from all dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 This utter and toâ—all removall of our sinnes from us in a way of remission by the all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ was typified by the Scape-goate that did beare upon him all the iniquities of the Children of Israel unto a land not inhabited a land of separation Levit. 16.22 Secondly He hath by the offering of himselfe perfected them that are sanctified meritoriously He hath purchased for them not only a possibility but also a certainty of salvation He hath not onely by his merits opened the gate of heaven made salvation possible unto all that believe but further procured in the behalse of all the elect an actuall admission into glory for he hath merited for them faith repentance regeneration perseverance all gifts and graces that are absolutely necessary and will infallibly bring unto salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 The chastisement of our peare was laid upon him Esay 53.5 the chastisement that was laid upon him was of such worth as that it was sufficient to purchase a through and perpetuall peace full favour and perfect reconciliation with God And a peace with the God of heaven is an ample security and protection against an uncessant warre with all the Divels in hell against the greatest enmity and rancour the most powerfull opposition of wicked men on earth and withall an assured and undoubted pledge of all such favours priviledges honours and dignities as favourites may expect from so royall and munificent a master as the King of kings and Lord of Lords Of this perfection of Christs influence that I have spoken of we have in the remainder of the words an amplification 1. from the extent thereof in regard of continuance 2. from a restraint thereof in respect of object 1. From the extent thereof in regard of continuance By one offering he hath perfected them that are sanctified for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated for ever may be referred either unto the duration of the world or else the duration of these that are sanctified 1. Vnto the duration of the world Christs oblation of himselfe perfects those that are sanctified in all ages of the world It is an in exhaust fountaine the satisfaction and merit of which will never be drawne drie As the sunne enlightens all men having the use of sight that ever were are or shall be in the world So Christs sacrifice being of infinite merit perfects all those that ever were are or shall be sanctified unto the end of the world Indeed of it selfe it is sufficient for the perfection of even infinite millions of worlds This perpetuall efficacy of Christs death was typified under the law by the casting of Cedar wood into the midst of the burning of the heifer of whose ashes was made the water of separation and purification for sinne Numb 9.6 Now of this Cedar was a very meete type because it is a firme and durable wood that never rotteth 2. For ever may be referred unto the duration of those that are sanctified and so it denoteth the perseverance of this influence upon them It is not for a time only but unto the end of their lives indeed unto all eternity It keeps them by the power of God through faith unto salvation Lastly you have the restraint of this influence unto them that are sanctified both by infusion of habituall grace and holinesse from God and also by dedication and consecration as vessells of honour unto God as by Gods decree of election so by their owne stedfast purpose and resolution Unsanctified and unrenewed persons then dogs and swine who are not as yet separated out of the world but prostituted unto the vanities thereof whose soules are destitute of all saving and sanctifying graces and defiled with innumerable lusts and corruptions that are unmortified who are utterly neglective and contemptuous of Gods ordinances grosse and impenitent profaners of his worship can expect no share in comfort or benefit by the fulnesse of Christs satisfaction and merit Unto this place we may adde another in the same booke Chap. 5.9 being made perfect he became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him In which words we have 1. The Ground 2. Manner 3. Effect 4. Extension And 5. Restriction of the object of this influence The ground of it Being made perfect to wit by the things which he suffered as appeareth by comparison of the words with the foregoing vers 8. By his sufferings he was perfectly qualified and fully fitted for discharge of this great businesse the purchasing of our salvation 2. The manner of this influence He was not the instrument or meanes but the principall cause the author of our salvation 3. The effect It was not only salvation but eternall salvation * Bilson Fuller or more sufficient then eternall salvation we neither expect nor ever shall have any since that which is eternall admitteth no change nor increase 4. The extension of this influence in regard of object He became the Author of eternall salvation unto all that obey him of what condition soever though never so low and despicable want of learning meanenesse of parts basenesse of birth poverty of estate and all other outward miseries of life can be no impediment unto the all-powerfull influence of Christs merits Lastly we have the restriction of this influence in regard of object He
became the author of eternall salvation onely to them that obey him to wit with the obedience of faith and with new obedience the obedience of good workes and sanctification Children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will not be perswaded will not hearken unto divine admonitions though never so perswasive who are refractory obstinate and impenitent in their disobedience and rebellion are hereby quite excluded from the sweet and comfortable influence of Christs sufferings though in themselves infinitely satisfactory and meritorious But this perfection or fulnesse of Christs influence upon his members we have set down as here in these places absolutely in it selfe so Rom. 5. comparatively as compared with the influence of Adam upon his off-spring Adam was the figure or type of him that was to come vers 14. to wit Christ Jesus in respect not of such things as were personall unto either of them but of that which is by them communicated