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
that have one mind and have given their strength and power unto the Beast make warre with the Lamb the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Rev. 17.13,14 To conclude this first branch of this use of consolation The Apostle Paul having spoken largely of the Soveraignty confer'd upon Christ in his exaltation Heb. 2.5,6,7,8 in the end of the eight verse he moveth a doubt against it but now we see not yet all things put under him we see it indeed with an eye of faith but not with an eye of sense and carnall reason we may say of that as the Apostle doth of the future state of the Saints of God it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Joh. 3.2 but though it doth not yet appeare yet we believe it and faith is an evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And the Apostle in his answer unto the doubt layeth downe a very good argument for the strengthening of our faith herein But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with honour and glory vers 9. seeing he is crowned with glory and placed at the right hand of God and then hath all power given unto him in heaven and earth he will exercise this his power and authority for the good of his Church and overthrow of his enemyes and at the last day he will put all either persons or things that oppose him absolutely under his feete he will subdue them and trample upon them as upon a footstoole It is said of him Heb. 10.12,13 He sate downe on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole If he our Soveraigne waits patiently till this worke be done it would be very bad manners in us his subjects to be impatient and not contented to wait the Lords Leisure I proceede unto a second benefit accrewing unto believers by the fulnesse of Christs authority and that is positive subserviency of all things to their salvation seeing he hath all power in heaven and in earth therefore he can make all creatures in heaven and earth to promote the glory and happinesse of his people Are not the Angels all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation All believers are joint heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 Now he is the heire of all things Heb. 1.3 therefore they share with him in this his inheritance and are in a way of subordination to him heires of all things too All things are yours * Nota omnia vestra sunt non quasi omnia bona sint commania uti erant in statu innocentiae aut quasi justi omnium rerum sint propriè domini c. sed vestra sunt non possessione sed fine usu quia scilicet vobis in ministerium auxilium salutis deputata data sunt ita Anselm Amb. Theodoret. S. Thom. Chrysostom data inquam ad usum vel realem vel mentalem qui est in omnibus creaturis agnoscere laudare creatorem hoc est quod vulgò dicitur fideli totus mundus divitiarum est Corn. à Lapide in Locum Universalem enumeratione illustrat Vestri sunt omnes ministri summi infimi c. Vestrae sunt omnes res totus inquam mund us c. Vestra omnis conditio vita mors c. Vestri denique omnes eventus presentes in hac vita prosperi et adversi vel futuri in altera vita Omnia inquit vestra sunt Anabaptistae abutuntur hoc loco ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facultatum probandam Apostolus verò non loquitur de possessionibus civilibus sed de ordine divino quo omnia debent servire utilitati Ecclesiae quia omnia sunt condita ad piorum salutem communicationem officiorum charitatis quae non tollit justitiam sicut nec Evangelium tollit politias Nec loquitur Apostolus de omnibus individuis sed de omnibus speciebus rerum Pareus in Locum See also Reynold's vanity of the creature pag. 27 28. saith the Apostle speaking of believers 1 Cor. 3.21 not in regard of propriety or possession but only in regard of end or use that is All things so farre as their need and occasion shall be usefull helpfull and serviceable unto the salvation of your soules and this is that which is meant by that usuall saying quoted out of Aug. fideli tâ—tus mundus divitiarum est The Apostle illustrates the universall by an enumeration of particulars vers 22. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Of which words I shall out of Pareus give you this short following Paraphrase All ministers are yours the highest and the lowest Paul Apollo Cephas All things are yours the whole world All conditions are yours life and death All events are yours present and future things present or things to come things present in this life whether prosperous or adverse Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Things to come that is all the glory of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. Lastly upon this fulnesse of Christs authority we may ground exhortations unto severall duties and that regarding either God Christ or our brethren First we may hence be exhorted unto thankfulnesse towards God for that he hath vouchsafed such dignities unto our nature in the person of his sonne Psal 97.1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof When the multitude saw the cure of the man sick of the Palsy they marveiled and glorified God which had given such power unto men Math. 9.8 How should we marvell and glorify God for the giving of all power in heaven and earth unto the man Christ Jesus for that his head is as the most fine gold Cant. 5.11 * Aynsworth that is his head-ship regiment and kingdome is most glorious like splendent gold Because he is the head of the corner the Psalmist our Saviour himselfe would have us to acknowledge the Lords doing and that it should be marveilous in our eyes Ps 118.22 Math. 21.42 The Apostle Paul entertains it with stupor and admiration what is man sayth he that is the man Christ Jesus that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him that thou crownest him with glory and honour and didst set him over the workes of thine hands that thou put'st all things under his feet Heb. 2.6,7,8 In Cant. 3.11 we have an exhortation unto an heedfull and gratefull observation and contemplation of Christ in his exaltation Go forth O daughter of Zion and behold King Solomon with the crowne wherewith his Mother
There dwelleth in Christ considered as the cause of our salvation an all fulnesse of sufficiency an all sufficiency to effect it Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 In which words we have Christs sufficiency to carry on the worke of our salvation affirmed confirmed and amplified from the qualification of those to whom it is actually effectuall 1. Affirmed he is able to save unto the uttermost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the phrase may denote three things the perpetuity the perfection of the salvation which he worketh or else the perfection of his influence or causality in the working of it 1. It may signify the perpetuity and indeficiency of that salvation which he worketh He is able to save unto the uttermost of time for evermore He is not as Joshua Othniel Ehud Shamgar a temporary but an eternall Saviour he is able to save unto all eternity 2. It may import the absolute perfection and fulnesse of the salvation which he worketh He is able to save unto the uttermost degree of salvation he doth not save by halves but fully and perfectly from every degree of evill whether of sinne or misery And indeed there is not the least degree in the salvation of true believers that he leaves unaccomplished He is the author and finisher of their faith Heb. 12.2 able to keepe that which they commit unto him against that day 2 Timoth. 