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
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
the sheep of Christ out of the Fathers hands And if they be in the Sonnes hands they be in the Fathers to o Joh. 17.10 But now Christ assumeth that he is one with his Father in regard of essentials I and my Father are one vers 30. and therefore he is as powerful as his Father He is whatsoever his Father is as touching his essence and can doe whatsoever his Father can doe What things soever the Father doth these also doth the Sonne likewise Joh. 5.19 Hereupon then it undeniably followeth that all the men on earth all the Devils in hell are not able to pluck so much as one of his sheep out of his hands That the fulness of the Godhead in Christ is a storehouse of blessings that never can be emptied I shall yet farther evidence by a brief view of the names attributes and workes of God and their application unto Christ 1. Then as touching the names of God and their attribution unto Christ together with the comfort that hereupon redounds unto the people of Christ I shall desire the Christian Reader to peruse and consider these following Scriptures Jer. 23.6 In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwel safely and this is his name whereby he shall bee called The Lord our righteousness Here we have a name of God given unto Christ Jehovah the Lord and the salvation and justification of the Church depending upon and resulting from this name 1. The salvation in general of the Church depends upon this his name Because he is Jehova the Lord therefore in his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Which words of the Prophet may be paraphrazed by those of the Angel Math. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sinnes 2. A particular branch of salvation depends upon this his name Because the branch of David is the Lord therefore he is able to justifye us to be our righteousness This is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse Which words may be expounded by those of Paul 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is made of God unto us righteousness c. Unto this place we may aptly conjoyne Isai 45.22,23,24,25 for that it is meant of Christ a comparison of vers 23. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 will easily demonstrate Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth For I am God and there is none else I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Another name of God given unto Christ is the Lord of Hosts and how comfortable the attribution of it unto Christ is may be cleared from these two following scriptures The first is Isai 8. vers 13 14. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himselfe c. and he shall be for a Sanctuary c. Because he is the Lord of Hosts therefore he is a sanctuary which none can violate a sure refuge That the Person there spoken of is Jesus Christ cannot not be questioned by any true Christian For Simeon in Luke Paul Peter applieth the latter part of the 14 verse unto him and that speaks still of the same Person which the former part doth Agune in Zech. 2. vers 8 9 10 11 12. Because he is the Lord of Hosts sent by the Lord of Hosts therefore he assureth the Church of the Jewes that after their own glorious restitution they should enjoy a full victory over their enemies unto whom for the present they were vassals and servants And that this victory should be gained very easily on his part as it were with the shaking of his hand or lifting up of his finger And hereupon he exhorts them to triumph sing and rejoyce and he back 's his exhortation from a promise of his presence in her of the conjunction of the Gentiles with her and of his government of her For thus saith the Lord of Hâ—sts after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoyled you For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye For behold I will shake my hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants and ye shall know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me Sing and rejoyce o Daughter of Sion for lo I come and will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me unto thee And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall chuse Jerusalem againe To go from the Old Testament unto the New and there I shall single out but one place at present 1 Joh. 5. vers 18 20. where he is tearmed the true God and his being so is a reason of the saving illumination of the regenerate as also of their preservation from the sinne unto death and protection against the temptations of Satan We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not But he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not And we know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Sonne Christ Jesus This is the true God and eternal life 2. Proceed we next from the names of God unto his attributes and consider we what comfort the ascribing of them unto Christ doth minister I shall at present instance onely in his eternity immutability omnipresence omnipotency omniscience 1. Then for his Eternity Because his goings forth have been from of old from everlasting therefore the remnant of his Brethren shall returne unto the Children of Israel And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land and when he shall tread in our palaces Micah 5.2,3,4,5 If he had beene but a meere man if his coming forth had beene onely from Bethlehem Ephratah he had been utterly unable to have accomplisht any of all this He could not have brought in the fulnesse of the Gentiles the remnant of his brethren and have joyned them unto the believing Israelites He could not have fed them that is he could not have made provision for them He could not have governed and protected them He could not have been peace and security unto them against the dreadfull fury of the Assyrians invasion Our Saviour Christ having averred Joh. 8.51 that whosoever kept his sayings
