6. and 3.1 2 13 14. c. and 5.1 c. Instance 10. Would we comfort any in any Temptation or Affliction The way is to lift up the Son of man and shew the Grace in him and how God orders all things wisely and holily in him so as to the good and profit of men to further their Salvation and Welfare and that there is help in him in every condition Heb. 12. 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10. c. 1 Thes 4.13.17 Rom. 15.4 5 6 13. Yea in a word would we either humble or exalt cast down or raise up encourage and strengthen in and unto what is good or do any other good thing in which we may profit men this is the way to do it viz. By Lifting up and Exalting Christ the Son of man and setting him and the Power and Grace in him before men as also his Terrours against those who refuse and turn from him 2 Cor. 5.10 11. Heb. 1. and 2.1 3. and 10.26 29. and 12.25 So that this way we may be profitable to men doing all in the Name of the Lord Jesus as we are exhorted giving thanks to God even the Father by him Col. 3.17 But waving this we do or can do nothing as is said John 15.4 5 6. That 's the second Motive Motive 3. Being acceptable to God and profitable to men we cannot but be useful to our selves also both in as much as no acceptable service to God or profitable work to men shall be without its reward 1 Cor. 15.58 Heb. 6.10 11. And also inasmuch as in Lifting up Christ to others we may mind him our selves if we do it as we ought And indeed we can scarcely Lift him up profitably to others without viewing and considering knowing and taking notice of him our selves and that 's the order and way approved of God for our doing it Let every one that heareth say come Rev. 22.17 And He that heareth speaketh constantly Prov. 21.28 While we view and look upon Christ our selves that we may commend him to others we shall not be without Fruit Profit and Advantage to our selves also opening our mouth wide in this sense too God will fill it Psal 81.10 And The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Prov. 11.25 Wherefore let us make it our business and design to know and view and serve the Lord Jesus and to know and view him that we may serve him and as we know him serve him in Glorifying and Lifting him up as we are exhorted Psal 99.5 8. Exalt that is lift up the Lord our God and worship him at his holy Hill for he the Lord our God is holy And let us do this as in all cases or to all purposes so in all things As to say 1. In all the Ordinances of God In Baptizing let it be into Him and his Name so as holding him forth and directing therein to Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world manifesting Christ to men as the Baptist did John 1.29 31. In breaking Bread or eating the Lords Supper lift up Christ the Son of man shewing forth his Death until he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Let it not be Baptism and the breaking of Bread much less the Water the Bread and the Wine that we lift up bless and magnifie therein but the Son of man they are sufficiently lifted up in being made the Mediums of lifting him up and conveying Virtue from him to us In Praying lift up the Son of man and so in Praising Thanksgiving and Singing of Psalms while we Pray and ask in his Name and upon his account and give thanks to God in all things by him and bless in his Name and in Singing Make melody with Grace in our hearts to him the Lord John 14.13 14. and 16.23 24. Col. 3.15 17. Ephes 5.20 Yea What ever we do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God even the Father by him In our Meditations let them be much of him and of nothing but as represented also in and through him Psal 104.34 and 48.9 Isa 26.7 8 9. Mal. 3.16 And so In our Conferences and Discourses Let us with one mind and mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so as the Father of him and so as lifting him up therein Rom. 15.5 Jude 20.21 And so 2. In all our whole Life and Conversation let us lift up the Son of man in walking so as becomes the Gospel of Christ Standing fast in one Spirit and in one Mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel which is the Gospel of Christ and concerns him Phil. 1.27 Rom. 1.3 4 16. Oh let it be our business in all things and by all means to lift up the Son of man to Praise the Lord to Sing forth his Praises and to make his Praise glorious CHAP. XXVI Reproof to those that are faulty in not lifting up or in not rightly lifting up the Son of man With some discovery of Spirits which are of God and which not Use 4 HEnce also we may Reprove the Evils of men yea too much our Defficiency therein every where in not making it more our Business to lift up and look to the Son of Man I may speak briefly to either Branch And Reproof 1. First He is too little lifted up by men even by those that Minister and pretend to be his Servants and to Preach his Gospel too many such are faulty in not lifting him up in their Ministry Such as 1. They who lift up Themselves their Parts Wit Learning Places Offices being Proud of them and Vaunting themselves of and in them above their Neighbours but not lifting up Jesus Christ the Son of man that men might see his Glory Look to and Believe on him Too many there are like to Diotrephes that love to have the preheminence themselves rather then to endeavour that Christ may have it in all things and in all hearts and spirits seeking their own things and not the things that be Jesus Christs 3 John 9.10 Col. 1.18 Phil. 2.21 Most men proclaim every man his own goodness but a faithful friend to Christ who can find Prov. 20.6 2. Such as lift up other men and have their persons in admiration for advantage sake as the Apostle saith of the false Teachers Jude 16. Whether it be the Beast either the Papal or any worldly Power lifting up it self like Jereboam who made Israel to sin in the Temple and House of God and exercising Lordship therein over the Consciences of men and Worship of God As it is said Prophetically of many yea of the whole World worshipping and wondering after the Beast that they will lift or cry him up saying Who is able to make War with him and to overcome him Rev. 13.4 And many such flatterers there be admirers and applauders of the Antichristian powers and Preachers up thereof in opposition to
THE BRAZEN SERPENT OR GOD'S Grand Design VIZ. CHRIST'S Exaltation for MAN'S Salvation in his believing on Him OR The Right Way to Regeneration and therethrough to the Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom Discovered by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for our sure Direction therein Considered Opened and Applyed with a double Excursion touching the Glory and Excellency 1. Of the Gospel of Christ 2. Of Christ Himself By J. HORN an Unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ and sometimes Minister of Lin Allhallows in Norfolk Isa 52.13 Behold my Servant shall deal prudently or shall prosper He shall be exalted extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his visage was so marred more than any Man and his form more than the Sons of Men so shall He sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouths at Him c. Isa 55.5 Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for He hath glorified thee Psal 99.10 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for He is holy Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy power Respiciamus nos in faciem serpentis aenci elevati Christi si volumus à pravorum Daemonum suggestionibus serpentinis liberari respicere autem est fide in ipsum tendere Bern. de pass Dominica LONDON Printed for Benjamin Southwood at the Star near to Serjeants Inn in Chancery-Lane 1673. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Gentle Reader LO Here I present thee with what as to the matter treated of is a most needful and excellent Subject worthy thy most serious consideration the Grand Design of the God of Glory the Devise that He in his Infinite wisdome and goodness devised for our recovery from sin and misery and for reducing and bringing us back to life and safety the product and birth of his eternal purposes and most deep counsels for our welfare and happiness A Subject never sufficiently looked upon never throughly enough seen into while we can see but with mortal eyes and imperfect understandings the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen yea very intensively pryed into 1 Pet. 1.12 of Angels preached to us Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 The great Catholicon the Soveraign and Vniversal Remedy for all our spiritual distempers and diseases the supply of all our wants the support of us in all our weaknesses temptations and troubles the instructer and helper of us in and unto all our services the stay of us in this life in and under all its various vicissitudes and changes the joy and comfort of our hearts in Death the Raiser and Resurrection both of our Souls to lively hope and comfort when oppressed with griefs and cast down with sadness and also of our Bodies to immortality and Eternal happiness in a word the spring original and fountain of all our felicity the great subject of the Doctrine both of the holy Prophets and of the holy Apostles the substance and body of all the types and shadows in the Law of Moses the accomplishment and fulfilling of Predictions and Prophecies and the ground and end of all our future hopes and expectations Such I say not is this Treatise but the subject treated of and directed to herein for it is no other than Christ himself and Him crucified and through sufferings and death raised up again and glorified Glorified of God for thee in his own glorious actings in and upon Him and glorified of God to thee by the spirit of God in his word and testimony glorified both ways to save and deliver thee from the stings of the old Serpent and to bring thee to glory A Subject which who can sufficiently treat of for who can shew forth all his marvailous acts who can set forth all his praises Psal 106.2 A Subject much too great for my imbecillity and stupidity too deep and high and large and long for my narrow head and heart to reach its dimensions so as to handle it and set it forth worthily A Subject in my reception of it into and conception of this Discourse about it in my mind and earnestness of my heart to draw it out and incorporate it in this body and give it these lines and lineaments so pleasing to me or perhaps rather my exercise therein that it drew me on with so eager an intention and rapid a motion as indangered my miscarrying of it before its perfection for I received in my self in a manner the sentence of Death before I had finished it till God renewing my strength beyond my expectation and confidence it attained to this Period God therein both shewing me my weakness and perhaps also chastening my unworthiness and unmeetness for such an undertaking and my darkning wisdome so much by words without knowledge and so slenderly and slovenly handling so excellent a subject both therein and since in its sticking so long and coming out at length with so many Errata's in its impression and yet also shewing his great power and goodness in what I received of him for my reviving I confess I had some eye in it upon a good and gracious Woman who had met with some exercise in the death of her only Son and intended she should have had one of the first rights of it as for comforting her also I put in some expressions respecting that her tryal in some part of its application but the Lord pleased to put an end to her days also before it could arrive at her and be perused by her He designing to comfort and satisfy her spirit I trust with another and far perfecter sight of the glory of this blessed Son of man here treated of then this so weak a discourse could have given her of him I trust its conception was not altogether without the Holy Ghost though as it was imbodyed in and by me I cannot but see and acknowledge its too great likeness to me in imperfection It is a rule in Philosophy that Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Whatsoever is received of another is received after the manner or measure of the receiver We cannot expect that a Bucket can contain the Ocean and the purest Wine received in a fusty Cask will somewhat tast of it The Eternal Word as conceived in the Virgins Womb was made partaker of her Flesh and as therein brought forth by her appeared a weak and little one not according to the Immensity and Infinity of the Word but in such small and finite dimensions as agreed to the humane nature and the narrowness of her Womb in which it was formed and therefore He was capable of being wrapt in swadling cloths and laid in a Manger and afterward of being taken up in old Simeon's armes and of growing in stature in wisdome and in favour both with God
Power and Virtue to life Everlasting in his heavenly Kingdom But this excellent matter worthy to have been conceived in a more pure Womb or Mind and laid in a far better Dress then I have here wrapt it in as conceived and Discoursed of by me partakes of and evidences my great weakeness and as here Imprinted the Printers and Stationers too great Carelessness or Vnfaithfulness both which may gain it disrespect to many and is as here represented far short of that Excellency and Glory that Properly and Originally is its own and appertains to it and may perhaps meet with course Respect Censurings and Sufferings if it fall into some mens hands especially from the Scribes and Pharisees men Learned and of great Zeal for Gods Ordinances and Worship to appearance but yet such as have their Faith and Fear towards God taught them by the Traditions and Traditional Glosses of some Elders of their Party According to which also they Teach it to others and generally from Proud and Malevolent persons But yet if the Superfluity and Fleshliness of its Expressions in any thing being cut off by the judicious Judgment and charitable candid Constructions of the understanding Reader and it being Animated by the holy Spirit and his Presence and Blessing it be duly considered listened to and imbraced it will appear to have something in it of Virtue and Divine force So as that attending to the Truth and Spirit of it in singleness and simplicity of Heart it may be useful for Instructing Helping and Healing thy Soul but if Rejected or Abused it will rise up another day as a Witness and Judg against thee Take heed therefore good Reader to what thou Readest and take heed how thou Readest Hearest and Receivest it not judging of its Truth and Goodness according to the weakness in Phrase and Expression or the too many Mis-spellings and Mis-pointings in its Printing but according to its agreement in Matter and Desiâ—u with the Doctrine and Writings of the holy Apostles and Prophets That so thou mayst not fail of the Grace of God tendered in Christ to thee in and by it Heartily minding and obeying the Truth herein propounded thou shalt find I hope here-with and here-through Gods Blessing with thee and upon thee praying for which upon thee and upon all that hear it and to the same purpose committing thee to God with my self and weak Labours and Indeavours and desiring thy Charitable and Candid construction and kind Acceptance thereof and thy Prayers for me for further Grace and Mercy I leave thee and rest Thy Well-wishing Friend and Servant in and for Christ Jesus J. Horn. Lyn Febr. 6. 1673. REader there is a Passage in page 36. wherein I say the Apostles and Evangelists never call Christ the Son of man in their speaking of him which I should have restrained to the Writings of the Evangelists or also to the Epistles of the Apostles otherwise I must desire a Grain of Allowance because St. Stephen though indeed neither Evangelist nor Apostle yet a Holy man and Inspired by the Holy Ghost called him the Son of man in Acts 7.56 when he said I see Heaven open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God And the Apostle John imitating or using the phrase of the Prophet Daniel saith of him I saw one like the Son of man Rev. 1.13 with Dan. 7.13 The BRAZEN SERPENT Or GOD'S Grand DESIGN Which is Christ's Exaltation for Man's Salvation in believing on him John 3.14 15. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have everlasting life CHAP. I. Brief Observations upon Nicodemus and our Saviours Discourse with him OUr Lord Jesus at Ierusalem wrought many Miracles at the Feast of Passover by means whereof many believed on him but he that knew what was in Man and needed not that any should testifie of Man knowing all men did not commit himself to them saith the Evangelist Iohn 2.24 25. But above all the rest who are left unnamed the Evangelist gives us an account in this Chapter of one man by profession a Pharisee the strictest sect of Religion among the Jews by name Nicodemus and by place a Ruler of the Iews and tells us what passed between our Lord and him as that he came to Jesus bâ— night He came to him as bâ—ing moved and drawn by the excellency of the Power of God that appeared in him and attested the truth and divinity of his Doctrine and so much he also tells him in his address to him making this Confession Rabbi or Master We know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do those Miracles which thou dost except God be with him And yet he came by Night either being letted by his other business to come by Day or rather as being not yet so strong in his affection to him as for his sake to be willing to undergo the reproches and rebukes that an open Day-light resort to him and owning of him might have occasioned to him He loved yet it 's likely to retain his honour with his Brethren and to avoid the speech of People about him and yet so much he loved him as come to