1.12 as he hath begun a good worke in them so will he performe or finish it Phil. 1.6 he will establish their hearts unblameable in holinesse before God 1 Thess 3. ult he will preserve their whole spirit soule and body blamelesse unto his coming 1 Thes 5.23 3. The forme of speech may denote thinke some the perfection of Christs influence in the effecting of our salvation He is able to save unto the uttermost that is all manner of wayes as a morall as a physicall cause of salvation 1. He is the morall cause of our salvation by the merit of his humiliation by the prevalency of his intercession and by the light of his Doctrine and Example 1. By the merit of his humiliation he hath purchased our salvation 1 Cor. 6.20.1 Pet. 1.18 and so is the meritorious cause thereof 2. His intercession for our salvation cannot but be prevailing because it is in the vertue and strength of the all-sufficient merit of the sacrifice of his obedience for it It is nothing else but the continuall presentation thereof unto his father and therefore is tearmed by some a presentative oblation Lastly He is the morall cause of our salvation by the light of his Doctrine and Example 1 In his Doctrine he hath so fully taught the way unto salvation that it is able to make wise unto salvation through faith in him 2 Tim. 3.15 2 By his Example he hath as our forerunner guide as the captaine of our salvation so fully chalked out unto us the way unto salvation as that if we follow him therein it will bring us infallibly thereunto But now in the next place he is not only a morall cause of our salvation by his merit advocation and example but also a physicall cause by his omnipotency for by this he will remove all impediments levell all mountains of opposition and notwithstanding them put every believâ—… into as the actuall so full and compleat possession of happinesse and salvation It will in the conclusion make such a finall and through conquest of all corruption whatsoever as that it will present his Church unto himselfe without blemish glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any â—uch thing Eph. 5.26,27 2. We have in this text Christs sufficiency and ability to worke our salvation confirmed by two reasons one drawne from the incommunicablenesse the other from the last act of his Priesthood his intercession The first from the uncommunicablenesse of his Priesthood this man because he continneth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impassable priesthood which passeth not from his owne person unto any other wherefore he is able to save unto the uttermost They that make Christ's Priesthood communicable and derivable unto any successors or Vicars doe in effect deny that Christ is able to save unto the uttermost those that come unto God through him The Second reason is from the last act of his Priesthood his intercession for us which implieth and presupposeth the first as being a continuall tender thereof unto his Father He is able to save unto the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But the Angells live for ever and we shall live for ever and yet no Saint or Angell is able to save so much as one soule Christs life therefore is the cause of our salvation not Causam breviter inserit salvificae Christi potentiae quia semper vivit Sed et Angeli semper vivunt nos semper vivemus videtur igitur causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minimè Vita enim Christi non absolutè sed relatè ad suum sacerdotium est nobis causa salutis Vivit ènim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semper non otiosus nec sibi tantum beatusâ—sed sacerdotio regno suo defungens sâ—que invigilans Sic Rom. 5.10 in perpetua Christi vita fundari docet salutem nostram cap. 6. v. 8. vitam Christi nostram vitam facit Additur igitur finis perpetuae vitae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut interpellet pro nobis q. d. vivit non sibi sed nobis nostrae salutis causam asserens in Dei conspectu Tacita subest occupatio Potest servare At à posse ad esse non est firma consecutio Imò non potest solum sed vult quia voluntatem interpellatione testatur A posse autem velle ad effectum bene sequitur Et potest igitur vult Christus nos servare Potest quia sacerdos semper vivens vult quia interpellat pro nobis Idem tribuit Christo Rom. 8.34 Heb. 9.24 absolutely saith Pareus but in relation unto his Priesthood He is able to save unto the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to act and discharge the part and office of a Priest for us to make intercession for us He died to merit our salvation and he liveth for ever actually to conferre it upon every soule that cometh unto God by him If he had not risen from his grave if he had not lived or if he had lived as Lazarus to dy againe we had been irrecoverably buried in the graves of our sinns but he liveth for ever Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 and therefore as the Apostle argueth Rom. 5.10 if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life His exaltation and raising of himselfe
God will make plentifull provision for all their wants It is the inference of the Apostle himselfe Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things He that soared not his owne sonne his deare son his most tenderly beloved sonne but delivered him up for us all unto the slaughter how shall he not with him freely give us all things that is all things needfull for our eternall happinesse and salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.13 The promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Timoth. 4.8 4. They may hence be certaine of a continuall confirmation of their graces and preservation from Apostacy Gods t If Kings bear goodwill to some family if his love begin in some chief one who is with him at court as his speciall favourite it is so much the firmer to all the rest of them Thus here how firme and sure is his love to us whoâ—n he hath loved unto life in Christ our head and eldest brother who is his naturall sonne from whom it is impossible that his love should ever start and when it is sure to the head can the body be forsaken Mr Bayne on Eph. â— ver 4. pa. 39. love of them is like his love of him immutable Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me saith Christ Joh. 17.23 If the head be alwaies the beloved the members can never be hated The fruits therefore of this love the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 If the naturall sonne of God be daily his delight and that as well unto as from eternity Therefore with everlasting kindnesse he will have mercy on his adoptive sonnes The mountaines shall depart and the hils be removed But my kindnesse shall not depart from them neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on them Isai 54.8,10 But now if he should not uphold and establish them by his spirit Psalm 51.12 if he should not continually support and underprop their graces but suffer them totally and finally to decay and wither this would be a palpable withdrawing of his loving kindnesse and a shutting up his tender mercies in anger Besides the sonnes love of them resembleth the fathers love of him