Three parts of the Text. Happinesse of man in two things Doct. The mercie of God his glory Glory what Excellency Evidence Victory Witnesse Severall attributes shine on severall occasions All attributes terrible without mercie Why men are enemies to Gods free grace The glory of God in the Gospell greater than that in Adam The glory of God in Gospell above that in Creation Gods glory to man more than to Angels 1 Cor. 14. The glory of Gods mercy shineth in Christ. To imbrace this mercy God joynes our good with his glory To admire the love of God We may glory in Gods love without danger Glorious mercy will satisfie conscience Comfort from Gods mercy How we may looke at our owne Salvation How to thinke of mercy in temptation Often offences exclude not from mercy How God shewed Moses his glory Exhortation to accept mercy When we account grace glorious Necessity of the Gospell God condescends in giving the Gospell Motions of the Spirit in men unconverted God must be seene in some glasse God hath ingaged himselfe by his promise We cannot see Divine things but in a glasse Sight weak here perfect in heaven Our soules helped by our sences What makes spirituall things difficult Vse of a glasse To helpe weake sight Sacraments glasses Degrees of sight In the creatures In the Word Of Christ in the flesh Of faith Faith compared to sight It is the noblest sence It is largest It is the surest It is most working Vse How to keepe the eye of the soule cleare To â—ixe it on the object Remoove hinderances Inward Outward Spirituall sight presered by hearing The best glasse to know Christ in The vayle tooke away But in part Two fold use of a vayle Why men see not though the Gospell be unvailed Boldnesse in the Gospell Feare taken away by the Gospell Boldnesse in sinne weakneth boldnesse of faith How to â—ecovâ—r boldnesse with God Comfort in community in Religion To labour for union Necessity of a chang Simil. Reasons why our nature mâ—st be changed Because naturally we are opposite to God Simile Change double We cannot â—lse be fitted for heaven Every true Christian desires it A change in Sanctification as well as justification We can performe no holy action else The change especially on the will God qualifies whom he dignifies All good in Christ opposite to the ill in Adam Why the 〈◊〉 of Gods children is unâ—ltâ—rable Why Christ changeth us into his Image He is a powerfull head and husband We are predestinate to his likenesse Christs end is to destroy sathans work in us We could have no communion with Christ else To stuâ—â—dy Christ. Christs carriage Toward his friends To weake Christians To those that had but seeming grace To his Father To himselfe To his enemies To the Devill To Hypocrites How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell The more we are like Christ the more beloved of God And of one another Simil. Who keepe Christ alive in the world How we come to be like Christ. How we are dead and risen with Christ. Three things comfortable to us in Christs death Whence hatred of sinne proceedes How to know if we be changed to Christs Image Most desire to be changed into the likenesse of the world Meditate on Christ. The sight of remainder of sin Christ all in all in changing us The gift of the Spirit For Christ. From Christ. The patterne of all grace from Christ. The reasons of this câ—ange from Christ To see all that is good and comfortable in Christ first This change wrought by beholding The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell Vpon what ground we are changed by beholding Three efficatious sights How to knoW if we see the glory of God as we ought Love workes imitation Repentance a turning If there were not a change God would be forsworne Foure degrees of the glory of a Christian. Sin makes us shamefull Glorious comforts in religion Growth in grace glory The glory of the soule in heaven Of bodie and soule at the resurrection Grace is glory It is Gods image Mans perfection Terible to al opposites Wisedome Humility Selfe deniaâ—l Boldnesse with God Love Hope The glorious condition of a Christian. Difference betweene a Christan and another man Why the world despise those that are gracious From blindnesse of carnall men From Saints infirmities It is but a forced contempt We must be conformed to Christ. Grace in others either imitated or envied The excellency of Christians above others Two sorts of carnall men To labour for grace that we may be glorious No man glorious but a Christian Oppose this glory to the base esteem of carnall men Comfort our selves in the disparagements of the world To know whether we have grace by our esteeme of it In himselfe In others The state of grace and glory both goe under one name Heaven must be begun here Comfort that grace and glory have the same name Difference betweene the state of the godly and wicked Grace glorious when it is in strength Grace of a growing nature From our disposition From Gods purpose Simil. Grace more refined in aged Christians The least degree of grace glory in respect of the state of nature To labour for strength of grace Priviledges of growth in grace Not to be discouraged in the weaknesse of grace God leads his by degrees to heaven It is our owne fault that we are not more perfect Not to be discouraged in seeming interruption of spirituall growth The least beginnings and the perfection of grace have the same name and why Simile No change in Heaven Why we are not brought to perâ—â—ction here Not to â—â—are death Degrees in the glory of a Christian. A part of heaven to know the glory of it To trâ— the truth of our graces Christians grow when they thinke they doe not Why God brings us on by little and little Not to decay in grace Christians compared to the best things A â—icked man cannot desire heaven Account must be givâ—n for examples To beare the reproach of Christ. Vse 7. To be thankfull for glory beforehand In our head By Faith In the first fruites The workâ— of the whole Trinity in mans salvation Doct. Doct. Not to rest too much in outward performances The Spirit quickens all ordinances The Word and Spirit compared to the blood and arterieâ— The Spirit in Christ naturall and mysticall In the state of grace we must looke for nothing from our selves Comfort in want of goodnesse in us When men trust their owne strength they fall Whether we have the Spirit It openeth the eyes of the soule It discovers Gods love It sanctifieth Slander of the Papists He promotes sâ—nctification The Spirit a Counsellor It abides It changeth by reasons from Christ How to get the Spirit By hearing the Gospel In holy Communion Prayer To give the Spirit of God his dâ—e Whence the glory of times and places is Why more are converted now than formerly The danger of unprofitablenesse under meanes Spirituall judgements â—errable