him he would and acquaint himself with him and therefore chuses to come to him by Night rather then not to come at all Nor doth our Saviour upbraid him with his weakness or brand him as guilty of Cowardliness for so close and hidden an acknowledgment of him but bears therewith till better knowledge of him and more acquaintance with him might put more Courage into him as afterward we find it did for he durst and did plead for him among and against his Enemies Ioh. 7.50 51. Yea and when he was in his lowest abasement Crucified and put to death as a Malefactor and was hanged upon the Cross or Tree in a most shameful and reprochful manner he durst and did own him so far as to joyn with Ioseph of Arimathea in bestowing an honourable burying upon his then dead Body Joh. 19.38 39 40. honouring him when dead whom all the Authority and chiefest of the Priests and Rulers had dishonourably persecuted while alive and ceased not until they had put him to Death yea and then also reputed and blasphemously spake off as a Deceiver yea he then owned him when the rest of the Disciples yea even the Apostles had forsaken and left him Surely our Lord herein set us a good Example verifying the Prophecy that went before of him viz. that he should not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the Streets that he should not break a bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax till he bring forth judgment into victory Isa 42.2 3. And also by shewing himself meek and lowly in this case Condemned that Pride and rashness of Spirit too ready to shew it self in others that are too apt to
Pet. 3.18 As it follows here That whosoever believes ◠him might not perish but have Eternal Life 3. As to his abundant Love Charity Goodness and Grace in all this such as passeth Knowledge Eph. 7.18 19. And therein the love of God the Father in appointing preparing sanctifying and furnishing him to all this great business and undertaking John 3.16 1 John 4.9 10 14. It was by the grace of God that He tasted Death for every one Heb. 2.9 And his own grace even The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ it was to abase himself And when rich to become poor for our sakes th◠we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And so to lay down his life for us even when and though ungodly and enemies worthy of no love at all much less of such and so great love 1 John 3.16 17. Rom. 5.6 7 8. John 3.16 Love worthy admiration acceptation and imitation by us Eph. 5.1 2 3.18 19. Stronger then death such as many waters could not quench it nor the flouds drown it Cant. 8.6 7. Fourthly In the preciousness of his Abasement Obedience Bloud Death Sufferings and Sacrifice for us That however he was therein made low and despicable among men and became an offence to the worldly-wise and honourable yet He in and by them was a most acceptable Sacrifice to God an offering of a sweet smelling savour 1 Cor. 1.22 23. Eph. 5.2 That for which we all have great cause to love and admire him and flee for refuge and sanctuary to him He having therein made peace for us slain the enmity broken down the wull of partition between God and man and between Jew and Gentile wrought Reconciliation or that where-through we may be reconciled or made at one with God Col. 1.20 Eph. 2.14 15 16. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. having therein given himself a Ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 and being become there through the Propitiation for our sins yea for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.1 2. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiatory or Mercy-seat through faith in his bloud for remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God and for the declaration of his righteousness therein that he is just and the justifier of those that believe in Jesus Rom. 3.25 26. There being therein Redemption and through that Redemption a free Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or for all and upon all that believe v. 22.24 There-through the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us being blotted out and what was contrary to us taken out of the way and nailed to his Cross and Principalities and powers thereby spoiled and triumphed over by him Col. 2.14 15. So that great is the power and vertue of that his despised and reproched Cross So as that it 's accepted of God far before and above all the Sacrifices and Services ordained by him in the Law of Moses they being not able to take away sin But this one Sacrifice is so powerful and prevalent a purgation and expiation of it that Christ hath by that one Sacrifice once offered perfected for ever those that are sanctified So that the Consciences of the comers to God there-through are purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 1.3 9.14 10.2 3 4 5 10 14. So as that there-through we may have access to God in the holy of holies and may draw nigh to him and call upon him with full assurance of faith and confidence Heb. 10.19 22. His precious Bloud being the Bloud of sprinkling for sprinkling the heart from an evil conscience and speaking better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 Therefore also the Cross of Christ the onely thing to be gloried in by us Gal. 6.14 Fifthly In the exceeding greatness of that Glory that God hath given him as a reward of his sufferings and hard service sustained against the World and Sathan for us Wherein also is further evidenced the exceeding preciousness of his Bloud and Sufferings the infinite value of them and the force and vertue they have in them with him They set forth his Glory to be far above all the glory of the world yea or the glory of Moses or any of the former glorious ones then the Glory of Solomon and the Glory of his Ministration Far transcending that of the Law as being more powerful in the discoveries of it for transforming the beholders of it into his likeness so as when we see him as he is we shall there-through be made like him 2 Corinthians 3.3 8 9 18. 1 John 3.2 Col. 3.4 For they declare that God hath glorified him with his own self filled him with all his fulness so as all the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily and so as that in him we are compleat Col. 1.19 2.9 Oh let us go out and see this King Solomon this excellent Prince of Peace the Peace and Peace-maker of whom and of whose Glory Solomon of old was but a type and figure and the glory and lustre of his Kingdom but a type and figure of the the Glory of his which passeth all our conceptions and expressions let us go forth I say and behold him with the Crown wherewith his Mother the infinite Wisdom Love and Grace of God as also his Disciples who have heard and received the Word of God and kept it who are to him as his Mother Brethren and Sisters Matth. 12.49 50 have crowned him in the day of his espousals and of the gladness of his heart When being espoused to the nature of man he received the holy Spirit and poured it forth upon them Cant. 3.13 Matth. 22.1 Acts 2.33 But indeed it is not to be fully seen and known till the great day of his appearance the time of the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 1 John 3.2 Sixthly In his perfect and compleat Furniture wherewith he is furnished for executing and performing the works of his glorious Offices and bringing about the end of them the salvation of man the eternal salvation of all that obey him in which they present us as compleatly provided for of all things pertaining to life and godliness as given to him and dwelling in him for us I shall here onely touch upon something thereof in some few Particulars As First They declare him to be the great Prophet and as such fully and perfectly accomplished with ability fitness and faithfulness for teaching us the knowledge of himself and of God and of all things As being filled to that purpose with the fulness of God the gift of the Holy Ghost being so immeasurably received by him that he hath the seven spirits that are before the Throne Rev. 1.4 3.1 The fulness of the Holy Ghost and of all spiritual gifts for both giving forth to men and enabling and moving men to receive the exact and perfect knowledge of God and for gifting whom