Joh. 15.9 As the father hath loved me so have have I loved you Now there is no change in the fathers love of him therefore neither in his love of them And therefore we may conclude that as it is their duty so it shall be their priviledge and happinesse to continue in his love The Apostle Paul professeth in the behalfe of all believers that nothing can divorce them from the love of God in Christ that is for Christ I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38,39 In those last words which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The Apostle layeth downe the ground of the perpetuity of God's love of his children 'T is not in themselves but in Christ Jesus that is it is for his sake for that unalterable affection which he beareth unto him Lastly from the eminency of God's favour unto Christ his members may with confidence expect the perfect and full glorification of their soules and bodies hereafter in heaven For our Saviour himselfe in that prayer of his Joh. 17. having petitioned for the glory of all that were to believe on him he inforceth this his petition by representing unto the Father the love that he hath borne unto him as man from all eternity Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world ver 24. Is is as if he had said That love which thou bearest unto me expresse unto those that are mine As thou loved'st mee invest them with that glory which thou hast decreed unto my humanity Believers then may as confidently expect their owne glory as they are assured of the Fathers affection unto Christ and this assurance should digest all their sorrowes and miseries here in this life From Consolations I proceed unto Exhortations and they shall be directed either unto the enemies or members of Christ 1. Then for enemies and aliens they may hence be exhorted 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against Christ 2. Unto a serious and earnest endeavour after reconciliation and union with him 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against him and his his members ministers and other ordinances Who dare almost oppose the Minions of earthly Princes for History presents us with plentifull instances of such whom their very frownes have ruined O then the hatred of heavens favourite must needs be infinitely more fatall and unfortunate Because he is able to crush his most potent adversaries tremble then to consider that all thy life long thou hast hated the beloved loathed and abhorred God's darling been averse from the Son of his love rejected his elect servant in whom his soule delighteth been a most disaffected and malignant Antagonist unto him in whom the Father is well-pleased 2. Because Christ is so highly graced with God all his enemies may be exhorted to doe what lieth in them for the future for reconciliation and union with him by application of themselves unto the diligent use of such meanes and ordinances as God hath sanctified and set apart for that purpose For those that are not united with him cannot expect so much as a good look from God because God is reconciled onely in him 2 Cor. 5.19 he accepts none but in the beloved Ephes 1.6 He is well pleased with none but such as are in him Those that are out of him lye under the displeasure and wrath of God which is a consuming fire In terrene courts how ambitious are men to be related unto the grand favourite as knowing that he is the channell of all considerable preferments Should it not then be the utmost ambition of men to have relation unto Christ for through him onely God dispenseth all saving favours unto the sonnes of men We may say of him in reference unto God as Tacitus did of Sejanus the powerfull favourite of Tiberius ut quisque Sejano intimus ita ad Caesaris amicitiam validus Contrà quibus infensus esset metu ac sordibus conflictebantur He that was an intimate of Sejanus needed not with any great labour search for honours He that had him his enemy languished under dispraise and misery None had any honour without his favour Neither without him could any keep any place of either profit or credit with security Besides
secundum dictamen rationis Sed tunc dicetur corpus spirituale quia omnes tales motus erunt plenè subjecti spiritui In quart lib. Sentent dist 44. quaest 5. The former more distinctly thinks that this subjection stands either in the purity and refinednesse of the sensive operations or else in a perfect and totall obedience of the sensitive faculties unto the conduct and guidance of reason without any reluctancy of the flesh against the Spirit Lastly here is the cause of this change Christ himselfe Who shall change our vile bodies He is the cause thereof as man by his merit and intercession But our Apostle speakes of his Causation thereof as God by his omnipotency really effecting it Whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himâ—elfe He can subdue all things to himselfe put all things under his feete and therefore he can subdue death and the grave he can conquer and destroy all their sad and painefull forerunners ghastie and dreadfull attendants and consequently he can swallow them all up in a most full and compleate victory A Second place is Psalm 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse I shall be full of thy Image it is by some translated A gracious and sanctified soule is satisfied with the likenesse of God as soone as it is separated from the body but the satisfaction spoken of in the text is deferred untill the day of the generall resurrection When those that dwell in the dust awake and sing Esay 26.19 When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse The likenesse c Secundum hoc homo est particeps beatitudinis quod ad Imaginem Dei existit Imago autem Dei primò principalitèr in mente consistit sed per quandam derivationem etiam in corpore hominis quaedam representatio imaginis invenitur secundum quod oportet corpus anima esse proportionatum Unde beatitudo vel gloria primò principaliter est in mente sed per quandam redundantiam derivatur etiam ad corpus Aquin. in lib. Senten dist 49. quaest 4. art 5. in solutione secundi and Image of God is primarily and principally in the soule But yet it is in the body too secondarily by way of reflex and derivation And it is of this likenesse of God that David is to be understood When I shall awake thy likenesse thy Image shall by way of redundancy be derived unto my very body and it shall be satisfied filled therewith in it's measure so far as it is capable A third place is 1 Cor. 15. as we have borne the image of the earthie we shall also beare the image of the heavenly vers 49. As we have been conformed unto the image of the first man the fountaine of all mankind who is here tearmed earthy dusty or slimy in partaking from him by naturall propagation a body like his after his fall earthie dustie â—…imie fraile mortall and corruptible subject to age many blemishes and deformities to diseases within and violence without a naturall body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an animale or soulie body that is quickned by the soule onely which cannot quicken or susteine the body without the assistance of naturall animall qualities which must be continually repaired by sleepe food and sometimes costly medicaments So shall we beare the image of the heavenly that is our bodies shall be made conformable