c. Notes wherby we may know that we have the Spirit 609 6â—0 c. All good in us from the Spirit 624 Hence learne to give the Spirit his due 633 634 c. FINIS Excellency of the GOSPEL above the LAVV. 2 COR. 3. 17 18. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty But wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. THe Apostle beginneth this Chapter with the commendation of his Ministry having beene put upon it by their undervaluing of him yet so as together with himselfe he commendeth them as his best and onely Testimoniâ—l and Letters of commendation vers 2. and so maketh way for himselfe to fal into a more set and large commendation of the glorious Gospell it selfe whereof God hath made him so able a Minister to them vers 6. And because the excellency of any thing is best commended by comparing and setting by it something else that excels in it selfe and yet is exceeded by it therefore he carrieth along his commendation of the Ministery of the Gospell through the whole Chapter by comparing it with the Law and the Ministery of the Old Testament This comparison is made by the Apostle First more briefly in laying down some distinct properties and prerogatives of the Gospell wherein it excelleth the Law vers 6. as 1. that this was the Minâ—stery of the New Testament that of the Law of the Old 2. and not of the letter as the Law was but of the Spirit 3. nor of death for the Letter killeth but of life for the Spirit qaickeneth And then by Inferences drawne from these properties thus briefly summed up the Apostle more largely illustrates the transcendent Glory of the Gospell and howfarre it exceedeth the glory of the Law although it be granted the Law be glorious As 1. if that which was but a ministration of the Letter written and ingraven in sâ—ones was glorious verse the seventh that is if the litterall notions and bare knowledge of the Law which like so many dead words or Characters maketh no aâ—â—eration at all but leaueth their hearts hard and stony like the Tables on which the law was written which remained stones still If this was glorious even the litterall â—â—owledge of the Law as 〈◊〉 was both in the Jewes own account of themselves and in the judgement of the Nations amongst whom they liued How shall not the ministration of the Spirit bee rather glorious verse the eighth the meaning whereof is largely explained in the third Verse where the Corinthians are said to be an Epistle written not with inke or dead Letters but with the Spirit of the living God which kind of writing leaveth not the heart a heart of stone as the dead writing of the Law did but changeth it into a heart of flesh and maketh such a through alteration in the wholeman as the writing within in the Tables of their hearts is knowne and read of all men so that their lives and conversations being answerable to that spirituall and gracious writing of Christ in their hearts they are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ and therefore such a Ministry as this is by which the Spirit of the living God is received and no by the Law Gal. 3. 2. which is a Spirit of glory and worketh gloriousthings both in the hearts and lives of men must needs be rather glorious 2. Another Inference wee have in the 9. verse if the ministration of condemnation be glorious that is if that word which concluded men under sinne and pronounced the sentence of death upon them bee glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory For it is more glorious to pardon than to condemne to give life than to destroy It is the glory of a man to passe over an offence Prov. 19. and in God it is called the riches of his glory Rom. 9. 23 The Law which was made glorious in terrifying condemning and stopping the mouthes of men in so much as they had not a word to say for themselves hath no glory by reason of the glory of the Gospell that excelleth even in this respect that it bringeth such a righteousnesse as by the merit whereof and satisfaction given by it we are justified and have peace towards God notwithstanding the utmost rigour of the Law 3. The Apostle argueth further verse the eleventh if that which is done away was glorious as the old Covenant is which was made old by the comming of the New Heb. 8. and by it removed as a thing growne weake and shaken Heb. 12. much more that which remaineth which is the New Covenant which cannot bee shaken but shall remaine and is the everlasting Gospell Rev. 14. is more glorious as Gods last works exceed the former and taketh away the remembrance of them in comparison as when hee createth New heavens and a New earth the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde Esa. 65. 4. There is another excellency of the Gospell above the Law which the Apostle addeth and insisteth upon it more largely then upon all the rest and that is the comfortable plainnesse and perspicuity of the Doctrine and Ministry of it verse the twelfth Seeing we have such hope wee use great plainnesse of Speech In which it excelled the Ministry of Moses which was in much difficulty and obscurity and that in a threefold respect layd downe in the 13 14 and 15 verses 1. The Matter of it was terrible tending to the shame confusion of face and condemnation of the hearers insomuch as they were notable to stand before him nor stedfastly to behold his face it was such a dazling and amazing light that shined in his Ministry 2. The Manner of delivery was in obscure and darke expressions that the Children of Israel could not see to the end of that which is abolished that is they could not see the drift and scope of his Ministery by reason of the Types and Shadowes which was the vaile hee put upon his face 3. Their minds were blinded there was a vaile upon their hearts which is evident by experience in the Jewes at this day who so cleave in their affections to Moses and to the Shadowes and Ceremonies of his Ministry that they reject the scope and end of it which is Jesus Christ crucified And they can doe no other for although the vaile that was upon Moses face by removed as it is by the doctrine of the Gospell which sheweth us in all possible plainnesse what the drift and meaning of Moses was in all those Types and Ceremonies yet untill the Gospel in the Spirit and efficacy of it commeth home to their hearts and taketh off the vayle that is upon their hearts also that is untill their naturall blindnesse and obstinacy be taken away which cannot be but is
as being of the same nature with us so being a Mediatour in office and being so fit for a Mediator in nature what a comfort is this Indeed there is no comming to God no entercourse betweene God and us immediately but betweene God-man and God and us who is the Mediatour betweene God and us hee comes betweene in Christ we goe to God in our flesh in our nature and in Christ and from Christ and by Christ we have all grace and comfort from Christ we have all as God together with the holy Ghost and the Father and wee have all in Christ as a head and husband and we have all through Christ as mediator by his merit therefore wee should goe to Christ every way Vse 5 Let us labour to bee in Christ that we may get the Spirit it is of great necessity that wee should have it Above all things next to redemption by Christ labour for the spirit of Christ. Christ is our Saviour not onely by merit and satisfaction but by efficacy and grace that is as hee hath purchased us for his people by his blood so hee will subdue our corruptions and rule us by his Spirit For first Hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his those that have not the efficacy of the spirit in them to rule them shall not have benefit by his death to reconcile them for these goe alway together Christ as a King to rule and as a Priest to dye He came by blood and by water to satisfie and to sanctifie Secondly there is a necessity of the Spirit that we may be new Creatures it was the Spirits brooding upon the Chaos that brought forth all so the Spirit must sit upon our soules before any change will be made Now there is a necessity that wee bee changed and that wee bee new or else wee can never bee inhabitants of the new heavens and the new earth we must have the Spirit of God therefore Zech. 4. 