with-hold no good thing c. Psal 84.11 4 Nor shall this happy state be ever taken from him but though through workings of the flesh a man may not be always sensible of these things nor have always actual rejoycing while here yet his state is always such and shall hereafter appear and be most sensibly and perfectly such for this life here begun by Christ and by his Spirit never shall terminate or end but increase and be more full as to the injoyment and perception of it in the abiding believer on the Son of Man till it be most immutably perfect They that seek God shall Praise him their hearts shall live for ever Psal 22.26 Death shall not put an end to this life when the body dies the man even then shall be in a living state of the Spirit or inner man in a truly happy and joyful condition though it appear not upon the body of man or to the view of the natural man much less shall it terminate after death to the Spirit made perfect for it being with Christ shall be in a better state then while here Phil. 2.21 23. To be dissolvd and to be with Christ is far better then to be here much less shall this life cease fail or terminate in the state of the resurrection for that state is most properly and fully called Eternal Life Mark 10.30 In the world to come Eternal life because then neither Soul nor Body shall die any more but then 1. The body shall be in an eternally unchangeably happy and blessed state of life a glorious body like the glorious body of Christ. Phil. 3.20 Raised up in honour incorruptibility power and glory so as it shall never feel or be capable of feeling hunger thirst pain weariness weakness decay sickness old age or any other trouble any more forever For there shall be no more death nei-neither sorrow nor crying c. for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.3 with 7.16 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. 2 The Soul and inward man shall be perfect in its knowledge of conformity to and joy in God and in Jesus Christ our Lord For then we shall see as we are seen know as we are known Then that which is perfect being come that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 12. Then we shall have fulness of joy in Gods presence and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Psal 16.12 1 Joh. 3.2 There shall then be no more ignorance or envy nor sorrow nor care nor whatever may render the Soul in the least defective in its happiness but the favour of God and of the Lamb as a clear River of pure waters pure and immixed and never failing shall fill it perpetually with all Heavenly and Spiritual fruitfulness in every good thing Rev. 21.4 11. and 22.1 Isa 11.9.13 Deut. 33.23 Yea 3. The whole state of the man both in Body and Soul and with respect both to God and Men a state of perfect freedom from all evil Nothing in themselves to treuble or disquiet and nothing from without themselves either of wrath and curse from God he shall neither inflict any evil upon or with-hold any good from them but as one perfectly well pleased with them perpetually fill and satisfie them with his favour and blessing afford them his fellowship and the fellowship of the Lamb and whatsoever so happy a Spring may pour forth to them and therefore neither shall any evil befall them either positively from any man or from any other Creature Angel Devil or any other thing to molest or annoy them the Devil and all his Instruments their Enemies and all evil things being for ever removed from out the Creation or what of it the Saints shall have to do with except so as they may look upon and behold their miseries Isa 66.24 And as the happiness of the Saints may be seen by their Enemies for aggravating their miseries Luke 13.28 16.23 and all other things and persons filled with good for and towards them and not with any thing that may in the least be evil and troublesom to them nor privatively for they shall be in no danger to loose any thing of the good they have or shall have none of those deprivations and losses that here afflict and exercise them shall they then be capable of being exercised and tried with no more Widdowhood or loss of Children or of Fathers Mothers Friends no loss of Riches Honours Pleasures Habitations Ornaments or any thing but what they here lost or were deprived of shall in a better manner and more to their comfort be restored if they were such as appertain to the Kingdom their Relations Husbands Parents Wives Children c. shall be restored then with Christ though not as such Relations or as having such dependance then on them as here but in a far more perfect satisfying and glorious manner Nor shall any one thing or person in the world with-hold from them or any of them any one thing that they may have any need of or good by so that their state then shall be a state of perfect life and that everlasting a spiritual and spiritually sensible and intelligent life an holy life an happy and Eternal life wherein the shall have full knowledge of God and his favour blessing righteousness in the full perfect and perpetual performance of all his blessed promises a full and perfect injoyment of the Lamb and of all the virtues and products of his Cross and sufferings and fellowship of his joys and glory and of and with one another even all the whole company of them in the most perfectly united peaceable satisfying way and manner for ever the fulness of the Spirit filling them all and every one with all Spiritual excellencies and satisfactions for ever and in that their fellowship with Christ and one another they shall have an everlasting full and perfect glory glorious Kingdom and Inheritance such as from the beginning of the world men have not heard of or perceived by the Ear or the Eye seen besides God himself being the glorious things which God hath prepared for them that wait for him Isa 64.5 A life worthy our most constant and earnest seeking after laying hold of and embracing But now Quest 4. How shall they that believe on Christ the Son of man have this Eternal Life Answ I may answer to this diversly with respect to 1. The way to their having it 2. The maner of their having it 1. In respect of their way they have and shall have it 1. Through sufferings and death even as our Lord Christ himself that way entred into his glory It is a faithful saying or the word is faithful for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him And if we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him If we even we who at present believe in him deny him he will also deny us 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. Through much
to us to lead us into his truth Joh. 16.7 14 16 17. Heb. 9.24 25 26. Act. 2.33 And so as the great Lord and King command deliverances honours and blessings to us we could not have him as an Object to look to to forgive us our sins to give us the holy spirit to support our spirits renew our natures guide us to death raise us up from death and give us the Kingdom if he were not impowered to do all these things and all things else for us our faith in him for all these things would be otherwise in vain But now being in all things before-mentioned lifted up made the Son of God in the nature of man delivered up to death for our sins as a ransom and attonement for us and therein supported and accepted and therefrom raised and revived exalted to Gods right hand and there glorified He is a compleat Object of faith to be believed on being every way able to help and save us One who in his death and Resurrection hath delivered us from perishing in the first death or judgment for the first offence and as exalted at Gods right hand able to save us also from the wrath to come and so from the second Death and so he will all that come to God by him through his exercise of his glorious Office of High Priest with God for us and of his Prophetical and Kingly Offices towards all men and especially those that believe and of his Lordly authority over all Creatures in Heaven Earth and Hell for our behoof and benefit and to give Eternal Life to all of us that believe on him being a person also both willing and faithful as his ready undertakings and sufferings of such things for us evince and as his glorious Offices to such purposes put upon him and received by him in a sense enjoyne or require of him I might add hereto that as all this exaltation and lifting up of the Son of Man was necessary to render him an Object to be believed on So was it also necessary for the discovering him to be such an Object which is necessary also to the begetting belief on him for God being true and one that could not lie could not nor would not have discovered that as an Object to be believed on that were not such his making peace was the ground as well as the matter of his preaching in preaching Peace Nor could there therefore have been any sending forth of the Spirit with such a discovery to inable and move to believe it His personal lifting up in those ways and particular being the foundation of all the rest nothing of the rest could have been without that but I only hint it and pass to the second Branch Branch 2. That his being so lifted up and exalted in those real Acts done to himself as is before mentioned was necessary for his saving us from perishing and for his giving us Eternal Life in believing on him and this is evidenced both in what is said before in the fifth Observation about the way of his saving us from perishing and our having Eternal Life and also in what is said on the former Branch And indeed this evinces it