unto the body of Christ in his resurrection who is here tearmed the heavenly to wit man as in regard of his miraculous conception by the holy Ghost and his divine and infinite person so also in regard of those celestiall and glorious qualities wherewith his body in its rising was adorned and these we have specified above vers 42 43 44. incorruption glory power and spirituality 1. Incorruption It is sowen in corruption it is raised in incorruption an immortality farre beyond that of Adams body in paradise to wit an exemption from even the possibilitie of dying for they shall be quite freed from the mutuall action and passion of corruptible and corrupting elements But neither is this all for such an immortality and incorruption shall be found even in the bodies of the damned This incorruption therefore of the glorified bodies of the saints is an utter impassibility which excludes not onely death but also whatsoever is penall any corruptive that is harmefull malignant afflictive passion any passion that is either contra or praeter naturam Flesh and bloud saith the Apostle cannot inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15.50 Where in the following words the Apostle explaining thinks * In tert St. Thomaetom 2. disp 48. Sect. 1. pag. 521. Suarez what is meant by flesh and bloud subjoyneth neither doth corruption inherit incorruption to shew that not the substance but the mortality of flesh and bloud is excluded from the kingdome of God As by the word corruption the Apostle there understandeth all bodily miseries so by incorruption saith * In 4. Sent. dist 44. §. 15. pag. 265. Estius he would signify a state of the body exempt from all misery whatsoever To prove that glorified bodies shall be thus impassible the Schoolmen alleadge these following scriptures Revel 7.16,17 They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heate For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feede them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Revel 21.4 God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain For the former things are past away A hot dispute here is among the Schoolmen whether the impassibilitie of glorified bodies be intrinsecall or extrinsecall Here we must premise with Durand that glorious bodies are not impassible per privationem principii passivi for they shall consist of matter and there shall be in them a temper of elementary qualities that have contraries Impassible then they are onely per aliquod praestans impedimentum actualis passionis ne fiat All the doubt then is whether the hinderance or prevention of this actuall passion be from without or from within 1. Scotus Durand and others resolve that it is onely from without ex manutenentia Dei by Gods providence assisting and preserving of them either by positive resistance of the corruptive influence of second causes or else as Scotus resolveth by not cooperating with any such causes He illustrates it by the similitude of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego in the fiery furnace Dan. 3. That the fire did not consume their bodies it was not from any intrinsick impassibility in them arising either from the want of passive power or from something seated in their bodies contrary unto fire and so making head and resistance against it But the cause of it was onely from without Because Gods will was not to concurre
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
is farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come vers 21 should descend so low as to reckon himselfe made full and compleat by weak and unworthy men rather wormes and no men that he who is so full as that he filleth all in all should yet be pleased so farre to humble himselfe as to call his members his fulness who alas are naturally empty of all spiritual good and full of sinne and misery A second duty unto which we may hence be exhorted respects the Church Is the Church Chrift's fulness then compassionate her sufferings doe and suffer your utmost for her delivery To see the fall of great men the funeral or ruine of great cities workes in those that either see or hear of it a kind of relenting or commiseration Why the Church of God his body his fulness is all in flames and shall not this command our most serious passions our sincerest and heartiest prayers and our utmost endeavours for her deliverance A Third exhortation regards themselves and it is to walk worthy of their high relation not to discredit it but to adorne it rather in an holy conversation The misdemeanours of favourites reflects upon their Princes And doe not the evil lives and actions of the Churches members redound unto the dishonour of Christ the head of the Church especially seeing he hath taken them into so streight and intimate a fellowship with him as that he hath made them of his body and fulness As they that honour him shall be honoured so they that cast any disgrace upon him or his body shall be sure to meet with shame and dishonour at the last Let them therefore be exhorted not to receive so great a favour as exaltation to be a part of Christ's fulness in vaine but to walke fittingly to the excellency of so high a condition as becometh the members of him who filleth all in all Lastly those that after an impartial examination of their relation unto the Church find themselves not only to be in her but of her as true proper and living members may upon this their assurance ground diverse consolations and that especialy in these five following particulars Use 1. Of consolation 1 If you are members of the Church and so consequently parts of Christ's fulness why then you may rest confident of all true blessings all spiritual honour and advancement He will be unto you a sunne and a shield he will give you grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from you Psal 84.11 You are his own and therefore he is neerly interested in your good your bliss and prosperity and consequently will be as careful of promoting it as you your selves will or can be For who will not use his utmost care and fidelitie in his own concernments All the members of the Church are one with Christ in a very near relation so that he and they make but one Christ they are as parts and portions of himselfe they are his fulness and therefore in all their advancements he is honoured and after a sort farther filled Whereupon divers Interpreters translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eph. 1.23 passively and render the words thus qui omnia in omnibus adimpletur which is filled all in all that is is filled in all his Saints according to all graces and vertues requisite unto their eternal salvation By conferring then any grace or vertue or any other blessing upon them he conferreth it as it were upon himselfe he honoureth and filleth himselfe and on the contrary if he should deny blessings unto them he should deny them unto himselfe which is a thing not to be imagined Because the Church is Christs fulness because the members of the Church are said to be parts and portions of this fulness therefore as the Apostle phraseth it Hebr. 3.14 they partake of Christ they partake of all his communicable perfections 1. Of the satisfaction and merit of his death and sufferings Phil. 3.10 1 Pet. 4.13 2 of the graces of his spirit Joh. 1.16 3 of his glorious dignities priviledges and