6. as in the materiall Temple It s not by might or by power but by the Spirit So in rearing up spirituall Temples it is not by strength of wit or parts but by the Spirit therefore the Spirit is necessary for us even as our being in grace is necessary The holy Apostles wee know till the Spirit came more abundantly upon them what darke creatures they were but when the holy Ghost was come upon them how full of life and light and courage they were that the more they suffered the more they might suffer So it will bee with Christians the more spirituall they grow the more lightsome and couragious the more strong the more lively and vigrous to all duties the holy Ghost is the substantiall vigour of all creatures what soever all the spirituall vigour of every thing comes from the holy Spirit and the holy Spirit from Christ. For nothing can worke above it selfe nature cannot worke above nature That which elevates nature above it selfe and sets a spirituall stampe and puts divine qualities upon it is the Spirit of God That divine quality is called Spirit There is the flesh and the spirit all in us is flesh by nature and what soever is spirituall and divine commeth from the Spirit and therefore it is called Spirit you see therefore a necessity of the working of the Spirit even as there is a necessity to bee new creatures and to bee spirituall If we will be spirituall wee must have it from him that is first spirituall the Spirit himselfe that is the principle and fountaine of all that is spirituall Thirdly wee are called oft times to doe and suffer such things as are above nature and therefore wee must have a spirit above nature when wee feele sin to beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes when wee see death to beleeve life everlasting and when wee are in extremity to beleeve God present with us to deliver us to beleeve contraries in contraries is a strange almighty worke of faith by the works of the Spirit It is above the work of nature to dye to end out dayes with comfort and to resigne up our soules for nature sees nothing but darknesse and desolation in the grave and destruction 〈◊〉 nothing can make a man comfortable in death but that which rayseth him above nature the Spirit of God Now these things and many such like we must do and suffer if we be Christians and therefore wee must have the Spirit to enable us to doe all The spirit is to the soule as the soule is to the body what is the body without the soule a caâ—kâ—ssâ— a loathsome dead thing what is the soule without the spirit a Caos of darknesse and confusion Well how shall we know whether we have the spirit of Christ or no We may know it partly by that I sayd before The Spirit is a vigorous working thing and therefore all three persons take upâ—n them the name of Spirit but the Holy Ghost especially because he is the spirituall vigour The Spirit is an operative thing the spirits are the quintessence and extraction of things that is nothing but operation God that is nothing but a pure act is said to be a spirit those that have the spirit of God are full of act and vigour the spirits of dull creatures are active when they are exâ—racted shall the spirits of bodies bee vigrous and shall not the Holy Ghost be vigrous that is a substantial vigour therefore if a man have the Spirit of God in him it will worke in him it is very operative Therefore it is compared to fire in diverse respects for first Fire it is of a working nature it is the instrument of nature if we had not fire what could we worke all Fabrickes and all things are done by Fire especially mettalls they are framed and made mallyable by fire So the Holy Ghost it is a working thing and softneth the heart and makes us mallyable it makes us fit for the impression of all good Secondly Fire againe though bodies be darke it makes them lightsome like it selfe Iron is a darke body but if the fire penetrate it it makes it lightsom We are darke creatures of our selves if we have the Spirit it makes us light Againe Fire it makâ—s chearefull and it ascends upward if a man have the Spirit of God his conversation will be upward his conversation will bee heavenly he minds the things of God he doth not grovel here below so in diverse such respects the Holy Ghost is compared to Fire and hath such effects in us in some sort wee finde our understandings enlightned and our selves quickened and carryed up to be above nature in holy and heavenly actions and then it is a good signe that we have the Spirit of Christ. A part will follow the whole as we see a part of the earth it falls to the center because all the earth is heavy all the whole earth fals down to the Center and
and as hereafter he shall finde to his cost you shall not neede to bid him come out of his conversation and condition and worldly course that he is in all this will follow where there is conviction of Spirit therefore the first worke of the Spirit in Spirituall liberty is to convince us of sinne and misery and then to worke as I sayd an answere of the soule and an obedience of the whole man this I will not bee long in being a cleare point Where the Spirit is there is liberty againe in matter of justification there is a liberty and freedome of conscience from sinne and the curse of sinne and all the danger that followes upon sinne by the Spirit Object But you will say the liberty of justification is wrought by Christ wee are justified by the obedience of Christ and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us Answ. It is true Christ is our righteousnesse but what is that to us except wee have something to put it on except we be united to Christ what good have wee by Christ if Christ bee not ours if there be not a spirituall marriage what benefit have we by him if we have not him to pay our debt for his riches to bee ours and our debt to bee his there must be a union first Now this union is wrought by the Spirit it is begun in effectuall calling from this union there comes to bee a change his righteousnesse is mine as if I had obeyed and done it by my selfe and my debts and sinnes are his this is by the Spirit because the union betweene Christ and mee is by the Spirit for whatsoever Christ hath done it is nothing to me till there be a Vnion and then freedome is by the Spirit likewise because the Spirit of God workes faith in me not onely to unite and knit me to Christ but faith to perswade me that Christ is mine and that all his is mine and that my debts are his this supernaturall hand of faith the Spirit workes to lay hold upon Christ and then to perswade me for the Spirit is a lightsome thing and together with the graces it tells mee the graces it workes As reason besides reason it tells me that I use reason when I doe it hath a reflex act so the Spirit of Christ it hath a reflex act upon it selfe for being above reason