in general and as to all the particulars included therein that that being Gods grand design in giving him as the next Verses shew God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him mtght be saved yea and of his lifting him up as this Verse saith That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Eternal Life it follows that either these things before mentioned were necessary to be ordered and done to him to those ends or else those ends might have been otherwise brought about and so they were ordered and done to him needlesly and in vain which would impose upon the infinite wisdom or goodness of God and imply that which neither may be conceived nor conceded or granted For if there had saith he been a Law and by consequence any other way that could have given life doubtless Righteousness should have been by it Gal. 3.21 But besides that all these things were necessary to be ordered and done to him for his saving us from perishing and giving us Eternal Life may be seen also by induction For his being taken into unity of person in the Divine nature that was necessary to his saving us from perishing in the first Death for otherwise his power and ability his worth and excellency would have been too small to have done and suffered what was needful for our Redemption therefrom and for Gods acceptance as sufficient thereunto It was the work of an Infinite and boundless strength such as the finiteness of a Creature or meer man could not reach unto to stand under and bear upon himself the weight of mans Sin and Death and by bearing to overcome them and to satisfie Gods justice for the sin and abolish the death required a Sacrifice of an infinite merit and worth no meer man had either strength or worth enough for such a thing not strength to endure and overcome such agonies and death nor worth to be taken for a sufficient ransom or price of Redemption for all men no nor for any one man for no man that is but a man can give to God a ransom for his Brother a price to God sufficient for him that he may not see death Psal 49.6 7 8. But the Lord Jehovah He that is God also will Redeem my Soul saith David from the hand or power of Hell or of the Grave for he will receive me Verse 15. Nor can any meer man or Creature be able either to raise up the body out of the first death and Grave or to deliver or preserve us from the second death that we should not perish in that for he that would preserve from that must have virtue in his Sacrifice to take away by obtaining for us and dispensing to us the pardon of our following sins committed by us in our own proper persons against the light and truth of God and prevail with God for Grace and Spirit to be given to us and give it to us too to inlighten inliven and raise from Spiritual death discover the evil of sin and the deceits of Sathan so as to enable the Soul to see and avoid them and obtain and give grace for repenting of any such sins and forgiveness of them thereupon and for renewing the Heart yea he must be able to deliver from the power of Sathan and his policy or else he cannot deliver from perishing either from the way to life or in the second death in the end as the issue of perishing from the way Much less can any meer Man or Creature be able to give to us or possess us of Eternal Life because to that it 's
Gentiles Act. 13.47 and 28.28 Surely it 's every way a heavy judgment and to be much cryed and prayed against as Psal 12.1 2. Well might the Prophet Amos from the mouth of the Lord signifie that the Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord is a worse Famine then that of bread and water Amos 8.11 12. For this is but of sustenance for the body and bodily life and that 's but a momentany and uncertain life which must however dye and depart that is indangered thereby in a bodily death out of which there will be a Resurrection again and in the state of which the Soul mean time may be blessed Rev. 14.13 but the other is of the sustenance and salvation of the Soul and the removal thereof lays open to the loss of Eternal Life and indangers the inevitably falling into everlasting destruction out of which is no recovery or redemption Oh how greatly behoves it us then to pray and pray earnestly for our selves and for our Nation that however God may please to correct and chasten us yet he would be pleased to continue with us his glorious Gospel and not take that from us and that he would vouchsafe to give or restore it to the Places or Nations that are without it or have it not so clearly with them as we have it blessed be God for it And let this suffice for the first Use the Discovery of the Excellency of the Gospel-Doctrine and the Inferences therefrom CHAP. XXI A Second Vse The Excellencies of Christ hence inferred and that is viewed First As the Excellencies of the choice Creatures are ascribed unto Him and so He the first-born of every Creature Use 2 THe Second Thing I shall note is for further Information of us from all said upon God's Grand Design of exalting and lifting up Christ the Son of Man and of the necessity and fulness of Him and his Exaltation both as exalted in Himself and as glorified by the Spirit in the Gospel for effecting Faith in us and there-through preserving us from perishing and giving us Eternal Life to inform us of the exceeding preciousness excellency and glory of the Lord Jesus this Son of Man himself from whom and whose excellency all the Glory of the Gospel and its beneficialness and advantagiousness floweth Surely He that renders the Gospel so glorious must needs excell in glory and excellency himself it s nothing but He in it that makes it rich and full and efficacious Let Men speak as gallant words as they can imagine and use all the skill that Art and Industry can suggest yea that the most wise and subtle spirit can teach them Speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels use the most powerful demonstrations Logick can make and the most perswasive arguments Oratory can invent and make use of yet if there be nothing of the Son of Man in it nothing of Christ and him crucified it avails nothing to our Salvation and enjoyment of Eternal Life But He alone discovered and the better the more nakedly and with the less artifice and use of those Sciences is able to effect all in us for God hath made void the wisdom of this world the wise the Scribe and the Disputer of this World are with him mere ciphers 1 Cor. 1.18 19 20. Deceive men they may and therefore the Apostle cautions us to beware least any man spoil us through Philosophy and vain deceit Coll. 2.8 but save men from perishing they cannot much less advance them to Eternal Life No it s this Object held forth in the Gospel that is the life and vertue of it which is the Son of man Christ Jesus Rom. 1.3 and 16.25 and therefore seeing the Gospel is so excellent by his being the matter of it how excellent is He himself who is its matter He must needs be more precious than the Gold of Ophir more glorious and excellent than the Mountains of prey Isa 13.12 Psal 76.4 That hath in him not only the excellencies of all the Creatures but all the excellencies of God also Gods great glory and mans utmost happiness all meeting in him If when Ahasuerus proposed the Question What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Haman reasonably thought it would be no small matter which would be done to him How much more may it be thought and believed that He whom God not only will honour but honour above all must needs excell in all things that may commend him Yea He honours him with his own with all his own honour and glory which he will not give to any other besides him either thing or person Surely he must needs be infinitely and inexpressibly honourable and glorious seeing God is infinitely honourable and glorious himself and honours him not according to the dictates of the wisest and highest Creatures with whom he takes no counsel in this or any other matter but according to his own wisdom understanding and goodness which are all infinite and boundless unless then we could by searching find out God yea and find him out too to perfection whose Excellency is higher then the Heavens so that What can we do Deeper then Hell and therefore What can we know Longer then the Earth and Broader then the Sea and so altogether Incomprehensible we cannot find out and fathom all the Glory and Excellency of this Man the Son of man the Lord Jesus Well may it therefore be said of him that He hath a Name above every Name and that none knows but himself Rev. 19.12 And as himself saith None knoweth him but his Father Mat. 11.27 Yet many and great and glorious things are said of him by his holy Spirit That searcheth out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And Takes the things of Christ and shews them to us John 16.13 14 15. Things that commend him highly to us though yet his Name which is only Excellent Psal 148.13 Is Exalted above all Blessing and Praise Neh. 9.5 So that when we have searched and said all we can in and from what is Recorded of him by his holy Spirit yet we may conclude as in Psal 106.2 Who can declare his mighty Acts Who can set forth all his Praises God hath so poured out Himself and his Fulness and the Fulness of all things therein as it were into him that he is All and in all in the new Creature or Creation Col. 3.10 It hath pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell and it hath pleased all Fulness to dwell in him yea All the Fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily and in him we are compleat Col. 1.19 and 2.9 10. All things in Heaven and Earth hath God pleased to gather together in one even in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.10 That if any thing in either or all things in both of them may like us and satisfie us we may have them fully and transcendently in him Let us essay to View something of his Infinite