unto many As Adam was a head root and fountaine of sin and death unto the universality of men so Christ was a head root and fountaine of righteousnesse grace and life unto the universality of Believers But now to prevent all mistaking before he prosecutes the comparison of similitude between their influences he first premiseth the great disparity that is between them and this he first affirmeth and then confirmeth 1. He affirmeth it vers 15. but not as the offence so also is the free gift But he doth not content himselfe with affirming it once but repeates it againe vers 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift The repetition was perhaps to signify the great weight of the points handled as also to import the more then ordinary incredulity that is in men generally touching them There is nothing almost in Divinity goes down more hardly with flesh and bloud then the imputation of Adam's sin and Christs righteousnesse Having thus earnestly affirmed this disparity he in the next place as strongly demonstrates it and that first generally secondly particularly by instancing in some particular heads of disparity 1. Then in generall he proves this disparity by way of comparison by arguing from the lesse unto the greater Vers 15. For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many In which words by the grace of God is understood his favour and love and by the gift of grace is meant the obedience of Christ mentioned vers 18 19. which as Beza noteth in relation unto God is tearmed the gift by grace or the free gift because it is by him freely or graciously imputed to us in relation unto us it is stiled righteousnesse vers 18 Because by it imputed to us we are made righteous vers 19. Now this is here far advanced above the offence fall disobedience or transgression of Adam in regard of fulnesse of efficiency If that hath abounded this hath much more abounded much more overflowed It is a metaphor taken from rivers that overflow their bankes This superiority superabundancy of Christs obedience unto Adam's disobedience in point of efficacy may be demonstrated from the inequality that is between them in regard 1. of their generall Nature 2. Efficient 3. Effects 1. From the inequality that is between them in regard of their generall nature The offence or disobedience of Adam was privative Christs obedience or righteousnesse is positive and therefore more available and forcible unto salvation then that unto condemnation This is an argument urged by Pareus but I shall lay no great stresse upon it But proceed unto a second inequality that is between them in regard of efficients The disobedience of Adam was the disobedience of a meere man The obedience and righteousnesse of Christ was the obedience and righteousnesse of him that was God as well as man and therefore the merit of it infinitely surmounted the demerit of Adams sin and consequently was more able to justify and save then this to condemne and destroy If you will derive Adams sin higher from the Devill even yet he was but a creature and so infinitely short of Jesus Christ who was God man And hereupon we may conclude that there is more vertue in him the seed of the woman by way of eminency then there was venome in the head of the serpent He is more able to heale soules then Satan to poyson and infect them A third inequality between them is in respect of their effects in regard of their excellency difficulty and certainty of eveniency 1. Excellency By Christ's obedience we are restored unto greater mercies and priviledges then ever we were deprived of by Adam's disobedience Unto gifts without repentance as the Apostle speakes Rom. 11.29 Constancy irreversiblenesse in the justification of our persons such a firmenesse in the sanctification of our natures as is unconquerable by the gates that is power and policie of hell such an immortality of the body in our resurrection as is not onely à posse non mori a possibility of not dying but a non posse mori an impossibility of dying Secondly The effects purchased by the merits of Christ's obedience surmount those redounding unto mankind by the guilt of Adam's sinne in regard of difficulty It is farre more difficult to build up then to pull downe and destroy There is more merit and efficacy requisite for the justification and salvation of one soule then there is guilt and demerit for the damnation of millions Thirdly The effects of Christs obedience transcend those of Adams disobedience in regard of certainty of eveniency The actuall damnation unto which we are liable by the fall of Adam is preventable and avoidable by faith and repentance Whereas the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Christ Jesus inferreth a hypotheticall necessity of salvation and so sensu composito excludes all possibilitie of damnation Secondly The Apostle proves the disparity betweene the influence of Christ upon his and the influence of Adam upon his particularly by instancing in some particular heads of disparity The first head of disparity is the difference between the meritorious cause of our guilt and condemnation by Adam and the Antecedents or occasions of ur justification by Christ The condemnation accruing unto us from Adam is onely for one sinne the judgment was to condemnation by one vers 16. that is by one offence One for number if we speake of that first sinne committed by him in paradise compleated in the eating of the forbidden fruite One for kind if we speake of that contracted from him usually called Originall sinne But now our justification by Christ is a full absolution discharge not only from the sin which proceedeth frō Adam but frō all other personall sinnes The free gift is of many offences unto justification vers 16. the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 Joh. 1.7