it doth not onely lay hold upon Christ it doth not onely doe the worke but it tels me that I doe so when I doe therefore it not onely tells me that Christ is mine when I beleeve but it assures mee that I doe beleeve it carries a light of its owne I know the light by the light and reason by reason and faith by faith together with the reflex act joyning with it so that the reflect act joyning with it so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect as it is a meanes of union whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine and mine to be Christs and likewise it assures me that I doe beleeve when I doe beleeve without errour for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ not onely to know the priviledges by Christ but the graces of Christ. And beloved unlesse the Spirit should doe it it would never be done for the soule of man is so full of terrours and feares and jelousies that except the Spirit of God witnesse to my spirit that God is reconciled in Christ and that Christs righteousnesse is mine I could never be perswaded of it for the soule it alway thinkes God is holinesse it selfe and I am a masse of sinne what reason have I to thinke that God will bee so favourable to such a wretch to such a lumpe of sinne as I am were it not that God the Sonne hath satisfied God the Father God hath satisfied God and the Spirit certifies my conscience so the Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God that knows whâ—â— love is in the brest of God and therefore he searcheth the heart hee searcheth the heart of God and he searcheth my spirit except the Spirit should tell me that God the Sonne hath satisfied and God the Father will accept of the satisfaction of God the Sonne I should never bleeve it therefore God must stablish the heart in a gracious liberty of justification as well as that God the Sonne hath wrought it It is no wonder that men of great parts without grace are full of terrours and despaire for the more parts and wit a man hath without the Spirit of God the more hee disputes against himselfe and entangles himselfe with desperate thoughts but when the Spirit is brought to speake peace to the soule in Christ and makes the soule to cast it selfe on him for salvation then Gods Spirit is above the conscience though conscience be above all things else yet God is above conscience and can still the conscience and the Spirit tells us that God the Father is reconciled by the death of God the Sonne and when God witnesseth what God hath wrought then conscience is at peace Thus we see how the Spirit sets us at liberty in the great matter of justification So likewise in the matter of holy life in the whole course of a holy life Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty and freedome from the slavery of sinne for there the understanding is freed from the bondage of ignorance and there the will is freed from the bondage of rebellion there the affections likewise and the whole inward and outward man is freed but this liberty of holinesse inherent liberty it doth spring from the liberty that wee have by justification by the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are perfectly righteous and freed from all the title that Sathan hath in us wee are freed from the curse of God from the Law are inabled in a course of Sanctification to goe on from grace to grace the Spirit of Christ comes after justification for whom God gives forgivenesse unto hee gives his Spirit to sanctifie them the same Spirit that assures mee of the pardon of my sinne sanctifies my nature where the Spirit is of sanctification it breakes the ruling power of sinne before then the whole life is nothing but a continuall sinning offending of God but now there is a gracious liberty of disposition a largenesse of heart which followes the liberty of condition when a man is free in state and law from wrath and from the sentence of damnation then he hath a free and volentary disposition wrought to serve God freely without feare or constraint When a man is under the bondage of the Law when he is under the feare of death being armed with a sting whatsoever he doth he doth it with a slavish minde where the Spirit of God is there is the Spirit of adoption the Spirit of Sonnes which is
a free Spirit the sonne doth not duties to his father out of constraint and feare but out of nature the spirit alters our nature and disposition it makes us sonnes and then we doe all freely God doth inlarge the hearts of his children they can deny themselves in a good worke they are zealous of good workes it is the end of their redemption as it is Tit. 2. We are redeemed to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes for then we have a base esteeme of all things that hinder us from freenesse in Gods service as worldlinesse c. what doth a Christian when hee seeth his gracious liberty in Chrst the love of the world and worldly things he is ready to part with all for the service of God he is so free hearted that hee can part with life it selfe Paul saith of himselfe My life is not deare to me so I may finish my course with joy as we see in the Martyres and others how free they were even of their very blood What shall wee thinke of those therefore that if we get any thing of them it must bee as a sparkle out of the flint duties come from Christians as water out of a spring they are naturall and not forced to issue so farre forth as they are spirituall I confesse that there is remainders of bondage where the Spirit sets at liberty for there is a double principle in us while we live in this world of nature and grace therefore there will be conflict in every holy duty the flesh will draw backe when the spirit would be liberall the flesh will say oh but I may want When the Spirit would bee most couragious the flesh will say but there is danger in it so that there is nothing that we can doe but it must be gotten out of the fire we must resist yet notwithstanding here is liberty to doe good because here is a principle that resists the backewardnesse of the flesh In a wicked man there is nothing but flesh and therefore there is no resistance and we must understand the nature of this Spirituall liberty in sanctification it is not a liberty freeing us altogether from conflict and deadnesse and dulnesse and the like but it is a liberty inabling us to combate not freeing us from combate it is a liberty to fight the battells of the Lord against our owne corruptions not freeing us from it that is the liberty of glory in heaven when there shall be no enemie within or without Therefore let not Christians be discouraged with the backwardnesse and untowardnesse of the flesh to good duties if we have a principle in us to fight against it to inable us to fight against our corruptions and to get good duties out of it in spight of it it is an argument of a new nature God will perfect his owne beginnings and subdue the flesh more and more by the power of his spirit We see our blessed Saviour what a sweete excuse hee makes for his Disciples when they were dead hearted and drowsie when they should have comforted him in the garden oh saith he The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Indeede there is a double hinderance in Gods people when they are about holy duties