Peoples injuries and be sensible of their miseries He that toucheth them toucheth the apple patient bearing Injuries and Evils and going through with his Work so as nothing turned him back Isa 50.5 6. Heb. 12.2 Temperance for the Honours and Preferments Riches and Pleasures of this World could not move him from his course neither when Satan bad for his Service the Kingdoms of the World and their Glory Mat. 4.8 9. Nor when the people would have made him a King John 6.15 Prudence for its fore-testified of him by his Father Behold my Servant shall deal prudently Isa 52.13 And he is the Spring of all these Excellencies to all that listen to and obey his Doctrine giving them to know and understand all things Prov. 28.5 1 John 2.20 27. And to discern the things that differ and approve the things that are excellent Rev. 3.18 Phil. 3.10 11. Makes them to remember him and in him God and his Goodness and what he sees good for them by his Spirit bringing all things to their remembrance John 14.26 Cant. 1.4 Gifts them severally as he pleases with Knowledg Invention and Finding out of Secrets Prov. 1.2 3 4. Renews the Affections to love good and hate evil and in a word through the discoveries of his Glory he changes them into his own Image making them a new man indued with all manly Qualities and Virtues Righteousness Fortitude or Courage in induring Adversities and going on in his ways with all Perseverance Temperance in denying their Lusts and Appetites and living Soberly and Righteously in this present world and prudence in walking wisely yea in all wisdom to all well pleasing 2 Cor. 3.18 Ephes 2.6 and 4.15 16 21 22 23. Col. 1.9 10 11. and 3.10 Tit. 2.11 12. As may be seen in his Worthies who through the Faith of him have loved and wrought Righteousness so as for the sake thereof to suffer and endure all things as may be seen in that Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 11. with 1 Sam. 18.30 Gen. 39 1 2 8 9 21 22 23. Dan. 1.8 9.12.17 and 6.4 5. c. Yea 3. He had not only even in his mortal state too the perfections of the first Man as to matter of Virtue and Integrity of mind but also in that state he managed them far better then the first Adam did For Adam though in a Garden of delight or Paradise free from Infirmities in himself or trouble from without him having the abundance of all Delights or Mercies before his Eyes every one of which might have minded him of Gods Goodness and the good reason he had to love and cleave to him yet merely by the Temptation of a Creature fell from his Obedience at the first on-set Evah by the temptation of the Serpent and Adam by her suggestion But Christ who though in the state before his Incarnation was higher then the first Adam being the Lord in Heaven the Image of the Invisible God and so owned by the Angels as the Lord at his coming into the World before which he also lived with his Father in the height of Glory and Happiness Phil. 2.6 yet now in his Incarnate state had emptied himself of all that for us yet in this State though made in the similitude of sinful Flesh and compassed about with Temptations among Men and Devils though led into a Wilderness where he eat nothing for forty days and forty nights among no pleasant Fruit-trees or Objects of such Content and Delight but among wild Beasts tempted by Satan resisted him all along in manifold assaults and got the Victory over him and kept his Integrity Yea though all his life after he was set upon with diversity of Enemies and Assaults and met with nothing in the world in a manner but Trials and Griefs the worst Rejections Reproaches and Sufferings Yea though tempted both of Men and of Devils and tried to the uttermost by his Father yet held fast his Integrity and was obedient to the Death the Death of the Cross indeed for our sakes though as Innocent in himself as and more perfect in his conforming himself to Gods Will then Adam yet he was not here in the form of the first Adam while Innocent as to his outward man and state He was not so free from Mortality and Infirmity for he was tempted in all points even as we with Hunger Thirst Weariness Grief Torments c. nor had such power in the world over the Creatures as to his visible Form but was in the Form of a Poor-man and a Servant who had not whereon to lay his head Yea he was in all the state of the fallen man made sin and under the Law and bare our Curse in which he shewed forth the exceeding greatness of his Love and Obedience to his Father and Charity to us men Virtues far transcending all that was found in the first Adams acting though made good and upright Yet through Death having satisfied Gods Justice and pacified his Wrath for us overcome Death spoiled Principalities and Powers risen a Conquerour and gone up to the Right-hand of God As he was before much Higher then the first Man being the Lord in Heaven 1 Cor. 15.45.50 So now also he hath restored the Nature of man in himself from under all the Miseries that the first Adams sin occasioned to it and to him in it and hath Exalted it and is Exalted in it to far higher Happiness and so we find in him both as in himself before and as Man now 4. All the perfections of man that he first laid aside in his first appearance for us to suffer in the Flesh Yea all and greater then all Adam had in all the Honour God put upon him and the Provisions he made for him in his Innocent state For as he made himself of exceeding rich through his great charity and grace to us poor that through his poverty we might be made rich so to that end that he might inrich us He is become in the manhood far richer then the first Adam was for the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hands Joh. 3.35 So as all that the Father hath is his Joh. 16.15 and he is Lord of all Act. 10.36 He that was in the form of God made himself in the form of a Servant and in the habit of a Man even of an ordinary man for our sake having neither outward form or beauty when we see him that we should desire him nor Authority and Power to command any man but such as voluntarily became his Disciples but now the Sun is not so glorious much less was the body of Adam in his innocency as his body being glorified is Act. 26.13 Philip. 3.21 Nor is there any Authority beside comparable with his Adam indeed had Dominion over Gods works that are visible in Earth and Sea but all Authority both in heaven and earth is now given to him and he doth exercise it over them Adam knew how to call all the names
Palaces wherewith they have made him glad Psal 45.8 And we find his Spouse clothed and adorned by him and for him too in Ezek. 10 11 12 13. and in Rev. 19.7 8. But of these things I shall not speak more largely III. We have seen the perfections of man Let us a little as we may view also those of the Angels He is also called the Angel of the Covenant Angel is in English a Messenger and therefore so translated in our later Editions of the Bible in Mal. 3.1 The Angel of Gods presence that saved Israel Isa 63.9 And that redeemed Jacob out of all evil and had power of blessing Gen. 48.16 And surely He is the highest and best Messenger or Angel that was ever sent of God being his only Son Nor can we find any excellency in the Angels in which he doth not out-strip them They are said to excel in strength doing Gods commandments Psal 107.20 but they excel not nor equalize him in either They cannot uphold all things by the Word of their Power as He doth Heb. 1.3 Nor could they stand under the weight of our sins as He did 1 Pet. 2.24 Therefore they give him the preheminence and judge him only Worthy to receive the Power Riches Wisdom and Strength Honour Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 Nor do they Gods Commandments like or equally to him who obeyed to the death the Death of the Cross laying down his life at his Fathers commandement and delighting to do his will therein so as to bear and take away our sins by the sacrifice of himself Philip. 