velut ab ipso attracta sese quam celerrimè movebunt nam ab objecto trabi rapi quippiam notum est utovem à ramo viridi sibi ostenso puerum à pomo filium à matre conspectâ ac vicissem matrem à filio quae tamen omnia moventur etiam ab interna quadam insita virtute Estius in locum 1 Thes 4.17 Whence they collect that glorified bodies shall be made so strong nimble agile as that they shall be able to meet the Lord in the aire afterwards to soare up with him unto the very heavens Out of the Apocrypha they cite wisedom 3.7 In the time of their visitation they shall shine and runne to and fro like sparkes among the stubble A fourth endowment of glorified bodies which Paul reckoneth up is spirituality It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body 1 Cor. 15.44 This is that which the Schoolemen call subtilty The mis-interpretation of which by some I have before noted and then also I acquainted you with Capreolus and Durand their exposition of it which I confesse is orthodox but yet not the meaning of the Apostle in this place For a naturall body unto which a spirituall body is here opposed is in the Greeke not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animal or soulie body that is actuated and animated by the soule after a naturall way and manner by the intervention of bodily helps such as eating drinking sleeping and the like In all congruence of opposition then spirituality is here opposed unto animality and a glorified body is said to be spirituall in regard of an immediate supportance by the spirit without any corporall meanes in an everlasting incorruptible blessed and glorious life In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Math. 22.30 without any use of the generative and nutritive faculties The Fourth and last place which I shall alleadge touching this particular is Rom. 8.23 Where the full and perfect glorification of the bodies of those that here receive the first fruites of the spirit is tearmed Synecdochically in regard of the tearme from which it is redemption to wit from all the punishments of sinne and in conformity hereunto the day of generall judgment and resurrection is stiled the day of redemption Ephes 4.30 There is a redemption by way of price and a redemption by way of power The redemption of both our soules and bodies in a way of price was finished by Christ in the worke of his humiliation and he rested from it upon the day of his owne resurrection The redemption of our soules by power is perfected in the houre of death But the redemption of our bodies by power will not be consummated untill the day of our resurrection and then they shall be fully delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God And thus have I confirmed our future conformity in soules and bodies unto the all fulnesse of glory that dwelleth in the humanity of Christ Now the certainty hereof should comfort us against the sinfull corruptions of our soules the naturall cumber and wearinesse the most ignominious deformities the most painfull infirmities of our bodies all other wants and miseries of our lives and lastly the feare of death a King of terrours unto all that are out of Christ 1. Against the sinfull corruptions of our soules There is no evill of so malignant a nature as sinne and therefore nothing so great and grievous a burden unto a pious and sanctified spirit Nothing so strong an argument for griefe and mourning But now the assured hope of our conformation unto Christs glory will put due limits and bounds unto this our sorrow so that it will keepe it from degenerating into despaire and keep us from being swallowed up of over much sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 for it assureth us that all our corruptions shall one day be totally and finally subdued and we shall be endewed with a spotlesse holinesse that cannot be defiled and so shall be presented unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God Col. 1.22 Secondly Here is comfort against the naturall cumber and wearinesse the ignominious deformities the painfull infirmities of our bodies c. For our resurrection will be a glorious redemption from them all Here many times our dull and unactive bodies are unable or unready to obey the commands to performe the desires of our soules and so are burdensome clogs and not serviceable helps unto them That which is sowed in weakenesse shall be raised in power Glorified bodies shall be endewed with such a power as shall render them most obedient able and agile instruments of their soules The Speed of their motion shall be like that of the devouring fire in a heape of drie stubble and the height of it shall surpasse the towring flight of the eagle For they shall be able to meet the Lord in the aire 1 Thes 4.17 when he comes to judgment and afterwards mount up unto the third and highest heavens Suppose we have blemishes either naturall or contracted that render us deformed in the sight of men Why the glory and beautie of the resurrection will exclude all defects The most unhansome ill-favoured and mis-shapen body of a saint shall be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body Our bodies here are little better then receptacles of frailty and paine subject unto all manner of inward distempers or outward annoyances But the impassibility and clarity of our bodies in their glorified condition be will an abundant compensation for all this He that can with an eye of faith behold the future configuration of his vile body unto Christs body of glory will with patience support his spirit under the tedious languishment of a lingering consumption under the raging violence of a pestilentiall feaver under the otherwise unsupportable torments of the goute cholick stone c. And in the third place he will patiently undergoe all other wants and miseries of this life As for wants he knoweth that we have Gods promise to supply them Phil. 4.19 God shall supply all your need according unto his riches in glory by Christ Jesus As for all the most grievous aflictions of this life he expects a far more exceeding weight of glory that will overpoyse them 2 Cor. 4.17 The Apostle there expresseth our future blisse in foure gradations 1. It is glory 2. it is massie or weightie glory whereas our aflictions are but light 3. it is eternall and in comparison of that our aflictions are but for a moment 4. it is a farre more exceeding weight then our aflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly exceeding or above measure exceeding that is it is unmeasurable I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 This life unto the best is Bochim a vale of