sometimes from their very mould nature considered not as corrupted the very mould without the consideration And then consider it as it is made more heavie and dull be the flesh and corruptions in them as there be invincible infirmities and weakenesses in nature sometimes deadnesse after labour and expense of spirits creepes in invincibly that a man cannot overcome those necessities of nature so that the spirit may be willing and the flesh weake the flesh without any great corruption God lookes upon our necessities as the father saith free me from my necessities as we see Christ made an excuse for them It was not so much corruption though that were an ingredient in it as nature in it selfe Christ saw a great deale of gold in the Oare therefore wee see how he excuseth them therefore when wee are dull let us strive Christ is ready to make excuse for us if our hearts bee right The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake I speake this for the comfort of the best sort of Christians that thinke they are not set at liberty by the Spirit be-because they finde some heavinesse and dulnesse in good duties as I said there is sinne in us while we live here but it reignes not after a man hath the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Christ maintaines a perpetuall combate and conflict against sinne it could subdue sinne all at once if God saw it good but God will humble us while wee live here and exercise us with spirituall conflicts therefore God sees it sufficient to bring us to heaven to set up a combate in us that we are able by the helpe of the Spirit to fight Gods battles against the flesh so that the dominion of sinne may be broken in us and excellently saith Paul Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death The law of the Spirit of life that is the commanding power of the Spirit of Christ that commands as a law in the hearts of Gods people it frees us from the law that is from the commanding power of sinne and death so that the dominion and tyranny of sinne is broken by the Spirit of Christ and so we are set at a gracious liberty in some respects wee are under grace therefore sinne shall not have dominion over us as the Apostle speakes Againe by the Spirit of Christ in Sanctification we are made Kings to rule over our owne lusts in some measure not Kings to be freed altogether from them but Kings to strive against them It is a liberty to fight and in fighting to overcome at last When the Israelites had a promise that God would give their enemies into their hands the meaning was not that hee would give them without fighting a blow but I will give them into your hands you shall fight and be of good comfort in fighting you shall overcome so this liberty of Sanctification it is not a liberty that we should have no combate with our corruptions but a gracious liberty to keepe them under till by subduing them by little and little we get a perfect victory what greater incouragement can a man have to fight against his enemie then when he is sure of the victory before he fights of finall victory you see then how the Spirit brings a liberty into the soule it brings us out of that cursed kingdome of Sathan and sinne it brings us out of the curse of God and the law in justification and it brings us from the dominion and tyrannie of sinne by a Spirit of Sanctification But this is not all that is in liberty for the Spirit doth not onely free â—s
earth it was a sweeâ—e sight Abraham desired to see it and Simeon when he saw it was willing to be dissolved and to depart he had enough but that outward sight is nothing without another inward sight of faith There is a sight therefore of faith and other sights are to no purpose if they be without this a sight of God shining in Christ and this is perfected in heaven in the sight of glory when we see him as hee is Now there is a comfort in all these sights to see him in his Word and workes it was a glorious thing to see him in his bodily presence and by faith to see God in Christ to see his face in Christ oh it is a sweete and lovely sight to see God shining in Christ oh but what is all this to the sight of him after in glory Now this beholding meant here especially is the beholding of faith in the Ordinances in the Word and Sacraments We all behold as in the glasse of the Word and Sacraments by the eye of faith faith is expressed by beholding by knowledge for indeede faith is nothing but knowledge with application therefore faith includes knowledge what is faith but o know God and Christ and the promises as mine Christ in the Sacrament as mine as verily as the outward things are mine knowledge with application is faith therefore when I â—ay faith I include knowledge We behold The knowledge of the minde is compared to the eye of the body knowledge and faith is compaâ—ed to seeing and beholding for many reasons First because sight is the most gâ—orious and noble sence it is the highest in situation and the quickest in apprehension for in a moment presently sight apprehends its objâ—ct in the highest heavens so it is with faith it is the most noble sight of all and it is quicke as sight is for faith is that Eagle in the cloud it breakes through all and sees in a moment Christ in heaven it lookes backeward and sees Christ upon the crosse it lookes forward and seeeth Christ to come in glory faith is so quicke a grace that it presents things past things above things to come and all in a moment so quicke is this Eagle-eye of Faith Againe it is the largest sence for we can see almost the whole hemisphere at one view that a little thing in the eye shold apprehend so much in a moment as it is quick in apprehension so it is large in comprehension Againe it is the most sure sence sight more then hearing therefore that divine act of knowledge is compared to seeing beleeving is compared to beholding when faith lookes upon God in the glasse of the word and promises it is as certaine as the object is certaine Now how certaine is the object the mercy and love of God in Christ who is truth it selfe is most certaine Then it is that sence that workes most upon the soule sight for what the body seeth the soule is affected and mooved with the affections of desire and love rise out of sight it workes upon the affections most therefore the knowledge that stirres up the affections and works upon the heart is compared to sight it affects us marveilously for answerable to our faith we love and joy and delight it alters the frame of the whole man therefore it is expressed here by beholding divine spirituall knowledge it workes upon the heart So wee see why this beholding spirituall of the understanding and soule is compared to outward sight it is called beholding because it is a most noble spirituall act of the soule and it is most certaine and sure faith is the evidence of things not seene and it workes upon the heart and soule Therefore wee should labour to cleare this eye of the soule that wee may behold the glory of God in the glasse of the Gospell Quest. How shall wee have the eye of our soules fit to behold the glory of God Answ. Wee must fixe the eye of the soule fixe our mediation upon the glory of God and the excellency of Christ a moving rouling eye seeth nothing therfore we must set some time apart to