2.8 Joh. 10.18 Heb. 9.26 and 10.5 6. Psal 40.48 Joh. 14.31 They are also intelligent and understanding spirits great in knowledge and excellent in speech 1 Cor. 13.1 yet far short of him for God hath found folly in them saith Job 4.18 but Christ is the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 knowing his Father whom none else so knows Matth. 11.27 and grace is poured into his lips so as God hath blessed him for ever Psal 45.2 They are also great in power especially such of them as are called Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.20 21. but not equal with Christ to whom all of them are commanded to give worship He hath obtained a far more excellent name by inheritance then they as may be seen Heb. 1.5 6. to the end They are indeed Spirits but ministring Spirits to him He is the Lord that Spirit the quickning Spirit so as none of them are 2 Cor. 3.16 17. 1 Cor. 15.45 So that in him are all the perfections and more then all the perfections of Creatures Yea CHAP. XXII Secondly That in Christ are all things Answering the Needs of Fallen man all things that pertain both to Life and Godliness AGain he is and in him are all things answering the Needs of his fallen Creatures of Mankind All things pertaining to Life and Godliness and they are given us in the knowledg of him 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us view that in either Branch First All things pertaining to Life he is and are in him for us And that both as 1. Necessary to the Being and Upholding of it not only as by his Death and Sacrifice we are and this Old World for us is upholden so as that we may subsist and Live as it were from Death or the state thereof which we were Obnoxious to under a comfortable Injoyment of a natural Life and Being and have therein opportunities of seeking the Lord Psal 73.3 Acts 17.26 27. But also in reference to a Spiritual life and happy being in and from him And so whereas First It 's necessary to our so Living that we be Begotten from the Dead to live to God he is the Begetter of men thereto the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Who Begets in his own likenes as Adam did in his but far better Children because Adam Begat none till he was fallen into Sin and Misery whereas Christ Begets as one acquit of sin and raised from Death in and unto Righteousness and Life an holy Seed a blessed off-spring Children of Light and heirs of Life everlasting Yea he is the very Seed of Regeneration as held forth in his Testimony by the holy Spirit the Immortal Seed whereof the Sons of God are Begotten the Word preached in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. And as he himself is the first Begotten from the Dead so by his Resurrection from the Dead he Begets from Death and quickens to a Lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 with Ephes 2.1 Col. 2.12 John 5.21 25. And this as to the Soul here as he will also by his powerful Voice quicken the Dead in Body to Life again at his Coming being the quickning Spirit John 5.28 29. 1 Cor. 15.45 And in both respects the Resurrection and the Life John 11.25 Yea and he gives Power to others and makes them Instruments to Beget Children to God and to bring them forth for him too as in 1 Cor. 4.15 The Apostle tells the Corinthians he was their Father for in the Gospel he had Begot them yet so as in Christ Jesus there is none can Beget Children to God but in him and his Virtue And as they are the Fruit of the travail of his Soul Isa 53.10 So in and from him others are instrumental Mothers to Travail in Birth with them also Gal. 4.19 2. The Children Born must be Nursed up and he is the prime in Nursing what he Begets and brings forth for he can no more forget them then no nor so much as a Mother her sucking Child Isa 49.14 15. He nourishes them principally though he makes his Servants Instruments of Nursing them up too with the sincere Milk of his Word which he also primarily is as more understandibly discovered to the weak in his heavenly Doctrin 1 Pet. 2.2 Isa 55.13 Heb. 5.13 Yea and he comforts his Children as one whom his Mother comforts Isa 66.13 And surely its by manifesting himself to them that he gives them comfort John 14.16 17 21. And in this Nursing up and causing to live as the living Child must have So 1. He is the Bread and Water of Life John 6.35 and 4.10.14 his Flesh meat indeed and his Blood drink indeed And as the living Child needs clothing So 2. He is the Clothing and Apparrel For he as our Righteousness put on by us in believing on him and his Virtues as adorning us is our Raiment and Ornament too Whence that So many of us as have been Baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 And he bids us Buy of him white Raiment that our Nakedness may be covered and that our shame may not appear Rev. 3.18 3. It must have harbour and Lodging And he is the Dwelling-place for his Children in all Generations Psal 90.1 Where is sweet Peace Rest and Safety Psal 4.8 and 91.1 He being a house of Stone a strong habitation to defend and save us from our Enemies Psal 31.4
they might none of them ascend upon the Cherubims and sit down upon the Throne of God no it would have been high Arrogance and Luciferian pride and presumption to have assumed that place which was proper and peculiar to God alone The Priests or high Priests under the Law might not fit at all in the Temple but always stood and Ministred Heb. 10.11 much less on that Seat of God Only the Antichrist under the Gospel-times the man of sin presumes to seâ— himself in the Temple of God and likes to be worshipped as if he were God and exalts hâ—mself above all that is called God or that is worshipped He only of all that we read of dares to assume that Power and Place 2 Thes 2.4 A Wickedness the worst of the High-priests under the Law durst not presume to commit for this Place was reserved peculiarly to Christ Gods High-Priest Who having offered one Sacrifice once for all is set down on the Right-hand of God or of Power even on the Throne of Majesty in the highest Heb. 10.12 13. 1.3 8.1 12.2 The Father fully possessing him and putting on him all his own Power and Glory so as he the Father Judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to him the Son that all men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father that hath sent him John 5.22 23. So as That he that believeth on the Son believeth not on him but on him that sent him and he that seeth him seeth him that sent him John 12.44 45. And so we have an Object to worship even the same to whom all the Gods or Angels of God are commanded to do honour Worship him all ye Gods Psal 97.7 Heb. 1.6 Him we may Worship without Idolatry against God nay it 's rebellion against God and a refusing to Worship God not to Worship him for God is in him and he is God And therefore 1. We are Baptized into his Name and therein stand ingaged to Believe Depend on and Worship him yea the Father Son and Holy Ghost have but one and the same Name Mat. 28.19 And are one 1 John 5.7 2. The Apostles therefore joyn the Lord Jesus Christ with the Father in saluting the Churches Grace and Peace or Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and to him also together with the Father and the holy Spirit they commend them 2 Cor. 1.2 and 13.14 2 Tim. 1.2 and 4.22 And well they may For First The Father and all his fulness is in him Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me saith he to Philip John 14.9 10. The Wisdom Holiness Grace and Glory yea and all the Power of the Father is in and on him And therefore also Secondly The Works of God are attributed to him As the Father raiseth up the Dead and quickneth whom he will so the Son quickneth whom he will And as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and he hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man John 5.21.26 27. Yea he is the Creator and Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth Visible and Invisible Col. 1.16 And the Upholder of all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1.3 For he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.17 Is God the Repairer and Redeemer of his Creature He is so by Christ the great Repairer of the Breaches and Restorer of the Paths to dwell in the Ransome and Redeemer from Sin Death Hell Devil and Destruction 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14 Gal. 1.4 and 3.13 and 4.4 5. The Father worketh hitherto in the works of Providence and he worketh also John 5.17 Yea what is said of Jehovah the Lord in that respect in Psal 146 6 10. is applicable to him as was above noted For he feeds the hungry with himself The Bread that he gives being bis flesh which he hath given for the Life of the World As he opened the eyes of the bodily Blind in the days of his flesh