clearly demonstrates the matchlesse eminency of the Fathers love unto us and so is a very pressing argument for our thanksgiving See what our Saviour himselfe speakes in exaltation and as it were admiration of this love Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten sonne c. The particle so points out such an height of love as is unexpressible Ransacke all the Poëts and in all their fictions you can find no paralell unto this love That he should seeme for a time to suspend his love unto his beloved that he might extend his love unto enemies unto traytors and rebels that he should deliver up the sonne of his love unto the utmost severity and rigour of the law for the ransome of Children of wrath that he should not spare him for this intent that he might spare them that hee should make him a curse to redeeme them from the curse of the law Galat. 3.13 that hee should scourge him to heale them Isai 53.5 punish him to save them give him up unto death that they might enjoy eternall life that he should desert him in point of consolation that they might not be eternally lost but embraced in the armes of his love for ever O this speaketh the most transcendent love that ever God shewed towards any miserable creature And therefore the most enlarged thankes and praises will fall infinitely short of it In the next place if we consider the connexion of this fulnesse of Gods love unto Christ with Christ's fulnesse of love unto us we shall find very great reason for the direction of our thankes and praises unto Christ himselfe as well as unto the Father We have these two fulnesses of love connexed by Christ under the name of wisdome Prov. 8.30,31 Though he was by God as one brought up with him and was daily his delight rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth and his delights were with the sons of men Which passage we may expound by those words of our Saviour Joh. 15.3 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you O what an astonishable condescention is there in this love of our Saviour that the darling and onely beloved of the great God of glorious heaven should fetch a spouse from this miserable earth should cast his eye and set his heart upon such forlorne creatures and depraved sinners as we are that he which is in the bosome of the Father should take such despicable wretches as we are into his owne bosome marry us unto himselfe and rejoyce over us as a Bridegroome rejoyceth over his bride Isai 62.5 Such was the happinesse of Christ in the fruition of his Fathers eternall love as that it was uncapable of any further improvement But yet notwithstanding this his happy state and condition he stooped so low as to make his rebellious servants the objects of a boundlesse affection Was not this as it were a debasing of himselfe and such a mercy unto us as is above recompence All that we can do is humbly and thankfully to acknowledge admire and adore it to resigne up our selves unto the service of him and unto suffering for him if he honour us with a call thereunto and to make it the chiefest matter of our care to decline whatsoever is unsuitable unto this high place of grace and favour with him and will reflect any dishonour or reproach thereon 4. The height of Christs grace and favour with God should prevaile with us for obedience unto his doctrine and submission unto his directions This use was made of it by Christ himselfe Prov. 8.30,32 c. I was dayly his delight Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keepe my wayes vers 33. Heare instruction and be wise and refuse it not It is also pressed by his father in his transfiguration Math. 17.5 This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased Heare ye him that is in the language of scripture obey him accept him not onely as a priest to satisfy for you as a redeemer to save you but also as a prophet to instruct you as a King and soveraigne Lord to governe and guide you The onely begotten sonne is alone in the bosome of the father and therefore best acquainted with his mind and will and consequently best qualified and enabled for the revelation thereof He onely can declare him for no man besides him hath seen God at any time Joh. 1.18 Unto him therefore in his word let us onely have recourse for instruction in things towards God And unto such instructions let us lend an open eare and heart let us yield a ready and full conformity without farther consulting with flesh and bloud 5. Because Christ is in such great grace and favour with God it will be discretion to have all our addresses unto and worship of God in his name through his mediation He is the powerfull favourite of heaven and therefore all accesses unto the God of Heaven are by him all dispatches from heaven unto earth passe through him not a promise not a saving mercy not a word of peace and comfort is conveyed unto a believing soule but through his mediatorship The greatest part of publicke ceremoniall worship under the law was lawfull and acceptable unto God onely at the Temple in Jerusalem Sacrifices were to be offered onely upon the Altar there Isai 20.4 and 56.7 The Temple and Altar were herein types of Christ in whom alone the whole morall worship and service of God is acceptable out of him God rejecteth and looketh upon the most glorious performances as heathenish abominations as the butchery of a man the cutting off a dogs neck the offering swines bloud the blessing of an Idol Isay 66.3 It is in the beloved alone that God accepteth of and is well pleased with as our persons so our services all prayers preferred all duties performed in his name will speed well and find a gracious and favourable reception It is related in Plutarch of Themistocles that when he fled from the fury of his Citizens unto Admetus King of the Molossians whom yet he had formerly provoked he tooke the Kings little young sonne in his armes and went and kneeled downe before the Altar in his chappel which humble manner of sueing the Molossians tooke to be most effectuall and such as was not to be refused When being pursued by the guilt and cry of our sinnes the rigorous sentence of the law the accusations of Sathan and the terrours of our owne conscience for them we runne unto an incensed God for mercy there is no way to appease him but to take his deare sonne in the armes of our faith and to lodge or offer him as it were upon the Altar of his bosome This is such an enforcing manner of supplication as that God in his new covenant of grace hath engaged himselfe unto a complyance with it 6. Because Christ is so eminently gracious with God the father we should be stirred