fixe our meditations upon these excellent things in the Gospell Then againe wee must labour to have the hinderances remooved both within and without Sight within is hindred by some inward suffusion wee must labour that the soule be cleansed and purged from all carnall passions and desires and base humours that wee may clearely behold this spirituall object unlesse the soule be spirituall it can never behold spirituall things the bodily eye cannot apprehend rationall things nor the rationall eye beholds not spirituall things therfore there must bee a spirituall eye the soule must be purged and sanctified by the Spirit there must bee some proportion betweene the soule and spiritual things before the soule can behold them therefore as the soule must bee fixed upon this meditation so the Spirit of God must sanctifie and purge the soule Outward hindrances of sight as dust in the eyes and clouds c. they hinder sight Sathan labours to hinder the sight of the soule from beholding the glory of God shining in the Gospell with the dust of the world as the Apostle saith in the next chapter The God of this world blindes the eyes of men that they behold not the glory of God shining in the Gospell therefore if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that they beleeve not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine upon them therefore take heed of too much worldly things of fixing our soules upon the dust of the world upon things here below the sight of Christ and of God in Christ it is not gotten by looking below by fixing the soule upon base things below let us looke therefore that our soules be inwardly cleansed and fixed upon spirituall things and then we shall the better behold the glory of God shining in the Gospell And we should preserve this sight of faith by hearing begets seeing in Religion death came in by the eare at the first Adam hearing the Serpent that hee should not have heard death came in by the eare so life comes in by the eare we heare and then wee see as we have heard so have wee seene say they in the Psalme It is true in Religion most of our sight comes by hearing which is the sence of learning God will have it so therefore wee should maintaine all we can this beholding of the glory of the Lord in the glasse of the Word and for that end heare much You will aske mee what is the best glasse of all to see and know Christ inâ— If you aske a Papist he will shew you crucifixes and such kinde of things Oh but to behold Christ in the glasse of the word with a Spirit
proud cannot indure a change because it is some prejudice to their reputation but it must be so if they looke for salvation thus you see that point prooved enough Into the same Image The patterne to which wee are changed is the image of Christ. It is a rule and a true rule the first in every kinde is the measure of all the rest it is the Idea the patterne and platforme of all the rest now Christ is the first for hee is the first borne the first fruites the first beloved therefore he is the patterne of all the rest and the measure of all other the nearer we come to Christ the better we are for that that is the measure of a thing the nearer it answereth to that the better Now Christ is the best and our nature in Christ is joyned to the God-head in one person therefore we are changed to the likenesse of Christ the second Adam for as before we are changed we are corrupted and depraved according to the likenesse of the first Adam after his fall and as before his fall if he had not fallen we had beene borne according to his likenesse that is good and righteous so now being fallen as soone as by faith wee are planted and grafted into the second Adam we are changed into his likenesse Christ as it were it Gods master-peece that is the excellentest worke and devise and frame of heaven that ever was to set up such a Mediator to reconcile justice and mercy in bringing God and man into one person now Christ being Gods Master-peece the best and most excellent frame of all he is fit to be the patterne of all excellency whatsoever therefore hee is the Image the Idea the patterne and platforme of all our sanctification Christ the second Adam is the Image into which we are changed we are not changed to the Image of the first Adam by grace but to the Image of the second Adam There is from him a derivation of all good opposite to all the ill wee drew from the first Adam wee drew from the first Adam the displeasure of God by the second we obtaine the favour of God by his death and satisfafaction with the wrath of God we drew corruption from the first Adam in the second wee have grace from the first Adam wee have death and all the miseries that attend death and follow it In the second Adaâ— we have life and all happinesse till it end in glory In a word whatsoever ill we have in the first Adam it is repaired abundantly in the second when we are changed into his Image therefore when you read of the Image of God in the New Testament it must be understood of the Image of God in Iesus Christ the second Adam Now this Image confists in knowledge in holinesse and righteousnesse if we compare Col 3. with Ephes. 4. this was perfect in Christ who was the Image of his Father and wee must bee like Christ the second Adam in sanctification Now the grounds why wee must bee conformable to the Image of the second Adam and not to the first are these Because the second Adam is farre excelling the first Adam and as I said we must be conformed to the best Image as wee have borne the Image of the first so we must beare the Image of the second as it is in 1 Cor. 15. And then the Image of God in the second Adam is more durable for all excellencies and grace is more firmely set on Christ then ever they were upon Adam it is set upon him with such a character and stampe as shall never bee altred when God set his Image on the first Adam it was raced and decayed and lost by the malice of the devill because it was not set on so firmly Adam being a man and a good man yet hee was a man changeable But Christ is God man in one nature God hath set such a stamp of grace on the humane nature being eternally united to the God-head that shall never be altred therefore we are renewed according to the Image of God as it is stamped on Christ not as it was stamped on the first Adam And that is the reason why the state of Gods children is unalterable why being once gracious they are so for ever if God set the stampe of the Spirit of Christ on them it is firme as it is upon Christ it never alters in Christ nor in those that are members of Christ the alteration is in growth from better to better Gods children sometimes a little deface that image by sinne security and the like but as a peece of coyne that is a little defaced yet it hath the old stampe still and is acknowledged for good coyne so a Christian in all desertions in the worst state he hath the stampe still though it be darkened by his carelessenesse yet after it receives a fresh stampe it is an everlasting stampe when once wee are Gods coyne wee are never reprobate silver and all is because we are renewed according to the Image of Christ and grace is firmely set in our nature in Christ so sure that all the devils in hell cannot race it out and hee is the quickening