so he Preacheth the opening of the eyes to them that are spiritually blind Luke 4 18 19 And the Opening of the Prison to those that are bound raiseth up the bowed in Spirit loveth his Disciples as the Father loveth him John 15 9 Receiveth and Preserveth them that were Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel and makes them fellow Citizens with the Saints Yea What things the Father doth the same doth the Son likewise John 5.19 Yea Thirdly He is what ever God is He and the Father is one one thing John 10.30 And he hath all that the Father hath For the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hands John 16.15 Fourthly The attributes of God are ascribed to him as Eternity He is that Eternal life that was with the Father and is manifested unto us 1 John 1.1 2. And he in the beginning laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of his hands and when they perish yet he endures and his Years fail not nor have an end Immutability for he is the same and alters not yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 1.10 11 12. and 13.7 Omnipotency for he upholds all things by the word of his Power Heb 1.3 The Alpha and the Omega the first and the last he that was and is and is to come the Almighty Rev. 1.8 Omnisciency Now know we that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man ask thee any thing c. John 16.30 He knew all men and needed not that any man should testifie of what is in man for he knew what is in man John 2.24 25. All things are naked and opened unto him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.12 13 Ubiquity or Omnipresence Where two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Yea Is God the Law-giver So is he Isa 42 4. The Isles shall wait for his Law Is God the Judg So is he Judg of Quick and Dead Acts 10.42 Is God the King So is he King of all the Earth Psal 47.2 3. Yea he is All and in all in the New Creature Col. 3.11 Again as for Spirit to Enlighten Quicken and Inable us to Worship acceptably The holy Spirit in the fulness thereof dwells in and rests upon him The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 And with him and by him he Inlightens Quickens Teaches and so fits for Worshipping God creates a clean Heart renews a right Spirit raises from spiritual death to spiritual life and so to Worship and serve God in the Spirit which Service he makes acceptable and he by that Spirit will raise the Body from the Dead and fashion it into the likeness of his
man and Saviour of the World that hath dyed for all men and through his Death hath the only name in which there is salvation and that He is the only Justifier of men that will convince them of a need of going out of themselves and all their own works and righteousness unto Christ to believe on him 2 Cor. 5.14 Gal. 2.15 16. Those who were not sinners of the Gentiles but Jews and had great fleshly priviledges which they looked upon as advantage to them yet hereby were convinced of their righteousness that it would not profit them even by the Spirit witnessing to and glorifying Jesus in and by the Ministry of his Servants Phil. 3.4 7 8. as it is said He the Holy Ghost namely shall convince the World of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Joh. 16.10 And that 's our way through the Spirit to convince such too And so Instance 4. Would we convince men of righteousness in Christ for them the righteousness of God freely prepared for and given to them of God that so they may come to believe on him This is the way glorify Christ and Preach his acceptable Sacrifice which He hath offered for us that He the Son of God the Word by whom all things were made hath given himself the ransome for all the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and that He hath offered up so acceptable a Sacrifice to God that in the vertues of it He is ascended up to God and is entertained of him so as He comes down no more to be abased or to suffer for us In the sight of this that men are not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus which implies the vertues of his Death and Sacrifice and the acceptableness thereof for taking away sin and obtaining favour for the approachers to God thereby the Apostles and others were moved to let go their trusting in their own righteousness according to Law and to believe in Christ that they might be justified Gal. 2.16 And so in the lifting up of the Son of man all that have come in to believe on him have been prevailed with thereto it being as well through his Name that any do believe on him as that they that do believe on him do and shall receive there-through remission of sins Act. 10.43 1 Cor. 1.21 Instance 5. Would we convince the World of Judgment that their judgment is naturally false and wrong and that God will judge the World in righteousness and give to every man according to his works The way is to lift up the Son of man and shew forth the truth as it is in him for that light makes manifest whatsoever is reproved and lays open the foundation of the Eternal Judgment and discovers the truth certainty and impartiality thereof Upon this ground and in so lifting up the Son of man Paul preached to the Athenians the reproof of their former judgment and the certainty of the Judgment to come Act. 17.30 31 32. And to the Corinthians He saith that their judgment concerning both Christ and all men besides so as no more to know them after the flesh sprung from their understanding and judging that Christ dyed for all as also from thence he grounds the judgment and the appearance of all before Christ's Tribunal 2 Cor. 5.10 14 15 16. with Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. Because Christ hath dyed for all and released all from under the first judgment and is there-through become Lord of all and all ought to live to Him and not to themselves Instance 6 Would we have men to Repent yea or exercise Faith The way to move them thereto is to lift up the Son of man So the Apostle Paul that saith He testified both to Jews and Greeks repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus tells us he did that in testifying the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20.21 24. And that he fulfilled his Commission given him of Christ To open the eyes of the blind and turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God in shewing to them at Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the Coasts of Judea and to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do good Works meet for Repentance All which he did in Witnessing both to small and great saying no other things but those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come to pass to wit that Christ should suffer and be the first that should rise from the Dead and should shew light to the People and to the Gentiles Acts 26 18.20.22 23. Or with these Arguments he moved them to that Repentance and Faith which he Preached and Urged Instance 7. Would we dehort from any sin This is our way to do it lift up the Son of man shew him to be Lord and Christ that to him we owe subjection and obedience and that he hath suffered for sins the Just for the unjust that he might bring us to God and therein hath given himself for us that he might redeem us there-from to himself So the Apostle disswades from Fornication 1 Cor. 6.14.18 19. and so we may disswade from Covetousness Fraud Envy Malice and every evil thing as is implied Rom. 6.1 2 3.9 10 11. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. and 3.4 5. Yea it 's the usual way of the Apostles first laying down the Doctrine of Christ and therein lifting him up in the former part of their Epistles then in the latter part to dehort and disswade from all evil and provoke and stir up to all Virtue and Goodness And therefore also Instance 8. Would we perswade to Obedience and Virtue This is the powerful Argument to be used and the way wherein to do it Lift up the Son of man and shew how all is due from us to God upon account of the Grace in him and brought to us by him by which he Teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2.11 12 13. And so that 's here observable that we noted in the foregoing going particular concerning the manner of the Apostles in their Epistles as may be seen in the Epistles to the Romans Galatians Ephesians Hebrews c. Instance 9. Would we convince of Errour The way is to hold forth the Truth as it is in Jesus Lifting up and Glorifying the Son of man So the Apostle refutes those that denied the Resurrection of the Dead by minding them of the Gospel Preached to them and therein of the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. And so he reproves the Errours of the false Apostles and the Galatians by minding them of the Lord Jesus his giving himself for our sins that he might deliver us from the present evil world and of the Grace in and of him Gal. 1 2 3 4 5