relations We are by him a royal Priesthood spiritual Kings and Priests sonnes and coheirs with him Nay 4 We shall reap from him not only relative but real glory when he shall appear we shall be like him 1 Joh. 3.2 and that not only in our soules but in our bodies Phil. 3.21 It is said of him that at the day of judgment he shall be glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 1.10 There is saith D. Sclater upon the place a personal glory of the Mediatour Joh. 17.5 And there is his social glory as I may terme it resulting unto his person from the glory which he communicates unto his Children And of this the Apostle here speakes Conjunct with the glory of Saints is the glory of Christ so neerely at that in their glorification himselfe is glorified Every Saint then may warrantably be assured that Christ will take all possible care for his glorification 2 You may hence find great cause of consolation in and against the forest afflictions For being parts of Christ's fulness whatsoever evil befals you he will deeply resent it he will be most tenderly affected with it nay exceedingly afflicted in it In all their afflictions saith the Prophet he was afflicted Isai 63.9 that is he compassionates their afflictions and as it were sympathizeth with them He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Hebr. 4.14 Zech. 2.8 Judg. 10.16 Psal 106 44. Hereupon is it that Christ looked upon Saul's persecution of his members as reaching himselfe and therefore cried unto him from heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9.4,5 Thus when the foot is trodden on the tongue in the head complaineth why treadest thou on me linguam non tetegit compassione clamat non attritione saith one Clemens Monilianus speaking of this passage of Saul The partie complained of toucheth not the tongue at all and therefore this cry and complaint of the tongue is not so much out of d Hinc autem Theologi quidam putant ostendi sanctorum passiones fidelibus prodesse ad remissionem poenarum quae vocatur Indulgentia Ex hoc tamen Apostoli loco nobis non videtur admodum solide statui posse Non enim sermoiste quo dicit Apostolus se pati pro Ecclesiâ necessario sic accipiendus est quod pro redimendis peccatorum poenis quas fideles debent patiatur Estius in Col. 1.24 paine or passion as sympathy and compassion Now the ground of Christ's thus sympathizing with his members is their mystical union with him As Christ the head and his body make one Person mystical one full Christ so the passions of the head and of the body and members make one compleat masse or body of passions with such difference for all that between the one sort and
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
locum Speciem ponit pro genere nam per lotionem pedum quod omnium ministeriorum humillimum est omnia exempla omnia ministeria intelligit humilitatis Maldonat in locum Quod ad externam pedum ablutionem attinet minimè fuit Christo propositum talem ritum sacrum in Ecclesia instituere sed secutus morem illis temporibus regionibus ab ultima vetustate consuetum ablutionis pedum ad viatores praesertim vespere excipiendos ut ex quamplurimis Scripturae locis apparet hoc genere sermonis mutuam verorum Christi Discipulorum omnium inter se conjunctionem ad quid vis muruae aedificationis causâ praestandum commendavit non verbo tantum sed suo quoque ipsius exemplo 1 Cor. 9.19.1 Tim. 5.10 Luc 7.44 Generalis est ergo haec praeceptio mutuam Christianorum omnium inter se charitatem omni officiorum genere testandam complectens quidem iis inprimis conveniens quos Dominus caeteâ—is doctrina omni verarum virtutum exemplo praefecit inter quas excellit profecto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantopere ipsis commendata Mat. 20.27,28 Beza in locum Vide Piscatorem in locum The holiest of men have Christ for their Master the greatest and most powerfull have him for their Lord his washing then the feet not the head of his Disciples and servants should be a forcible inducement unto any man whatsoever to serve even the meanest of his brethren in the most condescending and self-denying acts of love especially seeing hee himselfe tells his disciples that this his practice was not so much for admiration as imitation vers 15. for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you This example of Christ obligeth all Christians for he speaketh unto his Apostles not only in the notion of Apostles or Ministers but also under the capacity of Christians and believers but yet there may be and no doubt is an appropriation of the obligation unto ministers so that it concerneth them in a more especiall manner then it doth others and so much may very probably be gathered from the last words of the next verse neither is he that is sent greater then he that sent him They that are sent by Christ as Ambassadors should not above all men disdaine the doing that of which they have a president in him their great Lord and Master but should make use of the meditation hereof as a powerfull incentive unto an affable humble carriage and behaviour and that unto both their fellow ministers and their brethren First unto their fellow brethren of the ministry no kind of eminency whatsoever can put such a distance between ministers of the gospell as there was between Christ the Apostles for he had all things delivered into his hand and them amongst the rest yet though he knew this he performed unto them an act of such servility as that when he addressed himselfe unto the performance thereof Peter was transported with a just wonder and utterly refused it as he thought then out of a devout reverence because he judged it no way suiting with the relation he had unto Christ for he was his Lord and Master and therefore he thought he should much forget himselfe to receive such service from him Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet thou shalt never wash my * Tu mihi quid est tu quid est mihi cogitanda sunt potius quaÌ„ dicenda ne forte quod ex iis verbis aliquatenus dignum concepit anima non explicet lingua Aug. Oratio est abominantis remabsurdam indignam nam interrogando quidnam faciat Christus quasi manuÌ„ illi injicit Calv. in locum Interrogatio admirantis detrectantis tanquam rem absurdam minimeque decentem Piscat in locum feet ver 6 8. would some ministers but seriously sadly ponder this servile act of our Saviour unto his disciples servaÌ„ts they would not looke with such an eye of scorne neglect as they doe upon their poore brethren over whom they are advanced in this worlds lottery either by others ignorance or their own confidence Pragmaticalnesse rather then any true desert and ability This point of the humility of ministers towards one another our Saviour enforceth from the scope of his whole humiliation and from the last and lowest act thereof his death and passion Math. 20.28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Seeing Christ who is the King of Kings hath for our sake subjected himselfe as a servant taken upon him the form and nature of a servant done the worke of a servant dyed the * Crucifixion was a death that commonly servants were sentenced unto seldome times freemen whence it is many times noted out by the name of servile supplicium by Tacitus Godwin Rom. Ant. death of a Servant he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 There is a great deale of