Spirit and therefore able to transforme us to his likenesse better then the first Adam was therefore the Image of God is the likenesse of the second Adam and wee are changed into that Now the reasons why the second Adam changeth us into his owne Image are many First because hee is a powerfull head that changeth all his members a powerful roote that changeth all his branches into his owne nature a powerful husband that changeth his owne Spouse I say he is a quickning Spirit a publicke person and the roote of all beleevers as the first Adam was of us all as wee are naturall men Againe it is meete that brethren should bee all a alike therefore as it is in Romanes 8. Wee are predestinate to bee conformed to Christ hee is the first among many brethren the chiefe brethren must bee all alike therefore wee being predestinate to salvation it was fit we should be predestinate to be conformable to our elder brother that brethren might bee of one nature and disposition it is fit that the husband and wife should be of one disposition Christ is the husband and wee are the Spouse therfore by grace he alters and cleanseth and purgeth his Spouse as it is Ephe. 5. He loved his Spouse and gave himselfe for it that he might purge it and make it a glorious Spouse It is meete the wife should be the glory of the husband as S. Paul saith that is that she should reflect the excellencies of her husband therefore that the Church might be the glory of Christ and reflect the excellencies of Christ she is changed to bee like Christ more and more daily there is a kind of congruity that brethren should be like and that the Spouse and the Husband should
spirit of the world and the devill get out this by all meanes or else Christ will not owne us at the day of judgement hee will not looke upon us he cannot abide to see us if we have not his image wee must beare the image of the second Adam as wee did the image of the first Againe the law of God that was written in Adams heart it is expressed and coppyed out there see our selves there see all the curses there see our selves guilty of the breach of every commandement if wee understand the law spiritually that desire of women and revengefull thoughts are murther and adultery understand the law spiritually and see our selves in that glasse see our selves utterly condemned this will make us flye to the glasse of the Gospell that we may be changed into the Image of Christ. There is another image that we more desire to be changed into we are transformed into the likenesse of the world cast into the mould of the times we labour to have those opinions that the times have and those wayes of getting and rising to preferment that the world hath and to have that carriage and disposition every way that the world hath and so frame to the spirit of the world in al things that so wee may not be observed by others and crossed in our pleasures and preferments and profits wel this desire to be transformed into the likenesse of the world to have the spirit of the world what will it come to in the end The world shall bee condemned if wee will bee condemned with the world let us labour to bee transformed into the opinion of the world and to goe with the streame and the errours of the time if we desire to be damned The world must bee condemned it is the kingdome of Sathan wherein hee rules therefore there is no image or likenesse for us to be transformed into if we will bee saved and have comfort but the Image of Christ and can wee have a better likenesse to be transformed into then the image of him by whom wee hope to be saved then to be like him from whom wee hope for so great a matter as Salvation is Againe that wee may be changed into the likenesse of Christ let us fix our meditations upon him and we shall find a change we know not how insensible as those that stand in the Sunne for other purposes they find themselves lightned and heate so let us set our selves about holy meditations and we shall finde a secret insensible change our soules will be altered and changed wee know not how there is a vertue goes with holy meditation a changing transforming vertue and indeed we can think of nothing in Christ but it wil alter and change us to the likenesse of it selfe because we have all from Christ can wee thinke of his humility and not be humble can wee thinke was God humble and shall base woâ—â—es be proud shall I bee fierce when my Saviour was meeke can a proud fierce heart apprehend a sweete meeke Saviour No the heart must bee sutable to the thing apprehended it is impossible that a heart that is not meeke and sweetened and brought low should apprehend a loving and humble Saviour there must be a sutablenesse betweene the heart and Christ As hee was borne of a humble Virgin so he is borne and conceived in a humble heart Christ is borne and conceived and lives and growes in every Christian and in a humble and lowlâ— heart made like him by his Spirit that is the wombe The heart that is sutable that is the heart that hee is formed in Againe to be changed into this image when we are once in the state of grace let us looke to the remainder of our corruptions the best of us shall see that that will make us looke after Christ look to our world limindednes to our passions to our rebellions to our darkenesse and deadnesse of spirit and then goe to Christ Lord thou hast appointed Christ to be a head to be a full vessell that of his grace wee might have grace for grace hee was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes but for his fellows I am earthly minded hee is heavenly I am full of rebellions of lusts all is at peace in him the Image of God is perfect in him and hee is a head to infuse grace a head of influence as well as of eminence he is not onely above me but he hath all grace for me therefore goe to Christ I need thy heavenly mindednesse and some portion of thy meekenesse of thy spirituall strength I am weake and darke and dead shine on me thou haste fulnesse for mee so goe to Christ and draw upon every occasion vertue and life from Christ our head this is to know what is meant by being transformed to Christ our head There are two conformities beloved exceeding comfortable to us and wee must meditate on both First Christs conformity to us he was transfigured into our likenesse he became man in love to us not onely man but in the forme of a servant base man he tooke mans nature and mans base condition Phil. 2 here is the ground of our comfort that Christ tooke our forme hee transfigured himselfe to our basenesse and shall not we labour to be transformed to be like him that out of love stooped so low to bee like us let us but thinke of this beloved our blessed Saviour tooke our nature on him pure and holy by his Spirit he followed sinne to death he was conceived and lived and dyed without sinne to satisfie for sinne and now by his Spirit hee cleanseth out sinne he pursued and chased out sinne from his conception in all the passages of his life so we should be like him drive away sin get the Spirit that our nature in us may be as it was in him holy and pure and spirituall shall he be conformed to us and shall not we conforme to him many such reasons and considerations there bee to moove us to be changed into the Image of Christ. Christ in this worke of changing is all in all for first of al by Christs death and satisfaction to divine justice we have the Spirit of God that doth all for the Spirit is the gift of Gods love next to Christ the greatest Now Christ having reconciled God God being reconciled gives the Spirit our sinnes being forgiven the fruite of Gods love is the Spirit so wee have the Spirit by the merit of Christ. Againe we have it from Christ as a head derived unto us we have the Spirit for Christ and from Christ Christ receives the Spirit first and then he sendsit into our hearts so for Christs sake and from Christ as a head we have the Spirit Againe from Christ we have the patterne of all grace whatsoever to which wee are changed the patterne of all grace is from Christ he begins to us in every grace