teares Here they sow in teares Psal 126.5 Thou feedest them with the bread of teares and givest them teares to drink in great measure Psalm 80.5 But light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Psalm 97.11 and a glorious harvest will come wherein they shall reape in joy and God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Revel 21.4 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and trouble Job 14.1 man is borne unto trouble as the sparkes flee upward Job 5.7 But there remaineth a rest unto the people of God Hebr. 4.9 a rest from all their labours Revel 14.13 their hearts therefore may be glad and their glory may rejoyce and their flesh also shall rest in hope Psalm 16.9 who almost but may take up that complaint of the Psalmist Psalm 88.3 My soule is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave But unto it all Christ's members may oppose that which David speaketh in the name of Christ himselfe Thou wilt make knowne unto mee the waies of life Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance Act. 2.28 Here Gods people have waters of affliction of a full cup wrung out unto them Psalm 73.10 Here they have a full draught of misery But against the bitternesse of this cup they may be cheared by expectation of the river of divine pleasures the streames thereof make glad the city of God which God hath promised to make all those drinke of that put their trust under the shadow of his wing For with him is the fountaine of life in his light shall we see light Psalm 36.8,9 Amongst the miseries of this life we may well range the infamy of our names and it is common and incident to the most of men Who almost so innocent but hath occasion to complaine as David Psal 69.19,20 Thou hast knowne my reproach and my shame and my dishonour c. Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse Against this we should comfort our selves with this confidence that God will one day cleare up our reputations and wipe away all obloquies from our names The Lord Christ will come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 The Lord Christ will be the fountaine of their glory and the measure of it will be unto admiration Unto the reproaches which the names of saints and Believers lie under we may add that which ministreth no lesse argument of griefe and sorrow unto a sanctified soule the unavoidable society of the ungodly How was just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 Woe is me saith David that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Psalm 120.5 But against this we must solace our selves by the hopes of Gods glorious presence in which we shall enjoy as Christ now doth fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore at the right hand of God Lastly here is comfort and encouragement unto those that are Christs against the terrours of death When we are as Joshua and David to goe the way of all the earth Joshua 23.14 1 Kings 2.2 to die This consideration may comfort us that God will shew us the path of life make knowne unto us experimentally the waies of life Nature trembleth to consider that one day it must descend downe into the throne of death make it's bed in the dust among wormes and putrefaction But Faith erects the soule by giving evidence of our future full vindication from all the dishonour of the grave and full conformity unto the all-fulnessē of Christs glory Lastly the all-fulnesse of glory that dwelleth in Christs humanity may be applied in a way of exhortation 1. Because it is the pattern pledge of our owne fulnesse of glory Phil. 1.21 Therefore it should weane us from the love of this miserable world and life and quicken in us an earnest expectation of and fervent longing for that time day wherein this glory shall be not only revealed but communicated unto us Death will put a period unto the most lasting joyes of this world therefore we should not let out our hearts unto them but there are pleasures at Gods right hand that are beyond its reach for they shall be for evermore The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from a word that signifies victory because * Rivet in locū eternity is as it were a conquest of time and whatsoever is measured thereby Unto these everlasting delights our soules should be alwaies suspiring Here we are troubled with the passibility animality and weaknesse of our bodies and we dread all thoughts of the corruption and dishonour of the grave and therefore we should sigh and groane in our selves for the redemption of our bodies we should ardently wish and pray for incorruptible powerfull glorious and Spirituall bodies The sin of the soule is an heavier loade unto a gracious heart then the frailty of the body O wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Why death it selfe will give a full and finall deliverance it will exempt as from the pollution of sin so from the vexation of all temptation to it After death there will be no more any lustings of the flesh against the Spirit no more any warring of the law in our members against the law of our minds and bringing us into captivity unto the law of sin which is in our members Rom. 7.23 And therefore death is desirable by all that are in Christ Phil. 1.23 so it be with submission unto the decree of God with a patient contentation to serve our owne generation by the will of God Act. 13.36 To do first that service for the Church which God hath appointed us No filthinesse comparable unto that in the spot of sin and therefore how welcome should a glorified condition be unto us in which we shall be without spot blemish wrinkle or any such thing The mortification of sin in this life is attended with the peace of conscience that passeth all understanding but because it is not perfect therefore it is often interrupted with stormes But the utter eradication of sin is followed with a perpetuall calme and therefore ardently desired by all that know and prize tranquillity of Spirit A cluster of grapes cut down at the brook of Eshcol and brought into the wildernesse was very sweet Numb 13. Oh then how pleasant will the whole vintage in the land of Canaan be If the first fruites of our glory be so joyous and delightfull O then the comfort that we shall reap in the whole crap or harvest The fulnesse and perfection of our glory is such as never entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 The glory of Christ in his transfiguration on the mount was so satisfactory unto Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or