reason that as all Christians so all ministers should serve one another by love Gal. 5.13 Looke upon the words foregoing those but now quoted out of Mathew and you may see that Christ brought this his example as a motive whereby first he backs his prohibition of all affectation of Prelacy or domination in his ministers verse 25 26. Secondly he presseth them either unto humility diligence and faithfulnesse in discharge of the worke of their ministry in generall or else more particularly as some thinke unto an humble submission unto their fellow servants in the ministry for the furtherance of that which should be the common designe the salvation of mens soules and in this only he placeth the eminency of a minister vers 26 27. whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister And whosoever will be chiefe among you let him be your servant Those ministers that otherwise have been of great parts and learning have not left behind them so precious a name in the Church of God as those despised ones that have made it their study by submissive service of their brethren to further the common worke Mr Dickson hath another interpretation of these last words with which I have not met in any other and therefore I think it not amiss to acquaint the Reader with it If this command do not prevaile with the ambitious party but he must needs bring forth his ambitious desires then the rest of the Ministers are warranted to diminish of that mans estimation and to account the lesse of him by so much as he is ambitiously inclined to a principality and majority over the rest for so do the words beare let him be your Servant that is let him be so esteemed of and no more If any one among you affect to rule the rost to be a Dominus fac totum expect that his ipse dixit
unto whom it relates And therefore Christ intended good unto those principalities and powers unto whom he is an head But he designed no good unto the wicked Angels and therefore they are not here meant 3. The Principalities and powers here are in all probabilitie the Angels the worship of whom is prohibited vers 18. And they are good Angels For unlikely that the seducers against whom the Apostle dealeth should presse them unto the worship of wicked Angels Having found what is meant by these principalities and powers enquire we next how Christ as man is an head of them Why 1. in regard of excellency above them 2. in regard of authority over them And 3. As some thinke in respect of influence upon them 1. Then because in the manhood of Christ there dwelleth all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily therefore as man he is an head unto the good Angels in regard of excellency or eminency above them He is superiour to them because all Angelicall perfections whatsoever fall farre short of the hypostaticall union which is denyed unto the Angels and vouchsafed unto the humane nature in the person of Christ He tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 Being made so much better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they Heb. 1.4 Though they be Principalities and powers excellent glorious and powerfull creatures yet they are still but meere creatures But now Christ as man hath by the personall union obtained a more excellent name then they because thereby as man he is personally the sonne of God * Homo potest accipi ratione suppositi sie cum suppositum naturae humanae in Christo siâ— persona filii Dei cui per se convenit esse Deum verum est quod Christus fecundum quod homo sit Deus Aquinas part rert quaest 16. Art 11. God himselfe the Lord and creatour of principalities and powers 2. Because in Christ man dwelleth all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily therefore he is an head of the good Angels in regard of authority over them they are his servants his ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3.22 so that he can command them at pleasure And hereupon they are tearmed his Angels Math. 13.42 and 16.27 and 24.31 Mark 13.27 Revel 1.1 and 22.16 That holy thing which shall be borne of thee said the Angell unto the Virgin Mary shall be called the sonne of God Luk. 1.35 Christ as man was the naturall sonne of God by the assumption of our nature in unitie of one person and because he was the sonne of God heire and Lord of all therefore he is the King and governour of even thrones and dominions principalities and powers and hath them all at a becke 3. Some go farther say that Christ is an head unto the goâ—d Angels in regard of internall influence upon theÌ„ He is unto theÌ„ say they a mediatour though not of redemption or reconciliation For so he is a mediatour only betweene God and men for whom he gave his life a ransome 1 Timoth. 2.5,6 yet of preservation or confirmation in that they owe unto his merits the prevention of their fall and the continuance and establishment of their peace and friendship with God But this opinion may be impugned by what some Schoolemen of great note Vasquez in tert part Thomae tom 1. disp 49. Becaâ—us Summa Theol. tom 1. tract 3. cap. 2. quaest 4. pag. 58. c. and tom 5. cap. 14. quaest 9. pag. 261 and others have said against the meritorious influence of Christ as man upon the grace and essentiall glory of Angels who yet grant in his humanity an influence of illumination Ephes 3.10 and accidentall joy Luk. 15.7,9 upon them We may from them take these two arguments 1. To say that the Angels confirmation in their gracious and glorious estate the preservation of them from falling doth presuppose the fall of Adam is a proofelesse assertion But the mediation of Christ presupposeth the fall of Adam as being occasioned thereby And for any one to affirme that Christ had been mediatour and had been incarnate if Adam had never falne is to speake without evidence from scripture therefore Christ's mediation for the confirmation and preservation of Angels is an unscripturall notion 2. Christ merited for those unto whom he was a mediatour But now Christ did not merit any thing for Angels therefore he was not a mediatour for them The minor which onely will be questioned may be thus proved Christ died for all those unto whom he merited any thing because his merits had their consummation at his death * John 19â—36 But now the scripture speakes not one word or syllable of Christ's dying for the Angels and therefore we may conclude it is also silent as touching his meriting any thing for them And therefore I shall for my part content my selse with ignorance thereof Indeed the two former particulars of Christ's headship over the Angels superiority above them and government of them is sufficient for the comfort of the Church It is a great honour unto the Church that the good Angels in heaven are in point of Dignity inferiour unto her husband but that they are under his authority subject unto his government makes much for her reall benefit and security For how can she be unsafe who is married unto the Lord Generall of the Militia of heaven All the Angels in heaven are the subjects of Christ man fully conformable unto his commands and therefore will be very ready to doe any possible service unto the Queene of their King They will be very forward to minister in all things requisite unto all heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 to encampe round about them Psalm 34.7 It is part of their charge given unto them by Christ to keepe his members in all their wayes to beare them up in their hands least they dash their foot against a stone Psalm 91.11,12 Though the Church be begirt with never so many and powerfull adversaries yet she should shake off all carnall feare of them Because her Saviour can when he will command what multitudes please him of the heavenly host for her guard and protection The combinations and attempts of all the principalities and powers in earth and hell for her ruine cannot but be vaine and fruitlesse as long as her head is head of all the principalities and powers in heaven for against these the other can make no resistance This Presidenteship of Christ over the Angels was shewed in a vision unto the prophet Zechariah for the incouragement of the Jewes against their abject state under the Persian empire I saw by night and behold a man riding upon a red horse and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottome and behind were there red horses speckled and white Then said I O my Lord what are these And the Angell that talked with