when the nature of man is so subject to the power of grace that though there be rebellions in us as there will be while we are in this world yet they cannot overpower the principle of grace all this while a man is a glorious Christian because he is not subject to the common humors and infirmities and weakenesses of men therefore that makes a Christian glorious when he brings every thought and affection and every corruption as much as may be to the subjection of the Spirit of glory to the Spirit of Christ in him though old Adam stirre in him yet he brings him downe that hee doth not discover himselfe to the scandall of the Gospell and profession and to the weakening of the love of good things in the hearts of others it shall not break out he subjects these rising thoughts here grace is glorious Another man cannot doe this he cannot love God he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot resist temptations not inwardly he may forbeare an action out of feare but a Christian can love and feare and delight in good things and he can resist and hee can enjoy the things of this life in a subordinate manner to better things a worldling cannot doe it there is a glory upon a Christian a derivative glory from Christ for we shine in his beames wee are changed according to his Image from glory to glory Object The thing is not much questionable that grace is glorious but it may bee objected doth grace make one glorious then how comes the world to despise such as have grace such as are like Christ I answere it is from blindnesse Answ. from Spirituall drunkennesse and madnesse they cannot discerne of things they are besotted they see no difference therefore they cannot discerne things that are excellent but take a man in his right principles take a sober man and he will see an excellency in a Christian above himselfe Againe grace is not made so much of oft times in the world because it is joyned with so many infirmities our life is hid with Christ it is hid under infirmities and under afflictions oft times and being hidden it doth not appeare so much in this world And then againe however men force upon themselves a contempt of grace and of the best things yet notwithstanding it is but forced for their conscience stoopes at it witnesse conscience when it gives evidence on their death bed take a man when he is himselfe when he is sober when he is best able to judge when those things are taken from him that obscured and darkened his judgement and then you shall have him justifie all things that are good both gracâ— and the meanes of grace Againe it must be so that we may bee conformable to Christ the world misguideth the state of a Christian they thinke them vile and base persons so they did Christ the head of the Church you see how Christ was esteemed his glory was vayled with our nature and with misery a while but it sparkled out oft times in his miracles Now this was that hee might suffer and performe the worke of Salvation for the devill nor the wicked world would never have done that they did to him if his glory had broken forth to the full luster of it So it is with the body misticall of Christ the world misjudgeth of them it appeares not now what they shal be hereafter nor what they are now indeed because God will have them conformable to Christ If so bee that the glory of Christians were discovered in the true lustre who would wrong a Christian if they did see him indeede to be a member of Christ and an heire of heaven the care of Angels and the price of Christs death if they did see him in his excellency all the world would admire him and make another man of him then of Potentates and Monarches but how then should he be conformable to his head in afflictions the head was to save us by death hee must be abased the world must take him as a strange man and we that must be conformed to him wee must passe as unknowne men in the world but not so unknowne but that grace breakes out sometimes to admiration and imitation and when it hath not imitation it stirres up envy and mallice in others in the children of the devill therfore notwithstanding all objections grace is glory it makes us like Christ who is glorious who is the Lord of glory And then it drawes glory with it glorious peace and glorious comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost the attendants of grace in the hearts of Gods people is it not as I said a glorious thing for a man to have that peace in him that passeth all understanding that shall settle and quiet his soule in all tumults in the world when all things are turned upside downe for a Christian to stand unmooveably built upon the Rocke Whence comes this glorious pitch but from grace grace and peace one follow another then for a man to have inward joy and comfort in the midst of afflictions and disconsolations in the world it is a wonderfull and a gloriousthing it in called joy unspeakeable and glorious grace therefore in regard of that that followes it in this world it is glory Hence it is that the wise man saith that the Righteous is more excellent then his neighbour hee is more glorious then another man as pearles are above pebbles he is more excellent in life in death and after death especially for there is a growing from glory to glory he is glorious in life more glorious in death when his soule shall be put into glory in heaven and most of all glorious when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints as it is in â— Thess. so he is excellent in life and in death and for ever for another man that is but a man a man said I nay if a man be but a man hee is either like a devill in subtilety or a beast in sensuallity hee carries the image either of a beast or of the devill besides a man a righteous man therefore that hath the Image of God stamped upon him hee is better then another man every way for hee is in a higher ranke of creatures grace sets a man as farre above other men as other men are above other creatures At the first the creatures reverenced God in Adam they came and tooke their names from him they were subject to him so grace is a glorious majesticall thing wicked men even Herod reverenced grace in Iohn Baptist and evill men reverence it in their hearts in Gods people though their mouthes speake against it a Christian is a Spirituall man as reason lifts a man above other creatures so the Image of God set upon a man it lifts raiseth him above other men Vse 1 If grace and the Image of God and Christ in us be glory and make us