is not poore in it but that he hath even riches and treasures thereof to dispense beyond the capacitie or comprehension of all the faith that is ever was or shall be in the world 6. The unmeasurable plenitude of Christ's grace and holinesse is lastly figured under the similitude of riches and treasures There are unsearchable riches in Christ Eph. 3.8 And one branch of these riches is his grace and wisedome Now riches denoteth not onely the precious worth and high value but the plenteousnesse also the fulnesse of a thing Christ therefore was full of grace and wisedome But in Christ's grace and wisedome there was not onely plenty but immensity There was no end or bottom of his riches they were unsearchable riches In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 and what is spoken of knowledg may be said of all other habituall gifts and graces in Christ The metaphor of treasures as that of riches signifieth two things 1 That the knowledge and wisedome of Christs manhood are precious qualities they are treasures and treasures are made up not of pricelesse pebbles but precious mettals gold and silver or rich pearles and Jewels Wisdome is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8.11 2. That the Manhood of Christ is enriched with knowledge and wisdome in a very full and transcendent measure The Apostle saith not In him are hid knowledge and wisedome but the treasures of knowledge and wisedome some few pieces of silver and gold nay some pretty tolerable summes amount not to treasures They are vast heaps Even so not a measure but a fulnesse is required unto the treasures of knowledge and wisdome But now in Christ were not onely some treasures but all the treasures In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge As the terme treasures points us unto the abundance and fulnesse so the Epithete all all treasures plainly noteth the redundance and all-fulnesse of his knowledge and wisdome There is in Christs knowledge a threefold fulnesse a fulnesse of sorts or kinds a fulnesse of degrees a fulnesse of objects 1. A fulnesse of sorts or kinds wisdome and knowledge wisdome which regards things dogmaticall and knowledge which respects things practicall The spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell c the spirit of knowledge c. Isaiah 11.2 The difference betwixt which interpreters on the place * Septem sunt Spiritus Sancti dona quibus hâ—mo tam in ratione quam in appetitu perficitur ad virtutum opera consummanda donum sc sapientiae intellectus consilii fortitudinis scientiae pietatis timoris Ratio autem est speculativa practica in utraque consideratur apprehensio veritatis quae pertinet ad inventionem judicium de veritate Ad apprebensionem igitur veriettis porsieitur speculâ—tiva ratio per intellectum practica verò per consilium ad rectè autem judicandum speculativa quidem per sapientiam practica verò per scientiam persicitur Appetitiva autem virtus in his quidem quae sunt ad alterum perficitur per pietatem in his autem quae sunt ad seipsum perficitur per fortitudinem contra timorem periculorum contra concupiscentiam verò inordinatam dilectabilium per timorem Wisdome is in respect of things divine understanding of the first principles science of conclusions counsell of things to be done feare maketh men decline from that which is ill and strength confirmeth them to overcome the difficulties wherewith wel-doing is beset Field of the Church book 5. chap. 14. pag. 435. See also the second Edition of out new Annotations upon the place Aquinas 1 a. 2 ae quaest 68. Art 4. and the commentators on him Dr. Field and others have attempted to set downe with what successe I will not undertake to determine but referre it to the judgment of the learned reader The Schoolmen reckon up three sorts or kinds of Christs created knowledge 1. The knowledge of the beatificall vision 2. Infused knowledge 3. Acquisite knowledge 1. The knowledge of the beatificall vision scientia beata and for this they quote Ioh. 3.13 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the praeterperfect tense and signifieth that Christ was then already ascended into heaven which could not be true of a bodily ascent but of a spirituall by the beatifick vision But by the sight of Gods essence we cannot know the decrees of God or the creatures in themselves for the Angels enjoyed it and yet know not thereby the day of judgment Mark 13.32 nay they were ignorant of the manifold wisdome of God according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Which was made known unto them by voluntary revelation and manifestation of the same Eph. 3.9,10,11 The glorious saints have an uninterrupted vision of the Deity and yet cannot by vertue of it discerne any thing concerning the affaires and occurrences of this life Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not Esay 63.16 This knowledg therefore was not enough for Christ But in the second place there was in him an infused knowledg by which especially he knew things that were not knowable or discernable by the light of nature or reason He was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was upon him Luk 2.40 The wisedom with which he was filled was from the grace of God upon or in him Of this wisedome he shewed forth such effects when he was but twelve yeares old as bred astonishment in all his auditors vers 46 47. They found him in the Temple sitting in the mid'st of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers For it they farther alleadge Heb. 10.5,6,7,8,9 Hence Suarez Becanus and others generally thus argue The Apostle here saith expressely that Christ in his first comming or entrance into the world knew the will of the father and the mystery of our redemption knew that God would not be pacified or appeased with mankind by Mosaicall sacrifices but by his bloudy death and passion And this will of God he himselfe accepted and hereupon voluntarily offered his life for the ransome of mankind and thereby purchased our sanctification 3. There was in him an acquisite or experimentall knowledge gotten and gained by experience and for this they quote Hebr. 5.8 Though he were a sonne yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered 2. There was in his knowledge a fulnesse of degrees and therefore his increase in wisdome spoken of Luk. 2.52 is extensive only and not intensive 3. There was in his knowledg a fulnesse of objects Some Schoolemen have affirmed that Christ as man even in this life knew all creatures possible Most of them averre that he knew all things past present and to come Becanus limits the extent of Christ's infused knowledg onely unto all things
applying Christs satisfaction unto us Thirdly from their distribution They are either on Gods part offering or on our part receiving Christs satisfaction But by humane satisfactions v. gr the paines of Purgatory and the like Christs satis faction is neither offered on Gods part nor received on our part therefore they are no meanes of applying Christs Satisfaction Fourthly from their relation All meanes of the application of the satisfaction of Christs death are referred thereunto as the object that is to be applied and have an aptnesse for the apprehension signification or exhibition thereof But now no such thing can be affirmed of the paines of Purgatory or the like pretended satisfactory punishments and therefore they have not so much as an instrumentall force of applying the satisfaction of Christs death and sufferings I shall conclude this particular in the words of Abbot against Bishop 2 d. part pag. 736 737 Mr. Bishop telleth us that the use of our satisfaction is to apply unto us Christs satisfaction A goodly and witty device I have a medicine fully sufficient and available for the curing and healing of my wound and I must have another medicine for the healing of the same wound which I must apply and lay to the former medicine My surety hath fully and perfectly discharged my debt and I must my selfe pay the debt againe that my surety's payment may stand good for me A satisfaction to apply a satisfaction is a toy so improbable and senslesse as that we may thinke them miserably put to shifts that could find no better cloake to hide their shame 2. The doctrine of humane satisfactions is injurious unto and derogatory from Christs satisfaction and that in two regards 1. It communicates unto man the power of satisfying which is a peculiar and incommunicable prerogative of Christs 2. It ascribes unto man satisfaction in such a manner as that it quite excludes and shuts as it were out of doores the satisfaction of Christ 1. It communicates unto man the power of satisfying which to be a peculiar and incommunicable prerogative of Christs may be manifested from two fruits of Christs satisfaction and from a comparison of satisfaction with creation 1. From two fruites or effects of Christs satisfaction proper and peculiar thereunto 1. Redemption of us and 2. A perfect and full reconciliation with God 1. Redemption of us Christ redeemeth us from our sins by fully satisfying Gods justice for them and therefore if the power of redeeming cannot be imparted unto the Saints neither can the power of satisfying because redemption is founded upon satiffaction Now the power of redeeming is so appropriate unto Christ as that the very Papists themselves acknowledge no Mediatours of redemption besides him He by himselfe hath purged us from our sins Heb. 1.3 A second effect of Christs satisfaction is our perfect and full reconciliation with God Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.21,22 Now these and the like places are to be understood exclusively We are reconciled unto God onely by the satisfaction of Christs death and bloud The whole chastisement of our peace was laid upon him Is 53.5 No chastisement whatsoever besides that of his can pacify the wrath of God against us can procure our peace with him And indeed the Papists themselves will acknowledge that nothing which a sinfull man can doe or suffer is able to purchase a returne of Gods favour and Friendship Now if mens best workes and greatest sufferings cannot reconcile unto God then neither can they satisfy the justice of God Because reconciliation of God unto man followes satisfaction unto his justice Even as his enmity with man is an inseparable * Pemble pag. 255. consequent of the breach of his justice God then is never perfectly reconciled unto a creature that hath violated his justice untill full satisfaction be made unto his justice for the whole punishment due unto such violation And if he be once fully and perfectly reconciled there is no place for any further punishment though but temporall Because the friends of God and members of Christ cannot be condemned But satisfactory punishments doe necessarily imply condemnation Besides as Chamier largely proveth against Tapper tom 3. lib. 23. cap. 19. pag. 1044. Reconciliation and remission are though distinguished yet inseparably conjoyned God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5.19 Where God is reconciled unto sinners he doth not impute unto them the guilt of their sinnes but totally pardons them He remits the whole fault and punishment He remembreth them no more he doth not so much as make mention of them He covereth them makes them as white as snow blots them out as a thick cloud casts them into the depth of the Sea hides his face from them casts them behind his backe removes them as farre out of his sight as the East is from the West so that upon judiciall enquiry they shall not be found to wit in respect of condemnation Jerem. 31.34 Ezek 18.22 Psalm 32.1,2 Psalm 51.9 Micah 7.19 Esay 44.22 Psalm 103 12. Esay 38.17 and 1.18 Jer. 50.20 If any shall say that these phrases signify onely a partiall forgivenesse of sinne any indifferent reader will judge that they are blinded with prejudice and have wilfully shut their eyes against the light of the truth A second argument to prove that the power of lati-fying is not communicable unto a meere creature is taken from a comparison of satisfaction with creation Satisfaction hath the same place in the order of grace which creation hath in the order of nature But now creation is so proper unto God as that it is blasphemy to affirme there be any subordinate creators And therefore it is equally blaspheamous to averre there be any subordinate satisfyers of Gods justice As for that instance which Bellarmine bringeth of Gods working miracles by his servants it is utterly impertinent For God alone really and properly worketh miracles Men being at the most but morall causes of them as by their prayers they obtaine this of God that he would doe them or as God useth their helpe as a signe or token of a miracle to be done by him And moreover new miracles were not done by man for application of any former miracles of God as they feigne that our satisfactions serve to apply Christs This similitude therefore hath no proportion unto the matter in hand And thus have we proved that the power of satisfying is not communicable unto a meere man much lesse unto a sinfull man no not so much as in a way of subalternation unto Christ's satisfaction But b Sed insto Primò satisfactionemnon esse subalternatam passioni Christi tùm quìa Deus non subalternavit cuâ—us id solius jus erat sed soli Papistae Tum quia ipsa Papistarum confessione passio Christi non operatur per satisfactionem Sed satisfactio adhibetur propter imperfectam applicationem passionis At quae causae aliarum defectum supplent
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
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